Cursed Hadley

  I flip through the pages, desperate to find more, but can’t.

  Tossing the book aside, I slump against the wall and attempt to process what I just read. Grim Reapers. Packs. Cursed fire reapers. The underworld. Banishment. That stuff doesn’t exist, right?

  Thought I saw.

  Thought I saw.

  Thought I saw.

  If I am crazy, then how did I already know the term cursed fire reaper? And why did I see Blaise’s eyes glow today?

  Is that why my mom and dad always referred to me as cursed?

  My thoughts wander back to the day she passed away.

  “It’s going to be okay, Hadley,” she whispers as the four cloaked figures circle her. “I’ve known this day was coming for a very long time, and one day, it’ll come for you, too. When it does, don’t be afraid.”

  The image of her fades …

  Thought I saw.

  Thought I saw.

  Thought I saw.

  “Am I going crazy?” I let my head fall back, huffing out a sigh. The wall cracks against the impact, paving all the way to the ceiling.

  Cursed. Cursed. Cursed.

  I really am cursed.

  I push to my feet and move to stand in front of the mirror to see my cursed state. But the mirror is gone, and my best bet is either my dad took it to try to pawn it, or those assholes next door did.

  Everything crazy that’s happened over the last week has been linked to them. I know it has. What I don’t know is how or why; why they keep torturing me and my sisters, why I dreamt them and what they said, how they make me feel calm when I should hate them …

  Snatching up my phone, I slip my shoes on then rush out of my room and down the stairs. When I reach the side door, I peer out the window at the driveway next door. All the cars are gone, minus the junk vehicles in the back. What I’m about to do is risky, but fuck it. I need answers. I need to find out what’s going on and how to get them to leave my sisters and me alone.

  Slipping outside, I hike to the very far back of our yard then climb over the fence into theirs. I slink through the broken-down cars, hunkering low, until I reach the back door. Holding my breath, I turn the doorknob, but the door is locked. Plucking a hairpin from my hair, I crouch down and quickly pick the bottom lock, the middle, then the top

  Seems like an awful lot of locks, if you ask me. Makes me wonder what’s on the other side.

  Guess I’m about to find out.

  Sucking in a shaky breath, I push open the door and sneak inside. The air is silent, but the floorboards creak under my weight as I creep across the spacious kitchen with shiny marble countertops and stainless-steel appliances.

  I blink, totally stunned. How in the hell is it this fancy in here? And why does it seem way bigger than it is outside?

  Scratching my head, I tiptoe out of the room and through a doorway that leads to the massive living room with domed ceilings, leather furniture, a columned fireplace, and a pool table.

  I gape at the scene, even more baffled. How can they afford all this stuff, yet the outside of the house appears so crappy? And how does all this stuff even fit in here without the room seeming cramped? From the outside, their house appears just as small as ours.

  “It doesn’t make sense.” Swallowing nervously, I head for the spiral staircase, taking as light as steps as possible all the way.

  At the top a hallway extends forward and is lined with dark red doors and gothic lanterns. I step up to the first door and twist the doorknob—

  A door slams shut, and then voices filter through the house.

  “We need to get the curse fire seeker out of the mirror before she makes the whole town collapse in a giant hole,” Blaise grumbles from downstairs.

  Curse fire seeker, like the book said.

  I gulp. What the hell is going on? Who are these guys?

  Or what…

  I shake the thought from my head. No, I’m not ready to go there yet.

  “It’s not her fault.” The soft voice belongs to Jaxon. “She doesn’t even realize what she is.”

  “Besides, do we even care if the town falls into a hole?” The amused voice has to be Alex’s. “It’s not like we like it here.”

  “Like it or not, we’re stuck here until our banishment is over,” Rhyland says. “And I’d prefer not to live in a hole for the rest of our time here.”

  “So, how do we get it out of the mirror then?” Blaise asks. “Because, so far, it’s been very stubborn.”

  “We stop playing so nicely,” Alex replies simply. “And threaten it.”

  “With what exactly?” Blaise asks curiously.

