The Curse Keepers Collection (95 page)

“Not until a few minutes ago.”

“
Shit
.” The water bubbled higher. “There’s no time to mark you.”

“Collin.” I grabbed his arm. “We can fight this thing together. We can send it back to hell.”

He shook his head, watching the water. “We don’t even know if it’s after you, Ellie. It could be a good spirit. They’re getting stronger too.”

My eyes widened. “So they really are out there?”

“I told you they were weeks ago. It’s just taking them longer because they don’t take other creatures’ Manitou.”

“How come you know this and I don’t?”

He gave me a smirk. “I can’t divulge
all
of my secrets.”

The water began to shoot into the air, churning with an angry current.

A friendly spirit might even be able to give me information. “Do you think it’s one of the friendly ones?”

Collin scowled. “No.”

C
HAPTER
T
WENTY
-S
IX

A large mountain lion head shot out of the water and then dove back into it, revealing a furry mountain lion body with jagged plates on its back, like a stegosaurus, and a long, lizard-like tail.

Panic gripped my chest as I watched it disappear into the water. “What the hell is that?”

Collin ran to the other side of the boat. “A water panther.”

That didn’t sound good.

He ran into the cabin and started the engine. “We have to get out of here.”

I followed him into the cabin. “Why? We can send it back to hell.”

“I can’t, Ellie!” The engine roared to life and the boat took off toward the shore.

I fell backward into the wall. “
Why not?
” And then I knew. Okeus.

He grabbed my arm and dragged me over to the wheel. “We’re heading north. Just keep it straight.”

I grabbed the wheel, looking back at him. “What are you going to do?”

“Take care of this.”

“Are you sure Okeus will
allow
it?” My tone was snotty. I knew I should be grateful that he was trying to save me, but I was pissed. Why wouldn’t he take care of it permanently?

He ignored me and stormed out the back.

I hoped we had left the water panther behind us, but a quick glance back assured me it was following us. It seemed insane to think we could outrun a demon.

Collin lifted his hand and a glow filled the air as I heard him shouting his words of protection. A vortex appeared and the water panther screamed.

I slowed the engine and then killed it. This was ridiculous. We could get rid of the demon together.

Collin shot me an angry look through the open door, but he’d have to stop reciting his words of protection if he wanted to stop me.

The boat slowed enough for me to release the wheel, and I moved next to him and shouted over the wind of the vortex he’d created. “Collin, listen to me!”

But Collin’s eyes hardened and he finished the chant.

“ . . .
everything in between. I compel you to leave my sight
.”

The water panther screamed as it was lifted into the air and disappeared into the closing vortex.

Collin turned toward me, livid. “Why can’t you just fucking do what I tell you?
Just one goddamned time!
”

I shoved his shoulder, my temper raging. “That’s what it all boils down to, doesn’t it? You want me to be a stupid girl and do whatever you say without asking questions!”

“Ellie, you’re being ridiculous!”

“Take me home, Collin.”

“Now look who’s doing the ordering!”

I hated that he was right. My temper vanished, leaving behind sorrow. “Why couldn’t you just trust me, Collin?” My voice broke. “I wanted to be with you. Why couldn’t you just tell me the truth?”

His face softened and he wrapped his arms around my back, pulling me to his chest. “It’s not too late, Ellie. I can make it up to you.”

I stepped back, and his eyes fell to my stomach. “You chose your side, and I have to choose mine. You say you care about me, but you refuse to stop those things from killing me.”

“How can you say that? I always make sure your door has fresh marks!”

“If you want to protect me, then tell me what’s out there, Collin! At least let me know what’s after me so I can protect myself.”

He didn’t answer.

I suddenly realized the truth. “You think you’ll never see me again if I have all the answers.”

He looked away.

“Why couldn’t you trust that what we had was enough?”

His chest heaved as he released a breath.

“You can’t manipulate someone into being with you, Collin. You can’t build a relationship on that.”

“It’s not like that, Ellie. I swear.
I love you
.”

I gasped.

He reached for my hand. “Ellie, I love you. Look, you’re right . . . I’ve never given a shit about anyone but myself my entire life. Until you.” He pulled me to his chest. “We can make this work. I promise. I’ll tell you everything.”

“What about Okeus, Collin? Are you going to let him impregnate me?”

Horror covered his face.

“Will you stop him?” When he didn’t answer me, my shoulders started to shake with silent sobs. “You’re so blind in your devotion to Okeus that you would sacrifice even me to him.” I shook my head, tears streaming down my face. “How could I be with you?”

He took a breath, tears in his eyes.

“I wanted you. I’d never wanted anyone like I wanted you. And you’re right.” I leaned into his face, my anger turning to hate. “You did
ruin
me. Sex with David is nothing compared to what we had.”

Pain covered his face.

“But I can’t trust you. I’m scared
to death
, Collin. I needed you to be there for me. I needed to know we were partners in everything, that we shared everything. But you can’t even trust yourself.”

“Ellie.”

I put my hands on his chest. “If this was just you and me, and we hadn’t opened that gate, I would have waited for you to figure things out, Collin. I would have waited.” My voice broke at the realization. “But it’s not just you and me. And I can’t stand back and wait for these things to settle down, because a lot of people are going to end up dead. Including me.”

