Nightmare Hunter_The Cursed

by Averi Hope

  “I find you to be the most attractive woman I’ve ever set eyes on, and I’d like to know your name.”

  She swallowed. “Erin St…Clark. I’m Erin Clark.”

  Her head felt light as she stepped into her room and dropped her bag on the floor before turning back to stare at him.

  His appraising gaze traveled slowly up until he met her eyes. “Well, Erin Clark, I intend to bed you before the day is out.”

  It was a second until she could catch her breath enough to answer him. “Good luck with that.”

  One corner of his lips quirked up as he took two steps away from her. “I don’t think I’ll need it, neighbor.”

  The doors slowly slid shut as he was entering his code to the room across from her own.

  Shit. Shit. Shit. That’s exactly what I don’t need!

  She told herself to stay focus, to unpack, and to prepare for the night’s celebration. Especially before William got back from purchasing his secondhand books, since he’d be all over her then, his nerves palpable. But staying focused was harder than she imagined. Her entire body hummed with need…with tension, and she knew exactly how she could ease every muscle in her body. And the thought alone was enough to make her legs tremble.

  Focus! Damn it!

  She inventoried her room. It was incredible by academy standards. The Hawks usually came from wealthy background, so the academy couldn’t exactly stuff them into small, shared spaces like the other cadets.

  Even though it was a massive difference from what she was used to.

  A pristine white kitchen was to the right, with its food combiner and rehydrator exactly where they should be. Standard blue couches with The Starfire Academy logo were in front of her. A model of a miniature Level 10 ship served as a coffee table centerpiece. The bed and dresser in the back were small but functional.

  She moved past the bed, where her larger suitcase had already been delivered. Opening the drawers to her dresser, she unpacked her clothes, her thoughts on Caleb Fallow and his sexy accent. It’d been such an unfamiliar combination, a little Irish, and something harsher.

  When was the last time she’d heard an accent she didn’t recognize? She loved a good mystery. And a mystery man? Even better.

  Her hand closed around Turbo, and she looked down at it in surprise.

  Turbo. That’s exactly what she needed to calm her raging hormones. And since it was waterproof, she could take a shower and get ready at the same time.

  Chapter Four

  Caleb unpacked his things and headed for the hall. The woman wanted him. Why was she denying it? He would approach her again. He would tell her how he could please her, and she would be his for the night.

  Then, his thoughts could be his own again.

  The doors to his room slid open on Professor Irtun’s scowling face. Even for a Keltair, he was old. Silver slid through his black locks, and his horns were longer than almost any he’d seen before. He had to be older than his grandfather…perhaps three or four hundred years old, at least.

  “Your father has requested I keep my eyes on you.”

  Calm. Respect your elders.

  “I do not need such help.”

  Professor Irtun strode past him and into his room, glaring around before turning back to Caleb. “You are only the seventh Keltair to ever be allowed at The StarFire Academy of Turonga. It is an honor beyond your youthful understanding. Your success or failure will reflect upon us all.”

  He took a deep breath, unclenching his fists. “Grandfather,” he started, using the term of respect, “I understand my responsibility.”

  A hiss emanated from the old man’s throat. “You know nothing!” He spat, then sat on the dark couch. For a long minute, he didn’t speak, just glared. “Your father tells me you have the face of a human and the heart of a Keltair. If this is true, I have a lot to be concerned with. Humans are weak, squishy creatures driven by their feelings and emotions. We must walk among them with gentle steps or we’ll crush them. And because they multiply like rabbits, their numbers alone make them a dangerous enemy.”

  “They aren’t my enemy,” he spoke truthfully.

  The old man nodded, the anger in his face easing. “That will make this much easier.” He paused, setting his boots upon the coffee table. “Your father tells me you have excelled in every test, and that your results, along with your human demeanor, are the reason our leaders sponsored your training here. But you must know, half the people here will suspect you are a spy, and the other half will simply fear you because of your race.”

  Knowing that it was unwise to stay standing when one’s elder sat, Caleb eased into the large chair facing the old man. “Do you think it was any easier to train with the Keltair when I have the face of a human? I can handle this place.”

  The old man tilted his head, studying him. “Perhaps that is true. So then, I have one last warning for you. Do not let the human females distract you. Learn from your father’s failure in choosing an unworthy human mate. Use them for their bodies. Do not connect with their minds.”

  He swallowed down the insult to his mother. It wasn’t the first time he’d heard such disrespect. “My father has already said—”

  “But if you make the wrong choice, I will be the first to let your father know of his son’s failures. And if you show yourself to be weak, you will not remain here.”

  Caleb growled. “I am not weak.”

  The old man stood, moving surprisingly rapidly for a male of his age. “We shall see.”

  Caleb watched him go, considering his situation. His father had no need to bring on the old professor as a spy. He had no intention of growing attached to a female. He’d be a fool to let this opportunity slip through his fingers.

  Rising, he picked one of the papers he’d been given off the painfully white countertop of the kitchen. The map showed where he could keep his live ship. The StarFire Academy had made a small space near the garden, having learned a long time ago that live ships could not be kept in a spaceship dock. They didn’t enjoy the noise and the lack of nature. Such things could make them shrink in size, or worse, grow ill.

