Romani Witch (Shifter Blood: Romani Curse Book 2)

by Frances Trilone

  “How could I love you?” I pushed Kaleb away and spat on the ground by his feet. “You’re a monster. I could never love you.”

  He stumbled back, stunned. His eyes glowed yellow and he fell to his knees, ripping off his shirt as he snarled, “I’ll show you a monster.”

  Black fur appeared on his chest and his back as he dropped to all fours, staring at me. He let out a deep howl of rage, rattling the windows in the room.

  As sharp claws protruded from his fingertips, I closed my eyes. The loud cracking of bones sent a shiver down my spine. I couldn’t watch Kaleb shift, not when he was filled with rage.

  The sound of raised voices forced me to open my eyes and face Kaleb in wolf form. He stood right in front of me, his breath hitting my face. Baring his teeth, he growled.

  I pressed back against the wall, letting a tear roll down my cheek as his yellow wolf eyes stared into mine. At that moment, everything hurt—my head, my chest, my legs, but most of all, my heart as it ached to tell Kaleb the truth.

  A movement behind him caught my eye, but I didn’t dare look away. A voice that sounded like Tessa’s egged Kaleb on, telling him to kill me, while another two voices shouted for him to stop. Then Asher rushed into the room, yelling at Kaleb to stop.

  Kaleb nudged my head with his snout, exposing my neck.

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered. “Please, make it quick.”

  Kaleb whimpered as his father grabbed his hind leg and dragged him from the cage. When his father released him, he growled and leaped through one of the windows, sending shards of shattered glass cascading to the floor.

  I shook all over. “Will Kaleb be killed for claiming me?”

  “Only if he refuses to kill you after the pack makes their decision.”

  Asher stormed out of the room again before I had time to ask my next question: Have I just sentenced myself to death?

  Chapter 32

  Three days passed with no sign of Kaleb. Not even Asher bothered to check on me. Only Tessa and the two brown wolves drifted in and out, checking I hadn’t freed myself from the cage.

  Since Kaleb had fled through the window, the thought of escape hadn’t crossed my mind. My body felt numb, and I constantly replayed my last conversation with Kaleb. Regret crept in as the guilt washed over me. I should have handled things differently, should have told Kaleb I loved him. I should have taken a chance and run away with him.

  Luckily, Tessa and the wolves brought a cot into my cage, boarded up the broken window, and provided me with daily meals. Something Asher must have ordered, as Tessa taunted me every chance she got. It seemed the Rocklin wolves had been outraged to discover a witch had killed Lexi. If it were up to them, I’d be dead already, but my fate lay in the hands of the Norwood Pack.

  I tried talking to the brown wolves, hoping one of them might be friendly. But unlike Tessa, who wanted to talk, the Norwood wolves ignored me. They’d never shifted back into their human form, and by the third day, I’d given up trying to convince them I wasn’t an evil witch who couldn’t be trusted.

  My thoughts drifted to my family. Were Victor and Drina worried about me or did they think I’d left town? Had Asher told the Elders he’d locked me in a cage? Was Uncle Henry furious? Even if they’d wanted to, the Romanies couldn’t send a search party to look for me. They couldn’t do anything that might jeopardize their alliance with the Norwood wolves.

  I decided my best option was to try to escape during one of my bathroom breaks. They wouldn’t be expecting it since I hadn’t put up a fight so far. It was the only opportunity I had to face one wolf instead of two.

  The next afternoon, loud voices woke me from my daily nap. I rolled over, wishing they’d finish their argument somewhere else.

  “I’m seeing her, and you can’t stop me.”

  Recognizing Markus’ voice, I jumped to my feet. Had he finally told Kaleb everything? Were they here to rescue me?

  Markus appeared in the doorway, carrying a takeout box from the café. He crossed the room; his expression impossible to read. “Let me into the cage.”

  “This is a terrible idea,” Tessa said as she walked in holding a key. She unlocked the padlock and opened the cage door, allowing Markus to enter.

  Markus ignored Tessa and handed me the box. “I thought you might want some real food, so I stopped by the café.”

