This Curse: (The Grace Allen Series Book 2 ) (13 page)

I entered the club without a backward glance, the
stares of the curious wolves a caress at my back.

The music was a roaring, confusing knot of bass and
mumbling voices. I approached the bar. The bartender was leaning close to a
pretty human woman. She was young. Barely sliding by on a fake ID from the look
of her. I smiled and made my way to her side. Leaning down, I whispered in her
ear. Her eyes glazed and she was suddenly up, heading towards the exit. I slid
into her spot and crossed my legs.

“What’ll it be?” The handsome young werewolf smiled
and then his Irish brogue stumbled when he looked at me.

“
Ahh
, an Irishman,” I sighed as I regarded
him. “Yum,” I smiled, “I just love the Irish.” I leaned forward smiling at his
frozen expression, “One word from your lips,” I reached out and slid a finger
across his bottom lip, “is music to my ears.” He pulled his lip into his mouth
and closed his eyes. “How about you go and fetch your boss?” When he opened his
eyes they had changed from brown to a deep gold color and his pupils had
enlarged. Funny, I didn’t think he could taste much from just my touch. I
nodded when he began to move. “There’s a good puppy.” I stood and walked away
smiling.

I made my way to the edge of the dance floor and
stood back, watching. Bodies moved about in a constant mimic of more sensual
things. Thighs touched, shoulders bumped, and hands sought to grasp even the
smallest handful of pleasure.

I shook my head.
How many of these clueless women
would be sleeping with a werewolf tonight? How many would be hunted? Run to
ground like sheep?
Too many, I thought and knew they all had to go. 

It was a small matter, compelling them, planting
thoughts.
Soon
, I thought, the crowd would disappear.

I slid into a chair at a small table. The human man
sitting across from me smiled. “Hey, beautiful,” he slurred. “Can I get you a
drink?” He inched his chair closer and I recoiled at the strong acrid stench of
hard alcohol on his breath. I sighed, I hated to be rude so I smiled, “Oh,
thank you, but no.” I said, trying to sound kind but firm. I looked around to
see if my little friend had announced my presence to the higher ups. Nothing
seemed to be happening as of yet and I sighed, slumping back into the chair.

The eager man next to me was getting bolder. He
placed his hand atop mine and I jerked my eyes to his. “You will leave this
place,” I compelled him with a frown. “Find a nice woman and marry her,” I said
and stood as people began to rush about. Something was finally happening.

The dance floor cleared quickly. I glanced around the
room, expecting to see Patrick and the wolves near their special table, but no,
they were moving in from my left and closing in fast.

I walked to the middle of the floor. It was now
completely empty, as all of the humans had vacated. The only patrons left were
of the supernatural persuasion. 

Patrick approached me looking apoplectic. “Grace,
what a pleasant surprise.” He slowed his pace, Christian and Zak flanking him.
“I knew you’d be back once you discovered we have your blood. Only…” he stopped
a few feet from me, “I never
once
thought you would reveal your true
self to us all.” He smiled and it looked a bit maniacal.

“You know what I’m capable of, Patrick. Why so happy
to see me?” I placed my hands on my hips.

“Oh, I’ll get to that, but first, a question.”
Patrick held up one finger and tilted his head, “
Why
? Why let it all
out? Oh, wait a second, that’s
right!”
His sarcasm did little to mask
his anger. “You’re
not
letting it all out, are you? And how do I know
this?
Well
, maybe because I’m not trying to kill everyone in order to
fuck you!
Why is that
?” He tilted his head and folded his arms across
his chest. Fury at what I had done to him when we last met was beating at me in
waves. His anger tasted like grass and moist earth. I inhaled and let my breath
out slowly.

 “You escaped us
,
”
he continued.

His words confused me for a moment and I had to stop
and think. So many things had happened since that last pathetic attempt to
kidnap me, and pathetic it was, because I forgot all about it. I laughed, “Of
course I escaped. Your attempt was a total joke, Patrick. I don’t know why you even
you bothered.”

