Cursed Vengeance
Authors: Brandy L. Rivers,Rebecca Brooke
| Cursed Vengeance |
| Number I of Pine Barrens Wolves |
| Brandy L. Rivers & Rebecca Brooke |
| Beau Coup Publishing, LLC (2015) |
Sierra prefers to avoid the Pine Barrens—the folklore and myths always left her uneasy. Which only grows worse when she runs into a man, and her first instinct is to help. The stranger tests her patience before disappearing and she can’t shake the instant, shocking attraction.
One chance meeting deep in the woods and Dylan is lost. The woman with red hair and blue eyes tempts his most primal nature to claim something he’s never wanted. As a male of his pack, destined to die on his thirty-fifth birthday, he does not want to claim anyone. Not unless they can find an answer to a fifty-year-old curse.
Sierra learns things aren’t always as they seem. Her brother and his best friend Dylan are werewolves with limited time and they believe she may be the key to breaking the curse. Dylan will do everything he can to convince her werewolves aren’t simply a nightmare lurking in the pines. They need her help to break the curse and save their pack.
But first, she has to accept a birthright she doesn’t believe in...
Cursed Vengeance
Pine Barren Wolves
Book 1
By
Brandy L Rivers
&
Rebecca Brooke
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved.
Cursed Vengeance
Copyright 2015 © Brandy L Rivers & Rebecca Brooke
Published by Beau Coup Publishing
http://beaucoupllcpublishing.com/
Cover by Brandy L Rivers
For Beau Coup Publishing
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author / publisher.
Sierra prefers to avoid the Pine Barrens—the folklore and myths always left her uneasy. Which only grows worse when she runs into a man, and her first instinct is to help. The stranger tests her patience before disappearing and she can’t shake the instant, shocking attraction.
One chance meeting deep in the woods and Dylan is lost. The woman with red hair and blue eyes tempts his most primal nature to claim something he’s never wanted. As a male of his pack, destined to die on his thirty-fifth birthday, he does not want to claim anyone. Not unless they can find an answer to a fifty-year-old curse.
Sierra learns things aren’t always as they seem. Her brother and his best friend Dylan are werewolves with limited time and they believe she may be the key to breaking the curse. Dylan will do everything he can to convince her werewolves aren’t simply a nightmare lurking in the pines. They need her help to break the curse and save their pack
But first, she has to accept a birthright she doesn’t believe in...
Table of Contents
Sierra
Dark, too dark. My headlights couldn’t cut through the fog. I always wondered why my brother, Sean, chose to live out in the Pine fucking Barrens. The place always gave me the creeps.
Then I saw the sign for Mia Cabrera’s. With a sigh of relief, I pulled into the parking lot and turned down the row.
The thunk startled me, then a dark figure fell to the pavement.
“Oh, fuck me,” I muttered, shutting off my Audi Hybrid before climbing out to investigate.
Dark clothes over a long, hard body. My heart thumped in my chest as I crouched beside the man.
“Shit,” he muttered, grabbing onto his head as he tried to sit up.
“Don’t sit up, what are you doing?” I admonished.
“Why not? Just banged my head.”
“I hit you with my car!” I pushed him back down. “Just lie back. I’m a doctor. Let me make sure you’re okay.”
“A doctor who hits people in parking lots?”
I huffed, flipping his shit right back. “You’re wearing black, in the fog. You can see headlights coming at you a lot better than I can see creepers hiding in the dark.”
His brow arched back, a smirk lifting one corner of his full lips as light danced through his golden-hued eyes. “Doctor Trouble, I see.” He glanced past me before meeting my gaze again. A shiver of anticipation went down my spine. “What are you planning to do to treat me in the dark and fog?”
“Keep you still while I call nine-one-one. You hit your head pretty hard. Give me a minute.” I stood and moved back to the car door.
A shadow passed through the headlights as I turned back. He was gone. Great, a macho dipshit, one who made my heart race with his smirk.
My phone rang and I sighed. Probably Sean getting impatient. I was already a few minutes late. Stifling a groan, I climbed in and hit speaker while parking. “I’m here. You won’t believe what just happened.”
“You can tell me right after you get your ass inside and order. I’m starving. I already have our table.”
“I’ll be there.” Confusion plagued me as I climbed out and locked up. I went to the front of my car, frowning. No dent, no blood, nothing. Then again, I hit him at less than five miles an hour. He only went down because he was moving quickly to begin with.
A tingle traveled down my spine and I turned to find whoever was watching me. Probably the man with the strange golden eyes. And why’d he have to be so damned hot? That smirk...man, I’m a sucker for a smartass.
Shaking my head, I hurried inside before Sean called again.
My brother sat in the back, facing the whole restaurant, his blue eyes swishing through the place, back and forth. It reminded me of the
Bourne Identity
. I couldn’t resist a laugh as the hostess greeted me.
“Evening. Are you waiting on someone?”
“No.” I nodded to the back corner. “My brother is already seated. I can see myself over there.”
“Enjoy your dinner.” Lights flashed in her eyes, leaving a reflective quality for a millisecond.
Ignoring the creeptastic shiver down my spine, I joined Sean and slid into a seat. Normally he was clean-shaven, his hair cropped short. The dark brown hair had grown out with the start of a beard. Maybe he’d been out here too long, he was starting to look the part.
