Page 59 of Cursed

He didn’t seem bothered by my outburst, and I wanted to kick him.

“I didn’t say that.”

“Then— what—”

Valen stepped forward, and I raised a hand to stop him. My magic surged forward and the pale violet smoke that enveloped my hands seemed stronger than before—but not by much. Not enough to deter him.

His eyebrow rose, but he didn’t stop until my hand was pressed flat against his muscled chest.Why had I thought that my magic would have kept him at bay?

“You don’t need to trust me,” he said. “We can be… transactional.”

“What—” I hissed.

His smile was infuriating.

“Don’t you want someone to talk to— someone to lean on? I can be that for you. I’ll teach you—”

“In exchange for taking advantage of me?” I countered.

He tilted his head. “Mutual advantage, I think.”

My pulse raced, and I struggled to draw a full breath. He had drawn near enough for me to catch the faintest scent of earth and magic on him—a heady blend that intoxicated me. I could feel the magnetic pull between us… being this close to him was… dangerous.

Why was I so stupid?

“Valen…” I warned, but it didn’t sound as strong as I’d intended.

The shadows stirred uneasily around us, but I was trapped in the depths of his gaze.

“You don’t have to be afraid,” he murmured. His voice was a seductive caress, and before I could respond, he grabbed my wrist and pulled me against his chest.

Before I could register what was happening, his lips were on mine and every hurt, every insult, even their betrayal—it all fell away as a desperate lust filled my veins.

As much as I hated them—I wanted them. Bastian, Titus, Valen—all three.

Valen’s lips moved against mine, and my mouth opened under his as his hands moved over my body and tugged at the edge of my sweater dress.

His cock was hard, pressing against my stomach, and I moaned to feel how much he wanted me.

Tears of frustration stung at my eyes, hot and angry, but they dissolved into hazy yearning under Valen’s touch. His hands explored the curves of my body with ruthless precision, and I tangled my fingers in the loose strands of his tousled hair. His warm lips tasted of forbidden magic and bewitching darkness—a whirlpool of danger and desire that I was all too willing to drown in.

“Valen…” I whimpered, but my protest was choked off by another greedy kiss.

His rough hand slipped up to cup my breast through the fabric of my dress, and an all-consuming wave of arousal coursed through me as he groaned against my lips. Yet even as I succumbed to his tantalizing touch, a part of me recoiled at every kiss, every caress. This was wrong—so incredibly wrong. But beneath his commanding presence and amidst the breathless kisses—it all felt so disturbingly right.

My head fell back as his mouth moved over my jaw and down my throat.

Suddenly, an icy shiver raced down my spine. My pulse stuttered as an agonizing stab of pain shot through my mind like a bolt of lightning.

The eerie whispers from the grimoire crescendoed into a deafening roar as vision after horrifying vision assaulted me.

My mother—beautiful and cold. But instead of rotting flesh—she was alive… gorgeous and aloof.

But something was wrong. Her black eyes were filled with fear, and tears spilled down her cheeks as she fell to her knees on rich carpet.

Begging for mercy.

A shadow loomed over her and she stiffened— Her red lips parted as shadowy fingers stretched and flexed around her throat.

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