Cursed (The Complex Book 0)

by Dylan Quinn

  He glared and growled, but Geneva knew the truth.

  It was written all over his flushed cheeks.

  It pounded in his rapid pulse.

  Moved with his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down as he swallowed, trying to hide his sexually fueled impulses.

  “I’ll play.”

  Geneva stared heavily at the Watcher, making him shift uncomfortably while she stripped off her forbidden lingerie.

  His eyes were on fire, his body begged to touch her as his gaze burned into her, but he held back.

  He always held back, denying his own sexual urges, poor darling.

  She couldn’t help but let out a laugh at his nervousness as she pulled on her black Uni-approved jumper with the god-awful orange U on the front.

  “What a shame you won’t just accept the fact that you want nothing more than to ravish this.” She firmly grabbed her breasts now tucked securely in the boring Complex garb. “Because you truly are one breathtaking specimen of a man. And you know as well as I do, I would totally rock your world.”

  As she walked past him, she lightly touched his cheek, dragging her fingertips across his stubbled jawline, tracing over his lips.

  Geneva reached the door and turned to face him once more.

  “One last thing, your sexiness.” She shot her sultry Cupid smile in his direction. “Game on.”

  Chapter 3

  The clock above Lennox’s head echoed loudly through his sterile office at Intra North while he waited for Geneva Jayne to arrive the next morning.

  He stood and walked over to the monitors on the wall, the ones overlooking the whole of the Complex.

  Nothing he couldn’t handle.

  Reanna was secure in her chambers, and his men were on guard across the Complex keeping watch over Denvar, the Human boy Reanna continued to seek despite his banishment.

  What a disaster this whole thing had turned into.

  It was supposed to be an easy gig.

  Keep the Human girl safe while her uncle, correction, her father sought the mercenaries who had hunted her while on their planet, Raxu.

  Normally, Lennox wouldn’t accept jobs for Humans, but the payment was higher than any other, and if he took the job, the payout could fund him for a very long enough so he could actually take a break from working.

  P-Extinction, the war with the Humans that ultimately resulted in creating the Ama Seldova, was disastrous. Lennox only involved himself at all out of duty to his deceased wife. Killed by her own kind, he felt the need to avenge her death, and once the Humans took up arms against the Metas, he knew he had to step up and fight.

  Lennox didn’t necessarily dislike Humans, as much as he didn’t understand them. Perhaps it had to do with their mortality. He suspected having a limited time to actually live probably changed things when it came to fighting for quality of life.

  He took a breath and walked to the door, glancing out the window into the Intra North office.

  He peered up at the clock. 10:05 a.m.

  She’s late.

  He narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips as the time piece secured to the wall above his head ticked relentlessly.

  That woman exasperated Lennox.

  Geneva was both clever and charismatic as hell. Which made her one of the most dangerous Metas in the Complex in Lennox’s eyes.

  He didn’t have many weaknesses, but red hair was one of them.

  Beautiful woman. Lennox could have any he wanted before Jenexa. Then she stole his heart, and he was a changed man.

  After her death, Lennox didn’t return to his meandering ways. Skirts were dangerous. He couldn’t afford to fall for one again.

  Sharing a bed with one could be just as dangerous.

  Lennox lost his head when it came to woman. With love.

  He’d made many mistakes with Jenexa and knew the realms weren’t safe if he wasn’t focused.

  Love was a luxury Lennox could not afford.

  He turned toward his chair when the door to his office flew open, and Geneva Jayne strutted in.

  “Lexie. Darling.” She flashed him her spectacular smile. Her caramel eyes gleamed from the reflection of the lights overhead.

  She breezed by Lennox, her enticing exotic scent lingered in the air.

  Stop. He admonished himself beneath his breath. He turned and crossed his arms over his chest.

  Even in her Uni jumper, the woman took his breath away.

  And infuriated him more than any Meta or Human ever could.

  “You’re late.” He nodded his head to a chair. “Sit.”

