Eternal
Curse
The
Cursed Series Book 1
by
Kara Leigh Miller
Genre:
YA Paranormal Romance
After
pulling the plug on her mother’s life support, seventeen-year-old
Chloe Madison moves to live with relatives she hardly knows. Her new
hometown in the Adirondack Mountains is barely more than a pinpoint
on the map, but it’s shrouded in deadly secrets and strange family
legends. Chloe is determined to keep her head down, finish high
school, and get the heck out of there. Until she meets the enigmatic
Trent Halstead. Something intriguing hides beneath his quiet
self-assurance and hero hair. Maybe there’s something—or
someone—worth sticking around for after all.
But
when a rash of unsolved murders leaves two of Chloe’s classmates
dead, she begins to suffer from disturbing hallucinations that build
to the horrifying image of Trent as a murderous vampire. With nowhere
else to go, she’s stuck in a town she hates, surrounded by people
she can’t trust, and she’s pretty sure she’s going to be
lunch.
If
all that isn’t bad enough, Trent is hiding a lethal secret, besides
the whole immortal bloodsucker thing. He’s the not-so-proud owner
of an ancient, family curse—no Halstead will ever know true
love—and he’s desperate to find a way to break the curse. Could
Chloe be the key to his happiness or just another secret Trent wished
he never unlocked?
**
The Cursed Series is perfect for fans of The Crave Series by Tracy
Wolff, The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer, and The Vampire Diaries
by LJ Smith **
**Only
.99 cents!!**
Eternal
Choice
The
Cursed Series Book 2
Forced
to move to California with her father, the same man who abandoned her
ten years ago, Chloe is once again starting over. Only this time, she
has a perky new stepmom and an annoying baby brother. To make matters
worse, the sea of snobby rich kids at her new prep school pretend
she's invisible. As if all that wasn’t bad enough, she has this
gnawing sensation that she’s forgetting something important.
And
then Trent Halstead crashes back into her life, bringing with him
everything she's forgotten and the devastating news that there’s a
coven of witches after her, and no one knows why—until Chloe
discovers the answer in a box of old family photos. Now, she's
keeping a secret that could save Trent's life. There’s just one
problem: his salvation will come at a cost. Her destruction. And
that’s a price she’s not sure she’s willing to pay.
**Eternal
Choice is the exciting sequel to Eternal Curse.**
**Only
.99 cents!!**
Eternal
Bond
The
Cursed Series Book 3
Chloe
is in a fight for her life. Literally. Held prisoner by the Rose
Coven, they are desperate for her to break the curse and restore the
magical balance, but Chloe adamantly refuses—until a nearly starved
Jax Halstead is tossed in the room with her. Now, hanging on to her
humanity might be next to impossible.
When
one act of mercy creates an unbreakable bond that threatens to
destroy everything she’s ever wanted, getting away alive—and
still human—is more important than ever.
Once
freed, her love and devotion to Trent is at war with the bond she
shares with Jax, a bond that’s only growing more intense by the
day. And now she must decide which is stronger. All while navigating
her senior year of high school, college applications, and waiting for
the Rose Coven to return. If that isn’t bad enough, Isach Zoya is
back. He knows the truth, and he’s watching her every move. What
else could possibly go wrong?
**Only
.99 cents!!**
Eternal
Love
The
Cursed Series Book 4
As
if having an unbreakable bond with Jax isn't hard enough, Chloe’s
now forced to work with him on a major school project, and the more
time they spend together, the stronger the bond becomes.
Fighting it
will most certainly drive her mad. But if she ever wants to have a
future with Trent, she has no choice but to resist. Unfortunately,
any hope she has of ever becoming a vampire and spending an eternity
with Trent hangs on breaking the bond, which is an impossible
feat.
Until
an unlikely source offers them a solution to their problem. There’s
just one catch—in order to fully break the bond, Trent’s immortal
life will be linked to her mortal one. And with two of the most
powerful covens in the world hellbent on killing her, the decision is
a no-brainer. Not even the promise of eternal love is enough to make
Chloe risk Trent’s life.
