Cursed Heart (After Dark Book 4)

by Sarah Bailey

  Chapter Seventeen

  Izzy snatched her hand away from Rex, feeling as though she’d been burnt by Dalia’s words. I’m not his charge. I’m his… girlfriend. Rex frowned before he turned to Dalia, his eyes growing cold.

  “What exactly is your point?” Rex asked.

  “I’m concerned about her with you.”

  Rex shook his head, raising an eyebrow. Is he just as put out by her questioning our relationship as I am?

  “She’s not in any danger.”

  “No? Your track record says otherwise and you’ve broken your rule about fellow shifters.”

  Izzy felt sweat beading on the back of her neck. She didn’t like being talked about like she wasn’t here. And she didn’t like having her relationship with him dismissed so easily.

  “We’re serious about each other,” she said.

  Both of them turned to her, a look of surprise on their faces.

  “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t act like I’m not right here. This isn’t some kind of fling or whatever else you might think. We’re together.”

  Rex grinned at her. Dalia might be intimidating, but Izzy was done with people walking over her. She’d had enough from Alan. After what happened with him and Eli, she no longer had anything to fear from him. He should’ve got the message by now.

  “And you’re not worried how his brother will react when he finds out?” Dalia asked eyebrow raised.

  “No. He probably already knows, so why should I care? I don’t owe him anything.”

  “He’s dangerous.”

  Izzy stifled the urge to roll her eyes. She’d seen him in action, but she hadn’t been afraid. Eli needed her alive. She was sure of it. She didn’t care what he thought about her and Rex. It wasn’t any of his business. She barely knew him.

  “He wants me to join him. If he wanted me dead, he’s had ample opportunity to take me out.”

  Dalia eyed her for a moment before turning back to Rex.

  “We need a plan and I need you not to get pissed off.”

  “About what?” he asked.

  “About the clear answer to our problem in front of us.” She indicated Izzy with a nod.

  Rex’s eyes narrowed before he shook his head.

  “No, you’re not using her as bait. Find another way.”

  “It is the only way and you know it. Do you think I want to put her in harm’s way?”

  “I’ll do it,” Izzy said.

  “No, you’re not doing it.”

  Izzy crossed her arms over her chest before she met his eyes.

  “If we don’t do this, he’s just going to keep killing people. Do you want that on your conscience? Because I don’t.” She reached out, taking one of his hands in both of hers. “I trust you to protect me, you know that, right?”

  He was silent for several minutes. He kissed one of her hands before pulling his away.

  “I know.” He turned to Dalia. “What do we need to do?”

  §

  Hidden amongst the trees, Rex watched Izzy and the surrounding area. She stood with her back to him, but she peered over her shoulder and winked. She was putting on a brave face, but he knew she was worried. She’d voiced her fears to him last night when they’d laid in bed together. She didn’t know what exactly Eli wanted with her and it made her nervous.

  He wasn’t going to let his brother take her. This was merely a ploy to get him out in the open. They didn’t have any real way of knowing if Eli would show up. They’d tried to use her bond with him to their advantage. Izzy didn’t know if it had worked, but she’d told him to meet her tonight.

  She shifted on her feet. He could feel her agitation from here. He wished he could stand by her side, but he needed to stay out of sight along with the wolf pack. Dalia stood some way off along with Evan and five others. They weren’t taking any chances. Eli needed to be put down. His heart thumped in his chest. Izzy was the most precious thing in the world to him. He hated the need to use her like this, but she had agreed to it.

  Izzy stiffened, her back going rigid. He was immediately alert, sniffing the air and scanning the area. There was nothing. She took a step back. Something shifted in the trees in front of her. The hair on the back of his neck rose.

  The sound of a shot echoed through the quiet park. Izzy threw herself to the ground as a dart embedded itself in a tree behind her. She scrambled to her feet, taking off at a run towards her left, away from him and the wolves. Something darted through the trees after her. He could just about make out a blur of purple hair. It has to be the fae helping Eli.

