Cursed Hearts (Hearts Duology Book 1)

by Benson, SF

  Luc slams his fist on the table. “Enough, Uraeleus! If you can’t sit quietly, you can leave. Be warned, though. Leave and the NTS won’t get a vote.”

  Explaining the missing vote to ghosts, revenants, haints, goblins, and other spirits that terrorize at night might cause Uraeleus his position. He holds up a shadowy hand, lowers his head, and slinks back into the darkness.

  Luc faces me and cocks an eyebrow. “Uraeleus has a point. Get on with yours, Victor.”

  I pause a moment and organize my thoughts. “Long story, short. Kelsie makes me happy. I don’t feel lonely with her. We belong together. Ask Nathan. According to him, we’re soul mates.”

  All heads turn toward the Soul Reaper. He shrugs.

  “Maybe I can help you make your decision,” Kelsie says as she walks in behind me.

  Where have you been?

  Beaumont wanted to prep me for this.

  Kelsie stops next to me. She looks around the room, takes a deep breath, and exhales.

  “You’re right in wanting a ruling made today.” Her voice is flat and emotionless. She takes my hand and squeezes it before stepping away from me. “Victor and I need it as well.”

  “I disagree.” The voice comes from her mother, standing at the back of the room. “What’s needed is time apart. You need to come home with me, Kelsie.”

  “Not yet, Mom. The time I’ve spent with Victor has helped me understand things better. I didn’t want to hear it, and it hurts to admit, but I’ve been wrong. Not accepting what I am created this situation.”

  There’s still no emotion in her voice. Her wall is so tight it’s like her thoughts are invisible. Something’s wrong here.

  Don’t panic, Victor. There’s nothing wrong. It’s all part of a plan.

  “I was so desperate to enjoy a human life I let things escalate with Victor.”

  Her bland tone is messing with my mind.

  Stay strong. Don’t believe any of this.

  “You’re finally admitting responsibility for your recklessness?” Uraeleus asks. “Oh, this is priceless.”

  “Of course, I am. Victor turned me because I wanted this. I didn’t want to be Lilin. I thought life would be easier as a vampire.”

  What are you saying, Kelsie?

  Stay calm.

  Luc steeples his fingers. “I think we can vote now.”

  “Not so fast,” she interjects. “Those are the words you want to hear. They make you more comfortable with our situation. Truth is, Victor turned me by accident. I allowed him to do it, but it wasn’t recklessness. I did it because I care about him and his well-being. None of this would have happened if our community practiced full disclosure.”

  “She’s right. We should have told them everything, and this wouldn’t have happened,” says the head of the werewolves.

  Victor, tell them what we didn’t know.

  “For some reason,” I add, “Luc and her mother felt we didn’t need to know the truth. Do you think I would have bitten her if I’d known about the curse?”

  Angry discussion erupts amongst the leaders.

  “Enough!” Luc bangs a gavel against the table. “Victor and Kelsie, your words have done nothing but rile us up. Do you not have a better defense for your actions?”

  “Only the fact that we’re soul mates,” Kelsie says. “As soon as we met, we clicked. The Fates put us together. If you deny our relationship, then you disagree with them. And if that’s the case, you’re meeting with the wrong beings. Trust me, I don’t want any part of that discussion. It’s not smart to piss off the sisters.”

  She says to me. “I’m not giving up on you, Victor. Neither of us know what the future holds, but I do want you in mine. No more loneliness and no more fear for either of us.”

  You don’t realize how happy you’ve made me.

  I think I have an idea.

  Seriously, love. If we didn’t have an audience…

  Luc clears his throat. “Are you finished?”

  “Yeah. We’re done,” I answer for the both of us. If I could blush, I think my face would be bright red.

  He announces, “Give us a moment to discuss the situation.”

  We go to Amy’s office to wait for their verdict.

  Time crawls by without a word from Council. There’s a room full of creatures who delight in torment. Keeping us guessing is their intention. We’ve been sitting in this office for an hour, and I’m starting to get antsy. I’m grateful that Kelsie has learned to shield her thoughts. I don’t need the headache from her constant chatter on top of my anxiety.

