The Curse, Skylar Pitera [win 10 ebook reader txt] 📗

Prologue
His wounds were deadly and I kneeled down beside him, frozen. The pain in his eyes was intense as I stared into them holding him close. My eyes started the process I knew so well but he stopped me.
“No.” His broken voice killed me inside.
I knew my choices. I knew the risk of healing him; however, it was the only choice I could choose.
I closed my eyes and held him close, fearing that if I let him go I would lose him forever.
Concentrating on healing I felt my eyes change. His wounds were in my own body now. He started to struggle knowing what I was giving up.
“Sam hold him.” I breathed and her arms held him down, tears streaming down her face. The pain was becoming severe and I could tell the process was almost done. I smiled despite the pain knowing he wouldn’t be gone.
When it was done I opened my eyes and gazed down into his, tears were streaming down my face. The last thing I saw before my world became dark were his beautiful eyes holding mine.

Ch.1: Rayna
People still say that the way my parents died was romantic. That even though there were miles of land separating them they died at the same exact time. Right down to the millisecond.
I hated the curse and everything it did to me. My mother died because of it and so did my father.
They were so in love, but no matter what they knew they wouldn’t escape him. The one who cursed us. The one responsible for so much pain in so many generations of my family.
It was so unfair. My father tried to defeat him. He desperately tried, but nothing and no one can stop him. Ever.
So far my parents were the closest to defeat him out of everyone else. They still didn’t succeed.
The reason behind the curse is this. I used to think it was just a story but I was wrong.
Terribly wrong.
My great, great, great, great grandmother was a nurse. Her name was Selene Montgomery. She healed people with her hands and with herbs. She fell in love with a man who loved her back. But there was another man who wanted her as badly as she wanted her lover. This man’s name was Nicholas Henderson. He had powers beyond belief and when my great grandmother chose the man she loved over him he cursed her and the women born from them to a life of pain. The curse makes me need to heal even if I don’t want to.
I know I will die soon just like my mother was going to if she had not died when she did. In a way she died less painfully than what would have happened. Which makes me grateful only a little bit.
“Come on sis we gotta go soon, I gotta get to work.” My brother called through the door his voice still had a hint of anger in it from last night. He doesn’t want me to heal anyone anymore, but I just can’t help it. Whenever I get near a person whose hurt I can’t help but heal them.
My brother just doesn’t understand. He never did and I felt bad for not being able to explain it very well. My father died in an accident and because my parents loved each other so much when he died my father was wounded as well. His wounds became hers through the curse and because of that she died as well.
Before she died she told me to cherish the curse otherwise it would be the death of me. I knew she was right even though I knew in my heart that even though I cherish it that it would cause me great pain.
I have always known. Always.
I got up and got ready for school not wanting to go. I ran down the stairs just as my brother was about to yell for me again.
“Go start the car Ray, you can drive today.” I knew it was his way of apologizing to me about our argument,
“Thanks.” I got in the driver’s side and he sat in the passenger’s seat, I smiled at him then pulled out of the driveway.
We rode in silence the whole way to my school. Usually we talked but I knew he was still upset about our argument. I took a moment to study him. I knew lots of girls thought he was hot, but it was just to disturbing to think about.
He has the same dark hair as I do. His eyes are the color of deep green moss whereas mine are lighter. He was very tall and not too muscular. Some people were scared of him because he was so protective. During my first year in high school every time a guy picked on me, my brother would come to the rescue.
I would always get mad at him, but secretly I loved it.
My heart swelled with the amount of love I had for him. When we got to the high school I parked and got out.
“Bye Ray I love you.” I smiled at him as he pulled away. “I love you to.”
I started to walk up the side walkway to my locker. My best friend is Sam. She’s always been amazing and supportive. The first time I ever healed someone other than my brother it was her. I can still remember the look on her face.
We had been outside in her backyard, swinging on a tire swing when she fell off. We were both eight and she had scraped her knee pretty bad. Before she ran in to tell her mom I grabbed her hand and stopped her.
It was hilarious. Right then I saw her walking towards the lockers a few feet ahead of me.
“Sam!” I waved to her when she stopped and waited for me.
