Cursed Hearts (Hearts Duology Book 1) Page 5

  She assumed, wrongly, that I wasn’t interested in her. I can’t ignore the pull she had on my heart. It’s still there. If I’d told her what I felt, she would have undoubtedly called me an idiot.

  And that’s how I’m feeling right now—like an idiot, a lovesick schoolboy ready to give into temptation. If I'd had the opportunity, I would have driven off into the night with Kelsie. I would have taken her some place quiet. A moment to get to know her better, to drink in her beauty instead of heading to the study for something in a glass.

  Beaumont’s presence before the fireplace interrupts my thoughts. I return the stopper to the decanter of brandy and carry my snifter over to him.

  “Good evening, Master Victor.” He leans against the blood-red wingback chair. “Did you have a pleasurable time?”

  “Actually, I did.” I take the seat across from him and sip the amber liquid. “I met someone.”

  Beaumont lifts a crystal goblet of Luc’s favorite red to his thin lips. He returns the glass to the side table and stares into the fire. “Human?”

  “No. Believe it or not, she’s a succubus.” I focus on my drink and wait for judgment.

  “Heed my advice and stay clear of her.” His eyes land on me. “Lilin are troublesome for our kind.”

  “How so?”

  He waves his hand in the air. “The details aren’t necessary if you stay away from her.”

  I place my glass on the table, steeple my fingers, and set my jaw. “You’ll have to do better than that to convince me. Otherwise, I plan on seeing Kelsie again.”

  “As head of the Coven, Luc won’t approve of this association.”

  “So, what? He doesn’t scare me.”

  Beaumont raises an eyebrow. “You need to be careful. We’re not in Europe anymore. There are rules in Falls Creek.”

  “Maybe I’ll convince her to go to Europe with me,” I say with a bit of uncertainty. Perhaps it’s the presumptuous nature of my words that give me pause.

  “Not advisable. Don’t forget Luc is head of Council, too. The leaders can make things unpleasant for you.”

  He’s referring to that damned Council of Supernaturals. They rule over our community, making judgments and crafting protocols based on what’s best for humans. Their dictates require supernaturals to squash our baser needs and desires to keep humanity safe. The belief is in hiding our true nature we stay protected as well. Instead, it creates an atmosphere of denial and self-hatred. When will the leaders do things that benefit us for a change?

  Kelsie’s smoky gray eyes and beautiful smile come to mind. If I can spend my eternity basking in her beauty, then to Hell with Council’s policies. “You’ve never known me to follow the rules. I’m not about to start now.”

  He shakes his head. “And just how old is this girl you’re willing to cast aside common sense for?”

  “She’s in high school. If Kelsie’s as old as the kid who came here tonight, then she’s sixteen or seventeen.”

  His mouth turns down. “The succubus is too young for you.”

  I drop my hands and lean forward. “And what age should I go for? A nice thirty-something? Have you not noticed that I look like a damned teenager?”

  Beaumont pours another glass of crimson. “I am completely aware of how old you appear, Victor. Your age, however, would not be an issue for one of our own.”

  I push to my feet and head for the bar. “Well, I’m not interested in one of our own.”

  “Do yourself a favor. Do us all a favor. Do not see her again.”

  My feet freeze in place. I throw over my shoulder, “Beaumont, mind your own business. You can’t stop me from seeing her again.”

  “You’re not thinking rationally,” he warns.

  “Maybe I’m not. But for once, I don’t care.” I leave the glass at the bar. I need to put some distance between myself and my elder.

  I lean against my bedroom door. Beaumont’s words didn’t fall on deaf ears. Luc’s role on Council makes my actions more detrimental. The leaders won’t see it as an individual act of defiance. Somehow, they’ll associate it with him, a lack of leadership on his part. They’ll want to replace him. Certainly, a reason to not pursue the succubus.

  But should my desires be placed on a back burner just to keep things copacetic?

  I realize Beaumont is only watching out for me, keeping my best interests at heart. But I’ve already given up so much since becoming undead. It’s unfair to ask me to give up a second chance for happiness.

