“Does that bother you?” He shoots me a sly grin across the counter top.
“Nope.” I smile and watch. Once he takes the pot off the stove, he places it on a warming station and then pours the two mugs full. Instead of serving it to me, he motions for me to come with him and leads the way to the living room.
“How were your classes today?” Ari asks me as we both sit on his plush couch. There is a fire roaring against the large wall, heating the room up nicely. After trekking through the freezing cold night, this is a perfect ending to the day.
“They were okay.” I reflect on my day. “I’m really trying to fit in here, but it just seems like I’m not normal.” I blush at my admission as I try to hide my face behind the mug, taking a sip of the hot sugary liquid.
“I saw you with Kara and her friends. They weren’t nice to you?” Worry coats his face.
“They were. There’s just this one girl, Lisa, who clearly hates me. It’s frustrating,” I tell him, venting out my day’s frustrations.
“You’ll be fine. Once people start to know you, they’ll love you.” His hand finds my thigh and strokes it lightly, reassuring me. His fingers brush close to the hem of my pants and my leg nearly spasms.
“Everyone knows about the curse,” I tell him.
“Yeah. It’s not really hidden in this world, and since I work here, most people know.” I barely hear his words as he rubs constant circles on my knee with this thumb. Little buzzes shoot through my body where he touches, shocking me.
“They’re treating me differently now that they know,” I confess, my voice breathy since all I can concentrate on is his touch.
“There’s not much we can do about that.”
“Yeah. I met my advisor, and she seems really cool. I think I’ll like her a lot,” I tell him, recalling Professor Onassis and her cheerful demeanor. She didn’t treat me differently when I told her about the curse, and she didn’t judge me.
“Cece? She’s amazing. I made sure you would have her. She’s extremely smart, and she knows what she’s talking about. She has visions. Did you tell her about your gift?” he asks me.
“Yes, Ari.” I drag out his name like a chore.
“Good.” He leans over and plants a soft kiss on the tip of my nose. “Want to sleep over?” I’m appalled when he asks, because I really didn’t expect him to be so forward. Especially after yesterday when he demanded we try to only be friends.
“Um… what?” I stutter out.
“You know, sleep over,” he repeats, pointing between the two of us and then up to the ceiling.
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea.” I want to take things slowly. I’m definitely not ready for sex. And with Ari’s personality, I’m sure he is.
“Oh, yeah okay.” He focuses intently on his cup of hot chocolate like he’s scared to see me.
“I’ll sleep over, but no funny stuff,” I relent. “I’m not doing anything like that until the curse is gone. I don’t want to regret something that may have been influenced by Hades.” I try to explain in the nicest way possible. I definitely don’t want him to think I don’t want him since that’s clearly not the case—I can hardly be in the same room without wanting to maul him.
“You think you’ll regret me?” Pain is evident in his voice, again.
“Not at all. I didn’t mean that. I’m sorry…” I tell him, staring into his emerald eyes, “I just need to focus on my mom and school and ending this curse before I get swept away,” I explain.
“I get it.” He starts to close himself off to me, building that wall up high so I can’t get inside. I know I have to break through and get him back before it’s too late.
“Hey.” I take his head between my hands, forcing his eyes to meet mine. “I’m sorry. Let’s go upstairs.” I want him back to the guy I love.
I plant a wet smack on his lips and then push off the couch to head upstairs. I reach my hand down to his, and he gets up behind me. I lead us up the stairs, making sure to playfully wiggle my butt with each step.
“Stop that!” Ari calls out, slapping my butt with his free hand. I squeal at the sting and run the rest of the way up the stairs until he catches me in his arms. He throws me over his shoulder, and then kicks open the door to his room. I can’t control my giggling, especially when he throws me down onto his huge bed.
I have only a second to prepare before I’m covered with his body. He pins me down and then starts kissing me. He starts at my hand, just one kiss, and then works his way to my shoulder. He nips at it flirtatiously while I try to squirm out of his grasp.
