[Mystic Caravan Mystery 04.0] Freaky Games

by Amanda M. Lee

  “I know I encourage you to act crazy sometimes because I find it enjoyable, but this is not one of those instances,” I continued. “You are completely out of control, and I don’t like it.”

  “I think that’s because you don’t like anything you can’t control,” Luke barked back. “Are you honestly saying you’re not lending me the money?”

  “I wouldn’t give you that money right now if you needed it for a kidney transplant.”

  “I guess I should’ve expected nothing less,” Luke sneered, glaring at me as he moved toward the door. “You always have to be right, Poet. It’s not a very attractive quality.”

  I fought to hold back tears. “Neither is this thing you’ve turned into. I … Luke … just let it go. You’ll feel so much better if you let it go.”

  “No! I think the only thing I’ll let go is you.”

  I bit the inside of my cheek, refusing to break down in front of Luke. He had the door open and I thought he was already through it when he swiveled and grabbed me by the shoulders, taking me by surprise and causing me to whimper as he shoved me against the wall.

  “I need that money, Poet! Come on. You owe me.”

  “Owe you?” Despite the situation, I wasn’t afraid of Luke. I knew he wouldn’t hurt me. Hurting himself was another matter.

  “You owe me because you’ve been putting Kade ahead of me,” Luke barked. “Where is your purse? Give me your purse!”

  “Don’t even think about it.” I grappled with Luke’s arm, struggling to shove him off me. I had the strength to cripple him if I used my mind, but I didn’t want to go that far. “Luke!”

  I widened my eyes when Luke flew off me, Kade appearing at my best friend’s elbow, his chest heaving.

  “Don’t hurt him,” I said hurriedly, a tear slipping down my cheek.

  Kade didn’t glance in my direction, instead focusing on Luke. “Get out.”

  Luke looked embarrassed as he ran his hand up and down his cheek. “This isn’t what it looks like.”

  “I know exactly what it is,” Kade replied, his tone chilly. “Get out or I’ll throw you out.”

  “You know I’m a shifter, right?” Luke challenged. “I could rip you from limb to limb.”

  In truth, Luke was capable of great bodily harm. On a normal day I wouldn’t worry about it at all. Luke was pretty far from acting like himself, though.

  “And I could make you think you’re a chicken,” I hissed, swiping at my cheeks. “Get out.”

  Luke glanced between Kade and me, conflicted. “Poet, I didn’t mean for things to get so out of control.”

  “Get out,” I repeated, my heart shredding. “I don’t want to see you right now.”

  “Poet … .” Luke was on the verge of tears.

  “Get out, Luke!”

  Luke shrank in the wake of my anger and slipped through the door. “I’m sorry.”

  I slammed shut the door as soon as he passed through it, flicking the lock before turning to face Kade. I wasn’t sure if I was heartbroken or furious. One look at Kade’s sympathetic features answered that question.

  I burst into tears as Kade tugged me toward him, wrapping his arms around me.

  “It’s okay,” Kade whispered. “It’ll be okay.”

  “What if it’s not?”

  “It’ll be okay,” Kade repeated. “He’s lost his head or something. I’m starting to think you were on to something when you said that something very bad was going on with that casino. That was not normal Luke behavior.”

  “No,” I agreed. “My Luke would never do anything of the sort.”

  Kade ran his hand down the back of my head, rocking back and forth. “It’ll be okay, honey. We’ll figure it out.”

  I buried my face into his chest, refusing to meet his gaze as he led me back toward the bedroom. I could only hope he was right.

  15

  Fifteen

  Kade tried to stay up until I fell asleep. No, really. He situated us so I rested my head on his chest, stroked the back of my head, and whispered reassurances that I’m sure he hoped would make me feel better. I appreciated the effort, but there was no way I was going to sleep tonight. But that didn’t mean he needed to be punished, too.

