Romani Witch (Shifter Blood: Romani Curse Book 2)

by Frances Trilone

  “You don’t need to tell your ex-boyfriend anything.” Garrett sneered at Kaleb. “You’re lucky we’re still on sacred ground otherwise I’d bring you down with a few spells. I don’t care who you are.”

  “I’d love to see you try.” Kaleb laughed. “Why don’t we cross the town line and settle this? I might even go easy on you.”

  Garrett picked up his gun from the ground. “Let’s go. It’s been a while since I’ve killed a—”

  “Enough.” I cringed at their words. Would they really fight to the death if they weren’t on sacred ground? “Who said I was in trouble?”

  “Victor called Norwood Isle. He said you were missing.” Kaleb’s expression softened. “We came running.”

  “Victor called you?” I unfolded my arms, surprised to hear Victor had called Norwood Isle. Hopefully, he hadn’t ignored the protocols and had rung Bill first.

  “You’re supposed to be in Dover with your mom. What happened?” Markus came over to stand next to me. No other wolves were around. Only the four of us, alone on the side of the road.

  “I changed my mind,” I snapped, still angry at him too. What did I expect? He owed me no loyalty. “You don’t need to worry about me. I can take care of myself.”

  Markus raised his eyebrows. “Of course, you can. But that’s no reason to ignore Drina’s messages. You should’ve called her back.”

  “My cell phone’s not working,” I mumbled, feeling like crap. Drina had been worried about me. I should have insisted on calling her from Garrett’s phone. I looked at Kaleb, surprised he hadn’t said anything. Why was Markus asking me all the questions?

  “Sounds like they’re worried. I’d better get you home.” Garrett opened the car door, and the interior light flicked on, revealing a large crack in the windshield.

  “You’re not taking her anywhere,” Kaleb grunted.

  “She’s still better off in my car than walking home with a couple of wolves,” Garrett said. “Why don’t you run along? I’ll get her home safely.”

  Kaleb clenched his fists, uttering a low growl.

  “I have a better idea. I’ll go with you and Sienna.” Markus walked around the car and opened the passenger door. “How does that sound, Kaleb?”

  Kaleb nodded.

  I hurried around to the other side of the car, not waiting to see if Garrett had a problem with Markus’ idea. But I honestly didn’t care. I needed to get home to see Drina, and I wanted this entire weekend to be over.

  “You expect me to trust you?” Garrett said to Markus as he watched Kaleb stalk off into the woods. “You’re a Norwood wolf, just like him.”

  “It’s not like you have any choice,” Markus replied. “I’m one of Sienna’s chaperones. You either drive us both or I’m walking her home. I’m not leaving her alone with you.”

  Pressing the knob down, I slid the front passenger seat forward then climbed into the backseat. Showing up with a warlock and a wolf sounded better than showing up with just Garrett. No doubt Kaleb would get there before us and tell Victor I was okay. Maybe if I wasn’t arriving home alone, Victor wouldn’t go all ballistic on me.

  Garrett and Markus got into the car, both sitting in silence as Garrett started the engine and pulled the car out onto the road.

  I buckled my seatbelt and stared out the window, not sure if I should be worried about Kaleb seeing me with Garrett. Kaleb had looked pissed. Not hurt. Not sad. He hadn’t even said anything when Garrett referred to him as my ex-boyfriend. Was it because he felt guilty about kissing Tessa?

  The quick drive home went smoothly with no snide remarks from Garrett or Markus. Of course, they didn’t speak a word to each other. Was this how it would be when Markus learned I was a witch? Would he have nothing to say to me either?

  Garrett parked in the driveway, and we got out of the car just as Kaleb emerged from the woods. He walked across the porch to the front door and rang the doorbell. The door opened and Drina ran out while Victor waited in the doorway, his arms crossed, and a frown on his face. There was no sign of Uncle Henry or any of the Elders. At least I had one thing going for me.

  “Thank God you’re okay.” Drina pulled me into a hug, squeezing me tightly. She stepped back, eyeing Garrett and the car. “Did you drive Sienna home?”

  “Yes.” Garrett smiled at her, extending his hand. “I’m Garrett.”

