The Curse

by Jaimi Wilson

  My father beams proudly at me, his eyes sparkling in the light. “That was all you, Jasmine. When the Soldiers attacked, I think they expected a swift death. What they got instead was you, my beautiful girl. Your magic suffocated your mother’s when she tried to kill them and was able to sever the bond that controlled them.

  “They took their chance and made a run for it, escaping before your mother was able to force your magic back under control. I don’t know if what you did was permanent, but considering they haven't ever been called back to your mother’s side since, I would like to think she has no control over them anymore."

  He pauses, draining the last of his tea, which has cooled in the time he's been talking. "Your mother wasn't worried about them, claiming that if they ever came within reach, she would be able to control them again.

  “So life went on with her creating more Soldiers using your magic, until finally the time finally came for you to be born into this world. No matter how hard your mother tried to delay it, you were done waiting. You were ready for your entrance into this world. I helped deliver you myself. Never in my life have I seen a child with an aura as beautiful as yours.

  "Not much had changed, except that now we had this beautiful little girl in our lives, making everything brighter. But then, when you were only eleven months old, you somehow called a Soldier to your bedside in the middle of the night.

  “I remember waking up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night, an overwhelming sense of urgency to find you riding me. When I looked on your mother's side of the bed, she was already gone, so I rushed to your crib, fear tightening my body. When I got there, I wasn’t sure what I’d find. But your mother was just standing there, staring at the man who held you. I watched as you reached up, happily playing with his beard. You had a fascination with facial hair back then," he says wistfully, his eyes glazing over as the memory overtakes him.

  "I moved around your mother, trying to get to you, but you held me back with your magic. I could tell there was something off with the Soldier holding you, because he didn't feel like the first Soldiers, or the new ones. It was like he was both somehow. Your mother watched as this all happened, but continued to do nothing. It was like she was waiting for something, although at the time I wasn’t sure what.

  “As we stood there, you reached up and touched the Soldier’s face. Then your body began emitting a soft white glow. I watched on with awe as my daughter transformed a Soldier into vampire. You pushed the witch and wolf essence out of him and back into the earth. Your mother was eager to claim this essence, but she found she was unable to touch what you'd returned. The man smiled at you, a look of peace crossing his face. Then he placed you back in your crib, mumbling a few words that have stuck with me to this day. 'The mighty goddess will rise and destroy all who defy her.'"

  I suck in a breath, shocked by those words. Goddess? Me? That can't be right. Maybe I just made that vampire go insane, although how the hell I managed to turn a Soldier into a vampire in the first place is beyond me. And the fact I had that level of magic within me before I even turned one? No wonder my mother wanted to get rid of me. She was scared of just what I was capable of.

  "So what happened after? Did she freak out and bind my powers?" I ask, desperate for answers.

  "No, she didn't bind you, at least not right away. Things were mostly normal after that, except for the fact she tried harder than ever to figure out how your powers worked, and what exactly you were capable of. I tolerated her experiments longer than I should have, still thinking she only had your best interests at heart. But the last straw was when she tried to force you to shift just before your fourth birthday. I stepped in and told her that things couldn't continue on the way they were. She agreed, claiming she only did so because she wanted you to be strong. She said that she’d had a vision. That if you stayed with us, you would die before you could fully realize your powers. She told me not to worry though, because she knew of someone who would take care of you and protect you until you were old enough to return to us and help her with the Soldiers.

  "So we packed up your belongings and I dropped you off at Belinda's home. Then I went back to your mother, my heart heavy at leaving you with someone else. I only did what I did because I thought it was your only chance, but that still didn’t make me feel any better.

  “Without you, your mother and I started to become distant. Despite that, I still couldn't be away from her for long without my body going into convulsions, much the same way you did when you got here. I figured it was just because we had mated, and it was my body’s instinctive reaction to being seperated from her. Even so, I still couldn't stomach the thought of being around someone who gave up my daughter so easily. So, when she asked me to stay away from you, I lied and told her I would leave you be.

  “I would come see you as often as I could, but stuck to the shadows so no one knew I was there. I watched you grow into the beautiful young woman you are today. I stood back in the shadows, content to do nothing but watch because it was better than not knowing you at all.

  “But that all changed on your sixteenth birthday. I watched in horror at what Belinda did to you. And you just took her abuse. She beat you within an inch of your life and yet you did nothing to stop her."

  A low growl sounds from my left, and even without looking, I know it's Benji. He saw the bruises I had after that particular incident. The only reason he never asked me about it was because he knew I wouldn't rat my mother out. I never did, because if I said anything, the punishments would have been so much worse.

  My father keeps speaking, completely undeterred by Benji's growls. "I was so enraged by the pain you were being forced to suffer through but no matter how hard I tried to get into your house to stop her, it was as if something was keeping me out with magic. At first I thought it was you and that you didn't want to be saved, but then I realized it was a mix of Belinda's magic and your mother’s.

