The Curse Keepers (Curse Keepers series)

by Swank, Denise Grover

  I watched his face. Collin was still hiding things from me, but at least he was finally sharing information. “We’re stronger together now. Will our power increase?”

  “Probably.”

  “What do we do with it?”

  He looked up and smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “So curious now. Where was this curiosity when you were growing up? When you should have learned all of this?”

  I had no intention of sharing my ugly past with Collin Dailey, especially when he refused to share his. Some things were better left buried. “What time is it?”

  He looked confused. “What?”

  “I have to be at work at four. What time is it?”

  “A little before noon.”

  “That early?” It had been an eventful day. I tugged on my hand. “Can I put my shirt on now?”

  He dropped his hold. “I never stopped you from putting it back on before.”

  We both knew that was a lie, but I figured arguing the point would only dig me deeper. We seemed to be working together now so why stir things up again? Besides, I’d sat next to him for several minutes topless except for my white bra, and it seemed to have no effect on him. That was a good thing, so why did it bother me?

  Maybe because staring at his bare chest did strange things to my stomach and other lower parts.

  Collin grabbed his shirt off the floor as I picked up my blouse off the seat. As he bent over, I noticed more symbols tattooed on his back and his arms. What did they mean? Did I only need just one?

  “We can get something to eat on the way back to Rodanthe. Hopefully, Mrs. Evelyn Abernathy will be home, and we can retrieve your cup.”

  “And get me to work on time, right?” I’d left fifteen minutes early the day before. I needed all the hours I could get.

  “There are more important things to worry about than your waitress job.” Cranky Collin was back. Yay.

  “I have bills to pay, Collin.”

  “And so do I, Ellie, but look where my priorities lie.”

  Ah, another dig. And we’d been getting along so well. “We have at least two hours to work on getting the cup back, so calm down.”

  He tugged his shirt over his head and started the truck. “I’ll calm down when this whole mess is over.”

  “That makes two of us.”

  We drove out of the woods and back into Buxton. I looked at him in surprise. “Is this a good idea? Shouldn’t we get out of here?”

  “We should, but since you can’t protect yourself from evil spirits, I have to get some supplies so I can mark you.”

  I needed the mark whether I knew the words of protection or not, but I decided to be the bigger person and not point that fact out.

  Collin pulled off the highway at a rundown strip mall, stopping in front of the Curl Up and Dye hair salon.

  “Do you need a haircut or are you trying to tell me something?”

  He made a face. “Very funny. I have to get something here.”

  “Is this another front for more shady activities?”

  His eyebrows rose as he turned to me. “I just admitted to partaking in nefarious activities earlier so this should come as no surprise. Does that mean you’re going to stay in the truck this time?”

  “No.”

  He shook his head with a grimace. “You are the biggest pain in the ass.”

  “You said that already. Let’s go.” I had the door open and was climbing out.

  As we made our way to the front door, Collin leaned toward me. “I suppose asking you to keep quiet and let me do all the talking is wasted breath?”

  “Probably.” I opened the front door and waved him in. “After you, sir.”

  He chuckled, although it looked as though it pained him to do so.

  When we entered the salon—and I use the word loosely—the eyes of six women fixated on Collin. Their jaws dropped and I could swear one of the customers actually drooled. Then they turned to me and glared. Part of me wanted to tell them that they were hugely mistaken. The last man on earth I’d be with was Collin Dailey, but Collin would have loved that a little too much. No sense feeding that man’s ego any more than it already had been.

  One of the beauticians sauntered toward him, her hips swinging so much it was a wonder they didn’t cause an earthquake. Collin gave her an appreciative leer.

  She stopped in front of him, giving him a seductive pout. “What can I do for you, sugar?”

  Collin glanced down at her wedding ring, then back up to her. “Seeing how you’re already married, I suppose I’ll have to settle for second best now.”

  The woman touched her mouth and actually looked like she was about to blush. Please. I couldn’t believe women fell for this bullshit.

  “Any chance Rosalina is here?”

  The woman grinned. “Rosalina, huh? Yeah, she’s in the back on break.” She looked over her shoulder and yelled, “Rosalina!”

  A Hispanic woman poked her head out from the back room. “Yeah?”

  “A gorgeous man is here asking for you.”

  A woman who looked to be in her early twenties walked out and smiled. “Collin.” She glided toward him with a grace no one else in this salon possessed—in fact few women alive possessed that kind of grace. She was beautiful, and not the made-up beauty most of the women here were trying to achieve. Her thick, long, black hair was pulled back into a braid, but it looked loose and messy in a fashion model kind of way. Her face was practically makeup free, but her thick dark lashes made it apparent she didn’t need mascara. She was beautiful, and she was the perfect counterpart to Collin’s good looks. Brad and Angelina had nothing on these two.

  When she reached him, she put her hands on his arm and stood on tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “Where’ve you been the last month?”

  “Around.”

  That was an interesting piece of information. I had a feeling Collin was new to Wanchese. Had he moved there a month ago? Why? I took a step closer to them. “Aren’t you going to introduce us, Collin?” I’d planned to actually sit back and observe this outing, but this opportunity was too good to pass up.

