A Cursed Bloodline
by Cecy Robson
Published by Loveswept
Book #4 of The Weird Girls Series
Just when Celia thinks the supernatural world can’t turn deadlier,
a new rival emerges, proving just how dangerous a power-hungry were can be. Since being cursed with unique abilities, Celia Wird and her three sisters have fought the most bloodthirsty preternaturals in the Lake Tahoe region. But Celia’s greatest threat is someone she would have never suspected: Anara, a werewolf Elder who has allowed his hatred for Celia to spiral out of control. In a play for dominance, Anara tortures Celia and gives her an ultimatum: sever her mate bond with pureblood were Aric — or Anara will kill everyone she loves. From the instant they met, Celia and Aric have shared an attraction that cannot be tamed. So keeping Aric away is impossible, and Aric would sooner die than allow anyone to hurt the woman he loves. Misha, master vampire and Celia’s sworn protector, also finds his way into the chaos, seeking blood from those who have harmed her. Now Celia and her sisters are caught in the middle of a war driven by lust, fueled by hatred, and destined to end in tragedy. For Anara is a force to be reckoned with, and he will not succumb without robbing Celia of those who hold her heart.
Genre
Triggers
Violence, Death, Violence toward a pregnant woman (not by MC), loss of child
Major Spoilers Ahead, like all of my posts. TRIGGER WARNING: This book involves a lot of violence directed towards a pregnant woman. Please be advised.
A Cursed Bloodline is the fourth book in The Weird Girls Series, and is written in Celia Wird's point of view. While the previous books have all had elements of violence, things go down in this book, and it doesn't stop from start to finish. It is centered around a pregnant Celia, succumbing to Anara's threats and abuse to protect Aric and her sisters.
I got to say ... as a mother, this story was hard to read. While still carrying on unique elements in the vast supernatural genre, and still being hard to put down, there were times I had to put it down just to give myself some time to cope. This was a big book, so I am going to tackle what stood out for me, leaving the hardest to the end.
Aric's wolves: I almost lost it when I thought Bren was dead. It makes me happy that Celia didn't give up on him, and fought to keep him with her and protect him. It's obvious who his mate is: Emme. It added a little comedic relief that when he was in his coma, "little Bren" stood to attention for only Emme. They are obviously one of those couples that need to have an act to trigger it, like a kiss. I absolutely hated that Anara was controlling Liam, Koda, and Gemini and had them beat up Celia. It was cruel, not just because her friends who she trusts were beating her brutally, but because they have zero control. When Celia tells them, they are horrified and angry.
There is a part in the book, where I start crying, and don't stop until the end of the book. When everyone's favorite sweet, chatty wolf, Liam dies protecting Celia. Celia was closest to Liam out of Aric's original warriors, and it makes it so much more heartbreaking that he dies the way he does. Especially after recently finding his mate (much to Emme's heartbreak, as she finds out about his mate when she goes to The Den to get him back). He will never get married, or have kids, and his mate, who we learn is probably just as sweet as Emme, will die by the next full moon to be with him. At the funeral, I am glad that she speaks with Emme. She might be Liam's mate, but she knows Emme and Liam loved one another, and she allows Emme to grieve her lost love.
Danny, arguably an interesting warrior for Aric, as he is all brain and no brawn, gets it rough too. Stuck between his leader, who he is sworn to protect, and his best friend Celia, who begs him to help her break their bond. He only agrees because she insists that it IS to save his life, and even then, he is very reluctant. What he gets for his efforts is Aric almost killing him, and then being banished from the pack, upon the threat of death if he returns. He does however discover his gift. He is immune to were magic, and can release others from it too. He is the only one who discovers the truth of Anara's abuse of pack power, and what he does to Celia, and its because of him that everyone finally learns the truth. If not for his gift, Anara would have killed everyone in the final fight.
Misha and the vampires: I have a hard time with Misha, because I genuinely like him. I feel awful for him. I doubt very much he has ever been in love, and the fact that he is in love with a woman who can't love him back is sad. That being said, I am happy that Celia never succumbed to her body and slept with him, because they do have a beautiful friendship, and they need each other that way. I hated how Misha reacted to Celia's pregnancy, knowing at that moment he had no chance, and the vision they shared of them being together and having children won't come true. I understand his anger and hurt, and Celia did too. In the end, Misha came through and helped save her life, and she may have saved his, but making him realize he wants more than bimbos in his bed every night. His vampires continue to be jerks and hilarious.
