CHAPTER FIFTEEN-THE CURSE

“Mmm…” Imara moaned as Ben buried his face in her neck and kissed his mark.

He lifted his face away then pushed her hair back behind her ear. “Good morning, baby. I just wanted to see you before I left.”

Imara opened her heavy eyes and smiled. “Be careful out there, sweetheart. I love you.”

Ben kissed Imara one last long tender kiss. “I love you too, baby. I’ll be a bit late, got a new stop to make.”

Imara nodded. “That’s alright. Shaw’s coming over to help me with my harvest.”

“Alright, baby.” Ben kissed the back of Imara’s knuckles then leaned over and kissed Eliza as she laid tucked in Imara’s arm. Eliza sighed and puckered her lips then pushed her arm over her head. “See you later, sweet pea. Daddy loves you.”

After Ben milked the cows and fed the animals, he packed the wagon while Harold started plowing the fields. Ben looked back to the cottage. He had a gnawing feeling in his gut and had second thoughts about leaving, but he often did. 

His nightmares never ended, but now that Eliza was getting older, he didn’t give them as much credence as he used to. Besides, Shaw would be there soon, and he’d happily give his life to protect Imara and Eliza.

In the afternoon, Ben pulled into the lane at Thorin’s house and parked by the kitchen. As he opened the door, he saw Sofia at the sink. “Sofia, I got your load.”

Sofia walked to the sideboard and cleared it as Ben brought in a large crate. After he sat it down, he asked, “Where’s Thorin?”

“Oh, he’s popped off to New Orleans for the day, should be home round supper. Something about that old Viking he’s been looking for.”

A wave of relief rolled over Ben and a smile curled up on his lips. “Haldir? There’s news about Haldir?”

Sofia chuckled. “Yes, apparently he’s back in the country. I expect y’all be leaving us soon, then.” Sofia’s lip began to quiver as the realization of what she said hit her. “Oh, damn, I’m just going to miss y’all so much.”

Ben smiled and pulled her into his side then kissed the top of her head. “It’s a good thing, Miss Sofia. We won’t have to worry about Imara anymore.”

“Oh, I know, honey. It’s just I’ve been with the Parker’s so very long. I don’t even know what I’ll do with myself when they’re gone.”

Ben sat down in the chair by the counter. “Where will the three of you go?”

“Thorin’s sending us back to Savannah. They have a new leader at the Order who’s a right good man, an old friend of their family’s. Since we're familiars, he’s going to let us work there for them and stay in the Parker’s old family home.”

Ben sighed. “That’s good, I was worried about you.”

“Oh, don’t you worry none. Soon, you all will be safe and that’s all that matters.”

Ben knocked his fist against the counter. “Will you tell him to stop down when he gets home?”

“Course I will. Now give little sweet pea a big old hug from me.”

Ben hugged Sofia goodbye then walked out to his wagon and climbed in. He laughed aloud then ran his hands through his hair. “Oh shit. We’re almost there Imara. Oh, baby, we made it.”

When Ben arrived at his parents’ house, he hitched the horse to the post outside and entered the house through the kitchen door. The room was dark, the oil lamp nearly out. 

As he walked around the table, his foot slipped in something wet. He looked down on the floor and saw blood. Ben’s heart started to race as a surge of adrenaline coursed through his veins. He stepped over the puddle and yelled, “Dad! Momma! Where are you!” He continued into the sitting room and then stopped at the bottom of the stairs. “Momma!”

As his hands trembled, he grabbed the handrail at the staircase and slowly started climbing the stairs. He could smell the bitter stench of blood and as he got halfway up the staircase, he saw a dark handprint of the wall. While the hair on his arms stood on end, he exhaled a ragged breath through his dry mouth.

He looked down at the floor and saw bloody footprints leading to and from the direction of his parents’ bedroom. Ben rounded the corner of the doorway and slowly looked into the room. 

Ben gasped as he saw Harold’s lifeless body lying in a pool of blood in front of the bed. As if taken over by another force, one he couldn’t control, Ben walked to Harold and looked down at him. His throat had been cut and his eyes were opened wide in horror. 

Then, Ben glanced to the bed and saw Anna stretched across it. The front of her body was covered in stab wounds and the entire bed was soaked with blood. Ben stood looking at his parents and he began to breath faster as he slowly started to wake from his trance.

 “Oh God, no. Imara!” 

Ben turned and ran from his parents’ room then leaped down the staircase. He dashed through the kitchen and backdoor then bolted towards his house.

“Imara!”

When he reached the front door, it was halfway open. He kicked it in as he ran through and then froze in his tracks. Shaw was face down on the kitchen floor with his arm reached out in front of him and a dagger sticking out of his back. Ben shivered in fear as he slowly crept to Shaw’s body. His field of vision was so narrowed that he didn’t notice the scene at his kitchen table.

