Cursed Fates (Zodiac Academy, #5)

by Caroline Peckham

“Leave,” he growled. “And don’t come back. It’s over, Darcy. Move on with your life.” “It doesn’t have to be over,” I gasped, terror wrapping its way around every organ in my body. “I don’t care that you’re here. You could be on the moon and I’d still find a way to love you.” “I don’t want you to love me. I want you to leave and never come back.”

“Darius,” I gasped, getting to my feet as he dropped his arm to his side and blood dripped down into the grass. “What happened?” “He’s being a stubborn fucking asshole,” he spat. “He won’t sign off on the appeal. He’s going to stay here and rot because he’s a righteous prick.”

Me and Lance Orion were officially over. The most beautiful, pure love I’d ever known had been taken away from me just like that. And I didn’t know how I’d ever recover.

I hadn’t actually seen him until this morning when he’d been waiting to run with me outside Ignis House. We’d gone on our silent run like usual and I’d found myself smiling for a ridiculous amount of it as I pushed myself as hard as I could and forced him to work to keep up. I didn’t know why running with him meant so much to me, but I had to admit that it did. There was something about knowing he’d show up every day that just made me feel…important.

“Hi,” he said, a knowing smile playing around his lips which was damn distracting. Hate and sex I could do as easy as breathing. Saying hi to a guy who showed up every day to run with me and fetched my coffee was impossible though. Great.

“And there was me thinking it had something to do with you not wanting anything from a jumped up lizard asshole who doesn’t know his ass from his elbow and is only good for hate sex?”

“I could have guessed that the first time I laid eyes on you,” I quipped before realising I’d just admitted that I’d wanted him for that long. The cocky ass smile on his face told me he didn’t mind that one bit and I swear I could actually feel my blush growing. Tory Vega didn’t blush. This was not like me. And those weirdos in my stomach were at it again and – holy mother of shit, the weirdos are butterflies. Motherfucking butterflies! What the hell is happening to me??

“You want incredible?” he teased and the feeling of his hand slid from my cheek down my neck, brushing my collar bone before finally caressing my breast. My nipple hardened and I practically started panting at the feeling of his hand on my body. “Darius,” I warned, but it didn’t come out like a warning. My voice was all rough and pleading and the way his eyes darkened told me he liked that a lot.

“Nobody fucks with my girl and gets away with it,” he growled, his lips brushing my ear for a moment and making me shiver.

I landed a bit too fast and stumbled in my unlaced sneakers before slamming face first into Darius’s chest as he lurched forward to catch me. “Sorry,” I laughed as I looked up at him with a grin and he fell still as he helped me steady myself. “What?” I asked, trying to blink the sleep out of my eyes. “You’ve never smiled at me like that before,” he said in a rough voice, reaching out to brush some tangled strands of black hair out of my face. “Shut up, I smile at you all the time,” I replied as heat touched my cheeks and I tried to run my fingers through my knotty hair.

“Well… You’re not wearing any makeup.” “I…woke up late, so-” “I like it,” he said, his smile growing as he looked me over. “You look all sleepy and innocent. I could almost imagine you just woke up in my bed.”

“As much as I ache for the feeling of your body against mine – and I really fucking do – I think if I was allowed a single cheat against this curse that keeps us apart, I’d just want to be able to hold you in my arms,” he replied. “Just to wake up with you there, knowing you were safe.”

But I was sure that he made me smile when he messaged me, that I looked for him whenever I arrived in a room, that he seemed to be trying to do everything he could to set things right. And that I fantasised about him more than I had about any man in all my life. Even Tom Hardy. Even. Tom. Hardy. Fuck it.

“Are you sure about this?” he asked me. “Fuck fate,” I snarled because it was time I owned what was going on between us. “No one gets to pick my future for me. I choose what I want and I want you.”

“Fuck fate,” Darius agreed darkly.

His grip tightened and he closed the distance between us, his mouth catching mine in a kiss that made my aching heart throb with the most painful kind of hope. I gripped his shirt in my fists and dragged him closer as I kissed him like the sky might cave in if I didn’t, even though it was more likely that it would if I did.

But I didn’t care. I would gladly take the rage of the heavens in payment for this moment in his arms. Darius pulled me closer, growling hungrily as his tongue pushed into my mouth and he kissed me savagely, filthily, desperately.

