Maddening

  “So you’re saying you don’t think I’m rock solid?” He sounds annoyingly doubtful.

  I give a nonchalant shrug. “How do I know? I only touched you once.” My fingers twitch at my sides. “But maybe if I give it another try, I’ll have a better answer.”

  His brow cocks. “You want to touch me again?”

  I waver, questioning what the right answer is. But when I come up blank, I decide to go with the truth. “Yeah.”

  He stares at me for an unnerving amount of time, to the point where I become fairly sure he’s going to say no. But then he shrugs. “Fine, if you must.”

  I attempt not to get too overly eager as I reach forward and line my palm to his chest. But the instant my hand touches him, my heart starts to beat wildly. My legs begin to tremble as I run my hands over him, moving from the top of his chest to his abs. Then I trail my fingers across his collarbone, his chest, his stomach, all the way to the bottom of his shirt. When I reach the top of his waistband, my knuckles graze his skin. I shiver from the connection and repeat the movement again and again…

  “Heartley,” Caspian growls out, sounding in pain. “I think you need to…” His words fade as I let my fingers wander underneath the waistband of his jeans.

  I have no clue what I’m doing or why I’m doing it. All I know is that it feels so good, like my body is starved and finally getting a tiny taste of food for the very first time. And I want more.

  My hands travel further downward…

  “I don’t even know what I’m doing…” My dazed voice sounds so foreign. “Should I stop—”

  His lips abruptly come down on mine so hard I swear I’m going to have a bruise. As quickly as the kiss began, though, he pulls back. His eyes are wild and filled with a hunger I can’t comprehend, but the sight makes my stomach twist in the strangest, most wonderful way.

  “Oh my God, you’re driving me crazy, which is saying a lot,” he growls and then crashes his lips against mine again.

  I groan as he bites my bottom lip and then parts my lips with his tongue. Never, ever have I felt anything like this. The blistering heat, the crazed frenzy, the hammering of my heart, the desire blazing through me. I want more. Crave more.

  I open my mouth and reach for him, preparing to devour him the same way he’s devouring me. But then my body chills, as if someone doused me with ice water. From in the house somewhere, a clock chimes twelve.

  “Happy birthday to me,” I mumble then kiss Caspian.

  “I’m so sorry, Heartley,” Caspian whispers, his voice sounding so far away.

  I jerk back and catch a glimpse of unfamiliar dark red eyes staring at me before pain rips through my body.

  “I’m not going to give this one up so easily,” a voice hisses. “If you try to take her, I’ll come for her. Over and over again.”

  I hear Caspian shout something, but his words echo away as everything goes black.

  Chapter 8

  Pain tears through my body, like vines ripping apart my flesh as I tumble into unconsciousness. I try to clasp onto reality, but every time my fingers reach the light, the pain becomes too overwhelming. So much pain. I can barely process anything else. The slamming of fists, a boot getting kicked into my side, hitting the floor…. Red eyes… Those goddamn eyes are burning a hole through me. Then the pain changes, shifts, into something different but almost equally as painful. Needles getting jabbed into my arms, hands slamming against my chest, my stomach being torn open…

  Why is this happening to me…

  The pain… It hurts so bad…

  Be strong. For the briefest moment, I swear I can hear Caspian’s voice through my thoughts.

  Caspian, are you there?

  Silence is my only answer. And pain. So much pain.

  I want to pass out. I want to scream. But I don’t have that much control over my body. Tears burn in my eyes as I continue to tumble into an abyss. And I wonder if I’ll ever quit falling.

  Chapter 9

  When I open my eyes again, I’m lying in a comfy bed with a mountain of pillows under my head and a velvet blanket pulled over me. For the wildest moment—and probably because of the pillows—I wonder if I’m in my cage and that I dreamt the whole Caspian/pain thing up. But when I sit up and look around, I quickly realize the four dark red walls, black tile floor, and dresser in the corner don’t belong to my bedroom. Plus, there are no bars surrounding me.

  “Where the heck am I?” I mutter, scratching my head. “And how did I get here?”

  And what about that pain I felt?

  I shudder as I remember the agony, then glance down at my body, expecting my skin to be covered in wounds and nasty bruises. But I can’t find a scratch anywhere. I glance at a mirror on the wall and take in my reflection. The last time I looked in the mirror was… Well, I really can’t remember. But it’s been several years. The person staring back at me with wildly untamed black curls, big eyes, and full lips feels like a stranger. Yet, it has to be me since when I touch my lips, the girl does too. I’m not wearing the same clothes as I had on, though; black shorts and a matching T-shirt now covering my body. I wonder who changed me. Then I wonder if I should be weirded out about it since it was probably a stranger. I don’t feel very much of anything, though, except for confusion. Lots and lots of confusion. I try to recollect what happened, but nothing but darkness comes to me. Well, that and red eyes. But who—or what—did they belong to?

  Just as the question crosses my mind, viney thorns map across my arms and weave up to my shoulders.

  “What’s happening to me?” I mumble, my wide eyes fixed on the moving vines.

  “You’re in transition.”

  My head snaps up and my eyes zone in on a gorgeous and very familiar guy leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed and a cautious expression on his face.

