The Cursed Witch: A Paranormal Enemies to Lovers (Nightcaster Chronicles Book 1)

by R. L. Perez

  “Over the years, I’ve spent countless hours researching how the time travel spell works and why some people can cast it and others can’t. I was able to examine my genetic makeup as well as your father’s, and that’s where I found the markings. And they are different. Your father has cast the spell before, too, but it didn’t work the right way. It wasn’t the same as when I cast it.

  “I found the marker on you, too, Brie.” Mom paused, biting her lip. “When your dad found the portal you went through—when he tracked down the Jumper who brought you there—I inspected it with my tech. I found it was tethered to another person’s soul. That person has the same mark that you and I have, Brie. That mark was embedded into the portal, preventing anyone unmarked from entering.”

  My mouth fell open. “Are you saying that only Time—Time-whatevers can go through the portal?”

  “Timecasters, yes.”

  “But why?”

  “Because of Lilith,” Dad said in a low voice. “History tells us she is reincarnated through witches across time. She requires that genetic code in order to possess another person’s soul.”

  Horror chilled my bones, rippling down my spine. Nausea swirled in my stomach until I thought I might puke. It was the Count—it had to be. He engineered this time portal so only those who were marked could pass through.

  All so he could find the one marked caster he was looking for—the one who was cursed by Lilith. The Nightcaster.

  “Brie, that isn’t all,” Mom said softly.

  My gaze jerked to her, my heart fluttering in anticipation. “What is it?”

  “When we first arrived, it was spring. We showed up in the middle of a village. And . . . we saw a creature. A fiery creature attacking the city.”

  My heart dropped like a stone. “No,” I whispered numbly.

  “The creature . . . slaughtered the city,” Dad said in a tight voice. “Brie, it killed hundreds of people. The area was blockaded by wreckage and debris. We were trapped. Separated. We couldn’t get to each other for days. When we finally did, your mom barely had enough ingredients to cast the spell again. We assumed we’d arrived in the wrong location when we cast it the first time. So, we tried again. We arrived here, in front of those caves.”

  “No,” I said again, closing my eyes.

  “Brie,” Angel said quietly.

  I shook my head fiercely. Don’t. I didn’t deserve her sympathy or her pity.

  Because I finally registered what my parents were saying.

  Those months when Lilith had possessed me—she had taken control of the creature. She had used me to slaughter a village full of innocent people.

  37

  Brielle

  THUNDER ROARED IN MY ears. I couldn’t speak. Couldn’t move. Horror numbed my entire body, freezing me in place. I stared unfocused at the forest floor. A chill swept over me.

  Mom was speaking, but I didn’t hear her.

  I heard nothing but the screams of my nightmares. The roar of the monster within me.

  It had all been real. I had really killed all those people.

  Someone shook my shoulder, and I blinked. Awareness slammed into me, followed by a wave of nausea. I swallowed down bile. Angel met my gaze, her hand still on my shoulder.

  I wanted to shake her off. To run away from them before I hurt them.

  They’d been in the village during the attack. My eyes found the scar on Dad’s face. I could’ve killed them.

  I didn’t deserve their pity. I deserved their hatred and scorn.

  The Count had been right about me.

  “Brie, talk to us,” Angel whispered. “We’re here for you.”

  Anger roared within me, and I jumped to my feet. “You shouldn’t have come.”

  My family exchanged glances before they all stood too. Mom drew closer to me, but I paced away from her, deeper into the forest. Toward the Castillo de Coca.

  “Don’t say that, Brie,” Mom said. Her quiet steps behind me told me she was following.

  I whirled around to face her. “I’m dangerous! I’m going to destroy this entire city! Now that you’re here, I’m just going to kill you too!” I groaned, rubbing my forehead. “There—there isn’t any way for you to go back?”

  Mom shook her head. “We used all the ingredients to travel the second time. I might be able to cast the spell if I can get the ingredients again, but . . .” She trailed off and pressed her lips together.

  “But what?” I snapped.