  “Oh. The warlock. I’m Sienna’s cousin, Drina.” As she shook his hand, she gave me a quizzical look. “Would you like to come in? I made a fresh pot of coffee.”

  “That’s probably not a good idea,” Garrett replied. “But thank you for the offer.”

  Drina looked at me. “Sienna, I’ll be inside. I can’t wait to hear about your day.”

  “Okay,” I replied.

  She headed back into the house and Victor followed, glancing back at Kaleb before closing the door behind them. Kaleb remained on the front porch, staring at Garrett like a hunter stalking its prey.

  “I’m glad you’re okay.” Markus pulled me into a hug. “Things would be pretty boring if you weren’t around.”

  Leave it up to Markus to be sweet. I looked away, knowing if I looked directly at him, I’d either cry or get angry. Markus had betrayed me almost as much as Kaleb. “How much trouble am I in?”

  “Nothing you can’t handle.” Markus touched my shoulder gently. “I’m going to check the backyard, but I’ll come running if these two guys act up.”

  Markus walked around the house, leaving me alone with Kaleb and Garrett.

  “That was weird.” Garrett opened the car door and handed me the rice-filled plastic bag with my cell phone. “I’ve never seen the wolves act nice toward a—”

  “Romani girl?”

  “Yeah.” Garrett gave me a wink.

  “Thanks for driving me home.” I took the putsi bag from my pocket and handed it to him, feeling the weight of Kaleb’s stare as he watched us. “It’s probably not what you expected when you offered me a ride.”

  “You’d be surprised to know how normal tonight was.” Garrett rubbed his neck, glancing over my shoulder to the front porch where Kaleb waited. “He’s a lot stronger than he looks.”

  “Sorry. I hope he didn’t hurt you too much,” I said, hating that it wasn’t Kaleb who was apologizing. “We have pain relief inside if you need something.”

  “I’ll be fine.” Garrett lowered his voice. “This town. These wolves. You don’t belong here. Why don’t you come to Dover with me? You’ll be much happier. I promise.”

  I stared at him, stunned by his offer. If he’d asked me last night, I would have said yes straight away. I would have left town and never looked back. But running away was no longer an option. I needed to face my problems head on. “I can’t.”

  “You can’t stop the inevitable.” Garrett glanced over my shoulder again and whispered, “If you need a warm bed to sleep in again, come see me. You know the room number.”

  My breath hitched as Kaleb uttered a low growl.

  Garrett got into his car and pulled out of the driveway. I watched his car disappear into the distance, wishing he’d kept his mouth shut.

  Chapter 17

  I reluctantly joined Kaleb on the front porch, mentally preparing myself for a showdown. It was hard to believe we hadn’t seen each other in a week. I’d missed him, and if this situation were normal, we wouldn’t be avoiding each other’s gaze.

  Kaleb uncrossed his arms with a heavy sigh. He scanned the street, his hardened face impossible to read as he looked everywhere except at me.

  I peered through one of the rectangular windowpanes that framed both sides of the front door. Everything seemed quiet inside, like it was another just ordinary night, except nothing about tonight was ordinary.

  “I guess they’re waiting on me,” I mumbled, trying to think how best to confront Kaleb. I had no intention of telling him what Calandra had said, not until he explained why he’d been kissing Tessa. “When did you get back into town?”

  “Yesterday.” Ka
leb moved to the end of the porch. “Where were you last night?”

  “I…” I bit my lip, not sure where to start. Lying to the sheriff and everyone else was one thing, but this was Kaleb. Anything I said would only lead to more questions. Questions I wasn’t ready to answer.

  “Don’t tell me you stayed home and went hiking this morning. I know the sheriff took you to the café, but Bill hadn’t seen you. And I talked to those girls you supposedly went hiking with. They told me you were with your boyfriend all night.”

  I squeezed my eyes shut. Crap. It seemed Garrett’s plan wasn’t so perfect.

  “It’s no big deal. I went to a party, and those girls probably confused me with someone else.” I opened my eyes and glanced through the rectangular windowpane again. Going inside seemed like such a bad idea. “What did Victor say?”

  “He thinks you went hiking this morning and got lost with those girls.”

  I stared at Kaleb, surprised he hadn’t told Victor the truth. “Why didn’t you tell him?”

