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Chapter 18: Being Followed
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2023-08-18 14:06:10Related chapters
The Blood Curse Chapter 19: Taken
Layla had just returned to her apartment after her talk with Mia. But her mind had strayed from the Ryan fiasco and was now on the black-haired man who was watching her on the street. Something was telling her that it wasn't a coincidence. She considered what she should do about it, but there wasn't really anything she could do at that moment except be more cautious. So, she decided to get the dreaded phone call with Ryan over with. Layla walked over to her bed and sat down before pulling out her phone and calling Ryan. It rang repeatedly and she wasn't sure he was going to pick up until she heard his voice on the other line. He didn't sound happy."Hey," he said simply, his tone quiet. "Hey Ryan," Layla started, her nerves in her throat. "How are you?" She heard him sigh on the other side of the phone. "What do you want, Layla?" he asked firmly. Layla cringed at his tone. She'd never heard him sound so cold. "Listen, I know last night sucked. I feel terrible about it. I
Last Updated : 2023-08-18The Blood Curse Chapter 20: Only You
"It's good to see you again, Atreus," Cairo said with a smirk on his face. "I see you haven't lost your taste in mortal women." Layla wondered for a brief moment what that meant. The two shadow stalkers stared at one another with such intensity there might as well have been electricity sparking between them. "You are lucky I don't kill you where you stand," Atreus snarled darkly, sending a shiver up Layla's spine. "What the h*ll do you want?" "Do you really think that I want to go around kidnapping girls just so I can create an opportunity to talk to you?" Cairo said dismissively. "You brought this all on yourself. If you had just met with me, all of this nonsense could have been avoided." Atreus glared at him. "You have ten seconds." Cairo sighed and took his gaze to the ceiling before he looked at Atreus again. "Ravana has been looking for you." If Layla didn't know any better she could have sworn that Atreus stiffened. "You dare speak that vile name in my presence,"
Last Updated : 2023-08-18The Blood Curse Chapter 21: Hollow Eyes
"I can't feed off of anyone but you." A long silence stretched between them as Layla stared slack-jawed at Atreus. She took a step away from him and he let her, releasing her hand as she put some distance between them. "What does that mean?" she asked wearily. "You can't feed off anyone but me, or won't?""What is the difference?" he deflected. "It makes all the difference, Atreus," Layla said, trepidation building in her gut. "Either you chose me because you want me, or you want me because you need me. You need me to satiate your thirst." To Layla's dread, he just stared at her with his haunting eyes. That is when she saw the truth of it all. The glimpses of hunger she caught in his gaze weren't for her. It was for her blood. If he had the option, Atreus would have taken what he wanted from her weeks ago. Probably on the day that they met! But since he needed her permission to do so, he had been playing the long game. Getting to know her by taking her out and playing the pe
Last Updated : 2023-08-18The Blood Curse Chapter 22: Bloodlust
"I'll do it." The words reverberated through Layla's ears and she could hardly believe that she had just said them. When she was met with silence, she looked up at Atreus who was watching her. His eyes were filled with genuine surprise. He took a step closer to her. "Are you sure?" he asked in a hoarse voice as if he were fighting back something primal within himself. Looking into his eyes that burned with something unidentifiable, she nodded. "Yes." He reached for her then and Layla stiffened, trying to prepare herself for what came next. But instead of grabbing her and bearing her neck to him, he cupped her nape and brought his lips to her own, kissing her softly. Surprise lit up her insides, followed by desire as his kiss grew urgent and hungry. Tentatively she kissed him back, letting her tongue slip into his mouth, giving him the permission he needed to continue. With a groan of pleasure, he wrapped his other arm around her waist and dipped her softly, holding her tightl
Last Updated : 2023-08-18The Blood Curse Chapter 23: Alita
When Layla tried to open her eyes, she realized she couldn't. There was some sort of blindfold on her face. While she had fallen asleep in Atreus' embrace, she couldn't feel his arms wrapped around her or the softness of the silk sheets. Instead, she felt like she was laying on a cold hard stone that dug into her hips painfully. She went to pull the blindfold off of her when she realized in a panic that her hands were tied above her head. She tried to move her feet, but they were also bound. This is a dream. This has to be a dream. She repeated those words in her mind so that she didn't lose her sense of control. "After centuries of waiting, our dear Alita has returned to us." A low voice boomed, making Layla jump. The voice sounded like it was coming from right above her. "It is with her precious blood that our kind continues to thrive. Let us all bow our heads in adoration for our sacrifice."Layla's heart stopped at his words and she started to struggle against her bi
Last Updated : 2023-08-18The Blood Curse Chapter 24: Finals
And it was done. Layla set down her pencil and stared at her paper with a small grin on her face. She had just finished the final question on her final exam. Containing her squeals of relief she carried her papers up to her professor's desk and set them on top of the others. He gave her a smile and whispered, "enjoy your summer." "Thanks," she whispered back with a grin. Moments later, she was walking out the door and into the sunshine-filled campus. Today was going to be a good day! Pulling out her phone, she sent a text to Mia. Layla: I just finished my last exam! Call me when you're done, we need to go celebrate!Only after sending the text to Mia did she see a message from Atreus. Atreus: When are you coming back? As she read the text she smiled and shook her head.Layla: I've only been gone a day. Are you really that lonely without me? ;)Atreus: Devastatingly lonely :( Layla laughed out loud at his response. It was the first emoji he'd sent her and she co