We were meant to be together like this, it was painted beneath my skin and through my veins, even my magic ached for him and yearned for the caress of his power.

His fingers slid through my wet hair and his stubble grazed my skin as he kissed me so hard it was bruising, punishing, branding and yet it wasn’t enough. My heart was aching, tears pricking the backs of my eyes as I fought to keep hold of him while the storm hammered against our magic, determined to tear us apart again.

I raised my hands and bared my teeth at them as I unleashed the might of my Order on the heavens themselves, hoping I could curse them just as they had cursed me. Red and blue flames poured from me in a torrent so hot that the air shimmered all around me. “You don’t get to choose for me!” I screamed.

Lastly, there was Sin Wilder. He wasn’t a leader of this place in the same way as the others were. He didn’t rule intentionally, he ruled because he was a strong motherfucker who was as insane as they came.

my kinda man

He’d once broken a Fae’s whole hand for sitting opposite me at my empty breakfast table. At least, that’s why I assumed he’d done it considering the wink he’d aimed at me after. That was about as far as our interactions had ever gone.

And it would be worth it when she rose to power and led the life she was meant to lead. If my own life had to be a casualty for that to happen, I was more than willing to sacrifice it. Even if I was going to pine for her for the rest of my days. Miss her with the very essence of my soul and ache for her until the world stopped spinning. I would stay here and I would suffer willingly to do what was best for her. And someday she’d understand why.

it was obvious I was in love with her. I hadn’t bothered to try and convince him otherwise.

“Why are you grinning like someone just offered to suck your cock?” Seth asked me and my head snapped up as I tried to school my features. “I don’t grin,” I replied, rolling my eyes at him. “I occasionally smirk. That’s about it.” “Well, what are you occasionally smirking about?” Cal asked, shooting forward and snatching my Atlas out of my hand. I cursed him, but he just laughed as he shot away to read it. “Why does it feel like you’re gonna blush?” Max asked, reaching out to catch my arm as he tried to get a read on my emotions. “Fuck off. I definitely don’t blush.” “Tory’s bought him a present,” Cal cooed and I groaned as he started typing a reply to her.

“You’re comparing her to a drug addiction?” Seth scoffed. “The entire world is going to shit. You guys do realise that, right? We’ve told the whole school – no – the whole kingdom to pick between us and the Vegas and now we’re off to hang out with them and exchange little gifts and Max is gonna go down on their chief supporter and it’ll end up getting leaked to the press and then fuck knows what will happen.”

“Holy shit, Darius,” she breathed as she stepped closer and ran her fingertip over the diamonds. “How much did this cost you?” “I’d buy you fifty of them if I knew they’d all make you smile like that,” I replied dismissively as I stepped closer to her.

She started it up and the deep roar of the engine filled the space as she closed her eyes and moaned in appreciation. She looked so freaking hot straddling that thing in my Pitball jersey that I was hard for her instantly and I damn near groaned at the fact that I couldn’t touch her.

“I know I totally won this and I don’t have to thank you for it or anything,” she said as she looked up at me. “But?” I asked. “Thank you,” she replied, her voice rough in a way that made my dick twitch.

“It’s called a Phoenix Kiss. And it’s basically a conduit,” she explained. “I think I can use it to place an ounce of my Phoenix fire beneath your skin. But when I do, the bangle will fuse with your flesh and brand you, kinda like your Guardian mark-”

“Because once it’s living in you, it will work like it does for me. No one will be able to influence your mind. Not even-” “This can stop my father from Dark Coercing me?” I breathed as my heart stumbled over itself. “Yeah. At least, it should do, if I made it right…” Roxy gave me a shy kind of smile which didn’t have an ounce of bullshit to it and I didn’t think I’d ever been more furious at the fucking stars for stopping me from kissing her than in that moment.

“You set me free,” I breathed, staring at Roxy like she was some kind of mythical creature given flesh as I tried to figure out what the hell I could ever do to repay this. She’d just answered every wish I’d ever begged of the stars with a smile pulling at her lips and was offering me up a shrug in return like it was nothing. “I wasn’t going to let you head back to that house with that fucking monster for the summer and be at his mercy,” she growled fiercely. Protectively. Like I was something she cherished and wanted to protect in the same way I ached to look after her.

