FREE *Blood Moon Cursed; Book 1

She is the promised child.

I woke looking over at the clock, it read 8 o’clock, I’d been so tired I’d slept heavily, my throat was still burning from being sick so many times yesterday, I could go for an ice coffee.

Sitting up I remembered the promise I’d made, as the still weeping brand stung catching on my shirt fabric.

The movies were right, it sucks being a character with all the cool gifts, at the end of the day you’ll always be someones pawn.

I thought this bitterly, at least Garrett had been here most of the night to make me feel better, before the necklace incident.

Looking towards the bathroom, I could see through the doorway, where I had placed the necklace beside the sink, after it burned me.

Annoyingly I knew I would have to put it back on, otherwise I’d have a lot of questions at the ball about my unusual burn.

I climbed out of bed, heading to the bathroom, I used the toilet, brushed my teeth and reluctantly put the necklace back on, the cool pendant felt nice against the brand, this pissed me off more.

I still had a few hours before the ball but I decided it was best to shower now, I needed another one, I sweated all night.

After a quick shower, I towelled dry, chucking some jeans, a t shirt and my lace up heeled boots, I headed out wallet in hand.

Garrett and the boys must have gone somewhere as car their car was missing, I suspected they’d gone in search of Tux’s, last minute scramble.

I started walking towards the truck stop, opposite direction to town, for my ice coffee.

They had good take away food, I promised myself  as soon as I had eaten, I needed return to start getting ready for the ball tonight.

Hair and Make up takes a few hours, unlike the boys who only have to shower and shave.

I walk in the door, the smells hit my nose mmm.

I head to the fridge and grab a ice coffee, then standing in front of the glass, pick some chicken wings, a potatoe cake and some teriyaki bites.

I find a table to sit down at, carrying my hoard, I notice another woman in the back corner, she’s eyeing my food, then looks away when I catch her gaze.

I look down at my lunch, coming to a decision.

I call out for another lot of the same and ask if they can bring it to me, when it's ready, they wave me off as I drop a $20 on the counter as I pass and head in the girls direction.

Suddenly her eyes are wide, she's trying to look anywhere but at me, still I sit down sliding the food towards her, when an unusual smell hits my nose.

Now I’m staring, as Agni whispers a confirmation.

“You’re a werewolf?” I ask, my curiosity awakened.

The girl is eyeing the food, I can tell she’s staving, but she won’t touch it.

“Its ok, Go ahead, I order a second lot for myself, I saw you already had a drink.” I point at the coke beside her.

The girl nods answering my question, then pulls the food closer, smiling, downing the potato cake in 3 bites then, barely chewing the teriyaki chicken nuggets, she already eyes the deep fried chicken.

I smile; The girls enjoying the food I chose, I’m glad I came here today and could share my current good fortunes.

My food arrives and smells amazing; The girl’s almost finished the fried chicken but is slowing, now she’s eaten something, her hunger is easing.

I eat my chicken first, then am eating my potato cake when she speaks.

“My name is Florain, I am travelling through, thank you for feeding me, I am running low of money.” She blushes admitting the last part.

I smile, knowing I myself have been there but it was not as desperate only thanks to Mr and Mrs Walsh, another 2 weeks and maybe I would have been.

“Its nice to meet you Florain, my name is Ivy, it was my pleasure, us ‘girls’ “ I emphasized, not wanting say werewolf again out loud her, “need to look after one another.” I finish with a smile returning to my food.

After we’d both finished eating, Florain glowed with content rubbing her belly, she sipped her coke.

“When did you eat last?” I ask, I don’t want to pry but she looked like she had missed a few meals, and ate like she had too.

“Ummm..maybe 3-4 days ago.” She ducked her head in shame.

“3-4 days?” I’m shocked, she must of felt so exhausted right now.

“Yeah I’ve been running low on money for a while, only using it to travel across the country, to get to here.” She gestures to where we sit.

“What for? where are you going?” I ask, feeling curious.

“I’m going to the dark moon ball, my pack was very cruel to me, I was often beaten or staved. So as soon as I turned 18, I left in search of my mate, I suspected this would be the best place to start.” She shrugged.

I was feeling unwell, I couldn’t imagine what she’s been through, I never been mistreated by others, only by my own doing.

I was careful to keep my expression neutral as she looked at me, warmth in her eyes.

“Thank you Ivy, you have no idea, how much I appreciate your kindness.

 I was feeling unwell after not eating and was worried, I wouldn’t have the energy for tonight but couldn’t spare any money for food.” She smiled down at the now empty containers.

I looked at the time almost 10 o’clock, I needed to get moving, but something about this girl, told me I had to take her with me.

