The Curse

by Jaimi Wilson

  “The Soldiers will follow my mother over me, regardless of whatever power I may hold. Because if she has done what you say by creating them, then I’m sure she would have built in fail safes for if something like this happened. At least I would if I were in her position. Then there’s my father. What do I do about him? It's not like I can get rid of him, especially since he leads the Soldiers and colludes with the humans. Please, tell me, what am I supposed to do here? No euphemisms or vague comments, just lay it all out there for me."

  Helios throws an inquiring glance to Selene. I see her give an almost imperceptible nod and then Helios holds out a hand for me to take. I slide my hand into his warily and let him lead me away from the conjured chair. We float upwards and the floor below becomes a screen, depicting what I quickly realize must be the future, or a potential one at any rate. I watch a version of myself, not much older than I am now, face my adoptive mother and real mother, power flowing off me in waves. In the scene, Helios has a hand on my right shoulder and Selene a hand on my left, but their shadows are only visible to me.

  "No matter what happens, Jasmine,” they say in unison, “we will always watch over you. Especially now that there is a little bundle within to strengthen and give you purpose. We will do everything in our power to protect you and the future. But there will come a time in the near future when you will have to face both of your mothers. When that time comes, you will know what to do. Let your power guide you, and trust it to protect both you and your child."

  Child? My gaze flicks down to my flat stomach and back up to Helios. Surely he can't mean…?

  "Yes, Jasmine, there is a child growing inside of you filled with the power of the sun, the moon and the earth. He will change the future and the way humans and supernaturals interact. He will have enemies, but for now, there’s no need to worry. He is protected by his own magic and can’t be harmed by anyone, no matter how hard they try.

  “Now, I'm really sorry for what’s about to happen, but there's no easy way to ease you into a shift." Without further warning, his hand strikes my chest just over my heart, a golden glow radiating out from his palm and entering my body.

  I start to shake uncontrollably and I wait for the same pain to overtake me as earlier, but there's nothing more than a strange feeling of eagerness. It's all over in a split second. I shake my head, trying to reorient myself, and that’s when I notice I'm standing on all fours. But even so, I tower over Helios' six foot frame.

  He grins up at me with awe-filled eyes. "You are a freaking monstrosity, Jasmine, but you’re so damned beautiful too."

  I cock my head, curious to see what I look like. The background below us changes to a mirror-like surface to show Helios and me standing across from each other. Helios is in his human form, but I’m a massive gold wolf, much like the one I saw Helios shift into. Unlike him, however, my limbs are black, starting at my paws and crawling up my legs before mingling into the gold body. My tail is similar, the tip an inky black, but the closer it gets to my spine, the black recedes.

  I wonder how to shift back? Moments after I think that to myself, I notice the reflection changing, my body shrinking in on itself until I'm standing next to Helios on two legs, human once more.

  Selene approaches me carefully, her eyes watching me carefully for any sign of fear but there is none. I feel completely different, somehow whole. Like I'm finally exactly who I was always meant to be.

  "It's time to wake up now, Jasmine. You will know what to do when you arise." Selene presses her lips to my forehead in a motherly gesture, but the touch burns me. Then I feel myself falling back into my body.

  Twelve

  My head feels heavy when I awaken, but I remember everything. All that the sun and the moon, my grandparents, told me. I shoot upright, realizing I’m on a soft surface and no longer in the woods. That’s when Josh's voice startles me. "Jas, babe, take it slow. You're pretty weak."

  I look up at his worried eyes and frown in confusion. My eyes stray to the white walls and ceiling before going back to Josh. I was sure he wasn't here when I collapsed. So how the hell did he get here? Wherever here is. And where are Benji, Liam and Jenkins? I can sense two other auras in the room but they're not my mates. I jump, and my head turns in the direction of the two other people. My biological mother stands there with a displeased glower on her face and my father is beside her, but he looks relieved. He takes a step closer to me and I freeze. While Selene or Helios didn't say anything bad about my father, I don't know if I can trust him either, especially if he was planning to bring me to my mother, knowing she wanted to drain me of my power.

  "Don't," I warn him, before getting to my feet, surprised I can stand without assistance. I thought I would still feel weak, but surprisingly, I don't. I feel like a whole new person and judging by the look on my mother’s face, she too realizes I'm not the same person who came here seeking her help.

  Josh hovers anxiously beside me as the door on the other side of the room opens. I don't need to look to know it’s the rest of my mates.

  "Jazzy? You okay?"

  “I’m fine. There’s no need to worry,” I say without looking, my gaze remaining fixed on the problem at hand, my parents. I decide to deal with my father first, since I can feel my mother’s lack of power and know she's not a threat right this second.

  My father takes a step back as I move towards him. "Relax," I say with a smirk. "I just want answers. Are you willing to let me get them the way I see fit?" I don’t know how I know this, but I feel that just one sip of his blood will give me all the answers I need.

  He glances at my mother and I growl, surprising everyone in the room at the power that radiates from me. "Don’t look to her for help. You look at me and answer. She has no power here."

  "I don't quite understand what is going on, Jasmine, but you can ask me whatever you want, and I will answer. But please, tell me what's going on? Why are you looking at your mother like she's the enemy?"

