This Curse: (The Grace Allen Series Book 2 ) (25 page)

I turned and frowned at him, questions sat on the tip
of my tongue.

“I am not worried about your love for the warlock.”
He straightened and moved further into the room.

“Stop reading my mind,” I sighed.

He shrugged and toed off his shoes. It was an oddly
human thing for him to do and I frowned. “I had no need to read your thoughts, Sweet.
It is written all over your face.” He chuckled, “And Jamie has a rather loud
voice.” He sat on the edge of the bed and pulled off his shirt.

My mouth went dry and I stepped back. He looked so
good sitting there, his short black hair, his shining silver eyes. He was
another man with his hair chopped short, even more seductively dangerous.

He smiled and stood. “Ah, now that is much better.
The Grace with lust in her eyes is back.” He stepped close and wrapped his arms
around me. He was a large man, his chest was muscular and wide, and his
shoulders were broad. His waist was narrow and just the right height. I wound
my arms around him and rested my cheek on his chest. “You scared me for a time,
Sweet.” His chest rumbled as he spoke and I closed my eyes. “I thought that my
allure was gone. You still want me, do you not, my darling?”

My darling?

I dropped my arms and took a small step back. My
heart began to race and I slowly opened my eyes to focus on the man before me.
His body was tattooed perfection; his neck was long and thick. Blonde hair
crowned the face of the most beautiful man I had ever seen. “Well, my darling?
You do still want me?”

I felt my face go numb as stars sparkled across my
vision.

“
Grace? Can you hear me?”

My face was soaking wet and my cheeks stung like some
one had just beat the holy shit out of me. I sputtered and choked as stars
continued to sparkle across my vision. Panic raced through my veins and I sat
up fast, I gained my feet and tore off down the hall as fast as I could. I saw
the door and opened it with a thought; I picked up more speed and raced for
freedom.

The door slammed shut a second before I reached it
and I turned, screaming, I struck out with a bolt of energy. It shattered the
lamp next to my grandma’s sofa. The sound shocked me and I stopped, my chest
heaving, I searched the room frantically for the devil.

Jamie crawled out of the corner on all fours and I
jumped, throwing my hand to my chest. She stood, her eyes wild.

“What the fuck, Grace?” She shook out her shirt. Bits
of broken lamp fell from her clothing and I pushed away from the door.

Seth remained in the hall; his eyes were huge as he
looked at me with confusion. “What was that, Grace? Why would you attack us?”
He came into the room and gently took Jamie’s chin in his hands. Seth turned
her face slowly back and forth, searching for injuries. He ran his thumb across
her jaw and tilted her head back to examine her further. She had blood on her
neck. The lamp must have cut her when I shattered it. It was a tiny amount. A
mere pin prick of crimson but it was enough to thoroughly mesmerize him. I
sighed, clearing my throat loudly. Seth’s gaze stayed firmly glued to the
little bead of blood on her throat.

“Seth!” I shouted when it seemed he was about to lose
control and forget himself. “I’m sure Jamie likes her throat fang free.” At my
words, she glared at me. I stepped back, raising my hands in surrender. “Fine,
people; I want nothing to do with this, I was just trying to find a place to
sleep when Seth goes and turns into Lucifer and asks me if I still want him.
But you all go and have dinner and…and…” I motioned to Jamie, “an orgasm, I
guess. I’m sleeping on the couch!” I ignored their dual shocked expressions.
“Oh, and I wouldn’t wander around in the middle of the night. I’m liable to
kill you while you're getting a glass of warm milk.”

I turned on my heel, Seth’s hand shot out, gripping
my upper arm as I tried to go. I glared at him and he dropped his hand, hurt
filled his eyes and I turned, flashing my nightgown on; I cleaned my teeth with
a thought and had an armful of blankets before I took another step.

I slumped on the couch. Tears threatened and I sighed
and pushed the heels of my hands into my eyes. I waited for Jamie and Seth to
approach.