  “What do you think they’re going to do?” she finally asks.

  “No idea, love. I can feel Luc’s tension through the walls. I know he’s torn. He doesn’t want to rule against us, but he is the head of Council.”

  “No matter what they decide, Victor, you won’t lose me,” Kelsie assures. “I won’t let it happen.”

  I wish I could share her belief. I’m not so certain that Luc can sway Council.

  The door creaks open, and Edwina steps inside. I can read her thoughts, but she doesn’t have any answers. I am surprised to sense sympathy from her.

  “Is there a verdict?” I ask.

  “I only know they’re ready for you. No one told me anything else.” She glides closer. “Tell me something, dawlin’. Is this trouble worth it? Does she really make ya happy?”

  I smile. Her question is one I can answer truthfully without pretense or hesitation. “Yes, she does. I didn’t think it could happen to me, but I’m glad it has.” I glance over at Kelsie. “You ready to do this?”

  “Remember what I said. You won’t lose me.” She squeezes my hand.

  Luc meets us in the center of the room. His eyes stay fixed on us. Agony drips off him like hot wax from a candle. Whatever decision was made wasn’t easy.

  He addresses the leaders. “Kelsie and Victor spoke from their hearts today. I can appreciate that, but what they are asking of us is difficult. What they want from this community is to put aside centuries' worth of bias and distrust. It’s not easy to give them what they request. The fact is we harbor suspicions about each other.”

  Luc waves his hand toward the werewolf. “Brady, would you disagree with me?”

  The tattooed creature shakes his head. “Come now, Luc. You know the skepticism between species is justified. Some of us would double-cross our own mothers to save our necks.”

  “Exactly.” Luc purses his lips. “But we’re not here to rewrite history. Victor and Kelsie are asking for permission to be together. If we deny them this privilege, then we have no choice but to exact punishment. Anyone here willing to take their lives simply because they care for each other?”

  My heart stutters. I’m certain Luc won’t do it, but I don’t trust anyone else in this room. To my surprise, no one moves.

  “Very well. We can enter Victor’s statement into the records. Problem is the succubus is a minor. Unfortunately, her words carry no weight here,” Luc announces.

  Kelsie’s head drops along with her wall. Despair covers her like a blanket.

  “I’ll speak on her behalf.”

  We turn around. Her brother stands at the edge of the dance floor.

  “That’s my sister. I can represent her.”

  Luc crosses his arms. “Ah, yes. It is the incubus known as Cassius. What do you have to say about this bond between your sister and my protégé?”

  Cash saunters onto the dance floor and doesn’t stop moving until he is toe to toe with my creator. “First, the name’s Cash. You’ll do well to remember that. Second, I should ask how your protégé measures up. Maybe he isn’t suitable for Kelsie.”

  Across the room, his mother holds her palm up.

  Cash nods in her direction. “I’m not here to start a war. My only concern is Kelsie’s happiness. If Victor makes her happy, who am I—who are we—to stand in their way?”

  The Council leaders exchange glance
s without speaking a word.

  They’re going to rule against us.

  You don’t know that, love.

  Before I can stop her, Kelsie runs out of the club.

  “Go ahead and say it,” I tell Luc. “Be warned, though. If you harm her, I will end you.”

  His eyes lock with mine. “Always so quick with words. Go after your mate.”

  I’m not sure how long I’ve been sitting in the car crying my eyes out when Victor opens the door and slides in. “It’s okay,” he says.

  He must have a barrier around his thoughts. I can’t sense anything from him. “No, it isn’t okay. They ruled against us, didn’t they?”

  Victor reaches across the console and wipes away my tears. Blood is on his fingers. I pull down the visor and gaze into the mirror. Blood smears stain my face.

  My voice shakes. “What’s happening to me?”

  “Nothing bad. It happens with vampires. Nothing to worry about, love.” He cups my face in his chilly hands. “Do you want to know the verdict?”

