Cursed Fates (Zodiac Academy, #5)

by Caroline Peckham

This time, I was gonna blow her mind so thoroughly that she wouldn’t possibly be able to consider denying this heat between us again. I was going to shatter and destroy her, build her back up in pleasure and have her begging for more and more and more by the time I was through.

“Ravish me, you devilish doughnut,” she commanded and I swear my dick got even harder as she uttered that ridiculous fucking phrase.

me. I tried to stoke the flames of her lust even more with my gifts, but her mental walls remained as impenetrable as ever and I actually found I liked that. She wasn’t turned on by what I was, she didn’t want to feel the pleasure one of the most powerful Sirens in Solaria could push into her body. She didn’t even want to try and capture me for my position as Heir. No, everything she gave me and everything she took was about nothing more than me and her. And there was a profound kind of purity in it that made me want to drown in that feeling forever.

Her fingernails dug into my ass as she devoured me

“I must bid you adieu, Maxy,” she announced, leaping to her feet and snatching her panties from the floor. “But I look forward to working against the stars with you for my lady’s true love.”

I groaned loudly, looking down at my raging hard on as she disappeared and wondering what the fuck I’d done to the stars. Because surely they were mocking me too.

“I’m not putting my shirt back on, Gerry,” Max said with a smirk, folding his bulging arms across his chest. “Not unless you beg me.” “By the gleam of my shiny waxed lady balls! Who said anything about putting your clothes on?” She laughed, taking hold of the hem of her shirt and whipping it off, revealing her huge breasts in a delicate blue bra with a seashell clasped at

the base of her cleavage. Max’s eyes practically bugged out of his head as she directed him further into the field for a fight. “I challenge you to a duel, you mouth watering barnacle of a boy.”

“You doing it,” he breathed with a seductive grin. “He’s all yours, beautiful. I want you to make him scream. I’m gonna be right there with a fold-out chair and a bag of freshly popped popcorn to enjoy the show. But I won’t be the one breaking bones – and trust me I really want to be that guy, but not this time. Seth Capella has written his fate in the stars. She’s coming for him like a monster in the night. And her name is Darcy Vega.”

“I’ve always known who you were, Roxy. The only difference is that you’ve realised it now too. You’re a Princess, one of the two most powerful Fae in the whole of Solaria. You were always going to challenge me eventually. Just don’t start thinking I’ll roll over for you because you’ve decided you like the idea of wearing a crown.”

Fuck, I didn’t realise I had a Prince Charming fantasy until right now. Although that wasn’t right, Darius was no Prince Charming, more like a prince of darkness and he’d already corrupted me beyond recognition.

He clutched onto me and the knot in my chest eased as the bond between us deepened, thrumming in my ears and making me want to get nearer and nearer to him. “Let’s just run off together into the sunset,” Darius joked. “We can forget all about the Vegas and buy a house in Starshine Bay.” “We can have two kids. Boys obviously. Girls are trouble,” I played along and he released a chuckle as we stepped apart. “Are you ready for this?” he asked, his face falling grave once more.

I guessed old Uncle Lionel had upped security on the place. And if you were planning world domination, I supposed watching your back was a sensible move. I wished he wouldn’t though, then I could drive a draining dagger into his heart. It would be pretty difficult to land the hit though, considering it must have been about the size of a Tiberian Rat shit.

“I might protect him, but I don’t fuck him!” I roared and he stole the air from my lungs with a swipe of his hand.

If there was any justice in the world, that girl was not going to end up marrying my best friend. I’d marry him myself if that was what it took to keep him from ending up with the Ogre.

“You two look as miserable as a fucking Pegasus shitting rainbows.” “You’re telling me you’re enjoying this shit show?” I asked and his smile withered away. “About as much as I enjoy getting fucked up the ass with a spiky dildo.” “Which you’ve no doubt tried, you kinky fucker,” Darius jested and Dante laughed.