“Ellie, please. You don’t understand.”

I shook my head. “No. I
don’t
understand, because I would never pick Okeus over you.
Never
.”

His eyes narrowed and I could see he was closing himself off from me again. Not that he’d ever been completely open to me to begin with.

“I can trust David. I know that he’s there for me despite all of this. And not because he’s stuck with me because of some curse. He’s with me because of
me
.” I turned my back to him. “I want to go home. To David.”

He stood behind me for several seconds and then turned around and started the boat.

I had myself under control by the time Collin pulled up to the dock in Wanchese. I was already climbing out of the boat when he emerged from the cabin.

“Ellie.”

I stopped on the sidewalk, waiting. I needed to ask him a few more questions, but the more distance between us, the better. “Tell me about the Ricardo Estate. How are you tied to it?”

He shook his head, a determined look in his eyes. “Like I said: the less you know, the better.”

“Marino thinks you’re involved with me because of my parents’ expertise in the field. Is that true?”

His face scrunched as he shook his head. “You know why I found you.”

“Did my parents’ professions make a difference to you?”

“I swear to you, Ellie. I never once took it into consideration.”

“Where’s my pewter cup?”

His body tensed. “In my truck.”

“Locked in your glove compartment? With your bowl and the map?”

He didn’t answer.

“I want my cup and the map.”

His mouth tipped into an ugly grin. “Possession is nine-tenths of the law.”

“And you declared that rule to be bullshit.
I want them now
.”

“No.”

“I
need the map
.”

“You’re going after Ukinim, aren’t you?”

“He made it pretty clear last night that it was him or me. What would you do in my shoes? I need every resource at my disposal.”

He swung his head away. “
Goddamn it
.”

“You
still
won’t give it to me?”

“
No
.”

My temper rose and I considered finding a rock or something heavy to beat in his dashboard, but he’d stop me before I ever got the stupid thing open. I’d have to figure out another way.

As soon as I got in my car and headed back to Manteo, I picked up my phone and saw that I had five missed calls from David. Given that it was ten o’clock, I wasn’t surprised.

He answered on the first ring. “Ellie, thank God. I’ve been worried half to death.”

“I’m fine,” I said, forcing my anger out of my voice. “It just took longer than expected.”

“Did you find what you were looking for?” I knew what else he was asking.

“I did. I have a lot to tell you. I can’t wait to see you.”

I heard his sigh of relief. “I have something to tell you too. After I got back to the flat, I remembered something I read in one of the books I’ve got here. I think I’ve figured out how you can defeat Ukinim.”

“How?”

“There’s a chant that you can supposedly use. I think it’s similar to the original curse.”

Hope bloomed in my chest. “And do you know it?”

“Yes.”

I released my held breath. “Oh, thank God. We have to do it tomorrow night.”

“Why tomorrow?”

“I saw Daddy in my vision, and he told me that I have to defeat Ukinim and Ilena tomorrow night. He says I can do it on my own.”

“That’s the second best news I’ve heard all day.”

“And what’s the first?”

“That you’re coming home to me.”

I expected to be attacked by some demon or god before I got home, but I pulled into the parking lot without incident and ran up the stairs, stopping outside the door to stare at the symbol in the middle of the door.

But as I stared at it, the door flung open and David appeared in the doorway. I wondered what he thought. I was just in my shorts and bra, as my shirt had disappeared when we were fleeing from the water panther. But he gathered me in his arms, holding me tight.

“I was so scared, Ellie.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

He dragged me across the threshold and closed the door, pushing me against it and kissing me thoroughly.

I laughed against his lips. “I’ve been gone a few hours, not days.”

He lifted his head. “I swear to you, I’m not the clingy type, but I’m also not used to the woman I care about being in constant danger.”

My smile fell. “I’m sorry.”

He shook his head. “I knew what I was getting into when I agreed to this arrangement.”

“But it’s a different arrangement now. You couldn’t anticipate that.”

He didn’t answer. “Do you want to go first or me?”

“You,” I said. “But I need a cup of tea.” I nudged his arm. “Rumor has it that Englishmen are experts at making tea.”

“Is that so? Well, you might be right. I’m brilliant at making tea even with tea bags. Do you have any in the apartment?”

I laughed. “Yeah. In the kitchen.” I went into my room and grabbed a T-shirt, pulling it over my head.

David had found the tea bags and was looking for the kettle. His gaze lingered on me, questions in his eyes.

“You’re probably wondering where my shirt went.”

He looked into my eyes. “I trust you, Ellie.”

“I know, but I want to tell you anyway.”

“Okay.”

“After I got out of the ocean—after my vision—I was wringing the water out of my T-shirt when Collin saw Okeus’s artwork.” I sighed. “I’ll admit that I was pissed that he was still defending Okeus, so I tore my shirt off to show him what Okeus has done to me.”

His voice softened. “I trust you, Ellie,” he repeated.

I threw my arms around his neck, clinging to him. “Thank you.”

His mouth found mine as his hands held me tight. He lifted me up so that I was sitting on the kitchen counter and slid his hands under my shirt and up my back.