  When the time comes, and I’m sure it is coming, I’ll do whatever is necessary to keep Kelsie in my life. I think she’s worth it. She has to be worth it.

  It’s cool hanging out with Cash, something we don’t get to do often. He takes me to a nightclub, a place frequented by both supernaturals and humans, in the nearby town. My brother, unlike any other incubus I know, loves dancing. His moves attract plenty of women and men. Before long we have a table full of admiring fans. Under Cash’s careful supervision, I even get to indulge a little and with lots of success.

  Our newfound friends vacate our booth after an hour, leaving us to enjoy the beat and the scenery. I’m enjoying myself, and then Colt arrives. Suddenly Cash has urgent business, and it’s just me and my potential partner.

  Colt reaches across the glass table. “Hey, beautiful. Wanna dance?”

  I ignore the gesture. “I’d rather not. Think we can talk?”

  “Come on.” Once again, he reaches for my hand. This time I let him hold it as he leads me across the crowded dance floor.

  He takes me to a private room on the upper floor. The garish neon lights and loud music aren’t so distracting up here. I take a seat on a cushiony banquette next to a ledge. Colt slides in beside me and places his arm around my shoulders.

  “What do you wanna talk about, gorgeous?”

  My skin crawls. It’s not that Colt isn’t attractive, far from it. Under different circumstances, I’d relish his attention. But thanks to this stupid consort match I’m being forced into, I can’t. I keep telling myself that it’s for Cash. I love my brother, and I can’t let him be exiled from town just because I have control issues. There’s also the fact that a match keeps my family from worrying about me on my own. Sometimes bad things happen to young succubi who venture off on their own.

  “I’m willing to go through with it,” I say over the music.

  “Talking about the match?”

  “Yes.”

  “Awesome.” He nuzzles his way up my neck. Next to my ear lobe, Colt whispers, “We’re gonna be good together. You’ll see.”

  I resist the urge to move away from him. “So, tell me how this works.”

  “In my family, there’s a formal ceremony.” Colt’s mouth returns to my neck. His kisses are hot and breathy. “I’ll take care of your needs, and you’ll take care of mine.”

  “What about humans?”

  “When we need nourishment, I’ll make sure they’re provided.”

  An empty feeling settles in the pit of my stomach. Incubi have a strange proclivity for multiple partners at the same time. Cash once told me his friend enjoyed fluidity. Could I be okay with Colt’s depraved lifestyle?

  “What happens when it’s time for my Genesis?” Having offspring, Genesis, is the prime objective of succubi. I’m hoping to put it off for a few years, but it is something expected of me.

  Colt runs his thumb across my bottom lip. “I need a legitimate heir. You will only give birth to my progeny.”

  I flinch. “You’re kidding me?”

  “No. This is how things are done in my family. It’s how we stay royal.”

  I shake my head. Incubi are supposed to impregnate humans. Impregnating succubi concentrates DNA and makes our powers stronger. Maybe this is why creatures shake at the mention of the name Najex.

  “Stop worrying. Your mother knows about my family.” He leans over to kiss me.

  I lean away and put my hand up to b
lock his path. “Wait a minute. Are you telling me that your mother only serves your father?”

  He holds his head back and exhales loudly. “Yes. My father has numerous lovers. On occasion, my mother seeks human companionship, but she never gets pregnant by them.” Colt scowls and looks at me. “Kelsie, is this news going to be a deal breaker?”

  I drop my hand in my lap. If this is a deal breaker, then my only option is a match with Alistair’s son. I’ll have to leave Falls Creek. When it comes to matches, Colt is my best bet. Reluctantly, I admit, “No. It’s not.”

  “Good.” He cups my face and looks into my eyes. “I realize this scares you, but good things will come from this. My parents are the best of friends. They have a compatible, beneficial relationship. It doesn’t hurt that they’re upstanding, respected members of our community. And if you’ve heard the rumors, I promise not to be the demon my father is.”

