The Curse Keepers Collection (27 page)

A sacrifice? I didn’t like the sound of that, but there was no way I would accept his offer. “Yes, I still refuse.”

I had tried to prepare myself for his response, but I couldn’t prepare myself for the blast that threw me back and sideways into my fridge.

“
Ellie
!” Claire shouted.

Pain shot through my right side, where I slammed into the appliance.
Goddamn piece of Croatan fucking god shit
.

I climbed to my feet, grunting with pain and anger. Moving on instinct, my right hand rose and I began to chant, words I’d never heard from my father or Collin, words as old as the earth, born of ancient magic. They rolled off my tongue as easily as water rolled down a hill. The primeval sounds made no sense, yet their meaning echoed in my head. “I am the daughter of the sea, born of the essence present at the beginning of time and the end of the world. I am black water and crystal streams. The ocean waves and the raindrops in the sky. I am life and death and everything in between. I compel you to leave my sight.”

The spirit screeched and flew backward, disappearing into the night.

Claire stared from the open doorway to me, her eyes huge. “What just happened? What did you do?”

I didn’t answer for several seconds, still in shock. “I . . . I sent him away.”

“You sent away the messenger of a god?”

I focused on my palm, the mark still tingling from the power that lingered there. Where had those words come from? Had Collin’s ceremony and the symbol on my back loosened some of my memories? “I’m a Curse Keeper, Claire. My job is to send the gods back to the spirit world.” I moved toward the door and looked around to see if anything else lurked in the darkness. When I didn’t see anything, I shut the door and turned to her.

Claire lifted her shaking hand to her mouth. “What can that thing do?”

I sighed. “I’m not sure. Collin thinks the spirits are still weak, but they are gaining strength. The spirits and gods are feeding on the life force of animals to restore their energy. At some point they will be strong enough to kill people.”

If possible, Claire’s eyes widened even more.

“I’m going to stop them, Claire. Collin and I will close the gate and send them back.”

She nodded.

I couldn’t believe she was so shaken up. Claire was one of the bravest people I knew, especially when it came to the spirit world.

She helped me pick up the photos and things the spirit had strewn about. Neither of us felt like going back to sleep so I used the last of my coffee grounds to brew half a pot. We searched the Internet to see how to deal with the henna paste dried to my back without disturbing the tattoo. To my disappointment, I couldn’t take a shower until tonight at the earliest. I hadn’t had a shower since the day before, and I’d been in the heat.

After Claire removed the dried stain with olive oil, I went into the bathroom to wash the rest of my body with a washcloth. When I came out, Claire had the coffeepot turned upside down over her cup. She glanced up. “Seeing how drinking alcohol isn’t an option at six thirty a.m., I called Drew and told him to bring some coffee over along with some clothes for me.”

“Drew didn’t mind?”

“
Please
. After last night, he owes me.”

Drew showed up fifteen minutes later, wearing sweatpants and a T-shirt, carrying a duffel bag. He stopped outside the doorway, taking in the symbols marked across the threshold and on the door. His eyebrows rose as he nodded toward them, then back over his shoulder. “Did you know you had dead birds on your porch? And they’re in some kind of pattern. Do I even want to know?”

Claire pulled him through the door. “No. You don’t. Please tell me you brought the coffee.”

He reached into the duffel and pulled out a bag, handing it over to her. “You are an evil woman making me get up so early.”

She planted a kiss on his mouth. “And you
love
me that way.”

A grin spread across his face. “You know it. I can’t wait for you to be Mrs. Drew Reeves.”

She kissed him for several seconds. “Only one more month.” She turned back to look at me. “You have a fitting for your maid of honor dress next week.”

Thinking about trying on a maid of honor dress in the midst of
hell on earth
seemed laughable, but then again, no more so than me insisting that I go to work the night before. Life went on, evil spirits or not. Or at least, I hoped it did. “Yeah, I’ll be there.”

Claire poured the grounds into a filter and glared at me. “Maybe you’ll have a plus one. And maybe he won’t be a loser.”

I sighed. “If you’re talking about Collin, forget about it. He’s not interested. Circumstances have just thrust him upon me.”

