Heiress to a Curse

by Zandria Munson

  Alexandra looked up at her. “What is it?”

  “Just read it.”

  She looked at the heading.

  Central Park Mystery Revealed!

  Below the bold letters was a large and overly exaggerated illustration of a winged creature that looked more like something from a horror film than the thing she’d seen. Alexandra quickly skimmed the article. It was an account of what had happened in the alley the night before, only the thieves had tactfully omitted the part where they had been trying to rob her.

  “Those dirty bastards!” she gasped.

  April leaned over her desk. “I’m sorry for not believing you. It’s just…”

  “It’s okay,” Alexandra interrupted her. “No need to explain. I don’t know if I would’ve believed myself, either.”

  “No, it’s not okay. You’re my best friend. I should’ve at least given you the benefit of the doubt. I really am sorry,” she apologized.

  Alexandra offered her a reassuring smile. “Stop beating yourself up about it.” She returned her attention to the front page. “It says here that the creature attacked them while they were rummaging for food. Those lying scumbags!”

  “Is that really what you saw, Alexandra?” April asked with a daunted expression. “It looks like something from a bad dream.”

  Alexandra’s brows puckered and she looked over the picture again. “Well, this drawing is a bit gruesome. It had wings, a tail, horns and fangs and its face was somewhat distorted, but it looked like a man.”

  “Do you think it could’ve been some kind of costume?” April speculated.

  She shook her head. “No. The way that thing jumped around, it was totally not human. And I told you, it flew away. There’s no way some guy in a suit could’ve pulled that off.”

  April’s eyes brightened and she snatched a pen from the mug on Alexandra’s desk. “Wow, you must’ve been scared to death. And you say this thing came into your apartment a few nights ago? Tell me everything,” she said as she pulled out a notebook.

  Alexandra looked at her friend, uncertain of how to proceed. By this time she was pretty sure that the creature was following her, but she wasn’t sure why. She really didn’t feel comfortable revealing more until she learned exactly what was going on.

  “I’m sorry, April. I can’t. Not yet, anyway.”

  April raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean you can’t? You have a perfect eyewitness’s point of view. This is going to make the front page, not to mention that the Daily Sun will be the only paper with this account.”

  Alexandra shook her head. “No, I just can’t. There are some things I need to find out before any of this gets out.”

  “Oh, come on!” April retorted. “Do you remember the time I flirted with that district attorney and persuaded him to give you the information you needed?”

  “Yes, but this is different. I seem to be a target for this creature, and I need to know why.” At April’s displeased look she sighed. “Look, please try to understand. And you have to promise that you won’t print anything I told you.”

  April was silent. She glared at her, tapping her pen against the notebook. Alexandra knew that stubborn expression, for she’d seen it countless times before.

  “Please, April. Will you promise?”

  April rolled her eyes and sighed. “Fine, but only if you promise to tell me everything—and I mean from start to finish—as soon as you’re ready.”

  “Agreed.” Alexandra smiled.

  Alexandra didn’t go directly home after work. She went to the New York Public Library. There was too much on her mind, and she needed to know what the creature was and what he could possibly want from her. The only thing she had to aid her in determining his origin was the way he’d been dressed.

  His attire had been rather sparse, but she remembered the leather bracers that had encased his wrists. They’d looked like the accessories of knights and archers of another time. She also remembered the weapon he’d carried. Although she’d only gotten a quick look at it, it very well could have been a medieval knife.

  She headed straight for the section on medieval legends and folktales and plucked a thick volume from the row. “Medieval Myths by Percy Langston,” she read aloud as she flipped open the book.

  She began turning the pages, skipping through sections on werewolves, vampires and dragons. She read each heading and examined the illustrations for any likenesses to the creature. She froze when she came to a drawing. It wasn’t a large one, but it immediately sparked a sense of recognition within her. The thing stood on the rampart of a castle wall. It looked to be the size of a man, with horns protruding from its forehead, claws, ragged wings and a great lashing tail. Its face was contorted in a fierce growl, its daggered teeth bared and menacing. It was like looking at a snapshot of the Central Park Creature—only the one that had saved her was beautiful.

