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The foul man leaned in and whispered in my ear. “Don’t play stupid. You know exactly how it’s possible, daughter of the earth.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” My voice cracked.
“Hmm.” He breathed me in. “You’re an awful liar, like my son.”
“Please leave me alone.” I tried to push him away, but he grabbed my arms.
“I like feisty women. Too bad I can’t have you. Though maybe”—he pulled me against his body—“we can have some fun before I kill you.”
A sickening panic overtook me from my head to my toes, making my knees buckle. The sinister man caught me and delighted in it. Finding some strength, I tried to yank myself out of his arms, but it was in vain. He was too strong. Just when I thought all was lost, out of the shadow of my bedroom door, Eric appeared out of thin air. At least I thought it was Eric. It was like a nightmare and a dream. The curse was real, and Eric was part of the Selene family. My born enemy.
“I told you not to touch her.” Eric’s face burned red with anger.
His father whipped his head toward Eric while keeping a tight grip on me, making me wince. “You told me a lot of things tonight. Most of them lies. To your credit, had I not already known the truth, you may have fooled me. I knew, though, that you would never agree to introduce this lovely creature to me.” He yanked me in front of him like I was a rag doll. His arms snaked around me like iron bands. He kissed my cheek, making me want to vomit. “Oh yes, I’ve been watching her and you, son. I wanted to give you the chance to do the right thing, but yet again you have disappointed me. And her. Would you like to tell her what’s in your backpack?”
Eric’s eyes locked with mine. He shook his head and let out a heavy breath. “Sorrel, it’s not what you think.”
“Oh, I think it is.” His father mocked him.
“Shut the hell up,” Eric yelled at his father.
“Eric, what’s going on?” I begged to know.
Eric stepped closer but not too close, as if he himself were afraid of the monster who held me. “Please listen to me. I didn’t know who you were when we first met. I only took your book—”
His words stabbed me in the heart. “It was you? I thought you—”
His father tsked, interrupting me. “Did you think he cared for you? Even loved you? Is that what he told you?” He laughed maniacally. “Oh, what a wicked game the curse has played with both of you. Your feelings are all a lie. But don’t worry, it will be over soon. The Selene family will rise once again and”—his arm moved up and around my neck, preventing me from breathing—“your traitorous family will die.”
I tried to scream, but I couldn’t catch my breath. Instead tears poured down my cheeks.
Eric lunged for me and his father. “Don’t hurt her.” Eric gripped my arms and tried to extricate me as two more unworldly beautiful yet vile men appeared out of the shadows and restrained Eric. Tara, out of nowhere, tried to come to the defense of her one true love. Why hadn’t she come to mine? Her back arched, and she violently hissed at the men. One of them kicked her away, and she crumpled near me, mewing in pain.
“Nooo!” I screamed.
“Damn you!” Eric fought to get loose from the men who shared a strong family resemblance. Knowing how our family lines worked, I assumed the men were Eric’s grandfather and probably great-grandfather. How could these men treat their own family this way? It explained Eric’s rough exterior and the pain he carried around. Or was it all an act, to get my book? Why had he taken it? When had he?
“Should we kill him, Vincent?” the auburn-haired man with Eric’s strong jawline asked while holding Eric’s arm back and pulling his head back by his hair.
“No, father. We need all the Selene blood we can get. I will just have to teach him a lesson after we’re done killing his girlfriend.”
“Maybe he should be the one to die to break the curse,” the blond man who was also restraining Eric suggested.
“No, you fool, that’s your job. Your life is almost over anyway. Besides, it has to be done willingly, and Eric isn’t up for the task. And he is the heir to our book, whether we like it or not.” Vincent was obviously disappointed.
“What should we do with him, then?” The grandfather gripped Eric tighter as Eric continued to fight to no avail. With biceps as big as my head, the men looked like they pumped iron all day.
Vincent roughly spun me around. His calculating aqua eyes bore into mine. “Let’s give Eric a taste of what his girlfriend is going to get, then we’ll come back for him later. I can’t have him trying to get all valiant on us. It’s not becoming of him.” Vincent gave me a snide grin. “You know he killed a girl once?”