She winked at Drew. “I bet soon she won’t be complaining about someone being
thrust
upon her.” Claire snickered. “Let’s just say that Collin needs a little push to take some initiative.”

“Claire!” I shouted. Good Lord, was nothing secret?

Drew plopped onto a barstool and rested his chin on his hand. “Really, Ellie. Oh? Do tell.”

I shook my head with mock irritation. “Drew, sometimes you are such a girl.”

Claire announced she was hungry.

“You know I don’t have any food here,” I said. “You’re going to have to go get something.”

“Seriously,” Claire grumbled. “You’re not even responsible enough to feed yourself. How do you expect to save humanity?”

“You have no idea how many times I’ve asked myself the same question.”

Drew’s face scrunched in confusion. “Why is Ellie saving humanity?”

Claire’s mouth dropped.

“Umm . . . ” I mumbled, my heart racing. I couldn’t believe she’d been so careless.

Holding out her hands, Claire grinned. “Isn’t that what she does at the New Moon? She saves humanity by feeding them.”

Drew didn’t look convinced, but he let it drop.

Claire disappeared into my room with Drew’s bag and came out dressed several minutes later. “If you won’t feed me, I’m forced to go get breakfast from Poor Richard’s. Thank God they open at seven.” She picked up her purse and walked out the door.

I followed her, coffee cup in hand, being careful to walk around the circle of birds. “You’re going to get me something, right?”

She continued to descend the stairs, raising her hand to flip me off.

“I take it that’s a no,” I mumbled to Drew, who’d come up next to me.

“Nah, she’ll be over having to leave the apartment to get food by the time she orders.”

I hoped so. I was starving.

My porch was a mess. I had two flowerpots on either side of the door and both were toppled over, as were my two plastic chairs. Could I expect visits from evil gods every night? I might need to bring everything inside. We swept up the birds into a bag—three robins, three blackbirds, and a cardinal. I had three more nights to close the gate and we weren’t any closer to accomplishing that than we had been when the curse broke.

The morning was beautiful. The sun was out, and it was warm, but not hot enough to cause a sweat. It was early enough that the tourists weren’t out so the streets were still quiet. And while my porch didn’t face the sound—in fact it faced the back of the shops on the next street—I could still smell the salt of the ocean in the air. I sat on a chair and took a sip of coffee while Drew sat next to me.

“So you and Claire had fun last night?” he asked.

I pursed my lips in an exaggerated pinch. “Yep.”

“You do know that I know something is up, right?”

I turned to look at him.

He grabbed my right hand and opened my fingers. “A tattoo on your palm? And something as primitive as a circle and a square? Then the symbols all over your door. That’s so unlike you.” His eyes narrowed. “Have you joined a cult or something?”

“What? No!”

“Then is this some belated rebellion against Myra? Because we all know how much she hates tattoos.”

“No, but it’s a family thing. Let’s leave it at that.”

“Okay, but you know you can talk to me if you need to. You and I have been friends even longer then you and Claire.”

I offered him a smile. “Thanks, Drew.” Leaning my head against the porch rail, I cradled my coffee cup to my chest while Drew examined my palm.

I’d had little sleep the last several nights, and the way Drew stroked my hand was relaxing. I began to drift off.

“Well isn’t this cozy?” Collin’s dry voice startled me out of my doze.

I tried to pull my hand away from Drew’s, but he held tight.

“Good morning,” Drew said with a bit too much cheerfulness to suit me. He must have realized who our visitor was. Damn Claire and her big mouth.

“Is it?” Collin’s gaze fell on Drew’s and my linked hands, his eyes narrowing slightly. “You must be one of Ellie’s many
friends
.”

Drew caught Collin’s tone and sat up. “As a matter of fact, I am. Drew.” And that was it. No explanation that he was Claire’s fiancé.

I still cradled my cup, slouching against the porch. I understood how bad this must look. I was in my short pajama bottoms and I’d put on a tank top after Claire had rubbed off the excess stain. Drew looked like he was freshly awake with his unshaved face, bed head, and sweatpants. The coffee mug in his free hand sealed the deal.

Collin tensed. “Collin.”

Drew grinned. “Oh, I know who you are.”

Collin turned his steely gaze to me. “I hope you didn’t screw up your mark lying on your back half the night.”

