The Curse (Beladors)

by Sherrilyn Kenyon

  The cruel wizard had poured his potion down her throat to turn her into powerful puppet to do his bidding. No one, not even Grendal, had been prepared for bad reaction of her majik. Good thing. Explosion helped her escape wizard and Transylvania, but what had potion done to her majik?

  Go home to Transylvania? She would not.

  Could not.

  She did not want to lie to her favorite cousin, but if Quinn knew truth, he would rush home with her to fix problem. And end up dead.

  So technically, he was at fault for any dishonesty on her part. She patted his arm. “I am sorry about bad weather. Was not intentional. You scare me with threat of teleporting.”

  He let go of her and shook his head, muttering, “You can affect the weather.”

  “Sometimes. It is accidental.” She rubbed her head, which ached from little sleep. “You are master deal maker. What can I offer VIPER for me to stay? Not long. Only until I find teacher for majik.”

  “Regardless of my negotiation skills, there is nothing either of us can offer VIPER in exchange for their allowing you to remain in this country. I would have to go through weeks of meetings. I simply don’t have the time right now.”

  His phone buzzed. He grumbled something and put his phone to his ear, but he looked at Lanna and said, “Do not leave.”

  “Finally we agree. I have no plan to leave.”

  He covered the mouthpiece with his hand. “I only meant don’t leave while I’m on the phone. You are going home before anyone finds out you’re here.”

  Her cousin would not win argument. Once he accepted this, he would talk to VIPER and fix everything. He must.

  Quinn hid his mouth with his hand when he spoke into the phone, but Lanna heard the first part. “I had my mind closed to telepathy. I’m dealing with my family … problem. I spoke to Evalle. She’s getting what we need tonight …”

  His gaze lost focus and he stopped speaking.

  She had seen him look that way when he spoke telepathically and must be holding phone in place as a pretense.

  With Quinn busy, Lanna sent her gaze skipping over chess players still in tight battles. Most were much older than her … except that blond one. Kellman. The one she had spent almost an hour with, and still had yet to pay her any attention beyond her skill at chess.

  A lock of blond hair fell across his forehead, like a slash of light against his tanned skin. Only thing out of place in his orderly appearance. In spite of clothes that did not fit, Kell had efficient, controlled look.

  A serious boy. Much too serious for someone her age, and so intent on chess he missed important things.

  Like me.

  No man should miss Brasko woman standing so close. We are like sun after dark winter, warm and bright. How could he not notice sun?

  She was not wallpaper flower to be ignored. She had been adored since very small and noticed by boys as soon as she had breasts, instead of socks, to fill bras.

  But Kell paid her no more mind than he paid the wrinkled-up man who took her place as his chess partner.

  Still, he was nice boy and she owed him. He had stepped up next to her when a smelly older man in shaggy clothes and greasy hair had bothered her. She had struggled to keep her anxiety from upsetting weather and could not use majik to get rid of smelly man.

  Cousin had told her not to use majik on humans, and her powers had already failed her three times since taking potion, so she only used energy force in small amounts that would not put anyone at risk.

  She could tell Kell had been afraid when he stepped in to help, because he swallowed hard as if he expected a fight. He still moved between her and the smelly man. Kell said she owed him a game. When the man left, Kell had been surprised when she sat down to play.

  But had he looked at her while they played? No. Had he talked to her? Only to ask what color she wanted to play. Then nothing.

  Same way he was ignoring her now.

  Staring hard, she moved her lips in a silent chant to the wind and sent three leaves down from tree above Kell to fall across his face.

  He looked up, then down, startled. His eyes reached out with question, then his gaze landed on Lanna.

  She tilted her head to say hello again. To let him know she had not left the park. She winked at him.

  Red flags brushed his cheeks. He jerked his gaze back to the game.

  She had embarrassed him with wink? This boy who had been her champion with nasty man?

