The Curse Keepers (Curse Keepers series) by Denise Grover Swank

head in my direction. “What is it?” But one look at my face told him everything. “You see it? Where?”
    I pointed toward the shelf, second from the top on the right side. The ugly pewter cup sat on the pristine white shelves looking old and out of place.
    He lowered his voice. “Ellie, why don’t you go back to the truck.”
    The hair on the back of my neck stood on end. “Why?”
    “Will you just do as I ask?”
    “No.”
    “
Ellie
.”
    “No. What are you going to do?”
    He closed his eyes and ran a hand over his forehead. “You really don’t want to know.”
    I leaned toward him, my eyes wide. “You’re going to steal it!”
    “Shh!” He was next to me in half a second, his hand on my arm. He stepped in close, pressing me back against the door. I was acutely aware of his chest against mine. My body tingled with expectation. Both physically and supernaturally.
    Collin felt it too, his eyes widening, his pupils dilating. His chest expanded as he took a deep breath. He seemed to recover his senses after several seconds but stayed tight against me, his hand still wrapped around my arm. “We need the cup, Ellie. You admitted that you don’t have enough money to pay the woman, and I know that I don’t.”
    I knew we were desperate, but I couldn’t resort to this. “No, Collin. We’re not going to steal it. I’m not stooping to that level.”
    “Be reasonable, Ellie. You know this is the only way.” He leaned close into my ear and his hand reached for my face.
    My heart thudded against my rib cage. “Stop it, Collin.”
    His hand dropped, but he remained inside my personal space. He grinned, but it was fake. “I’m giving you a piece of advice, Ellie, although I’m not sure why, so listen close: I’m not to be trusted. I know what I want and I’ll do anything to get it. Understand?”
    I took a deep breath. “I
know
you’re not to be trusted. I’ve known since the moment you walked into my restaurant, but like it or not, I’m stuck with your condescending, know-it-all ass. So let me give
you
a piece of advice: If you
ever
touch me again, I’ll coldcock you.
Understand
?”
    A real grin spread across his face and he lifted his hands in surrender as he took two steps backward.
    “We are not stealing the cup, not until we’ve tried talking to her first. Give me tonight to come up with the money, and we’ll come back tomorrow to pay her. And if that doesn’t work, then we’ll consider other alternatives.”
    He shook his head. “That won’t work. If the cup is stolen after we approach her, she’ll know it was us.”
    “I don’t care. We’ll try it my way first or we won’t do it at all.”
    He took a step closer, but kept a foot between us. “You don’t mean that, Ellie. You won’t turn your back on all of this now that you know the curse is real, and I’m counting on that. Remember those dead birds on the side of the road and on your porch? Guess who’s their ultimate meal of choice? They crave power and energy, and who has more power than anyone else on earth? The Keepers of the curse that sent them away. When they think they’re strong enough, they’ll come looking for
you
, Ellie Lancaster.”
    My breath came in short pants. “Is that meant to scare me?” If it was, he was doing a really good job.
    “You
should
be scared. And this has only just begun.” He laughed and looked toward the ocean. “Fine. I’ll give you your one night, and we’ll come back tomorrow, but if it doesn’t work, we do things my way from here on out. Agreed?”
    Did I have a choice? If I were cornered by a spirit and had to decide between stealing the cup or dying, I’d steal the cup without hesitation. But I wasn’t cornered by an evil spirit. At least not yet. “Agreed.”
    He slunk down the stairs in his quiet way. I wondered if he were a ninja. The descendent of a Croatan Indian chief, a ninja. If I weren’t so freaked out, I would have laughed.
    Once I knew he was at the bottom of