  “I thought you must have a good reason to lie.” He scratched his jaw. “I didn’t expect to find you hanging with a warlock. What the hell were you thinking?”

  “It wasn’t like I planned on hanging out with him. It just happened.”

  He crossed the porch and stepped down onto the grass, where he stood facing me with his arms folded. “Do you want to go to Dover with him?”

  I frowned, although it didn’t surprise me to hear he’d eavesdropped. “That was a private conversation. You shouldn’t have—”

  “Nothing’s private around the wolves. You know that. Don’t expect anything different from me.” His eyes flickered yellow as he cleared his throat. “Is it true what he said? Did you spend the night with him?”

  “It’s not what you think. I was upset last night and got drunk at a party. Garrett made sure nothing happened to me. He kept me safe.”

  “You can’t trust him.”

  “He’s the only person who hasn’t lied to me,” I snapped.

  “I may have hidden things from you, but I never lied.” He shook his head. “I wouldn’t—”

  “You cheated on me.” My words came out much louder and angrier than I’d intended.

  His eyes widened. “What are you talking about? Did Garrett tell you I cheated on you?”

  “No. I saw you last night. It’s why I got drunk. I was crying when Garrett found me.” I swallowed hard, not wanting to admit the other reason I’d been crying. Right now, I needed answers from Kaleb. The whole my-biological-mom’s-a-witch thing would have to wait.

  “I don’t know what you saw, but I didn’t cheat on you.”

  “How can you stand there and lie?” A tear rolled down my cheek. “I saw you and Tessa kissing.”

  His head jerked back. “She kissed me, Sienna. It meant nothing.”

  “That’s not what it looked like.” I wiped the tear away, needing to stay strong and angry.

  “I swear, I’d never cheat on you,” he insisted. “Tessa caught me off guard. I had no idea she’d kiss me, but I set her straight. She won’t do it again. I told her I’m serious about you.”

  I rolled my eyes. “How gullible do you think I am? I know you took her to Norwood Isle. Did you give her one of your private tours?”

  “No.” His eyes locked on to mine. “My father wanted to talk to her.”

  My heart skipped a beat. How was that possible? She’d only been in town for a few weeks. “I can’t believe your father wanted to meet her.”

  “You don’t understand. She’s not just some girl. Tessa’s a Rocklin wolf.”

  My mouth dropped open. Tessa’s a shapeshifter? That couldn’t be true. “Why the hell didn’t you tell me? We’ve been working together at the café.”

  “I didn’t know. Vaughan asked about her when I met with him, and that’s how I found out. It’s why I rushed back to town,” Kaleb said. “My father ordered everyone not to tell me, but it doesn’t matter anymore. She’s leaving.”

  I crossed my arms, not sure what to think. Nothing about his demeanor told me he was lying, but that didn’t change how hurt and upset I felt. “Why is she here?”

  “Vaughan sent her to confirm Lexi’s death. It’s nothing to worry about. The other packs sent a scout too. Tessa’s the only one who’s stuck around for a while.”

  “Are you sure she’s not here to challenge me to a fight?” I asked, touching the scar on my shoulder. I’d already fought a wolf and won. Could I do it again? “She kissed you, so she must have feelings for you. I bet she wants me out of the way.”

  “She wouldn’t dare touch you.”

  “She’s a wolf who hates Romanies.” I sighed. “That was her on the road tonight. She’s the wolf who jumped on Garrett’s car.”

  “It wasn’t Tessa,” Kaleb insisted.

  “Why are you defending her?”

  “You don’t know the Rocklin alpha like I do. Vaughan shows no mercy. Any pack member who defies his orders is killed. That’s why my father convinced Lexi to join the Norwood Pack when I refused to marry her,” he said. “Tessa knows better. She wouldn’t—”

  “It was her, Kaleb.” I shook my head, hoping I never met the Rocklin alpha. Vaughan sounded worse than Kaleb’s dad. “I saw her eyes. They were red.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “Are you sure its eyes were red?”

  “Yes.”

  “Damn.” He glanced around. “You need to get inside.”

  “Is she here?” I stepped off the front porch, feeling pissed as hell. Our relationship might not be perfect, but no way was I going to let anyone destroy what we had. Not without a fight. “I’m not afraid of Tessa. If she’s around, she needs to show herself.”

