Cursed (The Brookehaven Vampires #4) (28 page)

I was able to take a short nap when I got back from my run. I woke feeling rested and ready to tackle the day.

I showered and got ready to face Kiera’s family and our first Thanksgiving as a couple.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have anything decent to wear. All my jeans were worn, my shoes were trashed, and I owned nothing but T-shirts, most of which had seen better days.

So, in nothin’ but my boxers, I strolled into Laney and Oliver’s room and checked out their closet. I borrowed one of Oliver’s button-front, long-sleeved shirts and a pair of jeans. The shirt fit just fine, but the jeans were a little snug around my waist and about two inches too long, but they’d have to do.

I found a pair of Oliver’s Converse tossed behind the hamper in their closet. They were pretty beat up and about a size too small, but they still looked better than my shoes.

I headed out to Kiera’s parents’ then, but first I needed to make a quick stop.

I rolled Laney’s car to a stop outside my parents’ single-story house and stared at it for a few minutes while I gathered my nerve.

I felt like I was going to hurl as I knocked on the front door. It was weird to knock on the door of the house I grew up in, especially since my family still lived in it.

Dad answered. “What are you doing here?” he snapped. He gave me a dirty look I was all too familiar with.

“I came to see my mom and brother,” I said. I had a huge lump in my throat.

Felix had made arrangements with my dad so I could see my mom and brother for holidays, special occasions, and just every so often. And when I say “special arrangements,” I mean he threatened my dad within an inch of his life.

“Julie!” my father shouted. “Your kid’s here.” He acted like he was going to slam the door in my face, but I put my hand out and stopped it with little effort. His eyes widened on mine.

“I’m sorry that I’m such a disappointment to you, and I’m sorry you lost my mom because of me, but I’m still your son, and nothing will ever change that,” I told him in a steady voice.

His eyes narrowed again, but before he could say something rude or hurtful, I continued, “I’ve come to terms with the fact that you’re a failure as a father, I think it’s about time you did the same.”

Dad’s eyes were huge. Thankfully my little brother, Harrison, came running, calling my name at that point, which prevented our dad from retaliating.

Harrison ran past our dad and out the door. He jumped on me and started telling me how happy he was to see me.

My father still looked stunned as Julie brushed past him and out onto the porch.

I put Harrison on his feet and hugged my step-mom like there was no tomorrow. I glanced to the door just in time to see Dad walk away. His head was hanging low,
and his shoulders were drooping.

Even though the man had never been anything more than an asshole to me, he was still my dad. And even though I felt bad for him in a small way, he brought this on himself.

I sat on the front step with Harrison and Mom for a while. Harrison chatted like crazy and showed me how he’d learned to do a cartwheel. On the front lawn outside of my parents’ house, Harrison did cartwheel after cartwheel until I thought I might be sick watching him. Then he told me that he was learning to do flips too, but that he wasn’t allowed to try to do them outside of his gym class. Then he quietly sat between me and Mom and wrapped an arm around each of us.

Mom asked about Kiera and the wedding. My mom was excited about the wedding. We talked about all that we could with Harrison listening closely. Then, before I left, my mom gave me a pumpkin pie that she’d made just for me, and a large Ziploc bag full of chocolate chip cookies. My favorite!

After goodbye hugs and kisses, I hopped back into Laney’s car and headed out to Kiera’s.

The pumpkin pie made my mouth water as the smell of its warm, pumpkiny goodness filled the car. I ate a couple delicious cookies to fend off the stabs of hunger pangs I was suddenly feeling.

When I parked in front of Kiera’s parents’ house, I was covered in cookie crumbs. I brushed myself off as I got out of the car, and I found Kiera heading down the front walk as I rounded the front of the car. She was wearing a dress that hit her knees and a sweater jacket, and all I could think was
Nice! Easy access.

She kissed me hello, and I let
my lips linger a little longer than she expected.

When I finally let her pull away, s
he smiled up at me, told me I looked nice, then she took my hand and led me inside.

As we walked through the front door, I was
hit with several aromas, most of which were pleasing. Mr. Wienie was the only foul odor I detected, and his ass got tossed out the back door soon after my arrival. That dog hated me. The feeling was mutual.

I could make out the distinct scents of ham
and
turkey, and although my stomach was craving food, and lots of it, the rest of me was craving something else. I could not keep my eyes off of Kiera…

She sat in the front room with me and her dad for a little while, and her dad actually talked to me like I was a regular human being instead of some plagued beast who was screwing his daughter. But Mr. Blake seemed more accepting of me than Mrs. Blake and the grandmother were. Those two sometimes acted like I was bothersome gum they’d stepped in and could not wait to get me off the bottom of their shoe.

After some time, Kiera left me sitting on the couch in the front room so she could go help her mom and grandma in the kitchen. I watched her go, and I had to sit on my hands as she brushed past me. Every part of me wanted to grab her and have my way with her. Right there in the front room, on the couch, in front of her dad. Not that I wanted her dad to watch, I really didn’t, I was just suddenly that freakin’ horny.

Damn it!
Felix was right…

I shook my head to try to bring myself back to what little sense I had.

“You okay, son?” Mr. Blake asked.

“Yeah, just didn’t get much sleep last night,” I told him.

He smiled at me from where he sat in his comfy lounge chair. “Worried about dealing with the future in-laws, were ya?” he said, a quiet laugh following his words.

“Yeah.” I smiled. I wished that was the worst of my troubles.

At the table, Mr. Blake sat at one end, while Grandma sat at the other. Kiera and I sat beside each other on one side, and Mrs. Blake sat on the other side next to her husband.

Grandma said a few words about how thankful she was to be able to see her only grandchild marry, then we began eating.

