Romani Blood (Shifter Blood: Romani Curse Book 1)

by Frances Trilone

  “It doesn’t matter.”

  “They came here to protect us.”

  “Do you really believe that?” He shook his head. “This is my fault. I told the Elders what Ethan and Carter were up to. I should’ve listened to Ethan and let them kill Kaleb.”

  “You did the right thing.” I touched his shoulder, understanding why Drina loved him so much. He was the reason Carter hadn’t gone through with his plan—the reason Kaleb was still alive. “Kaleb signed the agreement.”

  “You don’t understand. He added a few clauses to the original agreement Tobias made. The Elders didn’t want to fight him on it, so they agreed.” Victor glanced into the street again. “We need a distraction. Something to—”

  “Great idea. I’ll distract the wolf, and you grab Drina.”

  His eyes widened. “Are you crazy?”

  “Trust me.” I pulled my knife out and stepped into the street, hoping the wolf that had Drina cornered was a Norwood wolf.

  I wanted to ask Victor what clauses Kaleb had added to the agreement, but there was no time. We needed to rescue Drina and get back inside the house. Besides, I could always ask him later.

  “Get back here.” Victor tried to grab my arm.

  I mouthed stick to the plan and hurried toward Drina’s voice. What exactly was the plan? Distract the wolf so Victor and Drina could get away. It sounded simple, but what if this wolf wasn’t from Norwood Isle? Maybe I could use my knife and fend it off until help arrived.

  In the distance, Drina pressed her back against a car as the wolf growled. She yanked on the car door handle several times, but the door didn’t open.

  “Drina!” I shouted, running toward her.

  She waved her arms in the air. “Get back to the house.”

  “Not without you.” I slowly walked past the wolf, keeping my gaze on him. His growling stopped when our eyes met. Maybe he recognized me. “Are you from Norwood Isle?”

  The wolf’s ears perked up, his gaze shifting from Drina to me.

  She grabbed my hand. “Where’s Victor?”

  “He’s coming.” I gripped the knife tighter and stepped in front of Drina, holding myself straight and tall. What was taking Victor so long? He needed to grab Drina. “Get to Nadya’s house.”

  “No. We need to stick together,” she said. I tried to move away, but she wouldn’t let go of my hand.

  “Run back to Nadya’s house.”

  The wolf snarled, taking a step closer.

  “I can’t.” Drina squeezed my hand. “What if there’s another wolf?”

  “Victor’s waiting for you. You’ll be fine. Trust me.”

  “I can’t leave you, Sienna.”

  The wolf’s snarling stopped. His gaze fixated on me as he took three steps back. He let out a long, deep howl followed by several short ones.

  Victor appeared next to Drina and grabbed her hand. “Let’s go!”

  They took off running toward Nadya’s house, where Uncle Henry and the Elders stood on the front porch, frantically waving. I followed but didn’t make it far before the wolf slammed into my legs.

  I hit the ground hard and rolled over onto my back as my knife landed next to me. I quickly grabbed it as the wolf clamped its mouth onto my boot and dragged me down the street, past several cars.

  “Sienna!” Drina screamed my name. She and Victor had made it to Nadya’s front porch.

  My heart pounded loudly as I kicked the wolf in the head with my other boot. He growled, pulling me farther down the street, away from Nadya’s house. I kicked again and again, yelling Kaleb’s name.

  The wolf finally released me as someone fired warning shots into the air. Probably Victor, hoping the sound would scare the wolf.

  Groaning, I stood and held my knife out.

  The wolf didn’t move. He seemed more interested in something behind me. I turned around, expecting to see Kaleb.

  Instead, Lexi confronted me in human form. Definitely, the last Norwood wolf I’d expected to see.

  Chapter 37

  “I’m glad you’re here.” I slipped my hunting knife inside my boot and saw Mom in the distance. She stood on Nadya’s front porch, swinging a baseball bat at a wolf. “Can you tell the wolf to back off?”

  Lexi’s eyebrows arched. “Why would I do that?”

  “Aren’t you here to help?”

  “You think I came to help you?” She laughed. “No. I’m taking what’s mine.”

  The wolf that had dragged me into the street joined the other wolf at Nadya’s porch. They snarled and snapped, allowing no one to leave the house.

  Mom screamed my name, telling me to run, but how could I outrun a wolf?

  I looked Lexi straight in the eye, hating that Kaleb belonged to her. Is that what she meant by ‘taking what’s mine’? Did she know about Kaleb and me? “What are you talking about?”

  “I want you gone.”

  “You got what you wanted. Kaleb picked you as his mate.”

  “Did he tell you that?” Her eyes narrowed. “He didn’t pick me. He made a deal with his dad. If he signs the agreement, the Norwood wolves are sworn to protect you.”