“Stop,” I giggle out, wrapping my legs around his powerful body. I need some leverage so I can get away from the tickling and kissing. He only laughs at me before nipping at my neck next.
But finally, his lips touch mine and playtime is over.
I moan into his mouth, finally getting what I want. He rolls me over so I’m hovering over him, but he refuses to quit. Without our lips separating, he darts up. I’m in his arms, and one second we’re laying down and the next I’m pressed against the wall.
He used his powers. For some reason, this makes the butterflies in my stomach go rampant with need. I wrap my arms around his neck while he holds me below my butt, so I’m pressed against him, feeling his need back.
“I love you,” I tell him between kisses. He pulls away from me.
“I love you, too, Eury.” With hooded eyes, he presses his forehead to mine and stares at me, almost like he’s trying to speak with my soul. I shut my eyes and let the stillness take over.
But it lasts only a second because he comes back in for a passionate kiss that doesn’t end. He refuses to stop peppering me with his love as we move from the wall to his bed.
Fully clothed but out of breathe, I cuddle into Ari, resting my head in the crook of his neck. His eyes are shut but he’s awake. He wraps his arms around me protectively. The last thought I have before falling asleep is about Ollie, wondering what he’s doing on this cold night.
CHAPTER SEVEN
jail dream
I awaken in the same dream I have been having for months now. It’s always the same, never changing. I peek around in my jail cell, hoping that something has moved or there is something new, but of course, it’s just my sense of false hope.
The black poles holding me in the cell are worn and scratched from people trying to escape. The paint has chipped, and it looks insecure, but I know by now; it’s solid. After many failed attempts trying to escape, I don’t even bother.
There is a small bed chained to the wall with hay piled onto it as a makeshift mattress. A small grey blanket, thinner than paper, lays atop of the hay, making it look oh so appetizing, but I know, it’s prickly and unpleasant. The bed consists of a simple plank of wood. I walk over to the bed and take a seat, wondering if it will hold me up, and it does, with only a small creak under me in complaint.
A hole in the corner of the room acts as a toilet, and the smell reaches my nose, instantly suffocating me. I hold my breath and look away, not wanting to see or smell the vile soil any longer. I glance out into the hallway, looking for a new person, a new cell—something new to work with, but nope. Nothing. There’s always nothing.
I’m let down again; all I see are the cells I’ve memorized time and time again. Although there are tons of people, I can’t hear anything; they don’t even look alive. They lie on the cold, cement ground or on their rough, wood bed—immobile and silent. I call out for someone to help me just as I do every time, but nobody answers me.
After a few seconds of sitting in solitude, a man, of whom I immediately recognize as Hermes, waltzes towards me, a smug grin plastered on his face. Immediately, I’m surprised because I’ve never seen him before. At least, not in this dream.
I watch as Hermes grabs a woman from the cell across from me and begins to beat her senseless. I scream at the first punch and lunge towards the hallway, wanting to help her. He leans into his leg as he kicks her in the gut. He bends at th
e waist and slams his fist against her jaw, over and over again—his flesh a mere blur.
Blood gushes from her split lip and falls onto the concrete ground in thick puddles. It looks like he calls for someone, but his voice is muffled as if I’m listening under water. I strain to listen through the black bars. My knuckles whiten as I clutch the barred door.
Hermes continues to assault her, using his knees, fists, and feet to render her immobile. Hades then emerges down the hall. The room dulls, a child creeps up on me and something similar to fog leads his way. Just his presence changes the atmosphere of the cells.
He walks to where we are and stops at the woman’s cell, waiting outside, touching distance from where I’m held captive. Lines of anger mark the men’s foreheads as they argue.
The woman struggles to fight back. She kicks Hades in the shin, but Hermes hits the side of her head to stop her. She falls back against the cold, firm wall and her head lies on the floor, bloodied and broken, rendering her unconscious yet again.