“Eh-hmm” a male voice cleared his throat and Ben’s head snapped at the man sitting at his table. “I’ve been waiting for you, Ben.”

Unlike his nightmares, Ben was able to see the man in black’s face clearly this time. His skin was so pale that Ben could see the veins underneath the surface and his arrogant pointy nose lit up orange as Selvin took a drag from his cigarette.

Ben searched his mind for Imara. His bite had strengthened their bond and he could usually feel her and read her thoughts when she was close. “Where are they?” 

“Oh Ben, I’ll get to that soon. Have a seat. We have much to discuss.” Fearing that if he failed to do so, he would doom his wife and child, Ben took a seat across from Selvin.

Ben looked him straight in the eye and tried to calm himself. He needed to clear his mind so he could think properly, but his wolf was begging to be set free so he could tear apart the monster from his nightmares.

Selvin flicked his ashes on the floor. “You know I have been looking for your mother for a very long time, over thirty years now. She was quite tricky to find.”

Ben glanced around Selvin’s face as he continued to think of where Imara and Eliza could have hidden themselves.

“Oh, forgive me, my manners are terrible sometimes. My name is Selvin Marcos. I used to be the head of the coven that your mother belonged to in Massachusetts. Did she ever mention me?”

Ben shook his head slowly. “No.”

“Hmm. Well, let me tell you a little story,” Selvin said with a wink. “Many years ago, your mother and I were married. Well, I suppose we still are officially.”

“Not anymore,” Ben said dryly.

Selvin smiled devilishly and cocked his eyebrow. “Yes, I suppose that’s true. Back to my story...One day, she met a Lycan fellow and as the Fates would have it, they discovered they were mates.”

Ben heard what the man was saying, but it didn’t register. He went through the layout of the house in his mind. He called out in his thoughts, Where are you, baby? 

Selvin continued, “Your mother decided to run off with her new Lycan friend. Of course, Massachusetts witches aren’t nearly as progressive as you Southerners and we don’t allow blood mixing.” He pointed at Ben. “And, Ben, this concerns you, especially, but we’ll get to that. Anna was given the chance to reject her mate and return to her coven, no questions asked, but she just disappeared off the face of the planet. I was quite heartbroken really. I did love the woman. Anyhow, the coven put a bounty on Anna and the Lycan’s head. And well, you know how the rest of this story goes.”

Ben nodded his head yes.

“What I didn’t know is that Anna was carrying a child with her when she left. I was quite surprised when my spies finally tracked her down here and discovered that she had a son. I was so hoping in the back of my mind that you were mine, but Anna quickly shot down that idea.” Selvin clapped his hands together and smiled. “Oh, this is the best part,” he said as he leaned back in his chair and looked at Ben.

“You see, I didn’t intend on killing your mother. I really just wanted her to come home. She is a Realm witch and they just don’t grow on trees you know. But the witch really angered me with her shabby attempt to stop me. It was quite pathetic the way she tried to save that human's life.”

“Where’s my wife?”

“Patience Ben. I’m getting to that. See I wanted Anna back, but when I found out she had polluted herself with a half blood child, I changed my mind. Then as I was leaving, I noticed this lovely little cottage.” Selvin looked around the room. “Did you build this yourself, Ben?”

Ben nodded and licked his parched lips.

“It really is nice. You do very good work. Anyhow, back to Imara and your daughter. You see, your wife and that human laying over there put up quite a fight. Silly little witch, thinking that she can beat a warlock. I had to make her pay for that.”

Ben gasped and a tear fell from his eyes as he realized there was no saving them, they were already gone.

Selvin stopped and glared at Ben. “You just can’t allow witches to run all over you. So, I made her watch while I killed her daughter and then, of course, I killed her.”

Ben leapt across the table and grabbed Selvin by his neck then took him to the floor.  He sat on top of the warlock and punched his face mercilessly all the while the warlock laughed a sinister cackle. The warlock then said words in the old language, and it sent Ben flying across the room. He crashed into the hutch sending shards of glass and ceramics on the ground around him.

Selvin stood over Ben as he laid wounded on the floor. Selvin said, “You silly, stupid half breed bastard. I enjoyed killing them really and I am just loving the feeling of your torment right now. Tell me, Ben, how much pain can you endure? Well, we shall see.”

After collecting his blade from Shaw’s back, Selvin kneeled down beside Ben. He raised his hands above Ben and in the old language said, “ Cuirim mallacht ort do chrà a chónaí arís agus arís eile,” (I curse you to live your torment again and again) then plunged the dagger into Ben’s chest.