Page 68 of Between Life and Death

It was both beautiful and heartbreaking, to the point that tears filled my eyes. Standing, I raised to the tips of my toes. He dipped his head, a strand of black hair tumbling forward as our lips found each other. His fingers drifted into my hair as he deepened the kiss, and for a moment, I felt like I was his oxygen—like I was the only thing tethering him to this world.

To be kissed like that, there was no coming back from it.

Ever.

After I washed and crawled into bed, my thoughts were scattered.

There were so many things about my life that felt unchartered and unknown, like something was missing. Like there was a bigger picture, but it was out of my grasp. I was tired of feeling that way, and I had ignored my Dream Curse long enough. It was a part of me, and if I wanted to understand whatever it was that I was missing, I needed to learn more about the Curse.

Flipping my quilt off, I strolled over to the stack of books on the end table. I sifted through the towering pile of smut and filthy dark romance books, looking forThe Six Curses. The honey glow of the fireplace gave off just enough light that I could make out the titles. I foundThe Six Cursesat the very bottom of the pile. I had ignored it for far too long.

Snagging it, as well as a brass finger candle holder, I returned to the comforts of my bed. Careful not to spill the wax, I placed the lit candle holder on my nightstand. Leaning on my side, I propped the book up on a pillow, angling it so that the light from the candle made the words visible. I flipped through the pages, scouring for anything that mentioned the Dream Curse. About a quarter of the way in, I found what I was searching for, and that was where I started to read.

Word for dreaded word.

Gods . . . smut was so much better.

After an hour or so of reading, I was no closer to finding any answers. I didn’t need the candlelight to clearly see that the author’s prejudice towards the Cursed shone through vividly. They wrote about their experience with someone who had a Dream Curse, and they made them sound like a complete lunatic.

Sighing, I closed the book, tossed it onto the table, and blew out my candle.

I nestled into my covers, Von the very last thing on my mind before I drifted off to sleep.

“Just one bite,” a male’s voice commanded. It echoed in my mind, building and churning, caressing and obliging. I wanted to obey.

I blinked, looking around, trying to see where the voice had come from, but I could not see—not when the darkness was peering so intently at me.

“Who are you?” I asked the darkness.

“Your Curse,” it said in a rich, deep tone. So purely male. So ethereal.

“And who am I?”

“My blessing,” he purred, fingers drifting along my cheek. The darkness swirled behind me. I wanted to look, but . . .

A beam of light flickered from up above, shining on a golden, shimmering apple suspended in the air, hovering before me, just an arm’s reach away.

“One bite,” he said, his voice enchanting. Spellbinding. Impossible to resist.

I reached for it, my fingers curling around the apple as I brought it to my lips and sank my teeth deeply into its flesh.

It was divine. Impossibly nourishing. When I felt its juice trickle down my throat, my body sighed with relief. I had never felt so full, so satisfied. And I . . . I wanted more.

But when I opened my eyes, the apple was gone.

In its place—a tattooed wrist.

I tried to shove it away, but the darkness wouldn’t budge.

I choked on the metallic taste.

It was poison, corroding my insides.

His hand snaked around my throat, his sinful praise in my ear. “That’s it. Drink up, Little Goddess.”

Ihad never ridden in a carriage before—until now, that was.

Early that morning, Soren had popped his head inside my room, explaining that a carriage awaited me outside. Having just woken up, my skin slick with sweat—no thanks to my nightmare—I’d hastily gotten dressed while brushing my hair. On my way out, I grabbed an orange from the kitchen, staying clear of apples and tall, dark, wickedly handsome, confusing males.

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