  I cock my head at the confusion he feels, and the sincerity radiating off him. He honestly doesn't know what she's done, either that, or he's a very good actor.

  I move faster than a human, faster than a wolf even, appearing in front of him. Then I pull his forearm to my lips, sinking my newly descended fangs into his wrist. The moment the blood touches my tongue, his memories well up in my mind. I flick through them, surprised by the amount of love he has for both me and my mother. I look deep, but he doesn't seem to be involved in any of the shit she is, which leads me to wonder how she did all of it without help? She created a super race of Soldiers, for goodness sake! She had the power to do it, but she's been stuck down here since my grandparents bound her. So how did she do it?

  I retract my fangs, my tongue flicking over the wound in my father’s wrist, somehow knowing that the action will heal the bite marks. Sure enough, the bite heals and my father stares at me in shock. "How... how did you do that? Your vampire side should be locked away, just like your wolf."

  I laugh sinisterly into the room, my gaze going to my mother. "Let's just say I have some pretty powerful grandparents and they are definitely on Team Jasmine."

  My birth mother looks at me with emotionless eyes, not giving any reaction, so I turn my back on her, returning my focus to my father. "I know this will probably come as a bit of a shock, but my mother is not who she says she is. Yes, she was born to give the earth its essence, but now she is no better than my adoptive mother. A power hungry individual who wants everyone to bow down to her."

  At this, my mother finally speaks. "Lies. All I want is for the world to be at peace. My parents never wanted that, all they wanted was chaos."

  "Really? Because I saw what you did. I watched you create the witches, I saw the sun create the wolves and the moon the vampires. You tried to claim responsibility for such creations, though, because you wanted the humans to love you. Your parents, the ones who breathed life into the earth, gave up their lives on this planet to save this world and to avoid being killed by you.
"

  A few soft gasps can be heard in the room, but I don't stop. "Then when you found out I would possess more power than you, you cursed me so the other sides of my nature would never reveal themselves without you lifting the curse. You wanted me to be indebted to you so I would gift you my magic.

  “You see, it took me a while, but I think I've figured it all out. You knew exactly how my adopted mother was going to treat me, but you wanted me broken. So you left me with her, hoping she would weaken me, make me compliant. When that didn't happen, you used my father, convincing him to try and kidnap me. You were going to kill me if he succeeded, not that you told him that. But thankfully, my mate saved me from being taken. Then you manipulated my father into inserting someone into my life, someone who would keep an eye on me, and inform him if I ever showed signs of my other powers manifesting. When I didn't, you decided to leave me alone until you felt the same call your parents did. The call that let you know my magic was so much more than you ever could have expected."

  I pause to give her a chance to deny it, but she just stares at me, her eyes containing such fury. After a second, I turn my gaze back to my mates, then to my father. "She isn't what she says she is. She created the Soldiers, and I have reason to believe she has been using them all along to kill the rest of us, not to protect the humans as they claim to do. I wouldn’t put it past her to have made claims that some of the more powerful supernaturals were killing humans just so she could eliminate any threats to her power base. She wants us all weak," I spit out, looking at her with disgust.

  She grins maniacally, a small bubble of laughter escaping, which grows into full blown chuckles. She lifts a polished finger to wipe an imaginary tear from her cheek. "You may be right about many things, Jasmine, but I have news for you. No matter what you do, you won't beat me. Even with my parents’ blessing, I will kill you and your unborn child before you can even blink. I will rule this world, as is my right!" she booms into the room and I can feel the shock from my mates. Whether it's because of the revelation about me being pregnant, or them realizing I’m telling the truth about my mother being evil, I’m not sure.

  I put a hand on my hip casually, as if her words have little effect on me. "I'd like to see you try. After all, you wouldn't have gone to all the effort of hiding me away if you honestly thought you could defeat me. My magic is pure, untainted by your darkness."

  He eyes narrow a second before a wave of magic hits me. I brace myself, expecting pain, but it just floats by me, leaving me unaffected. I look down, feeling a weird sensation in my stomach. I’m surprised to see a golden glow around me, starting at my uterus. My baby protected me. Holy shit...

  My mother's gaze focuses on my stomach with a cruel smile. "I can wait nine months, Jasmine. Then I will kill you both and have all the power I need to make the humans tremble beneath me." I watch helplessly, finding myself frozen and unable to move after the threat against my child, as my mother disappears from the room.

  When she's gone, I sway, feeling faint all of a sudden. A pair of arms catch me before I hit the floor and I look up to see Benji frowning down at me, his eyes running over me in concern.

  "Need sleep," I murmur, right before my body succumbs to the dark for the second time.

  Thirteen

  A cool cloth on my forehead is the first sign I'm back in the land of the living. Passing out twice in such a short time span really can't be good for the baby.

  Shit, the baby...

  I focus my energy inward, thankful to feel it still sitting there, happily going about its business as if nothing horrible just happened. Then again, if I had a protective shield, I probably wouldn’t be worried either.

  My hand cradles my stomach unconsciously, amazed that I already feel such an overwhelming amount of love for something that isn’t even in this world yet.

