Curse of Stone

by Nikki Lockwood

  “So, what, I’m just supposed to go home and wait like I’m some kind of bait? I don’t think so.”

  “Do not panic. Sune will capture him. Your wolf friends can also watch over you.”

  “No offence, Iktok, but I don’t like the idea of being babysat. Can’t I just go home?”

  “Stone.” Jay cut me off in a stern voice. He shook his head and with wide suggestive eyes, stared at me.

  “This is no predicament I wish any human to be in, and it is one that should not be thought of so frivolously. Radu’s obsession drives his madness. He is extremely dangerous.”

  “Wait, is that the man I’ve been seeing, the one whose being following me. With the different coloured eyes?”

  Iktok nodded. “I would not be surprised if he has been watching you. Whatever you do, do not fall for his allure. It is a trick, a rouse. He wishes to be your every desire and will take you from the Earth’s plane.”

  This was legit bat shit crazy. I was okay with werewolves, demons. But now being hunted by the devil’s star – the devil – like an actual real entity, it was beyond. My mind was overwhelmed.

  “How do you know all this? Are you werewolves as well?”

  Iktok smiled. “No, we are not.”

  “But you’re supernatural?”

  “We are immortal, yes.”

  I gulped. Could it be, were these men… Gargoyles?

  “I will not tell you what to do. But proceed with caution. It is more than just your life that hangs in the balance. For one that seeks truth, but denies truth, cannot see the truth, even if it sits in front of her. For stone is more than a name, it is a constrict of consciousness in a domain nexus to the former.”

  Um. Okay. I stared at him then followed as his gaze turned to Sune. A look of fury, like the seven seas were colliding darkened his green eyes. I couldn’t hold his look, I turned away.

  I appreciated the audience, but my mind was scrambling to cope. Even though I’d not long awoken, it felt like I hadn’t rested the entire time. No matter how hard I tried, that nightmare wouldn’t end. I just needed to process one thing at a time. And Gran was more important than anything else to me. She had been my entire world.

  “I’d like to go home now,” I said.

  Iktok nodded. With that I rose from the table.

  “Goodbye, Danielle Stone. I am sure we will meet again soon,” Belvess said. His smile reached his eyes.

  “It was nice to meet you too.” I forced a smile and turned to meet the only pair of eyes I really knew. “Jay?”

  “That isn’t wise, Radu is still out there. You need to stay here where we can protect you,” Jamie said.

  I sighed and glanced at Vee, then Iktok. But it wasn’t enough. I couldn’t handle anything more, not right now. “Vee?”

  “Stone.”

  “Shut it, Jay. I’m going home, so don’t try and stop me.”

  Sniggers broke out from the two men that stood behind Sune. But I wasn’t having it. My eyes met Sune’s for a moment. The intensity was awkward. He did not blink, nor faulter. There beneath the façade of his hostility was a man, one that felt familiar, one that was hurting, deeply. For a split second he let me see something other than that he wanted.

  “Velkan, am I taking myself home, or are you coming?” I had never been so blunt to him before.

  “It’s a long walk from here, and you don’t know the way,” Vee said, smiling.

  Iktok raised his eyes to me. “Miss Stone, it bides as fair warning that a dream is more than such in pressing times. Do not give him your heart for all will be lost. I know the truth in which you seek. We shall meet again, and such truths will be known.”

  83

  Why did it suddenly feel like I was trapped? I had been on my own for so long. Gran had always been a stone’s throw away, but I hadn’t lived in a house with other people since I was sixteen.

  Gran. A jolt of pain stabbed my heart.

  “The other option is—” Velkan paused. “Jay and I move in here.”

  Argh. Much worse, much, much worse. No, no, no. Was he out of his fucking mind?

  “What about Sune, isn’t he supposed to be watching over me or something.”

  Velkan’s back straightened. “Yes, he has the night watch covered. But you are, and always will be, our responsibility.”

  My eyebrows pulled closer as my gaze narrowed at him.

  Velkan had driven me home. Checked my entire apartment, windows, bathroom, and all nooks and crannies. It had unsettled my already edgy nerves. I had to be safe in my own home.