“I’ve got to go start getting ready” She looked up, clearly sad, I had to go so soon.

“But I suspect you haven’t got anywhere to do the same, or stay the night?” I raise an eyebrow, as Florain blushes, shaking her head.

I reach across grabbing her hand and squeezing, she looked up, tears well in her eyes from her embarrassment.

“I’d love for you to come back with me to the motel, you can have a shower, get ready there and if you don’t mind sleeping on the couch, you’re welcome to stay a few nights.” I smile, as a look of shock crosses her face.

I wait for a reply when she smiles shyly.

“I could really go for a shower, that’s been a few days too.” She whispers, I knew that, since I could smell it but made no comment.

I grabbed 2 lots of chicken nuggets on skewers, one each, I could hear both our stomachs still grumbling, we ate them as we walked back to the motel.

I stopped at the office, asking Florain to wait outside, after explaining to Max her situation excluding the werewolf part, he handed over some extra towels, soap and hair products, and $40 smiling.

“What’s this for?” I ask, Max’s giving me money for nothing, was a miracle, and very suspicions.

“Its for cleaning the rooms for me, before our current guests and convincing them to stay 3 extra nights.” He grinned, with a smile like that, what was he charging them? Haha.

“Oh well thank you Max, I could use some extra cash.” I reply, then he smiled, oh I know that look.

“So thanks to their wonderful reviews on some internet thing, I am fully booked tonight and tomorrow.” He smiles again, oh no.

“I can’t clean the all the rooms before tomorrow I have to go out at 5!” I’m waving my hands but he’s waving money, and I can feel Florain’s eyes burning a hole in money he held.

 “Ok, OK! I have 1 hour maybe 2, I can allow, I will do as many as I can in that time, but you are paying cash per room.” I say pointedly.

Max’s smile fades, he hadn’t thought about that one, he’d hoped to pay by the hour, finally he nods.

“Ok how much?” He frowns.

“$20 each per room, that’s $40 a room, jack up the prices, but that’s the price.” I reply.

He growls but nods.

“That’s fine, get to it though, I want as many ready as possible.” He replies, I take the $40 off him, winking I head out and back to the room, with Florain hot on my trail.

When we get into the room I fill her in, she’s grinning like she’d won the lottery.

We change and head to the cleaning supplies, I strip the beds as she vacuums,  she sprays and wipes every surface and microwave and fridge, so I start on the bathrooms.

Some of the rooms smell musty like they hadn’t been rented in years, some still had brown towels from the 70’s.

We lefts the doors open for them to air, I scrubbed every bathroom till they shone, and had Florain sprinkled carpet deodorising powder, through each room.

We replaced all the old towels with new white ones; Max had been saving them for something like tonight, a fully booked motel.

One of the fridges wasn’t working and Max lead us to the shed behind the motel, opening the door we found thousands of dollars of new furniture and appliances.

“What’s all this?” I ask, beside me Florain remains silent.

“A few years go my wife and I had been talking about updating, she chose everything and I just paid for it, then weeks before we were due to do it, she passed in a car accident.

I nod, I hadn't know this about Max.

I look at my watch, it almost 11 o’clock but I know I can’t let this sit here any longer.

Sighing, I call the boys they are 5 minutes away and I give them directions to come to the back shed.

I let Max direct as Florain and I start pulling the new couches out, they are teal fabric wrapped in plastic, there’s 15 rooms to do.

Garrett and the boys arrive, I inform them of the situation briefly introduce them to Florain, promising to explain later.

I instruct the boys to remove all the appliances and furniture into groups outside the shed, whilst Florain and I head to the rooms, to pull the old stuff out.

We are 4 rooms in when the boys bring the first bed around.

“Where was that?” I ask my eyes bulging.

“He has 15 of these too,” Garrett informs me.

There must be at least $50,000 worth of stuff, going to waste in that shed!

I shake my head, the boys help us take the old beds and mattress out of the 4 rooms too, then they set about taking the first new one in.

Florain and I need to move faster, so we do, room after room the boys on our heels, installing the beds and couches in each room.

We get to their room and stop, only mine and theirs left, we’ll do them tomorrow, if I'm able to move, I think to myself.

Florain and I head back to the shed, the boys pass us with the last couch and we start grabbing a bar fridge each, they are light and easy to carry we have one in every room quickly, I look at my watch 2.20pm, we were running out of time, the first guests were arriving at 3pm.

I race back Florain passes me with a coffee table, tapping her wrist I nod, that poor girl, I call out asking her to take a break, my room was open and I tell her to grab some waters for everyone and some chips for herself.

The boys stink of B.O, as I pass them, also carrying coffee tables, even the 5 of us are struggling.

