Cursed Blood

by Ashley Marie

  “Where am I?” I ask sitting up, looking around the huge room.

  “Your room. Shelly had it redecorated while you’ve been out these two days.”

  I wince at the way I acted when I first got here. At seeing the pictures. The things from my old house. I shiver with how cold I was. Who was that person?

  “My stuff?”

  “It’s boxed up.”

  “Why . . .”

  My words trail off as I feel the bed dip. I look toward Dean. He’s fully on the bed. His knees balancing at the edge.

  Wow. I can see his muscles tense and move. I gulp. He does know how to wear a pair of shorts. They set just right, showing of the V of his waist. Dear lord. I bit my lip.

  “He’s not normal. Is he?” I whisper not looking away from the breath-taking boy, literally on his knees at my feet.

  “No. His wolf will still be there. More so than what is normal, but really is anyone around here normal.”

  I laugh at that, “No not really. How long will he be like this?”

  “Who knows. Everyone is different.”

  I squeak as Dean starts crawling up the bed on his hand and knees. Never taking those bright eyes from my face.

  I lick my lips, a nervous tick, I discovered and watch as his eye zone in on my mouth with a tilt of his head.

  Deans made it to my knees moving achingly slow, “What’s he doing?” I snap out. Feeling nervous. Excited. Scared.

  “Uh . . .”

  That’s all Cam says as we both watch Dean slowly crawls up the bed. My legs laying between his knees and hands. He keeps coming up and up. Inch by slow inch. Making my breathing pick up. Moving slow and graceful, a predator. I believe I’m his prey.

  He’s an inch from my face when he stops crawling. His thick muscular body hovering over top of me. A tiny one sided smirk comes onto his plump lips, “Avery.”

  He’s so close I feel his breath whisper across my face. My lips. And that voice. My god. It’s the sweetest noise I have ever heard. So, soft and lyrical not matching him at all. I think I’m in trouble.

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Avery

  BRILLIANT COPPER EYES stare into my face. Into my whole being. They are a light with something powerful and unknown. I lift the gate to our link letting whatever is in his eyes to fill my body.

  Affection. A deep unflinching affection. A hint of lust.

  I slam the gate down, how could this boy feel this deeply for me without even knowing me. Is it just this bond, true mate thing we have that brings this out? Is it even real? As for that little blip of lust, I’m not even going to think about it right now.

  Copper eyes disappear and reappear bringing me back to the here and now. To this hauntingly, stunning boy practically naked hovering over me, a hairs breath away.

  I bit my lip. Why me? Why am I the one always in these awkward situations. I’m still as stone, other than the tornado of butterfly’s in my belly and the heat pooling down in my core with curling toes.

  God, He smells so good. Like fresh rain, saddle wood and something dark. Enticing. That makes you want to do dangerous things.

  “Hi,” I whisper watching those lips go up on the other side, forming a full-blown smile. My breath catches.

  Hi. That’s all I can think to say. This boy is hovering over me. This very sexy boy, almost naked and I say hi. I mentally shake my head.

  My heart stops, holds for a beat as he bends down.

  Is he going to kiss me? Do I even want him to kiss me? What will Kayden think?

  I hold my breath, and at the last minute, he veers right towards my neck. My breath whistles out. Oh, my god. I think I’m panting.

  His white hair falls over his face, fluttering across my cheek.

  What is he doing?

  I feel the lightest touch; his nose maybe glides across my neck and down my shoulder. My heart is pounding so loud, a mighty thunder storm in my chest. Excitement, nervousness, desire and fear battle for control.

  Something wet and rough follows the path of his nose going up instead of down. I jerk and a small moan falls from my parched lips. I snap them close. I cannot believe I just did that.

  I stiffen, afraid to move. As a warm feeling flushes my body. He’s licking me. His rough tongue sliding along my neck brining all kinds of new feeling and sensations zipping across my body.

  I watch wide eyed, panting as he slowly raises his head. His face is expressionless except for a sparkle in his wicked eyes. He licks those plump lips.

