Page 6 of A Curse So Cruel (Fated Mates of Shadowbone Academy #1)

Chapter Four

~ Shade ~

“ Y ou were supposed to be taking care of her,” Knox says coldly.

He’s barely finished speaking when Thane also appears, stepping from dark shadows further to the right. I can only guess they’ve both finished whatever it is they’d planned to do with Alexander, because I don’t see him anywhere.

“Oh, we were takin’ care of her, all right,” Raith replies playfully, his hand going to my waist.

I expect Galen to tell the others about the portal ring he found on me. It can’t be usual for a human to have one, but he doesn’t say anything. Actually, I even note that he’s pocketed the memory stone, too, and I hope that’s a good sign.

“I didn’t mean for you to seduce her,” Knox snarls.

“If you’re after fun, you’ll have to wait until we’re back in the shadow realm.

If you haven’t wiped her memory yet, just kill her then.

I don’t care. We need to get back.” His words are hard and clinical, and fear sinks into every part of me.

It’s then that I realize I hadn’t really been that scared before with Raith and Galen.

I mean sure, the risk of losing my memory was there, but for some messed up reason I hadn’t really believed Galen or Raith would hurt me.

Yeah, because they’re totally your mates, and those asses are supposed to be protecting you. I try not to get hung up on it.

But Knox… there’s a darkness in his eyes that tells me he would kill me without a thought.

I’m nothing to him. Completely insignificant and murdering me would be faster than wiping my memory.

A cold sweat breaks out over my skin, and the strange feelings of desire I have for Raith and Galen are almost overpowered by my rising panic. Almost.

Raith doesn’t release me. If anything, I swear his hold on me tightens, if that’s possible.

I try not to read into it. Calm down. He probably just wants to make sure you won’t run away.

But even as I think it, Galen shifts, almost like he’s trying to shield me from Knox’s view.

My heart thunders, and I try to squash my hope down.

“Well, you see the amusing thing is,” Galen drawls, “the little human seems to think she’s my fated mate.”

“Only yours?” Raith challenges, his voice gruff like he’s annoyed Galen has only mentioned himself. It makes me wonder if the large man is feeling the same things that I am.

Thane’s dark brows pull down, and surprise flickers on his handsome face before it’s replaced with a hard resolve. “You know we don’t get mates.”

“Well yes, I tried to tell her she was mistaken, but I must admit, there is something…compelling about her,” Galen trails off thoughtfully.

All four men stare intensely at me, and I squirm under the weight of their attention, suddenly feeling like I’m the female main character from one of my favorite smutty books.

Only in my story, the men are staring at me like I’m a spec of dirt, something to be easily discarded.

At least, Knox is staring at me like that.

Thane looks concerned and weary, and Galen and Raith are still looking at me like I’m their new favorite plaything.

“Do your job and wipe her memory,” Knox orders again. “We don’t have time for this.”

My lips tremble, but to my relief, Galen doesn’t move to obey him.

“You should touch her,” Raith suggests with a dark grin. “I swear, when I’m touching her all I wanna do is fuck her brains out.”

“You want to bed everyone,” Thane points out, but I don’t miss the spark of intrigue in his brown eyes.

I’m not sure what I’m expecting, but I’m surprised when Thane’s expression grows serious, and he approaches me like he’s trying not to startle a wild animal.

Galen steps to the side for him, and then I’m simply standing there, craning my neck to stare up at the largest man I’ve ever seen.

Thane lifts his hand in front of my face and hesitates.

“May I?” His voice is gruff, but his eyes are gentle.

Hold on. Did he…ask for permission? I’m completely taken off guard, and it takes me a moment before I nod once.

I mean, what else am I going to say? Besides, there’s a part of me that’s curious, too.

Touching Galen and Raith felt…electric, and I lick my lips, wondering if this guy will feel the same.

Thane watches my face the entire time, and when his fingers slide down my cheek, once again the sensation of ice and fire trails down my skin.

An inferno of desire ignites in Thane’s eyes, that is no doubt mimicked in my own, because just touching the man has me wanting to climb him like a tree and ride him until I’m screaming.

Whoa. I feel like I need to fan my face, but I don’t.

