Page 4 of A Curse So Cruel (Fated Mates of Shadowbone Academy #1)

Chapter Three

~ Shade ~

I make it to the top of the staircase, and I start sprinting through the library toward the front door.

I’m halfway there when my boot clips on a fold in the aged carpet, and then I’m pitching forward again.

Wings. Why couldn’t I still have my wings!

There aren’t many times I still wish I was a crow, but right now, I’d give anything to be able to fly.

Not that it’d probably help me. Can shadow monsters fly?

A shriek leaves my mouth, but before I faceplant, shadows surround me and a strong arm bands across my ribcage.

Ice and fire. That’s what it feels like at the contact.

A cold chill races through my body like I’m being turned to ice, but barely a second later, it’s chased away by a searing heat that leaves me panting.

I twist my head back to find shadow daddy two is holding me, and damn, the male is even more breathtaking up close.

For a moment, I simply stare at him in stunned silence, taking in his smooth jaw, and the way his turquoise eyes sparkle like the ocean touched by morning light.

For a split second, he looks almost as surprised as I am, but then his perfect lips twist into a sensual smile that does all sorts of things to my insides.

“Now, now, there’s no need for that, little shadow. ”

“Shadow?” I croak, my mouth completely dry.

His smile grows bigger. “Well, yes. You were spying on us in the shadows, were you not?”

He kind of has a point, but it seems funny that he’s calling me that seeing as he’s the one with shadow powers.

“You are a clumsy little thing, aren’t you?” he adds.

I could explain that I haven’t been human for long, and that while I might know the basics like how to walk, I don’t particularly seem to be any good at it, but I’m too focused on how good it feels to have him touching me right now.

I’ve completely forgotten that I’m supposed to be running for my life, and instead, all I can think about is how amazing it would feel to have his perfect lips on my mouth. On my body… Between my thighs…

What the hell? As touch-starved as I am, even I can admit this isn’t a normal response to being captured, especially when there’s the possibility of dying.

Wait…do all shadow daddies feel like this, or can he be…

? My thoughts trail off, because I know I’m being ridiculous, but I can’t help wondering…

Is he my fated mate? Okay, so I can acknowledge I’m probably jumping to conclusions, but I’ve seen Blake with her fated mates, and I remember her saying she knew they were hers the moment they touched.

Also, I’ve likely been reading too many books with the fated mates trope.

Most humans have dulled senses so they can’t detect their mates very well, and they tend to call them their ‘soul mates’ rather than ‘fated mates,’ but considering I’m still partially cursed, I can’t help but wonder if I have heightened senses.

It’s said your fated mate is selected by Lady Fate, the deity herself, and the more powerful the female, the more mates she ends up with.

Considering I’m a powerless human, I probably only have one mate, but that’s good enough for me.

I try not to get too excited and instead focus on recalling everything Blake told me about fated mates, ticking off the indicators in my head. They’re supposed to feel good. Check. What else? Oh, that’s right, they’re supposed to smell good, too.

Shadow daddy two lifts me to my feet effortlessly, and without wasting time, I twist and lean into him, brushing my nose against his chest and dragging in a deep breath.

Ho-ly moly. The man’s heady scent of wood smoke and spice practically has me drooling.

I try to tell myself I should be trying to get away from this man, but everything inside me is telling me I’m right where I need to be.

Another jolt of excitement goes through me.

If we are fated mates, then it could change things.

If we’re connected, shadow daddy two wouldn’t kill me, right?

When I reluctantly pull my head back, he’s staring at me curiously with an arched brow. He opens his mouth to speak, but I manage to blurt out first, “Do I smell good to you? And I don’t mean good, but like really good.”

Both of his brows lift now, and I can tell I’ve surprised him. Before he can answer, I lift my arm to his nose so he can take a whiff. “Here. Smell me,” I order.

He looks bewildered. “Well, you are a peculiar one,” he says, still smiling. Despite his comment, I’m pleased when he sniffs. As soon as he does, his pupils darken, and more sparkles appear in his eyes.

“I do smell good!” I say excitedly. “Oh thank god, for a minute there, I thought you were going to mind wipe me, or kill me or something,” I add, relieved.