  “Thanks.” I sat on the cot and opened the box, revealing a cheeseburger and fries. My stomach rumbled as I tossed a fry into my mouth. It surprised me that Tessa had let Markus into the cage. She’d been adamant about keeping everyone out. Had Asher sent Markus to deliver the news of my fate? Had the Norwood wolves made their decision?

  Tessa locked the cage and walked out of the room, saying nothing.

  Markus sat next to me on the cot. “How are you?”

  “I’m fine,” I muttered, swallowing my mouthful of food. “How’s Kaleb?”

  “I don’t know.” He sighed. “No one’s seen him since he stormed out of here. I heard he shifted and tried to kill you.”

  My eyes widened. “You haven’t seen him?”

  “No. He ran off.”

  “But…” I chewed my bottom lip, choosing my words carefully. Tessa had to be listening to everything we said. “You haven’t seen him since the night he got shot?”

  “That’s right.” Markus glanced over at the open doorway. “They’re saying you’ve admitted to being a witch and to putting a love spell on Kaleb. Is that true?”

  “Yes.” I looked at Markus, realizing we needed to repeat our conversation about me being a witch. No one knew I’d already told him the truth. “Why are you here? I’m a witch and you’re a wolf. We’re supposed to hate each other.”

  He ran a hand through his hair. “I thought maybe you’d know where Kaleb ran off to.”

  “Have you checked Willow’s Point?”

  “That’s the first place I tried. I even asked Victor and Drina if they’d seen Kaleb, but he hasn’t been to the Romani community.”

  My breath caught in my throat. “Do they know I’m here?”

  “No. Asher ordered the pack not to tell anyone, including the Town Council,” he said. “You know how loyal I am to Asher and to the Norwood Pack.”

  I ate another fry, studying Markus. If he’d seen Victor and Drina, then he would have told them the truth about the wolves locking me up. Hopefully, he’d also convinced them to keep their distance and told them he’d handle the situation. I didn’t want Victor and Drina getting caught up in this mess.

  And I knew Markus wasn’t loyal to Asher. He might be loyal to the Norwood Pack, but his main loyalty was to Kaleb. Markus had told me this several times.

  “You should eat the cheeseburger before it gets cold.” He patted my knee. “I even asked for extra pickles and mustard. That’s how you like it, isn’t it?”

  “Yes.” I picked up the cheeseburger. The smell alone made my mouth water. “Any chance you’re here to rescue me?”

  “No.” Markus chuckled. “Asher asked me to check on you. I guess he figured another wolf might kill you if given the chance.”

  “But not you?” I took a bite of the cheeseburger and suppressed a moan. Damn. This was so much better than the rice and chicken they’d been feeding me these past few days.

  “Asher knows I’d never defy his orders.” He winked at me. “How’s the burger?”

  “It’s delicious.” I took another bite. Markus was up to something with all this talk about loyalty to Asher and obeying his orders. Was he trying to convince Tessa she could trust him? Was that his plan? Because Markus had to have a plan. He couldn’t just walk away, leaving me in this cage.

  He stood, staring down at me with his soft, brown eyes. Something about his eyes looked sad.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked, and then I froze when I saw not one Markus, but two of them standing in front of me. “I don’t feel so great.”

  “Must be your stomach.” He took the cheeseburger out of my hand and placed it back in the box
, which he then set on the floor. “Perhaps you should lie down.”

  “But…” I shook my head, trying to make sense of my blurry vision and the sudden burst of heat cascading through my body. My gaze drifted down to the box. Markus had betrayed me by spiking my food. “Why?”

  He caught me in his arms and laid me on the cot. Leaning down, he pushed my hair aside and whispered in my ear, “I had no choice. You’re a Romani witch. You know the Norwood Pack comes first, and you know where my loyalties lie.”

  I tried to scream, to yell, to fight my way out of this. I’d lost Kaleb, and now, even Markus had turned on me. My eyelids grew heavy and my mind slipped into darkness, and as all hope died, I surrendered.

  Chapter 33

  A cool breeze caressed my face, causing me to stir. As the sun set in the distance, the evening sky and the woods surrounded me. I glanced around, terrified to find myself tied to a wooden pole with a piece of cloth stuffed in my mouth. There was no sign of anyone, not even a wolf lurking nearby.