  Collin’s shoulders tightened. “Rosalina, this is Ellie. Ellie, Rosalina.”

  That was a disappointment. I wanted more information. “Nice to meet you, Rosalina. How do you two know each other?”

  Rosalina looked from Collin to me, then back again. She didn’t look amused. Was she jealous? Of me? “Family friends. And you?”

  “I guess you could say the same.”

  “So then you two aren’t together?”

  Collin laughed. “Rosalina, you know me better than that.”

  What the hell did that mean? That I wasn’t good enough to get laid by the demigod Collin Fucking Dailey? Again, why did I care?

  I rolled my eyes and scoffed. “As if. I have no interest in him.”

  The woman looked surprised, as did the other women in the salon, all of whom were listening to our conversation. An old woman looked over her shoulder at the woman cutting her hair. “Is she one of those lesbians? You know they’re quite popular now.”

  I started to set her straight, but what did I care what these women thought? Instead, Collin patted my head like I was a puppy. “Yes, she is. She’s into alternative lifestyles, which is why I need to talk to you, Rosalina.”

  I didn’t like the sound of where this was going.

  He moved to a corner with her, and he whispered something. She nodded and whispered to him, then disappeared in the back room. His eyes found mine. “Ellie, why don’t you wait in the truck?”

  He was up to something, and I’d bet my ass it was something no good. “I think I’ll stick around.”

  A few minutes later, Rosalina returned with a brown paper bag. They whispered again and Collin handed her some cash. She glanced down at it, then kissed him on the cheek again. But the way her hands clung to his arm and her lips lingered on his cheek told me she wanted more. Did Collin not want her or was she smart enough to not act on her desire, st
eering clear of Collin the man-whore?

  Collin spun around and grabbed my arm, maneuvering me toward the door.

  “What was that about?” I asked when we reached the sidewalk.

  He grinned. “Jealous?”

  My forehead wrinkled in confusion. “Jealous? Jealous over what?” I climbed into the truck and waited for him to get in on the other side. “I want to know what’s in the paper bag.”

  “You really have to ask?” He started the truck and was about to back up when Rosalina burst out the door, a white paper in her hand.

  She moved to the driver’s side door and handed Collin an envelope through the window. “Conner said to give this to you when I saw you.”

  Collin’s hand tightened on the steering wheel. “Conner knew I’d come see you?” This obviously sounded like bad news to Collin.

  “Yeah, about a week after you left, he brought it to me and told me to have everything ready.”

  I leaned over the brown bag that sat between us, nudging the top open with my finger. All I could make out was a box, a folded piece of paper, and a few cuticle sticks.

  Collin jerked the envelope from Rosalina’s hand. His jaw clenched. “Connor needs to stay the fuck out of it.”

  She held her hands up as she backed up to the curb. “Don’t shoot the messenger.”

  Collin ignored her and backed out of the space.

  I watched Rosalina standing on the curb, a sad look on her face. “Who’s Conner?”

  If looks really could kill, the one Collin gave me then would have made it look like I’d been attacked by a serial killer. “None of your fucking business.”

  So our truce was over. Again.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Collin stopped at a convenience store and pulled up to a gas pump. “I’m going to go pay for gas. I suggest you head to the bathroom and then get something to eat.”

  “What am I, six years old? I think I can figure out my own bodily functions.”

  He actually grinned.

  I grabbed my purse, and he followed me into the store, standing so close I could feel the heat steaming off his body.

  “What are you, my bodyguard?”

  “When you’re in Buxton, yes.”

  Marino. For once I kept my sarcastic comments to myself.

  He followed me to the women’s restroom, looking like an attentive boyfriend. Several women in the store cast looks of longing and jealousy in our direction. If they only knew.

  “I’m going to get us something to eat and pay for the gas. I can keep an eye on the restroom door most of the time, but if you have any trouble, scream.”

  I nodded and swallowed.

  “Where’s your phone?”

  “What?” But it didn’t take a genius to know we might need to call each other. I dug it out of my purse and handed it to him.

  He punched his number in. After answering his phone, he handed mine back to me. Then he opened the bathroom door and pushed me in. “If you don’t see me when you open the door, stay inside until you do.”

  I closed the door behind me and locked it, thinking about how flimsy those little locks on doorknobs actually were. Marino only had to slam the door with his massive body and it would come crumbling down. But then, people like Marino never did the dirty work. They got someone else to do it for them.

  After I finished my business, I washed my hands and looked at myself in the mirror. I could see why Rosalina had looked at me in surprise if she thought that Collin and I were together. While she was supermodel perfect, I was average height, average weight. Pretty, but with an average face. My dark red hair was unruly most of the summer, and my skin was so pale it literally glowed under black light.

  Why was I comparing myself to Rosalina?

  I had no delusions that Collin was interested in me, and even if he was, if I were smart, I’d steer clear of getting involved with him. But then there was the history of my failure with men. Did I expect too much, hoping for the kind of relationship Daddy had with Momma? Should I learn to settle?

  I shook my head with a sigh. Now was not the time to reason out my love life. Or lack thereof.