Last Updated : 2023-08-18The Blood Curse Chapter 25: Ravana the Vampire Demon
Layla did as she was told. Breaking the news to an unhappy Mia, Layla told her she was going to go see Atreus.Layla didn't bother changing out of her swimsuit, only throwing on her sheer shawl and some flip-flops before she hopped in her car and made her way back into the city. As she drove from the beach back to her apartment to change, she thought about the insane vision she'd just had. No, not a vision. She had been sucked into a different dimension by that man in the cloak. It was the only thing that made any sense because everything that she just experienced was real. His touch on her skin and the dreadful fear in her belly. His deep dangerous voice. None of that was a figment of her imagination. And the sound of Atreus' voice over the phone, he seemed… scared. Layla pulled into the parking garage of her apartment and got out. When she turned from shutting and locking her car door, she let out a gasp when she saw Atreus standing right in front of her. "Jesus!" she s
Last Updated : 2023-08-18The Blood Curse Chapter 26: Old Friends
It had been days since Layla left Atreus' suite and she was getting restless. While they spent their time getting to know one another's bodies inside and out, there was something missing between them. Atreus had not opened up to her. He was a thorough lover that was for sure, but she had noticed him withdrawing over the last day or so. He had been moody and quiet and Layla had no idea why. Mia had been texting her every day, wondering when she was going to return from her 'trip' with Atreus. Layla hated lying to her and hated that she had no one to share her worries with. She was growing increasingly lonely as Atreus' mood deteriorated. Yet, she stayed by his side, trusting him with her safety. Since the day at the beach, she hadn't had any strange visions of Ravana and for that she was grateful. But now she was wondering when she would be able to go about her everyday life. As much as Atreus would hate it, she couldn't stay cooped up in this suite forever. Both of them wer
Last Updated : 2023-08-18
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The Blood Curse Chapter 50: A New Day
A couple of weeks later.Layla sat quietly on her towel, letting the sun kiss her skin. People chatted as they walked past and kids laughed and played, splashing one another with water. She sipped from the cold tropical drink in her hand and watched the waves clash with the shore in soothing rhythmic motions. That and the feeling of her toes in the sand made this moment completely perfect. With a sigh, she shook her hair from her shoulders and closed her eyes against the warm rays of the sun, basking in the peaceful energy of it all. "Girl, you're still nursing that drink?" Mia asked as she plopped down beside Layla with a huff. "Here I am with two drinks in my hand, thinking you might need a refill." "I will happily take that burden off your hands," Layla said with a grin, looking at Mia with a renewed appreciation for her friend. "Gimme." Mia laughed as Layla took the second drink and set it down beside her. "What's got you in such a good mood lately?" Mia asked suspicious
The Blood Curse Chapter 49: Broken
Layla gritted her teeth, as resolve steeled her gut. She wasn't going to run. She was going to fight until the bitter end. Glancing around, Layla looked for the First Chosen's wooden stake. She spotted it not far from the skirmish between the three vampires who battled against one another viciously. She bolted toward it, keeping her eye on Ravana, hoping that he wouldn't spot her. She swept it off the ground and turned toward the conflict and watched, waiting for an opportunity to strike. Cairo and Ravana were exchanging blows and Niniane was standing on her feet with shaking legs. She bolted back into the fray without hesitation, trying to catch Ravana off guard. Ravana roared with rage when Niniane managed to strike him in the arm with the stake. He grabbed Niniane by her throat and with brutal strength, he threw her hard against the stone wall. Niniane slid down the wall unconscious. "Niniane!" Layal cried, clutching the stake to her chest. Just then, Ravana struck out
The Blood Curse Chapter 48: The Final Battle
"Atreus!" Layla screamed. The ruby-inlaid dagger Layla had gotten from Niniane dropped from Atreus' hand before he crumpled to the ground. "Oh, God!"Layla ran to him desperately, a fleeting thought of how he'd managed to get the dagger running through her mind. Had he returned to the cemetery the night she was kidnapped to retrieve it? When Layla reached Atreus, his skin was still burning under the sun's unrelenting power. Ravana watched with a cold expression as Layla used all her strength to pull Atreus from the circle of light. Slowly, one tug at a time, Layla tugged Atreus' slack body until he was safe in the shadows. Turning him on his back, she dropped to her knees beside him and put her hands on his cheeks, trying to ignore the brutal cauterized wound on his throat caused by the dagger. "Atreus?" she sobbed. "Please, please don't go." Yet, the more that she tried to wake him, the more apparent it was that he was gone. His beautiful face, although covered with red blist
The Blood Curse Chapter 47: The Sacrifice