  Victor’s wall lowers, and I sense joy coming from him. I don’t dare get my hopes up, though.

  “Kelsie, Council has given us its blessing. We can be together.”

  I smile and ask, “You’re serious?”

  His husky voice is full of passion as he says, “Yeah. Luc gave me the verdict.”

  “It’s hard to believe this is over.”

  “Believe this.” Victor wraps me in an embrace and lowers his mouth to mine. The kiss begins gently and builds in intensity, pushing all doubts from my mind.

  I swear there must be something about couples kissing in cars that attracts an audience. Once again, my brother is beating on the window.

  Victor drags his lips away. He lowers the driver’s side window and exclaims, “This better be good, incubus.”

  Cash’s brow is furrowed, and his gaze is watery. “Kelsie, it’s Lena. We need to go to the hospital. Now.”

  “Shit!” Victor hits the steering wheel. “Go on ahead. We’ll meet you there.”

  My brother nods and runs toward his bike.

  This can’t be happening. Not Lena. Tears flow down my face. Nothing bad ever happens to her. I look over at Victor. “Tell me she’s going to be all right.”

  “I wish I could.” He starts the motor.

  Victor pulls his car into the parking area across the street from Falls Creek Memorial Hospital. Honestly, I don’t think I can go in there. If the news is bad… I just can’t deal with it.

  He opens my door. “Kelsie, we need to go inside. Find out what happened.”

  I’m speechless. I’ve told Victor about my friendship with Lena. Although he doesn’t understand my fondness for a human, I think he gets my pain.

  “Maybe it’s a mistake.” I hope. “Maybe they got the wrong girl.”

  He shakes his head and holds his hand out. “No, Kelsie. There’s no mistake. Come on.”

  We ascend the concrete stairs and cross through a set of automatic glass doors. A nurse behind a circular desk directs us to the emergency room.

  Lena’s family is gathered on one side of the room. Her mother clutches her stomach and wails loudly while her father holds onto her. My feet freeze in place. My muscles quiver. I can’t go over there.

  Jonah is on the opposite side of the room, leaning against a wall. His shoulders droop, and his arms hang by his side. I can feel his heart breaking.

  “I can’t be here,” I tell Victor. “Please don’t make me stay.”

  “I know it’s difficult, but your friend needs you. Come on, love,” Victor says.

  Heaviness weighs down on me as I walk toward Jonah. I experience more of his pain the closer I get. He looks up, and I see his bloodshot eyes. Victor drops his hand. Reluctantly, I go to Jonah. He wraps his arms around me and sobs uncontrollably. My throat hurts from swallowing my grief.

  “What happened?” Victor asks.

  “It happened so damn fast,” he chokes out. “Freak accident. We pulled up to the diner to grab dinner. Some asshole came out of nowhere. He h-hit her.”

  “I’m so very sorry.” Victor taps my shoulder before whispering in my ear, “I need to check on something. I’ll be back.”

  “Wait.” I quickly wipe my face before looking up at Jonah. “Give us a minute.”

  Jonah nods.

  Victor steps out of earshot from the family. I tug on his sleeve before he goes down a corridor. “Where are you going?”

  “I’ll be…” His voice trails off, and he stares straight ahead.

  I follow his gaze, and it stops on Nathan. He’s standing at the end of the hall. So, this is why he was in town.

  My chin trembles, and I force my feet to move toward him.

  “No, Kelsie.” Victor clutches my elbow. “He won’t speak to you. He can’t, not until Lena’s soul gets to its final destination.”

  “But why, Victor? Why her?” I cry. “She never hurt anyone.”

  He gathers me in his arms. “I know, love. I know.”

  I look past Victor in time to see Nathan’s corporeal form fade away. I hope to Siren I never see him again.

  Lena’s funeral is a standing-room-only event. Nearly everyone in Falls Creek attempted to squeeze into the chapel. The number of flowers, in every color of the rainbow, is staggering. So many people loved Lena. One of our favorite tunes, We Are the Fallen’s Sleep Well, My Angel, plays in the background. It’s hard to believe she’s gone.

