Book of Curses (The Renning Chronicles) (19 page)

Six Weeks Later.

“Knock him on his ass Raine!” Tom screamed at me. I smiled slowly hearing that, but then quickly remembered to pay
attention
.

Moving back in one sift movement, I watched Nixon. He was smiling at me as he studied each of my movements, trying to determine what I'd do next. Before he could think too much, I let my arm fly out and slash with all the strength I could summon, only to meet the clang and vibration of our swords when they hit one another.

I held my arm down, trying to hold his sword where it was, when I realized it was slipping I spun out of his range watching as his sword narrowly missed me. I had managed to taunt Fang earlier, so long that he dropped his guard and I knocked him down, right after making my final move.

Talon wasn't nearly as easy, I almost lost to him twice but managed to get around him fast enough that I could strike. Now it was me and Nixon, and he was not any fun at all. He was powerful, graceful and fast, it was near impossible to see where he was going or what his next move would be, that was what made him so dangerous.

He lunged forward and I blocked his attack, feeling our swords meet I saw the sparks that flew from metal clashing. I danced around him, and continued blocking his sword when it came too close to me. Finally I decided to take a chance, and lunged towards him. He fell to his knees and swung one of his legs out, taking mine right out from underneath me. Before I could move, he was over me with his sword pointed at me, I was defeated.

“Damn!” Tom let out what sounded like a disappointed sigh, and then I heard murmuring, he was probably betting again.

Nixon helped me up, he had a huge grin on his face that I just wanted to slap off. “You’re both getting better.” He looked at me as he spoke, his grin started to fade away, and he had a thoughtful look on his face. “You’re learning faster than I thought you would.”

“I always have been a fast learner.” I pulled myself to my feet, shrugging my shoulders a bit,
and then
I started to brush the dirt from my legs.

“Well, I say since you’re doing so well, we all go to Morana’s and see what she wanted, and leave learning to another day.” Fang announced, looking at all of us with a frown on his face. He was still upset about losing to me like he had, and I knew it. He'd had that look on his face since it happened.

“I completely agree, just me though.” Tom looked around, starting to whistle as I gave him a dark look. This whole Morana obsession was getting old real fast.

“Oh please, you both just want to see Morana.” I rolled my eyes, not even trying to hide my irritation from either of them.

“That too.” Fang said as if he hadn't even thought about it, then starting to smirk.

Layre looked at me, we shared the same look for a moment,
and then
she rolled her own eyes as well. “Morana has affected the minds of more men.”

“Come on Layre!” Tom started to plead, actually crawling over to her on his knees and shaking his now clasped together hands at her in mercy. It was pathetic, and sad to watch him do, I had to look away. “Just this once? Besides, she wanted to see if this dress she found will fit Raine for the ball.”

“Jeez, I forgot about that thing.” Layre let out a sigh, looking at the ground.

“I’m not good with anything fancy, so I’m trying to forget.” I said to her, inwardly wincing about what Tom had said. I was hoping that he didn't remember about that, I didn't want to go anywhere that had something to do with a dress, let alone about a
ball
.

“It sucks we can’t all skip it, damn flip side to being in the royal army.” Fang said lowly, for once there was something me and him both agreed on. Dancing, fancy things, any of that. I despised it.

“Can’t be that bad,” Nixon began, walking past me as he shrugged his shoulders. “People are always getting so excited when it comes around.”

“That’s because they’re idiots.” Fang said staring straight at him with a look like he was asking if he was stupid. 

The thing we were talking about was the Full Moon Ball. It was annually held by vampires, and was only once every three years. It was to celebrate good will for the region, as odd as it sounded to me it was something they enjoyed.

It was already a big thing as it was, but with the Chosen being here it made it that much bigger. We were supposed to be able to bring them good luck, and really it just made me hate this all the more. With all of that being said, I was doomed to have to go with the Guardians to a ball that I wanted to hide from like it was the plague.

“Well, we should just get this over with, and then maybe I can run away to my room and fake a sickness before tonight, so I don’t have to go.” I told them, shrugging my shoulders as I actually considered doing that. Maybe if it worked for school, it might work in a place like this.

“
At least
we get to see Morana, you can do as you please sis.” Tom spoke, shrugging his shoulders as if it made everything in the world better.

Eyloff and Dolphus walked into the room, looking at all of us questioningly. Eyloff had managed to calm down some since we came here, and even not hate the Dark region quite so much. Though he and Talon were a totally different story, I swore one of these days they were going to rip
each other’s
heads off.

