Cursed Read online

  “Right. Give me just a minute—I think I saw some in the bathroom.” She got up quickly and went through the sleeping chamber into the fresher. She was gone for some moments and when she came back, she was holding a small bottle of pinkish oil. “Here we go—this should do. It says ‘meditation oil’ on the side and I think we know what that means.”

  Stav tried not to smile. “Exactly. So am I to rub you with it?”

  “Actually, in the dream, I used the oil on you first. All right?”

  “If you like.” He sat still while she rubbed some oil on her hands and began stroking his chest and abs with it. The feel of her little hands on his bare skin was incredibly stimulating. So much so that he had to close his eyes and not watch while she did it.

  Then she warmed more oil behind her hands and came around to get behind him. Though he tried not to, Stavros stiffened instinctively when she touched his shoulders, coming in contact with his mark.

  “Hey, it’s okay.” Her voice was low and soothing. “I’m sorry, would you rather I didn’t touch you here?”

  Stav shook his head, barely able to answer. “If…If you like, I would be pleased to allow your touch. I am just…not used to being touched there as you know.”

  “Because the women of your home planet are superstitious idiots, apparently,” Charlotte grumbled. “Here, scoot up some so I can get to you.”

  She was sitting on the arm of the couch behind him now and Stav moved up obligingly so she had room to put her feet down on the cushions and could reach him more easily.

  “It’s actually really beautiful, you know,” she murmured, tracing patterns on his back. “The way it shimmers and seems to change colors…I’ve never seen a tattoo like it.”

  “That is because it isn’t a tattoo. It’s a parasite. One that will kill me soon enough.” He knew his voice was coming out harsh and cold but he couldn’t help it. The mark of the Cursed had changed and limited his life in ways too painful to think about and he did not consider it in any way beautiful.

  Charlotte’s hands stilled on his back.

  “I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “I…had no idea. What do you mean it’s going to kill you?”

  “Never mind. I was being…overly dramatic.” He sighed.

  “But I thought it was an actual curse—like something supernatural.”

  “It’s an air born organism from Tranq Prime that invades when a child is young and their immune system is not yet fully developed.” Stavros tried to keep his voice dry as though he were giving a lecture instead of talking about the thing that would one day kill him. “It only takes male hosts—Blood Kindred—and those with hair my color are the most genetically susceptible. It replicates in the nervous system, making the host sensitive to the pain of others. It’s not catching and cannot be transmitted to any other person in any way. Nor can it be gotten rid of. As the host grows, the mark grows with it. Mine spreads a little every day.”

  “It does?” She sounded like she was frowning. “It looks the same to me.”

  “It’s very slow growing. Someday it will cover my entire body.” If he lasted that long, which he doubted.

  “I’m sorry if I was insensitive about it,” Charlotte said quietly. “Do you want me to stop massaging your back? Actually in the dream I didn’t. I just did your front.”

  “Oh?” Stavros half turned to face her. “Then why did you want to rub oil into my back now?”

  “I don’t know.” She shrugged, a crooked little smile on her face. “Maybe to put off the inevitable. Or maybe just because I like your back. You have such amazing shoulders…” She spanned them lightly with her fingertips, sending a shiver down his spine. “I’ve always had a thing for guys with broad shoulders. Sorry…” She gave a little laugh. “Again, not very professional.”

  “No, but I don’t mind.” In fact, he was touched that she wanted to massage him in a place no other female would go near. It was still a revelation to him that she didn’t fear his mark, especially after years of shunning and avoidance by his own people. “You can continue if you like,” he said. “If it…calms your nerves. Unless you would rather I took over now.”

  Charlotte sighed and straightened up. “I’m tempted to go on but if I do I might lose my nerve. I could massage your back all night and it wouldn’t get us any closer to doing what…what has to be done.”

  “True.” He held out a hand for the massage oil and she gave it to him, reluctantly, he thought. Then he waited but she didn’t move. “Aren’t I supposed to be the one behind you for this next part of the dream?” he asked at last, gently.

  “Yes…” Charlotte bit her lip but still didn’t move. Then she straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin. “Oh, what the hell. Let’s just do this.”

  * * * * *

  It took every bit of courage she had but Charlie made herself come down from the arm of the couch. Stavros scooted back and she perched on the edge of the cushion between his wide-spread knees.

  She waited as he poured some of the oil into his hands and tried not to fidget. The situation felt strange and awkward, as though she was waiting for some weird and scary medical procedure to begin.

  It’s okay, she told herself over and over again. We’re going to be professional. This doesn’t mean anything—we’re just going to do what we have to do to move on to the Circle of Oneness and get the damn Heart. We’re just going to—

  And then she felt his big warm hands on her body—not cupping her breasts as she had expected but rubbing slow and long over the tense muscles of her neck and shoulders.

  “Ahhh,” she moaned softly as he dug his thumbs expertly into her spine, “That’s…that’s not in the dream but it’s good—really good.”

  “I thought it might be better to try and ease some of your tension before we began,” he murmured.

  “You thought right,” Charlie assured him. As he rubbed, the knots in her neck and shoulders were beginning to loosen and she could feel herself melting like butter under the firm, warm pressure of his big hands. “God, where did you learn to give a massage like that? It feels amazing.”

  “I’m just rubbing you in the same way you rubbed me.” Stavros sounded amused. “I am glad you like it.”

  “Mmm…” was all Charlotte could say. His expert massaging felt so good and she was so warm inside from taking his blood she almost felt that she could slip off to sleep any minute.

  Then she felt his big hands sliding down her sides and back up to caress the bottoms of her breasts.

  “Ummm…” She had been almost fully relaxed but now she sat up in a hurry, her tension returning.

  “It’s all right, Charlotte.” He made no move to touch any further, seeming content to just cup the undercurves of her breasts.

  “What are you doing?” she asked at last. “I mean, why aren’t you…”

  “Stroking your breasts and caressing your nipples? Because I want to take this slowly. I want you to be used to my touch before it becomes more…intimate.”

  Part of Charlie shouted that she didn’t want to take things slowly—that she just wanted to get it all over with. But when she opened her mouth to say so, all that came out was, “Okay.”

  “Good. Now lean back against me,” Stavros directed. “I’m going to touch you more fully.”

  Biting her lip, Charlie did as he said. She scooted back on the overstuffed cushion and allowed her back to rest lightly against his muscular chest.

  “Good,” he rumbled and she could feel his deep voice all the way through her body. “Now try to relax…” Slowly but firmly his fingers, still coated in oil, slid up the slopes of her breasts until both were cupped fully in his palms.

  Charlie barely bit back a moan as she felt her sensitive nipples hardening in response to his gentle touch. God, he had the most amazing hands! Big and warm with such long fingers…

  Just try not to think where those fingers are going to be before the end of the night, whispered a snarky little voice inside her head. Charlie tri