Cursed Hearts (Hearts Duology Book 1) Read online

  “Oh yeah,” he says with a little too much eagerness.

  “You do know that all we’re going to do is kiss?”

  “Oh yeah.”

  My Siren, I wish he’d stop saying “oh yeah.” He sounds like a mindless twit. How I wish I could get out of this. I’m ready to jump off the sofa when Gregg pins me to the cushion. He swoops in, and his lips crush mine. The kiss is hard, then soft, and then hard again. His tongue pushes past my lips and invades my mouth with a wet heat.

  For a moment, I’m disoriented and shaky. Then, my energy level grows. It’s like stepping into a light-filled clearing. I feel great. All I need is a shower, and I could stay up all night.

  Gregg’s probing tongue seeks more while my body takes its fill and then some. I can feel his strength dip, but for the first time I’m also getting satisfaction from this encounter. I struggle to remember Cash’s words. Only take what you need. I need to break the connection.

  “Kelsie, stop,” Cash screams.

  Suddenly the energy is ripped away from me. My body shakes, and I collapse against the sofa. Gregg falls on top of me.

  Angela whines, “You promised he wouldn’t be harmed.”

  “I know.” Cash drops to his knees beside us. “I’m sorry.”

  I turn my head, afraid to look. Gregg’s limp body holds me in place. Unwillingly, I take a peek. My heart thuds when I notice his unfocused hazel eyes.

  Logic fails me at the moment. The only thought I have is freeing myself from the possibly dead man. I start squirming and trying to push Gregg off.

  “Stop it, Kelsie!” my brother yells. He lifts Gregg from me and settles him on the floor. Cash places a finger beneath Gregg’s jaw.

  I ask breathlessly, “Is he…?”

  “No. His pulse is weak,” Cash admits.

  Damn. This is why I begged Cash to let this go tonight. I was too needy. If anything, he should have been right beside me, making sure I stopped in time.

  “He’ll be fine,” Cash says to Angela. “He’ll need plenty of rest and no activity for a few days.”

  “Shouldn’t I take him to the ER?” she asks, wiping the tears streaming down her face.

  “No. If anyone asks, just say he’s sleeping off a binge. He’s gonna feel like he’s had too much to drink anyway. Just do whatever you’d do for a hangover.”

  Angela’s distant, hard eyes land on me. Her lips curl, and she says, “What do you plan on doing about her?”

  “Don’t worry about her.”

  “She almost killed my brother,” she snarls. “Maybe you should put her out of her damned misery.”

  I open my mouth to say something, but Cash warns me with a shake of his head. I don’t appreciate her attitude. If she’s been doing this for a while, she should know there’s always a risk.

  Cash drapes an arm around her bare shoulders and kisses her temple. “My sister is still learning. I told you Gregg will recover.”

  He drops his arm and bends down to scoop up Gregg. I watch him walk out and wait for Angela to join him. She, unfortunately, has more words for me.

  Angela’s nostrils flare, and her warm brown eyes turn cold. “If I ever see you again, I’ll end you.”

  “Is that a fact?” I respond.

  She balls up her fist and moves closer.

  For some reason, this woman has mistaken me for a scared child. “Warning, lady, if anyone is ended here tonight, it won’t be me.”

  She huffs and turns on her heel. The last sound I hear is the front door slamming behind her.

  I sit back against the sofa. Angela made it sound so easy to end me. Does she really understand how much effort it takes to decapitate someone? In order to kill my kind, you have to remove the head while we’re distracted taking in essence. Not an easy task for supernaturals. Definitely not one for humans.

  End me?

  I wish it were so simple. Ending me would alleviate my guilt. I tried to stop, tried to break the connection. I waited too late.

  If I had killed another person so soon… The possibility stirs up something inside. Bile burns my throat. Maybe Angela is right. Maybe I’m too dangerous to be around humans.

  I lean forward and put my elbows on my knees. I have to put a stop to this. Yes, I have to learn control, but not like this. Not by endangering humans. If I have to, I’ll lock myself away and become the first reclusive succubus.