Lets get to Aric and Celia, because these two are the ones who go through hell the most in this book. When Celia pushes Aric away, he is hurt, and suspects its because of the severe state of his burns and deformities after the battle in the last book. When she breaks their mate bond, he is beyond devastated, as well as her. The pain in these two characters explodes from the pages, and there were quite a few times I got teary eyed for them. Celia is a mess, still being threatened by Anara despite doing what he orders. Pregnant and the only person who knows is Danny. The Tribe is still hunting her, as well as having her first encounter with a shape-shifter, who are incredibly strong and evil. She is doing what she can to protect Aric and her sisters, even if its killing her. Aric becomes angry and cold. He has "intimate moments" with other women, and even introduces one of them as his mate to Celia (where it actually worked out for her, because I think her reaction hinted to him that she didn't break their bond because she wanted to, and still loved him).
When Danny lets the pack know what Anara has done (at a celebration for Anara), and the weres can sniff out that he is telling the truth, I knew as soon as Aric found out all the details he would go find Celia ... especially knowing she was putting herself in danger by saving Misha's life. And he does. Which gets him cursed with Moon Sickness ... a fatal curse with no cure ... apparently. Celia, after fighting to get the rabid Aric home to his elders, to only have to fight them so they wouldn't put him down, runs off with him, and he slowly starts to recognize her. Still brutally sick, and in his wolf form, she slowly nurses him back to health, until one day she wakes up to him not only in human form, but healed from his burns. He still acts like a wolf though, which was kinda funny to read about ... some time after that, he is back to himself. And very quickly, they make love, and bond themselves together again.
I loved how she told him (and Gemini, Koda and Liam) about the baby. And how happy Aric was. Truly, beyond happy. He knew Celia still loved him, and she was carrying his child. It was a beautiful moment, that I knew couldn't last. Shortly after that, Anara, who has at this point been striped of his elder status, has teamed up with the Tribe, and he hunts them down. Gemini and Koda are injured, Aric decides to fight and provide some distraction for Liam to run with Celia, who is injured. When it becomes obvious they will have to stop and fight, a witch kills Liam, and while Celia does get revenge and kills the witch, she, along with the others, are captured.
Which brings me to the end, and the hardest part of this book ... most likely the series. A part where they should have a trigger warning on the front of the book, but in doing so, would spoil the book. Anara, using his stolen power, to torture Celia while Aric and his warriors are helplesss and forced to watch. When Anara figures out Celia is pregnant, but how she is protecting her belly, he brutally takes his claws, and rips open her womb. Celia knew right away their son had died, and Aric's howls of pain are horrible to read. At that point, we don't really know what is going on in the fight, other than what Celia hears. Those who could heal her, including her sister, are failing, as Celia wants to die with her son. Misha, who shows up after their blow up, is trying to give her his blood, and she spits it out. Aric, once the fighting is over, joins her in her vision. She has a choice, and a hard one. They stand in a field, happy and not injured, on one side, is their son. Crying and healthy. The other, a storm. Instant comfort, holding their baby boy in death, or go back to a life that has been cruel. She chooses life, and Aric passes her a goblet of Misha's blood.
Finding out she can't have children anymore is heartbreaking. The wolves, her sister, and her, mourning the death of their son and Liam ... god that sucked. And why not top it off with Aric officially trying to get an exception to the pure blood law and be able to be with Celia. Which leads us to .... Destiny.
In the last book, Destiny told Celia she and the lion would birth cubs that would save the world. And she still insists this is the case. So its weird, that when Aric's petition is denied, and he gives up his pure blood status, which means imprisonment for two years (as we takes on Celia's sentence as well), that Destiny practically throws herself in front of the weres dragging off Aric. That is when we find out, she never meant Tye, the werelion who is still around (and I rather enjoy. He has the potential to become a good friend I think), but Aric ... which means lion. This destiny hasn't changed since Celia's attack and her being left infertile ... so I wonder if by some miracle, she ends up being able to have the children Aric and her want so desperately. Destiny's prediction does revoke Aric's sentence. Celia and him do get permission to be together.
