Kiss Me Now, Kiss Me Never

Chapter Twenty – Cursed Times Three

Edward

What the fuck was going on? That question rolled around in my head for several seconds. Then, I remembered the notes that Beverly's grandmother added along the spell's margins. The counter spell she put on Becca.

For the lies that brings ill will

With first kiss thy will suffer the bitter pill

On the third, hate will consume

But thy cursed love shall resume

"You lied," I hissed. "That night I kissed you three times."

She rolled her eyes, taking a long drag of her cigarette and shrugging. "I didn't believe it 'til that night. Plus, you pissed me off because you wanted to get rid of me, so I slapped you."

"Can I come in?" I needed answers and she seemed to have them.

"You think it's a good idea, considering that look in your eyes."

"Not my fault," I growled.

"I know it's not. But you can still hurt me."

"I can control it." Fucking hell, was this was Mom felt for Dad? Talk about shock fucking therapy.

She looked as if she didn't really care, and with another shrug, she stepped aside. The closer I got to her, the more my skin crawled and every fiber of my body wanted to spew vile, vicious words at her.

How had I not remembered that I felt like that at the party when I kissed her all those years ago? I vaguely remembered being very drunk, so that may have contributed to my memory loss. What I did remember was Angela clinging all over me after one kiss and slapping my face after the third.

She tossed some newspaper from the only chair in what looked like a waiting room. "Might as well get this over with," she said, moving around a hot plate with a kettle whistling on it. "What some?"

I tensed and glared at her. She rolled her eyes. "It's not poisoned," she said with a laugh. "If that's what you're thinking." It was exactly what I was thinking. "At least you're not as viscous as the women in my experimenting days."

"Women, too?" Holy fuck, I hadn't even considered that a possibility.

She nodded. "The curse, or magic in general, will not discriminate on gender or sexual orientation." Turning, she gave me a big grin. "You should ask your girlfriend. One of her jailed victims is a woman."

"How does it curse effect you and your victims exactly?"

She gave me a sly smile, but I could see the despair in her eyes. "One kiss I fall in love with them, three kisses, they hate me forever."

"Both sides." Fuck. That was just as bad, if not worse than Bella and me. I shook my head. It wasn't the time to dwell on shit like that. "You said you were expecting me."

"Yeah," she murmured as she took a seat on a purple bean bag chair, not bothering to remove the crap on it. "I started having the dreams about two months ago. Figured you two must've met."

"You've kept tabs on us," I said gravely.

She looked at me with a bemused expression, cocking an eyebrow. "I knew it was a matter of time before history would have a chance to unfold again."

"What does that mean?"

"You've heard the saying that history is destined to repeat itself."

I rose to my feet and glared at her. "Is that a threat?"

She merely gave me a Cheshire-like smile. "Why would I do that? I want the curse broken as much as the both of you."

"If history repeated itself, Bella and I would be murdered by you."

"Anthony wasn't murdered," she said simply. "He did a Romeo and drank the poisoned water."

I sat the fuck back down.

~oOo~

"I had no idea," I said almost twenty minutes later.

"I've dreamed about it all," Angela whispered. "Becca was downright evil, just like her mother and grandmother."

"But you practice," I whispered, looking at all the stuff that seemed to be piled everywhere. The idea that she could hex me had the hair on the back of my neck standing up. As it was, it was taking all my control not to wrap my hands around her neck.

"I do," she replied with another grin. "Though my power doesn't compare to the amount Bella has in her little pinky."

"What? Are you saying that Bella is a –" I couldn't even say the damn word.

"Yup," she teased. "She has no idea, of course. Their whole family is practically drowning in it, and that's why Beverly's spell was cast upon her family for generations. It wasn't something she meant to happen. Then again, she hadn't known she was about to die. If she had, she would have known that if the spell is left unfulfilled, it would trickle down to the rest of her family until it can."

"So, you know the spell," I said, excited with the idea.

She shook her head, frowning. "The reason we're having these dreams is— and this is just a theory— is because their spirits are trying to be at peace. At least, Beverly and Anthony are. Becca has only allowed me to see her side. Her reasons for doing it in the first place."

"How do I know whose side you're on?"

"You don't," she said with a shrug. "But I don't want to live like this. I'm cursed to love about sixty fucking people and most of them hate me."

"If you knew what would happen, why did you kiss them for the third time?"

She laughed darkly. "Because if they hated me, I would have to stay away and it makes the pain easier to take."

"How do you fight the need to be around them?"

"I can tell the difference between cursed love and real love."