  I push myself off the sofa and head to my room. I need to talk to Lena, bask in her positive vibes for a minute or two.

  Lena picks up on the first ring. In the background, I hear a male’s laughter. So, that was why she rushed out of the coffeehouse. I should have known Jonah Nelson, captain of the baseball team and her boyfriend, was the reason and not a massive amount of homework. Now I feel stupid interrupting their couple time.

  “Hey, Kelsie, what’s up?” Her happiness oozes through the phone. Siren, I’d give anything to experience that.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize Jonah was over.”

  “Let me guess. You got set up by Cash. Right?”

  I have a bad habit of calling Lena each and every time I have a hookup. It’s why she thinks I date losers. “Sorry.” I exhale. “Cash set me up with this awful guy. He was so unattractive and—”

  “Oh, Kelsie,” she starts. My friend would never poke fun at me or make light of my misery, but this time I hear the undercurrent of laughter. “You’re always exaggerating. I’m sure it wasn’t that dreadful. First dates are rarely good. Remember the one guy I went out with? What was his name?”

  Right now, I’m ready to evoke the name of every Siren known in the deep blue sea. Please do not let her mention his name. I’ve been tortured enough for one day.

  “Landry Moore,” she exclaims.

  A wave of dizziness hits me, and I drop to my bed. If Lena continues with a story about Landry, it only proves there’s a spot in Hell with my name on it.

  “Kelsie, remember how I thought he wasn’t a great guy? Turns out he was a great kisser.” She pauses for a second. “I wonder whatever happened to him.”

  Confirmation. I’m going to Hell. Now the memory of his succulent lips is on my mind. Again.

  Lena continues, ignoring my silence. “Was this guy a good kisser?”

  “Yes, but…”

  “No buts. Half the battle is finding a guy who can kiss. Now find out what you have in common,” she chides.

  Yes. That’s how it should work. How it does work for humans—flirting, making out, and deciding whether or not he or she is the right one. It doesn’t work that way in the supernatural world. Half the time we’re in the company of humans deciding if they can fulfill a need for us. The rest of the time we’re thinking about scaring the crap out of them. No room for finding out what we have in common.

  I wish I could tell Lena the truth. Fill her in on what I really do on the hookups Cash arranges. But the one unwritten, unbreakable rule is to never reveal ourselves to humans. So no matter how bad tonight went with Gregg, I’ll have to stick to my lies.

  “Trust me, Lena. It was a bad date, and there won’t be another one with him.” Well, that isn’t a lie.

  Menacing footsteps approach my door. It doesn’t take a crystal ball to figure out who they belong to. Would be nice, however, to have a wand to make my brother disappear for a while.

  “Lena, I’ve got to go. Cash is letting me know I left a mess downstairs.” Understatement.

  “Let him clean it up,” she snaps.

  “Night, girl.”

  The door opens as I place my phone on the nightstand.

  “We need to talk. Now.” Cash slams the door behind him.

  I shift my position on the bed and place my legs beneath me. “Before you say anything, why didn’t you tell me that Angela was a regular?”

  “Dammit, Kels, would it have mattered?” He grabs hold of his hair and paces the floor. “Gregg could have died tonight. If you had killed him, I would have had
to kill Angela.”

  I rub my forehead. “Why?”

  He stops in front of me, turns away and covers his mouth, and then faces me. “Witnesses! We can’t have any humans witness what we do. Angela would have seen you kill Gregg. She would have called the cops. Someone from Council works at the police station.”

  “Which means we would be in trouble,” I say quietly.

  “Exactly. It’s a quick trip out of town for supernaturals who kill humans. I don’t know about you, Kels, but I kind of like it in Falls Creek. I’ve got a shop to run and friends here.”

  Crap! I forgot all about Council rules. My mistake could have cost Cash his tattoo parlor. It’s not like he needs the money, but he does enjoy the distraction. He’s been cleaning up my messes to keep Council from knowing the truth. A novice is allowed a few screw-ups, but not as many as I’ve had.

  “I’m sorry, Cash. I didn’t mean for it to go that far.”