**Only
.99 cents!!**
Eternal Curse
Excerpt #1: (306 words, Chapter 11)
He hopped out of the truck and was around to my side with the door open before I even had my seatbelt unhooked.
“Everything all right?” He tucked his cell phone into his pocket, concern blanketing his face.
“Yeah. Why?”
“You were frowning pretty intently.”
“Oh.” It was sweet how he was so worried. “Guess the heat is getting to me,” I said with a faint smile. The temperature must have jumped twenty degrees while we were at Trent’s house.
Trent put his hand on my forehead like he was checking me for a fever. The stark contrast of his cool hand against my heated skin made me shiver.
“You are pretty hot.” He winked.
I laughed. “That’s a horrible line.”
He raised a brow and lightly dragged his fingers down the side of my face, stopping to cup my cheek, making the hairs on my arms stand on edge. I looked into his crystal-clear eyes and held my breath. His mouth was so close, and I wanted nothing more than to feel his lips on mine. Why wouldn’t he just kiss me already?
“Do you trust me?” His voice was soft, almost hesitant.
“Yes.”
It amazed me how quickly and easily I said that—and how much I meant it. I barely knew him, but deep down in the darkest corners of my soul, I knew he would never hurt me. I didn’t know how I knew that, but I did.
Slowly, Trent closed the distance between us. His lips pressed against mine, featherlight and much too quick. In the split second when our lips connected, I was hit with a wave of intense longing that had my knees shaking. And then in the next moment, he straightened and moved away from me.
Trent cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry.”
Excerpt #2 (321 words, Chapter 15)
When I dropped my hands, Trent was no longer on the swing. He was standing on the other end of the porch, leaning over the railing. I hadn’t heard the swing move or his footsteps. My arms went limp, and my mouth hung open. Oh, my God.
“It’s true, isn’t it?” I cautiously approached him. “What I saw? It’s real?” My voice rose with impending hysteria. “Not you killing Abby, but the rest of it?”
He glanced at the front door, then the window. “Please keep your voice down.”
My brows shot up with disbelief. “Are you kidding me right now?”
“I can’t risk your aunt and uncle overhearing us.” Sighing, he faced me. “I’m sorry, Chloe. You weren’t supposed to find out like this.”
I half gasped, half whimpered, and slapped my hand over my mouth. “It’s not possible,” I mumbled, shaking my head. I took a step back, and he took a step forward. Vampires didn’t exist.
“Chloe…”
“No.” I held up my hand to stop him.
Then I raced down the steps. I had no idea where I was going, but I couldn’t look at him a moment longer. My feet had barely hit the driveway when he grabbed me from behind. Next thing I knew, I was back on the porch. My head spun.
“Your uncle said not to leave the porch.” His hands were on my arms, holding me in place like he was worried I’d run again. “And please, do not run.” An iciness in his tone warned me that I needed to listen to him.
“Let go of me.” My voice was surprisingly calm considering I was standing face-to-face with a vampire. It’s possible I was going into shock.
He immediately dropped his hands and took a small step back. “Please let me explain.”
Explain? What could he possibly say? He was an undead monster who drank blood and killed people. End of explanation.
Excerpt #3: (651 words, Chapter 17)
I closed my locker and stared at Trent, who was leaning against his locker. His lips twitched, and then he smiled the same way he had the first day I’d met him. My arms fell to my sides, and I balled my hands into fists. My fingernails bit into my palms as I fought against every instinct in my body. I was not going to let his smile disarm me so completely. No matter how badly I wanted to ignore the fact that he was a vampire—a killer—I was not going to give in.
“I assume you have questions,” he said.
I threw my hands up in the air. Oh, I had questions all right. A lot of them. But I didn’t care enough to ask any of them. At least, that’s what I kept telling myself. Eventually, I would have to start believing it.
“How can you be so calm about this?” I asked, completely baffled.
