A Cursed Bloodline (WG 4) (4 page)

Emme bowed her head, her honey-blond hair falling around her face. “I’m sorry, Celia. If I knew you were hurt I never would have—”

“Forget it, Emme. I’m fine.” I stared at my injuries in the mirror. “This is going to hurt, isn’t it?”

Emme nibbled on her bottom lip. “Since I have to readjust the bones in your face…a little.”

Emme lied. It was torture. Pure, unadulterated, beat-me-with-a-
battle-axe-and-
stab-me-in-the-face torture. We all jumped at the sick, crunching sound my cheekbones made when they realigned. And although I think Emme tried to quickly lead my nose back home, the agonizing pain lingered. My scream woke the dead—or at least every vamp in the house. Snot trickled down my face like a faucet in time for Misha to charge back in.

I smeared all the nasal contents across my face in my failed attempt to wipe. “Hi,” I muttered.

Liz gagged. “Is she healed?”

Shayna narrowed her eyes and reached for one of the toothpicks she kept in her pocket, ready to convert it into a long, deadly needle and stab Liz with it. “Well, duh,” she said. “Can’t you see how much better she looks?”

“No. I can’t.” Liz made an irritated gesture with her hand. “Wash her. She looks nasty.”

As much as Shayna appeared ready to stab her, she managed to clasp Taran’s wrists before she shut Liz up permanently. Aside from surrounding herself with blue and white flames, Taran couldn’t gather her magic without the use of her hands.

“Now, Liz, is this any way to address your mistress?” Misha remained calm, unlike Taran, who screamed obscenities at the top of her lungs.

Liz, like all vampires, was very tall, slender, and beautiful. She seemed to shrink as she cowered at her master’s feet. The slightest narrowing of Misha’s lips inspired her to flee.

“You’d better leave, you ignorant bitch!” Taran yelled after her.

Misha bent to face me as I continued to use the towel as a tissue. “You will feel more like yourself after you bathe,” he said gently.

Misha’s obvious strength and allure intimidated most everyone. He commanded any room he entered—women
and
men fell over themselves to please him. He had power, wealth, and everlasting beauty. He’d grown accustomed to getting what he wanted…and then he met me.

I’d turned down his invitations to bed more times than I could count. In spite of my rejections, I’d become something he didn’t have, a real friend, and he had absolutely no idea what to do with me. Unlike the vampires he ruled, I was loyal because I wanted to be—not because I had to be. Initially he’d continued to flirt, but when I moved into his guesthouse our relationship changed. Misha developed genuine feelings for me. While I loved him, it wasn’t the way he wished. I loved
Aric
and no one could change that.

Misha gazed at me with complete tenderness. It was a look he never gave anyone—not even his beloved master, Uri, who regarded him as a son. Although not completely my fault, I ruined our moment. I’d been nauseated for days, but the scents of my slathered body fluids overwhelmed me at once. I made it to the toilet just in time. Shayna was a labor nurse, like I was before I joined Team Misha to help him and his vampire allies take down the Tribe. Emme had continued working in hospice. They were both accustomed to vomit. Taran worked in the cardiac catheterization lab. She didn’t do puke.

Taran was the perfect blend of a thin figure and voluptuous curves. Out of the four of us, she had inherited the majority of our mother’s Latin genes. Her deep olive skin and dark wavy hair drew males to her with a simple bat of her thick lashes. Taran was beautiful. But she wasn’t acting beautiful then. “Damnit, Emme, I thought you healed her!”

Emme held back my hair and rubbed my back. “I did!”

“Then why the hell is she puking?”

Emme’s voice grew defensive, but tears drifted into every word. “I can’t cure everything perfectly. She may still have a concussion.”

I wiped my mouth with some tissues. “Enough, Taran. No more fighting. I need a bath. Do you think you could calm down enough to help me?” It was pathetic, but I did need help. The throbbing in my face had stopped, but every part of me ached from being forced to heal so quickly. I had to rest soon. Not just for me, but for our little one, too.

Misha led me to the bath when I stood. “The water contains eucalyptus and special salts that will help remedy your pain.”

“Thanks, Misha.” He bowed slightly and disappeared from the room.

After I brushed my teeth, my sisters gave me a thorough washing. Taran, I’ll admit, was more than a little rough when she shampooed my hair. “Son of a bitch, I don’t believe this day.”

“It’s okay, Taran.”

“No, Celia. It’s not. First you get the shit beaten out of you and then your own sister isn’t there to help you.”

“Dude, stop already. Emme feels bad. How many times can she apologize?”

Taran shot Emme another glare. “Not enough, Shayna.”

Emme added more salt to the water without a word. Taran huffed and dug her nails against my scalp. I jerked my head away. “Taran, stop. You’re yanking out my hair.”

“Well, if you would just stop moving—”

I lurched away from her. “Just let me do it.”

Taran crossed her arms. “Damnit, Emme. You upset Celia.”

Shayna threw her hands in the air. “Will you stop blaming her? None of this was intentional!”

Taran opened her mouth to say something, but I silenced her with a growl. “Just zip it, Taran.”

I climbed out of the tub and dried off. After moisturizing my skin, I slipped on a clean robe. I tried to appear calm, but no one believed my façade. The day should have been one of the happiest of my life, but instead it toppled into one giant hell hole.

Shayna wrapped her arm around me. “What’s wrong, Ceel?”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “It’s been a rough day. I just need some rest. Call Koda, he’s probably missing you.”

Koda, like Aric, had been burned. And while his scarring was severe, it wasn’t as extreme as Aric’s.

Shayna shook her head. “I can’t leave you like this.”

