by Belle Malory
“Pul-eez.” I waved my hand in the air. “I can sum you up in about sixty seconds.”
“I doubt that.”
I sat up straighter, more confidently, crossing my legs.
“Wanna test me?” I asked.
“Okay,” he sighed, sounding more annoyed than anything else. “Enlighten me, babe.”
I moved even closer, straightening to my full height. He was about to play a game that I was fail proof at. I had years of training by watching people from afar, sizing them up and figuring out what made them tick.
He was going down.
“I don’t mind if I do. Let me see if I can guess this right. For one, you’re cynical. You used to be happy and carefree, but that was a long time ago and the world has jaded you since then.”
“You’re stating the obvious,” he told me. “I’m a gypsy, we’re all a little jaded.”
I smiled. “I’m not finished. Just getting started, as a matter of fact.”
He motioned for me to go on, crooking his head to the side in that cocky manner I hated.
“You treat people, especially females, as if they’re beneath you, because deep down you’re bitter. You’re bitter and you’re angry. Some cold-hearted, she-wolf did you dirty, and you’re making everyone else pay for her mistakes. You’re the type of person who pouts and holds grudges for a long time. For you, maybe even several lifetimes.”
Rex’s amber eyes narrowed on me. They lost their warmth, turning into a cool shade of brown.
I knew I was onto something.
Spitefully, I continued the onslaught. “You wear simple and understated clothes, but everything has to be name brand, possibly even tailored. You keep your appearance up, not because you want attention. Oh, no. You couldn’t care less for the attention you receive. You do it because every time some clueless female gets shot down by you, it makes you feel smug. You leave their beds, knowing that they’ll probably cry their eyes out over the fact that you didn’t call them, that they couldn’t change you-that they weren’t the one for you. You eat this stuff up, but not because you want to hurt any of them. It’s because they’re all her to you.”
I was going out on limb with some of the stuff I was saying, but it was obvious I was striking close to home. I smiled, realizing I’d guessed right about the girl. My words had pierced into Rex like arrows. He held his hands in tight fists at his sides. His jaw tensed, the corner of his mouth twitching.
“The sad truth is, you feel all alone,” I said. “Inwardly, you’re just really pissed off because she’s off living her life or lives, whatever, while you’re miserably remembering her for the rest of yours. I’ll bet you don’t even want to go by the name Stefan anymore simply because it’s attached to the life you shared with this woman.”
I sat back in my seat, out of breath. I felt wicked, but satisfied. I was sure I was glowing, witnessing that bastard’s arrogant grin wiped clean from his handsome face. It was replaced by a furious anger. He was trying to hide it, but he was failing miserably.
I was playing with fire.
Truthfully, Rex’s anger was a little frightening. But I was determined not to let him intimidate me. I’d won this battle. And I felt good about it. . .right?
After a few moments, Rex swallowed. His fists loosened.
“Are you done?” he asked.
I nodded.
“Okay,” he said. “Mind if I take a shot at this game?”
I shrugged. “I don’t care,” I said. And why should I? What could he possibly say to me that could hurt my feelings? I wasn’t the self-righteous, egocentric pig in this scenario.
“For one, you’re complacent,” he began. “In fact, most of the things you do are done purposefully to stay unnoticed. You let your ability act as your excuse to keep yourself on the sidelines. And don’t kid yourself, it’s because you want to be there.
“You wear your clothes in dark colors and in loose fabrics, partly because it’s trendy, but mostly because you prefer to go overlooked.”
I looked down to see what I was wearing, hoping I’d worn something light or colorful. I wore a simple black blouse with dark blue jeans. I crossed my arms over my chest, forcing myself to believe he was only making the obvious observations.
He continued his attack. “You use big words every now then because it makes you feel superior and more intelligent. You probably do this because it’s one small way to feel like you have control over people, but it will never compare to the way your mother and sister have control over you. Or for that matter, it won’t compare to the way anybody who finds out about your ability can control you. I bet you even have Abby as a pet because you don’t have any friends.
“You’re a loner, a recluse and have been terrified for most of your life about the things you’re capable of. You probably could’ve used your ability to do some real good in this world. But you’re just selfish and scared enough to keep it all to yourself because you can’t deal.”
Rex sat back in his seat now.
I think he had more to say, but something made him shut-up. I felt the wetness at my eyes just then, and realized my lips were slightly parted.
An improbable truth, I’d underestimated him.
“You’re an asshole.” The words came out as a mere whisper, but I’d said them with enough heat and loathing that I got my point across.
“I’m only playing the game you started, babe. So if I’m an asshole, then what exactly does that make you?”
He had a point, regrettably. But his implications were still insulting.
“Don’t worry, I don’t hold it against you,” he told me, his voice softening. “Matter of fact, I almost want to congratulate you for calling things how you see them. Personally, I never cared for girls who beat around the bush. It’s pretty damned annoying.”
I stood up stiffly, trying to keep my emotions in check. “I think I’ll find another seat. Have a great day.”
He shrugged as I left the cabin. “Same to you.”
I couldn’t get out of there fast enough. I passed Lola and Gabe as I hurried down the hall.
