Love Cursed, page 14
Hades pulled him closer. “Did you tell anyone of it?”
“No!” Well, except for the ghost who had helped him realise what the spell was. But Hades didn’t need to know about that. He met the God’s angry gaze as he said earnestly, “I would never ... give this spell to anyone else. Never.”
Hades stared him down for long moments, eyes sparking.
Gods, was he going to kill him? His uncle had always been kind to him. Much kinder than all the other Gods. Probably helped by the fact that Persephone had taken him under her wing for a while when he’d been a youth, allowing him to be trained alongside her Soteira at the Amazonian and Gargarean warrior training camp; something no other cupid before or since had been allowed to do.
“Silly boy,” Persephone tutted. “What did you think was going to happen when you were caught with this spell on your arm? You have to know it not only allows someone in and out of the Underworld in corporeal form, but allows a spirit to gain a body and use it to escape?”
“You weren’t supposed ... to be here.”
She shook her head at him. “My fondness for you may not be enough to get you out of trouble this time.” She brushed her hand down the side of his face, frowning. “I really was hoping to get to my party on time this year.”
He looked at her, desperately. “I had no choice. I made a vow.”
“The Eternal Well accepted?”
“Yes,” Tamuel grated.
She gasped, glancing at Hades. “This is what made you break one of our most sacred laws?”
“I need to speak to … one of your guests,” Tamuel panted, spots still sparking in front of his eyes. “I just need ... information ... to get my mother’s power back.”
A look flashed between Hades and Persephone before she said, “Enough, Hades. We need to hear what the boy has to say.” The Goddess put her arm around Tamuel. “He doesn’t deserve to be punished for what is obviously one of my mother’s meddling visions.”
“But that spell—”
“I’m sorry I ... used it ... I just ... want to get my mother’s ... powers back to her. Without them, she’ll only have … a human life. I can’t lose her … or my father … again. I just can’t.” He swallowed hard against pain of a different sort that thickened his throat. “Besides … they deserve … a true happy ever after. Like you have.”
Hades shared a look with Persephone that made something in Tamuel’s chest tighten, then suddenly let go his grip. Tamuel almost wept in relief as he clutched his broken arm to his chest, thankful Persephone was there to hold him up – despite her diminutive size, she was very strong.
“I wish I could help you with your parents’ plight,” Hades said quietly. “But I do not have your mother’s powers, boy.”
Tamuel took a few long, deep breaths, finally managing to push the pain aside as he’d been taught to do – at least enough for him to say steadily, “I know. But that witch-bitch Clodia does. And I know she’s here. I know that you and Zeus tracked her down in the Void and imprisoned her in Tartarus for her hubris in stealing my mother’s Goddess-given powers.”
“I shoved her in a cell myself and set her punishment. But the power you say she stole is no longer in her.”
He’d heard that too. “I want to ask her what happened to it,” he said as Persephone began to shepherd him towards the couch.
“Given the fact she didn’t tell me, no matter how much I tortured her, what makes you think she will tell you?”
“Because I have this.” He pulled on the chain that hung around his neck, lifting it until the HeartsBlood Gem popped out from his shirt to swing in front of him. “Clodia tied her soul to this. With the right spell, I can compel her to answer my questions using the power the gem has over her.”
Persephone lowered him to the couch. “This is the reason you decided to use that spell?”
“The only way to bring it here was if I was in corporeal form. It’s the only thing that will get Clodia to talk. But ... It won’t work for me. I was hoping to speak to Varagustus first – the spell was supposed to take me to his cell.”
“Varagustus?” Persephone shared another look with Hades. “Why Varagustus?”
“His knowledge of magical gems is greater than any before or after him. But I think he held a lot of knowledge back from his writings. I’m certain he will know what I need to do to use the gem.”
Persephone looked up at her husband. “Hades ...”
“No good will come of it.”
“It’s what we’ve been waiting for,” Persephone said, her hand on Hades’ arm as she looked up into his eyes. “She’s only gotten worse. She’s not been anywhere for centuries. I had no idea when I agreed ...”
“Don’t blame yourself for that, my blooming rose.”
Persephone shook her head. “What matters blame if she’s intrigued enough by this? Especially with the HeartsBlood Gem in play. What if this is the true reason my mother sent him down here? She has always felt guilty about what happened. About the choices we all made. Please, honey-bee.”
“But you know how our guest feels. I wouldn’t want to force her, my spring’s delight.”
“It isn’t your choice, bunny-wunny.”
“Her who?” Tamuel asked.
