Page 53 of Cursed
Brian’s breathing normalized, and he took a stumbling step backward away from Cain.
At least he’s okay.
I had to have imagined seeing those black shadows coming from Cain because there wasn’t any other explanation.
“Do you understand, Phoebe?” Cain’s growling words snapped my attention back to his presence.
“Whatever. I’m so over this.” I flapped a hand toward Brian, the transfixed crowd, then Cain. “If you two want to fight like uncivilized animals, do it somewhere else and stop ruining the party.” Inside me, embarrassment tried to flutter its wings, but I stuffed it down.
Brian shook his head, as if clearing mind fog, but didn’t make any other movements.
Surprised he’s not hauling ass out of here since Cain let him go.But honestly, I really didn’t care. What was supposed to have been a fun night with Tara had turned into a pissing match between Brian and Cain.
Thinking of my friend, I turned on my heel, determined to find her and go home. I pushed between a male couple, but they wouldn’t budge. “Let me through.” Their eyes, unblinking and glazed, remained fixated on the two men behind me.
Icy fingers of dread prickled my scalp. The entire room stood motionless once again, but this time it didn’t resemble shock. Not even their chests moved with the intake of breath.
With all my might, I shoved the guy blocking my way. He fell against someone behind him, reminding me of a chess piece being knocked over.
“What the...?” I pivoted toward Cain, somehow knowing he was behind this new turn of events.
He strode toward me, intensity radiating from his unsmiling mouth and narrowed eyelids. Behind him, Brian stood, his stare far away and body rigid.
If Cain and I are the only people moving, what does it mean?Those dreadful fingers slid down my spine, dragging nails of sharp ice over each bump of my vertebrae. What had Cain said the night he’d saved me from Brian? There were worse things out there, like him?
But that’s ridiculous.And so was this scene. How could anyone freeze a room full of people? Impossible.
Yet I couldn’t deny the truth of my eyes and what I’d seen earlier. Even though I hated to admit it, Cain had something to do with everything happening tonight.
“What did you do?” I pointed to a student then spied Tara’s still form a few feet away, next to a wall of bookshelves. Just like the rest, her stare was locked in the center of the room, where Cain and Brian had argued.
“Stopped a massacre.” Cain’s face smoothed, and the earlier anger seemed to dissipate. He reached a hand toward my shoulder, but I shied away.
“Don’t.” If he really froze this room of students, then I wanted those fingers nowhere near me.
He raised an eyebrow. “Do you really think you could stop me if I want to touch you?”
I didn’t know what to think, but deep inside my mind, something awoke—a spark of light flaring to life and eager to burn.
A sensual smile curved his lips. “Come to me. Let me show you my true nature.” He crooked a finger.
“No.” I crossed my arms over my chest and tried to hide my confusion and budding panic.This guy isnotwho I thought he was.
He’d stolen my necklace when we’d met, that should’ve been my first clue. Just because he rescued me from Brian didn’t make him a good guy. Perhaps he’d intended on finishing what Brian had started and then gotten cold feet.
Nothing made sense. This zombified crowd, the power radiating from Cain’s body, Brian acting like a jerk.I want to go home, sleep, and wake up to find this entire night a horrible dream.
I fingered the pendant at the hollow of my throat, letting its familiarity soothe and calm my nerves.
The movement pulled Cain’s icy stare to my neck, and his shoulders slumped. “I don’t want to force my will on yours.”
“Then don’t—”
“But if it’s the only way...” He crooked a finger once more. “Come.”
Pressure pushed against my spine, an avalanche building in momentum, spurring me toward Cain. I fought against it, digging my heels into the wooden floor, but I couldn’t stop as I found myself thrust against Cain’s chest, his spicy scent everywhere.
“You let me go right this—”