“I’ve had a lot of time to come to terms with what I am.”
I narrowed my eyes. “How much time?”
“I’ll tell you anything you want to know. You simply have to give me the chance.”
“Oh no.” I held up my hand. “You are not going to trick me into giving you the opportunity to explain. There is nothing you can say that will make me be okay with…” I waved my hands up and down the length of his body. “This.”
I spun on my heel and stormed out of the building before he succeeded in changing my mind. When I stepped outside, I squinted against the bright sun and looked around for Aunt Beth. There was no sight of her car. Ugh. I was not walking home.
If I could catch Ellie before she left, I could ask her for a ride home. I raced back inside, but before I made it too far, someone grabbed my elbow and pulled me into the nearest classroom.
“Look, Trent, I told you—” I yanked free from his hold only to realize it wasn’t Trent. “Jax?” My heart lodged in my throat, and my gaze darted to the closed door that he blocked, then back to his face. I swallowed hard.
“My idiot brother told you about us, and now I have to clean up his mess. Like usual.” He rolled his eyes.
My eyebrows lifted with surprise. Clean up his mess? Was that a polite way of saying he was going to kill me?
“Uh… yeah, I know, but I’m not going to say anything,” I said.
“Of course, you’re not.” He gave me a dirty look, his entire face pulling into an ugly scowl. “You’re not stupid. I know that. But my brother seems to think he can pretend to be something he’s not.” He spat the words at me, each one filled with more venom than the last.
If I hadn’t known they were brothers, I never would’ve guessed based on how differently they spoke. Trent was always so calm and collected, while Jax appeared to be seconds away from exploding.
“He does?” I asked, though I had no idea why. It didn’t matter. There was never going to be anything between me and Trent.
“Like I said, he’s an idiot.”
“Okay…” I had no idea what he was actually trying to tell me, and I didn’t want to piss him off any more than he already was, so I stayed quiet and waited for him to continue.
“You have no idea what you’re in the middle of here, Chloe, and if you value your life, you’ll get out of Keene Valley before it’s too late.” His tone was a mix between a threat and sincere concern. Talk about confusing.
“Are you threatening me?” The words were out of my mouth before I could filter them.
“I’m warning you.”
“And if I don’t?” I crossed my arms.
Excerpt #4: (706 words, Chapter 30)
“There’s still one very important question you haven’t asked me yet.” He guided me out of the room, shutting off the lights and closing the door behind us. “Aren’t you curious?” He led me to the final room at the end of the hall.
I knew what question he was talking about, and while I was curious, I’d purposely avoided asking because what was the point? I didn’t want to become a vampire, so why bother asking how it happened? It would only lead to hurting Trent’s feelings, and that was the very last thing I wanted to do.
He flung open the door and ushered me inside. This room was still in use—it was an office. An oversize mahogany desk sat in the center with bookshelves lining the wall behind it. Newspaper clippings and drawings of very intricate family trees were plastered on the other three walls.
“This is where Sean keeps all the research he’s gathered about the Zoya and our families. He’s tireless about finding a way to break the curse.” Trent stood near the door as I wandered around the room. It would take months just to read everything hanging on the walls.
“Is he close to finding a cure?”
“No. Every new lead is another dead end.” There was too much sadness and regret in his voice.
I wanted to do or say something to make this better for him, to take away his pain and loneliness. “I’m sorry.” I returned to where he stood, slipped my arms around his waist, and rested my head on his chest.
He enveloped me in a hug. We stood there for a long while and held each other, neither of us speaking. As much as I would have loved to stay there with him like that, it was time to get an answer to the question I’d been avoiding. I started to move away when Trent yanked me back to him, his lips landing on mine.
My eyes fluttered closed, and I kissed him deeply, wondering how many more moments like this we’d have. He flexed his fingers, then flattened his palm against my back, branding me with his touch. In that moment, I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that I was meant to be with Trent. There would never be anyone else—that fact was so clear and strong in my mind it knocked the breath from me. I put my hands on his chest and clutched his shirt between my fingers so he couldn’t get away, so that I knew this was real.