His insinuation was obvious. I pulled my hand from Drew’s death grip and raised an eyebrow, giving Collin my own deadly gaze. “Don’t worry. I prefer to be on top.”

Drew choked on his coffee, but Collin and I continued our stare-down for several seconds. To my satisfaction, he broke first. “Are you ready to go to Morehead City or were you too busy to pack?”

I smirked. “Sorry. I didn’t think you’d be here so early.”

“Obviously.”

“I still have work to do.”

His mouth lifted in an ugly smile. “Is that what you call it?”

I wanted to tell Collin Fucking Dailey to kiss my fucking ass. Who the hell did he think he was? And did he really think so little of me? He was the one who ran out the night before. He’d made it perfectly clear that he wasn’t interested. So what did he care who I slept with? He’d already admitted that he’d screwed more women than he could count.

But instead, I smiled up at him like I had a secret, just to piss him off more.

Drew, on the other hand, had had enough. “I think you better watch how you speak to her.”

Collin raised his hands in surrender. “I’d love to tell you she’s all yours, but she seems to have a revolving bedroom door.”

Drew was out of his seat, grabbing Collin’s shirt with both hands.

“Drew!” I shouted, jumping to my feet.

“What the hell did I miss?” Claire asked, standing at the top of stairs breathless and holding a white paper bag.

I pulled Drew’s hands away from Collin. Despite Drew’s honorable intentions, I had no doubt that Collin would kick his ass. “Collin dropped by earlier than expected and is apparently surprised to see I have a guest this early.”

Claire’s eyes widened in understanding, her mouth forming an O.

“I was just about to tell Collin that my
revolving bedroom door
is my own business.”

A frown covered her face. “Oh.”

“I need to go in and pack.” I reached for the door, refusing to look at Collin. “You do whatever the hell you want.”

“Because you sure do,” Collin said dryly.

“Damn fucking straight.”

To my surprise, he followed me inside. I ignored him and went into my bedroom, shutting the door. I sat on the bed, a sick feeling washing through me. What just happened? Did Collin really think that I would have called some other guy to come in and pinch hit for him after we’d shared that kiss—that
connection
—last night?

The door opened and I jerked my head up, about to give Collin a verbal berating, but it was Claire with a worried look on her face. “Are you okay?”

My shoulders tightened. “Why wouldn’t I be okay?”

Her brow knitted in confusion. “With Collin . . . and Drew . . . ”

Pinching my mouth in disapproval, I shook my head. “Whatever.”

She sat next to me. “I can go straighten him out.”

Anger burned its way to the surface. “Don’t you dare. If he thinks so little of me, let him. I deserve better than that.”

“True.” She paused. “But you know why he’s so irritated, right? If you really want him, that’s a good sign that he cares.”

“Ha! Cares about
me
? As if.” I scowled. “He jumped to conclusions because he has double standards. He probably went out and got his friend with benefits to come over, and he thought I did the same thing.”

Claire giggled.

I glared. “What the hell is so funny?”

“Thinking about you and Drew—together.”

I shuddered. “Eww. That would be like doing it with my brother. If I had one. I’ve known Drew since preschool.”

“But Collin doesn’t know that.”

I stood and grabbed my small suitcase out of my closet. “I don’t care what he knows or doesn’t. I still say if he’s so willing to believe the worst of me, let him. I’m not going to set the record straight.” Claire started to say something, but I pointed at her. “And neither are you.”

Sighing, she stood and froze, then turned to me. “Why don’t you get ready and I’ll pack for you?”

“Don’t you need to get to work?” Claire worked as a maid at the Tranquil House Inn, but her boss was pretty lenient with her frequent tardiness.

She waved a hand. “I’ll be fine. Drew brought my uniform. What do you think you need?”

“I don’t know. A couple of days of clothes. And a dark pair of jeans and shirt.” I shook my head at her questioning look. “Don’t ask.” I grabbed a skirt that matched the black tank top I already wore, clean black lacy underwear, and a matching bra, and went into the bathroom. Collin might not see what I was wearing underneath, but I’d know what he was missing and gloat.

Claire saw what I grabbed and an amused smirk crossed her face, but amazingly enough, she didn’t say a word.