Page 1 of Sinful Curses
CHAPTERONE
“Look out!”Elsa cried when something erupted from the sand.
Sahira threw her hands over her head and ducked as it took flight and sand rained down on them. Blinking against the grainy bits clinging to her face and lashes, she tried to clear her vision while craning her head back to take it in.
She lifted her spear as the beast’s arms, wings, or whatever they were, spread like a phoenix rising into the sky, but this monstrosity was no beautiful phoenix. The thing was made entirely of sand; pieces of it speckled them before it plunged back into the loose, red earth beneath their feet.
Jumping to the side, Sahira darted out of the way as sand plowed up like a giant earthworm raced toward her. When she kept moving, the thing turned in the sand to track her.
Refusing to run anymore, Sahira lifted her spear, planted her feet, and prepared for battle. They’d survived three days in the Barren Lands; she wouldn’t die at the hands of thisthingor… not hands, but sandy bits all grouped together to become a killing machine. And Sahira was sure this creature was lethal, even if it was only dirt.
As the thing burst free of the sand and flew toward her face, she thrust her spear up to stab it in what would be the belly of a normal creature. It was impossible to tell where she stabbed it, but the sand monster erupted into millions of tiny particles that pelted her.
Her skin turned red, and welts formed beneath the onslaught of the sandblast. When it finally stopped, Sahira attempted to wipe the sand from her eyes, but it was almost impossible since it coated her fingers too.
Eventually, Sahira saw well enough to know the threat was gone and lowered her spear. She wanted to ask what that thing was, but so much sand coated her lips she didn’t dare open her mouth to speak.
Over the past three days, she’d probably inhaled and eaten a gallon’s worth of sand; she didn’t need any more in her system. Refusing to let go, the tiny particles clung toeverypart of her.
“Are you okay?” Zeth inquired.
Sahira could only nod as Orin walked over to study the ground around her. When he lifted his black eyes to hers, they shone with a steely light, but she didn’t think it was because the thing had attacked her. It was most likely because he was still infuriated with her.
Ever since he’d accused her—wrongly—of sleeping with Zeth, he’d been distant toward her. After they had sex, he’d happily returned to his womanizing ways with who knew how many more sexual partners.
He hadn’t shown any care to her or given her anything more than a passing wave in all that time, but because he now believed she had sex with Zeth when she fed from him, Orin was pissed ather. The hypocrisy of his attitude wasn’t lost on her… or appreciated.
She couldneverdeny her intense attraction to the dark fae, which lingered as her dislike for him grew. She never would have believed it possible to hate him more than she used to, but Orin, and his shitty attitude, had proven she could.
“What was that?” Elsa whispered.
Sahira’s gaze flicked to the pretty witch whose chestnut brown eyes were wide as her gaze ran over Sahira. Elsa had pulled her chocolate brown hair into a braid she’d coiled like a crown around her head. The red sand coating it had turned her hair a different shade, but strands of its pretty color peeked through.
“I have no idea,” Zeth answered. “I’ve never encountered anything like it during my travels into the Barren Lands, but I rarely encountered the same creature twice, and it always felt like this place was changing around me.”
Wonderful, one more thing to worry about in this endless hell of sand and sun.
CHAPTERTWO
With a sigh,Sahira tried wiping away more of the sand, but only spread it further. The tiny particles had gotten into crevices where they shouldneverbe and refused to come free.It covered everypart of her.
It hurt to walk as it rubbed against her skin and made between her thighs and ass raw. She never could have imagined sand making life so miserable, but it had.
She’d always loved the beach and ocean but hoped never to see sand again after this. Eventually, she succeeded in freeing her lips enough to speak.
Waving her fingers in front of her face, she whispered, “Air in front of me, mote it be, mote it be. Air protect me, mote it be, mote it be.”
Though she couldn’t see it, a small wall formed before her eyes to keep the sand from blowing into them. From experience, she knew this reprieve wouldn’t last; the sand would find its way in again, but it gave her a little break, at least.
“Anyone else?” she asked as she wiggled her fingers.
“No, mine’s still working from the spell you cast earlier,” Zeth said.
“I have my own,” Elsa replied.
As much she hated the idea of doing anything nice for Orin and knowing he would probably refuse, as he had the other times she’d offered, she shifted her gaze to him. He was almost always a complete asshole, but she wasn’t like him, even if she would prefer to choke him.
He wasn’t paying attention to her, and she wouldn’t go out of her way to offer help. Lowering her hand, she watched as Orin surveyed the sand where pieces of the thing landed before turning to examine where it first emerged.
