Page 151 of Cursed Heirs

She looked out at me, her eyes flaming half gold, half black, making me tense.

In my peripheral vision, I saw my flames starting to rage a little.

I sucked in a breath and I saw her mimic it too, and both of us were able to calm a little.

“Again,” I told her, as she seemed to be taking my cue.

We both did it together and my flames quelled, and her magic started streaming gold without the black magic along for the ride.

“It’s our place,” she told me.

I frowned. “Our place?”

“For when we graduate.”

The moment she put the words out there, she seemed unsure. Unsure about howwe’dtake it.

“I mean, I thought… when we leave here we could, you know, be together? Live together,” she uttered nervously, even blushing.

“Shit, really?”

“Yeah.”

“I fucking love it!”

“Really?” she asked, a cute little smile spreading over her face, even lighting up her eyes.

“No question, firecracker. It’s absolutely happening.”

“What’s happening?” X asked as he and Ore returned to us.

I gestured at Alena’s creation. “This. Alena’s designing it for the four of us. For after graduation.”

X looked absolutely taken with the idea and he started studying the building in detail.

Ore seemed uneasy, though, and more than a little surprised. “That’s what you want?”

“I figured it was a natural progression with the way things had been going with us.” She noticed him looking unsure and pulled back her magic, a crestfallen expression taking her over. “But that’s not what you want, is it?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“That’s exactly it. You haven’t said anything.”

She looked down and clenched her fists.

I saw X looking over worriedly at Ore who discreetly held up his hand, signaling him.

And then he shifted his weight in his sexy purple blazer with the studs that emphasized those broad shoulders and large biceps of his and told Alena, “It’s a bit of a leap for where we’re at right now.”

Alena started shaking her head vehemently, drawing back from us. “You’re lying. It’s because of him. Because of Constantine. You can’t stand that he touched me, what he did to me. I’m ruined to you. Damaged goods.” Her eyes flamed black and gold as she gestured wildly at hermagical creation.“None of this can ever happen now! It’s too late. It’s all destroyed!” She thrust her palm at it, disintegrating it in seconds. “Just like that!” she yelled, completely irate.

“Alena, take a breath,” I urged. “Like we just did.”

But Ore blew right through the chance of that happening, stepping closer to her and telling her, “He did do all of that to you, yes. And he’s still here with you because you’re letting the memory of what he did control you and hold you back, as well as allowing it to trigger you. He’s still impacting you even though you’re safe here with us. Because you’re letting him.”

“Ore!” I cried.

I looked to X for backup that he’d usually be all for providing when Ore crossed a line like this. But this time he shook his head at me, although looking uncertain. He wasn’t sure where exactly Ore was going with all of this, but he was trusting that it was part of a well thought out plan. One to help Alena through this, maybe? Just in a really fucked-up way?

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