A Curse of Blood and Bone

Copyright © 2023 by Nicolette ElzieAll rights reserved.No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher or author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review and as permitted by U.S. copyright law.Hardcover ISBN: 979-8-9872869-2-0Paperback ISBN: 979-8-9872869-3-7E-book ASIN: B0BXQ9PY4ZFor more information, address:[email protected] is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either productions of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Contents Dedication Author's Note 1. A Family Affair...Sort Of 2. Intruders Don't Knock 3. Birds, Bees and Eyrie Secrets 4. Monstrous Confessions and Romantic Tensions 5. Nightmares, Demons, and Disbelief...Oh My! 6. Sex Talks and Emotional Walks 7. Not Every Dinner Ends Well 8. Overheard and Overwhelmed 9. When Love and Blood Don't Mix (But Maybe They Should) 10. Solidarity in the Midst of Crisis 11. Vulgar is the New Romantic 12. The Difference Between Desire and Distraction...There is None 13. Cryptic Clues and Confused Minds 14. Spies Get No Goodbyes 15. A Little Romantic Chemistry 16. Secrets, Lies, and Mate Bonds 17. Breaking the Bond 18. Midnight Bonding 19. Intelligence is Not for Prying, or You'll End Up Crying 20. A Lovers Duel 21. Sealed with a Kiss 22. What a Yawn 23. Brotherly Love 24. Secrets Always Come Back to Bite 25. Traipsing in Foreign Territory 26. Right in the Ego 27. Blood Trails Never Fail 28. Healing Woes 29. A Wild Proposal 30. Healing Bliss 31. Only Fools Rush In 32. Caught in the Talons Also By Nicolette Elzie Acknowledgments About the Author For the bravest among us, who embrace the darkness and find the beauty within. Author's NoteA Curse of Blood and Bone is a dark, fantasy romance inspired by the Mexican folktale of The Bear Prince.It is not a retelling. A Curse of Blood and Bone contains mature and graphic content not suitable for all audiences. Dark romance isn’t black and white. What some readers may consider “light” may be “dark” for others. I HIGHLY prefer for you to go in blind, but if you would like a detailed trigger warning list, you can find it at https://nicoletteelzie.com/content-warnings/ Chapter One A Family Affair...Sort OfLUNAThe courtyard was alive with music and laughter. People swayed to the beat, their hands thrown in the air as they sang along. Calls of joy echoed through the space as mariachi bands provided the soundtrack. Energetic dancers spun and twirled as people swung from partner to partner in a colorful blur of swishing skirts. The crowd unashamedly raised glass bottles into the air and drank straight from them, the amber liquid splashing onto cobblestones and clothes alike. No one seemed to mind, as they were all too caught up in the moment to care.Luna’s gaze trailed to Turi, who was surrounded by a group of young men — his cousins, she presumed. They were laughing and talking, gesturing wildly in the air and slapping each other on the back like old friends.Her heart ached at the sight of their camaraderie and love. She took a deep breath and shook away the pang of jealousy that had risen in her chest. She should be happy for Turi to experience this kind of family bond — it was something she had only ever dreamed of.The sounds of laughter and joyous singing drifted into her ears as if the world were blessed with a new start. She scanned the people around her, taking in their bright smiles and hugs of celebration. Yet, the more she looked, the more she felt out of place in this new world.Her heart sank; she could feel the icy grasp of fear clenching at her chest and the chill running through her spine. She tried to shake it off and bury her anxiety, but it seemed like no matter how far she traveled, her fears would still follow.Luna slowly pushed her way through the packed courtyard and out towards a door leading — she hoped — to somewhere quiet. As she opened the door, the fresh night air hit her face, and she breathed in deeply. The sound of laughter and chatter from the inner courtyard faded as she walked towards a set of stairs that led down to a small landing. She sat on the top step, feeling the cool night breeze on her face, and carefully smoothed out the wrinkles in her Healer Corps apron.Then she heard a cough, followed by a clearing of someone’s throat. She slowly turned her head toward the direction of the noise.Aurelia stood a few feet away, her shoulders hunched and her face obscured by her long, dark hair. Her toe scuffed at the ground, stirring up small clouds of dust as she absentmindedly kicked at a pebble in the dirt.Luna’s stomach twisted into a knot as soon as she recognized the smuggler. She felt her shoulders tense as their gazes locked, and she pursed her lips together, trying to ignore the dread rising inside her. Aurelia was the last person she wanted to see, let alone speak to.“What do you want?” Luna said, her voice tight with restrained rage.Aurelia pressed her palms together in a pleading motion. “I just wanted to say that I’m sorry. I should have told you I was in a little trouble — ”Luna’s lips twisted into a thin, angry line as she crossed her arms over her chest, shielding herself from Aurelia’s apology. “A little trouble? Those men were thugs. That man — Tomás — he had his hands all over me and that smile on his face — ” Her voice faltered as tears welled up in her eyes, and she shook her head, unable to finish the sentence.Aurelia nervously ran her fingers through her tangled hair and scratched her scalp. “I know. I screwed up. I panicked. When