  “Caspian?” My hands tremble with the need to touch him and my lips beg to be sealed to his again.

  The reaction is bizarre and—considering I have no clue what’s going on—completely unwelcomed at the moment. Well, almost.

  “What is going on with me?” I ask, my gaze bouncing back and forth between him and my arms.

  “You’re transitioning.” He speaks slowly, as if he thinks I’m an idiot. “I already explained this to you, Heartley, back at your place.” He straightens and takes a measured step toward me. “Your curse has been put into play and now you’re turning into a Maddening.”

  Insert deflation on my part. “But I didn’t even get my few normal hours. Talk about a bummer.”

  His brow crooks. “That’s what you’re worried about right now?”

  “Sort of.” But I guess that does seem a bit strange. “Okay then, here’s a better question. Why am I cursed?” My gaze flicks back and forth between him and the vines crawling across my skin. “Because you never did explain that part to me. And what was that thing with the red eyes? And what is this place?” I gesture at the room, but my hand falls to my side as a darkness stirs inside me, mapping the same path as the vines on my flesh.

  Feed.

  Devour.

  Break.

  Feed.

  Devour.

  Break.

  I don’t know why, but I get up and step toward him. He matches the move, reducing the space between us until he’s standing close enough for me to touch him. Then he tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear.

  “Look, I’m not very good with these sorts of things,” he says. “I don’t do well with others, which is why I’ve spent so much time alone. But I promised Leader I’d train and take care of you and after that kiss…” His gaze flits to my lips, then he blinks and looks back at me. “But anyway, I’m going to make sure you’re trained properly.”

  “Trained for what?” I ask, my fingers itching to touch him.

  “To become a superhero,” he replies with a shrug.

  At first I think perhaps I heard him wrong, but when he remains silent, I gape at him. “You think I can become a superhero? Wow, did I
take some of your sanity away?”

  He struggles not to chuckle. “No. And trust me, becoming a superhero is better than the alternative.”

  “Which is?”

  “Stealing minds to feed your inner hunger.” He places his hand to the center of my chest, shuts his eyes, and breathes in deeply. “I can smell the hunger all over you right now.”

  My heart flutters in my chest, mainly from his touch. “And you’re not afraid of me? That I’ll try to steal your mind?”

  A smirk forms on his face as he opens his eyes. “You could try, but you wouldn’t succeed.” His hand slips up the front of me, curves across my neck, before finally residing on my cheek. “I’m way too strong.”

  “Oh.” Puzzlement weaves through me. “So what exactly do I have to do to become a superhero? And what was the thing with the red eyes? And who cursed me—how did I get cursed?”

  “Leader will explain all of that to you later,” he says, and I have the feeling he’s purposefully avoiding answering my questions. “But he refuses to come in until I take care of you.”

  “Take care of me how?”

  “By feeding your craving for insanity.”

  I’m about to ask him how he’ll do that when he yanks me against him. At first I think he’s going to kiss me, but instead he holds my body tightly against him, until our chests, hips, legs—everything—is fused together. A warmth flickers inside me, a slow burning that works into a scorching fire. The fire keeps spreading, kissing my skin until I can barely breathe. I can almost feel Caspian inside me, or his power anyway. Hot and scorching and powerful. And strangely, sedating.

  “Oh my God, that feels so good….” I moan, my head tipping back as my body slumps toward the floor. “Is it always supposed to feel this way?”

  He catches me in his arms, his eyes scorching with something I don’t recognize. “Not even close.”

  That’s the last thing I hear before my eyelids slip shut.

  A memory tickles my mind.

  “I’m coming for you,” the thing with red eyes whispers. “Your parents—they promised you to me. And I’m not about to let Caspian have you.”

  Fear ravels through my body, but fizzles as Caspian’s power consumes every inch of me. Then I surrender to the wildfire roaring inside me. Still, though, I fear what’s waiting for me when I open my eyes again.

  Chapter 10

  Leader

  “That went better than I expected,” I announce to my colleague as I return to my office. I run my fingers through my white and blue hair then drop down into a chair. “She’s very powerful too... I could see the power flowing off of her from the viewing window.”

  He leans back in the chair he’s sitting in, fidgeting restlessly. “I still can’t believe you brought a half Maddening, half jinn in here. I swear, you’re losing your damn mind. No pun intended.”

  “There was no other way around it—we need her to be trained.” I slant back in my chair and rest my hands on my lap. “And no one can know about Caspian. I didn’t even want you knowing, but you just had to go snooping through my files.”

  “I wasn’t snooping,” he insists. “I was looking for some paperwork on project Mist.”

  He’s such a liar. He was snooping to see how I planned on training the Maddening. When he found out about Caspian, he reacted just like I expected—he freaked out. Honestly, I don’t blame him. Caspian is a very powerful Maddening with jinn bloodlines, but he’s a friend of mine and I trust him… sort of.

  “Sure you were.” I swivel in my chair, replaying how the Maddening looked through the window… the vines on her skin, the darkness swirling in her eyes, her blood red lips.