When Layla could see again, she first saw Ravana's dark smile and when she looked down, she saw her hand clasped tightly in his. They were still in Atreus' cabin at the moment just before Nolwenn had pulled her into the celestial garden. "Good choice, my dear," he said with a sneer as he transported them from the cabin. In the next moment, Layla found herself back in the audience chamber of Ravana's castle. Layla looked up at the stained glass mosaic of the sun on the ceiling then dropped her gaze and gasped. Right below it was a kneeling Atreus. He was chained down by what looked like iron chains with silver glints throughout. Layla could see how the chains burned at his flesh because his wrists were raw and pink with blisters all around his skin. "Atreus!" Layla called to him, going to move toward him when Ravana gripped her hand tighter, holding her back. Atreus looked up at her and the anguish that appeared in his eyes when he saw her, pierced Layla's heart with devastat
The Blood Curse Chapter 46: The First Chosen's Sacrifice
Layla was alone once again, sitting on the bed inside the cabin as she waited for Ravana's return. Her nerves were shot and she was still unsure of the plan that Niniane had helped her devise. All she wanted to do was run away from it all, but she couldn't leave Atreus to face such a horrible fate. So she sat and waited with the stake tucked into her jeans, praying that their plan would work. Just as Layla wondered once again when Ravana was going to make an appearance the all-familiar sensation of her surroundings warped around her with inky black smoke. Standing, Layla looked around for Ravana's cruel face. He stood mere feet from her and watched her with his fierce amber eyes. Slowly, a smile lifted his lips, revealing his pearly white canines. He watched her silently, his eyes sidling up her figure with a slow purposeful gaze. "Your beauty… it never fails to enthrall me," Ravana said, his voice dripping with honey. Layla glared at him. "Save your bullsh*t." "Such a foul
The Blood Curse Chapter 45: Until Dawn
"If you want to see your precious Atreus alive again, you had better tell me where you are." Layla's heart stopped for a moment as fear overtook her. No. It couldn't be true, Ravana had to be deceiving her. There is no way he could have overpowered Atreus. Or… was there? Layla swallowed as her throat went dry and her heart began to thud against her chest. "You're lying," Layla managed to croak out. "How do I know you're not bluffing?" Ravana sneered cruelly at her. "I have no reason to lie. How else do you think I could have managed to weaken the shield he had placed on your mind? But, if you truly don't believe me, have a look for yourself." The visions that swirled around Layla projected an image of Atreus chained up. He was shirtless and his face was covered in sweat and grime. He looked to be in pain as he gritted his teeth, pulling at his shackles. "Atreus!" Layla called out, but he didn't look up at her. A second later, the image was gone and it was only her an
The Blood Curse Chapter 44: Ravana's Threat
Layla shot out of bed with a cry. Her heart pounded hard against her chest as she tried to regain her bearings. To her relief, she had woken from the horrible nightmares that had tortured her through the night. No light shone through the window, so she hadn't been asleep all that long. With a loud sigh, Layla scrubbed her face with her hands. The images of her dreams were still raw and fresh in her mind. She pictured poor Alita's prone body in Atreus' arms as he raged over her death and the sounds of Atreus fighting for breath under Ravana's cruel grip. "F*ck," Layla whispered with a shudder. What was all that anyway? Layla wondered. Was it a vision from Alita? Layla didn't think she had the capacity to come up with those images on her own. It had to be Alita's influence. Layla's throat was dry and her heart was still pounding, so she slipped out of bed and walked out of the bedroom and into the main cabin area. She half expected to see Atreus brooding somewhere inside, but as
The Blood Curse Chapter 43: Before
"Layla," a melodic voice whispered. "Wake up." Slowly, Layla opened her eyes, blinking a few times. She sat up, looked around, and was shocked at what she saw. Layla was sitting in a beautiful bedroom. A bright, yellow, heavenly light glowed through large ornate windows that prevented her from seeing anything outside. There, in front of the elegant four-poster bed Layla sat upon, was a luxurious vanity with vintage combs and turquoise hair barrettes scattered across the top. A giant antique mirror on top of the vanity showed Layla's reflection. But as Layla looked closer, she realized that it was not her she saw in the mirror. It was a beautiful woman with long silky black hair and deep blue eyes. The dress the woman wore was gorgeous. Midnight blue satin with silver embellishments across the bosom and long flowing sleeves. She watched Layla with a small smile on her face. "You're awake," she said, her face pleased. "I hope you don't mind me dropping in like this." Layla stoo
The Blood Curse Chapter 42: Dead Stars
The next hour was spent locked in the bedroom of Atreus' cabin talking to both Mia and Layla's parents. Through painful apologies, Layla did her best to assure them of her safety. It took even more explaining to Mia; she had to lie to her friend once again about her situation. The only believable lie she could come up with is that she lost her phone and spent a few days without any service or means to contact people because she took a last-minute trip with Atreus to a remote vacation destination. Mia grilled her endlessly about how worried she'd been and terrified something horrible had happened to her. After another half hour of apologies and assurances, Mia finally let Layla off the line. Layla dropped the phone onto the bed and flopped back onto the blankets. Rubbing her eyes with her hands, she let out a loud sigh. At least that was done, but now she needed to have a conversation with a certain blonde-haired dream boat. Hauling herself off the bed, Layla walked into the ma
