Page 1 of Cursed Magic (Rejected Fate Trilogy #2)

CHAPTER ONE

T he iridescent shadow that it seemed only I could see moved closer to the door of the small cabin where my sister had been held captive.

As I kept my eye on the enemy, a peculiar warmth jolted through my blood, but the cold fear this strange occurrence would usually trigger couldn’t take hold of me.

With each step away the shadow took, the intense pressure on my body lessened marginally.

Ryker groaned where he lay crumpled after taking the knife strike that had been intended for my sister. His three pack members stood in front of their alpha, snarling and growling, unable to see the threat that had moved to the opposite edge of the room.

Warm blood flowed down one of my hands and dripped from my fingertips to the cheap floor, another reminder that no one but me could see our adversaries. When I’d gripped the back of the shadow’s neck while it had been trying to kill Kendric, the shadow had managed to slash my wrist.

Thanks to the strange magic currently buzzing through my body, I couldn’t feel the pain .

All I knew was that Ryker had gotten stabbed badly enough to bring him down, and my sister had to be weak from captivity. This had to end now.

“You fucking coward!” I exclaimed as I balled my hands and allowed unbridled rage to consume me. Ever since my pack had been slaughtered, I’d relished the hard shell my adrenaline and fury gave me. “You hide behind shadows and refuse to reveal your face to us.”

The shadow flinched like I’d hit a nerve.

Good. I wanted to see which Blackwood pack member this person was.

I stepped in its direction, but Briar climbed to her knees and wrapped her arms around my legs the way she used to do to our parents when she was a child.

“Em, no,” she begged as the shadow inched toward us—in no hurry. Even though the shadow was still here, none of us could rely on our senses to track it because its scent was too faint, and being closer to it didn’t help.

I glanced down at Briar, seeing the greasy, light-copper hair on top of her head. “Let me go,” I muttered, needing to attack the shadow before it got too close. “It’s coming toward us again.”

Another groan came from Ryker as he straightened from the floor, the knife protruding from his side as blood spilled down his black shirt. His normally olive complexion was a shade paler, and his expression looked strained from what I was sure was pain. “Protect Ember with your life.”

My heart squeezed uncomfortably, but my feelings for him were something I could address only if we made it out of here alive. Unfortunately, the track record for people surviving these attacks was not in our favor. The only survivors I knew of so far were Briar and me.

The dirty-blond wolf on Ryker’s right—Gage—turned his huge head toward me and nodded. I didn’t have to pack-link with him to understand he would obey his alpha’s command. However, Kendric’s black wolf and Xander’s dark-brown wolf remained in place, flanking Ryker.

All four of these guys were idiots, and the shadow was once again right on us. “None of you can see it, only I can, so Briar, let me go, and the four of you get out of the way, or you’re going to wind up even worse off.”

The shadow’s shoulders shook as if it were laughing, making me want to claw its eyes out. Whoever it was didn’t mind being called a coward and enjoyed having power over us. After my fated mate Reid Blackwood had rejected me in front of both our packs, that motivation seemed in line with what was going on here. “He’s taunting me—everyone, stay where you are.”

Now the shadow was only five feet away.

I yanked at Briar’s arms, and she dropped her hands. I pushed her so she fell on her back, closer to Ryker, Kendric, and Xander.

My chest constricted, but keeping her alive and out of reach of the shadow was my priority.

“Dammit, Ember,” Ryker snarled, but Kendric and Xander closed in around him, preventing him from moving forward.

I had no time to deal with Ryker. The shadow moved toward me suddenly, and I pivoted to the right, away from Gage, not wanting him to get hurt.

Clearly, the shadow hadn’t expected that, and it ran into air in the place I’d been standing. It spun toward me, and I kicked it with my right leg, trying to push it away from everybody.

It stumbled a few steps and tripped over Briar’s legs. Gage kept blinking hard as if that would make the figure magically appear.

Briar screamed and swung her legs, sweeping the shadow’s feet from underneath it. It thudded to the ground.

Gage pounced just as the shadow got up quickly, causing him to land on the cheap laminate floor with a loud thud.

I dropped my shoulder and charged the shadow. I had to get it away from everyone.

“Ember, no!” Ryker exclaimed as he shuffled toward me.

I ran into a muscled body that felt male. Its scent didn’t get stronger—it smelled faintly of shifter, and there was nothing else mixed in with the musk, which made it being one of our own the only option.

So why cloak its smell at all?

As I rammed the shadow into the wall, sharp claws dug into my back.

“I’ve got a hold of him, and he’s right against the wall,” I rasped, hoping that Gage could assist me.

The nails dug in deeper, and my back throbbed, but I didn’t let go.

Snarls came from behind me, and Ryker yelled, “Move now .” Alpha will radiated from him in waves, and a few taps of Gage’s paws scratched the floor.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Gage hunker down to attack and Ryker run past Kendric and Xander.

That was enough distraction for the shadow to best me. As Gage leaped toward us, it kicked me in the stomach then elbowed me in the back. I dropped onto all fours just as Gage reached it.

“Watch—” I started to yell when the shadow grabbed Gage by the throat and lifted him so that his paws dangled in midair.

Gage’s blue eyes bulged, and he swiped his front paws at the shadow.

Ryker shuffled forward, the knife still protruding from his side, and Xander rushed toward Gage.

The shadow moved, dragging Gage’s body as if they were dancing despite the gasping wolf trying to catch his breath. It used Gage as a shield while Xander tried to figure out where the shadow was actually located.