“Hey Ray going to the lockers?” I nodded and we started walking again.
Sam is gorgeous, she’s tall and elegant with dark brown hair and a dancers body. I guess she can’t help having an amazing body because her mom pushed her into dance. This is a good thing because I know for a fact that she loves dance and most likely always will.
It was the first day back to school after an extremely boring break and as usual Sam was cranky. “I absolutely hate school Ray it is just a form of torture that parents send us to, to get rid of us.”
The thing about Sam is that she loves school. She really does, however, in the morning Sam’s inner beast sneaks out and there’s only one person who can tame that beast. That person is not me but her boyfriend Ben. When they’re together I always get a little queasy because love for Sam is easy, she found Ben in eighth grade and ever since then they’ve been stuck at the hip. It’s sickening.
For me I’ve been in love with the same person ever since Sam and I’s first play date where I met her family. That day in third grade I made a best friend and I met my first and only love. Ian.
“Are you listening Ray?” I looked at her blankly and she glared. Then I remembered we were discussing how our parents hate us and wish to torture us.
I smiled. “Sam, it’s going to be okay, school will be over in about seven hours and then well go to your house as usual where you can watch Ben play hoops with Ian. Just imagine his chest and it’ll get you through the ugliness of school.”
She giggled, most likely thinking of it. “You are so right Ray, thanks.” I just laughed and we got to the lockers.
“Plus I honestly don’t think my brother or your parents hate us that much.”
I did the same but my mind returned to thoughts of Ian as usual.
“Speaking of your brother, he talked to me about you guys’ argument.” Her facial expression was one of concern. I sighed and slammed my locker closed.
“I can heal if I want to and it’s not like I can help it.” She held onto my arm.
“It’s dangerous for you and we both know that Ray.” I jerked my arm out of her hand.
“It’s none of your business what I can do Sam, I can’t help it when I heal, I just can’t.” I was furious.
“I know Ray, I know, just try, please?” I looked at her for a long moment then turned and walked away. I stopped when I heard her yell. “Don’t make me send Ian after you!”
I stopped, turned, and glared at her. She ran over to me and smirked. “That is so messed up of you Sam, but I’m sorry for snapping.”
She hugged me and we walked to class together.
“It’s okay Ray, and I understand I just want you to be okay.” I nodded.
“Can we just not talk about this please?” She frowned and I could tell she wanted to continue on but we got to class.
I walked in and we sat down. Listening to our horrible teacher drone on and on about equations that I already knew.
Math was the only class we have together, we also have lunch together, but that’s it. At lunch we sit with her brother and his friends because we don’t really have any friends so we’ve adopted them.
After math I floated through all of my classes. I have all “A”s without really trying and so I don’t always try to pay attention to what’s going on in class.
Lunch came quickly for me because all I was thinking about was healing. The only thing that’s hard for me is that the more I heal I lose a portion of my eyesight. Just a tiny bit for each time, but it’s still hard.
The next time I heal I know I’m gonna need to get glasses. The part I hate most about the curse is that I can’t heal my true love once he knows he’s my true love. If I do choose to heal him I would have to give up something of my own. Something important.
Something like my life.
“Ray, are you ok? I know everything will be ok with Jack I think he’ll understand your side of the story.” I could tell Sam was worried about me so I smiled at her, dropping all of my thoughts and focusing on normal ones.
“Let’s just go get lunch and find a place to sit.” She smiled reluctantly and we walked into the cafeteria. The cafeteria is always loud and obnoxious, but i sometimes loved it. The only reason I really tolerate it is because Ian and his buddies sometimes sit in here. Plus it’s where I’m forced to get my lunch every day.
“Oh look there they are Ray, looks like were sitting in here today.” She laughed at my facial expression. I got pizza and she got a sandwich then we headed to where her brother and boyfriend were sitting.
“Hey gorgeous.” Ben greeted Sam and I gagged teasingly. Sam elbowed me and sat with him. I smiled at them and looked over at Ian. “Hey.”
He grinned and took a bite of my pizza before I could get it back. “You jerk!” I yelled at him then stole his soda and drank some of it.