The end leaves us in a bittersweet moment ... Aric's over the top proposal becomes a mess, but its sweet. Its interrupted by shape-shifters, and thats how it ends. So it looks like we will be still dealing with The Tribe, and its hinted that there is something going on between Gemini and Taran, who's arm is now deformed from the battle (Anara ate her arm, and while the pack used were magic to help her regrow it, it looks like a dead limb), and she can't control her magic.
I know there is more to say, but I think I covered the important parts. It will be interesting to see how this series continues, and if it continues on the dark path its on right now. While traumatizing at parts, and had me ugly crying, the book is great and I stayed up way later than I should have because I just couldn't put it down. I very much, recommend this book if you like supernatural stories and and romance.
Bren: "Celia, we've been in bed together so many times, when will you come to your senses and bang me?"
Celia: "We should bathe him, Emme."
Emme: "Do you think he'll mind?"
Celia: "Are you kidding? He'd probably like us to record it and put it on YouTube."
Edith: "You suck."
Celia: "I know. You've mentioned it more than once. Don't let the door hit your unholy ass."
Emme: "He's your best friend!"
Danny: "He has an erection - we're not that close!"
Celia: "How could you do that to me? How could you fucking do that to me?"
Aric: "You left me."
Celia: "No ... I didn't."
Diane: "I'm going to kill you, you stupid freak!"
Celia: "I'll be sure to add you to the list."
Emme: "Go get Allie. She's Liam's mate. She'll be able to soothe him."
Liam: "Thank you for understanding, angel."
Emme: "I'm happy for you. But please don't invite me to your wedding ... I can't watch you marry someone else."
Celia: "Step away from the tigress, before she knocks you on your butt implants."
Danny: "Celia's only slept with two men."
Liz: "At the same time?"
Celia: "Of course not!"
Agnes: "Don't worry, Celia. Sexual imcompetance is nothing to be ashamed of."
Maria: "Yes, it is."
Celia: "Is this really necessary?"
Tye: "I'm just here to keep the scary leeches away."
Celia: "Oh, is that all?"
Tye: "That and to brag to my friends that I finally got you in bed."
Celia: *laughs* Just don't write anything on the bathroom wall about me."
Edith handed me her hair tie.
Edith: "Here, Celia."
Celia: "Thank you. That was really kind of you."
Edith: "You're welcome. Now I have a full view of your neck! I love how your jugular dances against your hot skin, glistening with sweat and begging me to pierce its yummy goodness -"
Celia: "That's enough, Edith."
Edith: "I'm trying to give you a compliment."
Celia: "No. You're not. You're talking about eating me."
Edith: "But -"
Celia: "Just turn around before I hurt you."
Celia: "I've never had many friends. Those I have, I'd do anything for."
Armando: "I'm not afraid to die."
Celia: "You should be, Armando. I know I am."
Armando: "But you're strong."
Celia: "That doesn't mean I don't get scared."
Tye: "You're going to make a hell of a wife, Celia. Damn shame you won't be mine."
Celia: "I'm glad you finally realize that I'm not the one for you."
Tye: "I never said that. What I meant was, it's clear where your heart is, and it's not with me."
Tye: "What do you expect will happen when you return to the Den?"
Celia: "I expect his Elders to cure him. Or maybe Emme can heal him. If not, perhaps Tahoe's head witch can counteract the spell or something. Genevieve's strong, she -"
Tye: "Can't."
Celia: "What?"
Tye: "Genevieve can't reverse the spell. Emme can't heal him. The Elders can't cure him. There is no cure! They will kill him, and you, you will watch him die."
Celia: "Why are you here? If this is what you really believe, why do you stay?"
Tye: "Because I don't want him to kill you and I don't want you to watch him die!"
My screams came out like choked sobs.
Celia: "Shut up. I'm not giving up on him! He needs to live - he has to live and that's all there is to it!"
Aric: "You still love me ... despite how I've treated you and how badly I've hurt you."
Celia: "i never stopped, Aric."
Aric: "I love you, Celia. No one will keep me from you again."
Aric: "Do you want me, my love?"
Celia: "Always."
