Page 62 of Cursed

I don’t feel as horrible about that errant thought as I would have only days ago. Shayla all but encouraged me to pursue something with the professor.

But if he’s also attracted to me, he isn’t feeling it now. And other than diving into his pain and consuming it, our sexual energy together will be the only way I’ll regain my power. I highly doubt Hollis will allow either option to happen.

Feeling tired, I fall back, propped up by my elbows. It’s a submissive display, and it seems to appease Hollis and his wolf. His shoulders relax a bit, and he studies me.

“Well?” I prompt him to give me my answer.

“You claimed Shayla when I told you we couldn’t do that. We needed the dragon’s claim dealt with before we mated with her.”

I sigh. He has a point, but I have one too. “First of all, I didn’t mean to claim a bond. I’m pretty sure it was Shayla who initiated it. And secondly, what does it matter now? We’ve all mated her before the dragon.”

“And I’m pissed about that too.”

“Do you regret mating her?” I ask softly.

Hollis springs forward and grips my shirt, pressing me to the bed, his face inches from mine. “I’ll never regret her. She is my fated.”

“I know.” I leave my hands at my sides to show deference. “She’s mine too.”

Hollis snarls at my claim.

“I’m not taking anything away from you,” I add.

He looks down at our bodies, seeing how his lean, muscular body covers mine, and his eyes widen. When he rolls off me, I can tell he hurt himself in that show of dominance.

A smaller door at the base of our iron one opens, and a tray of healing ointments and tonics slides in. The access panel snaps closed.

I rush to the window to see who left this for us, but I see no one. “What the hell?” I crouch down and study the tray. “Why do they want us healed?”

The professor waves me over. I pick up the tray and set it down on the bed between us.

He sniffs the contents of the jars. “Seems legit. I don’t pick up any poisons. So either Drake or the other assholes want us healed so they can drain our full power. Or someone else in this cursed place wants us healed.”

“If it’s someone on our side, do you think they will break us out?”

“We can hope.” He holds a jar in his hand. “Either way, we should do our best to strengthen our bodies and magic. It might be the difference between surviving or not.” He tries to lift his shirt over his head, but I’m pretty sure his ribs are fractured.

“May I help?” I stand in front of him.

His golden eyes stare up at me, and it feels wrong. I want to be on my knees looking up at him.

Hollis grunts an acceptance of help, and I ease the shirt off his arms and over his head. I drop to my knees between his and reach for his belt.

He snatches my hand in a powerful grip. “What do you think is going on here?”

I try to swallow down my rising arousal, but his hold on me makes my cock swell even more. “I, uh, was helping you.” I glance down at the blue contusions over his ribs. “I thought you could use my assistance—to see how bad the damage is.”

My eyes seem to get lost on the way back up to his. He’s a fine specimen of a male. No wonder Shayla fell for him. It goes far beyond the call of a fated mate.

I change the subject. “Can you shift? Heal that way?”

His golden irises glow for a second. “It might help some. But my magic is weak.” He begins to unbuckle his belt and sucks in a breath from the pain.

“Please, Professor, let me.”

“Landis—” He sees my need clearly on my face. “We can’t do…that.”

“Why not?” I argue, like the brat I am. I need this dom to master me. “I need to recharge. And Shayla was supportive of us developing something.”

---