His lips were soft, his arms strong. It was the safest I’d felt since losing Mom, and I wanted to cling to him, to stay in this moment and forget all about the pain and loss I’d suffered recently. Trent made the idea of facing the future without my mom bearable, like I would survive without her even though there were days I swore I never would.
Trent pulled me closer. I moved my hands up to his neck and let my fingers splay in his silky hair. A feeling of raw, unhindered love crashed over me, and I couldn’t stop from whimpering against his lips. Groaning, he abruptly ended the kiss. My chest heaved with labored breaths, and I licked my tingling bottom lip.
“Chloe,” he whispered, trailing his finger delicately down the side of my face.
My heart stopped at the emotion in his eyes, at the love that was so evident in his expression. Had he always looked at me like that? Or was I just finally noticing because I only now realized how I felt about him?
I loved Trent.
I loved a vampire.
I was hopelessly in love with a guy I had no future with.
Tears pricked behind my eyes, and my throat burned with the effort of holding them back. “Tell me how a person becomes a vampire.”
He placed a lingering kiss to my forehead, took my hand, and led me back upstairs to the living room. I expected to find Jax and Sean in there, but the room was empty. We went to the couch and sat.
“So, you want to know how to become a vampire?”
Eternal Choice
Excerpt #1: (425 words, Chapter 7)
Fog billowed from the stage and swirled out toward the crowd. My chest tightened, and my eyes burned. I coughed, blinked, and waved my hand in front of my face, but the fog only seemed to get thicker. My vision blurred, and everything around me shifted out of focus.
Something frighteningly familiar hung in the air—the fog, the fear, the confusion—I’d been in this situation before. Hadn’t I? I wasn’t positive, but the feeling I had been was so strong it threatened to choke me.
Taking a few steps back, I looked for a way out of the crowd, a place I could escape to for a moment, just long enough to catch my breath. Someone bumped into me, and I stumbled into someone else as people rushed closer to the stage, ping-ponging me between various bodies. I was trapped.
“Simon!” I shouted.
But he couldn’t hear me over the roar of the music, and soon, we were separated by a few dozen people. I spun around, panic seizing me. I needed to get out of here. Bending over, I clutched my stomach and squeezed my eyes shut.
Strong arms wrapped around me, lifting me off my feet and spinning me around as a someone landed hard on the floor where I’d just been hunched over. I let out a small gasp, and then I realized my body was pressed against a wall of muscle.
Slowly, I lifted my head, and the breath rushed from my lungs.
It was the mystery man.
Fear strangled my ability to speak, and I was paralyzed, unable to shove him away and run—which was exactly what my mind was screaming at me to do.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
The noise and chaos around me dulled to a low hum, making it too easy to hear him. And good God, that voice—it could melt the polar ice caps.
All I could manage was a nod. I was lost in the depths of his ocean blue eyes, mesmerized by his presence. His arms were still around me, holding me to him. Tingles shot through me, and my pulse was like a jackhammer, pounding against every nerve ending in my body. Fear gave way to something else, something just as primal.
He stared down at me, his eyes darkening, and there was something in his gaze… something intimately familiar, like he knew me. But I was positive I didn’t know him and had never known him, because he wasn’t the kind of guy I’d so easily forget.
Excerpt #2 (324 words, Chapter 8)
“Don’t get too excited. That school is awful, and no one is friendly,” I said, my tone harsher than necessary.
“I guess it’s a good thing I already know someone then, huh?” He gently nudged my shoulder, and we exited the dance floor as if we both knew what the other wanted without having to ask.
We found two empty seats at the bar. He pulled the chair out for me, and I sat. He occupied the spot beside me, his arm resting on the back of mine as if he wanted to put his arm around me but was too shy to do so. Should I tell him it was okay?
“Lucky you,” I teased. “I’m sure you’ll have no trouble fitting in.”