  Quinn made a sound that came out part tired and part out of patience as he shoved his phone back into his pocket. His eyes were shadowed. He had been sick not long ago. Lanna could tell. Men in this city needed to have fun.

  Quinn said, “Back to what we—”

  She spoke at the same time. “Let us sit down, Cousin.”

  “Are you not well?”

  Guilt pinched her over his instant concern. “Yes, just tired.”

  Snagging her suitcase on the way, she led him to the shade now that clouds were gone and sun was out. Dusting off a spot on concrete wall, she sat down not far from Kell.

  With Quinn settled between her and Kell, she could see them both while she spoke to her cousin. “I did not mean to cause you trouble.”

  His eyebrows climbed in a show of disbelief, then he seemed to dismiss whatever he was going to say. “Then let me charter a private jet to get you home. It’ll be more comfortable than commercial flying. You can sleep the whole way.”

  She shook her head. “That could be dangerous for others.”

  “Why?”

  “When I was upset on way here, airplane had bumpy ride.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I think my majik shook airplane. Elements do not like when I get upset.” A side effect of Grendal’s potion.

  Quinn leaned down, speaking in a tight voice. “You rocked a commercial flight? With storms?”

  She hoped he saw how she felt bad about this. “The pilot said weather was clear. One hour later, I am dizzy. Very sick and plane started to bounce and shake. People stumbled around. Much screaming. I am sick everywhere, in bathroom, walking, at seat. I try to sleep, anything to fix problem. When I calm down, plane calmed down. Happened many times on way here. My fault. I do not want to hurt anyone.”

  “Oh, good goddess.” Quinn put a hand on his forehead and closed his eyes.

  She muttered, “Much praying on flight, too.”

  Quinn washed his hand over his face, looking more tired than before. “When did this start happening?”

  She couldn’t tell him about Grendal, but she had to make Quinn understand one thing. She could not return to Transylvania. “This is why I can not go home. My majik … has problems.”

  “What exactly do you mean?” he asked.

  “Long time ago, you were right. You said I need teacher for majik.” She held up her hand to stall what she knew he would say. “Not in Transylvania.”

  “Why not? They’re your people.”

  “My majik caused small fire to explode and burn neighbor’s barn. Village is afraid of me.” All of that was true enough.

  “Did someone threaten you?” her cousin asked in soft voice that would raise fear in demons.

  “No, but they think I am dangerous.” She shrugged. “I am sorry to burden you, Cousin, but I have nowhere else to go.” And you are the only one who can keep Grendal from taking me again if he finds me. “Mama asks you please help me.”

  Quinn had a look that said this couldn’t be worse timing.

  Lanna hated to be trouble, but she would make it up to him. Her cousin had messed-up aura. He was unhappy. She would work hard to make his life better while she was here.

  He finally said, “I’m not sure what I’m going to do. We’re in the middle of something major right now. I don’t know—”

  He would not help her? She must have looked like she would cause storm again because her cousin hurried to say, “Don’t get upset. I’ll figure out something. Give me a minute.”

  He started typing on
his phone, and she let out tight breath she was holding.

  Just then, another Kell raced past her, sliding to stop beside first Kell. Boys looked exactly alike. Twins. But second Kell was free spirit. Full of energy. Excitement.

  So not like his quiet chess-master brother.

  What luck to find two attractive young men her first day.

  The new brother said to Kell, “We’ve got to clear out of the shelter.”

  Kell asked, “Why? What’s wrong, Kardos? Did you get into trouble?”

  Kardos shook his head and jostled something in his hand. Dice? He rolled the cubes around and around. “Not this time. It’s the gang wars going on. Child services is rounding up any underaged kids around the shelter.”

  That surprised Kell. “We look eighteen. They don’t know we’re seventeen.”

  “Doesn’t matter. We’ll get hauled in for public loitering if we don’t have an ID.”

  “We have to tell Evalle.”

  Lanna thought about Quinn’s call. Her cousin spoke of an Evalle. Is that common female name in this country?

