Page 36 of Conquered Obstacles

And everyone around us gasped.

“What are we not seeing?” I asked my brothers.

“Holy fuck,” Mary breathed.

“What is it, Niece?” Hades answered.

“He scarred them,” Mary whispered. “They look like they’ve been in a fire or—there’s scars on their faces and necks.”

“Enjoy your curses,” Colton purred as he grabbed onto the ropes of the ring. “And no, they won’t go away if you or your family kill me. You’re stuck with them then. You do anything to my family and the curse is locked. It can only be lifted if I forgive you. Good luck with that.”

“You will regret this, Cole!” one screamed as she felt her face. “Get me a damn mirror.”

“Use your phone, idiot,” the other snapped, breaking down sobbing as she stared at her phone. “He deformed me.”

“We’re too powerful to see it,” I muttered. “Kary, get us pictures so we can, yeah?”

“Of course,” she agreed before slipping away.

Colton went back to Barb and held his hand over her. She came around with a gasp.

“You cheated and—” she accused.

“Shut up, dog,” the ancient who officiated the fight growled as he lifted her up by her hair. “Do not besmirch my honor that I can’t tell when magic is used. You are lazy and uncoordinated. I would be embarrassed if you were a vampire to call you one of ours. I’m sure wolves feel the same.”

“I won, Barbara Kraft,” Colton chuckled as he squatted down so they were at eye level. “Just remember, you gave me permission for this with all of these witnesses. I don’t think your parents will ever control you, and as much as I hate you, Jamie would feel pain if you died and never changed into a decent person. Beating you would only go so far.

“Even after your grandmother came back as a minion of Hades to whip sense into you, you’re still full of piss and vinegar. So now I get to do what I’ve been dying to since the first time you gave Arabella any fucking grief, you whiney pathetic bitch.” He moved his hand over her face and I felt strong magic pulse. It built in waves but then covered her like a coating.

“What did you do to my daughter?” Mr. Kraft demanded when Colton stood.

He barely spared the man a glance. “What you should have. Trained the feral bitch of your family.”

Barb opened her mouth but then puked. I blinked at her and couldn’t seem to understand what I was seeing.

But Poseidon did, throwing back his head and laughing. “He cursed her to vomit anytime she wants to speak bile about you or others. Oh, what a fitting training tool.”

“She’ll die of rotted insides within a month even with her rapid healing,” Hades said, his tone amused. “I like the poetic justice of that.”

“Knowing Colton, there’s more to it,” Mary muttered in between bites of her cake, back in her place next to my chair.

She was right. There was definitely more knowing Colton.

He grabbed his shirt and shoes before moving over the ropes. He came right for me and knelt in front of my chair, lowering his head even.

“I know I have wronged you. I know things went too far and I—I didn’t understand it all. I didn’t see it as you did—I couldn’t. I couldn’t even until what Cora said. I thought… I was wrong. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Arabella. I never wanted—I just wanted to be with you. I wanted you in my life even if you were the reason so much of my life was a mess.

“You made it all so much better. You made me happy like I’d never felt. But I heard you that you wouldn’t want to be with me as I am. You don’t want a priest at your side. You don’t want me with the history of my bloodline and all that has happened.”

“It’s not that simple,” I whispered.

He nodded. “I know. I heard you and thought a lot about it. You wanted Colton the human you could have a simple life with.” He let out a slow breath and raised his head, swallowing loudly. “Take my power. Make me human. If that’s what you need to give me a chance to be in your heart again, I—take it.”

“Colton, no,” Nicole cried out.

“You fool,” I rasped. “No. Never.”

He shook his head. “I don’t want it. It’s brought me so much—my family so much grief. I want you. You brought me happiness and a chance for—you were the light I finally felt in so much darkness, Arabella. If being human is—”

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