Cursed By the Black Heart (Once Upon A Curse)

Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

T he witching hour called to me, pulling me from dreams I couldn’t otherwise escape. I answered her call gladly, eager to leave behind the terror that still reached for me with slender fingers even as I awoke. It was nights like this I dreaded. The cold, dreary nights that grew longer as the Winter Solstice grew nearer. The cold wind bore ill will upon its breath. I shuddered, pulling my blankets tighter across my shoulders. Waren harrumphed in his sleep, and I glanced at him.

Whoops .

I replaced the blanket I had unintentionally stolen from him, chagrined, and softly rubbed his cheek in silent apology. We didn’t have much, living on the outskirts of the village like we did, but we survived. Between Waren’s job minding the village cattle as the other men chopped trees and my tonics, we were able to acquire the necessities.

I tiptoed out of bed and slipped my worn robe over me. It was a practiced move. On chill nights like these, keeping bare skin to a minimum was key. I shivered and my nipples pebbled, the thin robe no match for the cold.

I padded over to the moonlit window, and my breath frosted the glass. The moon shone brightly, and I took a moment to appreciate her beauty as she softly lit the woods in the near distance. Drawing my finger through the condensation on the window, I thought back over my dreams. Waren kept insisting that I merely needed to acknowledge my dream-state, and that would allow me mastery of my dreams.

I scoffed.

Some dreams took on a life of their own and must simply be born.

My mind wandered through the memories of my dreams as my eyes lingered over the sleepy frozen scene before me, sorting my memories into some semblance of sense. The nearby Black Forest loomed just beyond my window, the ominous darkness and sporadic snow patches oddly settling.

Unlike Waren, I couldn’t simply “take control” of my dreams, but I’d found that sorting through them afterwards allowed me to better process my inner chaos.

With a sign I turned from the frosted window and began gathering ingredients. If I was going to be awake at this Morena-forsaken hour, may as well make it useful.

Muscle memory took over as I mindlessly went through the motions of making my village-famous gingerbread. I had made this recipe so many times I knew it by heart, the measurements routine. The spices perfumed the air, and I breathed it in deep. This was the scent that followed me everywhere, yet I found I never grew tired of it.

I finished up the batch of gingerbread in no time, and since the smell of gingerbread was already in the air, - yup, I checked that Waren was still asleep - I pulled out my basket of crystals and vials that had been hidden beneath a pile of laundry.

My stash of crystals was sadly getting low. I pulled a pink one out and rubbed my finger across its smooth face. My memories still hung over me like a cloud, so I decided I would use one for a memory charm and see if this time it worked.

Hand wrapped around the crystal, I dug deep for my magic. The gingerbread scent grew stronger, almost burning my nostrils, but I persisted, calling to my magic to come closer to the surface. To fill the pink crystal.

Languidly, magic trickled towards the crystal, and I kept tugging, hopeful that this time would be successful.

“Is that a memory charm?” Warm arms wrapped around me from behind, and I shivered as his lips brushed the shell of my ear.

“Sorry, did I wake you?” I sank into his arms, breathing in his slightly musty scent and allowing it too to envelop me. He was bare chested, and I briefly wondered - not for the first time - how he could walk around so in this cold. Not that I was complaining. The view was fantastic.

“I just missed feeling you in my arms, is all.” he breathed, sending shivers up and down my spine. Damn him, he knew my ears were sensitive as a Fae’s. If I were a cat I would be purring.

I took a deep breath. “Yes, it’s a memory charm. I was trying to sort through my … memories.” I looked up into his fuzzy face. “Of Mutti. I miss her.” I whispered.

He kissed my forehead, and the warmth of his love permeated through the chill. I wouldn’t be surprised to see melted snow surrounding our little house from the heat of it. My toes curled.

“Your magic is growing. I can smell its power from here.”

“Are you sure you aren’t smelling the cookies?” I lifted the charm and squinted at it. As much as I found my magic to be useful, it could be dangerous for both of us. Maybe it was just the witching hour’s influence? “I can’t tell a difference.”

Waren studied it a moment, then sniffed deeply. “It’s faint, and less sweet smelling than the cookies. But yes, it smells stronger.”

I fretted. “There are already villagers who are getting suspicious - how will I hide it if it’s getting stronger?”

“There is one way.”

Rolling my eyes I replied, “A way that I can still live with myself, I mean. I can’t just not help people.”

I felt his huff ruffle my hair as his arms tightened around me. We were the most unlikely of pairings, yet I felt we worked. Both outsiders in the eyes of the villagers, we found solace in each other. Even if we didn’t always see eye to eye, I took comfort in the fact that we could always have each other's backs when the time came.

