Jennifer Armentrout - Cursed

Copyright 2012 by Jennifer L. Armentrout Sale of the paperback edition of this book without its cover is unauthorized.

Spencer Hill Press This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. Contact: Spencer Hill Press, PO Box

247, Contoocook, NH 03229, USA Please visit our website at www.spencerhillpress.com First Edition: September 2012.

Armentrout, Jennifer L. 1980 Cursed : a novel / by Jennifer L. Armentrout 1st ed. p. cm.

Summary: High school senior Ember McWilliams died in a car crash, but came back and now everything she touches dies. When a group of people with special gifts tracks her down, she has to decide if they mean to help her or destroy her.

The author acknowledges the copyrighted or trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this fiction: Barbie, Discovery Channel, Doritos, Ford Taurus, Google/Google Maps, Happy Meal, Infiniti, Jedi, Jeep, Kryptonite, Lexus, Little Orphan Annie, McDonalds, Mr. Potato Head, NASCAR, Oreos, Pepto-Bismol/Pepto, Play-Doh, Porsche, Prada, Sharpie, Toyota Camry, Wikipedia, Wrong Turn, X-Men Cover design by K. Kaynak ISBN 978-0-9831572-7-4 (hardcover) ISBN 978-1-937053-12-3 (paperback) ISBN 978-1-937053-13-0 (e-book) Printed in the United States of America Cursed Jennifer L. Armentrout

SPENCER HILL PRESS

Also by Je nnife r L. Arme ntrout

The Covenant Series

Daimon (novella)

Half-Blood

Pure

Deity (November 2012)

Elixir (novella)

Apollyon (April 2013)

Sentinel (Fall 2013)

Something soft and warmdefinitely hand-sizedsettled on my chest, and then moved to the right, headed uphill. I wasnt sure why I expected to be looking into the baby blues of some hot guy when I opened my eyes. Maybe it was because Id just had the best dream of my life. But I certainly didnt expect to be staring into washed-out, ghostly blue eyes.

There was a hamster perched on my chest, its white-and-brown fur covered in grime. Specks of dirt covered my nightshirt, and bits of gravel clung to my bedspread.

I screamed.

Startled, the hamster scurried off my chest and disappeared under the covers. I jumped off the bed, almost face-planting into the worn-out carpet in the process. I ran from the room, wanting to scream again.

My heart was still thumping when I slowed outside my little sisters bedroom. Her door hung cracked open, and my gaze fell first to her bed. Finding it empty, I scanned the room. Early morning light spilled into the bedroom, casting shadows over Olivias slight frame.

With her back to the door and head bowed, Olivia sat on the floor. Crimson curls curtained her face.

Stepping into the room, I tripped over one of her baby dolls. I forgot about the hamster as I stared down at the doll. One of her arms had been twisted off. Olivia had taken a Sharpie to the dolls face, marking out the eyes. Then, in the ultimate act of weirdness, shed scribbled the word SEE across the dolls forehead.

My palms felt sweaty. Olivia

She stiffened. Ember? I did something bad this morning. Youre gonna be so mad.

Dreaded words from a five-year-old, but I already knew what shed done. I moved around the bed even though I wanted to turn and run. There were times Olivia scared the crap out of me. What did I tell you, Olivia?

She tilted her head and stared up at me. Her green eyes were wet with tears, shining like glittering emeralds. Im sorry. Her lip trembled. Squeaky got scared when I brought him back in the house. He ran off before I could stop him.

Somehow I managed a smile as my eyes fell over her nightgown. Brown flakes of soil spotted the crisp cotton, and dirt sprinkled her little arms and chubby fingers. The shoebox in her lap was covered in filth.

The very same shoebox Id used to bury Squeaky in the backyard last night.

I squeezed my eyes shut, mentally stringing together as many cuss words I could think of. I shouldve known shed do this. A violent shiver went through me.

Olivia just couldnt let dead things be.

Im sorry, she whispered. But Squeaky loves me and he needed me.

I skirted around her and dropped to my knees. Squeaky didnt need you! Olivia, you cant do this every time one of your pets dies. It isnt right. Its unnatural. Like it hadnt been natural to bring back the dead pigeon shed found in the driveway the other day. Or Smokey, the cat shed discovered alongside the road.

But I did it to you, Olivia insisted.

I opened my mouth, but what could I say? Olivia had done it to me two years ago, and I was just as unnatural as Squeaky. Even more so I know, and trust me, I appreciate that. But you cant keep doing this.

She flinched back. Dont.

I glanced at my hands, unaware I had reached for her. Frustrated, I let them drop to my lap. When things die, it means its their time to go. You know this.

Olivia jerked to her feet. Youre gonna take Squeaky away from me.

The scent of death clung to the shoebox, invading my senses. Horrified, I wondered if I smelled like that. The urge to sniff myself seemed too strong to pass up.

Please dont take Squeaky, she went on, getting ready for an Olivia-sized breakdown. I promise not to do it again. Just let me keep Squeaky! Please!

I stared.

Olivia stopped moving, but her nightgown still swung around her knees. Ember, are you mad at me?

Please dont be mad at me.

No. I sighed. Im not mad, but you have to promise me you wont do this again. And mean it this time.

She bobbed her head eagerly. I wont! So youll let me keep Squeaky?

Yes. Just go get the stupid hamster. I stood, sighing. He was under my blankets.

A bright, beautiful smile broke across her face as she whirled around and took off toward my bedroom. I trailed behind her, my skin crawling as I glanced at the twisted doll. The door to my bedroom hung haphazardly on its remaining hinge.

This house was old, like Civil-War-era old. Everything sagged or slanted at crooked angles. Paint peeled off the walls in sheets like snakeskin. Nothing stood straight. The air smelled of death and decay.

Almost like the house had died two years ago.

Turned out that Squeaky was still under my covers, doing God knows what. Olivia held the squirming ball of fur close to her face. I get to keep you!

I clasped my hands together to keep them from shaking. Put Squeaky in his cage and get ready for school, Olivia. Well pretend this didnt happen, okay? And go brush your teeth. I paused. And dont even think about wearing your princess dress to school today.

She stopped in my doorway. But I am a princess.

Not at school. Go. I pointed toward her bedroom, ignoring the way my stomach was churning.

Olivia skipped down the hallway, completely clueless to how messed up both of us were. Normal didnt have a place on my list of words describing us. I wasnt even sure human would get a vote.

Alone in my bathroom, I stared down at my shaking hands, at the charcoal smudge on the tips of my index finger, and ordered myself to pull it together. I couldnt afford to lose it. Olivia needed me to be strong. I glanced at my reflection and forced a smile. It was broken.

And I also had the hugest zit ever on my temple.

Awesome.

After a quick shower, I padded out to the bedroom, yanked on the first clean pair of jeans I found, and grabbed a cardigan off the back of my desk chair. A slinky top would have been so much prettier, but the scars patchworking across my arms would have been visible. Apparently Olivias healing touch didnt fix everything.