  But I’d have been happier if Jay had been the one to bring me home.

  “Who were those men?” I asked, changing the subject back to Sune. They weren’t werewolves, of that I was absolute.

  “They are friends of my mother, and our allies.”

  “Iktok said they were immortal, what kind of immortal beings are they?”

  Velkan raised an eyebrow at me. A darkness filled his eyes. He was annoyed. The tone of his voice reflecting his mood. “That’s something you should ask them. It’s not mine to tell.”

  “But I’m asking you,” I said.

  “This is not something I am willing to bend any rules for. The answer is no, so fucking drop it,” he growled.

  I winced. He had never, not once, sworn at me. They, whoever or whatever they were, had pinched a nerve. Crease lines were drawn on Velkan’s forehead. His clenched eyes like beady darkness.

  The room fell silent. Where was Jay? I understood his silence, but not Velkan’s.

  It had to have been nearly a bloody hour of unbearable and awkward fucking silence before he looked or even spoke to me again.

  “Listen, given the current situation, I think it would be best if you and I were just friends.”

  His statement caught me off guard, stinging me with a numbing nothingness.

  “Oh, okay.” That was all I could get out. My heart should’ve been breaking, but it wasn’t. A tightness constricted my chest, and thoughts of self-loathing for not being more upset, but that was it. “Why’s that?”

  “I think it would be best for everyone if my judgement wasn’t clouded by my feelings for you. Your life is on the line, we must capture Radu, and that needs to be my focus. I’m sorry.”

  I didn’t respond.

  “Are you okay?” Velkan asked.

  My eyes met his. They were cold. Nothing like the ones that first met me.

  “Yeah, I’m fine.”

  As I reached for a cup from the cupboard my back panged in pain. I dropped hard back onto the balls of my feet, and a jolt rippled up my Achilles. “Mother f---” I broke off before I finished that curse aloud.

  Velkan stepped towards me and touched my elbows with his fingers. His warmth made me shudder. I waved him back away from me, not needing his help. The sting of rejection eating at me.

  “Look, Danielle. I just don’t want anything else to happen to you. That’s I’ve decided that we’re both moving in here,” Velkan said.

  “So, it’s my apartment and I don’t even get a choice?” The words spat out like venom burning my tongue. A heat filled me. The thought of either of them hovering over me was suffocating and it hadn’t even begun. I was used to Jay being all macho about it and looking out for me. Now that Velkan wasn’t going to be romantically in my life, he had no reason to want to protect me, not like Jay, and by that logic, I knew Jay would keep me safe.

  “You aren’t safe until we find Radu. It would be—”

  I waved my hand at him to stop. “Okay, stop, just stop.”

  The knob on my front door turned, and the door flew open.

  Jay walked over and perched his behind on the top of my couch, folded his arms, and smugly smiled at me. “For fucks sake, Stone. Why do you have to make things so fucking hard?”

  “What are you doing here?”

  “Oh, come now. You know you wanted to see me.”

  Before words escaped my mouth, Vee spoke. “I asked him. We have our orders,
and we cannot disobey, I’m afraid. You’re stuck with us.”

  “Jay,” I said, stepping towards him, and away from Velkan. “Can you take first watch?”

  His smile widened, showing off his pearly white teeth.

  84

  My apartment was empty. The curtains had been drawn. Not a single beam of light shone through. A dark lingering heaviness simmered in my apartment. My ears twitched at the recognition of faint muffled sounds outside my window. I shot straight up, sitting upright in the bed, clutching the sheet.

  A gust of wind beat against the timber framing, rattling the window. A chill sprinted down my spine, causing me to shiver.

  There was no fire escape, it was impossible for someone to be standing at my window. I swung my legs to the floor. Pressing the pads of my feet to the floor, I crept to the window. I stood behind the curtains. My breathing shallowed, but my chest heaved. A tingle spread across the palms of my hands into my fingers. I was going to look. Just a peek. At the far-left side of the window, I pinched the seam of the curtain between two fingertips. Closing my eyes to soak up a little extra courage with a soothing exhale. I pulled the curtain back just a fraction and peered out.

