Cursed (The Brookehaven Vampires #4) (80 page)

“If you are being honest, and if your brother returns to himself, I will consider your request,” Felix said, his voice wasn’t so much a growl, but more of an intimidating, deep rumble.

Oscar lunged at the bars. I screeched and jumped back. Carter had me in his arms. He backed us away from the cell and against the wall behind us.

Oscar was reaching through the bars, his face wedged between them as he tried grasping for any one of us.

Felix quickly lifted his hand and flicked Oscar on the forehead. Oscar’s eyes rolled and he collapsed. He fell to the concrete floor and landed in an odd position.

“What the hell did you just do?” Carter asked
in a loud whisper.

Felix began walking
toward the entrance. We jogged to keep up.

“He will be fine,” Felix said,
with a serious level of irritation in his deep tone.

We asked nothing more, and even the rest of the prisoners
fell silent as we passed by them.

Once back in the office, Felix informed us that what Oscar had told us
was the truth. While Oscar had been talking, Felix took it upon himself to take a peek inside Oscar’s mind.

“I bet that was a crazy trip,” Carter said as he leaned his back against the wall.

After a very large sigh, Felix said, “You have no idea.” His voice was grave.

“Without Habitha’s entire coven, the curse will not break. I want the two of you to stay here
. Keep the door closed,” he said as he moved to the doorway. “I am going to issue an announcement. Once Habitha’s followers learn I have already executed their mistress, they will likely wage war against us. So for now, I plan to let them believe she is alive and in my custody. Perhaps they will come forward and surrender themselves in exchange for her release.” He stopped for a few seconds. He chewed his bottom lip for a moment, and then he said, “I need to make some calls. You two stay here.” He left, closing the door behind him.

I was pretty sure Felix had just made matters worse, and that he was now trying to cover his ass…

Once Felix left the room so he could pretty much start an all new war, I slid down the wall I’d been leaning against.

Taking a seat on the floor, I gestured for Laney to join me. Yawning, she plopped down beside me and leaned her head against her boyfriend’s shoulder.

“Do you think it will work?” she asked.

I knew she meant whatever it was Felix had in mind. All I could say was, “I sure hope so, but I’m afraid it might do more damage than good.”

“Me too,” she said, another yawn breaking through.

“Well, he’s been at this shit a whole lot longer than we know. Maybe he actually knows what he’s doing.”

She sighed.

I could feel she was worried, along with a whole mess of other troubles she was feeling. But it wasn’t long before her head grew heavy against my shoulder. I straightened my legs and guided her head to my lap. She adjusted herself and was soon resting her head on my thigh.

I brushed the stray hairs of her ponytail from her face and tucked them behind her ear. I noticed a little smile appear on her face as I did this, but she was out a minute later.

I was surprised at how easily she’d fallen asleep. It wasn’t all that late, and she’d slept most of the day. Granted, she’d missed about two nights sleep before that.

Maybe it was a defense mechanism. Maybe it was easier to block out what was really happening this way.

I rested my head back against the wall. I wasn’t really tired, but I was getting hungry. I probably should’ve “eaten” before being left alone in a room with the one person I craved the most…

As I sat there, wondering what might become of us, I could hear him. Or, should I say, I could hear myself.
He wasn’t the only one feeling the effects of the moon, but he was the loudest.

He was pounding on the wall, shaking the bars to his cell, and kind of roaring, I guess you could say.

Laney couldn’t hear him. If she could, I doubt she’d be sleeping. No, she’d be freaking out.

What I could hear was faint,
especially over the other captive Weres that were freaking out, but I knew…I knew all too well what he was going through and what he needed.

I also noticed
that the louder he got, the quieter the rest of the captives became. Even the Weres…

The moon was getting higher, and the higher it got, the worse he would get. I felt bad for the guy, but I was also thankful it wasn’t me. I remembered all too well what the previous month had felt like. I had no idea how I
would’ve made it through that night without Kiera. Granted, that night had caused an even bigger headache.

Remembering the last full moon made me miss Kiera. Not that crappy attitude she’d been throwing around lately, but just her in general. I missed my girlfriend
, and I missed my life.

I was pretty sure Kiera was going to avoid me
every full moon for the rest of our lives, and I’d probably have to resort to jerking off, but hey, it was better than nothing…

Or maybe Felix could tie me to a treadmill and I could run the entire night, or until I passed out…

Oliver was growing even louder. It was horrible to listen to, but it was only fair. If he had to go through my monthly “cycle,” the least I could do was listen.

Suddenly, a blinding pain shot through my head. My vision blurred. I groaned out a loud sound that wasn’t quite a word, but it
was meant to be, and not a nice one. My head freaking hurt. Bad! I squeezed my eyes shut and brought my hands to my head, holding it and waiting for the pain to fade or for me to die. It hurt so much, death didn’t seem like a bad option.

I groaned, and I couldn’t feel Laney’s head in my lap anymore. For all I knew, she was awake, sitting beside me and staring at me. Hell, she could’ve been talking to me,
but I wouldn’t be able to hear it, the pain was just too intense.

What the hell is happening?

The floor was suddenly cold, as was the air around me. There was a different smell on the air. I couldn’t sense Laney anymore.

With my eyes still shut tight, I reached out for her. Not finding anything, and her not taking my hand like
I’d expected, I peeked out of one eye. The pain was fading.

Opening my other eye, I searched my surroundings. I was in a cell
… I was in
the
cell where we’d left Oliver in my body.