“I’m fine, Shayna. Go to Koda. He needs you.” I tried to smile, but there was only so much encouragement I could muster. The great thing about Shayna was that although she knew she should stay, she also realized I didn’t want her to.

“Okay, but call me if anything changes.”

I paused for a moment, trying to gather my words. “Will you tell Aric that I’m fine…and not to worry about me.”

She puckered her brows. “Shouldn’t you tell him yourself?”

I lowered my head. “It’s not a good idea for me to talk to him right now.”

Shayna didn’t like what I had to say, but didn’t push me. She pulled her cellphone out of her back pocket and called her mate. “Hi, puppy. Emme’s here. She healed Celia so she’s okay now. Could you come get me?”

“Just you, baby?”

Shayna looked over at Taran. I answered for her when she shook her head. “Taran’s going, too. I need to rest.”

Taran watched me for a beat. “Screw all this vampire shit and come with us.”

“I can’t. Aric’ll get in trouble with the Elders for seeing me.”

She whispered low in my ear so Koda wouldn’t hear. “The Elders’ directives haven’t stopped either of you for weeks.”

I shot her a hard stare. “A lot has changed, Taran.”

Taran angled her perfect brows. I let her believe I meant Aric’s injuries. It was wrong, but for the moment, it was also easier. “Shayna, tell Koda I’ll be joining you.”

Shayna didn’t tell him right away, she was too busy explaining to Koda where Emme had been. Koda growled upon learning she’d slipped away with Hank. Even Gemini snarled a curse. Emme turned her back, tired, I supposed, of being judged by those she loved.

“Puppy, just don’t say anything to Liam. I don’t want him flipping out. How long will it take you to get here?”

“We never left. We’re outside the gate.”

Taran veered around. “Oh, hell, even Aric?”

“No. He and Liam went back to the house to try to figure out who attacked Celia.”

My heartbeat lowered to a dull throb. I’d been so hurtful to my wolf, and there he was, trying to figure out who’d harmed me.

Shayna played with the edges of her ponytail. “Taran and I will be right out.”

“We’ll be waiting. I love you, baby.”

“I love you, too.” Shayna smiled into the phone while misery shimmered in her eyes. Koda was no longer in pain, but she was. The scars would be a reminder of how much
weres
suffered protecting the earth.

Taran pulled me into a hug. “Call me later, okay?”

“I’ll try.”

Normally my answer wouldn’t have satisfied Taran, especially when she suspected something amiss. But of all my sisters, she knew me best. She realized there was a reason for my silence. Just like she knew I would talk about it when I was ready.

Shayna’s hug was tighter. “I’m glad you’re safe—and don’t worry, the wolves will figure it out.”

My body stiffened against her.
God, I hope not.

Shayna and Emme also embraced. When Emme released her and stepped toward Taran, Taran stormed out without another glance. I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to talk to Taran about her behavior. Hell, I didn’t know how I was still functioning. All I could do was hold Emme against me and try to comfort her.

“I really am sorry, Celia.”

I stroked her hair. “I know, sweetie. It’s okay.”

Someone rapped impatiently on the door leading out to the hall. Emme wiped her tears and answered it while I towel dried my hair. The massive granite counter held dozens of hair products. No wonder Misha’s hair always appeared perfect. I picked one that I thought would keep my curls smooth and sprayed it on.

Maria’s thick Brazilian accent echoed the length of the hall. “Dis is for Celia. De master had Chef prepare her dinner. If Celia is too tired to come down, he would like her to remain in his chambers and de food will be brought to her.”

“No, that’s okay, we’ll be down,” I answered quickly. If I stayed in Misha’s bedroom he’d expect more than I could give him.

I passed into the suite when I heard the door shut. Emme perched on the bed next to a beautiful white dress.

The exact same dress from my vision.

Chapter Four

“Is something wrong?” Emme asked.

No, just my life going to hell.
I gaped at the dress. “Uh, I’m just going to wear what I have on.”

Emme took in my not-so-impressive ensemble. At five foot three, the robe I wore hung to the floor.

Emme lifted the dress and examined it closely. “It looks like it will fit you.”

“I have no doubt,” I mumbled.

Emme blinked back at me. “Um. There’s lingerie, too…in case that’s what’s troubling you.”

“I wish going commando was my only problem.”

“Huh?”

“Nothing.” I sighed, defeated, and yanked on the panties and strapless bra with as much enthusiasm as putting on a funeral shroud. I slipped the dress over my head. The spaghetti straps were thin but comfortable and the soft cotton skirt flowed down to my shins.

Emme smiled softly. “You look beautiful, Celia. Misha must know your love of sundresses, but I’ll admit it’s unusual attire for spring in Tahoe. Are you warm enough?”

“Yeah.”

Emme watched cautiously. “Okay, I guess we should head down, then.”

I nodded. Emme gently clasped my elbow and led me out into the hall when I didn’t move. Misha waited at the bottom of the sprawling slate and wrought-iron staircase. The adoration in his eyes completely unnerved me. He wasn’t Misha then; he resembled more a groom meeting his bride at the altar. My breath hammered out of my lungs in time with my rapid heartbeat.

Oh. God. What’s he doing? Why is he looking at me like that? What’s wrong with him? I’m pregnant with another male’s child, for heaven’s sake! I can’t give him what he wants, I…

The last thing I remembered was Emme screaming my name. I awoke exactly where I didn’t want to be—Misha’s bed.

“How are you, honey?”

I didn’t answer Emme until I was sure I still had clothes on. “What happened?”

“You fainted. I’m pretty sure you have a concussion. I’ve tried healing you, but it doesn’t seem to be working.”