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You and your feelings, Sorrel. They’re going to get you into trouble. It sounds like they already may have.
Dad told me to follow my heart. It’s all I have to go on.
What about reason? You’re recklessly putting yourself in danger.
From a family we don’t even know exists? Or from the mortals you’re so prejudiced toward?
I’m not prejudiced, she fumed. There are stories in our family of how cruelly mortals have used us—the mortals we’ve been forced to marry and those who’ve been suspicious of us. And if it weren’t for a mortal, our family would have never been cursed.
Was it the mortal’s fault or the pride of our family? I retorted.
She remained silent.
I’m sorry, Mom. I don’t like to argue with you.
You’re a special woman. Your father was not wrong there. You have his heart, for which I’m thankful. But what of this reporter?
I thought about Eric Knight. So many conflicting emotions surrounded him.
You’re attracted to him. I can feel it. It’s strong, Mom interrupted my thoughts. It feels like when I met your father.
I bolted up, jostling Tara. Really?
Yes. You feel as if you can’t help the attraction.
That’s exactly how I feel, except I can’t stand him. He’s awful.
Mom laughed. You sound like you’re having a hard time convincing yourself of that. Are you sure the book hasn’t spoken to you?
Positive. I mean, you don’t think he’s the one, do you?
Mom thought for a minute. There’s a way you could find out if the curse is broken.
How?
Sleep with him, of course.
Mom! I could kill him if I did. The curse made sure we never strayed outside of who it picked as our mate. If anyone of my kind had sex with someone besides the person we were bound to, that man died. My mother once told me a story about my great-great-great-grandmother who had fallen in love outside of the curse. She gave in to her desire and consummated the unsanctioned relationship. The next day the man was run over and killed by a stagecoach. There were also stories of men being driven mad after sleeping with my ancestors, to the point of killing themselves when the curse made them realize they could never be with the woman they loved—or rather, consumed with.
Sounds like a win-win situation to me, Mom deadpanned.
I can’t believe you think I should risk a man’s life. Besides, I want to share that experience with someone I love. But, I sighed, I don’t believe that will ever happen. The curse will die with me.
I fear you may be right, she cried. I’m sorry I cursed you.
I’m not, I half lied to make her feel better. I’ve helped a lot of people.
You are too good, daughter.
I don’t know about that.
Promise me you will be careful with this man; your emotions run strong for him.
I’ll try.
If you don’t want to sleep with him, you could always seduce him and convince him to forget about you, she suggested. We have our ways. I believe on page ten there’s a great little elixir that will do the trick.
Good night, Mom.
She laughed before I felt her go silent and out of my thoughts.
I scratched Tara’s ears in the semidarkness while flipping open the book, which had fallen off to the side when Tara had jumped on my lap. I turned it to page ten, curious about which elixir my mother was referring to. I hadn’t memorized them all yet, like she had. The words for the elixir appeared in English, a part of the book’s magic. The language changed depending on who the rightful heir was. Or so I was told. Honestly, I didn’t know what to believe anymore. All I knew was I wouldn’t be using the elixir meant to induce arousal.
If ever a man fell in love with me, I wanted it to be of his own accord. And for some unfathomable reason I couldn’t explain, I wanted it to be Eric.Chapter Five“Are you having fun?” I slid into the chair across from Eric. The rumor swirling around Riverhaven was that he’d been interviewing anyone and everyone who would talk to him the last few days. Now he had the audacity to show his pretty face in my bakery. Which wasn’t all bad. While I resented him, I was still drawn to him. So much so, I had to keep my hands clasped together on my lap for fear of accosting him. The last few nights I’d been dreaming about him. Like very real, steamy dreams. Dream Eric was an amazing kisser and spoke beautiful words. “What I wouldn’t give to know every part of you,” he’d whispered in my ear last night while his fingers skimmed over my skin. Though his touch was light, I could feel it deep within. Almost as if he were the only person meant to touch me. You know, while I was unconscious. That didn’t sound right, or legal.