  He hits the wall with his fist. “You never intend to go that far. When the hell are you going to start paying attention to your body? You stop when you’ve had enough.”

  “I know. I know.”

  “Do you?” Cash yells. “How many times have we drilled this?”

  I hold my head up and stare at the ceiling. “You know I did tell you I didn’t want to do this tonight.”

  “No excuse. You didn’t even try to control it.”

  I scramble off the bed and go over to him. I place my hand on his forearm. Mom hates it when we argue, and so do I. “I said I was sorry, but I did try. I just remembered too late. You should have been there with me instead of with Angela.”

  He nods. “You’re right. Blame me as usual. It’s what Council will do. You’re a minor, so they won’t kick you out of town.”

  “Gee, make me feel worse.”

  “I’m sorry.” Cash wraps his arms around me. “Once again, when you’re learning control, you don’t get all you need at one time. You get a little and then back off. Give the human a chance to recover. Then, you go for a little more. I won’t leave you alone next time.”

  I shake my head against his chest. “I don’t think I can do this again.”

  “Nonsense. You have to train. It’s the only way to learn control.”

  “No. I can’t kill anyone else. I won’t risk you being kicked out of town.”

  He rubs my back. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve bounced back from worse.”

  “Still.”

  Cash drops his arms. “What if I set you up with one of the fellas? Colt’s always liked you or even Rocco. The only ones off limits are the Mazrel brothers.”

  I make a face. There’s no way I’m locking lips with Cash’s incubus friends. They’re too kinky, even for incubi.

  “How about a female? I know a few girls who’d be willing to practice with you.”

  Fluidity is common with Lilin, but I don’t believe that’s the answer to my problem. For me, abstinence is probably the best decision. “No, Cash. I need to stop this. No more hookups.”

  “And how do you expect to learn control?”

  “How the hell do I know?” I yell. “I only know my conscience won’t take it if something happens to you.”

  Cash exhales loudly. “I told you not to worry ‘bout me. Your Awakening is gonna happen. That’s what you need to worry ‘bout.”

  My Awakening is something I can’t avoid. One day I’ll wake up, and all my abilities will be intact. A deep, overwhelming hunger comes with it. If that happens before I gain control, I’ll set off a major killing spree. I am so screwed.

  I sit down on my bed, and Cash sits beside me. Time crawls by. We don’t speak. I’m afraid to say anything at all. I suspect my brother doesn’t know what else to say. I’m not trying to be difficult or selfish. Right now, I’m trying to protect him.

  Cash clears his throat and says, “Tell me something, Kels.”

  “What?”

  “Tonight was different for you. I saw you struggling when I pulled Gregg off. What was going on?”

  I shrug. “Satisfaction maybe?”

  His eyes widen and a smile crosses his face. “For real? First time?”

  “Yeah.”

  “You can’t give up yet. You’re getting close. Like I said, we’ll train more. I’ll be at your side. You really should let me call over one of the fellas. Colt would be perfect. He’ll be gentle.”

  I’m shaking my head when my door pops open, and Mom sticks her head in. “What’s going on in here?”

  Cash stands up. “Nothing, Mom. Just trying to set up a connection for the problem child.”

  I roll my eyes.

  Mom removes the pins from her dark hair, and it tumbles to her waist. She glances between my brother and me. “I was coming to discuss that before I went out.”

  “Sure, Mom. I’m gonna hang out with the fellas.”

  Cash heads down the hall, and Mom shuts the door behind her.

  “Nice to hear you two are getting along. You had a hookup tonight?”

  “How’d you know?”

  “The living room reeks of human. It’ll take me a week to get that stench out of the pillows.” She sits at my desk, crosses her shapely legs, and lifts a well-manicured eyebrow. “Did he survive?”

  “Yes, Mom.”

  “Good. I think it’s time for us to consider a consort match for you.”

  My stomach plummets. “With who?”

  “Alistair’s son of course.”