  “I like it when you’re bossy.” She bit her lower lip. “Sexy.”

  “Just sit.” He scoffed.

  She smirked then sat in the chair in front of Lennox’s organized desk.

  He walked around her and shut his door, then returned to stand across from her.

  The Cupid’s scent drew him in. And the way her hair flowed down over her shoulder...

  Stop, damn it.

  Lennox couldn’t afford to see her that way.

  “Well, I’m here.” She set on her elbows on his desk then rested her cheeks on her palms. “What do you want?”

  Lennox calmed himself and sat on the corner of the desk, far from her reach.

  “I am assigning you a charge.”

  Geneva’s expression went blank. “A what?”

  “A charge. As head of Intra, I assign guardians to those who need them. I have a hybrid who needs a guardian.”

  “Oh, no.” She shook her head. “I didn’t sign up for that. I have other things to do.” Geneva made to stand, but Lennox quickly intervened, hand on her shoulder, gently pushing her back down.

  “You don’t have a choice, Miss Jayne.”

  “I have a choice.” She grunted. “I know the rules.”

  “It’s a new rule.” He narrowed his gaze.

  She tilted her head and glared. “Uh-uh. Not happening. Besides. If I recall correctly, I’m not the one who needs to mind my business.” She stood and straightened out her shoulders. “If you want your secret to be kept, that is.”

  Lennox glared. He anticipated this, but he also knew the Cupid. Her weakness. She’d do anything to make a deal, and he knew what the one thing was that she wanted.

  “Listen, Miss Jayne. I know why you’re here. In the Complex. I know what you seek. Let’s just say I can help.”

  “What do you mean? Help how?”

  “What do you want, Miss Jayne? More than anything?”

  She took a breath and exhaled.

  “You know what I want.”

  “I can give you what you seek. But first, you must do your part.”

  “I already did my part, Lexie. I took away your heartache. You want it back? Hurts like a bitch, but hey.” She shrugged. “I could share.”

  “I don’t want back my sorrow. But I do want my foresight.”

  She smirked and shook her head. “That’s not how it works, darling.”

  “Alright then.” He stood straight. “Let’s negotiate.”

  She tilted her head and bit her lip, sending Lennox’s heart pounding in his chest.

  She grinned wide, showing off her beautiful smile, probably sensing his physical reaction. She knew how he felt, thanks to her gifts, so he couldn’t hide that from her.

  “Okay. What do you have that I can’t live without?” She glared, lips pressed tightly pressed together.

  “A cure.”

  Her eyes went wide. “A what?”

  “A cure.”

  Geneva tilted her head. “No way. To my curse.” She narrowed her eyes. “Don’t fuck with me, Lennox.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

  “I’m not fucking with you, Miss Jayne. I’m already making the arrangements.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?” She stood straight, strong shoulders back, perky breasts pushed out.

  She really was quite adorable.

  Lennox sensed her reading him again, so he got himself in check.


  “The Curse Catcher.” He cleared his throat, regaining his composure.

  “A what?” She gripped her hips.

  Lennox chuckled. “I’m surprised with as resourceful as you are, that you’ve never thought of her.”

  “I’ve never heard of her.” She scoffed. “What the hell is a

  Curse Catcher?”

  “She can take away your curse. If I can get her to do that,

  will you return my sight? And help me with this girl?”

  “I don’t believe you.” Geneva pursed her lips. “I’ve been around a long time. If there was some thing called a Curse Catcher, I would have found it by now.”

  “Miss Jayne. You forget who you’re dealing with here. You, of all people, should realize I’m sincere. I don’t play games. Especially when it comes to my duty.”

  “How does it work?” She asked innocently, her stance loosened a bit. “Because my immortality is directly tied to this curse.”

  “She stops the curse. I can’t promise that does not include your immortality, but perhaps it will give you back the one thing you seek.”

  “If you’re fucking with me, Lennox, so help me gods, I’ll shout your secret over the intercoms in the Complex.” She narrowed her gaze, stepping up to the Watcher. “You’ll regret it.”

