Lifted Curse (Curse Trilogy)

  Chapter 1

  Waves of Anger

  The red waves crash against the black sand as the mercury filled sea claims its radioactive victims. Its roaring crashes remind all trespassers the beach belongs only to itself.

  I lie on the top of my car as I listen to the objections the sea offers for my very presence, and I stare up at the tinted sky threatening to go into full glow.

  I feel at peace here. No one has bothered me for two weeks, other than the occasional fool who crosses my path. My looks have been rather misleading to the wanderers I’ve come into contact with. It should be easy to steal from a pretty girl, but not when she can launch your sorry ass five hundred yards away. It’s been rather cathartic to teach dumbass men a lesson in misconception.

  My blood red bikini allows my skin to anxiously await the full glowing beams of the sun. Such an attire was meant for seduction rather than solitude, but I do love the color red.

  I roll my eyes when I hear the sound of footsteps stealthily sneaking up on me, and I slip my fingers over the triggers of my guns before leaping up on my hood and facing my trespassers.

  “Easy, Araya. It’s just us,” Hale murmurs while holding his palms up innocently.

  Brazen’s pale eyes beg me for forgiveness, and then the hybrid blue ones of Hale share the same plea. They both look like sexy pieces of art as the wind twists and turns their shirts. I keep my guns pointed at them as a devilish smirk appears on my face.

  “You’re supposed to say something that doesn’t make me want to shoot you,” I snark.

  Hale lets half a grin cock up, but Brazen’s tortured expression remains as his eyes beseech mine.

  “Araya, we need you to come back with us. You’ve been gone for two weeks. Clay has convinced everyone you took a vacation, but I don’t know how long that will fly,” Brazen exasperates, and it sounds as though he’s been awake for days on end.

  Hale doesn’t look as though he has slept very much either, and he walks over to pull my guns out of my hands with a cocky grin spreading across his face. His daring eyes trail up and down my body as he takes in the slinky red bikini, and I roll my eyes at his crude behavior given the circumstances.

  I should have shot them both. It’s not like they wouldn’t heal.

  “You can tell Clay to kiss my ass because I’m not coming back. Send the whole damn fleet after me if you want to. It won’t make a difference. I’m no longer property of the United.”

  “Araya, you know it doesn’t work that way. Come back with us. We need you,” Hale pleads.

  “Not going work. You should go back and play with your new toy, Angelica. I’m sure she’s probably sitting in corner begging for a hero right now,” I snarl out.

  “Angelica helped save our lives once already, including yours. She has been training intensely, and she’s now an officer with the United. She’s good, and she hasn’t let one tear fall since you sliced her in half the night you left,” Brazen scolds, and Hale’s eyes show he’s siding with him.

  “I really don’t give a fuck if I hurt the princess’s feelings. Call me crazy, but if I provoked her to toughen up before fully committing to the United, then I did her a favor. As for going back, I’ll still pass.”

  I casually strut back over to the hood of my car just as the sun peers out of hiding. The tinted sky has dropped its shield, and the ball of fire breathes its rays down to earth. I breathe in the heat, and I lie back while stretching out under the glorious rays too potent for the humans or most full bloods - with the exception of mine of course.

  “I should get back in the car before someone sees me out here,” Brazen huffs.

  “Don’t bother. I don’t care if the full bloods know you can walk around during full glow because of me. Let them come. I’ve gotten a hell of a lot better with my gift during these two weeks since I’ve had time to practice,” I scoff.

  “Araya, I love you. I’m sorry. Please just come back with us,” Brazen almost whispers as he fights back his emotion.

  “Sorry, but no,” I growl.

  He sighs as he starts jogging off to the car I can’t see. I’m sure they parked at a safe distance to keep me from hearing the vehicle.

  My body remains stretched out and loving the tanning session. Suddenly Hale’s hands are gripping me at my thighs and jerking me against his body. I gasp slightly at the touch I’ve long avoided, and then his perfect lips grab mine before I can object.

