The Thousand Year Curse (The Curse Books) (8 page)

"Ollie, whats going on?" I ask him walking up to him but he ignores me, completely. He continues his conversation with the other man as if I don't exist. I glance to see who he is talking to.
 

Freaking green eyes! The dark haired man from my dream and the party. He knows Ollie. Of course they would be friends. They both have that weird presence that makes me think they're unique. It's like they're glowing.

Green eyes turns his face towards me, like he's aware I'm witnessing all of this but dismisses me after a moment. His gaze returns to Ollie focusing his complete attention on him.

When green eyes faced me, I saw deep into his eyes. Multiple dimensions are held within them. I saw at least three different colors swirling all around. Greens, yellows and faint reds all mix together with different shades in between. They are kind of creepy but smoldering as well. He's just as beautiful as Ollie but in a different way—which is also similar.

They are both calm, cool and collected. Their speech is clipped and aggressive but their body language is relaxed. They both know they are hot—that's obvious. It seems like they dislike each other as they keep sizing each other up. When one talks, the other has to talk louder. When one moves, the other moves faster. It's like watching a competition take place.
 

I want to figure out how to get out of here so I grab onto Ollie. "Ollie, what's going on?" I ask him pleading for an answer. He ignores me. I cling onto his arm pulling him towards me but he doesn't budge. His body doesn't even sway. If he's just ignoring me, he's doing a freaking fantastic job.
 

Tears begin to prick the edges of my eyes as my chest shrinks, the air refusing to enter my lungs. I can't breathe at all. I'm going to die trapped down here. Who would ignore someone having a melt down? A tear escapes my lid but I ignore the wetness.
 

I suck in my fears and observe what they're saying, thinking I might as well eavesdrop on their conversation and hope to follow them out. I doubt I'm getting out of here anytime soon alone. Crying to myself isn't going to do me any good.
 

"Not this lifetime, leave her be." Ollie says to the guy, his eyes pleading.
 

"You know I can't." He replies almost with regret. I almost want to comfort him as I stare into his emotion filled eyes.
 

"Let me have one life. Fifty years at least." Ollie pleads, trying to bargain—for what, I have no idea.
 

"Then let me get one. An eye for an eye." The guy tries to compromise back.
 

"No way. You know she loves me." Ollie declares. They're talking about a woman?
 

"She loves me too!" The guy expresses throwing up his hands as he starts pacing around the fireplace. Neither one of them talk as they fume. Finally the dark man stops pacing and faces Ollie, his demeanor shows defeat and sorrow.
 

"You know damn well it's not the same Aristeus." Ollie whispers. More silence. It's killing me not to be able to comfort someone. I want to understand what is tearing them apart.
 

They start getting blurry and flickering in and out like holograms. I look at myself and I'm transparent. My arm is gone! What the hell?
 

What were they talking about? One life... An eye for an eye? Nothing makes sense. This has to be a dream, my mind playing tricks on me. Suddenly everything goes black and I get the sensation of falling. I scream from the uneasiness in my stomach.
 

"Ryder. What's wrong?" I faintly comprehend. I just want to sleep. I'm shaken awake by two large hands wrapped around my shoulders. I am not a morning person at all. I shrug the hands away.
 

Turning over, I slowly open my eyes and find two big, blue circles staring at me. Awakening from the fog, I realize it's Ollie. I quickly panic sitting up fast.
 

Bang.
 

I smack foreheads with Ollie. I fall back down rubbing my forehead. I shut my eyes so I don't have to stare at Ollie. Damn that guy has a head made of steel.
 

After the pain has subsides, I slowly sit up out of—bed? Where am I anyway? Please don't let this be another creepy dream. I start to panic thinking I am alone in a strange place.
 

"Where am I?" I ask glancing side to side trying to grasp my surroundings.
 

"On my lap. You fainted." Ollie replies, staring down at me, concern in his eyes. I notice the feel of his warm hands behind my head and across my lap. My temperature spikes and I feel heated.

"What?" I try to recall the bizarre dream I just had. I remember the cave, walking through the old tunnels and Ollie with that guy. They were talking about a girl I think. Ollie said 'her' but they talked like she was some sort of possession. Why would A-whatever love her, too?
 

Too much thinking. Where's Junior? Why am I sitting on Ollie's lap? "What time is it?" I ask Ollie hoping to answer one of the hundred questions rattling off in my head.

"I'm not sure. You were only out for like five minutes." He says acting strange. His brows furrow as his eyes never wander from mine. "I didn't know what happened to you." He explains, his fingers lacing through my hair.
 

"I have to find Junior." I tell Ollie while struggling to get off his lap. He looks a little upset at first but the expression fades away as he helps me up. He takes my hand in his after I'm standing and we head out of the door together.
 

Ollie leads me down a labyrinth of hallways and doorways. We stop outside of a door on the first floor. We're still holding hands and I definitely don't want to let go. I clench a little garnering a big smile out of Ollie.
 

"Junior?" I whisper hoping he's still in there.

"Ugh." I hear him gurgle out from inside the door. I switch into mom mode rushing to his side hoping to help him. I don't think he has anything left to throw up so I sit him up on the floor in front of the toilet, pushing the now crushed mohawk out of his face.
 