  “With what it desires most,” Alex’s states wickedly. “Hadley.”

  Fear shoots up my spine as footsteps sound up the stairs. Panicking, I duck into the room in front of me and softly click the door shut. My plan is to jump out the window, not giving a shit if I break my legs, but the room is windowless and dark.

  “Shit,” I curse under my breath as I fumble my way around the room.

  When my fingers brush a cool, smooth object, green light illuminates the room.

  Perched in front of me is the mirror and in it, my reflection is orbed with green light.

  My heart hammers in my chest. The guys said something was inside this mirror—a cursed fire seeker.

  I squint to get a closer look, and a pair of cat-like eyes appear through the green glow. I trip back, landing on my ass, just as the door starts to open, and a sliver of light filters into the room. I scramble to find a hiding place. An armoire is in the corner and, without thinking, I jump in and close the door, but it cracks right back open. I move to close it, but freeze as someone enters the room and flips on the light.

  Through the crack in the door, I can make out four figures …

  “Holy eff, I’m losing my mind,” I mouth as I get a good glimpse of Rhyland, Blaise, Alex, and Jaxon, dressed in the black, ankle length cloaks they wore in my dream.

  Or was it even a dream? I’m not so sure anymore.

  “Mirror, mirror, on the wall, get your ass out here before we destroy what your heart desires the most,” Alex demands as he positions himself in front of the mirror.

  “You’re bluffing,” a voice cackles back.

  Blaise steps forward and lowers his hood. “Are you sure about that?”

  “You don’t even know what I want,” the voice sneers.

  I peek through the crack and notice a shadow in the mirror with the cat-like eyes. Blood roars in my eardrums.

  Everyone was right. I am insane.

  Rhyland tugs off his hood and rolls up his sleeves. “Maybe you should think about how we got your mirror and who the last creature you gave it to was.”

  The shadow in the mirror hisses. “You leave my curse fire reaper alone. She’s mine. She’s mine. She’s mine!”

  “No, she’s not.” Jaxon moves forward. “You haven’t claimed her yet.”

  “Neither have you,” the shadowy creature hisses.

  “But we will soon,” Alex taunts. “And there’s nothing you can do to stop us.”

  The shadow lets out a roar, the mirror cracking down the center. “Yes, there is! I’m stronger than you think!” A burst of light pierces the room, and I shield my eyes with my hands.

  Swoosh.

  A hard, hot ball of light blasts into the armoire and pierces straight into my chest. I gasp as I stumble forward and accidentally knock the door open. The blinding light emitting from the mirror is fading, and five pairs of eyes slide to me, four flooded with worry and one with glee.

  “She’s mine.” The shadow in the mirror crawls out from the mirror and morphs into the form of a fifty-something-year-old guy with thinning hair, wearing a floral, button down shirt and board shorts.

  The pawnshop owner who gave me the mirror.

  “Told you that you were cursed.” He grins at me in wicked delight with his hands stretched out, as if he’s about to grab me.

  Rhyland’s gaze shifts from the stor
eowner to me. “Do you know him?”

  I press my hand to my aching chest. “Yeah … He gave me that thing.” I point at the mirror.

  Blinding pain suddenly ruptures through my body, fiery hot.

  I cry out in pain, my legs buckling.

  Rhyland rushes to help me up, but I stick my hand out.

  “D-don’t touch me,” I warn, hunched over on the floor. “Don’t even come near me.”

  “Hadley …” Rhyland’s voice cracks. He clears his throat, spins around, and wraps his hands around the storeowner’s neck. “What did you do to her?”

  He laughs, even when Rhyland lifts him clear off the floor. “I hit her with a fire curse.”

  The color drains from all four of the brothers’ faces.

  “You did what?” The cold warning in Blaise’s voice sends a chill throughout my body. But the heat in my chest instantly erases the chill as my skin breaks out in a sweat.

  I think I’m dying.

  The pawnshop owner—or the curse fire seeker, I guess—chokes on a laugh as his face reddens. “The only way to save her is to let me claim her.”

