Maddening (Cursed Superheroes 2)

“There was no other way around it—we need her to be trained.” I slant back in my chair and rest my hands on my lap. “And no one can know about Caspian. I didn’t even want you knowing, but you just had to go snooping through my files.”

“I wasn’t snooping,” he insists. “I was looking for some paperwork on project Mist.”

He’s such a liar. He was snooping to see how I planned on training the Maddening. When he found out about Caspian, he reacted just like I expected—he freaked out. Honestly, I don’t blame him. Caspian is a very powerful Maddening with jinn bloodlines, but he’s a friend of mine and I trust him… sort of.

“Sure you were.” I swivel in my chair, replaying how the Maddening looked through the window… the vines on her skin, the darkness swirling in her eyes, her blood red lips.

She’s not only beautiful, but powerful—a perfect combination. I just need to make sure she understands who’s in charge of her now. Not Caspian, but me. But until her power is under control, I don’t even dare go near her. I just hope Caspian will keep himself in check, that the hint of desire mixed with empathy I saw in his eyes won’t turn into anything more. I wouldn’t think too much of it except I’ve known him for years and never once have I seen him convey any sort of emotion besides irritation and arrogance.

I’ll need to keep an eye on him.

“So who’s next?” my colleague asks, pulling me out my thoughts.

I lean forward and open up my file. “Ava Mikiley. She’ll be turning eighteen in a few days. Her godmother was actually the person who put the curse on her.” Painful memories pierce at my heart as I read the file, but I refuse to feel the pain—feel the past. “She traded her godchild’s life so she could get a boyfriend.”

My colleague doesn’t seem as bothered as I am. “Sucks for the kid, but it’s good for us, right?”

I don’t agree with him at all. While I need my superheroes, I hate reading about who cursed these girls. And all for what? Money? A high social status? Temporary love? I’ve been in their shoes before and it hurts like a bitch, which is why I’ve avoided telling them the entire truth, about their curses, who collects the curses, and what lies ahead for them. Because while they will become superheroes, nothing will ever be the same for them again.

“What’s the update on the portal?” I ask my colleague, trying to distract myself from the pity I feel for Heartley and Remi, who’s still struggling to get a grasp on her soul thirst.

His mouth plummets to a frown, but he hurriedly shakes the look off. “The last I checked, it was the same. No portals have fully opened yet and no paranormals have entered our world.”

I think he might be lying, but why?

“You know it’s your job to tell me if the situation has escalated,” I remind him, closing the file. “You need to keep me updated, even if the updates are bad.”

“I know that and I am keeping you updated. And, like I said, the situation hasn’t changed. If you don’t believe me, check the data yourself.” He checks his watch then rises to his feet. “If you’ll excuse me, I have a meeting to attend.” He rushes out of my office before I can get another word out.

I check the data on my computer and it matches what my colleague said. No portals have opened. No paranormals have escaped. Still, something doesn’t feel right.

I sit back in my chair and thrum my fingers against my knee. Something is definitely up and I need to find out what. So, I think after I’ve sent out my zombie to help Ava with her transition, I’m going to find a cyborg to tail my colleague and see what he’s up to. Besides, in about a week, I’m going to have to find a cyborg for my next project anyway.