  Just the thought of his ship made him speed back down to the shipyard.

  Once there, he pressed his palm to the outside of Zenon. He felt a slight vibration, the ship’s acknowledgement of him, and the door swung open. Inside, he touched the control panel and the vessel slowly rose. He gazed out at the twenty-foot wall surrounding the expansive academy grounds, and to the cleared space around it where a dozen turrets pointed threateningly at the skies. Beyond that, a deep jungle separated the academy from the nearest city.

  He steered Zenon over the gardens in the back of the massive building. For a minute, he frowned. There was an odd, short building tucked in one corner, covered in vines. A memory ticked at the back of his thoughts, the campus pub. They’d been told about it in orientation.

  When you want to get drunk, relax, and party, don’t go into the town. Recruits have a tendency to get hurt, or even killed, on their way back here. The Wet Whistle is on campus, so students can have a little fun in a safe way.

  Tonight will be the first of many nights there.

  It didn’t look like much, but he shrugged. He really didn’t require much in a place to drink.

  A small expansion of gardens separated Zenon’s new home and the bar. Not the best spot, but certainly not the worst. He set his vessel down and stared out at the gardens.

  Now to shower and prepare for the celebration.

  All the better to bed Erin Clark, a tiny voice whispered in the back of his mind.

  He almost smiled. There was nothing a Keltair liked better than to beat a worthy opponent, and he suspected she would not disappoint.

  Chapter Five

  Erin put on her tightest pair of jeans and a leather corset. Subtle. She laughed at her own image. She screamed sex, from her thigh-high boots to her hair pulled up high. A glittering pendant nestled between her breasts.

  But tonight she did
n’t care what people thought. What she wanted was to find the right man to satisfy her. After being so close to the sexually charged man, Turbo simply hadn’t been enough. She needed the real thing so badly she itched for it.

  Any man will do, as long as he’s someone I can walk away from.

  Unlike the intoxicating Caleb.

  She slid her card off the nightstand and into her pocket, then glared back at herself. No more thoughts of him. Not tonight.

  Her door buzzed.

  “Open doors.”

  They opened, revealing William. His gaze ran over her, froze, and his eyes widened.

  “What do you think?” she asked, grinning.

  One of his brows rose. “I think you plan to get into some trouble tonight.”

  She laughed. “Don’t you?”

  He tugged the baseball hat a little lower over his bald green head and walked into her room. “Yeah, I’m sure all the ladies are just thinking ‘Man, I want a little Chamyion in me tonight.’”

  She strode across the room and punched his shoulder lightly. “Hey, you never know. Some of these girls are into some way more freaky stuff than you, my friend.”

  “Yeah,” he mumbled. “I guess it’s possible.”

  Sympathy squeezed her heart. She couldn’t imagine what it was like to stand out wherever you went. After the Chamyion home planet was destroyed, most of them had relocated to dark forests all over the universe, while the others had taken on serving jobs with some of the more wealthy citizens of the world. There was a good chance William would never be among a group of his own kind again.

  How lonely.

  But there was a reason why he was her best friend. He was kind, intelligent, and determined. A worthy woman would see that. She bet as soon as they got there, he’d be too busy with all the attractive women to remember how different he felt.

  “We’ll have fun, okay? Don’t be so glum.” She went back to the full-length mirror and picked a particular dark shade of red to paint on her lips. “We might both go home with hot dates tonight. But let’s keep each other company until then. Okay? And tomorrow let’s have breakfast together.”

  He didn’t speak for a painfully long time.

  She casually gazed at him through her mirror. His expression was troubled.

  Turning around, she smiled. “Or I could spend my night trying to find some hottie for you to hook up with.”

  He shook his head and gave her a strained smile. “No worries. Let’s just head out. It’s already past nine o’clock. I bet there’ll be an awful line.”

  Seeing her normally grumpy William at least make an attempt to be positive gave her some hope.

  “Let’s go.”

  They walked to the elevator where a group of people were already piling in.

  One guy caught the door. He gave her a nice smile. Blond, taller than her, decent muscles. She might have found her man for the night.

  “Going down?” he asked, grinning.

  She raised a brow. “We can’t exactly go up, can we?”

  Sliding unnecessarily close to him, she checked to see that he’d hit the ground floor button.

  “What’s your name?” he asked, too close to her ear.

  “I’m Erin, and this is William.”

  The guy didn’t look in her friend’s direction as the doors closed. “I’m Greg.”

  One girl spoke aggressively from behind her, a brunette with no bra and a see-through shirt. “I’m Jennifer.”

  Erin swept a stray strand of hair out of her face. “Nice to meet some fellow Hawks.”

  “Yes,” the girl said, squeezing between them. “We’re heading to The Wet Whistle.”

  Greg’s eyes ran over Erin. “I’m guessing you’ll be joining us there?”

  Erin smirked. “You bet. Who could miss a night of drinking, dancing, and attractive men?”

  His eyes sparked with interest. “Got any particular attractive guy in mind?”