  With the heavy scent of gasoline hanging in the air, I looked down at my boots and the large pile of wood surrounding me. Was Marie’s vision of me dying in a fire finally coming true? She thought she’d saved me by sending me away, but had she only postponed the inevitable? It seemed I couldn’t escape my fate.

  I groaned, wishing the pounding in my head would stop. Whatever was in that burger had knocked me out for several hours and given me the worst headache ever.

  Damn. Where the hell was Markus?

  The throbbing in my head was his fault. Maybe Asher had given him no choice. Had he ordered Markus to drug me? With Kaleb missing, Markus had to follow his alpha’s orders. What was that nonsense about his loyalty to Asher and the Norwood Pack? I’d assumed he’d said it for Tessa’s ears, but now I wasn’t so sure.

  I tried to move my hands, but the rope held them tight. Even my ankles were tied. I leaned as far forward as I could then quickly jerked back against the wooden pole. I did this repeatedly, but the pole didn’t budge.

  Movement at the edge of the woods caught my attention. Wolves were heading my way, their eyes glowing yellow in the darkness. Stopping about twenty feet away, they sat in a line and watched me. Ten large wolves, who had to be from Norwood Isle.

  Catching more movement out of the corner of my eye, I turned my head to see several wolves in human form walking out of the woods and heading my way. It was too dark to see their faces, but their glowing yellow eyes were fixed firmly on me. As they drew closer, one of them had Markus’ unmistakable stance.

  As they stopped near the wolves, the tallest of them lit a match and tossed it onto the ground. Fire lit up the night sky as a nearby bonfire burst into flames, illuminating the field.

  One by one, I locked gazes with the wolves in human form—Asher, Carmel, Tessa, Markus, and two others I didn’t recognize. But no Kaleb.

  “Remove her gag,” Asher ordered.

  Looking tired, Markus walked over to me. He gently removed the cloth from my mouth but said nothing. What could he say without pissing off his alpha?

  “I forgive you,” I mumbled as he moved away and stood to my right. Lifting my chin and standing tall, I stared at Asher. I was no fool. He gave the orders. If I was to have any chance of being set free, he was the one I needed to convince. “You’re making a big mistake.”

  “You’re a witch, and you’ve confessed to using a spell on my son,” Asher replied. “This is no mistake.”

  “You need me.” I bit my lower lip. What could I say to convince him to let me go? “Kaleb will never be pack leader with a spell hanging over his head.”

  “Was that your plan?” Asher snapped. “Destroy him, so we’d have no alpha leader? Carmel is perfectly capable of leading the Norwood wolves.”

  Carmel folded her arms and frowned at me. “Are you saying you can remove the spell?”

  “Yes.” I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. Was it possible to remove a spell? It made sense. If I could get them to agree, they’d have to find Kaleb. That could take days, maybe even weeks, giving me more time to come up with a way out of this, because there had to be a way. My life couldn’t end, not like this.

  “Why should we believe you?” Tessa asked. “You’re desperate. You’d say anything right now.”

  “Ask a witch,” I replied, hoping what I’d said was true. “They’ll tell you if I’m lying.”

  “If there’s a chance the spell can be reversed, we should try.” Carmel looked at her father. “We owe Kaleb that.”

  Asher exhaled loudly, narrowing his eyes at Markus. “You’re Kaleb’s best friend. Where is he?”

  “I don’t know,” Markus replied.

  “We’re not waiting to burn this witch,” Asher grunted. “Kaleb will—”

  “I’m here.” Kaleb stepped out of the shadows behind the line of ten wolves and walked toward the bonfire.

  He no longer looked like the Kaleb I knew. His wavy black hair that I’d loved running my fingers through was gone, replaced by a severe buzz-cut. He wore only one piece of clothing—khaki shorts, covered in dried mud. Dirty and thin, he looked like he hadn’t eaten in days. He no longer looked strong; he looked frail and haggard.

  “Are you okay? What happened to your hair?” Carmel embraced her brother.

  Kaleb winced as he pulled out of her arms. “I’m fine.”

  “Are you here to save her?” Asher uttered a growl, exposing his sharp teeth. “I’ve ordered the wolves to kill you if you try.”