In fact, I’d bet Olivia would call dibs the second she laid eyes on him, and I was sure she wouldn’t hesitate to dump her boyfriend in favor of the hot, new guy at school. That tingling memory of familiarity returned like an itch I couldn’t scratch.
“Why do you say that?” He rested his other arm on the bar and turned so he was facing me.
“Have you seen yourself?” I waved my hand up and down his body. “Girls will be falling over themselves to get your attention, and all the guys will be your friend because they think if they’re nice to you, you’ll somehow help them get laid.”
He let out a surprised laugh. “Well, I certainly won’t be facilitating any hook ups. But I have to know… Will you be one of the girls trying to get my attention?”
I smiled as innocently as possible. “Don’t I already have your attention?”
“You most certainly do.” His eyes narrowed, and his gaze heated as it roamed down the length of my body. “My complete, undivided attention.”
Excerpt #3: (466 words, Chapter 11)
Pain radiated across my cheek and up to my eye. Tears burned my throat, and I was powerless to stop them from falling. I closed my eyes against the stinging pain. Trent reached me first—no idea how when Simon was literally only a couple inches away from me.
“Are you okay?” Trent’s voice was full of concern. Gently, he pulled my hand from my face, his thumb brushing across my knuckles.
Another dizzying wave of déjà vu hit me, and I swayed, afraid I’d slip and end up underwater.
“Chloe, love, are you okay?” Simon sounded so far away despite standing right next to me.
“She needs some ice for her cheek.” Trent’s words were tight, like he was forcing them out through clenched teeth.
I couldn’t be sure, though, because my eye was watering, and my vision was blurred.
Trent guided me out of the pool and onto a chaise lounge while Simon hurried inside for ice. Trent sat on the chair opposite me. My hand was still clasped in his, and I didn’t even try to pull away.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked.
I nodded.
“Do you feel sick? Dizzy? Maybe you have a concussion.” He removed his sunglasses.
“I don’t have a concussion.”
“Are you sure? You’re not a doctor. You could be wrong.” He shifted so his leg was in between mine, which brought our bodies closer.
“You’re not a doctor, either,” I said with a bit too much snark.
He reached up to touch my face, and I flinched. He let his hand drop to my knee, but he leaned closer, studying me. And I did the same. His eyes were a stormy blue, but there was a tenderness in his gaze.
I glanced down to where both of his hands now rested on my knees. Long, slender fingers. Perfectly manicured nails. Strong, self-assured touch. I know these hands.
A nagging hum built in my head, growing louder by the second, but it was indecipherable. There was something about Trent. Something… familiar. But I couldn’t pinpoint it, and it was starting to drive me crazy.
“You look so much like someone I know, and I can’t shake this feeling that I know you. Every time I’m around you, it’s like déjà vu,” I whispered. As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I wished I could take them back. I sounded crazy.
An almost imperceptible smile ghosted across his face. “Do I seem like the kind of guy you’d forget?”
I let out a surprised laugh. “No.”
“Good.” He closed the short distance between us, his lips dangerously close to mine. “Because you’re definitely not the kind of girl I’d ever forget.”
My breath hitched.
His eyes darkened.
Our mouths, like magnets, pulled closer and closer.
Excerpt #4: (667 words, Chapter 19)
Clutching my elbow, Trent led me inside, which was just as packed with bodies as the backyard. Seriously, where did all these people come from? He weaved through the throngs of people and into one of the dozen bedrooms on the bottom floor of the house.
He closed the door, and my heart rate sped up. What did he think was going to happen?
“I didn’t want to do it this way.” Trent shook his head. “I wanted to ease you into it, give you time to adjust to what I know is going to be a shock.” He rubbed the back of his neck again, his expression tormented. “You were starting to remember. I wanted you to remember, but it’s not happening fast enough.”
I stared at him, confused. He was fun to look at, but his conversational skills needed some serious work. “What on earth are you talking about?” I asked.
