Page 34 of The Cursed Fae

I had never dated another supernatural before, and maybe that was the reason being in Laz's embrace felt so magical. Literal magic burned between us, our powers calling to each other.

“What're you doing down here all by yourself?” he asked, voice barely above a whisper.

“Admiring the view,” I replied.

“Oh, yeah?” He leaned his forehead against mine, the skin-to-skin contact sending tingles spreading from my core. “What do you think?”

“Haven't decided yet,” I teased.

His hands traveled to my hips. Even through my heavy coat and Astrid's jeans, his touch made my head spin. I barely knew Laz, but the physical attraction was undeniable. I wanted to kiss him. More than I'd wanted anything in an extremely long time—more than I'd wanted anyone ever.

Before I could overthink the moment, I tilted my head back and parted my lips. Laz didn't hesitate, his confidence speaking directly to my libido. His mouth covered mine. I leaned into it, winding my arms around his neck and pulling him closer. Laz tugged my hips against his.

Cognizant of the fact that we weren't alone on that beach, I broke off the kiss before. Fireworks didn't explode or anything, but the moment left me breathless. I stared up into Laz's eyes. His features truly were perfect. But the attraction ran deeper for me. He knew I was fae. No other guy I'd ever kissed could say the same.

Laz stiffened against me. At first, I worried he regretted the kiss—that the desire wasn't mutual. His eyes widened as his jaw dropped open.

“What? What is it?” I demanded, the ominous feeling returning with a vengeance.

“Vampires,” he stammered. “Vampires in the water.”

I whipped around, heart racing in my chest. Three speedboats zipped over the water, a round, pale face at the helm of each. My breath caught. Blackness crept around the periphery of my vision. Behind me, screams filled the night as those farther from the water noticed the fanged invasion.

Laz yanked my arm, but my feet refused to budge. “Winter, come on!” he snapped.

The first boat reached the shore. I couldn't tear my eyes away from the male vampire at the helm. I recognized the evil grin, the flash of his sharp fangs. But it wasn't possible. I had watched him burn, seen the smoke with my own eyes. I'd killed him.

Laz pulled so hard on my arm that my shoulder wrenched. The pain barely registered. The vampire's red-rimmed eyes searched the beach. His lip curled back when our gazes locked. I heard his cold, terrifying voice inside my head.

“There you are little faeling.”

Blue light streaked across the beach like a magical thunderbolt aimed at my chest. Hands shoved my shoulders, knocking me to the ground and out of harm's way. Laz collapsed over me, body limp and unmoving. This time, the scream that split the night came from my throat.

Chapter eleven

Beach Blanket Bloodbath

“Laz!” I shrieked his name as blood pounded in my ears.

A groan escaped his lips. My next sob caught in my throat. He was alive. Thank Gaia. At least he was alive.

I rolled Laz's weight off me and crouched beside him in the icy sand. He twitched and jerked as though electrocuted.

“Laz. Talk to me. Please,” I begged, tears pricking the backs of my eyes. There was no time to cry. Tears were useless weapons against vampires.

Laz's eyelids fluttered. “R-r-r-run, Winter,” he wheezed. “Go. Now.”

I shook my head, my hair lashing in the wind. “No. No way. I won't leave you.” Placing a hand on his forehead, I smoothed the hair back from his sweaty face. “It's okay. Everything is going to be okay.”

That was a lie.

The boats with the rest of the vampires had reached the beach. My classmates ran, but the path up the bluffs from the cove was too narrow and hysteria had destroyed logic. The icy conditions didn't help either. As the vampires trudged out of the water, the students slipped and slid in the crush.

I caught sight of Astrid as she scrambled up the embankment to the parking lot. She'd nearly made it to the top when her feet slid out from under her, and she tumbled back down to the beach. Torn, my gaze flew between her and Laz, who was still laying on the ground.

A female vampire in fishnets and cutoffs changed course mid-pursuit, shifting her focus from Justin and his friend Pablo to Astrid. I shouted a warning, but the words caught in my throat. The screech was lost in the breeze. Horrified, I watched Astrid sit up and bring trembling fingers to her temple. Even from a distance, with my average eyesight, it was obvious she was bleeding.

Fishnets wasn't the only vamp affected. Several other bloodsuckers stopped to smell the fresh scent of copper filling the air. Astrid appeared too dazed to notice that she was about to be the main course at an all-you-can-drink buffet. Bloodlust consumed Fishnets and the other vampires, blinding them to their own vulnerabilities. Not one of them noticed the flaming orbs streaking their way.

---