Maddening (Cursed Superheroes #2)(8)

I open my mouth and reach for him, preparing to devour him the same way he’s devouring me. But then my body chills, as if someone doused me with ice water. From in the house somewhere, a clock chimes twelve.

“Happy birthday to me,” I mumble then kiss Caspian.

“I’m so sorry, Heartley,” Caspian whispers, his voice sounding so far away.

I jerk back and catch a glimpse of unfamiliar dark red eyes staring at me before pain rips through my body.

“I’m not going to give this one up so easily,” a voice hisses. “If you try to take her, I’ll come for her. Over and over again.”

I hear Caspian shout something, but his words echo away as everything goes black.





Chapter 8





Pain tears through my body, like vines ripping apart my flesh as I tumble into unconsciousness. I try to clasp onto reality, but every time my fingers reach the light, the pain becomes too overwhelming. So much pain. I can barely process anything else. The slamming of fists, a boot getting kicked into my side, hitting the floor…. Red eyes… Those goddamn eyes are burning a hole through me. Then the pain changes, shifts, into something different but almost equally as painful. Needles getting jabbed into my arms, hands slamming against my chest, my stomach being torn open…

Why is this happening to me…

The pain… It hurts so bad…

Be strong. For the briefest moment, I swear I can hear Caspian’s voice through my thoughts.

Caspian, are you there?

Silence is my only answer. And pain. So much pain.

I want to pass out. I want to scream. But I don’t have that much control over my body. Tears burn in my eyes as I continue to tumble into an abyss. And I wonder if I’ll ever quit falling.





Chapter 9





When I open my eyes again, I’m lying in a comfy bed with a mountain of pillows under my head and a velvet blanket pulled over me. For the wildest moment—and probably because of the pillows—I wonder if I’m in my cage and that I dreamt the whole Caspian/pain thing up. But when I sit up and look around, I quickly realize the four dark red walls, black tile floor, and dresser in the corner don’t belong to my bedroom. Plus, there are no bars surrounding me.

“Where the heck am I?” I mutter, scratching my head. “And how did I get here?”

And what about that pain I felt?

I shudder as I remember the agony, then glance down at my body, expecting my skin to be covered in wounds and nasty bruises. But I can’t find a scratch anywhere. I glance at a mirror on the wall and take in my reflection. The last time I looked in the mirror was… Well, I really can’t remember. But it’s been several years. The person staring back at me with wildly untamed black curls, big eyes, and full lips feels like a stranger. Yet, it has to be me since when I touch my lips, the girl does too. I’m not wearing the same clothes as I had on, though; black shorts and a matching T-shirt now covering my body. I wonder who changed me. Then I wonder if I should be weirded out about it since it was probably a stranger. I don’t feel very much of anything, though, except for confusion. Lots and lots of confusion. I try to recollect what happened, but nothing but darkness comes to me. Well, that and red eyes. But who—or what—did they belong to?

Just as the question crosses my mind, viney thorns map across my arms and weave up to my shoulders.

“What’s happening to me?” I mumble, my wide eyes fixed on the moving vines.

“You’re in transition.”

My head snaps up and my eyes zone in on a gorgeous and very familiar guy leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed and a cautious expression on his face.

“Caspian?” My hands tremble with the need to touch him and my lips beg to be sealed to his again.

The reaction is bizarre and—considering I have no clue what’s going on—completely unwelcomed at the moment. Well, almost.

“What is going on with me?” I ask, my gaze bouncing back and forth between him and my arms.

“You’re transitioning.” He speaks slowly, as if he thinks I’m an idiot. “I already explained this to you, Heartley, back at your place.” He straightens and takes a measured step toward me. “Your curse has been put into play and now you’re turning into a Maddening.”

Insert deflation on my part. “But I didn’t even get my few normal hours. Talk about a bummer.”

His brow crooks. “That’s what you’re worried about right now?”

“Sort of.” But I guess that does seem a bit strange. “Okay then, here’s a better question. Why am I cursed?” My gaze flicks back and forth between him and the vines crawling across my skin. “Because you never did explain that part to me. And what was that thing with the red eyes? And what is this place?” I gesture at the room, but my hand falls to my side as a darkness stirs inside me, mapping the same path as the vines on my flesh.

Feed.

Devour.

Break.

Feed.

Devour.

Break.

I don’t know why, but I get up and step toward him. He matches the move, reducing the space between us until he’s standing close enough for me to touch him. Then he tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear.

“Look, I’m not very good with these sorts of things,” he says. “I don’t do well with others, which is why I’ve spent so much time alone. But I promised Leader I’d train and take care of you and after that kiss…” His gaze flits to my lips, then he blinks and looks back at me. “But anyway, I’m going to make sure you’re trained properly.”