After the confrontation, Hades reaches into his back pocket and pulls out an empty container and a tube. The tube is clear and very narrow—like a straw. The container is clear as well but clouded, like it’s been used before. Hermes holds the woman down by kneeling on her arms, in case she wakes up, while Hades brings a razor down the woman’s forearm. A thin trickle of blood leaks out, and Hades sticks the tube against her skin. He positions it so the tube collects her blood, and in turn, slowly drips into the container where he stores it.
Nausea washes over me as I watch this woman get drained of her blood, drop by drop. I gag and almost lose the contents of my stomach. As I fight to keep the thick bile from overflowing my mouth, Hermes turns towards me, smiling his odd grin as if he can hear me struggling.
I hold onto the vision, not wanting it to finish, needing to see how it will end. Who is this woman? Does she live?
I struggle to stand, hoping to catch a glimpse of the woman’s face, but my legs buckle under my weight. The vision fades and blackness leaves me blind.
I scream when sight and sound come back to me. I don’t know what happened or how my vision is suddenly changing, but every aspect of it unhinges me. I can’t handle the intensity. This has never happened to me before. I’ve never dreamt one thing only to have it change later. It’s unsettling.
“Eury, what happened?” Ari’s intense focus is solely on me. The sheets are draped around his waist, leaving his chest perfectly bare. Focusing on Ari, I’m able to slow down my breathing, letting my sputtering heart rest.
“Another dream,” I whisper. Ari wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me into him, cradling my head against his chest. I cry as he comforts me, slowly rubbing up and down my back. “Thank god you were here,” I whisper to him, happy that I wasn’t in my dorm room alone. I need to find a way to control my mind, and I know Professor Onassis is the only one who can help me.
“Do you want to talk about it?” he asks after my crying slows down to just a trickle.
“No,” I say, not sure what it even has to do with my real life. “Let’s say I pulled a prank on someone here, would I go to jail?” I question, thinking back to the prank on Carter.
“What?” He’s clearly at a loss from my question. “You’re not going to jail ever so get that out of your head.” He pulls me into him again. He leans us back against the head board, and once I’m relaxed, I lie against his bare chest. I let my hand travel up and down his stomach, feeling all the contours, emphasizing each and every ridge.
I’m not sure how long it takes me to fall back asleep but the rest of the night is dreamless.
“Eury, baby. Wake up,” a deep voice rasps out to me. I flutter my eyes open and take in the bright light coming from the tall peaking windows. I glance around and find Ari standing next to me at the edge of the bed, fully dressed in his slacks and button up shirt, staring at me.
“What’s wrong?” I ask him, wondering why he’s waking me up when I was so snug. This bed is so warm that I don’t ever want to get out of it. I’m mad he’s all ready to go when I just want to snuggle all day.
“You’re late,” he says, and when I give him a flustered face, he continues, “for class…”
“Oh no.” I leap up from the bed. I throw on my shirt and shoes. I run to the bathroom and lock myself in so I can get ready for class. I quickly run a comb through my hair and then realize that I don’t have a toothbrush here.
I look around the room and spot Ari’s blue one lying along the sink. We’ve kissed, so I just grab his brush and clean my teeth.
I swing open the door to his bedroom but he’s already gone. I take the stairs two at a time and meet Ari near the front door where he’s waiting with two steaming mugs and my jacket in his free hand.
He’s smiling like a perfect little house mate and I walk to his side thirstily. I smile up at him and give him a gentle kiss on the cheek. He helps me into my coat, holding it for me as I put my arms into the sleeves and then pulls it up over my shoulders. Ari opens the door for me, and the polar breeze assaults my face.
I stop at his stoop, not sure where to go from here, and look up to him for an answer. “Here you go.” He awkwardly hands me the heated mug. He bends down and plants a soft kiss on my lips and then on my forehead before letting out a deep sigh. He takes my head in his hands and rests his forehead on mine, his eyes staring right into my soul. “I love that you used my toothbrush, by the way,” he whispers before leaving me standing on the stoop alone. I watch him sprint to the main administration building, just a second ticks by, before my brain cuts through the fog, and I again realize I’m late.