  There were dirt smudges on my white shirt. I grabbed a wet paper towel and scrubbed it clean the best I could. We still had to see Evelyn Abernathy, and I didn’t want to look like a homeless beggar.

  When I opened the door, Collin stood in front of the refrigerated case, but he was with two men and none of them looked happy.

  “… wouldn’t know anything about that. I’ve been at the Curl Up and Dye all morning,” Collin said. “If you don’t believe me, stop by and check it out for yourself. The ladies loved having me there.”

  One of the guys, a muscled guy who stood taller than Collin, crossed his arms. “I’m sure they did.”

  “Anything else I can do for you boys?” Collin asked.

  “Where’s the girl?” the other guy asked.

  Collin leaned his shoulder into the glass. “I left her at the Curl Up and Dye. Why do you ask?”

  “Marino’s not done with her.”

  “Unfortunately for Marino, I’m not done with her either.”

  “Should we remind you what happened the last time you pissed off Marino?”

  Collin rubbed his jaw. “That’s not necessary.”

  “He’s giving you two days.”

  Collin gave them a half-shrug and a smirk. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  The men walked away and I heard the tinkle of the entrance door. Collin turned to look down the hallway. When he saw me, he held up a finger and pointed to the bathroom. I went back inside and locked the door.

  Marino was serious. I felt a little safer knowing that Collin needed me until we repaired the curse, but I had no delusions that he’d protect me when this was done. What would I do then?

  My cell phone rang in my purse and I jumped, startled out of my thoughts. When I dug it out, I saw an unfamiliar number. Oh, God. Had Marino found out who I was? All he knew was my first name. What if he’d found out my last name and got my number?

  “Hello?” I answered with a shaky voice.

  “Meet me at the back exit in five minutes. I’ll call you when I’m ready.” Collin hung up and didn’t wait for me to answer.

  Less than five minutes later, Collin called again. “I’m pulling around back. Come out, get in, and stay low.” Then he hung up again.

  Taking a deep breath, I exited the bathroom, my stomach a jittery ball of nerves.

  A middle-aged woman braced her butt against the hallway wall. She threw up her hands in exasperation. “Took you long enough!”

  “Sorry.” I turned my attention to the store, and when I didn’t see Marino’s men, I headed down the hallway to the exit. Collin’s truck was rounding the back corner of the convenience store. I waited until he pulled up next to the door before I ran to the passenger door and climbed in. I yanked the door shut, but Collin was pushing my head down.

  “They’re watching me, and they’re going to wonder why I drove back here. I’m pulling over to the air pump and putting some air in my tire. Stay down.”

  He didn’t have to tell me twice.

  He stopped the truck and hopped out. I crouched on the floor of the truck, thankful for the first time that Collin drove an old clunker from when they made vehicles big and their interiors bigger.

  I heard the sound of the air pump and then a minute later, the driver door opened. I lifted my head in alarm, relieved to see Collin slide in the seat and shift the truck into drive.

  After several minutes, I asked, “Can I get up now?”

  “Yes. I haven’t seen any sign of them for a few miles.”

  I climbed up on the seat, smoothing my skirt over my legs.

  Collin cast a glance in my direction and grinned. “No sense doing that. I already had a look up your skirt earlier.”

  Resting my elbow on the open window ledge, I leaned my head on my hand. “I hope you enjoyed the view.” But my words lacked the sarcastic punch required to
make it effective.

  Collin didn’t seem to notice. “I’ve seen better.”

  My day had sucked and it wasn’t even one o’clock. So much for my lucky skirt. My close call with Marino’s men had put me at the edge, but Collin’s statement was the final straw. It was stupid and immature and irrational, but tears filled my eyes, and I tried to swallow the burning lump in my throat.

  Collin turned toward me, horror on his face when he realized I was close to tears. Not the what can I do to help her kind of horror or even the I’ve gone too far and hurt her feelings horror either. It was the flat-out disgust of a man caught in a truck with a crying woman.

  “Leave me the fuck alone!” I shouted. I wanted to jump out of the moving truck and die from embarrassment and massive internal injuries.

  His hand tightened on the steering wheel. “I didn’t mean what I said about your ass. You have a very nice ass.” It was halfhearted and he obviously said it to get me to stop crying.

  “Shut up, Collin!”

  His hand flopped over, palm open as he tried to make his point. His mark was in plain view. “I’d say you rank at least in the top fifty percent, maybe even top twenty.”

  I gritted my teeth. “Shut. Up. I’m not crying over your immature comment about my ass, so get over yourself.”

  He looked stunned.

  “I don’t give a flying fuck what you think of my ass, and you better get that through your head right now!” I shouted, and it felt good. It was like letting the valve off a pressure cooker that had been building all day.

  Collin looked confused. “Okay…”

  “I was almost killed by an angry wind god, and Jabba the Hutt wants to buy me. I think that grants me a few seconds of tears.”

  He paused, then slowly nodded. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

  “And when I came to in the woods, you were stripping my shirt off without explanation—”

  “You were unconscious!”

  “—you just started drawing on my back with a fucking ink pen—”

  “I was saving your life!”

  “And you told Marino he can have me when you’re done with me. What the fuck? I am not someone’s possession!”