He seems okay, his eyes are normal minus the bloody veins branching out. I grab a washcloth from the counter and drench the fabric in ice cold water. I place the cloth on his forehead and he gurgles some more, not liking the coldness.

"Help me get him home?" I turn asking Ollie with desperation.
 

"Of course." He answers coming over to me. He instructs me to walk behind and he'll carry Junior out. At first I am skeptical, Junior isn't a small dude. As if Junior weighs a feather, Ollie lifts him over his shoulder proving me wrong.
 

I'm so amazed that I walk in silence after them questioning how it's even possible. When we get to the front door, I hold open it for Ollie letting him through first.
 

Thunder booms in the distance as rain comes down in sheets of cold daggers. The sky is black and moonless tonight, a thick layer of clouds covering any stars trying to poke through.

It's pouring so hard it feels like knifes as I run down the driveway. I get nervous I will trip over my feet but luckily don't. We get to my car and I huddle in the drivers seat. I quickly turn the car on and blast the heat needing to warm my fingers before they break off.

Ollie jumps in after situating Junior in the back, letting himself into the passenger side. "What are you doing?" I ask him as I put my seat belt over my chest.

"How are you going to get him inside the house?" Ollie asks me, raising his eyebrows. He has a point. I never thought of the transport into my house.
 

"Where are you going to sleep?" I ask him, crossing my arms defensively. As much as I'd like him to sleep in my bed, I don't think that would fly with my dad. Not to mention, I'm not in the emotional state to handle that. I think I would faint—again.

"I'll take your car back here and pick you guys up tomorrow." He says giving it right back to me.
 

"Pick us up?" I ask him not aware of his alleged plan.
 

"Yeah, Junior's coming over for band practice. You can come too." I nod to him letting him know he can come so he settles in to the seat rubbing him wet hands in front of the heater. I peer over to him waiting for him to buckle up—my number two car rule, behind drunk driving.

"What?" He questions me shaking his head back and forth.

"Buckle your belt." I say averting my eyes to the grey strap.
 

"So, are you like a safely nut?" He asks me while grabbing and clicking the belt—the sound of safety.
 

I put the car into drive and start down High Ridge. "I'm not a safety freak. I just like being safe. You should, too." I glance over to him from the corner of my eye but can barely make out his silhouette, the darkness outside hindering my view.

"I can respect that." He says bobbing his head up and down. "Although it'll take more than a little car accident to get rid of me." He laughs. I giggle a little at how he thinks he's some big macho man.

"What are you indestructible?" I mutter over to him while focusing my eyes on the road. It's getting slippery and the rain seems to picking up—if that's even possible.
 

"Something like that." He says and I catch him smiling at me.
 

We pull up to my driveway and Ollie helps me cart Junior into my room. We throw him on the bed and I put a trashcan next him, not wanting to risk it tonight.
 

"So this is your room?" Ollie hints suggestively wiggling his eyebrows at me while beaming a shining set of teeth towards me. I smirk at him while narrowing my eyes. I walk towards him playfully punching his arm.
 

"Alright. Get outta here." I say grabbing that arm I love—so strong and hard. I push him out of my room and down the stairs towards the door. He's heavy and not helping me at all. Finally we make it to the front door and he stops facing to me.
 

"See you in the morning, beautiful girl." He grabs my hand bending down to give my knuckles a loud smooch before retreating to my car. I stand in the doorway, watching him leave.

I shut the door tight, lock the bolt and retreat to the couch. I don't think I'll be getting much sleep tonight as my mind swirls with different colored eyes.
 

CHAPTER FIVE

song of sadness

"Junior." I whisper into his ear. "Junior." I speak a little louder, shaking his shoulder. "Wake up." I say, but he continues to ignore me. I walk over to my window and rip open the blinds, hoping the light will wake him up.
 

"What the hell!" He yells pulling the covers over his face. This is going to be worse than I thought.
 

I grab his shoulder but when I pull on him we both fly back, landing on the other side of the room with a loud thud. I hit my head on the wall and my vision flashes back. My arms tremble and my legs feel like jello as I lean against the wall.

"What the hell was that Ryder?" Junior asks me, his eyes wide with his jaw set in a grim line.
 

"You tell me. That was crazy." I act stupid, pretending that I have no idea what that was. I know if you're lying then you don't make eye contact so I make sure to maintain it. I feel like crap doing this but I'm not ready to tell him. I don't even understand what's happening myself.
 

"You have to get ready. We have a visitor." I tell him his interest switching gears.

He grumbles and groans some more but gets his ass up off the floor. He's got dark bags under his eyes and his body looks like he hasn't eaten in days.
 

"What do you mean a visitor?" He asks as he trots into the bathroom. Totally unnecessary for me to talk to him as he relieves himself but he does anyway. Luckily my eyes are shielded from the disturbing sight. My ears—not so much.
 

"Did you forget you told someone you would play with them today?" I question, trying to help him get understand my point.
 

"Oh no. Ollie?" He kicks it into high gear as he gets cleaned up. I take the comforter and place it back on the bed. Junior must have dragged it with him when we flew.