  “So, sweet.” He whispers, “All mine.”

  Oh, my god. I bit my lip, squirming.

  He’s up in a flash. I watch from my prone form. Sweating and breathless as he pads across the dark wood floors to the far side of the room. He folds himself into the window seat looking out at the tress. One leg propped up, muscles flexing in his arm as he wraps it around his left leg. Leaving his right one dangling from the seat, toes tapping the floor.

  “That was intense.” I jerk at the sound of Cam. I forget he was even here.

  I try to swallow, but my mouth is dry as a bone. He . . . he . . .

  “What just happened?” I whisper looking at Cam.

  He has a blush covering his cheeks. “Something private.” He mumbles looking down.

  “Why is he even in here? Why is Jeff letting him in here?” I mutter out, sitting up, running my hands through my tangled hair. I’m a jumbled mess.

  He licked me. Called me sweet and all his. I’m on a tornado over load of feeling I can’t even begin to explain or grasp.

  “He’s your mate,” Cam states like I’m dumb.

  Maybe I am. Not having grown up in this world and everything is alien and so weird to me.

  “And,” I stress crossing my legs. I peek over at Dean, he looks to be solely occupied with the view through the window, but the way his body is turned and the tilt of his head I think he’s listening to us. That makes me fiddle with my fingers.

  “It’s like your married. Jeff has no reason to stop it.”

  I blush three shades of red. Married? Um. I don’t think so.

  I’m sick to my belly from nerves. “Do we have to . . . you know?” I ask not looking at Cam, wringing the grey blanket between my hands.

  “Know what?” The curious lit to Cam’s voice has me looking up.

  He doesn’t know what I mean. This is so embarrassing. I know I teased him about it the day at the lake. I was cold about it and I didn’t have these menacing feelings holding me back. Letting me know how to feel about this subject. But now I do and I don’t like it.

  I take a deep breath, “You know . . .” I nod towards Dean with wide eyes.

  I see the moment Cam understands.

  His eyes go wide and he chuckles. “Not if you don’t want to.”

  There’s another soft echoing of a laugh. Dean. He is listening. Oh god. I kind of knew he was, but then again, my mind was hoping he wasn’t.

  There’s a beat of silence and I can’t handle it anymore.

  I scramble out of the bed, not looking at either boy, “I’m going to shower. You guys should maybe leave.” I mumble shifting from foot to foot.

  “I’ll watch some T.V,” Cam says smiling, moving to the opposite side of the room from Dean.

  I watch him as he steps down into the mini living room. He sprawls out on the black coach, remote in hand.

  Okay then. Deep breath.

  I step down from the raised platform the bed is on. I can do this. Nothing to it. Just walking across the room. Then why do I feel my heart beating so hard? Why does it feel like the air is hard to breathe?

  As I walk past Dean heading to the bathroom, I come to a paralyzing stop as a warm hand softly grabs my wrist. I bit my lip, nervous as all get out looking at the door to my escape.

  His thumb glides across my wrist and with a slight tug, I snap my head towards him, considering those copper eyes.

  “No fear.” His voice is soft and commanding at the same time. He stops like he’s struggli
ng to put the words together. “No fear me.”

  No fear. I can do that. Right? Right.

  I nod and he lets go of my hand. How long till he remembers everything I wonder. Like the simple things and how to form sentences. Would the attention he gives me get worse when he becomes more human. I don’t know whether I like that idea or not.

  With a tiny smile, I run into the huge bathroom. Once the door shuts I can breathe normally. Kind of. Wow. I can’t help it, but to be excited and afraid for what this life has in store for me.

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Kayden

  KAYDEN RUNS HIS hands through his thick dark hair for the millionth time. Warring with himself. Should he go to Avery and apologize for the bit or should he wait for her to come to him? He doesn’t know. He messed up.

  He growls out in frustration, going back to setting on the edge of the bed.