“No, I’m not going to flip out again and accidentally
kill you.” I sighed when I could no longer stand the anxiety beating at me from
across the room. In less than a heartbeat, Jamie was sitting beside me.

“I’m sorry, Grace.” She glanced at Seth as he knelt
in front of me. I drew my legs up and looked at my hands.

Seth placed his hands on my bent knees, “What did you
see, Sweet?”

“I saw Lucifer.” I began. “He took your place, Seth.
One second you were hugging me, and the next it was him.” I looked at them.
Jamie lowered her brows.

“What happened after we left, Grace?” She watched my
face closely.

“Nothing, really.” I said, avoiding her gaze.

She grabbed my arms, yanking the sleeves of my
nightgown up to examine my wrists; I jerked them away quickly, hiding them
behind my back like a guilty child.

She watched me, shock widening her eyes; she sucked
in her breath and then a moment later, her eyes filled with fat tears and she
began to cry.

Seth looked totally confused. “What the hell is going
on? Jamie, dearest, do stop howling. That is not helping anything,” he scolded
and she turned on him.

“We never should have left her!” She yelled at him,
he flinched back, clearly shocked at her anger. “She made a deal with the
devil!” She shouted at him. “Does that help you understand?”

Seth’s eyes bled solid silver and his teeth
lengthened. He was vamping out and I cringed. He stood and backed away with
jerking movements. He paced back and forth. “
What have you done?”
He
growled. “YOU BELONG TO
HIM
, NOW?” He roared, shaking his head fiercely,
his long hair burst from his head, falling to cover his shoulders and then
spilling down to end at his wrists. 

Holy fuck, he could do that?

His face was a mask of insanity as he turned and
grabbed the front door. Screaming, he ripped it free of its hinges, threw it
through the wall and onto the gravel drive.

I sat back in complete shock.
Holy shit he was
strong.
Jamie was a little ball slowly disappearing into the couch
cushions.

I stood. He was losing his mind and I was positive
that if any neighbors were home, they were sure to call the cops,
or the
army.

Seth turned his eyes to me. He was panting, his chest
heaving up and down, his whole body trembling. Silver tears slipped from his
eyes as he looked at me. “You are well and truly lost to me.” His voice was
hollow; his chest continued its labored panting.

 I smiled at him and he took a step closer. “Is that
what you want?” He asked, looking defeated.

I shook my head, and smiled again. “No, you don’t
understand.” I held out my hand to him and he took it, his face a macabre mask
of vampiric anger and all too human confusion. I grabbed Jamie’s arm and pulled
her out of the couch. She looked at Seth like he was the boogie man.

“Seth, can you tone down your crazy, you’re scaring
her,” I chided. “Now, lets everyone just calm down. It’s not like he owns my
soul. I have free will. He can’t command me to do anything, I’m in charge.”

“Yeah, looks that way.” Jamie drawled, picking a
shard of glass from her hair. “Now, please, Grace. You need to give me your
arm.”

Resolved, I showed her my right wrist.

“The glamour?” Her voice was a mix of anger and
impatience.

I removed the glamour and she frowned. “Oh?” She
looked at Seth. “She’s telling the truth.” She smiled. “This isn’t the mark of
slavery. This is something else, I’ve never seen.” She looked relieved.

 “So, you do not know what this mark represents?” He
sounded less than satisfied although he had gone back to his normal non-vampire
self. His hair was once again long and wild and I secretly wished that he would
cut it again. That way I couldn’t picture it sliding across my body as he…” At
his smile, I jerked my eyes from his silky locks and instead examined my
cuticles.

“Well,” Jamie continued, oblivious to my
embarrassment and Seth's obvious enjoyment of it. “It’s a symbol of Lucifer, of
that I’m sure.”

Seth eyed Jamie and she flushed. “Well, I don’t
know!” She defended. I guess I’ll have to do some checking.”

“Please do, in the mean time.” he stood. “Morning
arrives, and I’m afraid that this room is even less secure for me now. I’ll
retire.” He nodded regally, “Ladies.” He turned and strode from the room, slamming
the door to his room.