Thane stares at me for a long time, and then he blinks once and steps away from me.

His expression is hard again, while I’m practically panting.

Three? Can I really have three mates? Excitement bubbles up inside me, because being fated to three smoking hot shadow daddies sounds too good to be true.

But then I remember what assholes they are, and also the information Thane gave away earlier.

You know we don’t get mates. His words haunt me.

What the hell is that all about anyway? And if it’s true, then why are they making me feel like an omega going through her heat.

The room starts to spin, the air becoming too hot, and I realize Raith has loosened his hold on me, distracted.

Taking advantage, I wiggle out of his grasp.

Before I’ve even made it two steps away from him, a dozen shadows curl around my body, sliding around my arms and legs, ice cold against my skin as they drag me forward.

I struggle, but the shadows only stop moving when I’m in front of Knox.

They hold me there as the shadow warrior scowls at me.

Unlike Thane, he’s not gentle. His hand flies out, long fingers wrapping around my neck.

Nope, there's no gentle stroke of his fingers, this asshole simply chokes me, not caring that he’s cutting off my air supply.

I gasp, trying to pull away from him, but his shadows hold me tight, and his dark gaze is unyielding as he stares me down.

I don’t expect it to happen, but the moment his skin touches my flesh, icy sparks explode against my neck, chased away by a searing heat that rushes down my throat and warms my whole body.

Wetness pools between my thighs, and his nostrils flare as his gaze drops…

lower. Then, like I’ve burned him, he opens his hand, his shadows releasing me as he throws me backward.

I wince, sure I’m about to land in a crumpled heap, when strong hands catch me like I weigh nothing. Somehow, I know it’s Raith before I even see him, and Galen is there a heartbeat later.

“This means nothing,” Knox snarls.

Raith grins broadly. “Goin’ by your reaction, Knox, I’m guessin’ you felt it, too.”

Knox’s scowl only deepens.

Thane is still staring at his palms like they’ve been bewitched, and he snaps his gaze to me.

“She might not be our mate, but she’s connected to us somehow.

I can’t deny that.” Flecks of gold sparkle in Thane’s eyes as he stares at me, and for the first time, he doesn’t look so weary.

Still, his thick brows knit together as confusion takes over his features.

“She’s just a human, ” Knox counters. “She can’t be connected to us.”

Galen rubs his jaw thoughtfully. “Well, that’s not quite true.”

“What do you mean?” Thane asks.

“I think it’s better if we show you.” Galen shares a look with Raith, and Raith rumbles in my ear.

“Excuse us, sunshine. It’s time for you to show them that pretty little back of yours.

” His warm breath against my neck has bumps prickling along my skin, and I don’t fight what’s coming next.

Mostly, because I know without my portal ring I don’t have many options.

Right now, I’m pretty sure the tattoo is the only thing stopping these guys from wiping my memory, considering none of them believe that we’re mates.

I turn around, facing my back to the others, and Raith lifts my shirt until my tattoo is revealed—a skull and a black rose with petals that turn into shadows, is positioned on my shoulder blade.

I’ve stood in front of the mirror for hours, memorizing every inked line of that tattoo.

And also, the strange scar that cuts through it.

The scar goes from the top of the rose right through the middle, and for a while I’d simply thought the tattoo must have been my way of trying to cover up the scar.

Now I’m not so sure. I twist my head around to stare at the others.

“She has the mark,” Thane says, not hiding his shock.

Knox stiffens, his jaw clenched so tight it looks painful.

Honestly, I don’t know what has crawled up this guy’s ass to make him act like such a dick.

He’s even worse than Blake’s mate, Callan, was, and that’s saying something.

I almost chuckle then, when I think of how Blake will laugh when I tell her my mates are complete duds, too.

Thane moves close again like he can’t help himself, and he runs his fingertips lightly over my tattoo.

I’ll admit it feels weird standing there with my shirt almost up to my head, but there’s something about Thane’s touch that is completely calming.

The moment his fingers glide over my skin, everything in my body eases, and I find myself forgetting how dangerous my situation is.

That is, until Knox opens his mouth again.

“So, she’s another deserter?” he says coldly. “You know what we do with them.”

Deserter? I think of Alexander, and my body tightens.