  I shudder. They aren’t rumors. The stories about Colt’s father, simply called the Najex, would scare a ghost. Colt said his father was a cruel incubus. His penchant for torture drove Colt away from home. To be honest, the Najex scares me. What if Colt harbors a dark side that’s waiting to see the light of day? I really need more time before committing myself to something so permanent. There would be no chance for love in this relationship. Isn’t that more important than status in the community?

  “Do we have to rush into this?”

  Colt caresses my cheek. “Why wait?”

  “One week,” I beg. Somehow, I need to find a way out of this and keep my brother protected. “It’s all I’m asking for.”

  His brow wrinkles. He studies me for so long I feel naked. I’m waiting for Colt to discover the truth and then squash me like a bug between his palms.

  “Fine. You may have your week.”

  “Will you take me home now?”

  “Of course.” He leans forward and briefly claims my mouth with his. For once, my mind stays in the moment. Colt breaks off the kiss and nibbles at my lower lip. “One week, and then you’re mine.”

  Not if I can help it.

  I toss my keys on the kitchen counter and head for the refrigerator. I’m surprised when my phone buzzes. Victor’s name is displayed on the screen.

  “Hey, Victor,” I say and remove a soda from a shelf.

  “Sorry to call so late. You were on my mind.”

  “It’s okay. I just got in.”

  “Oh?”

  I pop the lid on the can and sit at the table. “My brother and I went out for a little while.”

  “Do you have any other siblings?”

  “No. It’s just us. You?”

  “I’m an only child.” He pauses for a minute. “Your mother doesn’t mind you being out so late?”

  “She works nights.”

  “Well, I won’t keep you. I just wanted to set a time for Friday. What’s good for you?”

  With talk about the consort match, a date with Victor seems insignificant. But it might be my last chance for fun before I become a possession belonging to the Najex line. Cash won’t like the idea of me going on a date, though.

  “How about six o’clock? You can pick me up from Lena’s.”

  “Why there?” I detect disappointment in his question.

  “We’re planning on a sleepover next weekend,” I lie. “It will be easier to come there.”

  “Okay. Text me her address.”

  “Great.” I run my finger through the beads of moisture on the side of the can. “Where are we going?”

  “Some place special.”

  “That’s vague.”

  “You’ll find out soon enough. Good night, Kelsie.”

  “Night, Victor.”

  I finish tapping out Lena’s address just as Cash enters the kitchen. He lays his helmet on the counter along with his keys.

  “Colt bring you home?”

  “Yes. Why did you leave me with him?”

  He sticks his head in the fridge. “You might as well get used to him.” Cash closes the door and twists the cap off a longneck beer. “Did you tell him you’d agree to the match?”

  I nod. “Why didn’t you tell me what a match to him really meant?”

  “What are you talking about?” He sits across from me.

  “Mom told me that a consort match with Reggie would just be an arrangement. He’d take care of me and teach me until it was time for my Genesis. Then he’d find a suitable human.”

  “Same thing with Colt.”

  “Uh-uh. I become Colt’s match, and I’m his. We’re talking property.”

  Cash takes a long swig, his eyes locked with mine.

  “Say something.”

  He sets the bottle down. “It’s how it’s done with his family. The Najex wants to keep his line pure. The only way to do that is if the succubi don’t mix with humans.”

  “Don’t you think I should have known that?”

  “It doesn’t make a difference. You either match with Colt or you match with Reggie. Colt’s the lesser of the two evils.” He picks up his bottle and stands.

  “Where are you going?”

  “To bed. You should get some sleep, too. Colt’s coming by in the morning.”

  “Why?”

  “He’s spending the weekend with us.”

  The weekend was unbearable with Colt constantly at our house. He claimed to want to get better acquainted. I felt like he was only around to keep an eye on me. Every move I made, Colt was there. He didn’t leave until I went to bed on Sunday night. The more I thought about this potential match, the more wrong it felt. I wasn’t anybody’s possession.

