Cursed, p.1
Cursed, page 1
part #3 of Haven Realm Series
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Cursed
A Haven Realm Novel
Mila Young
Cursed © Copyright 2018 Mila Young
Cover art by Covers by Christian
All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher/author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
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Contents
For more information…
A Note From Mila Young
Haven Realm Series
Map
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Thanks
Hunted
Hunted Excerpt
Charmed
Charmed Excerpt
About Mila Young
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A Note From Mila Young
This Beauty and the Beast reimagining has been so much fun to write, so enjoy jumping into this fantasy world and prepare to meet Bee and her four grizzly bear shifters.
Each story in the Haven Realm series is a standalone novel and can be read in any order, though the more tales you read, the more likely you’ll meet familiar characters.
These are adult fairy tale retellings for anyone who loves happily ever afters with steamy romance, sexy alphas, and seductive fun.
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Enjoy!
Mila
Haven Realm Series
Hunted (Little Red Riding Hood Retelling)
Charmed (Aladdin Retelling)
Cursed (Beauty and the Beast Retelling)
Claimed (Little Mermaid Retelling)
Entangled (Rapunzel)
More on the way…
CURSED
A Haven Realm Book
Beauty and the Four Beasts. A Deadly Curse. A Fallen Kingdom.
With magic banned in the human realm, Bee, a powerful witch, has had to offer her services in secret. When a request to break a curse comes from the dangerous mountains and royal bear shifters, Bee is hesitant, but winter is coming and funds are tight.
At the castle, Bee finds things are not quite what she was led to believe. The curse Bee is meant to break has reached its zenith, siphoning off the Prince's life while preventing him from controlling his shifting abilities. He is volatile, angry, and far stronger than she had imagined. His brothers, who commissioned her, present her with a challenge - fix it, or lose everything.
Soon the curse is spreading throughout the castle, taking brother and servant alike. It's a race against the clock, buffeted by dark magic, intrigue, and a strange attraction that has her looking at the four princes in a new light.
Haven Realm
The realms of Haven warred for ages upon ages, laying devastation upon its lands and its residents alike. To put an end to the death and destruction, the realm was divided into seven kingdoms, one for each race, ruled by nobility, entrusted to maintain the truce. Over centuries, kingdoms rose and fell as the power of the ruling noble houses waxed and waned. And the peace between the lands persevered. But a corruption is growing, bringing darkness to the realms, and threatening the return of war and suffering to Haven.
Chapter 1
Is this a raunchy story?” Ariella whispered, leaning toward me as her gaze swung left and right, eyeing shoppers wandering through the open markets. She tugged down her woolen hat, keeping her fae ears covered, and white hair fluttered over her shoulders from the breeze. Non-humans were forbidden from entering Terra, but that didn’t stop Ariella from living dangerously and traveling here to sell books. And I loved that about her. Well, she lived dangerously for a good reason—she made a decent wage from her sales. But I still loved her sense of daring
She smirked, her pale blue eyes with flecks of lavender narrowing as if mocking me.
I rolled my eyes. Why did all my friends assume I wrote smut? First Scarlet, then Hans at the coffee store, and now Ariella. I admit, sometimes I composed those scenes because when two people fell in love, it led to a kinky night of pleasure.
“It’s a romance,” I corrected her. Sex wasn’t new to me, but true love wasn’t something I’d experienced firsthand. I’d seen the way my parents used to be together. Supporting each other through hard times, laughing at each other’s silly jokes, and kissing when they thought I wasn’t looking. That was the kind of relationship I yearned to find with someone… someday. “It’s about my heroine’s adventure in a new world and she happens to find the right person to share her life with. Geez, girl. Get your head out of the gutter.”
Ariella laughed, her face changing into that pure vision of joy, and she nudged my shoulder with a shove. “You ought to join me at the dragon markets in the Wildfire realm. A few vendors sell kinky toys there. That’s your audience, and you can even sign your books in person. They’ll love you.”
“Are you kidding? What if someone recognizes me and tells Dad?” Just the thought had me perspiring. “And I’ve heard how insane those markets get, and there are assassins there and voodoo witches there. No thanks. Though I might take you up on a visit to the area.”