“We were confident that the ropes would hold. They
were spelled, you know.” I knew and just frowned and shook my head. “
The
ropes
,” he clarified as if I had trouble hearing him the first time. “They
were spelled. But obviously, they were useless.”

“Obviously,” I cocked my hip and yawned. “What the
hell do you want from me, Patrick?” I was getting angry a lot faster than I
thought I would.
Super!

“Well,” he shook his head, as if amused, “the Council
was all for snatching you up again.” He loosened his tie and shrugged out of
his sport coat. The movement suggested he was relaxing.

I tensed.
 

“But things changed the night you revealed to me that
you no longer require the ring. I let them know, and they…” he laughed, “Well,
they
panicked
to put it bluntly. Only Voltaire and I are still in it for
keeps.” He handed his jacket to Zak and began rolling up his sleeves.

“I, of course, realized all sorts of new
possibilities,” he smiled at me. “I just wasn’t sure if they could be put to
use. You see, you have powers that none of us really understand. You have
abilities that no one knows anything about.”

“What are you saying?” I moved back a step. Something
was up. He was being too cocky. I looked around. The wolves were assembled.
They had grouped together, leaning against the walls and pacing in front of the
doors. They were watching,
on guard
. 

I turned to look at Patrick again. “You’re right, you
know,” I said. “I have more powers than you could ever fathom.” 

“Oh, we know,” he said, still smiling. “But Voltaire
can get around you. You can’t read him can you?” He watched my face. I tried to
keep my expression blank. “Ah, you don’t deny or confirm. I’m glad. I wasn’t
sure if he was just being his usual proud, overconfident self.” He leaned
forward, folding his arms. “His power is the opposite of the Madea, he says. So
he can cancel you out; he’s your kryptonite, so to speak.” He finished rolling
his sleeves and then folded his strong arms across his chest again.

“That’s a useful speech, but you can’t prove any of
it.” I smiled and shook my head, “What do you hope to gain, Patrick?”

  “I want
you
, Grace,” he stated simply. “You
are going to strengthen this pack with your blood.” He stepped closer to me.
“Then, my dear girl, I’m going to make you fat with children.”

I felt my mouth drop open in surprise as murmurs
broke out through the room. I was in total shock at his last statement. It was
like a punch in the stomach.

Patrick turned to face his pack and then threw his
fist into the air. “Mighty wolves,” he shouted, “blessed with the magic of
their mother, a full Madea.” The shouts and howls of approval from Patrick’s
pack made my stomach turn. “You will rule at my side,” he continued and I just
shook my head. He was off his rocker! “You will spend your days caring for your
young,
our
young, while feeding our pack your powerful blood.” He spun
in a circle, his wolves hollering and cheering him along.

He was a madman.

“All I need to do is fill you with my seed,” he
smiled. “
One child
, Grace,
your
child,” he chuckled. “And that
melting Madea heart will be mine.”

His words spun in my mind twisting around to dance
with the memory of my visions.
The infant!
Oh my
God
!

“You arrogant son of a bitch.” I spoke low and even,
the smallest shard of true fear cracking through my confidence. “Do you think
that for one second I would allow you to touch me?
Really
?” I felt my
power build. “What makes you think you can hold me? Voltaire may be able to
block my power, but he has no power
over
me.” 

“Oh, we don’t need him for that,” he stated vaguely.
“We have been working on a way to hold you
very
still. Voltaire will
block your ability to work your magic while I get you with child.” He spoke
casually, as if raping me repeatedly were just another check on his to do list.

“You are a fool, Patrick,” I sneered. “An arrogant
fool. What are you planning to do? I don’t see Voltaire?” I closed the distance
between us and poked him in the chest. “You can threaten me all you want,” I
laughed. “But you’re not doing anything to me, not tonight, not
ever
.”

“Voltaire has a plan.” For a moment, Patrick looked
unsure. I sneered at his look of doubt. “He will reveal his intentions in time.”
he thundered.

