Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 84072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
The hell?
I pressed my lips in a fine line. “You’re right, Luna, all a dream; you’ve probably been having a lot of them since visiting the house—I did warn you.”
Her shoulders slumped. “You did—but the darkness has been quiet since coming here. That’s nice.” She yawned.
I stiffened. “Darkness? What darkness?”
She waved me off. “The dark voice. It’s mean, it’s… a woman, I think?” She looked at me in confusion. “That’s all I can remember.”
Shit, if a shadow was following her… this was bad.
I don’t remember a shadow spell being part of the curse.
Then again, it could be multiple things.
The only deity that was powerful enough and still lived in this realm was the Sea Witch, but she was usually too busy staring at her damn mirrors all day to do anything productive like haunt someone.
I wanted to ask Jasper, but something about the way he had looked at both of us made me want to tuck her away from him.
Why?
Why was I doubting the man who worked for me? For my family? Why was I doubting his loyalty when he’d only ever been good?
Luna yawned again.
She was dead on her feet.
My fault.
If I kept touching her without actually having sex with her—she’d be in a coma in days.
And I’d be back to square one—again.
“I’ll drive you back to the inn,” I whispered. “Take the book with you.”
Her eyes drooped even more. “Couldn’t read if I wanted to.”
“It’s the house,” I said lamely—when everyone but Luna knew… it was me, it was always me.
“Weird house,” she agreed and then stumbled past me.
I didn’t catch her like I wanted, just followed her out the door as she started walking toward downtown.
Apparently, I wasn’t driving; I was just following, making sure no shadows or gods lurked.
She walked slowly for a mile until she reached the inn.
Hath was at registration when I opened the door for Luna. She took one look at us and glared.
That glare was all for me.
“She’s tired,” I explained.
“Wonder why,” she countered with a sneer.
“Hungry?” I snapped.
She bared her teeth, licking the sudden protruding fangs. “Actually, I could take a bite out of something that tastes like flowers; care to volunteer?”
I scoffed. “I do not taste like flowers.”
She just shrugged like she was already bored with the conversation. “You’re like your own rose garden, almost too sweet but salty enough.”
I growled.
She just laughed and reached for Luna at about the same time Luna tipped over into her arms.
“Take care of her,” I barked.
Hath’s eyes locked on mine. “I always take care of them. You shouldn’t even have to ask anymore.”
“I ask because I forget.”
“And you forget because you’re an idiot,” she snapped, lifting Luna into her arms, and leaving me abandoned in the lobby as she carried her up the stairs.
Pretty soon the entire town would be pissed at me.
Again.
I shoved my hands in my pockets as I went down the white steps of the inn. The streets weren’t very busy, people were just getting off work, and kids were already home from school.
A few teens drove by in a large truck swerving around a small red Honda.
Honking occurred.
It was so damn normal it was comedic.
Because Orca Cove? Anything but normal.
By the time I made it back to my own house I was just as exhausted as Luna. I wondered how long it would take me to snap.
How long it would take before I took her in my arms and stripped her naked, damning us both to Hell.
My only hope lay in the bands around her wrists.
And I clung to it like an idiot.
Because it was all I had.
I made it to the top of my stairs and instantly wished I had a laminated map of each curse so I knew what was new and what was old.
“It’s been a while.” Aengus smiled; his hair was green like mine used to be, his eyes a lighter amber. I snapped my fingers, letting the glamour fall between us.
We were standing back in the forest.
He was in leather pants and a tight shirt with combat boots, his forest green hair pulled away from his face, his amber eyes burning.
“Has it?” I inspected my fingernails, hating that he looked powerful. That should have been me.
Instead, I’d made my choice.
And I was still paying for it.
He let out a grunt and kicked the dirt with his boot. “I forgot. You don’t remember… anything in between.”
I clenched my teeth. “Then maybe you should help clarify if you’ve ever visited me during a reoccurrence?”
His eyes flashed. “I’ve never had a reason to.” He swallowed slowly. “Until now.”
I frowned. “What’s so different about now?”
“The forest shook…” He looked guilty. Why the hell did he look guilty? “The Matchmaker finally returned.”
Dread trickled down my spine. “And?”
“All bets are off.”
“What the hell does that mean?” I roared.
“All these years—and finally, this part of the curse is lifted, not by your own doing, but by hers.”