  His long inky hair, coupled with the shadows of the night, had shrouded most of his face, but what she’d seen had been enough to imprint his features in her mind. She remembered a chiseled jawline, a straight and hard mouth, a regal nose and intense eyes that had penetrated her very soul. An image of his head between her thighs flashed in her mind, and she remembered the feel of his strong hands clenching her backside as he’d thrust his tongue into her throbbing body. She’d never imagined a pleasure quite so extreme.

  A wave of heat washed over her and she shook herself, returning her attention to the book before her. The paragraphs below the illustration described gargoyles as beings of the night—beings that were doomed to spend eternity guarding castles and holy places. Their fate was punishment for sins committed during another lifetime. They were grotesque creatures that shunned the daylight with such vehemence that they became stone beneath the sun’s rays.

  She slumped in her chair. Could it be that he was a gargoyle? That somewhere in New York City, he was frozen at the apex of some skyscraper, waiting for darkness? Was he a protector, as the book claimed, and if so, then why did he choose to protect her of all people? Or perhaps his services were random and he scouted the city for those in need. It was plausible, but it still didn’t explain why he’d come to her bedroom. Maybe he’s a perverted gargoyle.

  With a sigh, she stood. Her attention was drawn to the window. About one more hour of daylight remained. If her assumption was correct and the creature was a gargoyle, then it was only a matter of time before it broke free of its stone confinement. Her doors would remain locked from now on, but she’d be ready if it found her again. She pulled the small digital camera from her purse and checked the settings. She’d also have her proof.

  Chapter 7

  Alexandra slipped on her second teardrop pearl earring. She stepped back to appraise herself in the full-length mirror in the corner of her bedroom. The dress she’d chosen was just right for the occasion. It was a black halter in satin that sported a modest neckline, but clung suggestively to her curves. She was heading to the Annual New York Police Ball. Apparently April had made the acquaintance of one of the department’s top detectives and had obtained a few invites. Alexandra’s main purpose for the evening was to locate the chief inspector of the forty-seventh precinct of the South Bronx and approach him about the Mady Halman case. She was determined to convince him to tell her what evidence the authorities had and to relay what she’d learned from her vision. She wasn’t sure how she was going to gain his compliance, but she needed help. She realized that now.

  The doorbell rang and she looked about frantically for her black beaded clutch. Bradley Applebee had arrived. He was a senior reporter at the Daily Sun and Alexandra had asked him to escort her to the ball. There was, of course, someone else she would have loved to have on her arm—her new handsome neighbor. After meeting Marius, every other man she’d come into contact with seemed to pale in comparison: too short, too thin, too…not Marius. But the man was nowhere to be found. She’d buzzed at his door and spied through her peephole with absolutely no luck, and so, regrettably, she’d
made other arrangements.

  She told herself that she should wait for Marius to make the next move anyway, but the temptation had been too great. His image was a constant visitor with her, slipping in unannounced between the other thoughts that plagued her.

  Snatching up her clutch from the bed, she quickly checked the lock on the sliding door. The gargoyle hadn’t surfaced again since that night in the alley, but she wasn’t about to take any chances. She didn’t need to come home to find the thing waiting for her in the shower. As much as she wanted to get a picture of it, she’d prefer to snap it with some distance between them. There was no telling what the creature wanted and she didn’t intend to find out while she was naked in her bathroom.

  When she opened the door, her breath caught in her throat. Bradley looked quite handsome without his glasses on. He was part Japanese and had the most adorable eyes that twinkled when he smiled. He wore a black and white tux that fit him rather nicely and his glossy black hair was combed to one side and so stiff that it looked as if it had undergone a session of cryotherapy.

  “Hello,” he greeted. “Wow, Alexandra…you look beautiful!”