  “But we don’t have a home to go back to,” Dad said, approaching behind Mom. Angel stood by the oak tree, her arms crossed as she watched us from afar. “We gave up our lives to come here, Brie,” Dad went on. “We’re wanted fugitives in Miami. If we go back, we’ll be imprisoned.”

  A lump formed in my throat. “It’s better than dying at the hands of your daughter,” I said in a tight voice.

  Mom stepped closer, grabbing my hands. “Brie, it won’t come to that. We’re here to help! You said this Leo guy was supposed to find a way to cure you, right? Let us help too! We’re from the future—we know modern spells and potions. We can help!”

  Dad nodded encouragingly, and his eyes were so full of hope like Mom’s that I found myself nodding along with them.

  But I didn’t believe it.

  It was one thing when I wasn’t hurting anyone. When it was just nightmares haunting me every night. But now I knew it was real, and I was a danger to everyone.

  They weren’t just dreams anymore. And we were out of time.

  “Let’s just take this one step at a time,” Dad said slowly, rubbing his chin. “What do we know? What do we know about Lilith and the creature?”

  I shrugged helplessly. “The creature is made of fire. It . . . craves death and suffering. Although I can’t tell if that’s Lilith or the creature.” I shook my head, revolted with myself. “Nighttime is when I’m most vulnerable. When I sleep. Leo says Lilith’s cursed witches are called Nightcasters.”

  Mom looked at me, her blue eyes solemn. She glanced at Dad. “It’s still 1735, right?”

  I nodded.

  Mom’s lips twitched in a smile, and she exhaled. “I can’t believe we cast that spell and only traveled forward a few months.” She shook her head, meeting my eyes. “It was worth it to find you, Brie.”

  Angel strode toward us, her eyes contemplative. “The creature—do we know what it is?”

  “I always pictured it as a dragon,” I whispered. “What else could cause so much death by fire?”

  Dad shook his head. “It’s not a dragon. It’s much smaller. I shot it with my water and doused its flames for a moment. I was able to catch a glimpse. It’s about the size of a falcon.”

  I stiffened. Something within me stirred to life, awakening from his words. I remembered reading about the different creatures Lilith’s beast could be, and the answer came to me as clear as day. “A phoenix.” My voice was hushed, and it resonated within me. I wasn’t sure how I knew—but I did.

  “Phoenix,” Mom repeated in a quiet voice. Then, she nodded. “That makes sense. The brief moments I saw it, it was completely on fire. It could breathe fire too, and it disappeared into the sky on a whim. It was . . . incredible. And terrifying.”

  “It needs to be killed,” I said sharply. “Before anyone else gets hurt.”

  “I don’t think it’s that simple,” Dad said slowly. “When I used my water against it, it . . . whimpered. Like it was in pain. Like it didn’t want to be there. It shied away from me in terror until something overcame it and it took to the skies again.”

  I stared at him. The monster had a chance to kill my dad—but it hadn’t.

  Like it didn’t want to be there.

  My throat felt tight, and I closed my eyes.

  Dad changed the subject. “What else do we know?”

  “I only have a few months left,” I said. “At the year’s end, the time loop will reset. It ends with me destroying the city.”

  Mom took my shoulders with a fierce look
in her eyes. “Brielle, listen to me. That creature is not you. You can’t fly. You can’t light yourself on fire. You never left that dungeon! It is not you.”

  My eyes stung as I shook my head. “Then, how? How is this happening? I see it in my dreams. I hear the roaring and the screams. It is real, Mom. It’s happening because of me.”

  “No, because of Lilith,” Dad said in a hard voice. “She wants to control you. She wants to control the creature. It’s her who’s wreaking havoc and destruction. We just have to find a way to push her out.”

  I can’t do this. My head was spinning. Panic and despair swirled in my chest until I felt I couldn’t breathe.

  I knew only one thing. I would die before letting Lilith kill my family.

  But I had to make them believe I was on board with finding a solution. That I wasn’t about to do something reckless.