Ariella journeyed throughout Haven Realm while searching for jobs to make keep making money, but I wouldn’t swap my world with hers. As an exiled princess, she’d been wrongly accused of slaying her whole family. Never mind that she’d been under a spell that had put her into a deep sleep while the real assailant had murdered her kin.
The hairs on my nape lifted as if I was being watched, and I twisted my head to find an old couple at the nearby baker’s stand glaring our way. Had they eavesdropped on our conversation? Getting tossed into prison for spreading stories they’d classify as wicked indecency wasn’t on the cards today.
Ariella pulled me closer, her vanilla scent flooding my nostrils. “I remember reading that scene you gave me a while back.” She lowered her voice, twisting her fingers around one another. “It still burns me up. You have a wild imagination, but I’m sure men don’t do half the things you write about.”
I turned my back on the peeping Toms. “Come on. Don’t act all innocent. Most men are randy bastards. And women will love my story.” I slipped the five leather-bound books into her hands. Dad had invented a small print machine to replicate all his written inventions, so I secretly used it to make copies of my book. “You said there were potential customers in Wildfire. If they like these, I can get more copies made. We’ll split the sales in half.” I held my breath, studying the way she glanced down at the book I’d spent months writing, and now with Dad not selling any of his inventions for weeks, I was desperate to help pay our debt before we lost the family home.
Her nose wrinkled as she studied the cover. “Who’s Mila Young?”
I giggled. “It’s my pen name. I can’t let my dad find out I write these. I’ll die from embarrassment.”
The sweet aroma of barbecued corn found me, and my stomach growled, but I had food in the backpack to enjoy once I left the markets, and I pushed the strap higher on my shoulder. A flurry of voices hummed on the wind, the surrounding stores in the courtyar
“Most people want to learn about visiting other realms, dealings with the drama in royal families, how to care for domestic animals.”
“Gah. Snorefest.” I took her hand. “Please, just try. That’s all I’m asking.”
A breeze fluttered through my hair, sending auburn strands across my face and a chill ran down my back as it always did when the goddess sent a warning. I scanned the rows of vendors selling foods, clothing, plants, and even handmade toys. At the corner of the markets was my father, his fists resting on his belly, facing two guards. My stomach dropped. Why were they speaking with him? Had someone found out about my books?
Guards reported to the priestess and talked to people for two reasons. Either they wanted whatever you sold for free or were arresting someone.
“Look, I’ve got to go.” I pushed the books back into Ariella’s grasp. “For me, just try. Please. And if you need a place to stay tonight, my room is free. I’m traveling out of town for the next few days.” And I had to get a move on. I was already several days late to meet a friend, Elliana, at the Golden Lock tavern in the White Peak realm. The likelihood that she’d given up on me bugged me. I prayed she hadn’t.
I glanced over my shoulder as a guard fumbled with one of Dad’s inventions: his armored bedside table with a removable top that transformed into a shield, complete with an arm strap and buckle on the underside. The single leg doubled as a club. The perfect protection if anyone broke into your house in the middle of the night, he’d insisted. Which was why I had one in my bedroom.
“Just for you.” Ariella’s voice drew my attention. “I’ll read it first, then show it to a few customers who might be interested. All right?” She tucked them under her stall.
“Thanks.” I hugged Ariella. “You’re the best.”
“Anytime, and I might take you up on that offer tonight.”
“Good idea. Dad loves your company and listening to stories about Darkwoods.” My parents had always brought me up to welcome anyone into our home in need, regardless of race. Fugitive or not. And Ariella always snuck into Terra in the early hours of the morning when guards didn’t patrol the woods.
She broke free of our embrace and turned to a woman with a young child approaching the stand. Ariella tugged down her hat.
I fixed the bag strap sliding down my arm and rushed through the crowds. Three men insisted on blocking the narrow path, so I careened around them. Someone trod on my foot and I winced. This was why I hated the markets. People treated the place as if it were the end of the world, shoving and pushing for goods. What I wouldn’t give to lounge in the sun, enjoy the silence, and write.