“You know what’s a shame? Tory loves those little chocolate wafers in the dessert section at lunchtime. She especially likes them with her coffee, but they don’t provide them at breakfast.” His eyes brightened and his lips hooked up into a grin. “That is a shame.” “Imagine if you were a big ass Dragon who everyone listened to all the time? Even the kitchen staff...” “Imagine,” he agreed with a snort of laughter. A weird moment hung between us where I actually sort of liked the asshole,

She started clapping to a steady beat and the A.S.S all joined in as she gestured to them. My lips parted as Geraldine opened her mouth and started singing to the beat. “They came from over the hill to slay, the monsters, beasts and bullies. The princesses came with their shiny crowns, two beauties in their flowing gowns. And so they shouted, away away away!” “Away away away!” the A.S.S. sang in response like they knew the words and my jaw dropped. “The monsters said we’re here to stay, raising forks and sticks and sharpened picks. The princesses came with their silver blades, two beauties with their loyal maids. And so they shouted, away away away!” She started up a dance, stamping her foot twice to the left, then twice to the right before jumping up and clapping above her head. “Away away away!” Tory and I joined in between our laughter as Justin Masters produced a flute from his bag and started piping out the tune. Oh my god this is actually happening. Geraldine reached out to us and I shrugged at Tory before climbing up to join her on the table. She started the dance again and I copied her, picking it up as Tory joined her other side, laughing as Geraldine continued the song.

“Then I’ll come with you,” he demanded. “And have the heavens come crashing down on us and the earth crumble at our feet until we’re dragged down into the fiery chasm beneath? No thanks.” My blood was pumping and I was struck with the desire to call him a pig headed, controlling, lizard asshole but I bit down on my tongue, wondering if there was a better way to handle this than just biting his head off and storming away.

Darius was staring at me like he didn’t know whether to kill me or kiss me and as my gaze fell on his mouth, I found myself aching for the latter. Fuck the stars.

“She…I think she…but I don’t understand how-” “Phoenix fire burns through bullshit,” I supplied. “I just released him from every Dark Coercion spell Lionel has ever placed on him.” The Heirs all turned to stare at me like I’d just told them an alien named Clive lived up my butt and I sighed as I leaned my head back against Caleb’s shoulder. I felt like I’d just gone ten rounds in the ring against a Dragon with toothache. My eyes were hooded already and I was pretty sure that if we stood here much longer I’d fall asleep.

Thank you, Roxy. This means more to me than words can convey. My cheeks flushed at his reply and I bit my lip as exhaustion pulled at me. I sighed to myself as I nestled down in his bed, trying not to linger in the memories of sleeping here with his arms wrapped around me, feeling like nothing and no one in the world could ever hurt me so long as I just stayed right there. Maybe I should have listened to those instincts. Because his bed didn’t feel the same

without him in it. And for the first time that I would admit to myself, I had to wonder if I’d made a terrible mistake when I said no.

“Gah, that sounded great until you turned it into work,” Seth huffed dramatically, flopping down onto my lap with an arm draped over his eyes. “Seriously?” I complained and he shifted about with his head resting in my crotch and peeked out at me from beneath his arm. “I’m stressed, I need body contact, don’t reject me now, dude,” he said, throwing a fake little whimper in for added effect and I rolled my eyes. “Fine. But I’m not stroking your hair for you,” I deadpanned as he grinned widely. “Probably best you don’t or you might get me hard,” he agreed and I didn’t even know if he was joking, but I laughed as if he was.

“Oh you want me to go deep, do you, Cal?” Seth teased, raising his eyebrows at me suggestively and I rolled my eyes at him as a prickle raced along my skin. “Stop flirting with me, asshole,” I joked, shoving him so that he almost fell out of my lap. “Stop smiling so much when I do then,” he replied, giving me a dirty grin as he settled himself back in over my crotch. “Whatever,” I replied dismissively. “But you need to up your game if you want Darius to earn some brownie points with Tory anytime soon.”

What are you doing? Caleb: I was sleeping. P.S. Happy birthday. I have a present for you. I bobbed on my heels as excitement ran through me. Seth: Well why don’t you come and give it to me? If you can hunt me down that is… I pressed send, training my ears on the woods around me. He might be coming for me already, cheating bastard that he was. Caleb: Run for your life. A laugh escaped me but I didn’t run. I moved to the oak tree and started climbing until I was up in the branches, gazing down at the path below with a grin on my face. My blood was pumping and adrenaline made my heart skip. This game was more than just a bit of fun for Caleb. I relished every second of it. But my favourite part was when he caught me and we fought like wild dogs.