  He should of went about it a different way. But he freaked. Seeing Avery all cold and closed off again was horrible. But the blood on her pink lips. The tag, true mate mark on her neck, that wasn’t his. Sent not only him but his wolf over the edge. He was scared, acting out on those feelings and only those.

  It stopped his heart seeing Dean forever blazed into Avery’s soft skin. His thoughts were flying crazily through his head.

  How can this be?

  Am I not her mate?

  She means everything to me.

  How can she have another?

  Kayden did what he needed to do. Had to do. There was no stopping it. At least he knows it took. That the bond is one step closer to being completed. What that means he doesn’t know. Everything is different from the stories he heard growing up. So, different.

  He can feel her now. Not only physically but mentally too. That has him breathing easier knowing the most precious thing to him wasn’t going to be taken away from him. That he still has her.

  Kayden feels guilty to. He can’t help but feel that way. Knowing that Avery has no bad feelings for him makes that guilt triple.

  How can she not hate me? After what I did.

  He shakes his head, snapping his teeth. He feels so ashamed and mad at himself.

  A knock on the door has his head snapping up.

  He inhales deep, snow, something dark, and a cinnamon scent fill his nostrils.

  Avery. Dean. Cam.

  Should he answer? He’s panicking just a tiny bit. Nerves jumble in his belly.

  He watches wide eyed as the door knob turns ever so slowly.

  His skin starts to hum as Avery comes through the door followed by Dean.

  Kayden expected to feel jealousy or hatred towards the other guy but nothing comes. Just a calm acceptance.

  Kayden wants to cross his arms but decides against it. He doesn’t want to seem mad or cocky instead he rests his arms on his thighs, hands clasped between his legs and his head down in shame. That’s what he feels right now, shame.

  She must hate me.

  It may seem that he’s looking at the floor but he’s not. Oh no. His attention, his whole being is focused solely on the beautiful girl standing right in front of the door way. His mate. His other half.

  Every time he sees her it’s like the first time all over again. His heart jumps and butterflies swarm around in his stomach from nerves and excitement. His wolf prances and prowls underneath his skin. Kayden hopes the feelings never fade away.

  “Kayden?” Her soft voice floats to his ears like a summer breeze.

  His eyes close on their own at the pleasure he gets from just hearing her speak. From hearing his name on her soft lips.

  He jerks at the feeling of cold hands on his wrist. His eyes open seeing Avery looking at him with concern, down on her knees in front of him.

  She takes each of his hands, threading her slim fingers through his. Their hands are a perfect fit together. A match made in the heavens.

  Her ice blue eyes are full of worry. “Are you okay?’

  Kayden nods slow and steady, gulping. At a loss for words. He wasn’t expecting her to feel this comfortable around him. He would never have imagined that she would take his hands, hold his hands with hers. Oh, how he has missed her.

  “You’re not mad?” His voice is husky and low.

  Kayden smiles watching Avery shiver.

  “No.” She says softly.

  That’s good he thinks. Knowing how she feels is one thing. Hearing it come directly from her is different and he feels a heavy weight lift off his shoulders.

  Pride feels him as he lays his eyes on his name. Kayden in soft silver. His tag.

  Mine. She is mine.

  His hand cups her neck, thumb sweeping softly across his name. All his worries about losing her fades away. He thanks the gods for making someone so special to be his for all eternity.

  Kayden’s head tilts as he notices all the other markings going around his name. Swirls, looking tribal like, connecting to a small paw in the hollow of her throat and branching out to Deans name.

  Another mystery to his unique mate. One he will think on later.

  “You’re not upset with me?” Avery asks breaking his thoughts.

  “No.” His voice is loud and clear making sure she knows he speaks the truth.

  “I could never be mad at you.” He says, hand finding her cheek.

  A tiny smile flitters across her pale pink lips.

  Kayden holds back a groan of desire. Wanting to kiss her so bad but knowing now is not the time.

  He watches her shift as a nervous feeling comes to him.

  “What’s wrong?” He asks running his fingers through her dark locks. He can’t get enough of touching her. Never will.