  “No. He broke up with me. He said—”

  “It was part of the deal.” Her mouth curved into a frown. “He had to choose between your happiness and your life. He chose your life. That’s why he broke up with you.”

  That didn’t make any sense. No one knew I’d warned them about Ethan’s plan involving the Kingsley wolves. Why would Kaleb think I needed protection?

  “I’ve seen the way he looks at you. It’s pathetic. You’re a gypsy.”

  “You can’t do this.” I shook my head. “You said it yourself. The Norwood wolves are sworn to protect me.”

  “I don’t care about Asher’s orders or what the agreement says. When the Rocklin alpha hears I killed a gypsy, he’ll take me back. He won’t care that I killed those other girls.”

  “You killed Jenny and Paige?” I gasped. “But Jenny did nothing to you.”

  “She wrote her phone number on Kaleb’s arm, and when he kept going back to the café, I put two and two together. Imagine my surprise when I saw him kiss you in front of the café. If he and Markus hadn’t heard you shouting for him that night, I would’ve killed you.”

  “That was you in the middle of the road?” I wiped beads of sweat from my forehead, trying to calm my breathing. Jenny’s death was my fault. She’d still be alive if Kaleb hadn’t come to see me at the café. “You’re not supposed to kill on sacred ground. The agreement says—”

  “Weren’t you listening?” Lexi snapped. “I don’t care about the stupid agreement.”

  “The Norwood wolves won’t let you get away with this. Asher will—”

  “Asher won’t do anything. He’ll be glad I killed you.”

  I glanced over my shoulder at the two wolves guarding everyone on Nadya’s front porch. “Are those Rocklin wolves?”

  “No. I’ve made friends with a few lone wolves. They have no loyalty to anyone, especially the gypsies.”

  “Don’t do this,” I begged, trying to stall her attack on me as I searched the woods. Where were Kaleb and Markus? They wouldn’t let this happen.

  “Kaleb’s not coming. He’s too far away—running after another lone wolf.” She ran her tongue along her sharp teeth. “But I’ll play fair and give you a head start.”

  A loud crackle and a thud rippled through the night air. Lexi shapeshifted into a red wolf, leaving shredded clothing on the street. She bared her teeth and then howled.

  I ran in the opposite direction, wanting to lead Lexi away from Nadya’s house. I couldn’t risk putting anyone else in danger.

  I needed a place to fight her. Somewhere I could have an advantage and find another weapon besides the hunting knife in my boot. Every house I passed seemed like a bad idea. What if their doors were locked? Lexi would corner me on the porch and finish me off.

  A small green light glowed down the street. What had Drina said about Marie’s h
ouse? No one would go there. Not even the wolves.

  As I ran toward Marie’s house, Lexi slammed into my body, sending me sprawling farther down the street. I screamed out in pain as my back hit a mailbox and I slid along the sidewalk. I wanted to catch my breath, but I didn’t have time as Lexi stalked toward me.

  I pulled out my hunting knife and staggered toward Marie’s house as fast as I could. If I made it there, I had a fighting chance. At least, I hoped I did. What if Drina was wrong; what if the wolves weren’t scared?

  I glanced over my shoulder and then stepped into Marie’s yard. I took another step, and another, and another until I was halfway in the yard.

  The green light vanished.

  I limped toward the front porch, staring at the broken windows on the first floor. There was no sign of the green light and no sign of Marie’s ghost. I’m not sure what I’d expected to happen. A small part of me had hoped to see her ghost, just as Drina had many years ago. Would a witch ghost have magic powers?

  Lexi stopped at the edge of Marie’s yard. She whimpered and pawed at the ground. Her gaze locked onto mine as her nostrils flared and she stepped into Marie’s yard.

  I didn’t need to read her mind to know what she was thinking. I was easy prey, and she knew it. Nothing would stop her from coming after me.

  “I don’t want to hurt you.” I held the knife out, taking deep breaths. I limped into the middle of the yard and prepared to fight.

  She snorted and ran at me.

  As she got closer, I braced myself and swung the knife, nicking one of her front legs. She knocked me down and I quickly rolled onto my side, determined to not be easy prey. But as soon as I stood, Lexi hit me from behind and I landed on my stomach. She jumped onto my back, pushing my shoulders into the ground with her large paws.

  I squirmed, trying to push her off, but she weighed too much. She bit into my shoulder and I screamed as pain shot down my arm. The pain intensified in my shoulder, and then it went numb.

  Lexi released me and looked up. Something had caught her attention at the far end of the street, near Nadya’s house.

  Two wolves stood there, one black and one brown. The black wolf howled and ran toward us while the brown wolf followed closely behind.

