Page 94 of Cursed By Fate

“Why would you need a second in command?”

“Because very soon this whole island will be under my control.”

“Justine might like a word.”

He chortled. “Justine is a paper pusher. This island requires a firm hand, which is exactly what I offer. I’ll be in charge of everything from the pickleball team selection to the height of the grass in common areas.”

“You want to be a glorified bureaucrat? Most Neighbors want to enjoy their hobbies and take naps.”

Keith leered at me. “At first I thought I might like that sweet Penny as my second, but I like a woman with a little more fire in her oven.” His grin widened. “Then again, there’s nothing stopping me from having more than one. I’ll be the sultan of the island soon; I deserve my own harem.”

Bile rose in my throat. My only saving grace was that I knew Penny would be as impervious to his “charm” as I was. I couldn’t say the same for the other women on the island, however. No one was safe from Keith and his delusions of grandeur.

The werewolf drew close enough that I could smell the foul stench of his breath. The god’s blood didn’t seem to agree with his system.

He puckered his lips. “Give us a kiss, darling. Let your master taste you.”

My nostrils flared. “I would rather French kiss a blobfish.”

His eyes turned to slits. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me.”

“You aren’t listening to me,” he said, blinking. “How is that possible?”

“Maybe you’re not as charismatic as you think you are.”

I should’ve played along to buy myself time, but every fiber of my being cried out in rebellion. My mind had been molded and manipulated before, and I swore to never let it happen again. And I certainly wouldn’t let some mediocre werewolf with insecurity issues be the reason.

Fangs bared, a low growl emanated from Keith. “Why are you immune?”

There was no turning back now. Might as well plow ahead. “What ritual did you perform to transfuse Hypnos’s blood?”

His expression morphed from anger to shock. “How do you know about that?”

“I’m a modern middle-aged woman, Keith. We’re the best amateur detectives on the planet.”

He gave me a long, disapproving look. “You’re middle aged? I assumed you were younger.”

I ignored the insult. “You were already a werewolf. Why were you exchanging blood with Cernunnos?”

“I wasn’t exchanging blood, you imbecile. The ritual was supposed to purify my cursed blood.”

“Your cursed blood?” Then it hit me. “You didn’t want to be a werewolf anymore.” Keith had always fallen short in comparison to others in the pack. If he couldn’t beat 'em, he no longer wanted to join 'em.

“I prayed to Cernunnos and dreamed of the ritual that night in great detail. I thought it was a sign that I had his blessing. I thought the blood I received would replace my own.”

“Cernunnos did give his blessing, but there was a mix-up.” And a young kitsune paid the price for it.

“In the end, I got the better end of the deal—don’t you think? I have a god’s blood now. Might as well live like one. An island of my very own to rule. Zeus has Mount Olympus and now I have Evermore.”

That was the reason he hadn’t bothered to unpack. He didn’t plan to stay in a small condo with a roommate. He intended to take over one of the larger houses, like Stella Von Hagen’s mansion. A home fit for a king.

“You do not have Evermore,” I ground out. “This is called the Neighborhood for a reason.”

The tendons in his neck strained. “Evermore is mine and you, Little Miss Security Director, will help me claim it.”

He grabbed my arm, his fingers digging hard enough into my skin to leave a bruise. Reimu had warned me not to try to siphon from him and his god’s blood prevented me from turning him to stone. My only chance to defeat him later was to escape his clutches now.