I ask Max to go sort 13 sets of sheets for the bed, he said they are done packed in a box where we’d found the new towels, he said he’ll go get them

I thought of the Walshes, I’m turning into the local decorator!

I grab  a coffee table, one under each arm, the boys say they are the last 2 needed and said they’ll start on the bedside tables and lamps.

I put the coffee tables in each room, they are a simple grey and look modern against the white walls.

I meet Max on my way back to shed, instead go to room 1, and  begin making the first bed.

It’s 2.50pm, we are going to be cutting it fine, and the old furniture is still laying in front of the rooms, a tipper truck pulls in with a crane and 2 big blokes jump out, Max grins as they set about their work, I look at him as he shrugs.

Now I know he planned this!

The boys deliver the bed side tables, lamps and new painting of large red flower.

I make the bed, and plug in the fridge and new microwave, finishing the first room.

As I exited I saw the couple renting the room in the office with Max, yep cutting it very fine.

We all stopped for 5, to drink our water that Florain brought us from my room, we skulled it and continue.

I put Florain on bed making duty, they boys moved the remaining furniture in, and I set to work, making sure I could get every air conditioner working and hanging the new pictures.

Finally at 4 o’clock every room was done.

We were all exhausted, but Max had some very happy customers, saying that his online photos were very outdated. 

The rooms were amazing, in grey and white with the bursts of teal and red, they were actually very modern.

They boys headed inside for a shower and I watched at the men with the crane truck, collecting the last of the old furniture, telling Max they’d be back tomorrow for the rest, I’d been played again.

Somehow this made me laugh.

Florain looked as crap as I felt, I smiled at her we headed inside, I offered her the first shower.

She didn’t hesitant, grabbing her towel and things from Max, heading for the bathroom, I could hear her deep sigh of content, when she stood under the water.

I sat in the chair near the window, thinking how nice it would be tomorrow to have the new furniture in my room too.

I looked over at the clock, as Florain stepped out of the bathroom, It was 4.30, we’d be late now to the ball, but I didn’t care Max, needed the help more.

I grabbed my towel and headed for the shower, telling Florain she was welcome to any make up she needed.

When I returned to the room, Florain stood smiling she was breath taking her black hair was braided down either side of her head into a lowset style at the back, her make up was a simple smoky eye with bronze lipstick, she stood in a gorgeous red satin floor length gown that sat off the shoulder, in black open toe stilettos.

“Wow Florain, where did you come from? Haha” to think I’d found this woman, hungry and homeless only hours before at the service station.

“I used all my money from home, to buy this outfit only days after leaving and I would rather starve, then look poor as well as smell it.” She scrunched her nose.

“I shook my head, Vain as well as gorgeous.” She walked towards me sweeping me up in a hug.

“By the way I hope you don’t mind, I used one of your new shavers but I chucked it out afterwards.” She confides.

I laugh, assuring her that no worries, what a weird day this turned out to be.

She offered to braid my hair too, so I let her, I sit watching the clock like a hawk, 5 o’clock.

My hair is done, I look in the mirror, she’s braided my waist length hair into a beautiful crown encircling my head.

I gasp, its amazing, I turn to thank her, but she shoves my make up into my hands, telling me time flys.

I obey quickly and  perfectly applying my make up, surprising me.

Although decide on foregoing eyeliner, that’d be asking for trouble on a time limit like this.

I shimy my dress carefully over my head, as Florain does the back up for me, then slip on my heels, she lifts my crown from the box, placing it over my braided hair.

The crown fits snuggly over my braided crown of hair, making it easy to pin in place with clips.

Florain pulls out her mask, it looks as though its been made of fine black lace, she puts it on.

Then turning her back to me, I tie the ribbon on the back, securing it tightly as I could.

I remove my mask from the box, I place it over my face and turning away she ties the ribbon for me.

I turn to look at Florain, as she gasps in awe.

“I’ve never seen anything like it, It's amazing! Both enticing and terrifying, your eyes, they are glowing, blue and gold. I’ve met with a terrifying queen Alpha.” She jokes, then her eyes widen with some sort of realization and Florain bows deeply.

“I’m no Queen Alpha, But I am out to be terrifying tonight.” I smile, But Florain won’t lift herself from her bow.

“Florain, please stand up.” I ask, she doesn’t lift her eyes when she speaks.

“When the mask falls into place, under a crown of stars, the blood moon glows golden again, the goddess will cry her name, the Queen will ascended her throne, the enemies knees will quake, her Mate will pledge his loyalty  and our future she will shape.” As she finishes her eyes meet mine. “She is the promised child.”

I shiver, a chill snakes down my spine.