A Cursed Bloodline (WG 4) (16 page)

“How bad can it—
son of a bitch!
” Taran screamed once, twice, and yeah, a third time. And just like that, they were back to thinking I was screwy again.

Shayna jumped up and down, pointing at my head. “Ceel! You have like, three hairs left.”

“Son of a bitch!”

Emme circled me. “Y-you’re missing pieces of your scalp!”

“Son of a bitch!”

“Um, I put antiseptic on it,” Danny offered.

Emme stumbled forward, urging me to sit. She closed her eyes and touched my face. Almost instantly, the throbbing around my scalp diminished.

Taran took a small bottle from her designer purse. “It’s Tahoe water.” She unscrewed the cap with shaky fingers. “I’m going to try to manipulate the magic to grow back your hair.” She sighed and took in my condition. “I’m not sure it’s going to work.”

It took a long while before anything happened. Taran wasn’t a witch and she’d only dabbled with Tahoe’s magic. After several long minutes and many a swearword on Taran’s part, my scalp buzzed. “Whoa,” Shayna whispered.

Long, loose spirals blossomed from my scalp until they once again hung past my shoulder blades. I ran my fingers through my curls as I walked to the bathroom to take a peek. The texture had thinned slightly. When I ran my fingers through my waves, they stayed out of my eyes instead of falling forward from the weight. I thought of Aric and wondered if he’d still like it. I quickly dismissed the thought. Aric probably didn’t like anything about me anymore.

Shayna rested her head on my shoulder as I continued to take in my reflection. My hair, although somewhat thinner, was still bulky enough to hide me. I didn’t want anyone to see me. It was silly. I knew covering my face wouldn’t make me disappear, but I longed to be invisible. More than anything, I wanted to fade away from the likes of Anara, the Tribe, and the scary shape-shifters.

Since first learning about my baby, my maternal instincts to protect had radically kicked in. I was strong. I had powers. But I knew I wasn’t enough to keep my child safe forever. If only Aric and I were still together. Although only two against thousands, there was something sacred about a pair of beings protecting what they’d created together. We would love our baby like no one else could and give each other strength to survive.

My heart had broken a million times when it came to Aric, but as I continued to stare at my reflection, it broke once more. Shayna’s voice shook. “What’s wrong with you, Ceel?”

I wiped my eyes. Without my knowing, I’d begun to cry. The last few weeks had left me so emotionally battered, my impulse to cry had become as automatic as breathing.

Emme squeezed her way into the hall bathroom with us. She broke down the moment she saw me. She wrapped her arms around my waist and buried her face in my chest while Shayna wept against my shoulder.

“Oh shit.” Taran clasped her hand over her mouth and let loose.

We were pathetic, clutching each other and sobbing like the girly girls we were. Poor Danny didn’t stand a chance. He handed Taran a box of tissues, but not before taking one for himself.

Taran blew her nose and swore. “Ssspa day.”

“What?” the rest of us asked.

“Spa day. That’s what we all need, a spa day.”

It wasn’t a suggestion. She dragged me out of the bathroom with my sisters and Danny trailing behind us.

—

Aric hated me. Bren lay in a coma. And a twisted asshole prick Elder basked in the blood of my suffering. My first thought with regard to spa day was no. My second,
hell
no
. I’d never felt so alone and helpless. I didn’t need my nails done. I needed a damn battle-axe to tuck under my pillow at night. And still I agreed, if only to escape my troubles and spend one last moment with my sisters. I was leaving Tahoe and my family. The way things stood, I couldn’t be sure I’d ever see them again.

Danny’s face reddened the minute we entered the day spa in South Tahoe. He probably thought a day of pampering was unbecoming to a werewolf, but still wouldn’t risk leaving me.

Taran led me to the counter and slapped down her credit card. “Five Spa Adventures, please, three Tranquilities, one Gentleman’s Favorite.” She put her arm around me and smiled. “And for this little lady, the Beauty and Bliss package.”

Taran must have been spending a small fortune. The women attendants couldn’t move fast enough. They escorted us down a hallway decorated in beautiful shades of green and blue and a floor resembling a lovely pier set over sand. The mural before us was so realistic, it was as if we were about to dive into paradise.