“I guess I can just make even more cookies,” I mused. “Hopefully no one else will be able to tell the difference. I’m not sure there’s anything else I can do.”

“Try another charm, this time a more complicated one. Let’s see how strong it is, and if we think it can still be explained by your cookies.”

I lept at the suggestion and began gathering, sorting through my crystals and elixirs, intent on finding the perfect one for this. “Brilliant. I can make a healing and rejuvenating tonic. Those are always in need.”

Potion ingredients and their uses floated before my mind's eye. This was a more complex magic, but instinctively I knew which combinations would combine to produce the desired result. Hands steady and sure, I mixed and poured and allowed my magic free reign to accomplish my task.

My magic was as much a part of me as my fingers, or my lungs. I closed my eyes and breathed deep, sinking into that place where I can mentally see my magic. Calling it up, I coaxed and pulled it to the surface, guiding it to fill the silver crystal. It felt a bit like pulling taffy in the winter, but with a bit more mental pushing and pulling it finally began to slowly fill the crystal.

Once it was finally full, I opened my eyes and held it up, ignoring the thin trickle of sweat that dripped down the side of my face. I beamed at the shimmering crystal. “Look at it! It worked!”

Waren leaned forward and took a delicate sniff. “It’s definitely growing stronger, Katharina. You need to be careful. No more using your magic around any of the villagers, I don’t care who they are.”

I whirled around to face him, spine stiff. “Waren. No. You can’t ask that of me.”

“What other choice is there?” He threw up his hands. “Would you rather have me watch King Almain’s soldiers break down our door one day and carry you away to rot in prison, or worse, be executed?”

“Of course not, but it can’t be one option or the other, Waren, it just can’t!” We were both breathing heavily, our chest almost touching with each deep breath. I continued, softer this time, “I will be careful, I promise. No unnecessary risks. But that’s all I can promise.”

He sighed, and leaned his forehead against mine, accepting my promise. For now. I knew we would have this argument again, later. We always did.

“I couldn’t bear to lose you, Katharina.”

I gently raked my fingers down his slightly scruffy cheek and huffed a laugh. “And I don’t need you to remind me of what I face. I have enough memories I try to avoid as it is.”

“I could give you some new memories to distract you.”

I felt the rumble of his voice travel straight south and all my previous thoughts fled at the carnal sound.

“Mmmm, that sounds nice.”

“Just nice?” He growled into my ear and my toes curled. “Sounds like you need a reminder.”

I let a low chuckle slip out. “Think you’re up to it?” I tease as I turn around to face him. The moon highlighted the planes of his face, and I sent a quick thank you to Devana for her favor.

He smirked, and I watched his emotions as they played across his face. He grabbed my hand and moved it where he wanted it. “You tell me. Am I up enough for you?”

I wrapped my hand around the silken warmth and stroked. He groaned and I watched his face as he savored the feeling. I loved watching him enjoy what I did to him. There was a certain power to the feeling that I just couldn’t get enough of. I also dearly loved teasing him. “I think it’s probably satisfactory.”

His eyes snapped to mine and he growled. Spinning me around, he pressed me against the cold glass, the shocking sensation enhancing my libido as he let me feel all of him. The juxtaposition of the cold at my front and his heat at my back drove me crazy. “I can show you satisfied ,” he whispered into my ear.

“Promises, promises.” The throaty sound that rumbled out of me was almost unrecognizable. The sounds that this man could draw out of me were positively sinful. His hands trailed across my skin, their warmth a stark contrast from the cold of the glass window as they made their way towards my breasts. Slowly, tantalizing, my anticipation soared and my nipples beaded further in readiness for his talented fingers. I gasped as he flicked the hardened nubs through my robe.

“Always so eager,” he breathed. “What do you want?”

I moaned as he continued teasing my nipples, tugging and flicking them until I was incapable of much else.

“I said,” he twisted my nipples almost painfully, and I cried out at the pleasurable pain. “What do you want?”

“You. I want - you.” I panted.

“How do you want me?” He persisted, the cruel man.

I couldn’t speak, couldn’t think beyond the desire coursing my veins. I grabbed his hand from my breast and moved towards where I wanted it, using my hands instead of my words. “There.”

Without a word, he slipped his skillful fingers under my robe and slowly, enticingly slid them down my body, taking his time. I writhed, unable to remain still as every nerve in my body lit up. I grabbed hold of his arm for support, and he tightened his grip on me, making sure I wouldn’t fall.

“Waren.” I groaned, as he expertly lit every single nerve on fire.

A frantic knock on the door shattered the intimate moment.

I groaned for a very different reason. Witching hour? I scoffed. I’m about to rename that.