  Kardos argued, “She can’t help us right now, not until after sunset.”

  Why would she not help Kell and Kardos until sunset?

  Kardos kept jiggling dice in his hand, more like nervous action than anything else.

  Kell made grumbling noise, then apologized to his opponent for not finishing game and stood up. He followed his brother to statue of woman with firebird. The boys spoke too soft for Lanna to hear.

  Moving her lips with silent chant that Quinn would not see, she heard what Kardos whispered to his brother.

  “… too risky to hide in the places we know. There’s a badass group of trolls in the city.”

  “What, like some weird kind?” Kell acted annoyed, but Lanna could tell he worked to hide his concern.

  “Don’t know what kind of trolls they are, but Jurba said—”

  Kell growled at his brother, “We don’t have the money for you to be gambling with Jurba, and he is a troll!”

  “He’s a local troll, not one of the out-of-towners.”

  “How does that make it okay?”

  “Because I know him. We’ve shot craps a lot.”

  “Kardos!”

  “Hey, I usually win, so no big deal. Back to our real problem.” Kardos bunched his shoulders in a conspiratorial move. “Jurba warned me to watch out for any guy with a scar in the shape of a runic S on his arm. Says the glamour won’t hide the scar. He drew the design for me. Here’s the kicker. Good thing I found that out or I wouldn’t have noticed a guy with that scar outside the shelter. He was handing out free food.”

  “At the shelter? Is he gone?”

  “No, and he’s studying everyone who goes into the shelter like he’s looking for something or someone.”

  “That’s because the damn local trolls use the place like a bunkhouse sometimes.” Kell rubbed his neck, eyes filled with worry. “Then how are we going to get our money and other stuff hidden in the shelter’s back wall?”

  “I don’t know, and Jurba said to avoid the trolls with the scar at all costs. He just got word that those trolls are taking local ones to some headquarters location and threatening the local trolls if they don’t do what they’re told.”

  “Where’s the headquarters?”

  Kardos threw his hands up in the air. “I don’t know. Jurba knows, but I was in too big a hurry to find you to care. He’s on his way to meet his buddies and grab a truck big enough for them and his girlfriend. They’re getting out of the city.”

  Kell’s face lost his nice tan, turned white when he raised his eyes to his brother. “If a troll has nowhere to hide, then we’re SOL. The best thing we can do is stay right here where we’re surrounded by people until dark.”

  Lanna did not know SOL, but she understood that these boys were in trouble and would lose their shelter soon. She knew what it was to hide dangerous things and the desperation of having no place safe.

  That was how she ended up here.

  Kell had helped her without even knowing her name.

  Glancing around, Kell scowled and rubbed his neck. “We’re screwed.”

  “No, we’re not,” Kardos argued. “Jurba said he’d take us with them.”

  Lanna felt better because this Jurba would help them. Wait. Jurba had information that might also help her. Would VIPER want to know about strange trolls? Enough to let her stay if she traded for learning troll location?

  She turned to Quinn. “Cousin?”

  “Yes, Lanna?” He stopped typing and lifted weary eyes.

  “Does VIPER care about trolls in city?”

  Her cousin went on alert, just as he had in Canada when they faced demons. “What made you ask that?”

  “I hear things.”

  “You heard about trolls and you haven’t been here a full day?” He eyed her with misgiving. “You made that up, didn’t you?”

  She would be offended by anyone else, but Cousin Quinn did know her well. “No. I hear about special troll with runic letter as scar on his skin.”

  He grabbed her arm. “What?”

  She stiffened. Her heart pounded dangerously fast in her chest. Her cousin would not harm her, but still she did not like to be grabbed. She liked it not at all on that arm where she still had phantom pain even though her skin had healed. She tried to stay calm but her voice carried a warning when she told him, “Let. Go.”

  Quinn released her immediately. “I’m sorry, Lanna. Did I hurt you?”

  “No, of course not.” She had reacted to ugly memory, not her cousin, who was most honorable man she knew and would never harm a woman. “I told you. Plane ride made me uneasy.”

