Cursed: Out of Ash and Flame by E.C. Farrell (epub e ink reader .txt) 📕

I grab his shoulders to stop his pacing. “Don’t do that. Don’t you dare give up after I torpedoed my place in my guild and destroyed one of my best chances at finding a way to break this stupid curse.”

Max’s shoulders sag. “Sometimes giving up is the only option. Maybe you can still get your chance if you turn me into Iris. Who knows? She might just want to reminisce about Joel’s life over a cup of tea.”

Fury detonates inside me and I give him a rather violent shake. “Stop it. There’s no way in all the realms I’m going to do that now. Not when I know you’re innocent. Quit your wallowing and help me think. Where’s that insanely slappable arrogance you waltzed into Guidry’s with, huh? It made me want to punch you right in your pretty face, but it was better than this whiney thing you’ve got going on.”

One side of Max’s mouth twitches, then slides into a half grin. “Most people find that arrogance endearing, mama.”

Better.

“Don’t test me,” I say. “Because I will follow through with that desire if it keeps you from turning into a dripping wet baby blanket. You—”

Max cuts me off with a kiss. Cool and soft and gentle, it shorts my brain out completely. I stand as still as one of Medusa’s victims. Then, as the shock fades, pleasure rolls in right on its heels. Hesitantly, I respond, for the barest moment allowing his touch to draw me in, distract me from our desperate situation.

My hands slip from his shoulders to tangle my fingers into his thick hair as his slide down to my waist. A magnetic force pulls us closer to one another. Water and fire, hot and cold, sweet and spicy and all kinds of dangerous. Even dried out his lips are soft, drawing me out gently.

Then, my stubborn brain stokes anxiety again and I dart back. “Max, I—”

A loud bang interrupts me as something slams through the motel door. Out of pure instinct, I jerk Max behind me as bits of wood scatter through the room. I barely manage to shove him into the bathroom when the woman who attacked me on the bus sprints inside, barreling right toward us.

Trapped with nowhere to go, I snarl and burst into phoenix flame, diving forward to meet her head on. My talons just miss her eyes as I attempt to stay out of reach. Her height, however, makes this nearly impossible. She swipes at me with her massive hands. I snap at her fingers, the tip of my beak closing down on a thumb.

Pain crunches through my jaw.

As hard and unbreakable as stone, her skin has absolutely no give. Horror strikes me as she takes another swing in my direction. Logic finally catches up to me as silvery, ram-like horns appear on her forehead, gracefully curving up over her head and around her ears. She’s a gargoyle like Hank. Which means there is no way in the realm of the living I’ll be able to take her on. Our best bet is to get out of here as fast as possible.

I swoop around her, trying to get back to the bathroom, back to Max.

Something heavy slams into the very base of my spine, and I tumble out of phoenix form. Blind with pain, I land on my knees, scrambling forward, hoping to feel tile under my hands. The toe of a boot catches my hip. Pain shatters down my leg as the force flings me sideways. I hit the wall, panic rising in my chest.

Then Max’s voice rings out. “Stop. Now.”

Power radiates from his person, brushing past me like a warm wave, all directed toward the woman. Holding my breath, I squint up at our attacker’s face. I don’t hold out much hope. Nearly indestructible, a gargoyles’ paranormal call to protect the vulnerable guards them against most magic.

The woman does stop, but a sneer tugs at her upper lip. “I don’t know what kind of spell she has you under that’s making you defend her, but I’ll find a way to break it. Even if I have to cut her to pieces to do it.”

For the second time today, shock slaps me right in the face. I blink dumbly at the gargoyle. With Max standing between me and her, she isn’t charging anymore, but her narrowed gaze is aimed at me. She clenches her fists. The muscles along her forearms tighten and she shifts onto the balls of her feet.

Max throws out his arms. “Hold up. Who are you? Talk to us a second.”

“Not while you’re under her control,” the woman says.

She sprints sideways, springing up onto the bed, and leaping toward me. I shift again, flying in the opposite direction. The tight space of the motel room limits my movement. One of my wings crunches against the wall as I angle to avoid hitting Max with my talons.

“I’m not under her control,” he shouts, shuffling sideways to try and stay between us. “She’s trying to help me clear my name.”

The woman jabs a finger at his arm. “Hard to believe when you’re still wearing that cuff.”

My stomach sinks as Max glances at his wrist. The muscles between his shoulder blades ball up with tension as he cranes slowly to look at me. I shift back into human form, eyes jerking between Max and the woman.

Finally, I settle them on the water spirit. “It’s for your protection. With all the other bounty hunters after you, I can’t break the connection now.”

“Don’t listen to her lies,” the woman says. “Bounty hunters will say whatever they can to fulfill their contracts.”

Max moistens his lips, but still doesn’t move, his hands now out between me and the gargoyle. “She was going to turn me in, but she didn’t, she’s helping me clear my name.” He squeezes his eyes shut and shakes his head.

The woman steps a little closer and I flinch back, remembering every blow from a few days ago. “She might be