  So, I arranged my face into a calm expression and said, “I should head back. It’ll be dark soon, and you all need a place to sleep.” I forced myself to meet their gazes, struggling to remain composed. “Let me talk with Leo. I’ll come back for you. He’s just . . . he doesn’t trust strangers.” Including me.

  “Of course,” Mom said, rubbing her arms. She shared a look with Dad that told me they were still worried. But for now, it seemed I’d appeased them. “We’ll wait for you, Brie.”

  I nodded and offered a weak smile before turning away from them. My feet moved forward automatically, but my mind swirled with thoughts of fire and devastation. The real screams that pierced through my dreams—they’d belonged to actual people. People I’d killed.

  I didn’t care what my parents said. If the beast lived inside me, then I was responsible for the deaths it caused.

  I reached the mouth of the cave as the chill of dusk wrapped around me, seeping into my bones. But I welcomed it. If I was cold, it meant the monster wasn’t trying to take control. Lilith was quiet—for now.

  A dark figure waited for me at the cave’s entrance. I knew before I recognized him that it was Leo. His silvery eyes locked onto mine as he leaned against the rocky wall. Though he was the picture of ease, I knew it was just a ruse. He was frightened of my family. Of what their arrival meant.

  “Did you have a nice conversation?” he asked idly.

  I shook my head, not in the mood for his games. “It was fine. Can they stay here?”

  He popped off the wall and strode toward me. “I’ll need to speak with them first.”

  I stared hard at him. “Speak with them. But not fight them.”

  Leo watched me for a long moment. Then, a predatory smile spread across his face. “Of course.”

  I didn’t like that look. I sighed. “I’ll come with you.”

  His brows knitted together. “That won’t be necessary.” His eyes roved over my face. “You’re exhausted, Brielle. You must sleep.”

  Not happening. “I’ll be fine. Let’s go together.” I strode toward the forest again, but Leo caught me by the wrist. I stilled, my skin warming from the softness of his fingers.

  “Brielle,” he murmured, and I nearly trembled at the tenderness in his voice. “What’s bothering you?”

  I gritted my teeth, avoiding his piercing gaze. My brain ached from shoving my emotions away, and my body sagged with fatigue. The ruse with my parents had taken all my energy. I didn’t have anything left to convince Leo.

  And even if I had, he’d see right through me. He had a knack for that.

  I swallowed. “Why didn’t you tell me?” I finally met his gaze. My vision blurred with tears.

  He frowned. “Tell you what?”

  “There was an attack in the city,” I whispered. “The monster killed hundreds. My parents were stuck there, trying to get out.” I pressed my lips together. My face felt like it would split in two as I tried to hold it together. But despite my best efforts, tears streamed down my face.

  “Brielle,” Leo said again, drawing closer until his spicy scent filled my nose. “I—I didn’t know.” His chest was so close to me. All I had to do was inch forward and press my face against him. I was almost certain his arms would wrap around me. Despite the anger and mistrust between us, the tenderness in his face was undeniable. All I wanted to do was sink into his embrace.

  But I stepped back and sniffed. “My parents want to work with you to find a cure for me. If that’s okay.”

  Leo watched me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, he nodded. “Of course. Assuming I don’t uncover anything malicious when I speak with them.”

  I snorted and rubbed my nose. Malicious? Hardly. “I’m sure they’ll pass your little test with flying colors.”

  Leo’s brow furrowed, and I almost laughed at the bewilderment on his face. I turned to leave, but his hand still clasped my wrist. He wouldn’t let me go.

  I raised my eyebrows at him expectantly. Something dark flashed in his eyes.

  “Whatever you do, Brielle, promise me you won’t return to the Castillo de Coca,” he said in a low voice.

  I stilled. How could he possibly know I’d planned to do that? “I’m not an idiot,” I said. My voice trembled, betraying me.