  “So I did the only thing I could think of. I bided my time for a moment when you were away from the house, somewhere where I could reach you and you would be susceptible to my magic. I thought I could lure you away from Belinda and raise you myself, with all the love and protection you deserved. I would teach you all about your heritage and the magic within you. However, instead I only made things worse. Your mother found out that I was watching over you and used that knowledge against me. I was forced to bring you here, that much is true. But, Jasmine, not once have I ever wished you harm. I only want you to be safe, and to be loved and cherished for the miracle you are. My daughter."

  Tears begin to fall down my father’s face and I can't help but feel sad for him. But there's just something off about his story to me. I noticed that while he did tell us some about the Soldiers, he switched the subject to me subtlety. Yes, he still told us more than any of us knew about them beforehand, including what I was able to do to that one, but it just seems like he’s still hiding something. Despite what he said about not being able to talk about certain things, I can’t help but feel he’s withholding some important information, something I need to know. And while I have no proof he’s holding something back, my instincts have never been wrong about this kind of thing before.

  After wiping away the tears, my father reaches into his jacket and pulls out a stack of envelopes. "I found these this morning when I was in your mother’s room. They're letters from Belinda to your mother. I thought you might like the chance to read them, so you can get a better sense of what they were keeping from you. But I just have to warn you, some of them are pretty detailed."

  I reach out and take them from him, feeling a little hesitant. "Thanks."

  Then he looks around at each of the guys, a gentle smile on his face. "Well, I'll leave you guys for now. I'm sure Jasmine would like to spend some time with you without me hovering. Please feel free to walk around and explore as you please. This wasn't just Gaia's home, but mine as well. Therefore, now it belongs to you too. And if you need anything, Josh knows which room is min
e." With that, he turns and leaves the room in a few quick strides.

  I wait a moment or two before I turn to look at each of my mates in turn, needing to know I'm not imagining it. "Was it just me, or did he seem really eager to get out of here?"

  Benji frowns, looking at the door my father left through. "No, it wasn't just you. I thought he was acting a little off. Even during his explanation of your childhood, my wolf was anxious. It felt like he was lying without outright lying, if that makes sense? I know you want your father to be good, but please just be careful."

  "Josh, Jenkins? Do you agree with Benji?" I decide to ask them as well, since they've known him longest.

  Jenkins shrugs his shoulders. "Honestly, he's always seemed cagey to me. It could very well have just been because he was feeling awkward, though. He doesn't like not being in control and I'd imagine everything that’s happened in the past forty-eight hours has made that sense of control go right out the window.”

  Josh, however, doesn't look quite as understanding. "Yes, your father is pretty cagey, even at the best of times, but you and Benji are right to be put off by his behavior. I can feel something building in the air. I don't know what, only that something big is going to happen."

  I cock my head, feeling suddenly drawn to go to Josh. This sense that if I touch him, I'll get all the answers I seek. The feeling isn't coming from me, though, it’s coming from the new life within me.

  My eyes widen and I get up from my seat. Moving around Benji, I go to stand in front of Josh. "Sorry, I don't know what exactly is going on, but the baby is giving me this sense that I need to touch you."

  Energy crackles between us and a sense of urgency fills me. I look at Josh with panicked eyes, not quite sure how to control this excess energy.

  He visibly swallows, his eyes wide with worry and understanding. “I feel it too. Magic pulling me closer to you. It could be because I have the ability to view glimpses of the future. Maybe the baby wants me to see something.”

  I nod slowly, my whole body now buzzing with electricity, the need to touch him growing stronger with each passing second. I lift my hands slowly, unsure what will happen when I cup his cheeks. I just don’t want to do anything to hurt my mate, which is how I see him, even though we haven't bonded completely yet. My hands hover over his cheeks, almost touching him but not quite. I look deep into his eyes, filled with worry, but all that's reflected back in his gaze is complete and unwavering trust.

  I take a deep breath, and then gently cup his cheeks. After a few seconds pass and nothing happens, and I begin to think I must have misunderstood what my baby wanted. I go to pull my hands back, and that’s when a sudden blast of pain shoots through my head. Josh must be feeling it too, because his eyes have welled with tears. We cling to each other as we’re forced to ride out this storm of pain. The world disappears in a haze of bright white light as a series of images assaults me, making me scream helplessly.

  Sixteen

  I can hear Jenkins, Benji and Liam trying to get close to Josh and I, but we're surrounded by an orb of light so pure and strong they can't reach us without it burning them.

  The images flit by too quickly to see much, but I get a general feeling from them and know now what I have to do. I have to save my pack.

  After a minute, the light begins to fade but I feed it some of my magic in order to keep the guys back a little longer. They won’t like what I’m about to do.

  I turn to Jenkins, knowing that Benji and Liam would argue with me after what happened the last time I did what I’m about to suggest. "The pack is in trouble. Bring the Soldiers up to the surface with you."

  I drop my hands from Josh’s face, but his eyes are still wide in panic, even when I clasp my hands with his. In a clap of thunder, we disappear from the underground facility and reappear up above in the middle of the pack clearing, which appears to be under attack.