I shook my head. “Trouble in the ranks? Guess you
won’t be running your grubby little hands all over me after all. Hmmm?” I
mocked.

“Oh, Grace, you are so wrong. In fact, I think you’ll
be eating those words very soon.” He glanced behind me, a small smile played
over his lips, “Remember when I told you that the rope we used was spelled?”

I shrugged. “What of it?”

“Do you know who we got to
spell
that rope?”
his eyebrows rose.

I watched him for a moment, knowing I wasn’t going to
like what was coming. 

“Grace.” The voice chilled me, killing something
inside my soul.

Lucian?
 

I slowly turned, tears rapidly blurring my vision.
Stunned, I watched as the beautiful, golden man that I had once called my
friend held up his right hand. My eyes widened in shock as I stared at the
sizzling ball of energy popping and spitting, spreading out from his palm to
lick his fingertips.
The spell they had used to freeze Voltaire.

I reached out, “Lucian, no!” I screamed.

The energy hit me square in the chest, freezing my
feet to the ground. I could feel the tears sliding down my cheeks. Shock and
betrayal rolled in my stomach. Fear at what Patrick had planned turned my blood
to ice.

“She really is a tender thing, isn’t she?” Lucian
stood beside Patrick as I struggled to move. “Females really shouldn’t be
gifted with so much power, which is why Lydia was such a poor choice to spell
that rope.” Lucian stepped closer to me, allowing the length of his body to
touch mine. “Weakness is a predictable folly for you, Grace; so afraid of
hurting others, even when they are clearly posing a threat to you. The Madea
may have been the ultimate when it came to power but they were ultimately
pathetic for their lack of spine.” He grasped the back of my head and fisted a
handful of my hair in a tight grip. I winced and I sucked in my breath. “You
really are a beautiful creature, Grace.” He looked into my eyes and I saw
nothing there. He was vacant as if his soul had been removed.

A cold chill raced up my spine. Smoke and ash filled
my senses as his lips smashed cruelly into mine. He shoved his tongue deep
inside my mouth and I gagged, coughing into his mouth. His hand moved and found
my breast, sliding beneath the lace of my bra.

It was then that something in me snapped.

Power began to warm my icy limbs as a thousand voices
screamed in my head. Lightening held itself in check at my fingertips and I
smiled through the violence of the kiss. My hair began to whip about, blown by
an internal wind. Lucian jerked back, alarm registered in his handsome face and
I shook my head slowly and met his eyes. I pushed into his head intending to
probe deep into his mind
.

 I couldn’t get in.
 

I stared at him in shock, working it all out, as he
gazed at me in confusion. Then I laughed loudly as the puzzle continued to
piece together in my mind. His eyes grew huge and he backed away.

“Lucian?” Patrick looked around. His wolves were
abandoning the room at a startling rate. 

Lucian grabbed a retreating wolf. “Grab that fucking
girl and go!” He ordered and then he spun and ran from the room.

With any luck, ‘that fucking girl’ was safe, sound,
and eating apples with an extremely cocky vampire.

I smiled at Patrick as I snapped the spell with an
audible crack. The wind emanating from my body whipped tables around like
spinning tops and tossed chairs into the walls as the last of the wolves
scattered and ran away. 

My power zinged through my veins and along my skin
like a Tesla coil. I knew my eyes glowed brilliantly and I smiled and
approached Patrick. The wolves were gone and we were alone. He stood, angry and
proud. As the pack master, he was braver than the rest as he stood his ground.

“I know you’re a proud man, Patrick.
Stupid,
but
proud. Which, in my opinion, are one and the same.” He flinched. “Once I even
thought you were a good man.” I took another slow step toward him. “But you
tried to hurt me, use me in the most appalling and shameful way. I bet you
would have stopped at nothing, Patrick. The mere thought of what you had in
mind for me...” I stood before him. “You are not a bad man, Patrick.” I
frowned. “You. Are. An.
Animal!”
I roared and dropped the mute on my
glamour.