No matter where they were, they were always prepared to kill one another. The looks they always shared were enough to tell you that, it never failed. Not once.

“Joining us are you wolf boy?” Talon asked in a mocking voice, smirking over at Eyloff.

“What’s it to you, vampire?” Eyloff growled at him, even starting to snarl.

“Seeing as I guard Raine, I like knowing who goes.” Talon told him, he was more amused than he was anything with him. This really was getting old already, I wanted to bang my head off a wall repeatedly just from hearing this.

“One of these days, I sw-”

“Enough you two!” I snapped without meaning to, I couldn't handle it. They both looked over at me with shocked expressions. Though those only lasted for a moment before both of their faces turned into blank slates, and they nodded their heads, it was good enough for me.

**
*
**

Eyloff huffed loudly as we left. The rest of us had
begun
to go down the hall when Nickel found us halfway to the courtyard. Deciding to join us, all nine of us made our way towards Morana's and Layre's home.

When we got close to it, I heard a noise I never thought I would hear from a man. Dolphus actually squeaked when we were close to the house, staring wide-eyed at it as if he'd never seen something like it. I was confused, trying to figure out what the hell that was all about.

‘Is he turning gayer?’
I thought, raising one of my eyebrows as I continued to look at him with the same confused expression. What the hell was that all about?

“The house is amazing!” He said to me in a strange high pitched voice, his eyes looked
childlike
, and I thought he was going to combust into pink confetti.

“Dolphus…” I let out a sigh looking at him, frowning a bit.

“Sorry, Bliss and Pandora are rubbing off on me.” He told me looking down then back at the house, and I could see internally he was still squealing like a girl.

“A ten year old and thirteen year old are rubbing off on you, you’re how old again?” I asked slowly, making sure I heard him right, and I really was curious.

“Um well, that’s a funny question to ask, kind of mean too. I’m what now, three hundred? I think so.” He nodded his head slowly, as if he wasn't even sure.

I couldn't help the staring this time, I knew he looked older than I did, but I never once thought he was that old. At most I thought he was in his twenties, not nearly three hundred years old or older.

I just kept looking at him before he started to talk again, and pulled me out of my trance. That really had confused me a bit, just knowing he was
that
old, it shocked the hell out of me.

“Did you know Nickel’s the only reason I’m going to the ball thingy, he asked me to go with him.”

“Nickel’s gay?” I blinked a few times, before staring at him again with my head titled to the side. He really didn't seem gay, I saw him hitting on a girl once or twice,
and then
he was doing it to me.

“He goes for both.” He shrugged his shoulders as if it was nothing, though that explained why he was flirting with girls as well.

Go figure that Dolphus manages to find someone who can take him. Who also happened to be one of my brother's
Guards?
Now if only I had someone to take me so that it wasn't completely embarrassing when I was forced into going there.

“Hey guys!” Morana said loudly, smiling from ear to ear. “Come in!”

I looked at Morana, it never failed to shock me how pretty she was. Even though she tried her hardest to hide it, I could still see it no matter what, that kind of beauty couldn't be hidden. Her face was covered with dirt, and she had her hair pulled up tight in a greasy bun of red hair.

She was tall and thin, like her sister, with curves to kill for. Her eyes were the brightest green I'd ever seen, and honestly she could've given Amamai a run for her money. She was Layre's twin
sister;
though I don't think anyone could've guessed it. They looked nothing alike, nor did they act like it.

“Ah! Raine you’re here, come with me.” Her eyes paused on me, staring. She said it with so much happiness that I cringed, and when I looked at her she was practically bouncing up and down where she stood.

I let out a sigh, following after her and
leaving
the others to do their own thing. Morana practically dragged me into her bedroom, and ran to her closet moving things around. I was so afraid to see what she was going to come out with now.

When she found what she was looking for she grabbed it, turned back towards me, and ran up to stand in front of me. Shoving the dress into my arms she smiled brightly.

“Try it on, Call me when you’re done, I want to see it.” She smiled still looking at me, before she turned as fast as she could and ran out of the room, shutting the door behind herself. Yep, I was doomed to have to go to this stupid ball, no matter what.

Chapter 10

_______________________

I sighed to myself, grumbling a bit as I looked at the dress I was now holding in my hands. The more I looked at it, the more I thought it should have a lot more fabric on it, and actually seemed to be missing some in places. I shook my head, ignoring it and thinking I was crazy, and pulling off my clothes.