  Rhyland squeezes his neck, the muscles in his arms bulging. “That’s not entirely accurate,” he growls out. “We can claim her ourselves if we want.”

  “You can’t!” he screams. Glass rains through the air as the mirror shatters. “She’s mine! She’s mine! She’s mi—”

  Rhyland seals his lips to the cursed fire seeker’s mouth and starts … kissing him very aggressively?

  Wait, he’s not kissing him …

  He’s drinking something from his mouth.

  Wispy smoke billows from the curse fire seeker’s lips and slithers into Rhyland’s mouth.

  Grim Reaper.

  Soul.

  He’s drinking his soul.

  I’m not sure how I arrive at that conclusion, other than I suddenly feel like I’ve seen this happen before…

  My head pulsates as images burst through my mind in shadowy images…

  My mom’s car skids into the river, but she appears on the side of the road. My heart nearly stops as I race to her. People are panicking, rushing toward her car.

  Why aren’t they rushing toward her?

  I push to get to her when four cloaked figures appear beside her. The tallest one presses his lips to hers, and wispy smoke slithers from her lips …

  Dizziness spins in my head …

  No, that never happened. I was hallucinating. Just like I am now.

  I blink several times, trying to erase the hallucination, but the four cloaked guys remain in the room, Rhyland feasting off the now slacken cursed fire seeker. Then Blaise steps forward to take a turn. Jaxon moves up next, drinking until the curse fire seeker’s eyes slip shut. Alex finishes him off, sucking out the last drop of his soul.

  After they’re all done, Rhyland removes his fingers from the cursed fire seeker’s neck, and his body hits the floor with a thump.

  Then the four guys face me, Alex and Jaxon removing their hoods.

  “What do we do now?” The constant arrogance in Alex’s tone is gone as he studies me with a frown.

  “We can let her die.” Rhyland fastens his gaze on me with a pucker at his brow. “Or we can save her.”

  “You mean, claim her.” Blaise surveys me with a tight frown. “And then bond with her.”

  “No one is claiming or bonding with me,” I rasp out, recalling what I read in that book. “I’m not going to be tied to a bunch of stupid Grim Reapers for all eternity.”

  Jaws drop.

  “You know about us?” Glass crunches underneath Blaise’s boots as he steps toward me. “How?”

  I make a dramatic show of pressing my lips together, although the effort gets lost when crushing pain splinters up my chest and my lips pop right back open as I gasp.

  “Hadley, we want to help you, but we can’t do that if you don’t trust us.” Rhyland crouches in front of me and slowly reaches for me.

  I move to lean back, but the pain in my chest tows me forward, right into Rhyland’s arms. The moment our bodies touch, the pain slightly subsides, enough that I don’t move away.

  “Shhh … It’s going to be all right.” Rhyland strokes the back of my head.

  I hate showing weakness, hate depending on other people, but his touch is alleviating some of the pain, so I’ll relax and let him continue soothing me.

  “I don’t want to let her die,” Jaxon utters softly. “It’s wrong, even if we are death.”

  “And she could help us when we have to face the banishment reentry,” Alex adds reluctantly. “Being what she is … with the extra power she could give us, it could give us an edge.”

  “And help us collect more souls while we’re up here,” Jaxon says. “Which will help build our strength even more.”

  “I’m not helping you kill anyone,” I grumble, my eyelids lowering.

  Alex chuckles. “It could be very fun to have her around, too. She’s quite entertaining.”

  “Only because we’re not used to people disagreeing and arguing with us.” Blaise stares at me coldly. “And she can only do that because of what she is.”

  “Don’t pretend like you don’t like how she pushes your buttons,” Alex taunts Blaise. “I’ve seen the way you get off on it.”

  “I already told you I didn’t put those flyers up,” Blaise growls. “Someone else did. And I don’t know why that’s so shocking. With how bitchy she is, she’s probably got a whole list of enemies.”

  Rhyland combs his fingers through my hair before fixing a finger underneath my chin and tipping my head back. “Hadley, I know you’re hurting, and we’re going to fix it soon, but I need you to try to think if there’s anyone else who would want to hurt you and your sisters.”