  Not Caleb.

  She winked. “Maybe.”

  Chapter Six

  The bouncer at the door took one look at Erin and ushered her into the club and past the line. She draped an arm around William’s bony shoulder and pulled him along with her, not giving the bouncer a chance to protest. The group they’d met in the elevator hurried in along with her, casting nervous glances back at the line.

  She wished she could tell them to relax. With the male-to-female ratio about five-to-one at the academy, she knew their group, which included three attractive women, would be let in without a problem.

  It was the two guys that’d be separated and thrown out.

  Not that she would let that happen.

  They traveled down the steep steps and into the underground club. With each step, a heart-pounding song grew louder. It vibrated through her boots and seemed to surround her, as if they’d stepped into the belly of a beast.

  When they reached the bottom of the stairs, she stopped and stared in awe. The club was bigger than she imagined. Silver lights flashed in unpredictable patterns on the roof. Shadowed tables lined the outside of the crowded dance floor. The harshest light came from the massive bar to one side of the room, which sparkled gold.

  She made a beeline for the bar, swooping in right on time to seat herself at a newly opened barstool.

  The bartender, a thirty something male with a long beard and harsh eyes turned to her. “What are you having?” he yelled above the pounding music.

  She pointed to her new friends as the two other girls seated themselves beside her. “We’ll take a round of Jungle Juice and shots of Saturday Night Fevers.”

  He shot her an annoyed glance and went to gather the ingredients for the complicated drinks.

  “What’s Jungle Juice?” William asked, sounding out of breath.

  She leaned back and grinned. “Trust me, you’ll like it.”

  He frowned.

  “It’s sweet. You might even forget there’s liquor in it until you’re dancing on a tabletop,” she grinned. How many times had that happened to her?

  Greg leaned in, blocking her view of William. “I’ve never had a woman order for me before.”

  Feeling bold, she leaned in closer so that her lips hovered above his ear. “Maybe I’ll show you a lot of things you’ve never experienced before.”

  She could practically feel his heartbeat speed up.

  “Your drinks!” The bartender set them down in front of her, his lips curling.

  She reached into her back pocket and took out her card for the needed credits. He scanned it with a band on his palm, then handed it back to her, mumbling something about rich brats.

  His problem, not mine.

  With her card safely in her pocket, she reached for the pale-colored shots and gave them to her little group. “To The Starfire Academy!”

  “To us!” Greg said, and they all clicked glasses.

  She drained the shot in one gulp, then slammed it on the counter. The coconut and passion fruit left a sweetness in her mouth that almost masked the warmth of the liquor.

  William winced and set the glass down, shaking his head.

  “That bad?”

  He opened his mouth to answer, but she pressed the next drink into his hands. “Drink it. Trust me.”

  “Dance?” Greg asked.

  She held up a finger and reached for their other drinks. Handing one to him, she grinned.

  “I think you might be trying to get me drunk,” he said, hot breath puffing into her ear.

  Taking a long sip, she watched him over the top of her glass. This man would do just fine. He was attractive enough. Interesting and fun. She could sleep with him and then forget him tomorrow. He was perfect.

  Unlike Caleb, who sends every muscle in my body tightening.

  She released the breath she was holding. That was exactly why she needed to stay away from him. One conversation and she couldn’t get him out of her mind.

  Draining the rest of her drink, she set it down next to her shot glass. She needed
to dance and enjoy her relative freedom for the first time in her life.

  And forget a certain man who haunted her.

  Linking a finger in Greg’s shirt, she pulled him toward the dance floor, but froze. William was standing next to the bar, looking lost.

  “Hey, Jennifer!” The girl turned, scowling. “Do you know my friend, William?”

  She turned to him, her scowl deepening.

  Poor guy.

  She released Greg and leaned toward the other girl. “Stay away from him, okay? His people mate only once a year. But when they do, their dicks grow ridiculously large, and they have to fuck. All. Night. Long.”

  Jennifer’s eyes widened.

  It was a load of crap. But after a few drinks, no one really cared who they went home with, and the lie would give her friend a fighting chance.

  Erin started back to the dance floor, winking at William when she passed him.

  He caught her arm in a surprisingly tight grip. “Shouldn’t we stick together?”

  She pried his fingers from her arm. “Not if we want to have any fun.”

  Over her shoulder, she watched as the other girl sidled up to her friend. He’ll be thanking me a thousand times over in the morning.

  And that’s when her night really began. The combination of liquor, music, and the man rubbing up behind her made her lose herself. She danced with abandon, the music’s bass pumping through her. Greg could’ve been anyone at all that night, she didn’t care. She was free. Finally far from her father and his many rules. Finally where she always dreamed of being.

  Several songs later, she stopped dancing. The people around her were a blur of colors. Her head felt like a balloon, trying desperately to fly away. The lights from the club were making her dizzy.

  She needed some air, or better yet, to splash water on her face. She weaved through the dance floor and toward the stairs in the back. William blocked her entrance, but she couldn’t hear his words over the booming music. She shook her head, moving around him. He tried to grab her arm, but suddenly Jennifer had her arms around his neck in an intimate hug.