  She flashed him a smile. “Thank you. You don’t look so bad yourself.”

  When he continued to stare with his mouth half open, she motioned toward the small bouquet of flowers he held. “Are those for me?” she asked.

  “Huh? Oh, yes!” He handed them to her. “I bought them from that florist on the corner. I wasn’t sure what color you would wear, but I guess that doesn’t matter because you won’t be taking the flowers to dinner with you anyway. I mean, you would have to leave them here…in water. You know, so they won’t wilt.”

  Alexandra nodded slowly. “Thank you, Bradley. They’re lovely. I’ll put them in some water now. Why don’t you come in for a moment.”

  He followed her and closed the door. “Nice place.”

  “Thanks.” She opened an overhead cupboard and pulled out a vase. “These will brighten up my kitchen.”

  “I was thinking red tulips instead of yellow, but yellow is my favorite color.” He laughed softly. “When I was little all my stuff was yellow. Even now I buy lots of yellow, right down to my underwear!”

  Alexandra looked up. “Uh…okay.” She blinked.

  She was wondering if she’d made a mistake asking him out. He was an attractive man, but kind of a dork. Now that she thought about it, she’d never really had an actual one-on-one conversation with Bradley. They worked together and saw each other every day, but she really didn’t know that much about his personality. To her, he’d always been the smart, quiet and good-looking senior reporter with the tight butt. Well, one date would do no harm.

  She finished slipping the flowers into the vase then picked up her clutch. “Are you ready?” she asked, feigning more enthusiasm than she was feeling.

  Bradley nodded and swung the door open for her. “Ladies first!” He smiled.

  They were halfway through the foyer of her apartment complex when the entrance door opened and in walked Marius Drakon. Alexandra saw him immediately. With his towering height and broad frame, he couldn’t be missed. The mere sight of him made her breathless and a sudden feeling of embarrassment enveloped her. She wasn’t sure why. It wasn’t as if they were romantically involved or had established some kind of emotional commitment or anything. Yet, strangely, it was there, creeping over her to stain her cheeks.

  She slowed her pace as she came within a few feet of him. “Marius, how are you?” she asked with an uneasy smile.

  His gaze swept over her. “I am well. And you, Miss Barret?” His tone was polite, but there was an obvious coldness radiating from him.

  “I’m fine,” she answered.

  Damn, but she’d underestimated how alluring the man was! He was dressed as if returning from work—suit, tie, briefcase—and he looked exquisitely handsome. His steel-gray eyes combed her again, a slow and sensual perusal, and she felt a tingle crawl up her spine. What did it mean when a man looked at a woman that way? What was he thinking? He had a way of making her feel naked. It was as if, with his eyes, he could read into her soul, caress her body and make love to her all at once. And this intrigued her!

  Her nipples hardened against the satin bodice of her dress and she knew it didn’t go unnoticed.

  Beside her Bradley cleared his throat then extended a hand. “Hi. I’m Bradley Applebee.” He deepened his voice to a baritone.

  Marius shot him a look then dropped his gaze to the proffered member. It took him a moment before he accepted it. “It is a pleasure,” he said with a lack of emotion.

  Alexandra tucked a stray curl behind her ear. “Bradley, this is my new neighbor, Marius. Marius, Bradley and I work together at the Daily Sun,” she supplied uncomfortably.

  Marius looked at her, his gaze assessing. “I see,” he said quietly.

  “We’re just heading to an annual police ball,” she added quickly. “I’m working on a story and there are a few people I need to speak with who will be in attendance.” She wondered why she felt obligated to produce an excuse.

  He nodded, but said nothing. An uncomfortable silence fell into place as they continued to stare at each other. Alexandra noticed that there was a shadow of a beard along Marius’s firm jawline. It made him look rough and dangerous, even in a suit and tie. Yet his eyes were tired—they held a heavy weight, as if the burden of the world was upon him.