  For a minute, I forget why I’m even mad as I indulge in the guilty moment of pleasure. His tongue dances carelessly in my mouth, and then his erection promises to claim my body all the more.

  Sanity returns, and I push him back with almost too much force. He laughs lightly when his back slaps the hot black sand that has started to sizzle beneath the sun’s full strength.

  “You think that’s funny?” I scoff.

  “No, I don’t. I think the fact you think I’m leaving here without you is funny. I’ve been dying to tell you for so long about the fucking scorpion shit, and now it’s finally out there. Now there’s nothing stopping me from being with you,” he smolders out, his eyes cleansed of all secrets.

  It’s just Hale… my Hale. And fucking shit he’s sexy as Hale right now. Stay mad, Araya. Keep your anger, dummy.

  “Oh really? So now I can have you, Captain Banner?” I say with the air of a seductive goddess while stepping onto the blazing hot sands that wiggle beneath my feet.

  His eyes dance menacingly as he says, “That’s right, baby. I’m all yours. There’s nothing standing in our way now.”

  My lips graze his chest as I bring my blood bringers out of hiding, and his breath hitches as I slowly scrape across his skin - just barely avoiding drawing blood. I slide down to the top of his pants, and my tongue dips just below the waistband. I start undoing his pants, and my lips graze his erection through his boxers just before I use my gift to sling him across the beach.

  I smirk as he digs up the sand with a thudding landing, and I dust my hands off as though I’ve just done strenuous labor. He grumbles as he hops to his feet, and his eyes narrow as he starts buttoning his pants.

  “That’s not cool at all,” he growls.

  “Neither is lying to me for five fucking years, Hale. You had ample opportunity to tell me the truth over and over. You had the chance to take my side against Angelica, but you chose to side with her. You! I expected it out of everyone else. Oh poor girl. Poor pitiful girl. Don’t be mean, Araya. Blah blah blah. I didn’t expect it out of you though. I’ve never stood against you when others were involved. I’ve always had your back even with Brazen. How fucking dare you show up and think there’s nothing standing in our way when you built a fucking mountain between us. Go to hell,” I blare, and then I start walking back toward my car to escape his pain-stained eyes.

  “I’ve been in hell, Araya,” he counters with complete seriousness. “I’ve been in

  hell for too fucking long because I’ve had to stand by and watch you be with someone else. Could you do it? Could you stand by and watch me be with another girl because you were trying to keep me safe? It’s torture. I don’t have anything left to hide now, baby. I’m not going to watch anymore. You’re mine just like I’m yours. You know you can’t deny it.”

  “That’s the problem, Hale. You still don’t see what you’ve done wrong. I wouldn’t stand by and watch you be with another girl for any other reason than the fact I’m over us. I wouldn’t leave you in the dark about a threat out there looking for you because you were my lover, my best friend, and the man I thought I was going to marry. Now you’re just the asshole that filled me full of lies on a daily basis.”

  I quickly start pulling all my shit off my hood, and then I toss it into the car befor
e climbing in the driver’s seat. Hale pokes his head through the window before ripping the keys out of my hand.

  I laugh in mocking form as I murmur, “You really think you can keep those keys away from me?”

  “Just listen to me for a damn minute. I’m sorry. I should have taken your side - right or wrong - against Angelica. I know you’ve always been on my side, but I’m pushing for a reconciliation between the two of you. I’m looking at the big picture, and I think you have a lot to teach her if you take a second to realize this rare opportunity. You have a sister. You have a father. You have something most of us only dream of, baby. Just come back with me and talk to them. Come back and let me convince you, yet again, to fall in love with me,” he smolders out, and his lips attack mine again as he pulls me out of the car.

  My thin bikini is annoying the fuck out of me because it makes it far too easy to feel his erection pressing in just the right spot.

  “No,” I breathe through the incredible kiss.

  “I love you, Araya. I’m so sorry,” he murmurs before slamming his erection against me through his pants.

  “You destroyed me when you told me you never loved me,” I whimper, a tear threatening to fall from my eye. “Really destroyed me… destroyed us.”