  I lose track of all the people who come to the podium to speak about Lena. Victor is at my side, urging me to speak. I look down at the paper where I’ve scribbled my thoughts.

  “You can do this, love.”

  I take my place at the microphone. I glance down at my notes; they’re not necessary. Just speak from the heart, I tell myself.

  “Good afternoon. My name’s Kelsie Martin. Lena was my best friend. We met in sixth grade over lunch. This is the first time we won’t be able to share a meal together.” I take a tissue from the box on the podium and dab at my eyes.

  “Through good times and bad, we’ve always had each other’s back. It wasn’t until today that I realized Lena was a much better friend than I was. She never complained. Never griped about something going bad. I always complained. She heard every little thing in my life, the good and the bad. A whole lot of bad. And I never thanked her for it.”

  I’m not sure how long I spoke. Eventually, my voice gave out. Victor helped me back to my seat.

  I’d rather face Council a thousand times than say goodbye to another friend.

  Six months later…

  I moved back home shortly after Lena’s funeral. The need to be with family overwhelmed me at times. Even now, months later, I check in with Mom and Cash whenever I’m out. Aunt Lilith found me a grief counselor who works with supernaturals. I’ve been told, in time, I’ll get back to my old self. Somehow, I doubt it. No one can take Lena’s place in my life.

  When I’m not at home, I’m spending time with her family. Mom hasn’t harassed me about it. She’s finally understanding how important humans are in my life. They are my friends. I consider the Rileys to be my extended family.

  Mom shocked me and invited them over for Thanksgiving. It was an odd dinner to say the least. I prepared a lot of the meal while Mrs. Riley brought over a few dishes. Victor joined us as well. I should have recorded the event for posterity. No one would believe that supernaturals dined with humans and no one got hurt or killed.

  I spent Christmas with Victor and Jonah. New Year’s was pretty emotional. At midnight, the three of us drank a toast to Lena. Not having her there was like someone had pried open a hole in my heart.

  I was happy to see a friendship grow between Victor and Jonah. In a way, they needed each other. For Victor, it kept him in touch with his humanity. Something I didn’t want him to lose. It made him unique. Victor understood what it was like to lose a loved one. He was able to give Jonah the support
he needed.

  Poor Jonah took Lena’s death harder than any of us expected. But I understood it. If I had witnessed the accident, I would have been a basket case. Still.

  Thankfully through it all, I have Victor. He’s been so supportive and patient with me except for the times I want to talk about Lena. Those are the times he puts up his wall. No matter how hard I press him, he won’t say a thing. I get the feeling he knows more about her accident than he’s willing to tell me.

  Mom is still learning to appreciate Victor. She’s not crazy about our relationship, but she’s getting used to it. He comes by every day and hangs out with me every night. It’s nice having his company since Mom has been working more than usual, and Cash has started keeping late hours. He says it has nothing to do with Victor and me. I doubt it.

  And on top of it all, I had my Awakening. It wasn’t the event I was prepared for. My hunger was minor. As always, Cash was by my side. He found a willing male, and I didn’t kill him.

  One afternoon, a month before my graduation, I open the front door and find Victor leaning against the wall. In his hands is a bottle of Luc’s finest red.

  “What’s the occasion?” I ask as he walks in.

  I follow him to the kitchen. He takes a seat at the island while I remove two glasses from the cabinet before joining him.

  “So, are you going to tell me?” I lean on the counter.

  Victor reaches into his jacket, pulls out an envelope, and hands it to me.

  “What’s this?”

  “It’s your graduation present. I’m giving it to you a little early so you can plan for it.”

  I squeal and rip into it like a human kid at Christmas time. Inside the envelope is a sheet of paper, a trip itinerary. “I’m lost.”

  “You said you wanted to travel so that’s what we’ll do. That’s a breakdown of all the places I’m taking you after you graduate. We’ll start in London.”

  “Holy Siren!” I gaze at the paper and then back at him. “This is for real?”