Page 11 of The Curse

“It’s my duty to protect you because you’re connected to Corbin, and he was the high witch of my coven. If he were living, that’s what he’d expect me to do.” He winked at me. “So, I’m doing it. Please don’t make my job difficult.”

My eyes narrowed. “When you said some people survived and some didn’t, what, exactly, did you mean?”

“I meant just what I said, Nico. Some people were simply injured when they tried to cross the threshold. Some were incinerated. Some were blown off the front porch and flew through the air, toppling right over the cliff. Bottom line is this, we ain’t going in there.”

I studied his words and found myself surprised that I was still contemplating going inside. For some reason that I couldn’t begin to explain or understand, it felt it was worth the risk. It wasn’t, however, worth risking Alastair’s safety. While I wanted to go home and rehash everything that I’d learned today, I still had more questions, so many things I couldn’t begin to understand.

“If…if Nicodemus and Corbin were lovers, and Nicodemus committed suicide on his twenty-fifth birthday, where did I come from? I mean…well, you know what I mean. It sounds like it should have all ended with the death of Nicodemus, but the family name, and curse, made it through several more generations.”

“I don’t know, Nico. There was never anything written about Nicodemus having a child, nor did he have any brothers or sisters. It doesn’t add up, but trust me on this, there’s no doubt you are one hundred percent Bailey, a direct descendent of Nicodemus Bailey.”

“Morgan said something as she fired me. Something about him getting one of her associates pregnant.”

Alastair’s eyes widened. “Really? Well, that would explain it, all right. If it’s true.” His frown deepened. “What’s this curse you keep talking about?”

“Oh, nothing important,” I said sarcastically. “I just found out that apparently, all the Bailey men commit suicide on their twenty-fifth birthday. Dead and gone. Happy one day. Suicide the next. Sometimes they shoot themselves. Sometimes they hang themselves. One drove straight off a cliff. Nicodemus started it all by walking off a cliff.” My eyes returned to the house. “And I’m up to bat next.” I tried for a grin but probably just ended up looking sick. “My twenty-fifth birthday is coming up on May fifteenth.”

“Shit,” he whispered in disbelief. “Shit, Nico. This is bad. They all committed suicide? On their birthday?”

“All of them,” I confirmed. “On a bright note, I don’t feel suicidal,” I said with a weak laugh. “I hate pain, and I kinda like me.”

“Not funny, Nico. If it’s a spell, placed by a witch, how you feel about living or dying won’t matter. If the witch is powerful, the spell will succeed.” He started walking toward the Ninja. “Come on, Nico. Let’s head back to town. I need to talk to my mom and some of the other coven members. I don’t have a clue how to keep you safe from this spell.”

Ah, a spell instead of a curse, but just as bad. Perfect. I followed behind Alastair. “Who would cast a spell that caused the Bailey men to kill themselves? And why? From the information I received, none of the other descendants lived in Salem or Marblehead. They all moved away and tried to start a new life. What witch would benefit from making them suffer and then die?”

Alastair climbed onto the bike and motioned for me to hurry up.

“Tell me, Alastair,” I demanded. “Morgan? No, Morgan wouldn’t have been alive then. Who?”

“Maybe Corbin himself,” he whispered.

“Corbin?” I asked in disbelief. “But…I thought he and Nicodemus loved each other? Why would he cast a spell that would hurt the family of the man he loved?”

He shrugged. “Gotta talk to the coven, Nico. Give me some time. Can we meet for lunch tomorrow? I’ll know more by then.”

I climbed onto the bike and answered, “Sure.” I forced my eyes not to look up at the house again. If I did, I wouldn’t be able to make myself leave, as the urge to go inside was almost too strong to ignore. Instead of following my heart, I pointed the bike back toward the hidden drive and started back in the direction we’d come. With every mile that passed, my heart grew heavier and heavier.

Other than Nicodemus’s past life, what was my link to that house? Why did I feel like that when I’d pulled away, I’d made the biggest mistake of my life? Was there something to this reincarnation thing after all?

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