  His eyes soften and then close again as his lips devour mine, and I’m just vulnerable enough in this moment to let it happen.

  “I know. I wanted you to hate me so you didn’t follow me,” he murmurs guiltily.

  Once again my sound mind escapes insanity’s clutches, and I shove him backwards.

  “It worked. I’m done playing your fool, Hale. I’m done with you. I could have never told you I didn’t love you. I couldn’t have ever broken you the way you did me. I’m your savage tamer now, and you’re mine. That’s it. Just go away and leave me the fuck alone. We’ll find each other when needed.”

  Tears stream from my eyes as I try to climb back in the car, and then a new voice interjects itself.

  “Please come back, Araya,” Grayson murmurs softly, his eyes weighted by sleepless nights and heavy burdens.

  “You too? I’m surprised to see you here since you’re her counter,” I say with complete disgust rolling around in the back of my throat.

  “I love her, Araya. I was just doing what I thought was best. She begged me not to get Brazen or Hale involved, but I did it because I wanted to find a way to coax you into understanding. Since you left, she’s been cold, distant, and almost non responsive to me. She moved back in with Nicholas, and she is fighting the order to move to Seminole. She doesn’t want me with her anymore. She said so herself.”

  My heart almost breaks for him now. I know how bad that rejection feels, and my eyes narrow at Hale.

  “Guilt? You’re going to guilt me into coming home?”

  “I didn’t ask him to do this, Araya,” Hale sighs.

  “No. I begged to come. I was waiting in the car, but when Brazen got back he said we’d be here for a while. Against his orders, I ran out here. I’m desperate to be with Angelica. She doesn’t feel like she deserves my love. She doesn’t feel like she deserves to be upset, in pain, or even mad.”

  “Let me guess, that’s all my fault because of what I said. Good grief.”

  “I didn’t say that, but I think your words definitely had an impact. She wasn’t a forgotten but I was. Angelica is the first person to ever love me. Don’t make me lose that because you’re pissed,” he almost scolds, and now the guilt I should be feeling starts creeping in.

  “What the hell am I supposed to do? Show up and play house with her and Nicholas. I can’t do that. I’m not okay with what happened. I don’t know if I ever will be. She’ll come around. She loves you, and you haven’t done anything wrong… unlike some jackass hybrids I know.”

  I crank the car, and Grayson leans into the window.

  “You did something wrong though. You took out your anger for Nicholas on her the moment you found out who she was. You’re jealous. It’s perfectly understandable to be jealous, but none of this was ever her fault. She’s trying, Araya. She’s trying so fucking hard to make amends, and she hasn’t done a fucking thing wrong. You can hate her for no reason if you want to. That’s your prerogative, but that’s not you. You’re that girl who listens to the truth. You’re that girl who saw a scared boy instead of a blood rapist. You’re that girl who stands up for all hybrids in need of a voice they’re too scared to find.”

  Jealous? I’m not fucking jealous! Okay… maybe a little jealous. Damn you, Grayson.

  The sun subsides and concedes to the tinted sky once it turns back on, and I see Brazen’s face appear in my rearview mirror as he returns to the battle at hand. He looks so tragic… and fucking sexy too.

  “Fine,” I grumble. “I’ll go back, but I’m not making any promises. I’ll give her a fucking chance, but don’t expect miracles. If you want her, you get her. That’s all there is to it.”

  Grayson smiles as relief spreads through him, and Hale gives me a mischievous wink before whispering, “If I want you, I’ll get you. You won’t fight me forever, baby.”

  Chills run over my skin, and a forced shiver is suddenly visible. Hale smirks when he sees my obvious reaction to his promise, and I roll my eyes.

  “Araya said yes,” Grayson chirps to Brazen while jogging back toward the car.

  Brazen’s eyes widen in disbelief, and then he offers a half smile in response as he stares at me.

  “I’ll ride back with Araya,” he asserts.

  “You can drive my car. I’ll ride with Araya,” Hale mutters in objection.

  “Neither of you are riding back with me. I agreed to go, nothing else.”