“Fuck,” I exclaimed as his teeth sank into a vein, my breathing quickening as he immobilised my magic. He wrapped an arm around me and in a burst of speed, carried me to the oak tree and slammed me back against it, his fangs sinking deeper into my neck. His body pressed flush to mine and a groan escaped my throat as his muscles hardened against me, unable to help getting off on this. He crushed me against the gnarled bark even harder and I wrapped my hand around the back of his neck, gripping him firmly as he fed. He was the only Vampire in the whole of Solaria I’d ever let drink from me. And I was starting to get a taste for these games, even the biting. Shit does that make me a masochist?

“Cal,” I growled, my other hand running up the smooth plain of his back. He pulled his fangs free, lifting his head to look at me and a line of blood spilled from the corner of his lips. I had the serious urge to lick it away and the look in his eyes at that moment said he might not mind that at all. But he was my friend, an Heir. I may have had more than the odd fantasy about him, but I never acted on it. Not since that one time where we’d shared a girl and accidentally kissed each other (or that was the way Caleb told it). We’d been absolutely fucking wasted. But we weren’t drunk right now. And the way his body felt against mine was good enough to send the blood in my veins rushing really far south. “I think you just sent a hurricane through my fucking throat,” he rasped.

“Wouldn’t be the first time,” I taunted and he barked a laugh, making my gaze drop to his mouth again. He had morning stubble and bed hair. It was my favourite look on him. Effortlessly fucking gorgeous. It was a serious shame he was straight. Well, at least when he was sober. His throat bobbed and I was aware our chests were still pressed together and there was no reason for that now. I s...

Caleb nodded then reached into his pocket again and took out a silver ticket that glittered in the morning light. He held it out to me and I couldn’t even lift my hand to take it as I met his gaze. “No way,” I breathed, eyeing the words printed across it. My heart stopped. Actually ceased to fucking beat. “Way,” he laughed. “No fucking way!” I pointed an accusing finger. “I swear to the stars, Caleb Altair, if you’re screwing with me-” He slapped the ticket into my palm. “I bought over three hundred thousand lottery tickets,” he said with a simple shrug like it meant nothing. “In fact, I’ve been buying that many every year since you lamented on your sixteenth birthday that you’ll never get to stick your dick in a moon crater. Figured it had to pay off eventually.”

“You did this for me?” I choked out the words and he shrugged again. “The moon’s your favourite thing in the world, man. And I never know what to buy you.” I launched myself at him, wrapping my whole body around his and licking his fucking face because oh my stars, I was going to the fucking moon! I howled and howled so loudly that Caleb had to clamp his hands over his bat ears. “When!?” I bounced up and down and he shoved me playfully with a bark of laughter. “In August,” he said with a smirk and I hugged him again because shit, this was the best present anyone had ever gotten me. And Alice had bought me a vibrating butt plug once that had changed my life. “This is everything,” I told him stepping back. “Everything.” “Good.” He beamed like an asshole, then clapped me on the shoulder. “You ready to party until we pass out tonight then?” I grinned, feeling like I was never going to frown ever again. “You have no idea.” And this incredible, momentous moment of my life made me decide on something else too. If I was going to visit the moon, then I was going to make her proud of me first. So I needed to talk to Darcy Vega.

“The stars might have decided that you can never be mine,” Darius said roughly, refusing to move away from me. “But I am yours. No matter what. I don’t care where we end up or who we’re with, I’ll always be yours. And I’m going to fix the damage I did to us even if the stars don’t care. I’m going to prove to you that I could have been worthy of you if I’d just listened to my heart sooner.”

He’d been doing a damn good job of keeping that beast within his flesh asleep around me since I’d cursed us, but now I’d woken it again, I was actually a little excited to let myself get burnt.

My gaze lingered on the ribbon she still had tied around her neck. I’d never asked a girl to cheer for me before and when she’d said yes, I’d had to fight hard not to grin my fucking head off and sweep her into my arms. Ignoring the fact that the stars would get pissy obviously.

“It isn’t going to happen, Cal. I don’t believe there’s going to be some convenient do over for us,” I said darkly. “I’m going to do everything I can to make things right between me and her because she deserves that much. She deserves to know how much I care about her even if she can’t ever be mine. I don’t want her thinking the man the stars chose for her was nothing but a monster. But I am a monster all the same. And no matter how much I make up for, that isn’t going to change. There’s darkness in me that will never find the light. So she’s better off away from me anyway.”

