Page 30 of Cursed Love
Rubbing her back, Ryan sighed. “We know you just got your powers. It seems you got a new one today.”
“The fire?” she whispered.
He nodded. “Other than that, I’m not sure what’s going on. What we do know is you’re being watched and tracked. You’ve been attacked by a tubar and now a werewolf.”
“What do you mean I’m being tracked?” she asked as a shiver ran through her body.
“I told you there’s been an increase of activity around here—”
Peter sat forward and huffed in annoyance. “Look, Ryan’s been watching you daily for a while now. He’s spotted a slew of demons in this area.”
Brandy’s eyes widened, and her mouth opened to rip into Ryan. Peter laid a beefy hand over her knee. “If not for his stalking, you might not be here today. Around this building alone, I can tell you I’ve smelled eight different werewolves—including one you don’t ever want to come across—and four other creatures which will make your blood run cold. This doesn’t include the tubars we passed getting to you.” Peter stood and paced the small area. “Be mad at him. Why not? I usually am. But donotignore what we’re telling you. Something bigger is going on, and those things,” he said, pointing toward the window with his thumb. “They want you, and you’re a sitting duck until you can get your powers under control.”
Ryan watched his friend as tension rolled off him. “Sweetheart, what he says is true.”
“You stalked me?” she asked, her eyes weary and confused. “I thought you said you were keeping close tabs on me. He makes it sound like more…”
“Yes. That’s a story for another time. I need you to pack a bag, and don’t forget your grimoire. You’ll need to study it.”
“What?” Brandy yelled and jumped up from his lap. Her hands slammed onto her hips as she leaned forward. “What do you meanpack a bag?Where the hell am I going?” she asked, staring daggers at him.
Peter stepped to her side. “Somewhere safe. Ryan can make sure no one will find us.”
Ryan stayed put, watching as her head swiveled from one to the other.
“For how long?” she asked.
They shrugged.
“For as long as it takes you to get stronger. As long as it takes to keep you safe,” Ryan told her and pushed to his feet.
Chapter 13
A week had passed since Peter and Ryan insisted she pack a bag and leave her home. She had been so upset, another fireball formed in her palm. The men managed to calm her before she burned down the apartment. At that point, she’d agreed to their crazy plan.
“You still mad?” Peter asked as he lowered his phone from his ear. He asked this question every day when she stepped out of her room in his two-bedroom cabin.
Brandy shot him a dirty look and padded into the small kitchen. “Have you heard from him?” she asked as she grabbed a water bottle.
“Have you figured out how to control your fire?” he asked with a raised brow.
“You smell like dirt.”
Peter waggled his brows. “You know you like it.”
Brandy chuckled at their easy banter. It was the same every day. Peter had not only offered up his cabin deep in the woods but was staying with her for added protection. The men caught wind from some tubars that a high-level demon was searching for her.
Not only was she in danger but anyone in contact with her of the human variety. She packed a bag, told her family she was going on a vacation, and called in a huge favor at work. The first had been the easiest, but she was still fielding questions about the other two.
Each day she studied her grimoire, practiced new spells, attempted to control her powers, and trained with Peter in self-defense. When she was not doing any of that, she hung out with Peter, in an attempt to get more information from him, or texting Ryan, who was being elusive about whatever he was doing out there.
Brandy bit her lip and looked at Peter. “I have an idea.”
“If Ryan’s going to kill me for it… no. Unless you want a taste of me… then I’ll take the ass whooping.”
She laughed. “Shut up!”
“Can’t blame a guy for trying,” Peter told her and put his Xbox controller on the coffee table. “What do you need, babycakes?”