Oh my god…

I looked down at my hands. They were actually
my
hands! They were mine…

I patted myself, my chest, my legs,
and my face, as I looked at a body I never thought I’d miss.

I was me! I was freaking me again!

It’s Really You!

I was startled awake by a very loud, yet incoherent shout. I sat up, jerked up, actually, my heart racing.

Although I was foggy and still waking, it was clear that Carter was in pain. Not knowing what to do, I scrambled to get my phone from my back pocket.

I was on my knees beside him. His hands were over his face and he was groaning. I was about to call Felix when his hands slowly dropped. He looked around, then at himself. I watched him as he stared down at his hands, turning them back-and-forth. Finally, his head lifted and his eyes fell on mine.

“Laney?” he questioned, reaching out and gently touching my cheek with his finger
tips.

“Yeah?” I responded slowly, wondering what the hell was going on. He looked dazed.

The hint of a smile began to form. “It’s me,” he said.

I stared at him. “This isn’t funny,” I said as my brow knitted together.

“It’s really me,” he defended, his smile beginning to disappear. “I was just locked in that cell, ready to…well, ready to bust out and come find you.” I raised an eyebrow. “And now, now I’m here, and I’m me.”

“You sure?” I questioned, narrowing my eyes on his.

“Of course I’m sure.” He moved away from the wall, closer to me.

“Prove it,” I said. I wasn’t sure how to feel. I was terrified this was some sort of trick or that I was dreaming.

A signature smirk appeared on his lips. My heart skipped a hopeful beat.

“Do you remember what we talked about on the beach?” his voice was low and sensual.

“We talked about lots of things,” I breathed, unable to take my eyes off of his. I was already caving.
Is it really him?

He took my hand, lifted it and
placed his palm to mine, intertwining our fingers. The movements were right. The movements, the smile, the way he was looking at me, it was all right, all perfect. I really didn’t need more proof, but like hell was I going to stop him.

“I want you to be mine,” he said, his voice low, his eyes serious.

“I am yours,” I breathed.

That half-smirk returned. “More than that, Laney.”

Oh god. Is he seriously asking me to…
My heart was racing.

His eyes focused on my mouth. I was breathing so fast I thought I was going to pass out. There was no way he wasn’t my Oliver.

There on the floor of the “office” in the tunnels, he leaned closer, pressing his cool lips to mine, and I didn’t hesitate kissing him back. My fingers were fast to slip into the back of his hair, delighted to feel the softness of his waves.

Wrapping an arm around me, he pulled me closer to him. The way his mouth moved against mine, the way his tongue stroked mine, the way his fingers dug into my hair just behind my ear, the way he held me to him, it was all right. It was all Oliver!

“It is you,” I whispered, relieved as I looked into his eyes—into those pools of emerald that belonged to
my
boyfriend. Pools that
my
boyfriend was using to look back at me!

A crooked half-smile formed on his lips. “I love you,” he said.

I threw my arms around his neck. “I love you!” I squeezed him tight and his arms around me did the same. “I’ve missed you so much,” I said. Happy tears were filling my eyes.

The door flew open. I jumped, a little scream
erupting from me. Oliver, the real Oliver, was already holding me protectively, ready to stop anyone from getting near me. Thankfully, it was only Felix.

He stood in the doorway, a huge grin on his face. “I was
sedating the Weres and interrogating the witches when something…strange happened. A current pulsed through the air, and suddenly, everything went quiet. I feared the worst,” he said, and although he was smiling, I was suddenly afraid of what he might say next. “I raced to Carter,” he actually air quoted when he said Carter’s name, “and found the actual Carter in that cell.” His grin stayed in place.

Carter stepped around Felix and smiled sheepishly. “You’re not going to kill me now that you’re you, are you?” he asked.

Oliver was on his feet, pulling me up with him. Letting go of my hand, he moved closer to Carter, the real Carter. Then, they actually hugged each other for a quick moment.

“Dude, I am so happy not to be you anymore,” Carter said, giving Oliver a gentle shove. He was grinning from ear to ear, but he sounded nervous.

Oliver chuckled in response. “The feeling is mutual,” he said as he clasped Carter’s shoulder.

“Well, I’m glad that’s over with,” I said, moving closer and cuddling up to my actual boyfriend’s side. He smiled down at me as he wrapped his arms around me.

“I am afraid we’re not out of the woods just yet,” Felix said.

I swear to you, my heart actually plummeted.

The feeling I got when Felix told us that we weren’t out of the woods yet was nothing, NOTHING I tell you, compared to the new feeling. Fear, terror, more fear. Yeah, I was freaking the freak out! But at least they were only my feelings, and nobody else’s. That was my only relief.

To prevent this shit from happening again, because apparently Oliver and I were susceptible now that it had happened once, we had to get…uh, well, I guess they were matching “tattoos.”

While regular tattoos involved needles (something you’ll never see me doing), these involved a dragon’s claw. A super freaking sharp dragon’s claw! And yes, the memory of that vamp
-slaying-bastard slashing Oliver’s body while I was in it was still fresh in my mind. But hey, at least my mind was in my own freaking head.

Anyway, Felix called Melody and she rushed over from who-knows-where. She
didn’t take long, and now they had Oliver and me sitting beside each other on a table in one of the offices.

Like I said, I was freaking out. Partly because I didn’t know what to expect, and partly because my body was still, very slightly, reacting to the full moon.

For some reason, and maybe it was because my mind hadn’t been in my body when the moon had reached its highest point, but when I jumped back into my own skin and Oliver jumped out, I think he took some of the moon-torture—yeah, that’s what we’re gonna call it: moon-torture—with him.