One by one we were ushered into rooms with massage tables. The smells of tropical flowers and sounds of trickling falls suggested nothing but peace and deep relaxation. My startled nerves and tense muscles began to relax even before reaching my destination.
Good idea, Taran.

My room was the largest. A multitiered fountain of glass dribbled lazily in the corner while the delicate scent of jasmine tickled my nose and a sweet bird whistled above the soft sounds of the rain forest. Peach candles lit the dark room. This wasn’t a spa. It was heaven.

The attendant escorting me handed me a pink cotton gown. She stood a few inches taller than me. Her dark hair was pinned in a chignon, revealing her perfectly fair skin and flawless makeup. “Hello. I’m Mindy. Please undress and lie on the bed so we may begin your journey into serenity.”

Mindy’s voice dripped of soothing comfort and harmony—an angel welcoming me through the pearly gates.

I quickly discovered she was the devil himself.

She positioned me onto my side and had me hug my knees. “What are you doing?” I asked, wondering what she could possibly massage in this position.

Mindy spoke sweetly. “Beginning the cleansing part of your ‘Beauty and Bliss’ experience.”

I should have read the damn brochure. Then I could have stopped her before she lubed my ass.

As it was, I jumped in the nick of time. If it wasn’t for my horror upon seeing that nutcase holding a hose in one hand and a giant tube of KY in the other, I might have cracked her spine in half. “What the
hell
is wrong with you, Mindy?”

I had to give it to “Little Miss Stepford.” She continued to smile in that delicate way of hers before politely requesting I release my viselike grip on her wrists. She then snapped off her thick rubber gloves and excused herself. I was trying to wipe the lube off with a towel when Mindy returned with a rather irate Taran.

Taran adjusted the belt on her robe. “What’s the problem?”

“She tried to stick a hose in my bat cave!” I answered, pointing.

“So?”

“What do you mean, ‘so’? Mine’s an exit only!”

“Celia, it’s a cleansing. No different than getting a facial. Your body will thank you for it, trust me.”

For a minute, I just scowled and wondered how to tactfully dispose of Taran’s and Mindy’s bodies. Then guilt rushed in to haunt me. Taran had spent a lot of money and I knew she meant well. And maybe she was right. Maybe it would benefit my health, and therefore my baby’s. So against my better judgment, I turned myself over to Mindy.

Damn, was I an idiot.

The experience was many things: humiliating, creepy, and downright uncomfortable. Yet as unpleasant as the experience was for me, Mindy earned my deepest condolences. I’d been a labor nurse. I’d seen the most intimate parts of a woman as I focused on helping her through one of life’s most incredible journeys and, in the end, the woman was able to hold a precious baby in her arms. All Mindy got to hold were my butt cheeks.

When she finally finished, I was ready to haul what remained of my ass. Mindy insisted it was time to start the “bliss” part of my day. I supposed the facial and the hot stone massage would have been relaxing if my intestines weren’t screaming that something had gone horribly wrong.

An hour later, I found my sisters and Danny lounging on velour couches enjoying champagne, cheese, and fruit. Danny leapt up the moment he saw me and raced out the door. “I’ll wait for you outside.”

He must have heard the deets about my jolly good time with Mindy. I was mortified yet grateful Bren wasn’t waiting in his place. Bren would have taken a pic and mailed it out as his Christmas card.

My sisters’ nails and toes were freshly manicured. They were in banner moods, laughing and smiling, having enjoyed their spa adventures.

Another no doubt crazed colonic expert approached me smiling and started working on my hands and feet. I squirmed, unable to sit still and convinced Mindy had forgotten to remove the hose.

Taran admired her French manicure. “What’s with you?”

I grimaced. “I’m in pain.”

“Do you want me to heal your butt?” Emme offered.

Taran interrupted before I could take Emme up on her generous offer. “Why? Because of

the colonic?”

My voice was less than Mindy-like. “Of course because of the colonic—it feels like things are hanging out!”

“You’re probably passing a seed,” Mindy’s minion answered. She buffed my nails and blew off the dust. “We use only organic herbs in our colonics.”

“See, Celia.” Taran patted my arm like she’d done me a big favor. “That shit’s all natural.”

I’d wished then that Taran had picked a better choice of words. I also wished I could squash the vision of vines sprouting out of my emergency exit.