“I already told you I love you, Roxy,” I growled and her eyes widened as she looked up at me in surprise. “But now I’m telling you I want you too. Only you. No matter what it takes to make that happen.” “Darius,” she breathed, her gaze flickering to the others as they backed away a bit to give us some privacy. I could have thrown a silencing bubble over us, but what was the point? I didn’t care if they knew how I felt about her. They were our family and despite all the reasons why they should have been encouraging us to stay apart, they’d been trying to help push us back together. Because when it came down to it, they cared about our happiness more than some fucking throne and I should have realised a lot sooner that that was more important too.

“Yes,” Roxy breathed, her voice shaky like she was afraid of saying it out loud. “I can’t keep denying it anymore. I’m sick of denying what my heart wants.” “Forever?” I confirmed, moving so close to her that the sweet scent of her skin enveloped me and I never wanted to exhale again. “Forever,” she agreed, with a finality that weighed on us so heavily that for a moment I couldn’t breathe.

“He’s going to meet us in the amplifying chamber,” she announced and I glanced at Caleb, but he was too interested in something Seth was saying to have heard her.

“Go yonder on a quest for true and brightest love!” Geraldine cried and I glanced back over my shoulder as she fell sobbing into Max’s arms. He didn’t seem to mind that at all and I shook my scaly, Dragon head as I charged after Roxy. That girl was utterly fucking insane. But I had to admit she was growing on me a little.

“You’d better mean this, Darius,” he growled. “If you’re not going to offer her the world then I’m not going to help you. And if you ever hurt her again, I’ll hunt you down, cut your balls off and wear them as a necklace.” “Jesus, Gabriel,” Roxy muttered and I glanced between them as they seemed to be trying to communicate via eyebrow motions alone. It was weird. “Am I missing something here?” I asked. “He’s going to find out before the end of summer anyway,” Gabriel said with a shrug, his eyes on Roxy. “And he will keep it secret until we’re ready for the world to know.” “Know what?” I demanded. Roxy sighed and cut me a look. “During spring break, we kinda figured out that Gabriel is our half brother.”

Gabriel: The love of my life just went into labour! I’m heading home. Wish me luck!

Darcy: Dibs on first cuddles!

A bone curdling rattle started up right behind me and fear slashed through my heart as I swung around. Hands grabbed me and a scream tore from my lungs, echoing up into the night before magic pressed into my lungs and stopped the sound dead, trapping it in my chest and cutting off any chance of anyone knowing I was in trouble.

“Lionel took Darcy.” I fell still, every inch of blood in my skin freezing over as a wave of cold so intense it blinded me as it raced through my body. My ears were ringing, my heart pounding and my grip on my Atlas tightening like it was a lifeline, the only thing stopping my bones from turning to jelly and me collapsing into a heap of nothing on the floor.

I could cope with anything in this world but this. Not her. If anything happened to Darcy then all the light in the world would be stolen from me. She was the light to my dark, the joy to my pain. I loved her more than life itself and there was no life to be had at all if I didn’t have her by my side.

“Together, we’re a force to be reckoned with.” I nodded, taking comfort in the fact that they were all blindly charging into battle with me. At least, that’s what this felt like.

Roxy’s screams echoed out over the grounds and I felt the agony of them like a dagger to my heart. I was going to fucking kill him. Enough was enough.

A roar burst from my lips as he fought to shield himself and I spotted the blood coating her skin, the words burned into her flesh countless times. Acrux. His name. My name. Decorating her perfect skin in red.

He’d done countless things like that to me over the years. He’d beaten my brother into submission too. But not her. I wouldn’t let him touch her ever again.

“You should really stop underestimating me, Father,” I snarled and he whipped around towards me, eyes wild in confusion as his dark magic failed to hold me. “How?” he gasped, but I didn’t bother to give him an answer.

Today was the last day Lionel Acrux would hurt someone I loved. I’d been born to rule. And I was going to claim my place in blood.

“It’s alright, I won’t let her have you,” he growled, his eyes shining with that promise and giving me an inch of hope to hold onto.

“Don’t hold back,” I begged, my heart pounding to a terrifying beat as tension lined their features. “You have to stop me.”