  Two eyes of burning fire paralysed me.

  A hideous beast, with horns, protruding lips, and visible fangs faced me. The curtain dropped from between my fingers. Taking two steps backwards, I went numb. Blinking furiously, my eyes darted side to side, as my mind searched for reason.

  I stepped to the window once again. Soaking up extra courage, took the curtain between my fingertips, and braced as I pulled it back. My eyes widened.

  It was gone.

  But before I could search the surrounding skies. A figure stood on the rooftop across from mine, the one with the exposed corner. Even from this distance, his green eyes shone like all the hues of a lush rainforest. There was no hostility, there was nothing but eyes, without emotion staring back at me. Oh, my god.

  “Sune,” I said as my eyes opened, and I bolted upright.

  Confused my mind raced. My eyebrows drew close together. What just happened?

  “Hold on let me call you back.” Jay’s voice sounded from the outer room.

  I heard the pit pat of his footfalls. They echoed like a ringing bell. I ran my fingers backwards from my forehead, through my hair. The weight of him sunk onto the mattress as he sat down. He brushed the hair from my face.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  Taking a moment to register, I searched his eyes with questions far beyond the ones at the forefront of my mind.

  “Those men were they—” My thoughts wandered. “Gargoyles.”

  Jamie laughed. “No, they’re not gargoyles. Now, come on, stop dreaming about me.”

  “Me, dream about you? You’ve got to be kidding me.” My cheeks filled with a slight burn. Why the fuck was I blushing like I’m guilty when I wasn’t dreaming about him? “Bloody hell stop bothering me. I’ve a funeral to plan.”

  Jamie walked into the kitchen, poured a cup of coffee, and sauntered back towards me, handing me the hot brew.

  I lifted the cup to my lips, taking a sip, letting the coffee slide down my throat, warming my insides, releasing the tension from my body. Jay turned his head to look at me, as he settled on the bed beside me.

  “Stone, I know this has got to be hard on you, but I am here, and I will do whatever you want. Just tell me what you want, and I’ll see it gets done.”

  My chest jolted, a sharp pain stabbing my heart, my body caved forward. Jay’s hands whipped up, grabbing the coffee from my hand, and placing it down on the bedside cabinet, before holding my shoulders. His warmth spreading across me. I lifted my eyes to meet his. Baby blue.

  Breath caught in my throat. Gran was dead.

  Tears streamed from my eyes, blurring my vision.

  A second pain twisted my already contorting heart. I hissed beneath my breath.

  Jay didn’t move, neither did his gaze. But I did. Throwing the sheets off my legs, I bent up onto my knees, and dived straight into his chest. His arms wrapped around me in an instant. My chin resting on his shoulder. The water from my eyes soaking the top of his tee. His hand stroked the back of my head. No words were spoken, and I didn’t any.

  My breath came jagged, quick, and fast, unable to hold air in or get enough. Panic engulfed me. I pushed back off Jay and started hyperventilating.

  He pulled me back in, this time tighter. “Ssh, just breathe. I’ve got you,” he whispered. His warm breath hitting my ear with a tingling sensation, distracting me.

  My focus shifted. His lips were so close to my neck, where he had bitten me. Warmth surged through my body. With an exasperated gasp, my breathing steadied. I pushed up away from him, and as I did, a whimper left him.

  I leant in and pressed my lips against his cheek. His body went rigid. Shit. I hadn’t thought that through. It seemed like the right thing to do to say thanks, but I was frozen in place, my lips glued to his face. Damn it. I hoped he didn’t read more into it than that.

  I gently pulled back, our eyes met, a dark hunger readable in his. Half expecting him to grab my face and kiss me, I panicked and jumped off the bed.

  Jamie stood and spun around to face me.

  “Thank you for helping me,” I said, brushing it off casually. “Purple Jacaranda flowers, those are what I want.”

  He stepped closer, narrowing his gaze.

  “They were Gran’s favourite.” I continued, tears brimming my eyes. “She’s really gone.” My words frail as reality raced back, smacking the wind out of my chest again. “Jay,” I whispered, breathlessly. Unable to look at him. “I don’t know if I’ll get through this. Will you help me?”

