Page 31 of The Curse

I frowned. “Where’s Alastair, then?”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to find out. I’ve reached out to him with magic, but there’s nothing there. I have connections with all my coven members, but it feels like my connection with Alastair has been severed.”

A gasp escaped my lips. “He’s…he’s dead? You think he’s dead?” I asked softly. “You think Morgan killed Alastair, don’t you? Oh, fuck. I’m going to kill that bitch. Corbin, there has to be something we can do.” I wasn’t one prone to panic attacks, but I felt one coming on.

“Calm down, babe,” Corbin whispered as he wrapped his arms around me. “Alastair isn’t dead. I would know if he was--I would feel it in my soul. He’s hiding from me, though…or someone is hiding him.”

“Someone’s hiding him? Why would anyone hide him? I don’t…”

Horror slapped me in the face. Morgan had Alastair. She’d taken him because of me--because she couldn’t get to me. I felt Corbin’s arms tighten around me when he realized I understood what happened to my friend. They say your entire life flashes before your eyes when you’re faced with a life-threatening experience, and in my case, I could say that two lives flashed before me, mine and Nicodemus’s. Morgan was going to win. Again.

My decision to go after Alastair was made instantly, but I knew that convincing Corbin that I had no such intentions wouldn’t be easy. My lover would never agree to allow me to enter Morgan’s territory, especially with my ‘death’ looming over us in the next few hours. It was more than going after my friend…so much more. It was about all the shit that Morgan has pulled on the Bailey men over the years, starting with my very own forced suicide as Nico, and ending with her plans to continue ruining lives and hurting innocents. It had to do with the fact that she’d kept Corbin trapped in a mirror for hundreds of years, forcing him to suffer alone and blame himself for something that wasn’t his fault. It had every fucking thing to do with how much I hated that bitch, Morgan and how much I wanted payback.

“Morgan has him, doesn’t she?” I asked quietly. I already knew the answer. I knew she had Alastair and I knew she had him as yet another way to hurt me and Corbin.

Corbin’s body trembled against mine as his hatred for Morgan and love for Alastair roared through his body. He took a deep breath and confirmed, “That’s my fear.” When I remained quiet, he added, “Riker has gone to be with Alastair’s mother right now. They’ll gather the remaining coven, and we’ll meet them later this evening. Don’t give up hope, Nico. We’ll find a way to bring Alastair home.”

Corbin’s tone told me that he didn’t believe that statement any more than I did. “I know we will,” I lied. All I could think was that Alastair needed me, and I knew I had to do whatever I could to help, but I also knew I could be signing my own death sentence when it happened. I kept telling myself that if the worst happened, Corbin would be able to bring me back, like before. I wasn’t sure I’d have the strength to go through with it if I didn’t have that hope buried inside of me. While I didn’t want to die and knew it to be painful…again…the agony I felt was coming from the fear of never seeing Corbin again--never touching or holding him. But this was something that I had to do and still call myself a man.

“Stop thinking what you’re thinking, Nico. You know I won’t let you do it,” Corbin said, his voice quiet and emotional. I love Alastair, but I won’t do anything to risk losing you. Ican’tlose you.” He kissed the top of my head. “Give me some time to fix this.”

There wasn’t any time.

“Of course,” I answered--another lie. “What time will we meet the coven?” I pulled away and looked into his eyes. My magical powers were sketchy, at best, but I tried to use everything in my arsenal to memorize each and every beautiful detail of his face.How many years would it be before I got to see him again?

“We’ll leave in a couple of hours. I’m nervous. I want to discuss our options as soon as possible.”

The big lie tumbled out of my mouth. “I’m going to go upstairs and rest for a bit, then. Is that all right?” The words sounded stupid to my own ears. I could only hope Corbin trusted me enough to believe the bullshit I was shoveling at him.

He cupped each side of my face and said, “You believe me, don’t you, Nico? You know I’ll do everything in my power, with the exception of endangering your life, to bring Alastair home to us.”

I kissed him…like I might never get to kiss him again. “I know you will, Corbin. I know how much you love Alastair, and I’m sorry about earlier.” I turned to walk back to the house, but then turned around to look at him again. “I love you, Corbin Hargreaves. I always have and I always will.”

“Through all eternity, my love,” he answered softly.

My heart hung in my throat as I climbed the stairs leading to our bedroom.Our bedroom. It was strange how I’d known this house belonged to me the moment I’d first laid eyes on it. Ibelongedhere. How fucking long would it take for me to make my way back home again? How many lives would Morgan claim before Corbin and I had another chance at happiness?

As I stepped into the bedroom, my mind was whirling with ideas on how I could sneak away from Corbin and find Alastair. Maybe I could stay home while he visited with the coven? It wasn’t like I thought he would allow me to waltz out the front door. No, I’d make the trip into town with him and while he was distracted with coven talk, I’d slip off and make my way to Salem. Since that was where Morgan was the strongest, that’s where she would be holding Alastair captive.

“Did you forget that I could read your mind, love?” Corbin’s voice interrupted my plans.

I swung around to find him standing in the doorway of the bedroom, a sad frown on his beautiful face. He looked…disappointed. Worried. Sad. Angry.

Since I’d been caught, there wasn’t much I could say to defend myself. Ihadforgotten about the mind reading. Standing taller, I said, “I’m pretty sure I asked that you stay out of my head; it’s rude.”

He smiled sadly. “I guess it’s a good thing I disobeyed you, my love. I won’t risk your safety. I can’t lose you again, Nico.”

Before I could answer or think to move, he took one step backward, taking him out of the door way, and the door slammed closed. There weren’t the ominous sounds of locks sliding into place, but I knew without a doubt that magic would ensure the door wouldn’t open. In three strides, I was standing next to the door and banging ferociously against the heavy wood. “Open the damned door, Corbin! I’m not going to let you lock me away like a helpless child while you risk your life. Open the door now!”

The door didn’t open, but then again, I never thought it would.

“I can’t open the door, Nico,” he said, his muffled tones coming through the door. “You’ll be safe where you are. I have spells protecting the house, so no one, especially Morgan, can get to you. The door won’t open, and if you jump out of the window, the fall would probably kill you--so keep your pretty ass safe and in this room.”

I laid my hand on the door and immediately felt his hand through the wood, like we’d done with the mirror. “Don’t do this, Corbin. Don’t leave me here like this. I need to help. Ihaveto help. Alastair’s my friend.” I couldn’t believe he was doing this to me. The thoughts of me trapped in this room, doing absolutely nothing to save Alastair from Morgan sickened me. She wasn’t going to take one more thing away from me. For the first time in my life, I felt like I was part of something and now that something was in danger of being ripped away from me. But not if I stopped her.

“Stay safe, my love. I’ll be back before your birthday, and I’ll have a plan to rescue Alastair.” There was a pause before he said, “I love you, Nicholas. I love you with all my heart.”

I felt his energy leave the door and then leave the house. He’d done it – he’d left me behind. I felt like he’d just put me in time-out. I felt…useless.

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