They didn’t answer, just had a staring match.
Finally, Hades threw his hands up, sighing gustily as he turned back to Tamuel. “Fine. Say I do agree to you travelling to Tartarus—”
“You will,” Persephone said, beaming at him. He glared at her but she waved her hand at him as she took a seat next to Tamuel. “If for no other reason than you and your siblings do not wish that power to stay wherever it is. It unbalances things. It should be with the witch it was intended for – Tamuel’s mother.”
“So, you’ll help me?” He couldn’t believe his luck in this turnaround. He had no idea giving up Demeter would lead to this – he’d deal with her anger later. Right now, he wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Not even what could be a Trojan one.
Hades nodded begrudgingly. “I will. But there are three issues. The first being, I will not let you anywhere in my kingdom with that spell etched on your arm for anyone to see. Persephone can heal your wrist, but that sigil will not be left intact. You will need to remember it, only carving its mirror into your other wrist just before you wish to travel back.”
Tamuel swallowed hard. “Not a problem.” He hoped. He just needed a moment to sit down and go into his memory vault and retrieve it.
Hades nodded. “The second is the matter of the ticking clock. If you don’t mirror that spell work and get back through the portal by the time the clock strikes twelve in the Earthly Realm on All Hallows’ Eve, your soul will be cursed to stay trapped down here forever.”
He opened his mouth to say it wouldn’t be a problem, but Persephone raised her hand, her voice echoing strangely as she said, “The veil is thinning and time is constantly changing. This year more than any others. The current alignment of the stars heralds dark portents that place a shadow over all the Realms.” She blinked and swallowed hard. “It is not a good time to travel through the Underworld, especially for a corporeal being.”
He didn’t like the sound of that. Not that it mattered – it was now or never. “Lucky I’m wearing this then.” He gestured to the chronometer. If it worked as it should, it would tell him how the time shifted and warn him of changes in relation to the Earthly Realm – no matter what the stars heralded with their eerie portents. “I should be out of here well in time, even if the weeks I currently have turn to days. As long as I can have a Hells-Key?”
Hades’ brow lowered. Persephone coughed. They glared at each other, making Tamuel wish he could read minds because he was certain there was quite the conversation going on.
Finally, Hades rolled his eyes. “I will give you a Hells-Key to move around the Underworld with more ease. But there is one last sticking point, one I have no say over.”
“And what is that?”
“Varagustus didn’t write those treatises on gems. The woman who did is not one of my prisoners.”
“What? But if I can’t find out how to use the gem, then my trip here is pointless.”
Hades raised his hand. “She is not a prisoner. She is a valued member of my household. And she has refused to see anyone for centuries – aside from us, the servants and those she wants to interview of course.”
“I will do whatever it takes to make her agree to help me.”
“She may want the HeartsBlood Gem in payment,” Persephone said.
He glanced down at the gem hanging around his neck. It wasn’t his to give but … “Fine. I cannot go home empty-handed.”
Hades and Persephone shared a look again before she said, “Then I will take you to her. But first, I will heal your arm – Korinna doesn’t like the sight of blood.”
“Korinna?” His mouth dried. “You don’t mean Korinna Soteira?”
“The very one.” Persephone shot him a brief, sad smile as she began the healing.
Korinna Soteira. The name rang in his head, his thoughts too lost to the past to truly feel the pain of the healing as it burned through his skin and bones.
Korinna had not only broken his heart but had crushed it under her dainty foot almost two thousand years ago. The rejection had left him bleeding and wishing for death.
But none of that mattered now. All that mattered was his vow. “Take me to her. I’m sure she will speak to me.”
She owed him that at least.
If you enjoyed this sneak peek of Soul Cursed, you can get your copy here:
Soul Cursed
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Cursed to never be loved; fated to never be alone …
Cursed cupid Tamuel has been told he will never love or be loved, a fate to which he’s long been resigned. Yet from the moment he meets powerful trainee witch Korinna Soteira at the Amazonian and Gargarean training camp, he knows this to be a lie – he loves Korinna like he’s loved nothing and no-one in his life. But his curse is right in one respect: he may be able to love, but he can never be loved. Korinna will only ever be his friend, a fact he has spent the last twenty years coming to terms with.
However, malignant forces are stirring in the darkest reaches of the Realms. They have plans to use Korinna and her unusual powers – plans that can only be thwarted by the cursed cupid and an impossible love. Yet breaking Tamuel’s curse now could release a force too ancient to destroy – and thus destroy any future.
What if the only way to survive the present is to place the future in peril?