  There was silence. Then his hands rested on my arms and dragged me into his arms. “Yes, I’m not going anywhere.”

  “I’m all alone, Jay. I have no family left,” I cried, my emotions submerging me.

  “You are not alone,” he said in a firm tone. “Me and you, that’s all you need. You will never be alone.”

  85

  “The first time I met Gran, she made me eat three cupcakes because she thought I was too skinny,” Jay said, his words rushing over me.

  At my feet, our family plot. Where Gran’s parents and my mother were buried. I clenched my jaw, hardening the mask to hide my true emotions. Acting like the freshly dug hole didn’t stir any emotions. Forcing a strange numbness to overpower the crumbling little girl that was scared on the inside.

  This was where it had started. Ninth Street cemetery. The place that had changed everything. Fifty-eight years ago. And now, everyone I loved was dead.

  Jay stood at the head of the grave. He’d taken charge and led the service as only he could. No one else here knew Gran, not like him.

  I gazed up at him, wearing a black tailored suit, with a long black wool coat over top. His long dreads hung symmetrically down each side of his face. In between each line he spoke, there was a brief pause where his eyes almost twinkled.

  It was suffocating having both Velkan and Jay around. But I couldn’t bury Gran alone. Cathwulf and Kamila stood to one side, their eyes solemn. Velkan must’ve asked them. Cai and Bayley came, bringing Tiff and Mac with them. So much had happened since I’d seen my friends, I almost felt awkward around them, distant. Gran didn’t really have friends, not close ones.

  Jay told another of growing up and visiting Gran; how she wished she’d been younger to sweep him off his feet; and how much she was loved.

  The stories united us. Just us two knew. It was like we bonded in that moment over the special person that was my gran. He’d been there, during everything, Mum, Harley. A thought flushed my cheeks with colourful warmth. Gran had always wanted me and Jay to be together, even though I teased him she didn’t, she truly had. Especially in the later years. Gran saw what I couldn’t or didn’t want to. Jay had been nothing more than a friend, but that line had blurred.

  A sickly dread churned in my stomach. It was almost time to watch her cask
et lower into the grave, and that was the moment I feared the most. It was the final goodbye. A rush of emotions caught in my throat, choking me. I coughed several times, trying to hide the tears welling up in my eyes.

  Jay paused. The weight of his gaze heavy on me. I couldn’t bring myself to look back at him, not while water lined the rims of my eyes, and soaked my lashes.

  Velkan stepped closer to me. “Danielle are you alright?” He knelt in front of me, his hand resting on my arm.

  I brushed him off. He wasn’t romantically linked to me, he wasn’t my friend, nothing. Just another face in the crowd.

  A growl rumbled through the microphone, causing my body to go rigid. A chill bristled down my arms. My face lifted, bending to look past Velkan. Jamie’s eyes had narrowed, but they weren’t on me, but on the back of Velkan’s head.

  “Sorry,” Velkan said, and moved away.

  It sure was cold here, even with the sun out. Small puffs of air blew from my mouth as I huffed. Brushing my hands against the inside of my long black wool coat pockets.

  The first shovel of dirt hit the coffin and I shuddered, and it rippled through me.

  Another load of dirt piled into the grave. Suffocation cloaked my throat. My body went still. Eyes bursting out of my head, at the realisation. This was fucking it.

  No more Gran.

  I knew she was dead but a small part of me wished since werewolves and demons were real, that she might come back to life or that this was just one big nightmare.

  But it wasn’t.

  More dirt flung down the hole, landing with dull splattered thuds. I gripped my chest.

  Jay landed in front of me, his eyes meeting mine with pure focus. “You want a turn?” he asked.

  There was nowhere my eyes could’ve darted to hide. He would’ve seen straight through my façade. My emotions burning within me like a volcano erupting and spilling over its crater. Pain jarred me. I shook my head. His eyes narrowed before moving back around the grave. Placing his black jacket placed on the back of a chair, he rolled up his white sleeves, and shovelled the rest of the dirt in. Every thud sounded with a boom ricocheting through me.