Cursed

By C.D. Blaire

All Alexa ever wanted was to be extraordinary. Instead, she has spent her whole life being anything but and doing anything possible just to survive and protect her younger sister from their abusive mother.
When she is given devastating news that is about to ruin and possibly end her normal life, Alexa learns a horrible family secret . Who she thought is her father, really isn't. Her real father is much more worse than anyone could ever imagine. A result of a centuries old curse gone wrong, he has returned to her hometown, dead set on using her to break this curse.
Now Alexa has until her birthday before this curse takes her over. On the plus side, she is given a chance to be extraordinary, to cure her health problems, but at what cost? Her father wants her dead, her best friend isn't who he says he is and her sister is acting out at learning Alexa isn't her full sister.
What's a girl to do?

• Language: English
• Publisher: C.D. Blaire
• Release date: Jul 6, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301151318

C.D. Blaire

C.D. Blaire is a freelance writer, blogger, and e-book author. Currently she is working on the upcoming sequels for the Demon Series that will be published later this year. She lives on the West Coast of BC, a major inspiration for her writing.

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Cursed

C.D. Blaire

Published by C.D. Blaire at Smashwords

Copyright 2013 C.D. Blaire

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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I was only twenty-one when my life changed forever.

Sounds dramatic, huh? But I was never the dramatic kind; I was always the level headed one because I had to be because at five years old, I had to start looking after my baby sister. She was a newborn, a wrinkly pint-sized crying machine. At my age, I shouldn't have been holding her without someone watching but just days after she came home from the hospital, Kay restarted on her benders and I was left to provide for not only me but a newborn as well. Sure, my life was changed drastically at that young age as well but I had started looking after myself since I could walk and drag a chair over to the cupboards or the stove, and after, I just extended the looking after to a baby as well.

It wasn't easy and I remember watching cartoons, then TV shows and movies and being fascinated by the hero of the story. Seemingly normal people, who would have some kind of super power thrust upon them and it was up to them to save the world. What I hated about these stories was the normal person becoming extraordinary and all they wanted was to be normal again. That’s not what I wanted. I wanted to be like them, I wanted to be extraordinary but I knew I would never wish for normal again. I would accept the power that had been given to me and I would protect my sister and myself from our number one evil, our mother, then I would work on saving the world but I would be happy doing it. I would be happy with this special power and duty that was bestowed upon me and I would never ever wish for normal again.

But then I grew older and I realized I was stuck in this so called normal life doing my best to look after my little sister, to protect her from our evil mother. She was the villain but there was no hero in this story, just me doing what I could to survive. Being given super powers was something out of a comic book or cartoon and I had to use my very normal ways to get by, to grow up, and look after my sister in our own place because there was no way I was leaving us in that evil house any longer than was necessary.

Now my sister, Cassandra, was fifteen and I, Alexa, was on the cusp of my twenty-second birthday and once again I couldn't help but wish I was something extraordinary, that I had some kind of super power to battle the new evil that had propped up in our life or more importantly, my life because I'd be damned if my sister found out about this anytime soon. Nope, the MacDougal sisters were going to be normal for a little while longer if I had any say.

Alexa, are you even listening to me?"

I pulled myself from my thoughts, looking sheepishly at my boss as I helplessly shrugged. I had zoned out big time and we both knew it.

I asked you about all the time off and if everything was ok.

Of course and it hasn't been that much time.

For a normal person? No but for you? Definitely, so is everything okay?

I sighed. Craig, everything is fine.

And you're a horrible liar. He contradicted me, dragging a hand through his short light brown hair.

I am not, I am a great liar. I huffed.

And I'm a great P.I.

And this isn't a supernatural case. I grumbled, leaning back in my chair with a roll of my eyes. Don't get me wrong, my boss Craig Wallace and I got along great, probably a lot better than most employers and employees, even if I did find his whole little career choice a bit odd. He was a Private investigator but a Supernatural one. I know I spoke about wanting to be extraordinary but the fact that there weren't people walking around with special powers saving the world, the fact that we didn't see any supernatural creatures, like vampires, werewolves, or ghost walking around only had me believing that they didn't exist.

So really, why was I working for a supernatural P.I. then? Simple. I was barely out of high school, finishing a semester early with the bare minimum of credits needed. I had to find a job that paid above minimum wage so I could afford a place for my sister and I. Craig was having a hard time finding an assistant who wasn't, well, crazy. If he was a normal P.I it wouldn't have been such a problem but you add the word supernatural in front of it and that was just an advertisement for all the crazies to come out of the woodwork, offering him all their expertise in the area. The few odd ones who got past the initial interview never seemed to work out. Enter me, I replied to an ad for an office job with no experience required. I showed up and almost left when I saw 'Craig Wallace: Supernatural Private Investigator.' on his door. But I knew I needed the job so I walked in there, sat down for my interview and told him straight up I didn't believe any of this crap but I had to support my sister and myself with no college education or experience but I had the skills and the willingness to learn. Craig stared at me for what seemed like hours before breaking out into a grin and offering me a job on the spot.

Almost five years later, we still worked together and we had an easygoing relationship, even if I still made it my job to continuously bug him about his career choice. Only once had I ever asked him why he chose this path and the raw emotion on his face when he told me he watched his wife be killed by some type of vampire like creature, made me afraid to ever bring it up again. I still teased him about the supernatural but it was in a much lighter way and at the end of the day, even if I didn't believe it, I was loyal to him and happy to work for him. Even though he knew a lot about me, that all came from me, or even Cassie telling him at our own discretion, he rarely pried into my personal life on his own, current conversation notwithstanding.