He took a cautious step toward me, and I remained in my spot, arms crossed. “I’ve been lying to you, Chloe.”
“Yeah, tell me something I don’t know,” I said, failing to keep the sarcasm from my voice.
Was he finally going to tell me the truth about how we knew each other? Or why I couldn’t seem to remember him? But why now, and why here, at Simon’s party?
“I’m not who you think I am,” he said.
He took another step forward, and I was too confused—and curious—to move away from him. Truth be told, I didn’t want to. He’d intrigued me since the moment I’d met him. I was drawn to him in a way I couldn’t begin to comprehend, let alone explain. And if he was about to tell me the truth… no way was I leaving this room.
“You’re not?” I asked.
I mean, I’d guessed he wasn’t completely honest about who he was, but something in his tone made it sound like maybe he’d been lying about this version of him, too.
“No.” He closed the distance between us. “And I’m out of time, so please forgive me for what I’m about to do.”
He took my face into his hands, and I uncrossed my arms, letting them fall to my sides. His crystal blue eyes darkened a shade, making his intentions clear. My heart was in my throat as he lowered his head.
“Please let this work,” he muttered a second before his lips landed on mine.
He parted my lips, his tongue gliding expertly over mine. Without hesitation, I wrapped my arms around his neck, holding him to me, a sudden, paralyzing fear taking root in my chest—the fear he’d pull away and disappear, the fear I’d lose him again.
I arched into him, and he slid his hands from my face, down my arms and around to settle on my lower back. And then he yanked me closer, our bodies pressed together in a way that was oddly familiar and wholly comforting. It was like we both knew exactly what the other wanted and expected, like we’d kissed a million times before.
Pulling back just long enough to nip at my bottom lip, he groaned, the sound reverberating through my body, branding my soul. Kissing Trent was nothing like anything I’d ever experienced before—it was passionate, desperate almost, and so incredibly hot I worried I’d burst into flames at any moment.
His tongue swirled around mine, twisting and teasing, and it felt like he was trying to coax something out of me. I wasn’t sure what else he wanted from me, but I knew, instinctively, that I’d give it to him, whatever he wanted. I pressed even closer, moaning softly.
And then it happened.
An onslaught of emotion flooded my mind, overloading my senses. Love. Lust. Fear. Grief. Loneliness. Desire. Jealousy. I whimpered, but Trent didn’t release me. He deepened the kiss, pouring even more emotion into me, quickly followed by flashes of memories. Memories of me. Of him.
Of us.
Eternal Bonds
Excerpt #1 (353 words / Chapter 2)
I offered a small smile, though I wasn’t sure why. She was holding me hostage with no release date in sight. She wasn’t my friend, and while I felt bad she’d lost a sister witch, I refused to feel any sympathy for Ivy.
“We’re not a violent coven, and believe me when I say we don’t want to hurt your father. Yes, he wronged us, but we can understand why he did so. Parents will go to any lengths to protect their children. And I will go to any lengths to protect my coven. Do you understand?”
I sucked in a breath and nodded.
“Also believe me when I say that one way or another, we’re going to break this curse. I’d prefer if we did so with your full cooperation.” She clasped her hands behind her back and turned to face me. “I know this isn’t easy for you. I do. But my patience is wearing thin.”
I crossed my arms.
She stared at me for several moments, then moved down the hallway, waving for me to follow. I was starting to feel like her pet, coming when I was called, being obedient. We were silent as she led me back to my room.
Ivy stopped in front of my door, keys clutched in her hand. “Give it some more thought, and we’ll talk again in a couple of days.” She moved around me to unlock the door. “But know that I’m not going to keep giving you more time. A decision needs to be made. Soon.”
“He won’t change me, you know. He’d die first.” Saying those words nearly choked me.
“I know.” She swung the door open and nodded for me to go in. “Which is why I’m offering another incentive.”
I glared at her as I stepped around her and back into what was now my prison cell. And then I froze. Standing in front of the window, back to me, was a male form. Tall. Dark hair. Broad shoulders. My heart jackhammered in my chest. Trent had come for me!