The shadow daddy stares at me for a moment in confusion, but then he leans closer. With his free hand, he brushes his slender fingers down my cheek. At the touch, ice traces along my skin, followed by a burning heat. I gasp, my mouth falling open.

“What are you, little shadow?” he asks, his brow still creased as his mind works to figure me out.

I give him an incredulous look. “Are you serious? I know you can feel that, too. I see it in your eyes. Unless you’re like a sex god or something, then we’re obviously fated!”

He gives me a blank look, and I explain more slowly. “You know, fated mates. You smell good, and I smell good, and you feel good…” I trail off, wiggling my eyebrows at him, because he can’t be that dense, but my chest falls when he shakes his head.

“You’re not my mate, little shadow,” he says with confidence, and the words make my heart stutter.

Because I can’t be wrong, can I? I mean, I’m not in the human realm to find my mate, but from the moment I became human, I’d known there might be a chance that I have a mate out there somewhere. And I guess I thought…

“But you are something, ” shadow daddy two admits.

I can’t be sure, but for a split second I think I see something vulnerable in his expression.

Regret, maybe? It’s gone in an instant, and then that casual dark smirk is back on his face.

“Don’t worry, treasure. Raith and I will take good care of you. I promise, it won’t hurt a bit.”

Raith? My head is still spinning when a form melts from the shadows, and another tall figure towers over me. Shadow daddy one grins, and it’s an aloof smile that makes my heart flutter. “Well, hey there, sunshine. You’re a pretty little thing, aren’t you?” he says in a warm, husky voice.

I shiver, but I know it’s not from the cold.

I try to focus on what shadow daddy two said earlier.

“What won’t hurt?” I croak, because my mouth is so dry now it’s like all the moisture has gone to somewhere down…

below… It’s only then that it dawns on me that if shadow daddy one is Raith, then shadow daddy two must be named Galen.

That’s what shadow daddy four had called them earlier—Raith and Galen.

Not that knowing their names is going to help me now.

Especially if they’re about to make me forget everything. Or you know, kill me.

At that thought, I try to take a step back, but I stiffen as I bump into Raith’s hard body.

I hadn’t even seen him move closer. Just like with Galen, as soon as we’re touching, ice chills me, chased by the sensation of fire until all that’s left is a searing, burning heat that simmers inside me.

Oh, crap. Galen closes the small distance in front of me, and soon I’m sandwiched between them.

Despite Galen’s denial about us being mates, I feel the same connection to Raith.

They both feel like they’re mine. My mates. Mine.

Okay, so I’m going to die while I’m in a shadow daddy sandwich with two men who feel like my mates but apparently aren’t.

It’s not exactly how I figured I’d go, but hey, it could be worse.

I try to tell myself they must feel this good because of their shadow powers, but that doesn’t stop the fact that they feel like mine.

I freeze as Raith lowers his head to my hair and drags in a breath.

“Mmm she smells good,” Raith comments, his rumbling voice close to my ear.

“Ha! See? I told you I smell great,” I blurt, looking pointedly at Galen, though my head is spinning.

Raith chuckles. “What’s that all about?”

Galen’s lips twist. “The little human thinks we’re fated mates,” he drawls, sharing a look with Raith, though I don’t understand what it means.

Raith’s jaw goes slack, but he regains his composure quickly. “Now, why would a human want to be mates with shadow warriors?”

“Hey, I’m not saying I want to,” I blurt, though it’s a complete lie, because these males are seriously delicious.

I mean, who wouldn’t want their own harem of shadow daddies?

“We don’t get to choose our mates,” I remind them.

“I’m just trying to point out that you can’t kill me, or mind wipe me or whatever, if we’re fated.

In fact, if I’m right, shouldn’t you be protecting me or something?

” Worshipping is the word that really comes to mind, but we can work up to that.

Raith stares at me dumbly, but then he lifts his gaze to Galen, ignoring me like I hadn’t even spoken.

“Think we have time for some fun before the others return? I don’t know what she is, but something about her is makin’ me horny as fuck.

Those plump lips would look so perfect around my cock as I fucked her mouth. ”