  Monday came with a request for dinner with Colt’s parents. I got out of it with an excuse of too much homework. I also turned down a personal invite from his mother. She wanted to take me shopping for a ceremonial dress. Needless to say, Mom was disappointed in my behavior. She saw the match as an opportunity, and not something I should be dragging my feet about.

  The bright spot in my dismal world is Victor. He calls me every night during the week. With each phone call, Victor lets me know a little more about himself.

  “Did I ever tell you about the time I met Mick Jagger?”

  I lie back on my pillow. “The Mick Jagger?”

  “Yeah. It was a concert in London. We met backstage. Hung out for the entire night. Good times.”

  “I would've loved to have been there.”

  “I would've loved to have been there with you.”

  It’s a glimmer of normalcy, something I’ve always wanted. As long as I listen to his voice, I forget about the rotten bucket at the end of the rainbow.

  Lena catches me doodling hearts around Victor’s name in my notebook during lunch on Thursday. My salad sits on the tray untouched.

  “Someone made an impression on you,” she says, flopping down across from me with her food.

  I slam the cover shut. “I don’t know what you mean.”

  “Please. If your smile gets any bigger, your face is gonna crack. So, tell me what’s up with you and Victor. Last time we spoke, you didn’t see any chance for a relationship.” She shoves a forkful of spaghetti in her mouth and looks at me expectedly.

  “Nothing much. We’ve just been talking on the phone.” I finger the edge of the notebook. “Every night.”

  She taps my hand. “See, I told you this guy would be different. He’s into you.” Lena grins. “Thank me now or later. Doesn’t matter.”

  I push my notebook to the side and pay attention to my plate. “Lena, I need a favor.”

  “What’s up?”

  “Victor and I are going out tomorrow. He’s picking me up from your house.”

  She drops her plastic fork and frowns. “Why?”

  “I’m saving him from meeting Cash,” I lie.

  “Kelsie, you know I’m always happy to help you, but do you really want to keep this from your brother?”

  “I don’t have a choice. Cas
h will keep me from going out with him.”

  “Why would he do that?”

  Time for another lie. “Because he doesn’t think anyone I choose is good enough for me.”

  Lena picks up her fork and twirls her spaghetti. “Okay. You can spend the weekend. But I’m telling you, Kelsie, your brother needs a girlfriend. Maybe I should set him up with one of my cousins.”

  Cash with a girlfriend?

  Now that’s funny.

  Incubi tend to be more traditional—impregnating humans and causing debauchery—than succubi. Incubi stick to their role in life and don’t deter from it. Besides, I couldn’t picture Cash with a cousin of Lena’s. Those girls spend their days shopping, obsessing over celebrities, and talking endlessly. He would drain their essences just to end their misery.

  “Victor’s picking me up at six.”

  “No biggie. We’ll meet up after school. We can go shopping and get you something that’s not fit for a vampire princess.”

  Very funny. “Sure. Thanks, girl.”

  Before I can unlock the front door, it swings open and Mom greets me. Standing behind her is a woman who bears a striking resemblance to Colt—the same dark, almond eyes and dark hair. Hers is styled in a bun at the nape of her neck.

  “Kelsie, we’ve been waiting for you.”

  My gaze darts between the two succubi. “You must be Colt’s mother.”

  “Yes. You may call me Sybil.”

  “We have been having an interesting conversation,” Mom interjects and walks toward the living room.

  I close the door, place my backpack on the stairs, and follow behind them. “About what?”

  “The festivities of course,” Sybil says. “We’ll start with a feast tomorrow night for both families.”

  Crap! I have my date with Victor tomorrow. “Mom, can I talk to you in the kitchen?”

  I don’t wait to see if she’s following me. Her sharp heels echoing across the wooden floor is my only acknowledgement.

  “This had better be good, Kelsie. It’s rude to have private discussions with company in the house.”

  I lean over the kitchen island and take a deep breath. “Mom, I have plans tomorrow night.”