This Curse - By Alisha Basso Page 0,41

and spitting sticky foam from his mouth. He took several minutes to catch his breath and then he spoke. “We…we have a woman,” he stammered. “She’s … she was one of us, but they changed her. I don’t know how, but they took her wolf.” He moaned and rolled onto his back again. I just stood there until he began to speak again. “She was only part wolf.” He continued, “It was an attack and she changed. She never wanted it, so we let them take her.” He tried to get to his knees and swayed. “I didn’t think he could do it. Hell, I didn’t think he had it in him.” He finally got to his knees and rubbed his hand down his face.

“What the hell are you taking about? The blonde woman, who is she Patrick? What were you doing with her?” I knelt down; careful to keep my power nestled deep inside me.

“Lydia. It was Lydia’s idea to use her. She wanted a female to test her spells on. To test your blood on.” He took several deep breaths. “They learned a lot from her. Voltaire and Lydia. They used your blood to test his magic.”

I froze.

“Lydia and Voltaire?” I looked him in the face, “Where was Lucian?”

“He didn’t sign on until later. We needed a warlock. Something about the earth and purity I don’t know, it sounded like bullshit.” He coughed again and I folded my arms in irritation. “They needed a pure warlock and that’s when Lucian stepped in.” Patrick struggled to his feet.

“They needed a pure warlock?” I leaned in. “They needed someone connected to the earth and everything pure?” I walked a circle around him. Then I spun and stared at his pathetic face. “They needed someone good?”

“Yeah, that’s what I said.” Patrick bent down, his hands on his knees, he snorted, bringing up something horrid and then spat it on the floor.

My heart rate speed up and I turned away. “Lydia and Lucian work together now?” I asked, turning back around to study his expression.

Patrick straightened, confusion wrinkling his brow, “Of course. Lydia isn’t a witch.”

All the tiny hairs on my body stood at attention sending a tickle of dread along the surface of my skin. Patrick’s words slammed into me. Of course! I thought, as another piece of the puzzle snapped neatly into place.

“I’ve got my eye on you, mutt.” I warned him and then I flashed from the room.

FOURTEEN

The house was dark but I could sense that it wasn’t empty. I scanned it again with my mind. No threats. I opened the door slowly.

She was there. Her battered body was lying in a heap on the floor of my entryway. What the hell?

I knelt down. Reaching out, I nudged her. Her sharp intake of air startled me and I floundered and fell backwards onto my ass. She shot up like a puppet on strings.

“What the hell is the matter with you?” I yelled without thinking.

She snorted and threw her hand over her mouth.

She was laughing?

“Are you insane?” I asked, stumbling to my feet.

She cocked her head and started laughing again. “I can’t help it,” she started, “I always laugh when I’m nervous and you have to admit,” she let out another snort, “it was pretty funny, you falling on your butt like that.” I leveled a look at her and she straightened, holding out her hand. “Um, you must be Grace.” She stated and I waved her hand away.

“What the hell were you doing sleeping on the floor? And where is Seth?” I glanced around the room, expecting to see him appear at any moment.

“I think he fell, I’m so sorry.” She looked miserable all of a sudden.

“He fell?” I yelled. “What the hell does that mean?” I took off and ran throughout the house calling his name. When no answer came, I stopped in front of her again.

“Tell me what happened. How are you even here?” I shook her. She was so frail that I dropped my hands and pulled away quickly. I looked at her again and then felt like a total ass. I knew she had suffered for a long time and appeared to be half starved and battered. I sighed, “Look, Seth is strong as hell. I’m pretty sure he can handle a few wolves.” I tried to project confidence, but I wasn’t all that sure, that Seth was indeed all right but this woman looked horrible. “Before you start with the story, do you want