Aric: "Can I have you?"
Celia: "Yes."
Aric: "Then you're mine ... forever."
Aric: "Celia, this is the way of our Pack."
Celia: "Well, the Pack sucks. If you think we're raising our baby according to Pack laws, you and your buddies are out of your damn minds!"
Liam: "Baby? Did you say ... baby?"
Gemini looks at Aric
Gemini: "You're going to be a father?"
Koda: *laughs* "I can see this isn't the first time you've been alone."
Aric: "Celia, are you sure the baby is mine?"
Celia goes to throw a rock at Aric, and he captures her in an embrace.
Celia: "Of course I'm sure, damnit!"
Aric: "You haven't - I mean, after the way I treated you ..."
Celia: "Since the first time I saw you, you've been my love and only lover. There's no doubt that you're my baby's father."
Aric kisses her, then drops to his knees and kisses her belly.
Celia: "Sorry. This isn't the way I planned to tell you."
Aric: "I don't care how you told me. I'm just glad that I know. A baby ... I can't believe it. Celia, you've made me so happy.
Koda: "Damnit, Gem. Boil some water!"
Gemini: "What for?"
Koda: "How the hell am I supposed to know? It's just what you do when someone's knocked up!"
Koda: "She looks pasty. Is she supposed to be that fucking white?"
Celia: "She can hear you. I'm pregnant, not deaf."
Liam: "It must be the hormones. Try not to upset her, she might kill us all."
Gemini: "You look beautiful, Celia."
Liam gave two thumbs up.
Koda just stared down at his feet.
Celia: "I can walk, Aric."
Aric: "No."
Celia: "No? I've been walking this whole time."
Aric: "You've also fallen and cut the shit out of your feet. So long as you're barefoot, pregnant, and mine, you're just going to have to just deal with me fussing over you."
Celia: "You're going to be in trouble when I get my hands on some shoes."
Aric: "Then I'd better make sure that doesn't happen."
Gemini: "How many weeks are you, Celia? You're not even showing."
Celia: "Almost fifteen. I saw the heartbeat on the ultrasound."
Aric: "What was it like?"
Celia: "Fast, really fast. He's a strong little guy."
Aric: "We're having a son?"
Celia: "It's too early to tell, but that's what my instincts tell me."
Koda: "Do your instincts tell you were?"
Aric: "It doesn't matter ... I'm going to be a father."
Liam: "Fifteen weeks. Hey! That means you guys did it the night of the gala.
Gemini: "That can't be right. You two had a bad argument that night."
Koda: *laughs* "I told you guys that was all foreplay."
Anara: "Why did they tell you to run? Why did they fight so fiercely to save you? And why do you cover yourself there?"
He pointed accusingly at my belly. Everything in his face told me he finally knew my secret.
Anara: "No. No! Blasphemous whore! I shall make you suffer for your sin."
He drove his claws into my pelvis. And I felt my baby die.
Celia: "Will I ever get to hold him?"
Aric: "Someday, we both will. I swear it."
Aric: "No."
Celia: "You don't want me anymore."
Aric: "I'll always want you, sweetness. But you're in pain. You need time to heal. I don't ever want to hurt you again."
Celia: "Are you sure? I heard what the Elders said. I can never give you a child."
Aric: "I don't need my heart to beat. I don't need to take a breath. As long as I have you, there is nothing else I need."
Taran: "Damnit, Shayna. Don't touch me with those freak hands of yours, you're creeping me out."
Shayna: "They're not freaky, they're just little!"
Taran: "Son of a bitch. I can't believe you hooked up at a funeral."
Bren: "It's what Liam would have wanted."
I pinched the bridge of my nose, knowing he had a point.
Aric: "It's not that I think you're a wimp. You're just ..."
Celia: "Yes?"
Aric: "Delicate."
Koda and Shayna cracked up in front.
Koda: "Shit, Aric. If you don't want to end up on the couch tonight, you'd better watch what you call her."
Shayna: "Yeah, dude. Be nice, and count your lucky stars. Some werewalrus could have made you his bitch tonight."
Check out the prequel novellas, and the rest of the Weird Girls series below!
(If picture has no link, it's because the review hasn't been posted yet. Stay tuned!)
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