  There was a howl from his right before a hulking grey wolf dashed out the trees followed by two black wolves and an auburn one. Dalia, Jayden, Clive and Evan. Rex took off at a run, not bothering to shift. He needed to get to Izzy. He could hear the other werewolves behind him. The ones who hadn’t shifted.

  He heard another shot ring out. Dodging around several trees, he ran faster. Izzy was in danger. He’d promised to protect her, but right now, he was too far back. The wolves howled again. Up ahead, he could see the blur of purple again, darting between the trees with the grey wolf not far behind. Where is she?

  “Izzy,” he called.

  The scent of her assaulted his nose. She’d shifted. He heard a chirpy roar from his left before a streak of black dashed through the trees. He altered his course, running after her. He followed the path of strewn clothes. She had clearly thrown them off in her haste to shift. She was faster as a panther.

  A third shot rang out. What is she firing at Izzy? Eli didn’t want her dead. There had to be an explanation. The dart. Fuck.

  “Dalia,” he shouted. “She’s firing tranquilisers at Izzy.”

  There were several howls in response. The auburn wolf, Evan, dashed past him, his red fur glinting in the moonlight.

  “Rex, to your right,” shouted someone from behind him.

  He saw the blur of purple. Evan leapt up, landing on top of the fae with a thump. A screech rang out before a howl of pain. She’d clocked Evan in the snout before kicking him. He bounded off her. He couldn’t make out the woman’s face, but she was up on her feet in moments. She ran into the trees with a gun in her hands.

  Izzy ran into his path, her golden eyes spying him immediately. He stopped dead.

  “Izz.”

  She didn’t stop, dashing up a tree and leaping through the canopy. She had really come into her own as a panther. He wasn’t sure how much longer any of them could keep this up. Izzy hid amongst the branches, but she was panting. He could see her fur rippling. She was losing control of her shift. The next moment, she was human again, clutching onto the branch.

  “Rex,” she whimpered.

  “Shh,” he whispered. “You need to keep quiet.”

  Wolves howled a little way off. Evan had bounded off after the fae when he’d recovered. It was just the two of them. He moved towards the tree she was hauled up in. He’d keep her safe. No matter what.

  “I can’t get down,” she hissed.

  “Stay there. You need to shift again before you come down.”

  He heard her grumble something about being naked in a tree. He tried not to smile. Now was not the time to tease her. She hadn’t gotten trapped up in the canopy before.

  “Rex, I don’t like this. Why would he send her instead of coming himself?”

  “Because he knows I’d never let you come here alone.”

  Another shot sounded to their right followed by a yelp. She’d got one of Dalia’s pack. He cursed under his breath, scanning the trees. The blur of purple appeared several feet away before the fae stopped, sniffing the air. He couldn’t see her face properly so was unable to identify any of her features other than her bright hair.

  “Come out, come out, little panther,” the fae woman called. Her voice was melodious yet sinister.

  He looked up into the canopy. Izzy had shifted into her panther again.

  “I can smell you, little girl. Do not be afraid. We do not wish to harm you… ye
t.”

  Rex stood as still as possible. He did not want to attract her attention. The fae cocked her head to the side before she moved again.

  “Izz, you need to get down now. We need to get out of here.”

  A moment later, Izzy jumped down out of the tree and landed in front of him. She blinked several times. He put his hand out, stroking the top of her head.

  “Come on, try to be as quiet as possible.”

  He started to walk in the opposite direction from where he’d seen the woman. Izzy followed, her paws silent on the ground. They barely got ten feet when another round of howls sounded. The wolves were gaining on the fae woman. He moved faster. If she caught up with them, he wasn’t sure he could stop her taking Izzy. Who knew what kind of power the fae had. If she was capable of performing blood rituals, sacrificing girls to keep Eli alive, then she was dangerous.

  Izzy was beside him, moving with grace. His panther itched to get out and run with her but now wasn’t the time. They’d have plenty of that when the next full moon came around.