Then he turned around, and my heart stopped
Excerpt #2 (354 words / Chapter 5)
“Do you want me to break the curse?” I asked.
His eyebrows shot up, and then he was off the bed in a flash. He stood near the window, staring outside. “It doesn’t matter what I want. Besides, you already said you don’t want to change, so…” He shrugged.
“Answer the question, Jax.” I climbed off the bed—much less gracefully than he had—and approached him. Hesitantly, I placed my hand on his shoulder.
He didn’t so much as flinch, nor did he bother to turn around and look at me. “Yes,” he said.
I sucked in a sharp breath, my heart pounding in my ears. “Why?”
“Why?” He spun around. “Because I don’t want to be alone for eternity. Because I hate seeing my father so miserable. All he does is try to break this stupid curse. Because I don’t want to see my brother go through the pain of watching you die. And, quite frankly, I don’t want to watch you die, either.” His eyes were an intense, penetrating shade of blue—not quite clear but not quite black, either—they were breathtaking, actually.
I took a step back and swallowed the lump in my throat. “Oh.”
Shaking his head, he laughed bitterly. “Not that it matters, right?” He stepped toward me. “Because you’ve made up your mind, and I have to respect that, don’t I?”
“Jax,” I warned, but he continued to match my steps—for every step I took backward, he took one forward until my back was against the wall. “I want to break this curse. I just don’t want to have to die to do it.”
“Do I look dead to you?” He slapped his hand against the wall, right above my head, narrowed his eyes, and then tilted his head. “You know what I can’t figure out.”
I didn’t care, but I kept my mouth shut, because he was going to tell me whether I wanted to know or not.
“You claim to love Trent so much, but not enough to spend eternity with him. You haven’t even let him claim you. Why is that, Chloe?”
Excerpt #3 (452 words / Chapter 16)
I turned and buried my face against Trent’s chest, shame and guilt warring inside of me. Why was I fantasizing about Jax? I didn’t want him like that. Did I? Was my subconscious trying to tell me something?
Trent wrapped his arms around me and eased onto his back, holding me tightly against him. “You’re trembling,” he said.
I lifted my head to look at him, and then I kissed him, pouring out all my desperation and uncertainty. Trent palmed the back of my head, welcoming my kiss. I needed to erase the feel of Jax from my body, rid myself of whatever weird thing was going on with me.
“I love you, Trent. So much.” My voice was shaky, but my feelings weren’t.
I loved Trent. He was my everything. My future. And I needed him to know that. I needed to do something to show him how committed I was. Right now, becoming a vampire was out of the question, but I could let him claim me. Even though I was scared, I wanted to let him do that.
He had me flat on my back before I could blink, my hands pinned above my head. My heart thudded against my ribs, and I licked my lips, waiting to see what he was going to do next. Slowly, he brought his mouth back to mine.
“I love you,” he mumbled against my lips before moving to kiss my jaw and neck, and then lower, to my collarbone.
Sighing, I closed my eyes. “Do you still want to claim me?”
He pulled back just enough to peer into my eyes. “Why wouldn’t I?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. Because of what happened with Jax. Maybe you don’t—”
Trent silenced me with a deep, lingering kiss that fried my brain and left my insides mushy. I wiggled beneath him, desperate to be closer.
“I hate what happened between you and Jax, but it doesn’t change the way I feel about you.” He gently caressed his fingers down the side of my face. “I love you, Chloe. You’re my soulmate, and the day you tell me you’re ready to let me claim you…” He took a deep breath.
“So, if I give you permission, you’ll do it?”
“Yes,” he said without hesitation.
It was on the tip of my tongue to give him permission right now, but giving my virginity to him in a tent while surrounded by all our friends wasn’t exactly how I pictured my first time, and I was positive Trent would agree this wasn’t the best time, either.
“I have to know… this is a matter of when, not if, right?” he asked, his expression hopeful but guarded.