I run to my dorm, but it’s mostly empty since people have already left for class or breakfast. Once I’m in my room, I check the bathroom, but it’s clear that Kara is already gone. After quickly changing into jeans and a short sleeve shirt, I throw on my UGGs and grab my black coat, buttoning it up to my chin. Kara has a green scarf on her desk, so I quickly grab it and twist it around my neck for more protection from the cold.
I know I don’t have time to stop at the student center, so I delve into my stash of goodies and find a box of pop-tarts my dad bought me before coming here. I rush to first period while eating my pop-tart and drinking from the mug Ari gave me.
I get to class, and I’m the last to enter, even behind Ari. I rush to my seat and plop down, dropping my bags. I sit there breathing heavily as I try to regain my composure.
I rush from class to class in a funk all day long until it’s lunchtime when I finally have a little breathing time. Not to mention, I’m beyond excited to get some real food in my belly. The pop-tart held me over for all of one class period. Kara finds me in the lunch line and immediately starts grilling me about last night.
“Dish, girl.” Kara has that gossipy gleam in her eyes.
“Nothing really happened. I just told him how I didn’t want to have sex until the curse was gone and then we just made out and slept together,” I explain to her. “Hey, why didn’t you come looking for me? What if I was kidnapped?” It dawns on me that she didn’t know where I was the whole time.
“Remember when I walked into the woods because ‘I saw ‘something.’” She uses air quotes around her words. “Ari called me over secretly and told me his plan,” she explains, making my eyes broaden at the elaborate scheme.
“What a sneak you two are,” I mumble to myself while throwing a bag of chips on my plate. Megan spots us in the food area and backs out of the lunch line, rushing to my side.
“Where’d you go last night?” she asks me. I look to Kara for an explanation, but she just shrugs her shoulders, not being helpful at all. I can already see a pattern emerging.
“I forgot something at Ari’s house so I had to get it,” I say, praying that’s a decent cover up.
“Oh, that’s cool.” Megan trails behind Kara and me to the line like she’s got a rope tied around her waist connected to my back.
“How was the rest of the sleepover?” I ask
them both, wanting to know what type of fun they were having while I was with Ari. I feel kind of bad that I ditched them, but I try not to let it bother me. The time I spend with Ari is far and few between. I need to soak up as much as possible.
“We just watched Across the Universe and then went to bed.” Kara sounds disappointed as she relays the information. “What the heck! Nice scarf, thief.” Kara touches her green scarf that hangs around my neck.
“Do you mind?” I ask her, feeling awful that I borrowed it, if she has a problem with it. I put my tray down on the counter and start to take it off, but Kara stops me.
“Dude, no. What’s mine is yours since I know we’re on that level now.” She winks at me.
“You’re the best roommate.” I hip check her and let her cut me in line.
“I’m your only roommate.”
“Still,” I say as she pays the lunch lady. I tag along behind and pay for my own food, and then we wait for Megan. We start walking towards our table, which is already filled with the regulars.
“We’ll have to have another sleepover and make it even better,” I tell them as we get close to the table.
“For sure,” Megan says as she puts her tray down across from me. Everyone is sitting in almost the same exact seats as yesterday—me next to Kara and Megan across from us with Lisa. I don’t get a greeting from Lisa, only a subtle glower that I most definitely return. I listen in on the conversation with everyone but mostly focus on eating my meal. The hour ends fast and I head to my next class.
I quickly get changed in the locker room, making small talk with Kara and the girls. I grab my lime-green shorts and throw them on, along with my long sleeve gym shirt with the letters RHS across the chest. While I’m waiting on the other girls, my cell beeps, telling me I have an email.
January 18th
Hi there, baby girl.
Junior and I made it home fine, please don’t worry.
The Curse of Betrayal (A Curse Books) Page 8