  A snap of a branch behind them made her ears twitch. He glanced back, but there was nothing.

  “We need to run,” he whispered.

  They took off. Izzy bounding alongside him as they zipped through the trees towards a clearing. They could find her clothes later. For now, he needed her to shift back so he could get her out of here in one piece.

  There was the unmistakable sound of a shot going off before a mewl of distress came from next to him. By the time he’d slowed and turned, Izzy was several feet back, unsteady on her paws. She collapsed, shifting back into a human within moments. There was a dart sticking out of her back.

  “Izzy!”

  He made to run back to her, but he was too late. The fae woman stood beside Izzy before she knelt down and put her hand on his girlfriend.

  “You’re too late, panther. He needs her,” she said.

  Then the two of them disappeared in a puff of purple glitter which fluttered down to the ground.

  Rex stood there, in complete shock. Izzy was gone. How could she be gone? I couldn’t protect her. He let out a growl as he closed the distance to where the purple glitter landed. It was slowly dissolving into the ground. He knelt in the dirt, staring down at it. His heart ached. Izzy. I couldn’t protect you. I couldn’t keep you safe. I don’t deserve you.

  There were several howls before he heard footsteps behind him.

  “Rex?”

  “She’s gone,” he said.

  Dalia walked around to his side, staring down at him and the dissolving glitter. She was completely bare, but it was par for the course when you were a shifter.

  “I see.”

  “I couldn’t… Dalia, I need to find her. She fucking tranqued my girlfriend and took her. I knew this was a bad idea. Fuck.”

  “She knew the risk. I need to see the fae queen. Whoever that was, she needs to deal with it.”

  He slammed his fist into the dirt, growling again.

  “And what about Izzy?”

  “We’ll find her.”

  The auburn wolf and a black one came trotting up before they both sniffed at the glitter. They howled before they bounded off again.

  “They’ve got the scent. She can’t have gotten far. Fae magic has its limits,” Dalia said.

  “I’m going to kill him. Once and for all. He won’t survive our next meeting. I assure you.”

  “This is your brother, Rex. No one would blame you if you couldn’t go through with it again.”

  “No. He is a dead man walking. He’s taken the only person I care about in this world. I’m going to make him pay.”

  He stared at the ground. The glitter was gone, but the faint trace of Izzy’s scent was still there. His heart felt like it was in a vice. He needed her and she was gone.

  I can’t live without her. I love that girl. I love her. I love Izzy.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Izzy felt groggy when she awoke. She was lying in a strange bed and someone had dressed her in a pair of pyjamas. I’m getting a sense of déjà vu here. She sat up. It was a light room with pastel coloured accents.

  Kicking the covers off, she got out of bed, a little unsteady on her feet. She staggered out into the landing and held the bannister as she went down the stairs. The effects of the tranquiliser hadn’t worn off quite yet.

  She found Eli and his fae woman in the kitchen, seated at the table having breakfast. She stared at the two of them in disbelief. It seemed way too normal for two people who had drugged and kidnapped her.

  “Good morning, Isadora. Won’t you sit?” Eli said as he turned to her.

  His cold, green eyes appraised her for a moment. She crossed the room and sat down in a chair on the other side of the table from the two of them. The purple haired fae woman grinned at her. Izzy tried not to flinch when she saw her elongated canines. Eli took a plate before loading it with bacon, eggs and pancakes. He pressed the plate over to her. She didn’t move to take it, so it sat in between them.

  “Is this what you call being a gracious host after you kidnapped me?” she asked.

  “You set a trap for me, did you not?” he replied.

  “I’m not the one killing innocent people.”

  She folded her arms across her chest. She was going to remain calm even if it killed her to do so. If she wanted to get out of here, she couldn’t make any sudden moves. Rex would be going crazy with worry. He’d blame himself. She knew he would. What happened wasn’t his fault.

  “With you by my side, we no longer have a need to do so.”

  “Because you need my life force.”

  “He needs you to complete the ritual,” the fae woman interjected.