The way she whispered the words, it sounded as if she spoke from experience. "You're really in love with one of them."

She nodded and sighed. "He doesn't hate me, though, because I didn't give him a chance to."

After several moments of silence, I said, "Tell me what we need to do to break the spell."

"We all have to be there," she said. "It's too powerful to take on with just fulfilling the spell. You'll need your blood, Bella's and mine. That part isn't hard, but there are two things that I've searched for years for that we need."

"What's that?"

"They were accidently auctioned off in an estate sale. You need the original bowl and dagger, too." Fuck.

~oOo~

After going through all of Angela's research with promises to send her what I had, I returned to my hotel room. I felt exhausted and defeated and I had no idea that hating someone that much could take a toll on a person's mind and body.

Fucking hell, did all the women I kissed three times hate me that damn much? How had they not stuck a knife in my gut? It took every ounce of my control not to throttle the bitch. Christ, shit like that fucked with my head.

What the hell was I supposed to do? I couldn't risk Bella feeling that way about me. I exited the elevator, but I wasn't surprised to find Dad leaning against the wall by my door.

He arched an eyebrow that clearly stated, "Where the fuck have you been?" without the actual words.

"I'm not in the mood, Dad," I said as I unlocked my door.

"Too damn bad," he said. Fuck, he was pissed. "Do you have any idea what I thought when we found your car with blood on the seats."

What the hell was he talking about?

"Or the matter of fact that you haven't called or answered your phone in days," he continued. "The least you could've done was let Bella know that you're okay. She's worried sick."

I tensed when he said her name, gritting my teeth. "I have no idea what the fuck you're talking about," I said as I grabbed a bottle of water from the mini fridge.

"Your car was stolen from the auto shop and found near the border with blood inside."

Fuck. My car.

After a moment, I responded. "Well, now you know I'm fine. So get off my back." I knew I was on edge, felt it bone deep. "As for Bella, good, she deserves to know how I'm feeling."

"You don't mean that."

The problem was that I did. She'd put me through hell by making me leave, and with all the new information and what I felt around Angela, I was so fucking tired. I was unsure what the future held for us.

I knew I wanted to be with her, no matter what, but that tiny part of me feared she'd come to hate me like I loathed Angela. It would break me. Completely.

"You have no idea how we've struggled to keep her –"

I spun around and glared at him. "Don't you fucking dare say a word about her! She asked for this. To cut all ties from her for fourteen days, so you can't tell me shit."

He looked confused and maybe a little scared. "What the hell happened?"

I dropped into the nearest chair and sighed, holding my head in my hands. "Nothing, everything. It's all so fucked up. I can't go back to her. And I can't listen to you tell me how she is."

"I know that you need this test to succeed as much as she does, but that doesn't explain, this," he said, waving his hands toward me.

I sat back enough to see my reflection in the mirror. There was two week old beard, new lines around my blood-shot eyes and a look of fucking defeat on my face.

"I'm fine."

"Far from it," he said. "Tell me what happened with Angela. Then after that, you're calling Bella to give her the peace of mind she needs."

"No, I'm not."

"She needs to know."

"Then you call her. I can't call or see her until the fourteen days are up, remember."

He shook his head and took out his phone, dialing immediately. If he thought he'd force me to talk to her, he had another thing coming. I walked into the bathroom, locking the door behind me. I needed a shower.

"Damn you, Edward," he hissed. "Bella…calm down, honey. I know, I know. He's here. No," he paused and sighed deeply. "He doesn't want to talk to you." I turned on the water, drowning out the rest of the conversation.

I'm sorry, baby, but you hurt me, too.

~oOo~

When I finished with my shower, I explained to Dad what had happened with Angela. Immediately after, he informed Bella via email. I didn't ask about what she said, or how she was doing, even though I desperately craved to hear everything.

"Are you going to call her?" he asked.

I shook my head. "I can't, Dad. I won't have her doubting me if I do."

"Son, she wants to believe it. She does. It's just what she's been through, she had to be cautious."

I looked up at him and nodded. "I understand that. And she needs to understand, that I need this for my peace of mind, not just hers. Now, please. Stop talking about her. We have to find an old ass silver dagger and bowl."

"Well, according to the information, Angela tracked it to a private antiques dealer in Europe."

"I don't know shit about art or dealers of any kind," I said. "And the only person we know that could help is..." I trailed off, grimacing.

"Your mother."

"I'll call her," I said quickly. "You don't need to deal with her."

He shook his head and gave me a wary smile. "Good or bad, I've always be able to handle your mother."