  A light caress on her arm drew her attention and she met Bradley’s questioning look. She’d actually forgotten the other man was standing there.

  “Alexandra, we have to get going,” he said with a hint of impatience.

  She glanced from one man to the other. “Oh, of course.” Then back to Marius. “Traffic is terrible this time of day and we don’t want to get stuck.”

  Marius nodded. “Very well. I hope you two have a lovely evening. Now if you will excuse me, I have some business to attend to.” He didn’t wait for a response. Instead, he slipped between them and stalked toward the elevator.

  Alexandra watched him go and fought an urge to follow. She would much rather spend the evening with him. Marius Drakon had awakened something new within her. In the past she’d sometimes found herself wanting intimacy, but it was never something a little vibrating silicon couldn’t remedy. But now that she’d met Marius, she found herself craving much more than a quick fix. She wanted to feel strong hands on her, caressing her body and touching her in forbidden places. She imagined what it would be like to kiss him—intense, no doubt. He’d pull her close, their gazes would lock and passion would overtake them. Marius was definitely mesmerizing, but she wondered if he was relationship material. She knew it was dangerous to entertain such thoughts without knowing more about him, but she couldn’t help herself. The man was just too damned sexy!

  Heavy gray clouds covered the expanse of the night sky and thunder rumbled overhead. A storm was coming. Marius could smell the pungent odor of the rain that drifted on the light breeze. He inhaled deeply, drawing it into his lungs, hoping it would cure the twisting ache in his belly.

  The thick glass of the skylight he peered through wasn’t enough to hamper his keen gargoyle senses. He could hear the soft tunes of the live string quartet rising from the large ballroom below, and he could see clearly each occupant as they danced and laughed in social splendor. But his attention was fixed to only one. Even from this angle Alexandra looked enchanting. Her long gypsy hair was contained in a loose pin up with stray curls falling around her face, and the dress she wore only served to remind him of the tempting figure she hid beneath it. Tall, slender and very graceful she was as she whirled around the dance floor with her date.

  He’d noted that she’d not worn a bra this evening. He was still trying to understand why it bothered him so much to see her in the arms of another man and missing an undergarment.

  He would add this matter to the ever-swelling list that had kept him pondering for days. After leaving her in the alley that night, he’d been con
sumed by confusion and guilt and had secluded himself in an old church in a remote area. Now, two days later, he’d been awarded no answer. He could only speculate that his intense attraction to her was due to the ritual he’d commenced. He and Alexandra had somehow become connected amid the tangles of the deep sorcery.

  His attraction was false, he knew, yet there was nothing he could do to abate his cravings. He wanted to be the one holding her seductive body close to his, smelling her soft fragrance and listening to her delighted laughter. He should be the one to return her safely to her apartment with perhaps a parting kiss or a gentle caress that would lead to a night of lasting pleasure. Oh, how he wanted to pleasure her—to spread her perfect thighs and again feast upon her charms before filling her soft body with his need.

  That initial taste of her was a much regretted mistake. He should have simply left her that night in her bedroom. But he’d gone against all he’d been taught, disgraced himself and his family, and now she was in his blood—a vile, yet so sweet poison. He wanted to be a part of her world, as pathetic as it seemed with its senseless routines and unnecessary complications. He wanted her. And he was expected to kill her.

  The song ended and Alexandra broke away from Bradley. She was flushed. After three dances in a row who wouldn’t be?

  She snatched a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and downed it with one gulp. Another tune was striking up and Bradley appeared at her side.

  “Shall we, my lady?” He affected a sweeping bow.

  Alexandra’s brows puckered. The man was determined to keep her to himself all night! “I’m sorry, Bradley. My feet are too tired,” she said with an exhausted look.

  “C’mon. The night is young! We have kingdoms to conquer!” He laughed.

  She frowned at him. “Are you drunk?”

  Again, he laughed. “No. Well, maybe a little. I’m drunk on your beauty. Now dance with me.”