Page 75 of The Curse of Redwood

“What happened next?”

Zeke traced my bottom lip. “The story is as old as time, as they say. Philip started working for me, and we fell in love. Back then, however, men couldn’t love one another. It wasunnaturalandperverse.A punishable offense. Many men went to prison for it, and some were killed. So, we kept it hidden, knowing we’d be torn apart if anyone ever found out.”

Sadness wrapped around my heart. What a horrible time that must have been, to be imprisoned or killed just for loving someone of the same sex.

“And were you?” I asked, although I suspected the answer. “Torn apart, that is.”

“Yes.” His eyes glazed over as his thoughts took him somewhere else. “In the worst way possible.” He sat up and flashed over to the armchair where I’d thrown his clothes. “I know you wanted to know about the curse, Carter, but I’m afraid I can’t tell you anything further. At least not today.”

“There’s no time like the present,” I said, shifting to a sitting position in his bed. “The sooner you tell me, the sooner I can help.”

“What is it you plan to do?” he asked, turning to me as he buttoned his vest.

“Break the curse.”

“You never cease to amaze me, little dove.” Zeke neared the bed and took my face in his hands. “But there’s nothing you can do. Let the matter rest. I have accepted my fate. My curse.”

“Yeah?” I tugged him closer and pressed my lips to his ear. “You might’ve accepted it, but I haven’t. Curses can be broken.”

“Not this one.”

“How are you so sure?”

“I just am.” A curious expression then crossed his face, and he reached for my necklace. “Where did you get this?”

“A psychic named Callum,” I answered. “He said it’s supposed to protect me.”

I had researched the stone the day after Callum gave it to me and learned it was used to repel evil spirits. Zeke was touching it with no problem. Not as if there’d been any doubt in my mind. I knew in my heart he was a good person.

“If it’s meant to protect you, then never take it off,” Zeke said, releasing my necklace and kissing my forehead.

“Can I ask you something?”

As usual, he chuckled. “If you insist.”

“I’m scared to even bring it up because of what happened last time.” I took a deep breath. “But. You said I reminded you of Philip. Did he look like me?”

“No,” he answered, gathering my jeans from the floor and handing them to me. I stood from the bed and put them on. “His hair was yellow like yours, though it was a darker shade. Like straw. He had green eyes. Unlike your purple ones.”

I laughed. “This isn’t my real eye color. They’re contacts.”

However, my laugh died when his words registered. A boy with dark blond hair and green eyes. It matched the description of the boy I’d seen in my dream. And then I wondered if it had been a dream at all.

“Carter?” Zeke put a hand on my shoulder.

His touch triggered something in me. I saw a blinding light and felt strange, like something was poking and prodding my insides.

“Let me in,” a voice whispered in my mind. It sounded like the same voice that used to beckon me to Redwood.

I grabbed Zeke, but I didn’t see him. I couldn’t see anything but darkness now. I heard him yelling for me, though he sounded so far away. The necklace burned my chest, and I screamed as I flung it off me.

I collapsed to the floor and convulsed. A sharp, searing pain went through my head, and I threw up what little I had in my stomach.

“Carter! Tell me what to do.”

A face appeared in the back of my mind. The boy’s skin was white and chipping away. He smiled as he reached for me. As he made contact, I screamed again and opened my eyes. My body continued to jerk. I had no control over it.

Zeke’s panicked expression was the last thing I saw before I stopped moving and surrendered to the dark.