  There are some things in this life no one, neither human nor supernatural, should have to endure. Bad music is number one. The second is a pre-arranged marriage. It doesn’t matter what fancy label someone hangs on it—consort match, planned union, designed mating. The outcome is still the same. Someone chooses a partner for you, makes a promise on your behalf, and you are expected to live with it. Not something I want in my life, especially one with the son of Alistair McKinley.

  Alistair is a stodgy, British incubus. Most incubi don’t raise their progeny, but the McKinleys are different. He exercised the unfit clause with the birth mother and was able to take Reggie away to England.

  Reggie resembles his father—dull, wavy brown hair, plain brown eyes, and a slight frame. Reggie and his father could easily be extras in a Jane Austen movie. If someone prefers that type, it’s possible they might find them handsome. For me, it’s getting past their overall creepiness and reprehensible arrogance that is problematic.

  “Mom, you can’t be serious.”

  “Oh, I am very serious. Your brother cannot continue covering for you. One of these days, Council will learn what he’s doing. I don’t want my son driven away.”

  “It’s always about Cash with you.”

  “Excuse you?”

  “You’re always worried about him,” I shout. “What about me?”

  Mom pinches the bridge between her eyes. “I’m always worried about you. That’s why I’m arranging a match for you.”

  Right. This is just her way of getting rid of the problem child. Why do I have to be so different?

  “Kelsie, you’ll see. This won’t be so bad.”

  “I’m getting better with control,” I plead. “That’s what Cash and I were talking about.”

  Mom shakes her head. “I’m not stupid, Kelsie. Encounters that go well do not leave behind such a smell. You nearly drained the poor fool. Want to know why I’m home so early?”

  That’s a good question. We usually don’t see her until the wee hours of the morning. I’m afraid to say a word.

  “I was out with a suitor, and I heard some disturbing rumors. Something about a very popular student at the high school dying in a car crash. State troopers are shocked because his car appears to have spun out of control for no apparent reason. Know anything about it?”

  Crap! I never asked Cash what he did with my victims. This news is a first for me. “No. No idea.”

  She leans forward. “So, this is how the match will happ
en. I’ll contact Alistair tomorrow. We’ll discuss the details of it between you and Reggie. He’ll care for you and make sure your needs are met until you perfect your skills. Then, when necessary, he’ll secure a suitable human for childbirth. If you’re fortunate, Reggie will introduce you to some of their royal friends.”

  My stomach twists for the third time today. “What if I can do better?”

  “Better than Reggie?”

  My palms sweat. “Give me a week to learn control. Cash is going to set me up with his friends.”

  Mom purses her full lips. “That could work. But you only get a week. Your birthday is a month away. This is something we need to take care of before then.” She stands. “Keep me updated. I want to know how this works out. Which one of Cash’s friends will be training you?”

  I swallow hard. “He said Colt.”

  She smiles. “Perfect. You do realize he’s a Royal?”

  “A Royal? Colt isn’t British. He’s Japanese.”

  “I know that, silly. Colt is a true Royal because both of his parents are Lilin. There are very few amongst our kind who are royalty. Their families live in fabulous lairs with all their progeny.” She leans over and kisses my forehead. “Do be careful with Colt. His father, the Najex, is not a nice demon when crossed.”

  Mom checks the antique gold watch wrapped around her wrist. It’s an Ouroboros—a coiled snake devouring its own tail—with a timepiece in place of its eye. “One more thing. If you’re thinking of doing anything stupid, remember what the alternative could be.”

  “What alternative?”

  “Lorelei’s. I’m sparing you that torment by arranging the match. Keep that in mind. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  And with that statement, Mom is gone.

  I’m too numb to even get up to close my door. Lorelei’s School for Deviltry is the third worst thing that can happen to a supernatural. It’s an evil boarding school attended by snobs and prima donnas. Those who graduate are the most twisted demons, casting spells and creating head-trips for humans. Just think of the loathsome creatures from the movies. When the lights go out, they come out to play.

  Both Mom and my aunt are graduates from LSD. They promised never to send their children there. Cash and I have been fortunate not to attend. Even when Aunt Lilith pushed for me to go to a human school, Mom didn’t threaten me with LSD. It hurts knowing that she considered the institution an alternative for me.