—

Misha stroked my hair. “You seem in better spirits.”

I smiled. Despite the dim lighting inside his Hummer limo, his gray eyes sparkled with humor. “Why wouldn’t I be? You were willing to take me to dinner despite my fragile and slightly psychotic state. If that’s not true friendship, I don’t know what is.”

Misha placed his arm around me. I leaned against him, content to hear the rhythmic beating of his heart. “Why do you continue to believe that what exists between us is nothing more than companionship? Your vision has clearly shown us our future. We will be married and you will be the mother to my children.”

I pulled away, no longer content. “Misha, I don’t know exactly what we saw, but it wasn’t real.”

“How do you know?”

Well, for starters, I’m already pregnant with Aric’s baby.
“There’s too much that doesn’t make sense.”

“Such as?”

He smiled when I stared at him wordlessly.

“Jeans?” I finally offered.

“I beg your pardon?”

“In my vision you wore denim. You never dress in jeans.”

His smile widened and that scary and familiar twinkle filled his eyes. “Would you prefer I wear no attire at all, just as we did the other night?”

I scrambled to the other side of the Hummer with Misha hot on my tail. His aroused scent proclaimed,
Hey, is it me or is it hot in here? Let’s get naked and cool off.

Misha pounced and pinned me to the sprawling leather seat. “Misha, what are you doing?”

He tugged off his tie. “Preparing to make you scream.”

I flipped him over and held him, trying to steady my heart. Except the party in Misha’s pants announced it was New Year’s. His tongue flicked over my jugular. “If you want to be on top, you need only say so.”

I shoved my hands over his mouth before he could kiss me. “Misha, stop. I don’t want to do this.”

The corners of his eyes crinkled in amusement. He mumbled something I couldn’t understand, so like a moron I loosened my hands over his mouth. “What did you say?”

“I said your nipples tell a different tale.”

I didn’t have to look down to realize that once again, my areolas were saluting their leader. The night the Powers that Be created the vampire, some drunk asshole among them must’ve decided their super mojo wouldn’t be complete without the power to stiffen tips. Misha especially had received an extra helping.

My body temperature soared. “Will you stop looking at my breasts and—
I said stop looking at my breasts!
”

“It is my only alternative while you remain clothed. Now, once I remove your panties, however—”

I covered his mouth again and growled. It was time to get serious. “Misha, I don’t love you. And I won’t marry you. I’m sorry I led you on by having sex with you.”

I removed my hand. A slow, wicked smile spread across his face. He laughed, hard and strong. He glanced at my stupefied expression and laughed harder yet. “Why are you laughing? This isn’t a joke!”

He tried to control himself. “You can’t recall the evening we spent together, can you?”

“Well, no.”
And hell, I’ve tried not to.

Misha tossed me over and was suddenly on top again. He ran a finger down my throat and played with the neckline of my blue dress. “My darling, we didn’t have sex. If we had, my expertise and superior manhood would have assured you’d never forget it.”

I jumped when I realized what he said. “We didn’t do it?”

He chuckled again. “No.”

“Then why were we in bed naked?”

“You went into shock in the garden and failed to respond despite your open eyes. My lovelies bathed you and brought you to my bed as they should have.”

“Of course, God forbid they put me in my own bed.”

Misha’s grin widened as he teased my skin with his chin. “Mine was warmer, I assure you.”

I cleared my throat. “Just tell me what happened.”

“When you failed to wake into a more conscious state, I pricked my finger and offered you my blood. As you drank, your delicate condition dissolved itself. Ultimately you relaxed and fell into a deep slumber.”

I gripped his collar. “Swear to me, Misha, that you’re telling me the truth. Please. It’s important.”

“My darling, taking an unconscious woman, even one as desirable as you, would be distasteful.” His smile faded. “I would never hurt anyone, especially you, in such a way.”

Despite his flaws, Misha was honorable, an attribute I deeply admired and one that cemented our friendship. My body perspired with relief while my heart screamed with joy. I’d remained faithful to Aric. “Thank you, Misha.” He smiled, but remained fixed against my body. I let out a sigh. “You know, fragile state or not, that still doesn’t explain why you allowed us to sleep together naked.”