  “If what you say is true—if this monster attacked a village—then it happened under the Count’s watch. If you go back there, it will happen again, and you will only hurt more people. Do you think he cares about the lives of commoners? He just wants to draw Lilith out. He doesn’t care what it takes.”

  “But what if he’s just trying to protect the city?” I asked before I could stop myself. “What if the lives of a few are worth sacrificing if it means the entire city can be saved?”

  Leo brought his face closer to mine, his jaw rigid and his eyes fierce. “If you believe that, then ask yourself where he draws the line. He summoned a dozen innocent casters to his castle. He has imprisoned and tortured countless demons from my coven. My family. How many lives will he sacrifice in the name of protecting his city?” He paused. “And if you’re wrong—if he is only looking to protect himself—then he might be willing to sacrifice every life within this time loop in order to succeed.”

  My blood chilled at his words, and I looked at him, unmoving. His eyes held me there, freezing me in place. I couldn’t look away from him. The intensity of his gaze was like a magnet drawing me in.

  At long last, I nodded slowly. “I understand.”

  Leo relaxed his grip on my wrist. “Good. Now, let’s go talk to your parents.” He glanced over his shoulder at something near the cave. A few dark figures peeled off the cave wall like shadows.

  I suppressed a shudder. How long had they been there? Had they heard me break down and cry?

  I recognized the first figure as Jorge. He fixed a fearsome scowl on me. The other man was one I’d seen before, but I didn’t know his name. He watched me, his features softer than Jorge’s but still guarded.

  Leo grinned at me. “Shall we?”

  38

  Leo

  I COULD FEEL BRIELLE’S entire being quiver as we walked through the forest. The soft footsteps of Jorge and Miguel behind me provided a comfort to me—but Brielle’s gaze kept darting back to them, and I knew they made her nervous.

  What did she have to fear?

  That’s a foolish question, I chided myself. She was as mistrustful of my coven as I was with her.

  And now her family was here. I remembered the panic that filled me when Ronaldo had stolen into the castle on his own. The numbing fear that wouldn’t release me. That gripped me like a vise.

  I edged closer to Brielle. She straightened slightly but then relaxed again, her heartbeat soothing into a more comfortable rhythm. My arm brushed against hers, but she didn’t jerk away from me.

  Brielle’s family stood when we approached. The father’s eyes were wary as they fixed on me. I could tell this one was a demon from the way he smelled. But the two women were witches—light casters.

  Interesting.

  When only a few feet separated us, I stopped and plastered an easy smile on
my face. “My name is Leo Serrano. I’m the leader of this coven. Before we open our home to you, I have a few questions. What are your names?”

  The man exchanged a glance with the woman next to him before answering. “My name is Oliver. This is Desi and our daughter Angel.”

  I eyed the girl. Brielle’s sister. They looked very different. Angel was much darker—darker hair, darker eyes, and darker skin. Her gaze lacked the ferocity and strength that often speared through me when I met Brielle’s gaze.

  “A pleasure to make your acquaintance,” I said with a low bow. “Please explain to me how you found my cave.”

  Oliver spoke, detailing a mysterious spell that took them through time. Desi chimed in, explaining that she had used essences of Brielle’s aura to tether the spell to her. It just so happened that the spell deposited them to the mouth of the cave—precisely where Brielle was.

  The idea that a spell was capable of transporting a family three hundred years into the past made my head spin.

  And it seemed far too convenient that they happened to show up at the entrance of my home.

  But I kept the smile on my face as I asked them more questions, such as why they were looking for Brielle in the first place, who they had come across in the city so far, and how they intended to leave.

  Desi and Oliver exchanged a glance before Desi answered my final question. “We don’t know if we’ll be leaving.”

  I went very still at her words. “Why not?”

  Brielle shifted slightly, her heart racing.

  “We don’t have the ingredients to cast the spell again,” Desi explained. “And we won’t leave until we figure out a solution to Brie’s problem.”

  Problem. That was too mild of a word to describe what was happening to Brielle.

  “I must confess I do not have the resources or the lodging to accommodate you permanently,” I said slowly.