  “I know what you want. And I can get it for you.” He stepped back from her gravity that pulled him in so hard, he was having a difficult time resisting. “But I need your help in return.”

  Geneva let out a harsh breath then sat in the chair.

  Lennox had surprised her.

  She was quiet for far too long.

  “Say something, Miss Jayne. Do we have a deal?”

  “Tell me what you want first before I agree to anything. And I need to know everything, not the watered down version.”

  Lennox sat back down in his chair across from her, trying without much luck, not to deeply inhale her intoxicating scent drawing him in.

  “I came into the Complex on a secret mission. I was charged with protecting a young girl. A Human. Though it seems she’s not Human at all, but an Angel hybrid. Her powers weren’t awakened until she turned eighteen a few weeks ago. But she claims to have fallen in love with a boy, and it’s too dangerous. If she were meant to be with this boy, my foresight would catch it. But you have my vision.” He leaned closer, withholding his arousal as best he could. “I want it back.”

  She smirked.

  “Okay, then give me this Curse Catcher.”

  He sat up straight and pursed his lips. “I can’t at the moment. She’s... missing.”

  Geneva laughed out loud then stood once more, shaking her head and crossing her arms over her beautiful, perky tits.

  “So you want me to just give you back your foresight, but you have absolutely nothing for me?” She shook her head. “No way. You know how it works.” She stood and made her way to the door, pulling it open slightly.

  Lennox stood and moved a step behind her. He reached out, inadvertently brushing over her fiery locks of hair. As his fingertips lightly grazed her neck, a pulse of electricity forced through him, racing into his shoulders the second the Metas made contact.

  “You let me know when you find this Curse Catcher.” She exhaled a loud breath. “Till then, I’ve got bait to catch.”

  “No.” Lennox swiftly stepped in front of her, slamming his office door shut. “Stop.”

  She set her hands on her hips and glared.

  “You really want your secret told?” She reached for the door handle, preparing to open it again. “Don’t force my hand, Lexie. You don’t want on my bad side.” She stepped closer, not intimidated, but clearly aroused. “Watcher.”

  “This isn’t about me, Miss Jayne.” He exhaled. “The girl needs a guardian. There’s nothing you can do about that. If you’re assigned as her guardian, you’re assigned. Period. That is in the rules.”

  “I don’t give a damn about your rules. I didn’t come here for this.”

  “I’m afraid you signed up for the Complex experiment, so you’re bound to the rules like everyone else. I’m the sole assigner of guardians, so my word is law here. Do you understand me?”

  She glared back with disdain.

  “Fine. But you can’t force me to give back your foresight. We made a deal. And you know my rules. You want it back, you take back your heartache. Or deliver this Curse Catcher. Every deal with me comes with a price, Lexie. And that is my law.”

  “I’ll find her. In the meantime, Reanna needs a guardian. Someone who understands her. Perhaps help me understand how to keep her safe while she’s here. Outside the Complex, there are bounty hunters out for her head. I need to keep her alive.”

  “Who is this girl?” Geneva relaxed for a moment.

  “She’s related to President Clifton. Now that she’s no longer Human, I can’t help but wonder what else is in store that someone wants to keep hidden. So if you’re not going to give me back my foresight, then you will be forced to help me figure out the answers to what I seek. In return, I will have my guards on the lookout for the Curse Catcher. In the meantime, you are officially an employee of Intra.” He smiled, and offered his hand to her. “Welcome to the team.”

  “Bastard.” Geneva crossed her arms over her chest, refusing his offer.

  Lennox chuckled.

  “You could also just give me back my foresight, and I give you my word we will continue to look for the Curse Catcher. Once we find her, I will ensure she removes your curse.”

  “It can’t be that easy.” She narrowed her gaze. “No catch.”

  “I don’t know how it works, you’ll have to ask her.”

  Geneva stepped back, never taking her gaze from his.

  Places that had been asleep for far too long woke with from her words or a seductive glance in his direction.