I wasn't always supernatural, you know. He quirked a smile at me, his brown eyes twinkling So I ask again, is everything okay?

I crossed my arms over my chest, glaring at him.

Does Cassie know something is going on? He tried.

Nothing is going on. I ground out, trying my hardest to not lose my temper. So there is nothing to tell Cass, and you will not say anything to her next time you see her.

He held his hands up in surrender. Okay, okay, keep your secrets for now, but when you're ready to talk, come see me. I'm not stupid Ally, I know something has been bugging you but I won't pry anymore.

Thank you. I replied with a sigh, standing up. Look, Craig, I appreciate the caring, you know I do, but right now there's nothing to worry about, ok?

He looked at me, probably trying to gauge whether it was true or not but I just stood there, not backing down from him. Finally, he moved back from his desk, standing up and putting on his suit jacket.

Fine, we'll play it your way for now. I have to meet a client so will you be okay closing up?

I just have a few more reports to finish and file, then I have to pick up my sister, she has summer rah-rah practice. I told him with a shudder as I turned to leave. I loved my sister to death, but really? A cheerleader?

I was almost at the door when I paused, turning back to him. Since when do you meet clients out of office? I thought after the last few psycho's you only do in office meetings?

He sent me a sheepish shrug. It's actually more of a lead.

On? I pressed, knowing full well he just wrapped up his last couple of cases and didn't have any new clients until tomorrow.

My wife's killer. He quietly replied.

Oh. I whispered, stepping forward to give him a quick hug before returning to my desk in the reception area. I knew he has had very few leads since his wife was killed almost six years ago. He had married his high school sweetheart and when he had become a Private Investigator, she had worked the front office. From the little I knew, she was murdered while they were working a missing person's case and I really don't think he had forgiven himself for that. They were both twenty-two at the time, their whole lives should've been ahead of them and now Craig had made it his life goal to find the creature that killed her. Besides my quite obvious disbelief of all things supernatural, I had a feeling his fear of what happened to his wife was the reason he never brought me out into the field with him.

I'll talk to you tomorrow. Craig called out as he walked by me to the door. I waved back at him before returning to the files I needed to finish on my desk.

By the time I had filed away the last report, my eyes widened in disbelief at the time. I would have to rush to pick up Cassie, and even then I would probably be a little late. I gathered my personal belongings as I shut down my computer, moving towards the door as I searched for my car keys.

I had just opened the door when the phone began to ring and I groaned, knowing I didn't have to answer it, but on the off chance that it was a potential client, well any money was good money. I rushed back to my desk, leaning over to pick up the phone.

Craig Wallace SPI, how may I help you?

All I heard was breathing, which really wasn't all that unusual. A lot of people would call and were unsure of how to explain their problem. I don't blame them really, how do you sit there and say, ‘hey, I think there's a ghost in my house’, or ‘hey I just saw a werewolf?’ I knew by now I just had to be patient.

Did you have a supernatural problem you needed help with? I tried again.

Alexa Nic MacDougal.

I paused at this, unsure of what to do now. Very few people knew of my odd middle name and no one ever personally called me at work. There was a slight accent, either Scottish or Irish, I had a hard time telling the two apart with only three words spoken. But the oddest part, it wasn't even spoken in the form of a question, it was as if the person knew, without a doubt, exactly who I was.

Who is this? I asked, my voice heavily laced with suspicion.

I was met with a click and soon after a dial tone. With a frown, I placed the receiver back on its hook, filing away the weird phone call for later because right now I was going to be really late picking up my sister.

I jumped into my car, grimacing at the heat as I rolled all the windows down, wanting to feel the wind on my face, somehow, finding it comforting after the news I had received today but soon I hit rush hour traffic and I cursed as I slowed down to a crawl, rolling up the windows and turning on the A/C. I was really going to be late now and I hated being late in picking up my sister. I never wanted her to feel like she was forgotten or not important enough that I wouldn't make it on time

Late much? My sister griped as she opened the car door and got inside.

I glared at her as she buckled her seat belt. Can you sound any more like every single one of those Rah-Rah’s?

They're cheerleaders and they're my friends. Cassandra tossed back, flipping her long strawberry blonde hair over her shoulder. And I so made flyer today.

You made fliers today? I asked in confusion. Do you have some sort of fundraiser coming up? It better not be some bikini car wash or something like that, because there is no way in hell I'm letting you do that.

She looked at me in horror. First off, we do have one of those coming up and if I'm not there I’m going to lose my spot on the squad and I wasn't making fliers for it, although that's a good idea, I got one of the flyer spots. I'm one of the girls being tossed up into the air. Did you not pay attention at all in high school?

I sent my sister a dirty look. No, I’m pretty sure I was a little too busy in high school for extracurriculars.

I'm sorry. She replied, turning her big blue eyes on me, her lips turning into a pout. She knew very well why I was too busy.

Those eyes don't work on me. I reminded her.

Her eyes were just like mine, big and blue like sapphires but that was where our similarities ended. Cassandra was short, only a couple inches over five feet, she looked more like our mother, all tiny and pixie like features, fair skin, super long strawberry blonde hair. I, on the other hand, towered over my sister by at least 7 inches. I was a lot more curvy, my skin had a bit of a darker tinge to it, which I always thought kind of odd as I had dark red hair. Most red heads I've ever met all had pale skin. More odd, I remember our father, who had left just after Cassandra was born, he was fair skinned as well, I always figured, somewhere, some ancestor was First Nation and it just stayed dormant until me. Not like I could exactly ask our mother, I mean, I can honestly say I can't remember an extended period of time after