  “The ritual that nobody seems to know how to perform.”

  “It is merely a setback,” Eli said.

  This is insane. Does he really think I’m actually going to agree to bind myself to him?

  “Turning me was not an accident.”

  She’d suspected as much when she’d discovered what Eli was doing, but she needed to know the truth. She needed to know why he’d bitten her. Turned her into a shifter like himself.

  “No, it was not. We chose you. The rest were weak, but not you. You’ve endured more than most.”

  “How did you know?”

  “I watched you for weeks,” the fae woman said. “I saw what he did to you. You should’ve let Eli kill him.”

  Izzy paled. They’d known what kind of monster Alan was. She hadn’t told anyone but Rex and yet, they knew.

  “Who are you?”

  “Felise is my name. I serve the queen.”

  “Does she know what you’ve been doing?”

  “It is not her concern.”

  Izzy shifted in her seat. The woman’s gaze was unnerving.

  “She wasn’t best pleased to discover fae magic involved in shifter business.”

  “You’ve met her.”

  “She told us what the markings on the back of the last girl you killed were.”

  She didn’t want to mention it was Alistair who’d realised it was fae magic and had gone to the queen with her. It was better he was left out of this even though he’d been helping them. She didn’t think Eli or Felise would be happy about a witch getting involved in their business.

  “This changes nothing. When the ritual is completed, we will have no need to take further lives.”

  “You should eat, Isadora,” Eli said, indicating the plate of food.

  She tugged it towards her.

  “It’s Izzy. I don’t like being called Isadora. He called me that.”

  Eli eyed her silently as she tucked into the food. She wasn’t quite sure what else to do. She wasn’t sure she could reconcile the man that Rex had said Eli was to the man in front of her. She’d seen him beat up Alan, but here they were, calmly discussing what they wanted with her.

  “Are you going to keep me here?” she asked when she pushed the plate away.

  “Why would you wish to l
eave?” he asked, raising his eyebrow.

  The sight of it made her heart ache. It reminded her so much of Rex.

  “I think you know why.”

  He sat back, eyes narrowing for a moment.

  “My brother.”

  She nodded, swallowing hard. I want Rex. No, scratch that, I need him.

  “I should never have allowed him to get close to you.”

  “That doesn’t change the fact that we’re together.”

  He snorted, looking over at Felise for a moment.

  “Adam was there when I took her,” Felise said. “One of you will not survive your next encounter.”

  Adam?

  “No, I imagine not.”

  Eli glanced over at Izzy. She frowned, brows drawn down in confusion.

  “He didn’t tell you the truth about us, did he?”

  “What do you mean? Who are you talking about?” she asked.

  “My brother.”

  “Are you saying his real name is Adam?”

  Eli snorted again, rolling his eyes.

  “Is he still going by his ridiculous childhood nickname? Well, it is merely because he had an obsession with dinosaurs. Hence T-Rex or Rex.”

  She almost smiled. It was quite cute really but now wasn’t the time. She looked down at the table. He hadn’t even bothered to tell her his real name. It stung a little.

  She shifted in her seat, beginning to feel a little ball of nausea form in her stomach. The little ball turned into a full-blown urge a moment later. She stood, shaky on her feet before putting a hand to her mouth. She dashed from the room, holding back the rising tide. Charging up the stairs, she opened one door, finding another bedroom before stumbling into the next. She reached the bowl just in time before her breakfast made another appearance.

  When she was sure she’d stopped dry heaving and there was nothing left in her stomach to expel, she lay on the floor, feeling depleted. She desperately wanted Rex, needing to see his face and the affection in his eyes when he looked at her. Tears pricked at her eyes. I’m in love with him. I’m so in love with him, it physically hurts to be apart like this.

  She pulled herself up off the floor, rinsing out the taste of bile from her mouth before crawling back into the bedroom they’d given her and curling up under the covers. She felt awful. Why had she even been sick? Maybe it was the tranquiliser. She couldn’t think of any other reason.