Ryker reached me, Kendric glued to his side. Ryker kneeled and touched my injured back. His palm eased some of my agony. “We’ve got to get you and Briar out of here.”

I shook my head, trying to ignore my throbbing back as I climbed to my feet. “You and Briar need to leave.” I understood that he wanted to protect me, but I had the urge to knock him unconscious and drag his ass out of here.

Ryker reached for my arm, but his injury and blood loss impacted his speed, so I was able to dodge and kick at the shadow’s legs once again. This time, it twisted so that I kicked Gage in the side, and his body swung, putting more pressure on his neck.

The shadow was anticipating my moves. I had to change my strategy.

I pretended to kick again, and the shadow moved so Gage was between us once more. Tapping into my speed, I rushed around Gage and punched the shadow in the side of its head.

My fist connected with bone, and the shadow’s head snapped to the side, allowing me to drop my arm and break its grip on Gage.

Gage crashed to the floor, chest heaving and tongue lolling out, trying to catch his breath.

The shadow turned, and I assumed it was looking at me. It lunged within a second and whipped its hand toward my neck. I jumped back, my foot catching Ryker’s leg, causing me to stumble.

“Fucking Fate, Ember,” Ryker snarled, but I managed to catch my balance and surge toward the door of the cabin.

If I could lead it outside, then maybe the others would be safe. They might be able to get away like Briar and I had managed last time. Kendric, Gage, and Xander would be more willing to leave me behind to protect their alpha, especially since Ryker’s power was draining with the loss of blood, and I could alpha-will Briar to leave me.

I didn’t have a chance to feel sick about considering that because the shadow charged right at me, hand lifted, making its intentions known—it wanted to slash my throat.

It had an affinity for using its claws like I did for kicking during a fight, something we seemed to pick up about each other. Whoever I was fighting was smart—they must be from a strong pack.

I gritted my teeth, waiting till the last millisecond to make my move. Briar let out a bloodcurdling scream at the exact moment that I dropped to my knees. The shadow hadn’t anticipated that, probably because it wasn’t used to being even semi-visible to anyone, and its body slammed into mine.

I took the impact, doing a backward roll and landing on my feet. When they touched the floor, I raised my hands and stood straight up, throwing the shadow’s body off me. It flew over my head and into the wall behind me, next to the door.

A loud whistle pierced my ears, and I clapped my hands over them. It didn’t do much to drown out the noise.

The shadow stood and quickly moved to the door .

No. I couldn’t let it escape. This person had to die. It had hurt my pack, my friends, and Ryker. I was done not fighting back.

Gritting my teeth, I snagged what felt like its shirt. I took a deep breath, realizing that this person had to have mastered the art of shifting better than anyone in my pack ever had, managing using only its claws while still dressed and in human form.

Moans of pain came from the others, but the whistle stopped.

When I yanked the shadow back, it turned sideways and plowed its shoulder into my body, ramming me against the wall. I kicked at it just as sharp claws dug into my stomach. I whimpered, unable to hold in the noise as it continued to push its claws deeper.

I had to get out of this hold, or I’d die.

I wrapped an arm under its head, putting it in a choke hold, then dug in my fingers and touched the hard part of an Adam’s apple.

The shadow was definitely male.

Kendric and Xander surged toward us, but the shadow bent down and threw me over its head.

I landed hard on my back, pain exploding through me. My stomach convulsed in a way I’d never experienced before, but I didn’t have time to give up.

Both Kendric and Xander reached me at the same time Ryker and Gage stumbled toward me. Briar was huddled in the corner with her eyes closed, rocking back and forth.

I sat up just as the shadow opened the door. He was eager to get away rather than finish the job, and I wondered why.

Whatever the reason, it couldn’t be anything good.

My stomach dropped, and I pressed a hand to it as I climbed to my feet. I tensed, anticipating more shadows racing in, but my attacker merely slipped outside.

What the hell?

I groaned, my insides feeling like they were going to come out. By the time I was fully upright, both Ryker and Briar had reached me.

“Where’s the attacker?” Ryker asked, searching the room for a person he couldn’t see.

“He went outside.” I shook my head, trying to clear it of pain and confusion. I couldn’t fathom why he’d gone.

“He?” Briar panted. “Could you see his face?”

“When I choked him, I felt his Adam’s apple. I couldn’t see him fully—it was more like watching an iridescent sheen.” I shuffled to the door and looked for other shadows.

There were none.

Strange.

A shiver ran down my spine. We had to get out of here—staying would be the equivalent of a death sentence. “Let’s go. The coast is clear for now.”

Ryker’s forehead lined with worry, but he nodded.

Gage shook his entire body, his blond fur swaying as the group came together at the door.

I stepped out first, scanning the area one more time.

Still nothing.

“Let’s go,” I whispered, afraid to gesture too much with the way my stomach felt right now.

I led the group, continuing to scan for signs of shadows.

A few shifters lay dead on the ground with their throats ripped out, the scent of their blood thick in the air. Memories of my pack members flashed through my head as grief tried to take hold, but I pushed it away.

I couldn’t break down now. I had to get Briar to safety.

Our group walked across the grassy open area to the woods at a near crawl. We needed to move faster, but between Gage, Ryker, and me, this was the best we could do. I remembered how Dad used to tell me, Slow and steady wins the race .

Once we reached the tree line, hope swelled in my chest. Maybe we would get away after all.

But when we weren’t even a hundred feet into the woods, footsteps padded behind us…more than one set.

They’d come back to finish us.