The Curse Keepers Collection (36 page)

I felt his beating heart, and the blood rushing through his veins, the surge of hormones. The smell of him intensified, sweat and musk and sex filling my nose. I felt his desire as though it were a force of its own. Emotions, thick and heavy, settled over my body. Collin might have other secrets but he couldn’t hide this. Part of his soul was laid bare for me to examine. I’d never wanted anyone as much as I wanted Collin Dailey, but he felt the same way about me. His fear was real. He was terrified he’d lose me.

His breathing slowed, and he rolled us so that I was on top again. I pressed our joined hands to the bed, leaning over to kiss him, needing him to fill every part of me as I began to slide against him, every movement intensified. Every nerve ending tingled.

He sat up and moved to the edge of the bed, and I straddled him like the night before, our two joined hands resting against his chest, his other arm wrapped tight around my back. His mouth lowered to my breast, and I arched back to give him better access as my hips began a new rhythm, gasping for breath as my body ached for more.

The son of the land and the daughter of the sea.

Collin’s head lifted, and his mouth found mine as we joined our bodies and our souls with forces older than the gods themselves. I had no idea of the consequences when I joined our marks together, but the rightness of this suffused every part of me, and my connection to Collin told me he wanted it too. We performed our own ancient ceremony, both aware of the reverence.

I lifted my free hand to the back of his neck, staring into Collin’s eyes. Naked desire laid bare. We couldn’t hide our feelings. Not with this. We were two halves to a whole. Water, the mother of creation. Land, the father who supported it. We were forever joined, our souls tethered. In this moment, the truth came to life: Whether the gate closed or not, I would never be whole without this man by my side.

My passion climbed to dizzying heights, and urgency took over, Collin’s pace matching my own. My lips sought his, our tongues joining the dance. I pressed my palm closer to Collin’s as I pushed hard onto his thighs, needing more. And as I teetered on the edge, I truly became one with Collin, losing track of where I ended and he began. A fusion of flesh and soul.

When I fell, nerve endings exploded as wave after wave of ecstasy overtook me.

“Ellie!” Collin’s hand dug into my back, and he followed behind me.

I rested my forehead against Collin’s as I fought to catch my breath, our hands still linked. I unfurled my fingers, but Collin held tight, holding my hand to his chest.

“Not yet.” His husky voice whispered in my ear.

I kissed him lightly. “Am I an angel or an enchantress, Collin?”

His free hand rested on the side of my neck. “Angel. I hope to God you’re an angel.” He kissed me, then slid his hand from mine. “Ellie, do you know what you did?” Fear colored his eyes again.

I nodded. I’d burned our souls together for eternity. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

He shook his head. “No. Don’t be sorry. Not now. Not for this.”

“I didn’t realize . . . it wasn’t until—”

His mouth stilled mine. “I didn’t know it would happen either until it was too late. It’s okay.”

I smiled, thankful he wasn’t angry.

Collin lay down and pulled me with him, our bodies curling together. I rested my head on his chest and dozed off, his arm around my back in possession and comfort. My entire life I’d been searching for my purpose and here it was in my arms. Collin and being a Curse Keeper.

“Collin, why did you come to the restaurant that day?”

He released a chuckle. “I was hungry.”

“Very funny. You live in Wanchese, right?” I looked up into his face, and he nodded. “So why were you in Manteo?”

“I heard the New Moon had a great beer selection.” The words were smooth and believable. So why did his eyelid twitch?

“Did you know who I was when you came in?”

He grinned. “If I remember correctly, and I admit my memory might have been addled from the air vacuum, but I found out your name from your name tag.” He paused. “And it was on a very lovely chest.”

I propped up on an elbow. “Collin, I’m serious.”

His smile fell. “Ellie, how would I know who you were?”

I shrugged. Although I knew the likelihood was nearly impossible, I couldn’t help but wonder.

“My turn.” He propped up on his side so that we were face-to-face. “Why didn’t you tell me that you lost all your memories of the curse after your mother died?”

“I did. Yesterday. In the truck.”

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner? Why did you let me accuse you of being irresponsible?”

“It didn’t seem important why I’d lost my memories. I just had.”

“But I thought you’d purposely been irresponsible, when in fact, you had no control over it.”

“But I did have control over relearning what I needed to know. I purposely chose not to learn it again. That was irresponsible.”

His mouth pursed, and I knew he disagreed, but he didn’t press the issue. “Okay, your turn. What else do you want to know?”

“Why didn’t you tell me I had a pure soul?”

He sighed and rolled on his back, staring up at the ceiling. He raised the arm he had around my waist over his head. He was pulling away from me. “It was in the warehouse when we joined hands, and I was intent on getting the map, Ellie. I still didn’t trust you. I thought you’d blatantly disregarded everything to do with the curse while I was the one who made sure to memorize every detail, make every preparation.” His arm lowered and his eyes found mine. “I was the worthy one, yet you were the one who received the gift. I guess I thought you didn’t deserve to know.”

I was sure that was the most honest answer Collin had ever given me. Perhaps given anyone.

“And then the god attacked you, and when I realized what he had done, I knew others would come after you.
Of course
they’d come after you, but now they’d be more zealous. You were a rare prize. I had to make sure you were protected. It was my responsibility. As a Curse Keeper.”