Excerpt #4 (392 words / Chapter 25)
And then I caught sight of Isach standing at his locker a few feet away. I marched up to him.
“We need to talk,” I said.
He closed his locker and turned to face me, an innocent smile plastered across his face. “About?”
“I know what you’re doing,” I whispered harshly.
“Getting my books?” He held up an armful of books, his smile widening.
God, he was so infuriating; he was worse than Jax.
“No,” I said through clenched teeth. “I mean, I know what you’re doing to me. I know you’re messing with my head again, and it needs to stop.” I glanced around. Satisfied no one was paying attention to us, I continued. “Trent swore I wouldn’t break the curse, and I’ll honor his promise.”
“And how do I know that, Chloe? You two could be conspiring to run off together to break the curse. Or do God knows what else. Maybe you’re plotting to kill me, get me out of the way so you can do whatever you want.” He shifted on his feet, and it suddenly felt like he was twelve feet tall, looming over me.
“Because unlike you, Isach, I’m not a liar. When I make a promise, I keep it.”
“Maybe you do. Maybe you don’t. I guess only time will tell.” He adjusted his books. “But we both know that you didn’t make this promise. Trent did.”
I scowled. So, he’d realized that, too, huh? “Whatever. Stay out of my head and stop messing with me. There’s no reason for it,” I said.
Isach titled his head, confusion flashing behind his green eyes. “What is it you think I’m doing?”
He was going to play like he had no idea? I curled my hands into fists, my fingernails biting in my palms.
“You know what you’re doing. Stop acting like you don’t.” My words were tight, my jaw clenched even tighter.
“All I’m doing is watching you, Chloe, making sure you don’t try anything sneaky. That’s it.” He gave a hard shake of his head. “I have no reason to mess with your head.”
“Exactly, so knock it off,” I snapped, poking him in the chest with each word.
Isach took a step forward, and fear whipped through me. When would I learn to stop provoking supernatural beings who could easily kill me without blinking?
The Importance of Color Within The Cursed Series:
The two main vampire characters—Trent and Jax
Halstead—have some unique abilities. Trent can share memories and feelings via
a kiss, and oftentimes, he doesn’t realize he’s even doing it, which leads to
some rather… interesting moments between him and Chloe.
Jax can see a person’s aura. He describes it as a
shadow that surrounds a person, the color changing based on emotion. To him,
people are like walking mood rings. He uses this ability to tease Chloe quite a
bit, which drives her crazy, especially when she’s trying to hide certain
feelings from specific people.
I carried this color theme over to the book covers
as well.
The cover for Eternal Curse has lots of red
tones in it because red is Chloe’s favorite color. Red also represents
blood—something that becomes increasingly important as the series progresses.
Not to mention, Trent drinks blood, and he craves Chloe’s.
The cover for book two, Eternal Choice, has
lots of blue tones because that’s Trent’s favorite color. Blue is often
associated with depth and stability. It symbolizes trust, loyalty,
wisdom, confidence, intelligence, and truth—all characteristics that Trent
possesses.
The third book, Eternal Bond, features Jax on
the cover, and it’s such a vibrant green. Jealousy is most commonly associated
with the color green, and that’s definitely an emotion that Jax struggles with
throughout the series. This color also represents nature and growth. Jax loves
to be outdoors, and he certainly grows a lot throughout the series, but he also
pushes Chloe to grow as a person, too, in how he always challenges her. 
Rest assured, the last three covers for the series
all have colors that represent the story and/or characters, but I can’t share
them quite yet as the titles and images have some major spoilers, and well, you
need to read the books 😉
Kara
Leigh Miller is a full-time wife; stay-at-home mom to 4 kids, 3 pit
bulls, and 6 cats; writer, and the Editorial Director at Anaiah
Press. When she’s not herding her family, she’s working out,
reading, or binge watching Netflix. Sometimes, she’ll even go
golfing with her husband, even though she totally sucks at it.
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