Even though it was only the later part of the afternoon, I knew the full moon was near. I could feel it. I could feel it changing me. I thought I would know what to expect this time. I was wrong. This time was different. I was jittery, restless, and my senses were on fire.

I was hungry, and no amount of turkey or ham was going to cut it. I eyed my fiancée.

Kiera got up from the table to get everyone dessert. I watched her, her hips swaying as she walked to the kitchen. It was time for dessert, and I did not want pie.

I leaned back in my chair to get a better angle to see Kiera. I
saw the bare skin of her calves, the flowing skirt swishing against her knees, and the cleavage that was teasing me from where the top of her dress scooped down low.

I leaned too far back in my seat and lost my balance. I fell back with a loud bang that startled everyone but me. I quickly rolled to my feet and got up
while they all asked if I was okay.

As I picked the chair up off the floor, I quickly untucked my shirt, hiding my little man who was more than ready to come out and play. We needed to leave.

“Uh, thanks for having me, but we need to get going,” I said in a quick rush. I’d never been so goddamn horny in my life!

“But, Carter,” Kiera quietly protested. The pout she gave me made her even sexier.

“Kiera, we shouldn’t keep Felix waiting,” I told her, hardly able to contain myself. Oliver’s pants were suddenly
way
too tight.

She wasn’t happy, but she caved.

We said our goodbyes and headed out the door while Kiera’s family stared after us from the front doorway.

“Hurry up, woman!” I said under my breath as we headed for the car.

“What’s with you?” Kiera asked as we climbed into Laney’s car.

I didn’t say much, just something about Felix waiting, and then we drove away.

Kiera was talking, and I was only half listening. The moon was up, faint yet, but I could see it as I sped out to Felix’s place. I could feel its effect. My skin felt sensitive. I was fidgety. I felt like I didn’t fit in myself, like I needed to escape. Running probably would’ve been good, but I sped up instead.

As the thoughts of what I wanted, possibly even needed to do to my fiancée flashed through my mind, I thought maybe I shouldn’t have brought her along. I was suddenly afraid I might hurt her.

After impatiently waiting for the neighborhood gates to open, I screeched to a stop outside Felix’s place.

I jumped out of the car and rushed around to the passenger side, jerked the door open, and quickly pulled Kiera out by her hand.

“What are you doing?” she was able to ask before I pressed her against the car with my body. I kissed her, hard, and she was finally silent. But I wanted to make her scream.

“Wow,” she breathed, a smile
lighting up her face as I pulled my lips from hers.

Taking her hand, I pulled her up the driveway to the front door where I knocked impatiently.

Felix answered, a look of concern on his face.

The sun was almost down. The moon would be up and in full power very soon. My gums were aching, both top and bottom.

“It’s happening?” Felix questioned.

I nodded and pushed past him, tugging Kiera behind me.

Once in the kitchen, I said, “What are we going to do?”

My body felt twitchy. I couldn’t hold still. I sensed others in the house. Hayden and Isaac were there, but I couldn’t focus on them, I could only focus on Kiera and how badly I needed her. I wouldn’t let go of her hand. I’m not sure I could.

Felix wanted more of my blood. I sat at the kitchen bar while he pulled a vial from me. I didn’t even flinch at the needle or the pinch. I just stared at her. She was so beautiful, her skin so soft, her smile so mesmerizing. I needed to be inside her. I needed to be one with her. Right then.

With Felix’s encouragement, Hayden and Isaac left. Then we waited.

I felt like a caged animal. I wanted to run. I
needed
to run, but Felix wouldn’t let me leave the house. I tried, I really did. I tried to bolt out the front door, but Felix stopped me, he held me while I struggled to get free. Kiera watched from the bar, her blue eyes wide.

When Felix let me go, I went straight for her and planted my lips on hers. I held her face and kissed her hard. It wasn’t enough. I needed more.

Felix pulled us apart when my hands started working their way up Kiera’s dress.

I protested, tossing around some choice words as he pushed me away from
my
fiancée.

He leveled his stare with mine until I was silent, then he took Kiera aside.

I watched them talk quietly as I paced right there in the kitchen. My skin felt like it was crawling, like I needed to get out of it. I scratched at myself. It didn’t help.

Kiera looked over at me, blood rising in her cheeks. I could see it, I could smell it. She looked back to Felix and nodded.

I heard everything they said as clear as day. Felix had told Kiera that my vampire bloodline was preventing me from reaching any sort of full Were transformation, but I’d retained enough of the Were virus, or mutation if you’d rather see it that way, in my cells to hold some Were qualities, and my vamp line was activated to suppress the Were traits. Yeah, I was that awesome. Together, the two lines were surfacing and trying to prevent the other from taking over. He also told her about the effects it was causing in me.

Kiera crossed the kitchen to me and held out her hand. “Come with me,” she said.

I took her hand and her touch caused me to shiver. I looked back at Felix as Kiera led me down the hall. I heard Felix’s voice in my head, telling me to follow her, that she was all that I needed.

I did as he said.

Kiera led me to Felix’s bedroom and closed the door.

I turned to face her and she was already dropping her sweater to the floor and unbuttoning the front of her dress.

“I’m going to help you through this,” she said a bit unsteadily. Her golden-flecked blue eyes looked nervous.

I took a step back, then I felt it, that feeling I’d gotten the previous month when the moon reached its highest point. It overwhelmed me at first and I about fell to the floor.

I staggered back and gripped the edge of the bed.

”Are you okay?” Kiera asked, concerned.

I lifted my head, my eyes focusing on her. It was like the animal inside me took over.

I rushed forward and lifted Kiera, carrying her to the bed and ripping our clothes free as I did so.