“Is everything okay?” Lola asked with a note of concern.
“Yeah,” I said, not wanting to alarm them. “Just hungry. I guess my appetite returned after all. See you guys later.”
Before they could ask me any other questions, I bolted.
Six
I headed to the dining car, trying to forget everything that jackass said. I was determined not to let it bother me. Clearly it was in his nature to cut people down and he was good at it. I would just avoid Rex from now on. I may be stuck with him, but it didn’t mean I had to speak to him.
I planted myself in one of the booths. A few moments later a waitress greeted me with a menu.
“I’ll have a coke with cherries.”
“Coming right up, sweetie,” she said, flashing me a cheesy grin. “I’ll be back in a sec to take your order.”
I drummed my fingers on top of the table while I waited, noticing a magazine rack there. One of them caught my attention. American University.
That’s what I should be doing right now, I thought bitterly. Choosing a college. I’d been accepted to most of the ones I’d applied to. Thankfully, my SAT scores were high enough to make up for my lack of extracurriculars.
One day I’d go to college, I promised myself. One day, when this was all over.
The waitress came back quickly with my coke. Suddenly feeling famished, I ordered scrambled eggs and pancakes to go along with it.
While I waited, I stared out of the train’s window, watching the blur of greenery rush by. Something fluttered inside my stomach. The pleasant feeling caught me off guard. For the first time, I recognized how exciting it was to be going somewhere. To be going anywhere, really. Maybe the gypsy part of me was finally being exposed. I’d never realized that part of me existed. It made me wonder what other parts of me were hidden.
A shadow cast over the table, distracting my attention from the window. I l
ooked up to find three dark, hardened men standing before me. All of their expressions were extremely formidable.
“Serena?” asked a gruff voice.
The name produced a swelling of fear in the pit of my stomach. Trackers. These were the trackers Lola warned me about.
I tucked my hair behind my ear nervously, and crossed my arms over my chest. I tried to play dumb, not knowing what else to do.
In the calmest voice I could muster, I said, “I think you’ve got the wrong person.”
Dismissing them from my presence, I looked away.
They didn’t take the bait.
“She wouldn’t tell you if it was her,” whispered the man on the right.
Apparently the man in the middle held some sort of leadership within their small group.
“That can be easily remedied,” he said. His voice held the barest trace of a British accent. He grabbed my hand. I tried to jerk out of his grasp but he held tight. “I want to know if you’re the one we’re looking for. Tell me.”
I strained against the curse. I’ve never fought so hard against it before. My teeth ground together in protest, trying to protect myself from being revealed. The men glanced at each other, debating about whether or not they made a mistake.
It didn’t work. As soon as the dizziness took over, I couldn’t bear it anymore. “Yes,” I replied weakly.
“Excellent,” he said, letting go of my hand. He stared at me intently. He had cold, black eyes, which penetrated mine. “I’ve been looking for you for a very, very long time, Serena. Now get up. You’re coming with us.” Moving his dark trench coat aside, he flashed me the piece he was carrying. “Or everyone in this restaurant gets shot. And don’t think I’m bluffing, kid. I know you’d be worth it.”
All at once, time slowed down. I could hear my heart beating frantically in my chest as I debated what to do. I glanced around the diner, looking for a way out, but sadly realized there was none.
On the outside, I stayed cool, slowly bringing my cherry coke to my lips. I needed to buy some time.
Setting the glass down, I said, “Okay, then. I’ll go with you. I don’t want anyone to get hurt.” I motioned to my purse. “I’m just going to pull out a few bills for the waitress. You know, to try and act like nothing is happening here.”
He grunted, nodding his approval. I removed the bills from my wallet and placed them on the table.
I stood and walked ahead of them. Slowly. The leader of the group took hold of my arm. His fingers gripped tightly, digging into my flesh. He walked beside me, leading the way.
My eyes scanned the perimeter of the car, searching for a sign that someone knew I was in trouble, that I desperately needed help. Yet the crowd went about their own lives, eating or talking amongst themselves. No one noticed my existence.
We walked out of the car, and just like that, I was abducted. It was that easy.
I was briskly led down the next hallway and into the passenger cars. We didn’t slow down until we came upon an elderly couple walking in the opposite direction. My eyes searched theirs, pleading for them to notice that I was in trouble. They could call someone, couldn’t they? Wasn’t the train staffed with a marshal? Security? There had to be someone who could come to my rescue.
The couple smiled as they passed by. They didn’t recognize my fear. They didn’t notice my terror.
I could safely say I was doomed.
Before long, I was being shoved into one of the nearby rooms, the door sliding shut behind me with a resounding click of the lock.
“Don’t even think about screaming,” my abductor threatened me. “Or I’ll gag you.”
I nodded obediently. In truth, I didn’t know what else to do but to be obedient. I’d believed the man when he said he’d use his gun. There was just something so ruthless about him. And I couldn’t let anyone take the fall for me. I don’t think I could handle watching someone else die and knowing it was my fault.
But I couldn’t standby and let this happen either. I had to think of a way to get out of this mess. Quickly.
They toyed with me. I became their plaything. They’d questioned me endlessly, using my ability to amuse themselves.