Hoping to make him smile, I teased, “Why do you live here again?”
He smirked. “What? No hi, how are you?”
Amused, I shook my head. “Sorry. How are you?”
“Better. I was worried about you.”
My brow arched, but I looked down at the menu. Didn’t take long for me to settle on the Salmon Picatta.
The waiter came by and took our orders. Once he left, I leaned forward, studying my brother. Worry lines creased his forehead. Usually he was carefree, always smiling.
Oh hell, what did I really know? I only saw him every couple months. Being an orthopedic surgeon kept me busy, and I was a city girl, not a backwoods country bumpkin.
“So what’s going on, Sis? Why are you fidgeting like you’ve done something wrong?”
I drew in a slow breath and shook my head. “I hit someone with my car. Before I could grab my phone he took off.”
Sean shifted uncomfortably. “You sure you weren’t seeing things? The fog is thicker than Mom’s chili.”
“Seriously? I got out and talked to him. He acted like it was nothing, then left as soon as I turned my back.”
“Maybe it was nothing. Where did it happen?”
“The parking lot.”
“What? Were you going two miles an hour? I’m sure he’s fine. Don’t stress on it.”
“I don’t know, Sean. He hit his head. What if he has a concussion?” I had to find him. The guilt would eat me up. Maybe not tonight, but Sean’s birthday was in a few days and I had plans to visit him again soon.
“How’d the consult go?”
“Fine. Guy’s radial joint is a hot mess, but I’ll be back this way tomorrow to fix it. Another long day. Think we can grab dinner again?”
“Sure. But maybe you should stay the night so you don’t have to do so much driving in the fog.”
“Sure. Hey, why have you been all chatty lately? You’ve called every day for the last two weeks. I’m not used to all this brotherly attention.” Usually we’d go a week or so before one of us called the other.
He plowed a hand through his hair and shrugged. “Feels like time is running out.”
The defeat in his tone stopped me cold. “What do you mean?”
Half a laugh escaped as his eyes darted away. “Look at you. All successful, pretty. You’ll get hitched, have kids, and I’ll never see you again.”
The sadness in his voice tore at my heart. There was more going on. “Guess I’ll have to make it a point to see my big brother more often.”
“You should.”
“What brought this on?”
“A friend is dying. Brings everything into perspective.”
“Does he have a good doctor?”
“At this point, doctors can’t do anything for him.”
My eyes narrowed as I frowned back. “I know people. You could point me in his doctor’s direction. Maybe we could find a solution.”
“He’s too far gone, Sis. He needs a miracle at this point.”
Dinner slid into an awkward conversation. Sean was chattier than usual, prying into my life, but not giving anything back. I didn’t buy it was as simple as a dying friend. Sure, that may have been a major part of it, but I couldn’t help feeling like there was more to the story.
Before I knew it I was giving him a big hug and slipping the waitress my card before he caught on.
“Hey, I wanted to get that.” He laughed.
“Yeah, well, I beat you to it. Next time.”
“Fair enough. You best remember I’m paying next time.”
“Bye, Sean. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He kissed me on the cheek and gave me a half-hearted wave. “Bye, Sis. Drive safe.”
Once I signed the check, I ducked out and started for my Audi.
I could have sworn I saw a shadow in the alley. I started in that direction, but it disappeared. “Fine,” I muttered, “don’t let me help. It’s your thick skull, not mine.”
A soft chuckle caressed my ears, and I spun around slowly, looking for any sign that someone was there.
Nope, all alone.
I fucking hate the Pine Barrens
. Weird things always happened out here.
The buzz of my phone startled me. I looked at the display and hooked my headset on my ear before pressing talk. “Hey, Rachel. Long time, no hear. What’s up?” We’d been friends since school. Now she lived right down the road from me.
“Go on a double date with me Saturday?”
I repressed a groan. “No. Can’t do it. Hanging out with my brother.”
“Okay, the week after.”
“Doubtful. And you know I hate double dates. Besides, who do you think you’re hooking me up with?”
“The gorgeous intern working under me.”
A laugh escaped as I shook my head. “You sure you don’t want to take a ride on him yourself?”
“No. I’m taking one of the other marketing reps. You’re taking the intern.”
“Nah-uh. I’m not going. You’ll have to find someone else to take him.”
“Why? You met a man?” she teased.
Those gold-tinged eyes and sexy smirk ran through my head. I figured it wouldn’t hurt to lie a little. “Maybe. He’s sexy enough, but stubborn as hell.”
“What makes you say that?”
I almost spilled, but didn’t want to have to explain hitting a pedestrian in the parking lot. “Look, I’m driving home from dinner with my brother. Can I call you later?”
“You’re not going to give me the details?”
Rachel was never going to let up, so I gave her the little I knew, hoping she never made an attempt to find him. It wasn’t like I was going to go searching for my creeper. “Tall, built, gorgeous, dark hair, unusual almost gold eyes. And his mouth…” I squirmed in my seat, wondering what he’d taste like.
“His name?”
“Not important. I’m going to my brother’s tomorrow and staying the night. I’ll let you know if I run into him again.”
“Your brother’s friend?”
I giggled. “You chill. I’ve got to go. I’ll give you more details after I get home.”
“All right, fine. Dream about him.” The phone clicked off.