  I sang a lullaby to sooth him, only I did it in my head. I’m not one of those people who embraces false modesty and believes I have zero skills, but I can honestly say that I sing like a tone-deaf frog on uppers. I have zero rhythm and my tone won’t soothe anyone but people looking for a good laugh.

  That doesn’t mean I don’t know what I like and can’t project it for others.

  I picked a song from my childhood. I vaguely remembered it, although when I tried to think back to when it was first introduced to my life I came up blank. All I knew was that it was called the “Rainbow Connection” and I once heard Kermit the Frog sing it.

  Kade fought it, but drifted off less than ten minutes after I started. I was secretly relieved. He was doing his best to make me feel better – and in some ways he was achieving everything he set out to do – but he couldn’t grasp the reality of this particular situation. It wasn’t possible.

  I wasn’t afraid Luke would physically hurt me when he grabbed me. That didn’t worry me. I could protect myself and had proved it on more than one occasion. The look in his eyes, though, would haunt me for a long time. I’d never seen desperation there before, and I hoped to never see it again. I knew that wasn’t an option. Luke’s world was crumbling … and mine with it.

  I cast another glance at Kade – who slumbered peacefully – and then got out of bed. He rested deeply now, but that might not continue if I tossed, turned and sighed to my heart’s content. I wouldn’t rest, but Kade needed to because the circus would open the next day. He needed his strength.

  I didn’t close the door entirely when I left the bedroom, figuring the noise would wake him. I shut it until only a crack remained, and then grabbed my laptop before sitting on the couch. I needed to focus on something other than Luke or I’d go crazy.

  That left the mine … and the creature. They should be my top concerns anyway. We would leave this place in a few days. Hopefully Luke’s gambling mania would be abandoned at the same time. If it wasn’t, I might have to intervene in a different way. I wasn’t looking forward to broaching the subject with him.

  I typed “Gorgon Mine” into the search engine and followed a few links as I got comfortable. There were numerous stories about the mine’s history – most focusing on the tragedy, but some touching on the rumors after the fact – but nothing I found explained how the mine came by its name. That bothered me. There had to be a reason for the name.

  It took a concerted effort, but I managed to lose myself in the search. My internal clock let me know that it was after three but before five. Other than that, I didn’t care what time it was. The rising sun would alert me when I needed to focus on something other than my search.

  In truth, the research was fascinating even though I didn’t find the answers I sought. I never considered myself a history buff, but learning about turn-of-the century mining in Nevada held my full interest for a long time.

  It seemed Ned Partlow didn’t just own the one mine. He also owned Chastity Falls Mine, which was located about fifty miles from the Gorgon Mine, but didn’t yield nearly the amount of silver as the doomed location.

  “Why would you name one mine after a Greek mythological creature and another after a woman’s virtue?” I muttered, tapping away.

  I had no reason to fixate on the mine’s name, yet I couldn’t look away. I knew I was on to something. My inner self repeatedly patted me on the back every time I continued the search. Sure, I never got anywhere. Every small tidbit was another piece, though. I still had a few days to complete the puzzle.

  “Gorgon. Gorgon. Gorgon.” I murmured the name over and over, barely noticing when Kade walked out of the bedroom and wordlessly joined me on the couch. “I swear the name has to mean something.”

  “I believe you.” Kad
e ran his fingers through my hair and stared at the tangled ends. “Can I ask you something?”

  “Sure, but I have no idea why I know this is important,” I admitted. “The name will drive me crazy if I don’t figure out why it was called that in the first place. I think that helps fit things together, although I have no idea why.”

  “Not the name, honey,” Kade said. “I’ll give you whatever leeway you want on the name. You’ve earned it. And I believe you when you say it’s important.”

  I stilled. “Oh, well, what do you want to ask me?”

  “Did you put me to sleep?”

  That was a pointed … and odd … question. “Like a suffering animal?”

  Kade poked my side. “Like you didn’t want me hovering so you sang me to sleep. I have a memory of the ‘Rainbow Connection’ playing in my head. I’d forgotten all about that song. I used to love it when I was a kid.”