  A blush blazes across her pale skin. He can’t help the smirk. She’s adorable when she blushes.

  Avery climbs to her feet, wringing her hands together. Her eyes have a cautioning look to them.

  Without looking at him she mumbles, “I need to bite you.”

  He holds it in for as long as he can but the small chuckle comes out anyways.

  “I know.” He stands up, wrapping his arms around her dainty frame. No, he will never get tired of touching this beautiful girl.

  Kayden places a soft kiss on her forehead and moves laying down on the bed. He rather not drop on the floor again.

  Avery has that deer in the headlights look.

  “This is so weird.” She whispers moving to the side of the bed Kayden is laying on.

  “It might seem weird and upsetting to you Avery, but this is the best gift you could give me.” He says stroking her arm.

  She nods and with a deep breath and bends over. Lips hovering right above his neck.

  He tenses from desire and excitement.

  Finally, our bond will be complete.

  He gasps out as Avery lightly kisses him, a sharp pinch follows as her teeth pierce his flesh with a pop.

  Kayden smiles one last small smile as darkness takes him away. The bite doing its work connecting them forever.

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Avery

  “IT’S CREEPY,” I whisper to myself wiping the blood, Kayden’s blood from my lips.

  Kayden is laying on the bed barley breathing. Eyes closed. With blood on his neck. Something glowing underneath it.

  I asked Cam why we pass out after a bite and the gist of it at least what I understand is it’s our bodies way of building the final link of the True mate bond. Making room for that link.

  I can’t help myself. I run my fingers through Kayden’s thick dark hair and down his tanned cheek.

  “This is weird, right?” I ask looking at Dean and my breath freezes in my chest.

  I didn’t really pay any attention to him when I came into the room. Only focusing on Kayden. The guilt and worry coming from Kayden just pressed everything else to the back of my mind.

  Until now that is.

  Dean with only a pair of black shorts on is leaned up against the wall next to the door. His arms are crossed against a very formed chest. I follow the ridges wi
th my eyes. Chiseled arms, craved chest, down my gaze goes.

  His abs are carved, I’m sure I could feel each individual ridge of muscle with my fingertips. There’s a light dusting of white hair blow his belly button leading into the band of his shorts, resting on slim hips. Happy trail I heard some call it. Must lead to a very happy place.

  I feel the heat of my blush, knowing I’m red as a tomato. My heart has picked up its tempo, my breathing a little huskier just looking at him.

  He’s not as board as Kayden, but this boy is made of sin itself. I gulp.

  And he’s mine, gosh that will take some time getting used too. Calling both him and Kayden mine and believing it will take time. So much time and understanding on their part.

  I flick a look up at Dean’s face and know from the pride shining in his dazzling eyes he watched me, eating him up. That one-sided smirk, lifting his plump lips does crazy things to me. With a shake of my head, I retreat into the attached bathroom.

  The door shuts behind me with a click and I relax. Slightly. Now I know where the phrase hot and bothered comes from. Because of people like Dean and Kayden.

  Turing the cold water on at the sink, I cup my hands and bring the water to my lips. Swooshing the water around in my mouth to get the coppery taste of Kayden’s blood out. It’s not the best taste in the world. Blood. Yuck. It’s like I sucked on pennies.

  Once I spit the pink tinted water out, I cup another hand full, splashing it on my face. Washing away the sweat I know is there and hopefully the stress with it.

  I haven’t looked at myself in the mirror after Kayden bit me. I even avoided the mirror when I took a shower before coming down here. I was afraid. Afraid of what I would see. What it would mean.

  Looking now I realize my mistake. My big giant mistake in not looking. That’s what fear gets you.

  Alright, don’t freak out. You knew you would have two guys name on either side of your neck. So, this must be normal. The normal part of having not one but two true mates’.

  I tell myself this but looking at the tribal and the small paw print, all I can think is I have been collared. Collared with a silver shine and two guy’s names. Branded like property for the whole wide world to see.