  “You don’t understand. That wasn’t a wolf shifter you saw tonight. It was a tatcho vampire.”

  “A what?”

  “A true vampire.”

  “No. It wasn’t…” I couldn’t finish my thought, as I knew nothing about vampires. I’d always assumed they were dead humans who had fangs and sucked blood. But from what Kaleb had said, it sounded like there were different types. “Do all vampires have red eyes?”

  “Yes, but only a tatcho vampire can shift into a bat or a wolf. It’s strange you saw one in town.” He climbed the porch steps and opened the front door. “Please, go inside. I need to speak to the other wolves. The pack needs to be on high alert.”

  I entered the house in a daze, thinking about what Kaleb said. Tatcho vampires could shift into bats and wolves. I had so many questions. Like, why hadn’t anyone told me? What other types of vampires were there? Did the usual garlic or a stake through the heart work? At least that explained why Garrett had pulled out his gun. He must have known it was a tatcho vampire attacking his car. That’s why he hadn’t waited for it to attack first.

  “Sienna, is that you?” Drina called out from the kitchen.

  “I’m coming.” I hurried down the hallway to the kitchen, surprised to find Markus alone with Drina. He stood by the refrigerator, pouring milk into a cup while she sat at the table. A plate of chocolate chip cookies and napkins sat on the counter. No sign of Victor ready to pounce on me with a lecture. I glanced at Drina and felt bad. She looked upset. “I’m sorry. My phone got wet, so I didn’t know you’d tried to contact me. I know I should’ve—”

  “I don’t care about that.” She fidgeted in her seat, looking more nervous than usual.

  As I set the plastic bag on the counter, the back door opened, and Kaleb entered the kitchen. Drina’s jumpiness made sense now. Markus must have already told them about the tatcho vampire.

  “Where’s Victor?” I asked.

  “I’m right here.” Victor entered the kitchen from the hallway, a gun in his hand. He pointed the gun at the floor as he loaded it. “Sienna, what were you doing with that warlock?”

  “He offered me a ride home,” I replied, surprised Victor still wanted to talk about Garrett. It seemed even a tatcho vampire’s presence in town wouldn’t get me out of a lect
ure. “It’s not a big deal.”

  “It is a big deal. Next time you need a ride home, you call me.” Victor tucked the gun into a side holster and turned to Kaleb. “The Elders are heading to Henry’s house. They want me to join them.”

  “Good. I sent a wolf to Norwood Isle to alert the pack,” Kaleb said. “There’s a wolf on the front porch. I’ve ordered him to stay by your side until you’re home safely.”

  “Thanks,” Victor replied. He glanced over at Markus. “Are you staying with us tonight?”

  “That’s the plan.” Markus grabbed a chocolate chip cookie and scarfed it down. “Don’t worry about the girls. I won’t let them out of my sight.”

  Victor kissed Drina’s forehead and touched her stomach. “I won’t be long. Promise me you’ll stay near Markus.”

  “I promise,” Drina replied.

  Victor gave a heavy sigh as he looked at me with an expression I couldn’t read. Was he mad at me? Tired of being my chaperone? Worried I wouldn’t listen? “You’re coming to stay at our house until your mom’s home. Don’t do anything foolish and don’t go anywhere without telling me first. Can you please do that?”

  “Yes,” I said. The way Victor had worded his question was strange. Usually, he’d demand I listen or give me an order. I couldn’t recall him ever saying please. Not to me anyhow.

  Victor walked out of the kitchen and left the house through the front door.

  “These cookies are yummy,” Markus mumbled, trying to lighten the mood.

  “I’ll go pack my stuff,” I said.

  “We should pack these cookies too,” Markus said as I walked out into the hallway. Markus must have said something else because Drina laughed, and then someone opened the pantry door.

  In my bedroom, I pulled a duffel bag from the closet and packed what I needed. I couldn’t believe this was happening. Mom was due home tomorrow, and I hadn’t told Kaleb the truth.

  How could I tell him who Calandra really was? With a tatcho vampire in town, he needed to focus on protecting the Norwood wolves and the Romanies. He didn’t need the added stress of finding out his girlfriend’s biological mom was a witch.