  "Did you bring my crystals?" I ask Josh as we look around at the wolves, who are fighting off what looks like an army of witches. Josh and I use our magic to push back the witches. Anything to stop them from slinging fire at the wolves, who are trying desperately to fight them back.

  "No, I didn't think we'd need them. The only crystals I have are rose quartz, but you’d need clear for a protection spell.”

  Shit, he's right. But then again, even if I did have my crystals, I doubt I’d have enough time to perform the spell anyway. Looking back, I really wish I had done it when we first got here. Knowing my adoptive mother, it would have only been a matter of time before she struck again. And now because of my negligence, my pack is having to defend themselves against her manipulated witches.

  As if my thoughts summon her, the woman who raised me emerges from the throng of fighting wolves and witches, dragging a little girl by the hair. The child can’t be any older than six or seven, but the defiance in her eyes as my mother drags her along reminds me so much of myself. The difference being that I'm not that weak little girl anymore. I am the daughter of the sun, the moon, and the earth, and I am more powerful than she can even begin to imagine.

  "Enough!" I boom out into the night, wrapping my magic around me like a blanket. "You have caused enough pain to last many lifetimes, Mother, and it stops right fucking here!"

  My magic bursts out of me in an explosion of light, seeking out those who have been tainted by Belinda and severing those ties. Suddenly, they all drop to the ground unconscious, the connection to the one powering them broken.

  My father and the Soldiers appear from the woods. And at my back, I feel my mates behind me. I know it’s them without even looking, able to sense the bond between us in a way I haven’t before. It’s as if opening myself to the full extent of my magic has made our connection stronger, and I can actually feel the bonds tying us together.

  My gaze swings back to my mates, who are looking ready for a fight. Unfortunately for them, though, there’s nobody left to fight.

  "Guys, I need you to go take care of the pack. Tend to any who are injured, as well as the unconscious witches. Get the Soldiers to help you.”

  Then I shift my gaze to Belinda, who is only just now getting to her feet. She looks disoriented from me severing all of her ties, but is still holding the girl like a shield.

  “My mother is mine," I call out as I step away from Josh, who lets his hand drop reluctantly. But unlike before, even as I walk away from them, I still feel them within me, a permanent part of my soul.

  I take slow, deliberate steps towards my mother. "This is your one and only chance. Let go of the girl and allow me to strip you of your magic. If you do that, I’ll let you walk away from this and you can live the rest of your life as a human."

  She stares at me for a long moment with those cruel eyes of hers and an evil smirk on her lips. "Really? You think you are powerful enough to stop me, little witch? Well, I'd like to see you try."

  With that, she yanks the little girl’s hair, throwing her to the ground. I act quickly, before she gets her hands on the child again. Using my magic, I send the girl into the arms of Liam, who I can feel standing a few feet behind me. I feel him catch her and then shut myself off from his connection, focusing back on my mother with a wicked smirk of my own.

  She strikes out at me with her magic, but I just absorb it into my body. Then I redirect it, sending it into the earth through the soles of my feet, filtering out her taint as I do.

  That’s one positive of being barefoot, I guess. I have direct connection to the earth.

  I put a hand on my hip, acting casual. "Really, Mother? Did you think those tricks would still work on me? You forget, I know exactly who I am now. I'm no longer that little girl with no idea of the full extent of her powers. I'm not the helpless child who had her natures sealed from her. I am the daughter of the earth herself, the granddaughter of the sun and moon. Your magic is but a drop in the vast ocean that is my power."

  Her eyes get wider with every word I speak, but still she remains here. I had really hoped she would run, beca
use while I am willing do whatever it takes to keep the earth safe, I don't take any pleasure in killing, especially when it could be avoided.

  I move closer, and once I get within a few feet of her, she finally seems to realize she doesn't stand a chance. "Please, spare me. I will hide away and you'll never see me again."

  "I know I'll never see you again, Mother, because I'm going to strip you of all your power. You won't ever be able to use magic again and you will live and die as a human."

  With that said, I take the few remaining steps to her, keeping my magic up because I don't trust her an inch. I wouldn’t put it past her trying for one last attempt to do whatever the hell she wants with me. What I don't expect, however, is for a female wolf to come up and stab me in the back.

  I feel the suddenly slice of pain and drop to my knees, unable to stay standing. Furious howls can be heard echoing through the clearing and as I listen, I can feel the wound start to burn.

  My mother looks down at me with a triumphant smile and the girl, who I recognize as the tramp who was in Liam's house when we first arrived, moves over to my mother’s side. She looks down at me, wearing a wicked grin on her face. "I don't think we've ever met officially. I'm Delilah. The woman who used to own two of your mates, heart and soul. Oh, and I'm your sister."

  My mind spins, both from the revelation and because the burning in my back continues to intensify. I gasp, clenching my teeth against the pain.

  "Don't worry, sis,” Delilah says with a wink. “The poison should work its way to your heart pretty quickly, then poof! No more you. Then I get all four of your mates for my own, and our mother, Gaia, will give me your power so I can rule the world by her side. At least I wouldn’t waste my magic like you have.”