  She’s not only beautiful, but powerful—a perfect combination. I just need to make sure she understands who’s in charge of her now. Not Caspian, but me. But until her power is under control, I don’t even dare go near her. I just hope Caspian will keep himself in check, that the hint of desire mixed with empathy I saw in his eyes won’t turn into anything more. I wouldn’t think too much of it except I’ve known him for years and never once have I seen him convey any sort of emotion besides irritation and arrogance.

  I’ll need to keep an eye on him.

  “So who’s next?” my colleague asks, pulling me out my thoughts.

  I lean forward and open up my file. “Ava Mikiley. She’ll be turning eighteen in a few days. Her godmother was actually the person who put the curse on her.” Painful memories pierce at my heart as I read the file, but I refuse to feel the pain—feel the past. “She traded her godchild’s life so she could get a boyfriend.”

  My colleague doesn’t seem as bothered as I am. “Sucks for the kid, but it’s good for us, right?”

  I don’t agree with him at all. While I need my superheroes, I hate reading about who cursed these girls. And all for what? Money? A high social status? Temporary love? I’ve been in their shoes before and it hurts like a bitch, which is why I’ve avoided telling them the entire truth, about their curses, who collects the curses, and what lies ahead for them. Because while they will become superheroes, nothing will ever be the same for them again.

  “What’s the update on the portal?” I ask my colleague, trying to distract myself from the pity I feel for Heartley and Remi, who’s still struggling to get a grasp on her soul thirst.

  His mouth plummets to a frown, but he hurriedly shakes the look off. “The last I checked, it was the same. No portals have fully opened yet and no paranormals have entered our world.”

  I think he might be lying, but why?

  “You know it’s your job to tell me if the situation has escalated,” I remind him, closing the file. “You need to keep me updated, even if the updates are bad.”

  “I know that and I am keeping you updated. And, like I said, the situation hasn’t changed. If you don’t believe me, check the data yourself.” He checks his watch then rises to his feet. “If you’ll excuse me, I have a meeting to attend.” He rushes out of my office before I can get another word out.

  I check the data on my computer and it matches what my colleague said. No portals have opened. No paranormals have escaped. Still, something doesn’t feel right.

  I sit back in my chair and thrum my fingers against my knee. Something is definitely up and I need to find out what. So, I think after I’ve sent out my zombie to help Ava with her transition, I’m going to find a cyborg to tail my colleague and see what he’s up to. Besides, in about a week, I’m going to have to find a cyborg for my next project anyway.

  Author Note

  Dear Reader,

  I hope you enjoyed Maddening (Cursed Superheroes, #2). Just a little info about the series. The Cursed Superheroes series follows five girls as they learn how to be superheroes who kick butt. Each novella is told from a different character's POV, and there will be multiple novellas for each character.

  Hope you enjoy this fun superhero world and thanks for reading!

  Best,

  Jessica Sorensen

  About the Author

  Jessica Sorensen is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who lives in the snowy mountains of Wyoming. When she’s not writing, she spends her time reading and hanging out with her family.

  Also by Jessica Sorensen

  Other books by Jessica Sorensen:

  Cursed Superheroes Series:

  Cursed

  Maddening

  Untitled (coming soon)

  Lexi Ashford:

  The Diary of Lexi Ashford

  The Diary of Lexi Ashford 2

  The Diary of Lexi Ashford 3 (coming soon)

  Shadow Cove Series:

  What Lies in the Darkness

  What Lies in the Dark (coming soon)

  Mystic Willow Bay Witches Series:

  The Secret Life of a Witch

  The Secret Life of a Witch 2

  The Secret Life of a Witch 3

  The Secret Life of a Witch 4(coming soon)

  The Heartbreaker Society:

  The Op
posite of Ordinary

  The Heartbreaker Society: The Deal

  Standalones:

  The Forgotten Girl

  The Illusion of Annabella

  Confessions of a Kleptomaniac

  Rules of a Rebel and a Shy Girl

  Broken City Series:

  Nameless

  Forsaken

  Oblivion

  Forbidden (coming soon)

  Guardian Academy Series:

  Entranced

  Entangled

  Enchanted

  Enticed (coming soon)

  Guardian Academy, Dash’s Series:

  The Forest of Shadow and Bones

  The Forest of Shadow and Bones 2 (coming soon)

  Sunnyvale Series:

  The Year I Became Isabella Anders

  The Year of Falling in Love

  The Year of Second Chances

  The Year of Kai & Isa (coming soon)

  Unraveling You Series:

  Unraveling You

  Raveling You

  Awakening You

  Inspiring You

  Sins & Secrets:

  Sins & Secrets

  Sins & Secrets 2

  The Coincidence Series:

  The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden

  The Redemption of Callie and Kayden

  The Destiny of Violet and Luke

  The Probability of Violet and Luke

  The Certainty of Violet and Luke

  The Resolution of Callie and Kayden

  Seth & Greyson

  The Secret Series:

  The Prelude of Ella and Micha

  The Secret of Ella and Micha

  The Forever of Ella and Micha

  The Temptation of Lila and Ethan

  The Ever After of Ella and Micha

  Lila and Ethan: Forever and Always