“What happened in my apartment didn’t feel like responsibility.”

He pulled my mouth to his, kissing me long and slow. “It wasn’t. I can assure you of that. By then I’d figured out why you’d forgotten. And after everything that day . . . ” He kissed me again. “I wanted you more than I’d ever wanted anyone in my life. But you deserved better. You still do.”

“Isn’t that for me to decide, Collin?”

Fear and pain filled his eyes. “Ellie, you don’t know what I’ve done.”

“Shhh.” I leaned over him, my hair brushing his chest. “Your past? I don’t want to know. Let’s start over.”

“How many times can we start over?” He was throwing my words from that day back at me.

“Does it matter? As many times as it takes.”

“We’re bound together, Ellie. I’m sorry.” His voice broke. Did he regret what had happened minutes ago? He’d just told me that he didn’t, and our connection told me that wasn’t a lie. He tilted my head back, searching my eyes. “One day you’ll hate me, and you’ll curse these past few moments. When that day comes, just know that I wish I could do it all over again. From the beginning.”

What was he not telling me? I knew his past was ugly. Our encounter with Marino was all the proof I needed. Part of me knew I should ask, but I didn’t want to lose this moment with him.

I gave him a soft smile. “Your turn. What else do you want to know?”

He shook his head. “I know everything I need to know.”

I licked his bottom lip. “Too bad. I was going to tell you that I had almost decided you were a better lover than Colin Firth.”

He laughed. “Oh really? What about your research?”

“I’ll need to do continuous research with you to make sure you maintain your standards, but you’re safe for the next few hours.”

His eyebrows lifted playfully. “Only the next few hours?”

“Not to worry. I’m sure you’ll prove your
prowess
all over again.”

Collin rolled me over onto my back. “I caught that dig at my skills. You’ll pay for that Ellie Lancaster.”

I smiled. I was counting on it.

C
HAPTER
T
WENTY
-F
IVE

Collin was worried I’d get attacked again, and he refused to leave the room until he thought I was prepared. He ordered a pizza while I took a shower and we ate, sitting cross-legged on the bed while we discussed strategy.

“I think you should get the symbol on your back permanently tattooed. Today.”

My mouth dropped open. “You’re serious?”

“Yes.”

“Why would I do that? We’re going to close the gate. Isn’t that being pessimistic?”

“It’s called preparing for the worst-case scenario, Ellie. I told you that already.”

I leaned over and gave him a kiss. “What about hope?”

His serious eyes studied mine. “Sometimes hope is not enough.”

Collin was really spooked, and that made me nervous. He was the one who knew how to perform this ceremony. I sat up. “What aren’t you telling me, Collin?”

“I’m telling you that even with the best preparations, we may not be able to close the gate. Manteo was sure he had the ceremony right the first time and look what happened. There’s no guarantee this will work. You need to be prepared for that.”

“Don’t you mean
we
need to be prepared for that?”

“Of course,
we
. But you’re the pure soul.”

“There’s something you’re not telling me.”

He climbed off the bed and dragged his hand over his head, refusing to look at me.

Fear burrowed in the pit of my stomach. “Collin, you’re scaring me more by keeping whatever it is from me. I need to know.”

His mouth contorted as he wrestled with what to say. Finally, he sighed and sat on the bed. “I think I’ve forgotten part of the words for the ceremony. It’s been nagging at me for several days. I thought the words would come back, but they’re not.”

My eyes widened. “What does that mean? That the ceremony won’t work?”

“No, I think we’ll be fine. I changed the cleansing ceremony when I marked you. Before it was much more about preparing the Keeper’s Manitou, but yours is pure so I focused more on infusing it with power. And the protection mark works. The wind god didn’t try to take your Manitou this morning.”

“Because he didn’t want to kill me. He very well could have killed me for all we know.”

He shook his head, worry puckering his mouth. “Maybe. All I know is that I’ve never been more scared in my life.”

He was opening up, so I decided I needed to as well. “What if I told you that the door to hell wasn’t all the way open?”

He turned rigid. “What are you talking about?”

“I saw it. When you and I were together on the ocean. I saw the gate to the spirit world. Only three beings escaped—messengers for Ahone and Okeus, and the wind god. The rest are still behind the gate. Waiting. If we don’t close the gate before the seventh day, they’ll all go free.”

Collin’s face paled, and he looked terrified. “Only three? We always assumed the gate would open entirely, and we’d have a week.”

“There are hundreds more waiting to come out. We have to close that gate, Collin.”

He nodded, looking like he was about to throw up.

Should I tell him the spirits and gods threatened me? He was already freaked out and worried about my safety. Besides, he already knew they’d want me specifically. Telling him about the threats seemed like overkill.

“Did you see anything else?”

“I saw the birth of the gods. I saw Ahone cry a flood when the wind gods threatened to kill humanity. I saw Ahone split himself in two to create his twin, Okeus. I saw Okeus create his own children—demons. And then I saw the gate.” I wrapped my fingers around Collin’s hand. “We
have
to close the gate. I refuse to consider the alternative.”

“Do you realize what an incredible gift you were given?” he asked in awe.

I nodded. More than he knew.

He took a deep breath. “Only three beings? You’re sure?”

“Yes.”

“You’re not safe.”

“Enough of that. Teach me how to get through the next two days.”