  I looked at Asher, surprised by his question. What made him think Kaleb would want to save me? He’d already attempted to bite me. Had something happened? Had Markus found Kaleb and told him the truth?

  Squinting, I tried to see Kaleb’s eyes but he was too far away. Was he looking at me with kind eyes or were they full of hate?

  “I am loyal to the Norwood Pack. This witch is a liar, and we can’t trust her. I’ve never heard of a witch removing a spell, and I won’t let her touch me,” Kaleb said. “The pack has made their decision. We’re burning her.”

  “You can’t do this.” I struggled against the ropes as I looked at Markus. He’d never tell Kaleb the truth, not if they killed me now. If he found out, the guilt alone would destroy Kaleb.

  Asher walked over to the bonfire and picked something up off the ground. When he held it over the fire, I realized it was a torch.

  “You’ll regret this,” I yelled, then I leaned forward and forcefully pushed back against the wooden pole. I needed to get away, even if the wolves came after me. Anything would be better than being burned alive.

  I rocked and pushed again and again, harder and harder. The pole finally moved, but not enough. Asher stalked toward me with a devilish grin. This was what he’d wanted all along—to destroy my relationship with Kaleb and be rid of me forever.

  “Kaleb, check her restraints are tight,” Asher ordered. “We don’t want the witch running away.”

  Kaleb glared at his father. It made no sense to ask him, not when Markus stood closer and could easily check the ropes. Asher must doubt Kaleb’s words, or maybe he wanted Kaleb to prove where his loyalties lay.

  Carmel unfolded her arms, shifting her weight to one side as she glanced from me to Kaleb with a frown. Was she worried he was going to hurt me or try to rescue me?

  I held my breath as Kaleb drew closer. Deep down, I hoped he’d rescue me, but even he and Markus couldn’t take on fifteen wolves. The situation was hopeless.

  Kaleb avoided my gaze as he stopped in front of me and kneeled to examine the rope binding my ankles. He reached around, ensuring the knot was tight. Then he slowly stood, his body only inches from mine. When he finally lifted his gaze and our eyes met, he stiffened.

  He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black velvet box. The box that held my engagement ring. The ring I’d never wear.

  I bit my lower lip in confusion.

  “This should burn with you.” Kaleb bent down again and shoved the box into my right
boot.

  A tear made its way slowly down my cheek and I looked away, not wanting him to see me cry. Kaleb had finally given me my engagement ring. But there had been no flowers. No romantic dinner. No tears of joy. Just a ring shoved into my boot before I died.

  As Kaleb reached around to touch the ropes on my wrists, I inhaled his wolf scent—that delicious blend of freshly cut sugar maple trees and juniper—mixed with the smell of dried mud. I would have given anything to touch him, to kiss him, to tell him I loved him one last time.

  He adjusted the ropes and backed away. “Do you have any last words?”

  “I…” I choked down a sob and cleared my throat, needing to stay strong until the very end. “I forgive you.”

  He stared at me, and for a moment, I thought I saw regret or sadness in his eyes. I hoped he’d say something kind in return, something I could focus on as I died. But he just shook his head and turned away as his father approached.

  Holding the lit torch, Asher stopped in front of me. “I look forward to hearing you scream, witch.”

  I inhaled sharply as the heat from the torch warmed my legs. Soon, this would be over. I’d be dead and no one would know. Except for the Norwood wolves.

  My family would think I’d changed my mind and run away to start a new life elsewhere. Kaleb would meet an alpha wolf, claim her, and settle down. He’d never know the truth.

  As Asher lowered the torch, I held my breath, promising myself I wouldn’t scream until the pain became too unbearable.

  “Wait.” Kaleb held out his hand and stared straight at me, hatred in his eyes. “Let me do it.”

  Chapter 34

  “No,” I choked out, glancing from Asher to Kaleb. He couldn’t be serious. He couldn’t be the one to light the wood, the one to kill me. Not Kaleb. “It’s the alpha’s responsibility. Not yours.”

  The ten wolves who sat in a row stood erect as they let out several short howls, and then one long, deep howl. Carmel shook her head, glancing at Tessa and the two guys near the bonfire. Unlike them, Carmel appeared distraught.