  “You need someone to ride with you because you came to the ends of the earth. It’s safer,” Brazen sizzles free, and his pale eyes beg me to fall under his seductive spell.

  “I don’t need anyone protecting me,” I harp. “I’ve been just fine for two fucking weeks.”

  “It’s nonnegotiable,” Brazen asserts.

  “And I’ll be the one to drive you back,” Hale murmurs while pulling me from the vehicle.

  “No. If I have to ride with someone, I’d rather it be Brazen. He’s not trying to get in my fucking pants right now.”

  Hale’s eyes narrow at me, and I won’t dare tell him I don’t want him coming because I can’t keep fighting off his attacks.

  “Fine,” Hale grumbles, and Brazen gives him a cocky smirk for his small victory.

  Hale leans over in the car as soon as I get sit back down, and then he glares at Brazen.

  “For the record, I forgot to mention that now I’m a threat,” he menaces, and then he jerks my lips to his before pulling away and running back off to his car.

  Brazen rolls his eyes, as do I, and then I finally put the damn car into drive to skid away from the black sand beach.

  “I’ve missed you, baby,” he coos.

  “Don’t start,” I caution while throwing an objecting hand up.

  Suddenly his lips are strolling over my bare shoulder, and I realize I need to pull on shirt before the horny boys go mad. I use my gift to start driving the car for me as I dig around in my bag.

  “What are you doing?” he muses.

  “Putting on a shirt since you’re apparently not going to behave either.”

  His devious smirk spreads as he jerks me away from the back and into his lap. He presses a button to set the autopilot on the car, and then his lips begin savagely attacking mine. Before I know it, I’m straddling him and grinding against his erection as his tongue plays with mine.

  His hands grab my ass, and he starts to undo his pants before I finally pull back.

  “Stop,” I gripe, and he jerks me back to his lips almost violently as his hands grab against my the back of my neck and my ass.

  I groan my frustration into his mouth, and then I rip free from his clutches to jump back in the driver’s seat. I flip off the autopilot and slam on the brakes to bring us to a nasty halt. Brazens catches hims
elf before his `ead slaps the dash, and his eyes are wide in panic.

  “What the fuck?” he pants out.

  “You. You’re what the fuck,” I growl, and I jerk on the shirt I had been unable to get on before.

  It hangs off my shoulder on one side, and it ends just before my bottoms. His eyes burn against me as he stares at me, and now I think the damn shirt is turning him on more than just the bikini.

  “Stop looking at me like that,” I scold.

  “I can’t help it, baby. I told you I’ve missed you.”

  “You could help it when you left me all alone in the bed to join Hale on his secret mission. I had just said yes, Brazen. I was ready to marry you. I was excited to be marrying you, and I wanted it to be soon. I’ve told you so much fucking shit it’s ridiculous, and you can’t tell me anything. I don’t want you in my car anymore,” I huff, fighting off the Nile of tears waiting to pour free.

  “Araya, damn it. I’m sorry. I fucked up… again. I love you so much though, and I was just trying to do what I thought was best.”

  “You thought wrong,” I snarl.

  Hale skids to a stop when he finally catches up with us, and he rushes over to inspect me.

  “What’s wrong?” he prompts.

  “You and Brazen are what’s wrong. The two of you can fucking ride together. Grayson can ride with me,” I growl while jerking Grayson’s door open. “Get in my damn car now.”

  Grayson jumps out to fill my request, and Brazen grumbles under his breath as he walks toward Hale’s car. They both look at me like scolded children before I climb back into my seat. I roll my eyes at the ridiculous malfunctioning triangle we’re all forced to endure.

  Sheesh.

  “They’ve both been hard to deal with for the past two weeks,” Grayson murmurs as he checks his phone hopefully.

  He sighs out in disappointment when he apparently doesn’t see the call he’s been waiting for.

  “They’ll get over, and Angelica will be back.”

  “Will you go back to Hale?” he asks curiously, and I know what answer he wants to hear.

  “There’s a lot more damage done to our relationship than yours. Yours needs a bandaid. Ours needs reconstructive surgery.”