  “Okay, so what did you hear about those trolls?”

  “That one is in city.” She guessed at the distance, but if twins had no transportation of their own, they would most likely stay close by.

  “Do you know where this troll is?” Quinn asked, all ears now that he appeared to believe her.

  “Near shelter. Not far from here.”

  “I know of a shelter in this area,” he muttered, his gaze spiked with suspicion. “From whom did you learn of this?”

  Lanna had been watching Kell and Kardos, who spoke in angry tones. She jerked her gaze back to Quinn. “I do not know—”

  “Don’t lie to me, Lanna.”

  She kicked her foot out and back, thinking. “I will tell you, but you will promise they will not get in trouble, yes? You will not jail them.”

  “Why would I do that and who are they?”

  Must be more careful around cousin. She had just told Quinn more than one was involved. “One who heard this about strange trolls found out because he plays crap game with local trolls.”

  “Where did you meet a nonhuman?”

  “See? You are angry.”

  “No, I’m worried. That’s different. You could have gotten hurt by them.”

  “I am not child now, Cousin.” Not after what she had gone through to survive and escape to America. “I can handle teenage boys any day.”

  Quinn sat up and slowly swiveled his head until he looked directly at the twins. “Those two.”

  Her mouth sometimes moved faster than her mind. Bad flaw. “No.”

  “Yes. You tuned in to their conversation while I was on my phone.” Quinn stood.

  So did Lanna. “No, Cousin. They have troubles with shelter and children service.”

  “I’m only going to ask them questions. If I like the answers, they’ll be fine.”

  “And if not?”

  “They’ll have bigger problems than child services.”

  When Quinn took a step toward the boys, Kell’s head whipped up, alert. He grabbed Kardos’s sleeve and started backing away.

  But not before he noticed Lanna. Kell’s eyes were two angry slits, his eyebrows tucked tight over his gaze.

  With one look, he accused her of betrayal, though he had no idea what she had said or done.

  She had not
meant to cause him more problems and wanted a chance to explain, but now the boys were backing away. Fear mixed with their angry looks.

  Kell had said best place for them was here in park until sunset. They would not stay if Quinn frightened them, and her cousin could be a most intimidating man.

  Walking calmly toward the twins, Quinn called out. “I’d like to talk to you.”

  She had noticed small police station across street when she first arrived at park. Three men in uniforms walked from other side of street toward corner of park where the boys stood by statue.

  Kardos looked over his shoulder at the same three men and told Kell, “Can’t go that way. One of those cops … knows me. If he’s heard about the underage roundup, he’ll grab me and ask questions later.”

  Boys were caught between Quinn and men in uniforms.

  Her fault.

  Accusation flew from Kell’s gaze. How could she fix this?

  She could not draw deep on powers or Grendal would find her. Because of potion, he could feel her use her powers to call on elements … but not if the elements merely reacted to her anxiety. Closing her eyes, she did worst thing for her. She called up memory of what had happened to her with Grendal back in Romania.

  Thunder boomed overhead.

  Quinn swung back to her and shouted, “No, Lanna.”

  She opened her eyes and looked up at sky. Same place Quinn looked, where clouds had changed from puffy white to threatening gray.

  In that instant, she glanced over at Kell and winked to let him know she would help him escape.

  He blinked once, but did not waste opportunity she had given him. He latched onto Kardos, towing him away.

  If those two knew where special trolls were, they could help her, and she would help them again, too, but that would only happen if she found them again.

  She focused on Kardos’s hand and whispered short chant.

  Dice fell from his fingers.

  Kardos turned to go for the tumbling cubes, but Kell had tight grip on his brother, urging him to keep moving. The two rushed away into a small cluster of people walking around park.

  When the sky quieted, Quinn dropped his head and looked at empty spot by statue where boys had been. His growl sounded rough with frustration, but her cousin would never harm someone who was not a threat.