Fractured Curse is a prequel novella to my popular Gods Cursed Series centring on unknown history between two of readers’ favourite characters from the series. It takes place 2000 years before the events in Love Cursed and can be read as an introduction into the world or at any time during the reading of the series.
It’s exclusive to my newsletter subscribers, so to get your copy, just click the link below, fill in your details and it will be winging its way to you along with other free reads, deals and bookish info.
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If you’ve got a moment, I would love it if you could leave a review for Love Cursed. Reviews can help readers find books, and also help tell me where I’m going right and where I’m going wrong. I am grateful for all honest reviews. Thank you in advance for taking the time to let others know what you’ve read, and what you thought – you can leave your review at Goodreads, BookBub or the ebook retailer where you bought your copy. You can find links to the ebook retailers HERE.
Also By Leisl Leighton
Gods Cursed Series
Love Cursed
Soul Cursed
Blood Cursed
Hearts Cursed
Fates Cursed
(Coming in 2024)
Pack Bound Series
Pack Bound
Moon Bound
Shifter Bound
Wolf Bound
Witch Bound
(A Pack Bound Series Prequel Novella)
Box Set
Pack Bound Series Collection Books 1-4
Dawn of the Curse
A Pack Bound Prequel Series
Soul Bound
Alpha Bound
(Coming in 2024)
Anthologies
A Perfectly Paranormal Valentine
(Featuring Love Cursed)
A Perfectly Paranormal Halloween
(Featuring Soul Cursed)
A Perfectly Paranormal Easter
(Featuring Blood Cursed)
A Perfectly Paranormal Christmas
(Featuring Hearts Cursed)
A Perfectly Paranormal Prophecy
(Coming in 2024)
As well as writing sexy, epic and romantic paranormal novels, I write mysterious and emotional romantic suspense novels too. Check out the following titles for amazing, suspenseful reads:
Storm Haven Series
Need You Tonight
The Devil Inside
(Coming November 2023)
CoalCliff Stud Series
Climbing Fear: Book 1
Blazing Fear: Book 2
Echo Springs Series
Dangerous Echoes: Book 1
Books 2-4 in this series, (written by Daniel deLorne, TJ Hamilton and Shannon Curtis) are also available now at all ebook retailers.
About Leisl
Leisl Leighton is a tall red head with an overly large imagination. As a child, she identified strongly with Anne of Green Gables, and like Anne, is a voracious reader and born performer.
It came as no surprise when she went on to a career as a performer, script writer, script doctor, stage manager and musical director for cabaret and theatre restaurants.
After starting a family, Leisl stopped performing and began writing the stories plaguing her dreams. She now writes emotional stories mixed with mystery and a little bit of what goes bump in the night.
Her novels have won and placed in writing contests here and overseas. She is a passionate advocate for the romance genre, was President of Romance Writers of Australia from 2014-2017 and when she’s not writing romantic stories of redemption, she is helping other authors reach their dreams with her Author Services.
You can contact Leisl through her website:
www.leislleighton.com
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Acknowledgments
Thanks go to all the usual people: my hubby, my boys, my mum and dad, my writing group friends—Anita, Marnie, Chris, Laura, Frana—for all their love and support through the good and bad in this very terrible year.
Thanks will always go to Helen and Liz—your counsel and amazing friendships will always be missed.
Thanks to my agent, Alex Adsett, for encouraging me to go off and pursue getting these stories out there myself.
Thanks to my editor, Marnie St Clair—working with you is always a joy.
Thanks to Samantha Marshall for your amazing cover. It’s always such a pleasure to work with you.
And a big thanks to my fellow A Perfectly Paranormal writers – without you, this tale would probably never have seen the light of day. I’ll be eternally grateful that you thought of me when coming up with the idea for the anthology. May there be many more.
Finally, thanks to all the readers. You are a big part of why I do this crazy thing. I hope you enjoy my stories as much as I enjoyed writing them.
© 2022 by Leisl Leighton. Australian Copyright 2022. New Zealand Copyright 2022.
All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to real people, alive or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the author, except for use in any review.
Published by Leisl Leighton as Permien Press. For more information, email: leisl@leislleighton.com
First published 2021 in the A Perfectly Paranormal Valentine Anthology. Rewritten and republished 2022 as a single title novella by Permien Press.
Cover design – Samantha Marshall; Editor – Marnie St Clair
eBook ISBN: 978-0-6451089-5-8; Print ISBN: 978-0-6451089-6-5
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Leisl Leighton, Love Cursed
