Page 73 of Cursed

Probably not.

He would be in the garage. He was always in the garage.

I stared into the mirror and muttered the words of the spell again and traced the sigil on my palm with my fingertip.

My magic surged, and the whispers in my mind were loud.

Urging me on.

“Bound now to me, this strength remains.

Yours no longer, the magic wanes.”

I wasn’t ready—but I couldn’t back away now.

I pressed the flat of my hand against the dagger.

Courage.

The mansion was silent as I made my way down the stairs and crossed the foyer.

My bare feet whispered against the stones and I carried my heels in one hand.

The night air that brushed over my skin as I stepped out into the darkness was cold enough to make me gasp—but I couldn’t risk wearing more clothing than what I had on. When I was far enough away from the house to risk some noise, I stepped into my heels and smoothed down my dress. The garage doors were open, and music seeped into the night.

Good.

When I stepped into the garage, the scent of oil and metal mingled with the sharp tang of gasoline filled my nostrils and I paused in the doorway to gather my nerves.

Valen was absorbed in his world of machinery. He had tied his wild brown hair back from his forehead, and his t-shirt stretched tight across his muscled chest. My gaze tracked down his arms as his muscles flexed while he tightened a bolt on his sleek motorcycle. The overhead lights cast shadows across his face and emphasized the sharp angles of his jaw as he frowned at his handiwork.

He was so dangerously captivating—and I felt a familiar flutter in my stomach as I remembered the way his hands had felt on my body.

His focus was absolute, and the low rumble of the bike drowned out the sound of my steps as I approached.

I could still turn back—he hadn’t seen me yet.

But I had come here for a reason. This was no time for cowardice.

Only a few steps away from him, I stopped, set my hand on my hip, and lifted my chin.

I felt ridiculous. But it was too late.

“Valen,” I said, but the sound barely broke through the mechanical noise surrounding us.

He looked up, and surprise flickered in his stormy eyes, but only for a moment as his gaze raked over me.

The noise of the bike cut out, and the metal music, something with a hard, driving beat, filled the air.

“Avril.” The corners of his mouth curled upward slightly, but it was a wry expression. He didn’t trust me, either. “What are you doing here?”

My heart beat strangely in my chest, and my throat was tight. I shrugged in what I hoped was a nonchalant gesture. “Looking for you.”

I’d never seduced anyone before—I didn’t even know if it would work.

If he resisted me, then everything I’d hoped to achieve would dissipate like smoke.

Curiosity flickered in his gaze as he stood.

---