My body was spent and my head ached from the constant presence of the curse wielding its power. I didn’t know how much more of this I could take.
Is this what my future holds? I wondered. A constant state of torment?
Tomas, the tallest of the trio, asked me how he could woo a girl in his tribe. So I told him how to win her affections. Then he asked me how he could get one grand in cash on this train. I told him how to sneak into cargo, and where he’d find a suitcase carrying that much money. Thankfully, he’d left the room so he could go and look for the cash.
I was still left with Nico, the more audacious of my kidnappers. He asked me even more questions. He asked me how to get a million dollars, how to get a free Lamborghini, how to hook up with his admired celebrities and a dozen other stupid things. His questions never stopped. He was relentless. And to make matters worse, the man’s body racked with laughter each time I was forced to answer him, finding it victorious that he could come by all these things he asked for. His laugh was obnoxiously annoying, causing me to cringe each time I heard it.
To my everlasting gratitude, the leader of the group, Xavier, ordered Nico to stop harassing me after he’d asked a question that went too far. Nico wanted to know how he could become Barosan, a sort of gypsy chief, of his tribe.
The answer actually brought a smile to my face. “Murder your current leader.”
It gave me satisfaction to know that particular task wouldn’t be so easy.
“Enough, Nico,” Xavier shouted. “You disrespect Barosan, Sal.”
“It was only a joke,” Nico said, pouting. “I just wanted to see what the girl’s answer would be.”
“Your question couldn’t be answered unless you wanted what you asked for on some level.” Xavier looked to me for confirmation. “Am I correct, Oracle?”
I nodded.
Nico sat back in his seat grudgingly. His once victorious expression faded into hard, glowering lines. I was simply happy to finally be left alone. I didn’t think I could stand one more question or another one of his awful laughs.
“Oracle, what is your name?” Xavier asked, staring. “I gather you don’t go by Serena any longer.”
“Estelle,” I replied. It sounded as if he were about to make conversation. I didn’t want to make conversation. After what the other men had put me through, the only thing I wanted to do was to lie down on a feathery bed and sleep for the next few days.
“Estelle,” he repeated. “I’ve never met an Estelle before.”
I shrugged. “It’s kind of an old fashioned name.”
“I like it,” he decided.
“Um. Thanks.”
I looked away, hoping we were done talking. Xavier scrutinized me though. I could see him doing it through my peripheral vision. He was the youngest of the men, and by far the most attractive. But there was something about him that seemed cold, maybe even cruel, that detracted from his appearance, making him appear much less handsome than he really was.
“You’re very pretty, you know.”
I stared at him blankly. What did one say when their abductors complemented their looks? I finally settled on “thanks” again.
“You remind me of that pop star. Indie something. Can’t remember her name. Not my kind of music, if you know what I mean. But you do resemble her.”
I didn’t reply to that. There was no reason for my sister to be brought into this conversation. There was no reason anyone should know that I was even remotely linked to her.
I was done with the small talk. “How did you find me?”
Xavier’s mouth curved into a smug grin. “I have my ways,” he said. “I followed your thoughts.”
I cocked my head to the side, disbelieving him. “If you can hear my thoughts, what am I thinking right now?”
You’re the douc
hebag pet cockroach of a toad.
“I can’t read your mind, Estelle.”
Probably a good thing.
He moved from his seat and crossed the room to sit next to me. I held my breath. Up close, he was even more intimidating. His black eyes held me, gauging my response to his closeness.
He traced the seat, lightly sweeping his hand across the fabric behind me. Trying my best to be subtle, I scooted as far away from him as I could manage.
He laughed, though his laughter wasn’t the friendly type. “The pet cockroach of a toad, eh?” he asked. “I’ll give you points for creativity.”
My eyes widened in surprise.
“You said you couldn’t read my thoughts,” I pointed out.
“I can’t. But if I’ve touched something you have, I can hear the thoughts you’ve left behind. Especially the loud ones, or the thoughts that hold the most emotion. That’s how I tracked you.”
“You’re not going to get away with this, you know,” I told him fiercely.
“Why don’t you think so?”
“I’m not alone. There are other gypsies on this train who will notice my disappearance. One of the men possesses a sort of mind sight. He’ll find me with his unique vision. And I’ve heard them compare his brother’s fists to bricks. He’ll murder you.”
Xavier arched a brow, seemingly more amused than anything else. “Really?” he asked dubiously. He traced my face with the back of his fingers. I flinched in response.
“You should let me go,” I warned him.
“That’s not going to happen, Oracle.”
I straightened, attempting to present myself as confident and unworried. “Just remember I told you so.”
“Are you trying to frighten me?” he asked.
“You should be frightened.” I paused, wondering where all my courage was coming from. Inwardly, I still trembled. Everything else must be a façade. Nonetheless, I kept going with it. “Gabe will find me with his mind sight. And when he does, his brother is going to crush you.”
Xavier chuckled. “I’m shaking in my boots.”
The door to our room slammed open, startling me. Rex stood there in a furious glory. I’d never been so happy to see anyone in my entire life-and I definitely never thought I’d be happy at the sight of Rex.
