Blood Cursed Read Free

shoulder slick with blue waterfae sweat. Lavender lips, wet neongreen wings, a slow tempting smile.
    I halted, my heart thumping.
    A female smile.
    Her green arm slipped around his waist, and he tugged her rippling golden hair back and kissed her.
    My skin burned cold. I didn’t want to look. But horrid steel spikes jabbed my muscles, pinning me in place, and I could only stand and stare.
    Kissing another girl. Not just a hello, darling, wanna buy my drugs? kiss. A slow, deep, wet, tongue-on-tongue, let’s get naked kiss. Bodies rubbing together, his thumb pressing her chin upward the way he liked, holding her so she couldn’t escape even if she wanted to. And she already melted in his arms. I could tell by the way her eyes closed, her head fell back, her neon wing-veins glowed brighter. I knew that hot, helpless dizziness, how he made you feel wanted, beautiful, the sexiest woman in the room. His hand crept up her skirt, between her thighs, caressing, and she moaned and pulled him closer.
    Numb, I turned away, and that old clockwork denial wound its creaking springs tight in my heart. It was okay, wasn’t it? Just kissing. Stupid to be upset. I knew Jasper wasn’t a saint. Hell, he sold drugs and stole stuff for a living. What did I expect? And I wasn’t exactly blameless, right? I’d just been kissing another guy. It didn’t mean anything.
    Crazy laughter burst from my lips. Tick, tock, wind the clock, pretend it isn’t happening. Only I could come up with an excuse like that. They weren’t just kissing. The fucker was cheating on me. After everything I’d done for him.
    Music throbbed, stirring in my guts. I felt hot and sick, impotent anger chewing me raw. I’d followed his rules, put up with his temper, made myself into the girl I thought he wanted. And now I’d sold my blood for him, the one thing I’d sworn I’d never do. Whored my dignity. Let some horny bloodsick beast chew on my throat and come in my lap with my blood running down his throat. I’d humiliated myself for Jasper, and he didn’t care.
    I swallowed, sniffling, but my throat cramped hot, and the tears just flowed faster. Not because Jasper lied to me. Not because he’d treated me like an idiot and it hurt deep inside like a poisoned blade.
    Because I knew. I’d always known. I’d just never seen with my own eyes before.
    I was besotted, but I wasn’t dumb, and fear and puppy love hadn’t dulled my sense of smell. Sometimes he reeked of cheap perfume and sex, fruity kisses in his mouth that weren’t mine, and like an obedient little wifey, I never complained. Only smiled and did my best to forget about it, and cried later in the bathroom where he wouldn’t see.
    I had only myself to blame. Too pathetic and weak to do anything about it.
    Well, not anymore.
    Blindly, I walked off, fisting my tears, blood and makeup smearing glitterbright. My sharp heels scraped welts in my ankles as I stumbled. I didn’t care. This was the last time Jasper would humiliate me like this. If he wanted to screw other women, fine. He could do it without me to come home to.
    I plonked my ass onto a bar stool, my bruises aching. The neonglass bar glowed blue, vibrating under my palms as the music throbbed, and my blood invigorated, strength flowering in my muscles.
    Conviction hardened like iron in my heart. Yes. He could have his precious gemstone—whatever the horrid thing was for—and then I was dumping his dusty fairy ass.
    But the cowardly worm in my stomach quailed and shivered, chewing its tail in mocking fright. But you’ve got no cash, Emmy. No stuff. Nowhere to go. Whatcha gonna do, get a job? You’re just a useless bloodfae bitch. Who’ll protect you? How will you ever survive in that big old nasty world?
    I clenched hot fists on the glass, sparking my courage. “Shut up. Screw him. I’ll get by somehow.”
    But that sniveling fearworm just coiled there, a greasy smile on its fat face. Sure, Emmy. You keep telling yourself that .
    I ordered