  My eyes sparked as I glanced at him. “Seriously? That was my favorite song. I used to run around the house singing it all of the time.”

  “I’m not sure I was much of a singer, but I liked the song.”

  “Oh, I was a terrible singer,” I admitted. “That’s why I let Kermit sing you to sleep.”

  “I knew it.” Kade made a clucking sound with his tongue as he shook his head. “Why did you do that? I thought you said it was an invasion.”

  “It’s an invasion if I go into your mind and see what you’re thinking,” I corrected. “It’s not an invasion to help you sleep. I knew you were trying to stay up for me, but it was a wasted effort. You shouldn’t have to pay because my best friend is … .” I drifted off, unsure how to finish.

  “What, Poet?” Kade prodded. “What is your best friend?”

  “Not himself.”

  “No, he’s not,” Kade agreed, sliding his hand to my knee and giving it a squeeze. “I’m extremely bothered by this situation. I’m going to have a talk with Luke this afternoon.”

  “How do you think that will help?”

  Kade shrugged. “I don’t know that it will, but it’s not okay for him to put his hands on you like that.”

  “He didn’t hurt me.”

  “That’s not the point.” Kade slipped a hank of my hair behind my ear. “Poet, it’s not okay for him to do what he did last night. Under different circumstances I would’ve beat the crap out of him. He’s your best friend, though, and I don’t want to overstep my bounds.”

  “Thank you.”

  “That doesn’t mean I’ll let him hurt you,” Kade added. “I know I’m walking a fine line here, potentially inserting myself into your private business even though you might not want it, but I won’t let him hurt you.”

  “Luke would never physically hurt me,” I argued. “It’s not in him. He could’ve technically shifted into a wolf last night and killed both of us with minimal effort, but he didn’t do that.”

  “You said you could control him should he try.”

  “I can but … .”

  “You won’t,” Kade finished. “I get it, and I appreciate it. You have a lot of power, but you don’t want to use it to control others. That’s why only people like you should have that much power. Others would abuse it.”

  That was one of the nicest things anyone had ever said to me. “Can I ask you a question?”

  “I asked you one, so it only seems fair.”

  “I … um … have you ever considered that you may have a magical ability or two?”

  Whatever he was expecting, that wasn’t it. Kade stiffened at the question and arched an eyebrow as he shifted his eyes to me. “I … what?”

  I could’ve backed down, but we’d gone this far. It didn’t seem like the time to erect an emotional barrier between us. “Max is a mage,” I reminded him. “He’s the most powerful being I’ve ever been in contact with. I know you haven’t gotten a chance to see him in action much because he’s been hiding, but he’s a complete and total badass.”

  “That’s good to know,” Kade said dryly, shifting his eyes to the window. “Do you want to get an early breakfast with me? I figured we could find an all-night diner and spend some time alone before we have to face the day.

  It was a nice suggestion, but there was no way I could back down now. “It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it. I don’t blame you if that’s the case. Just … say it.”

  Kade tilted his head to the side as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t know how I feel about it,” he said after a beat. “It’s something I managed to put out of my mind when I was focused on being angry with you.”

  “Can I ask you another question?”

  “This is starting to get painful,” Kade muttered, although he nodded. “Go for it.”

  “Why do you think you were angrier with me than Max at the beginning?”

  “I wasn’t,” Kade immediately answered. “I know it probably felt that way to you – and I really wanted to hate you there for a little bit. I’m sorry if that hurts your feelings, but in the end it was Max who hurt me, and my anger with him was much worse than my anger with you.”

  “I hurt you, too.”

  “You did and you didn’t,” Kade clarified. “The first lie you told was to protect the circus. I don’t blame you for that, and I’ll be part of the magical cover-up from here on out. The first rule of Mystic Caravan is that you don’t tell strangers what you’re really up to until you have a better feel for them. I totally get that.