Bursting free from the cluster of bodies near the candy stand, I stumbled forward, catching Dad’s eye. Behind him stood Santos, his newest recruit. Santos had worked with my friend Scarlet, who owned an herbal store at the edge of town, but she’d experienced guard issues lately and wasn’t in town for the foreseeable future. Until Scarlet got her shop back in order, Santos assisted Dad with his inventions for a small commission on anything sold.
The guard without an inch of hair dropped Dad’s creation to the ground, and the leg snapped in half. “Doesn’t pass our quality test.”
“What’s going on?” I gritted my teeth and shoved past the guard, my insides fuming over the fact that they’d dare harass us. This wasn’t the first time, either.
I crouched to pick up the broken pieces, tired of pretending it was okay for these morons to push people around, tired of backing down, tired of abiding by society rules that didn’t favor the majority.
“It’s nothing,” Dad said, his words shaky as he collected the top section of the table from me.
No one stood up to the guards due to fear of imprisonment, but I’d had enough of their crap. They’d pulled this stunt last week when they’d destroyed our storage box. So I faced the meathead and raised the wooden leg in my hand, pointy end up. “I know why you’re doing this.”
His upper lip curled, and something shifted beneath the surface of his hardened expression. Compassion? Doubtful. “Bee. This isn’t your business. Your father’s inventions are a danger to society.” He spoke as if we hadn’t had this exact conversation last week and the previous one. Each time, he’d strolled past Dad’s stand, kicking and destroying our belongings.
“Bullshit! You’re just being an ass because of Tristan.” I was the dumbass who’d dated a guard in the first place, and despite dumping him months ago, that apparently gave his friends the authority to harass my family.
“Bee.” Dad grasped my arm, drawing me back. “Don’t.”
But I’d confronted my fair share of bullies in Terra and standing up for myself was the only way to deal with them.
“Listen to your daddy.” The second guard belched and kicked an automatic shoe-polishing machine. “I could arrest you now for threatening me with that weapon.”
“We mean you no harm.” Dad’s apologetic words annoyed me. He shouldn’t have had to grovel before boys half his age. Dad wrestled the broken table leg out of my grasp. “And we appreciate your input on the safety of my products.”
I glared at the two guards, not appreciating a single thing they stood for. They didn’t protect people. I patted the pouch of herbs in my pocket. With a few words and a pinch of my mixture, I could freeze them long enough for everyone to mock them. Maybe throw eggs their way.
Customers watched us, as if waiting for a fight to break out, and my heart hammered with the urge to make the guards hurt. Make them feel the agony of defeat, of being kicked back down. But I held myself still until the tension flowed away without a hint of retaliation. Considering magic was forbidden in Terra, I had no plans on outing myself as a witch.
Yeah, I’d inherited power from my mother. Like her, I was a bloodborne witch, meaning I had two sides to my power and was born under the blood moon. A dark and light source. Choose one, mom would say, and stay loyal. I selected the latter, just as she had. Dark magic came with horrific consequences, she’d insisted, but she’d always reminded me that despite my choice, a darkness still lived within me like it did in every bloodborne witch. And growing up, she’d taught me to control that urge, keep it at bay. Interestingly enough, whenever I crafted my romances, in particular the sex scenes, I found it easier to meditate and focus on keeping my two halves separate. So in a way, my stories served a purpose beyond entertaining readers. They gave me balance and aided me in skating the razor’s edge between the dark and light halves.
Aside from Dad and a few close friends, no one else knew about my magic, and I pretended to be a normal girl in this backwater town. While I loved my dad, I never felt as if I fit in Terra, but after Mom’s death, I couldn’t fathom leaving his side.
“We’ll let you off with a warning this time.” Baldy’s brow creased, and he and his buffoon friend stalked away, chortling.
“You shouldn’t anger them, Bee.” Dad fiddled with the broken leg of the table, and I guessed he’d glue it back together tonight.
“They deserve a lesson in manners,” Santos said.
“Yes! Santos gets it,” I blurted out.