I felt that fist around my heart clamp up and choke my next words. "I don't want that around you."

He looked at me confused and even a little scared. "You left something out about your encounter with Angela," he said gravely. "Please, tell me."

"I hate her," I hissed, unable to look at him as I said the words. "I fucking hate her." I could feel the tension in my jaw, the way my teeth gritted as I thought about her. "It's been hours and I still feel it, right here." I thumped my chest. "Dad, I can't…Fuck!"

I stood up and tossed the coffee table and everything on it, paperwork, my laptop and some food. "I can't have Bella hate me like that."

I took a few moments to gather myself and felt like shit for letting it get to me. I started to apologize and pick up everything I dropped. Dad's hand grabbed a hold of my arm, hauling me up. I felt like a kid as his hands curled around my shoulders, making me look him in the eye.

"That's why you're so scared." I nodded at his words. "And that's why you have to have more time than she asked."

I nodded again. "If I can make it," I gasped. "For thirty days or more without completely losing my shit, then maybe, I won't fucking kiss her. If don't kiss her, then I won't lose her."

"You need to explain your reasons," he said firmly with a shake of his head. "I won't be the messenger."

I shook my head, pulling from his grasp. "I can't."

"After the fourteen days you can, and you will," he said. "She needs to hear your voice, Edward."

I stepped away and walked to the large window that overlooked the city. Bella needed the same reassurance I did, and once the fourteen days were up, I could give her that. I just hoped she wouldn't try to convince me to come to her.

I wasn't ready.

~oOo~

Dad left Seattle the next day, pissed as hell when he realized I was heading back to the beach house. He even threatened to make sure I'd have to come home.

And he made good on that threat, having spoken to the hospital. It was time anyway. I needed to make amends with Alice, who had refused all my calls for scaring the crap out of her.

On the fourteenth day, I walked into my apartment and it never felt so fucking cold. Her scent no longer lingered on anything. Not on the couch where we'd lay to watch television or had sex at least half a dozen times.

I could picture the time where she left me a trail of her clothes, knowing I'd pick up each and every piece, until I found her naked on the bed. I groaned and rubbed a hand over my rough jaw. I had no idea, that it would hurt so god damn much to be away.

And I added two more weeks to our sentence. What the fuck am I thinking?

How the hell was I supposed to survive? I'd throw myself into work, into finding the antiques and deciphering the rest of the spell. Whenever I couldn't do that shit, I'd work out or go out for a run.

No matter what, I wouldn't give in and go to her. Not until I was sure that I could make it through the month, and then maybe, we'd have a future.

I looked at the clock on the microwave, counting down the seconds. When my cell phone didn't ring, I knew she waited for me to make the move. Wouldn't that prove that I was overeager, look bad and like her other victims?

I dropped my cell phone on the counter and went to take a shower. I'd call later.

Two hours later, no messages on my phone, I picked up and dialed her number. After the third ring, I knew she'd picked up, there was music playing softly in the background. I wondered if she was at the club.

"Bella?"

When she didn't answer, I knew she was pissed at me.

I ran a hand through my hair in frustration. "I called to check in." She still didn't say anything, so I continued. "I wanted to let you know that I think it would be a good idea to see if I can stay away a bit longer."

Still nothing, fuck.

"I was thinking another couple of weeks, maybe more." When that still didn't get me a response, I knew I needed to hear her voice as much as she needed to hear mine. "Say something, please."

"Thanks for letting me know," she whispered so softly. "I'm glad you're all right. Good-bye."

Then I heard nothing, because she hung up on me. Fuck. Bella never said good-bye, and since I'd known her, she'd never given in so easily. I had expected her to tell me off, scream at me, but not that shit.

And since I decided that we needed more time, I couldn't even call her back. Why didn't she fight me like I had when she pushed me away? I had no fucking clue and I hoped it wouldn't bite me in the ass later.

AN: Betaed by kyla713. I've taken liberties on the whole witchcraft aspect, to suit my needs. It is by no means a guide of any kind. If you have questions, please ask, I'll do my best to answer them. Next chapter preview:

"Damn it, Edward," Brad said. "You look like a damn mountain man. Shave that thing off your face."

"Fuck off," I growled. I wasn't shaving until I could see Bella again. If I saw her, since I had no idea where she was or what she was doing. Dad didn't offer me any clues and I had to wonder if he was punishing me.

What I did know was that Jacob was out of prison, and the charges had been dropped and was likely back home – with her.

Hell if that didn't fuck with my head.