  I was in denial after Helios and Selene told me about my son because I thought I was so goddamn careful with protection, but then I realized I forgot about my time in the coma. Even though I resumed taking my pills once I awoke, I should have known that too much time had passed from the last one for it to still be effective. There's nothing I can do about it now, though. Before I know it, there’s going to be a little baby for me to take care of. I am curious, though, why neither Benji or Liam said anything. Wolf senses are thought to be highly astute when it comes to sensing any changes in their mate. So one of them really should have known. Or hell, even Josh or Jenkins should have been able to pick up on it. That is, unless the baby’s shield somehow prevented him from being detected?

  I open my eyes, sensing the impatience of my mates. The first thing I see is that all four of them are here, gathered around whatever bed I'm laying in. Then I sense the unique aura of my father. He’s close by, waiting right outside of the room I’m in.

  I sit up slowly, groaning at the pain in my muscles. It feels like I’ve been lying motionless for some time, so the sudden movement makes my limbs revolt.

  Liam leans forward to help me, propping a few pillows behind me for support. The he moves his hand to hover over mine, the one cradling my stomach.

  “Is it true?" he asks quietly. His gaze is fixed on my stomach, a mix of hope and fear in his eyes.

  I lift my hand from my belly to cup his cheek tenderly. "Yes, it's true. I’m pregnant. Did you truly not notice?" I ask, looking around at all of my mates. One of them really should have picked up on it, and if they truly didn’t, I guess that means this pregnancy is different than that of a typical wolf.

  It would hurt me deeply if they knew what was going on and just chose not to tell me. It's something that would have been important for me to know as early as possible, because witches aren't supposed to use magic while pregnant. And while I'm technically not a witch, I still should have been told.

  But then again, I should have sensed his energy before now too. My little nugget kept himself hidden from me until it was time for his big reveal. I guess it’s more than likely he muted my scent so the others couldn't tell either. But why?

  Liam looks at me, his eyes filled with hurt. "I didn't know, I promise. I didn't even dream it was possible. Benji and I both smelled the birth control pills and assumed you had been taking them. We didn’t notice any kind of change in scent that would indicate you were pregnant."

  I look up at them with a wry smile. "I was taking them, I swear. But then I went into that coma. By the time I woke up, it had been too long between pills for them to still be effective. At least that’s my guess, but I’m not too sure to be honest. The energy of the baby is so new that I can’t be too far along. We'll have to wait a few weeks to know for sure exactly, but my best guess is probably four to six weeks. Right now, what I need to know is how you all feel about this news.

  “Josh, Jenkins, I know we haven't really begun to explore this bond between us, but I promise that having this baby doesn't change how I feel. If you still want to develop a relationship with me, slowly," I add, drawing out the word, "Then I don't see why we shouldn’t give it a chance."

  Josh grins at me, his eyes filled with mischief. “Well, I guess if we have to go slowly, then that’s exactly what we’ll do.” I roll my eyes and he sobers. “But seriously, I do understand the need to take things slow. I just ask that you tell me if I push you too far because I wouldn’t want to do so, even if unintentionally.”

  I nod, giving him a small smile before turning to look at Jenkins, who watches me with a patient smile. “I’m happy with whatever you want, Jasmine. I have all the time in the world to wait for you and for our relationship to progress. There’s no rush.”

  A relieved breath of air rushes out of me and my shoulders slump at the sudden release of tension. I was a little nervous about how they would react to my request, but hearing what they had to say makes me feel much better and makes things easier on me. “Thank you. It means a lot that you are both willing to let us take the time to develop these bonds.”

  I turn my gaze to Benji and Liam. "And as for you two, this
baby is one of yours. I just can’t tell whose it is yet because the energy is similar to both of you."

  Liam growls at that, his eyes burning brighter. "No matter whose baby it is biologically, we will all cherish it like the miracle it is."

  At that, the others all nod in agreement. I can’t help the smile that grows as I say one word.

  "He."

  Liam frowns in confusion, but Benji seems to understand. He moves to sit on the end of the bed. "It's a boy?" Benji asks, his eyes filled with amazement.

  I nod with a small smile. "Yes, my grandparents made sure to tell me about my son and how he was going to change the future for all of us, supernaturals and humans alike.” I grin up at them, my heart soaring from the feeling of love I'm feeling through our new bond.

  Jenkins clears his throat, looking down at me with a worried expression. "Jasmine... I have to beg for your forgiveness. I was the one responsible for sending you to that other place. Helios and Selene came to me in my dreams, before I even met you. They told me that I would meet you and when the time was right, I would use the magic they channeled through me to send you there in order to find out the truth. I wouldn’t have kept it from you, but they said that was the only way. That I couldn’t tell you. Do you think you could ever forgive me?"

  The blind panic I see in his eyes really makes me feel for him. I can’t believe he thinks I would freeze him out for following orders from a higher power. Sure, I’m not exactly thrilled that he sent my spirit to that other plane without any warning, but then again, what could he have really done? And even if he had refused, I’m sure they would have found a way to get me there sooner or later anyway. Despite the less than ideal situation, I’m much happier knowing the truth, instead of blindly following my mother like I would have otherwise.