A soft touch against my hair made me open my eyes and I looked up at her as she pushed the crown onto my head. “Mildred knocked me off of the couch first,” she explained in answer to the question in my eyes. “So you win. Besides, you need a big head like yours to pull off a crown like this.” I snorted a laugh as the ground trembled so violently that I was almost knocked back onto my ass. Roxy quickly pulled the rings and bracelets from her hands and offered them to me too and I pushed them into my pockets wordlessly. But as she reached up to unclasp the blood ruby pendant from around her neck I caught her wrist to stop her. “Keep it,” I said, my gaze slipping to the priceless heart where it lay against her flesh. Dragons didn’t give treasure away. Ever. It was inherited through the family or we bought more of it, but we never

gifted it to anyone. It went against everything we stood for and the fierce possessiveness of our natures. But for some reason that I couldn’t fully comprehend, I wanted her to keep that necklace. “It looks better on you anyway.” Her eyes widened but before she could reply, I dropped the wall of fire and stepped away from her.

I watched Roxy walk away from me. She glanced back once and my heart leapt as she offered me the smallest of smiles. Roxy Vega might never be mine, but sometimes I found I didn’t mind pining for her as much as I should have.

“Tory truth or dare?” I pointed at her because I had a cunning plan (alcohol always made me extra cunning). To play my part in Mission: Defy The Stars, I had been trying my hardest to make Darius do a grand gesture for Tory. He’d shot down literally everything I’d suggested so far. From serenades to candlelit picnics and trips to the Polar Capital to see the northern lights. He had zero game. But what I’d finally realised was, he not only didn’t want to do any of that shit, but Tory would have hated it too. And after she’d pounded Mildred’s face to a pulp earlier, I’d finally realised what they both loved. Violence.

By the stars Caleb’s lips look good right now. I could just…

His hands slid around me and I felt the powerful beat of his heart against my chest. I suddenly didn’t care that we were alone. I could just be with him like this for a moment. It was the only place I wanted to be right now, gripping him tightly and breathing in his fresh, sandalwood scent. And with that knowledge came a terrifying realisation I knew was true despite the haze of alcohol fogging my brain. Yep, it’s official. I’m into my straight best friend. Thanks for the headfuck stars.

“Look, sometimes we want to see the good in people we care about so much that we pretend it’s there, living under all the layers of cruelty.

I didn’t feel like I was on the same plane as I had been two seconds ago, I was lost to her. My beautiful blue-haired warrior. My forehead fell against hers and the sweet scent of her flesh brought me back to reality. I stared down into the infinite depths of her dark green eyes and placed a kiss against the corner of her mouth as I fought to catch my breath. Everything in my life was brighter with her. It was good and sweet and perfect. I didn’t know what I’d done for the stars to gift me this girl. I could never have offered them enough to earn this good fortune. And I wasn’t going to squander it. I knew what I had. And I’d protect her until my dying breath. And even then I’d still fight to keep her safe beyond the veil. Whatever it took. Always.

“And I know it doesn’t change anything. That it can’t change anything,” he growled. “But I’m going to prove it to you. I’m going to do everything I can to make it up to you, for the rest of my life if that’s what it takes. I’ll never forgive myself for bringing this curse on us. And I’m never going to stop loving you either.”

“Did you just slap a fucking Dragon?” Caleb asked, his eyes sparkling as he looked at her with a little too much appreciation for my liking.

“Because that’s what love is,” I said in a low voice, running my finger over a bare patch of skin on my right forearm thoughtfully. “It’s giving everything without expecting anything in return. It’s sacrificing your heart and happiness for someone else and it’s owning all of your mistakes and trying to make them right. Not because you expect to get something in return for it. But because the person you love needs to know how you feel.”

“But nothing,” he snapped. “That’s why all of us are working so damn hard to figure out a way around this for you. Because we believe you both deserve that. So stop selling yourself short. Stop selling her short. And decide right here and now that you’re going to fight for your girl. Really fight for her. Not just achieve this bullshit mission to right all your wrongs against her. Prove to her that you deserve her and then climb up into the fucking sky and tear the stars right out of it for her if they still don’t agree.”

“You want me to fight against the will of the stars for her?”

I felt a cracking in my soul that spoke of the promise we’d made on the stars together. To always fight to be together. He’d broken it. And he’d broken me in the process.

He leaned forward slowly until his forehead was pressed to mine and I could feel a slight tremor in his body which betrayed just how much he cared, how frightened he’d been, how concerned.