Curse The Dead: The Necromancer Council, #2

By Laura Greenwood

The past is determined to catch up with this necromancer, whether she wants it to or not.

With the Necromancer Council back up and running, Cissy knows she should be giving it her full attention.

But with the person who haunts her nightmares on the loose, she's torn between her duty and her personal demons. The more she uncovers, the more twisted the plot against her seems to be.

With Darius by her side, she finally feels as if she's able to face everything head-on.
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Curse The Dead is book two of the complete Necromancer Council Trilogy, an urban fantasy series with a slow burn m/f romantic subplot.

If you enjoy urban fantasy plots with fated mates, necromancers, strong female characters, and low heat romantic subplots, start the Necromancer Council series today with Wake the Dead.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Drowlgon Press
• Release date: Jun 17, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393659211

Laura Greenwood

Laura is a USA Today Bestselling Author of paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and fantasy romance. When she's not writing, she drinks a lot of tea, tries to resist French macarons, and works towards a diploma in Egyptology. She lives in the UK, where most of her books are set. Laura specialises in quick reads, with healthy relationships and consent positive moments regardless of if she's writing light-hearted romance, mythology-heavy urban fantasy, or anything in between. You can find a full book list and more information on her website, or in The Paranormal Council Facebook Group. Happy Reading!

Book preview

Chapter One

A small breeze entered through the window, sending a shiver down Cissy's spine. She glanced over her shoulder, half expecting Alvin to be standing there ready to take her again.

But he wasn't.

Despite what Tabitha feared, Cissy's cousin hadn't shown his face since he'd sent a letter to Tabby. But that didn't help matters for Cissy. She hated walking down the street and not knowing whether or not she was going to end up locked away again.

She pulled her athame out of her pocket and pressed the ceremonial blade against her arm to draw the blood she needed for the spell. She tried to avoid going overboard with some of the protection spells she had, but sometimes she had to do them to keep herself sane. As much as she hated it, the worries would often take over and leave her unable to function.

Tears stung at the corners of her eyes as she began the hum. The familiar tug of magic leaving her blood was almost reassuring. The purple wisps of power floated around the room and went through her house, searching for anything that shouldn't be there. She didn't let up, knowing she had to keep the song going until she was done or she'd end up wasting all of the magic for no reason.

Most of the tendrils came back without a trace of anyone else. But the one's from the kitchen were different. A soothing sensation travelled through her as her magic recognised Darius'. It was hard to believe he was downstairs making her dinner when just a couple of months ago, she had no idea who he was. Now she couldn't imagine life without him. She supposed that wasn't something she was going to have to go through anyway. He was her fated mate and that bound them in a way that couldn't be undone. If one of them were to die, the other one would too. And not just in a metaphorical sense. The magic of the mating bond was so strong that it would kill them both at the exact same moment.

Until being bonded with Darius, Cissy had never been sure how she felt about that part of the bond. It always seemed weird to her that someone wouldn't be able to outlive their mate. But the fellow necromancer in her kitchen was starting to make her realise she felt differently. It wasn't that she wouldn't have other things to live for without him, but there would be something huge missing in her life.

She pushed the thought aside. She didn't need to dwell on her own mortality too much, especially if it was Alvin they were up against. Murder wasn't part of his plan. At least no the murder of necromancers. Though Tabby had other experiences of that. Despite Alvin being her brother, he'd tried to kill her by poisoning her mate.

Cissy let the magic drop and sighed. She turned around, surveying the room around her. It might not appear to have been protected by magic, but that was part of the point. If the whole house glowed purple after she'd cast a spell, it would be a tip-off to any paranormal that someone magical lived inside. And that was without the effect a glowing purple house would have on humans. She'd be in front of the High Council on charges of revealing paranormal existence to the world.

The creak of the stairs almost made her jump before she reminded herself it was Darius. She loved having him around, but it was taking some getting used to. It was hard to believe that before Alvin had kidnapped her, she'd gone about her life without worrying about every little noise.

Darius knocked lightly on the door. Can I come in?

You know you can, she responded, setting down her athame on her bedside table. She wasn't going anywhere, but having it in reach while she slept was a must.

I want to be sure. I don't want you to be uncomfortable, he reminded her as he entered.

He handed her a mug of steaming peppermint tea.

She took it with a smile, enjoying the way their fingers brushed against one another. While the old-Cissy wouldn't have liked to drag things out this long, the new-Cissy appreciated the dance going on between them. It was almost as if they were dating while knowing for certain that they'd end up together. It took the pressure off.

Mostly. The desire to sleep with him grew within her each and every day, but whenever she thought about initiating the act itself, she freaked out and didn't end up trying. She'd get there eventually, but until then she was going to keep hating the men who had made her this way. And Alvin for helping make it possible.

Do you want me to sleep in the other room tonight? Darius asked, gesturing towards the door.

Of course not. Why would I want that? You slept in my bed last night. They hadn't done anything other than cuddle and share the occasional kiss.

I don't want you to think I'm making assumptions about what you're willing to give, he said softly. You can change your mind about anything. If you don't want me to come into your bedroom again, I'll leave. If you want me to put more clothes on, I'll do that...

I'd rather you didn't, she teased. She might not be able to take things as far as she'd like to, but that didn't mean she didn't appreciate the way he looked without a shirt. Quite the opposite.

Then that can also be arranged, he promised.

Thank you.

Do you want anything else before bed?

She shook her head. I just need to brush my teeth and change my clothes, but then I'm ready.

He nodded. I'll wait for you.

She set down her mug next to her athame. She wouldn't be needing it in the bathroom, and she wasn't going to be spending so much time in there that it went cold.

She entered the bathroom, turning and smiling at Darius before she shut the door. He returned it instantly, his face lighting up at the show of affection.

Warmth spread through Cissy at the show of affection. Sometimes it was hard to believe he was her mate even when every part of her soul knew it to be true. She was lucky to have him. Not all paranormals found their mate. Though maybe after the horrors she'd endured, this was what the universe owed her.

She shook her head to rid her of the train of thought. What happened to her wasn't her fault, and it wasn't some kind of toll from the universe that she got paid for in another way. It was horrific and not something anyone should have to go through.

Even though she knew that was true, sometimes it was difficult to remember, particularly when she was having a low