Page 4 of Cursed

The familiar swirling magic stirs in my soul. I grab Branden’s throat like he’s doing to me. Surprising Branden, I turn my head, push forward, and give him a kiss on the mouth.

But instead of him remembering me, he twists my head back and sinks his teeth into my jugular.

A euphoric orgasm hits me out of nowhere due to his bite in the physical world.

As I blast out of his dreamscape, I grab our bond’s red cord to take him with me. I shout, with all my energy, “Wake up!”

2

REGRETS

BRANDEN

Iwake to find Shayla underneath me, eyes closed, pale, and fang punctures on her neck. Blood dribbles down her ashen skin, creating a strange tableau of mesmerizing vampiric beauty. Her head is twisted at an unnatural angle.

Rourke is yelling and pulling on my shoulder.

Fuck. Did I just kill my love? Mymate?

Did I drain her in my sleep?

Without my resistance now, Rourke flings me off her body.

I land on the ground several feet away from the bed. His attention is all on her though. But I can’t bear to look at her—at what I’ve done.

I remember my dream… my nightmare terrors—my father torturing my sister and me, making us hurt each other. And then a dark angel appeared, shimmering darkness—claiming me. Telling me that she loved me… telling me it would be okay.

I only desired to consume all her beauty.

Rourke leans in, listens for a breath, and then to her chest for a heartbeat. “No!” he howls, throwing his head back like the shifters of old when they lost a fated.

“Is she…?” I overcome my fear of facing the consequence of my actions and hurry to her side.

Rourke looks at me, eyes flaming. “You killed my mate.”

“I killedourmate,” I say softly, wishing I were wrong… that I was still in my nightmare, but now I’m in a new one.

Fortunately, Rourke doesn’t shove me away but allows me to see Shayla’s condition for myself. I kiss her forehead, and a tear… actual tear falls from me onto her face. I can’t remember the last time I cried. This beautiful soul has destroyed my carefully constructed walls and now she’s gone.

Goddess, I don’t know how I will survive this. And my relationship with Rourke won’t survive this. He will blame me.Iwill blame myself.

Maybe I should just start killing all the fucking assholes on my list and see how far I get before I join Shayla beyond the veil.

As I pull away, I brush my thumb over her lush lips—one last time, taking my tear with me.

But quick as lightning… or as a vamp, Shayla’s teeth snap down on my hand. She has fucking fangs, and she instantly draws blood.

I almost yank my hand from her bite out of sheer instinct. Instead, I let her suck down my blood… taking back what I had stolen from her moments ago.

Rourke gasps and falls backward on the bed, eyes and mouth wide from shock. “Is she…? How is she?Whatthe fuckisshe?”

Shayla opens her eyes halfway and blinks lazily, looking drugged. My toxin… it’s fully within her now. “I need you, Mi Sangre Amor,” she says, finally replenished with my blood.

Still naked from our mating, Shayla’s body undulates. Her hand slides over her ample breasts. Her nipples are already pebbling with arousal. Then her tiny hand slips between her legs, and she moans.

“She returns from death…horny?” Rourke asks in complete disbelief.

“My blood is in her system… it’s making her react this way.” I shake my head, trying to understand what’s happening. “Which means she isn’treallya vampire.” But she has little fangs.

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