  Lennox was drawn to Geneva Jayne, more so than any other since Jenexa. He chucked it up to her curse. She was built that way, to entice men with her eyes. With her curvaceous body—firm tits. Her ass. Strong arms and legs.

  Everything about the Cupid brought his body to life, though he knew it was part of her illusion, her curse, and he refused to be drawn into her world that way.

  Besides, he couldn’t afford any distraction during this mission, especially one that could result in such epic consequences dealing with a woman like Geneva.

  He could picture her in his bed. Beneath his body, hovering over his. Her plump, pink lips sinking into his, kissing over his skin.

  Stop. He shook his head. Shake it off.

  Geneva grinned.

  She always knew when a man was being drawn into her gravity.

  Lennox wasn’t sure if she did it intentionally, or if it was just something about her that enticed him.

  Thanks to her curse, he would likely never know.

  As the Watcher, one of the oldest and most powerful Metas still in existence, he was supposed to be immune to most Meta’s charms, but with Geneva Jayne, there was something that threatened to take him down.

  That was something he could not afford.

  “I want more,” she said, yanking him from his inner ramblings.

  Lennox straightened out his shoulders, crossing his arms over his chest. “There is no more.”

  “I want one more thing. Or no deal.” She inhaled. “I’ll be her guardian, but using your foresight to give you answers is not part of the Intra guardian thing, I can guarantee it. You want me to do you a favor, then you owe me one,” she said, then enunciating the ‘B’ with exact precision, she whispered across his cheek. “Big.”

  Lennox eyed her and took a step back, a half attempt at withdrawing from her obvious ploy to draw him into her charms.

  “What do you want, Miss Jayne?”

  Geneva eliminated the space between them. Setting her hands along his cheeks, she captured his immovable gaze, winning in the war of emotion waging between them.

  “You,” she whispered. “I. Want you.”

  Lennox’s e
yes went wide. “You want what?”

  He cleared his throat, swallowing hard, and stepped back from her electrifying touch.

  “We’ve been dancing around this attraction for several hundred years, Lexie. And if I’m going to die, then I need one more thing before I do. One night with the only man to ever turn me down.”

  He scoffed. “I couldn’t possibly be the only man to dismiss your advances.”

  “Wanna bet?”

  She widened her gaze, setting her hands on her hips and jutting out her right foot, tapping it on the concrete floor beneath her. She grinned, flipping her fiery locks around her shoulder, stirring his cock within his black Intra uniform.

  Lennox stood silently for a moment, regaining his composure.

  Chemistry between them was palpable.

  But mixing women with work was against the rules.

  And Lennox didn’t break rules.

  There was order for a reason. It kept people safe. Alive. He would not be the direct cause for any other loss of life.

  “No.”

  “Alright then, you have a great time figuring out your girl.” She reached for the door.

  Lennox circled his fingers around her forearm and pulled her back gently. “Wait.”

  Geneva turned around, an evil glint in her eyes. “You ready to make a deal?”

  He exhaled slowly, regaining his wits. “That’s a highly inappropriate request, Miss Jayne.”

  She smirked. “Well, I’m a highly inappropriate girl.” She winked.

  Geneva invaded his personal space once more, and he slowly stepped back toward the wall beside the door.

  “I suspect beneath this stiff exterior hides a highly inappropriate man begging to have a taste of me.” She gazed into his eyes, her soft fingers ran gently across his jaw. “You don’t have to fight it, love. And I won’t tell anyone. Just like your identity, it’ll be our little secret.”

  Heat crossed his stubble-laced cheekbones, making him extremely uncomfortable with the direction of this conversation.

  She was right, to a point. There was something about her he couldn’t escape. Hadn’t for over a few hundred years since they’d met all that time ago.

  And if she were hell-bent on dying, his secret wouldn’t be a threat for long anyway.

  “You know you want to, darling.” She interrupted his thoughts. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. Your wife died a long time ago.” Her expression softened.