  I shrug. “I’m sure there’re a ton of people, but we don’t know anyone here.” I kneel up, cradling my chest as the aching amplifies. “Maybe the …” My gaze travels to the curse fire seeker on the floor. “Maybe that thing over there did it?”

  Rhyland shakes his head. “He’s been in the mirror the entire time it’s been here.”

  “Then how did he get out just now?” I question, shifting as the glass underneath my knees pokes through my jeans.

  “We coaxed him out”—Rhyland scratches the corner of his eye—“by threatening your life.” He watches my reaction closely.

  I rub my lips together, unsure what I feel over the fact that he just admitted they threatened to kill me. Perhaps I can’t feel much fear because the pain in my chest is fogging up my brain. Or maybe because, for the first time, I finally don’t feel so crazy. That in itself is enough relief to not make me panic.

  I should probably ask if they really would’ve killed me, but I’m not sure I want to know the answer. So, instead, I deflect.

  “What is he? I know he’s a curse fire seeker, but what is that exactly?”

  Alex glances back at his brothers before focusing on me again. “How do you know about this?”

  I sluggishly lift my shoulder. “There was a book in the library.”

  “That’s what you were doing today when I had to bail your ass out of getting detention?” A smirk takes over Blaise’s face.

  I glower at him. “You didn’t bail me out. I was about to run away and save my own ass, but you butted in.”

  “With your luck, you probably would’ve tripped,” Blaise quips with a haughty grin.

  My fingers curl into fists. Even with deathly pain searing through my bones, he still manages to get under my skin.

  “Blaise,” Rhyland warns. “Not right now.”

  Blaise’s lips twitch in annoyance, but he keeps his lips zipped. Then Rhyland cups my face and stares into my eyes.

  “I know you’re probably terrified—”

  Blaise snorts. “She doesn’t look very frightened. In fact, I think she might be enjoying this.”

  I glare at him while Rhyland sighs exhaustedly

  “Anyway,” Rhyland continues, “whether you’re frig
htened or not, I’m sure you have a lot of questions. And while we can probably answer some of them, we’re running out of time.”

  I clutch his arms as the agony in my chest pulsates outward and floods my body. “W-why?”

  “Because that pain you’re feeling right now is from the claiming spell the fire curse seeker just threw inside you,” he explains remorsefully. “Since I just killed him, and the claiming spell can’t connect your soul to his, it’s going to kill you.”

  “I’m going to die?” I croak out.

  Then who will take care of my sisters?

  “Not technically. But only if you let us help you,” Rhyland whispers softly while becoming transfixed with my mouth.

  “Are you going to drink my soul?” I whisper as tears sting my eyes. I suck those dirty bastards back, though. I’m not going to break down now, even if this is my end.

  Rhyland swiftly shakes his head. “We’re going to link your soul to ours.”

  A tear manages to escape. “You mean, claim and bond with me for all eternity?”

  “It’s not quite as tragic as it sounds.” Rhyland offers me a small smile. “We’re not as bad as we first come off. You just took us off guard.” He swipes the tear away with his thumb, the contact leaving a trail of heat along my cheek.

  An uneven breath falters from my lips. “How?”

  “Because it’s been a long time since we’ve crossed paths with another who is immune to our magic, our charms, our kiss of soul death.” He must read the confusion on my face because he adds, “Up here, in the human world, we can’t control our powers very well, which means, if we charmingly smile at someone, they become transfixed with us. Or if we touch someone without having a good reign over our powers, we could end up killing them.” He skims my cheekbones with his fingers, his gaze enraptured by my lips. “And when we try to kiss someone—”

  “You drink their souls.” I swallow a tremulous breath. “You guys didn’t happen to …” I seal my lips together as the mention of the dream almost spills from my lips.

  “If you’re talking about the dream, the answer is yes,” Alex answers, carrying my gaze.

  “Oh.” I sink into silence as a tearing sensation sears my chest.

  “Tell us it’s okay to do it. Tell us we can save you.” Rhyland almost begs as the four cloaked figures surround me.