  “I don’t blame you for that at all. Even though I was surprised and confused when I found out the truth, you did the right thing,” he continued. “The second lie was different, but I understand how you got caught up in it.”

  “It was still wrong.”

  “It was, but … everyone tells a lie or two over the course of a lifetime, Poet,” Kade said, mustering a rueful smile. “You love Max. You were caught in a bad position because you didn’t want to betray him.”

  “But in keeping the secret about Max being your father I betrayed you,” I reminded him. “I didn’t want to do it, but I did it all the same.”

  “You did your best,” Kade corrected. “I think you always do your best. I also think you have a tendency to carry the weight of the world inside of you. There are a lot of people here who like you, who want to help you. I’m one of them.

  “What happened with the Max secret was unfortunate, but I’m not sure the bulk of my reaction had to do with you,” he continued. “Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t happy. I was hurt and angry, and I believe I had a right to those feelings.”

  “You totally did.”

  Kade tweaked my nose, amused. “I also think it was easier to be angry with you than Max, because he ran away and hid. You took my verbal punches on the chin. I was mean to you when I was angry with him. I’m not sure that was fair.”

  “You weren’t mean to me,” I countered. “You were … thinking, dealing with stuff. You have a right to your feelings.”

  “I did,” Kade agreed. “I did not have a right to purposely try to drive you insane by hanging out with Raven. I knew what I was doing, and that it would drive you batty.”

  I straightened. “I knew it!”

  Kade smirked at my outrage. “Of course you did. I’m fairly transparent where you’re concerned.”

  I grinned as I leaned over and kissed him. “I’m still sorry. I’m glad we made up.”

  Kade returned the smile. “I am, too.” We lapsed into companionable silence for a few moments, Kade rubbing my shoulders before he broke the comfortable spell settling over the room. “I’m still going to talk to Luke. He can’t treat you the way he did last night.”

  “That wasn’t Luke,” I argued. “My Luke would never do something like that.”

  “So … why did he do it?”

  “I don’t know, but I have a sneaking suspicion something is going on at that casino.”

  Kade cocked a curious eyebrow. “Something magical?”

  “It’s not out of the realm of possibility,” I rep
lied. “We told you that this place was swimming with paranormal entities. That wasn’t an exaggeration. It wouldn’t surprise me if someone realized magic could be a way to make a whole lot of money.”

  “But … how would they do it?”

  “I don’t know the specifics, obviously, but I’m guessing that they mark new people when they come through the door,” I replied. “They monitor how much money they’re spending and allow them to win the first time. I always thought it was odd that all four of them managed to win right out of the gate.”

  “And then all four of them lost the next night,” Kade mused. “It makes sense. Go on.”

  “What if they set it up so they would win, weave a little spell or implant a suggestion that winning is somehow necessary, and then sent them on their way?” I asked. “Luke is manic about gambling. He thinks he’s going to win that money back. I’ve never known Luke to act like this. It can’t be accidental.”

  “So what do you want to do?”

  “I don’t know,” I replied, shaking my head. “One part of me – the bad part – wants to poke inside his head to see if I can find a psychic suggestion anchored there.”

  “Can you do that?”

  I nodded. “It’s invasive. I would never do it without permission unless … .”

  “Unless what?”

  “Unless I believe Luke is in real danger of losing himself,” I replied. “I won’t rule it out because I will protect Luke no matter what, but I won’t do it without being invited unless I absolutely have no other choice.”

  “Have you considered asking Nixie or Naida to let you poke around in their minds?” Kade asked. “They might be more open to it because they don’t seem quite as manic as Luke.”

  “I noticed that too,” I said. “They’re both strong psychic transmitters, so that might have something to do with it. That’s an idea.”

  “You also might be able to bribe Nellie into letting you inside his mind with a new dress,” Kade added. “I’ll help you pick it out if it comes to it.”

  I snorted, amused. “That’s not a bad idea. I’ll definitely consider it.”