Jamie followed him with her eyes; her adoration was
far too obvious. “He really is something, isn’t he?” She looked a bit goofy,
then she frowned, sadness replaced her doe eyed expression. “God, he loves
you.” She stood and walked to the huge gaping hole in the wall. “No one has
ever shown such emotion over me before.” She looked at me and I shrugged.

“Look, James, don’t judge his feelings for me, I
don’t even think he understands them, they’re way too complicated.” At her frown
I sighed, “You need to understand something. Seth and I have history together,
that’s all. And there is the matter that he has been surviving off of my blood.
I play a pretty big role in his life, seeing as I’ve been inadvertently
changing him into a Madea.” I flushed at that. “I represent power to him, but
that won’t always be the case. One day he will be a full Madea, and the angry
selfish vampire will be gone and a more caring being will emerge. A Madea knows
pure love, James. A vampire doesn’t. Just hang on. He already likes you. Look
how sensitive he was when he thought you were hurt.”

She smiled. “He was so gentle.” She spun in a circle,
hugging herself. “When he looked into my eyes, it made my temperature go up
about ten degrees!”

I frowned and pointed my finger at her. “That move
was all vampire!” I warned. “He may be on our side, but that part of his nature
is still very deadly. He can’t help what he is, but you can help him by not
acting like lunch. Letting him feed is not the same as making love, James. I
once met a vampire who screwed his victims and then sucked them dry. He called
them cows, and that is just what Seth will think of you if you throw your blood
at him. Make him see
you
, not your ready food supply, okay?”

She looked at her hands and I grimaced. “Oh, man,
Jamie!” I sighed. “Tell me you didn’t.”

“No, but I did sort of offer.” She looked dejected.
“I must look like such a desperate little puppy.” She cried. “What do I do?”

I snuggled into the covers on the couch and looked at
her. Her feelings were as plain as day and written all over her face. God, this
conversation really sucked. This was
Seth
I was talking about. Seth, the
man that I had grown to care about in the last few days. Seth, the man that
made me crazy but still managed to make me smile. I looked at her face as I
thought this new situation through. She was a good woman and had power of her
own. I couldn’t guarantee that he would ever return her affection, but I
wouldn’t stand in the way, either. “Well,” I began, “you need to take the offer
back. He’ll respect you for it. After all, he is used to women throwing their
blood at him. This should raise his opinion of you greatly. You are better than
a mere juice box, James.” I winked at her and she smiled. She rose to her feet
and began to walk to her room.

“Grace?” She stopped, her face serious all of a
sudden.

I sat up and looked at her, “Yeah?”

“Keep him out of your bed.” She blushed and before I
could sputter my shocked response, she fled to her room.

I flopped back onto the couch and sighed. Not that I
had any intention of sleeping with Seth ever again, but it was a blow to
discover that from now on, I would have to keep him at arms length in order to
respect my new friend.

Fuck. This was going to be a problem. Seth would
resist, that was for sure. He didn’t do well with the cold shoulder. I thought
about Jamie and her kind heart. If Seth didn’t change over soon, she was going
to get that heart stomped. Well, I snuggled deeper into the covers, I guess I
had some more work to do.

I sighed and closed my eyes as sleep took me straight
to Hell.

“Does it always have to smell so bad?” I walked from
the shadows into a dimly lit room. I smiled and shook my head as I was immediately
surrounded with the scent of sandalwood and oranges. “Thanks.” I passed by a
mirrored wall and stopped short at my reflection. “Are you kidding me?” I
cocked my hip and goggled at my reflection. My legs were wrapped in thigh high,
black stiletto boots made from shiny patent leather. My panties were tiny and
made of the same plasticky feeling crap as the boots. Tiny little triangles
covered a quarter of my breasts leaving them mostly exposed. I looked at my
reflection again and concentrated. I replaced Lucifer’s S&M suit of sin
with a fluffy white angora sweater and a pair of grey wool slacks. I smiled,
and then a second later, I was wearing the tiny underwear again.