  “Kaleb,” I murmured as Lexi howled to the other wolves.

  One of the wolves left Nadya’s house and ran toward Kaleb and Markus. The wolf hit Kaleb head-on and sent him crashing into a parked car. A second wolf came charging out of the woods and jumped on Markus. They rolled around together and crashed into Kaleb.

  “Sienna!” Mom screamed. Her voice sounded close. Too close.

  I lifted my head off the ground and caught sight of Mom. She moved toward us, fighting her way by swinging a baseball bat at a wolf. Victor moved beside her, lashing out with a knife.

  “Looks like Mommy wants to play.” A naked Lexi in human form now sat on my back. She sniffed the air. “Aw, Mommy smells sick. Maybe I should end her misery.”

  “Don’t you touch her!” I yelled.

  Lexi shapeshifted into a wolf and jumped off me, her eyes focused on Mom.

  I gathered every bit of strength and stood, searching the yard for my hunting knife, or anything else I could use as a weapon—anything to stop her from going after Mom. If I didn’t stop Lexi, she’d kill Mom, and then finish me off.

  I ran toward Lexi and jumped onto her back, determined to keep this fight between the two of us. I had no hunting knife, no weapon. Nothing to fight her with, except for my bare hands.

  I punched her in the head and wrapped my arms around her neck as she whipped her body back and forth. She thrashed around until my grip on her weakened. When she turned to bite me, I pulled my arm away and bit down hard on one of her ears.

  Lexi screeched and threw me off her back as I spat out fur and blood. I hit the ground hard. She jumped on top of me, pinning me down with her body. She bared her teeth and slowly leaned toward my neck, letting her saliva drip onto the bite mark on my shoulder.

  Each drop burned into my wound as my heartbeat pounded in my ears. There was screaming and howling, but all I could hear was Mom’s voice. She yelled Marie’s name. She begged Marie to help.

  Lexi threw her head back and howled as I felt around on the ground beside us.

  I needed my hunting knife if I wanted to survive. At least with a weapon, I’d have a fighting chance because biting her ear had done nothing but piss her off.

  Lexi’s head whipped toward the house as a green glow appeared on the front porch.

  “Marie,” I uttered as the green light flickered then disappeared. Something caught my attention. My hunting knife lay at the bottom of the porch steps.

  Maybe Mom yelling Marie’s name and asking for help wasn’t so crazy, but the green glow had done nothing to frighten Lexi, and my knife was too far from me.

  As she turned to me again, I stretched my hand out, willing the knife to be in my grasp. I whispered Marie’s name and screamed as Lexi sank her teeth into my left shoulder again. My entire shoulder went numb as I screamed again, shouting for Mom, telling her I loved her.

  Something hit my hand. Something hard.

  My hunting knife.

  Even as a ghost, Marie still had powers. Is that why Mom had yelled her name?

  I grabbed the knife and plunged it into Lexi’s chest over and over.

  Lexi howled and shapeshifted into human form. She touched the hunting knife in her chest, staring at the blood on her hands. “You can’t. You’re just a Romani.”

  “Nobody threatens my mom.” I pushed her off and scooted away, not wanting her close. She pulled the knife out of her chest and tossed it aside.

  She frowned as she tried to shapeshift, but was too weak. “That’s not possible.”

  I got to my feet, swaying as I fell backward. Someone caught me.

  Markus lowered me to the ground and held me in his arms. “You’re gonna be okay. I got you.”

  “Mom.” The words came out hoarse, but they were clear enough to make Markus glance toward Mom and Victor. The wolf still snarled at them as they tried to make their way into Marie’s yard.

  Markus called out, but I couldn't hear what he said. My gaze lowered to Lexi’s naked body lying near the front porch. She had her arms wrapped around a large black wolf. He nudged her neck and then pulled away, letting out a fierce howl, which rattled every window in the house.

  The black wolf looked at me with those warm, forest-green eyes I loved so much. He let out a soft whimper and walked toward me.

  “This is for your own good.” Markus lifted my bloody shirt, exposing my bare skin.

  “What?” I gazed at Markus, feeling confused and exhausted. I was much too weak to understand what he meant, but I trusted him.

  The black wolf sniffed my bare skin and then sank his teeth into the right side of my stomach. I screamed and passed out.

  Chapter 38

  I drifted in and out of consciousness. Images flashed through my mind: Uncle Henry talking to Bill, Mom holding my hand, Drina crying, Markus telling me to wake up… and Kaleb.

  Kaleb’s face.

  Kaleb’s eyes.

  Kaleb whispering my name.

  I woke in an unfamiliar room. I was dressed in sweatpants and a white t-shirt. The bare walls smelled freshly painted, and the furniture all looked new, including a bookcase overflowing with books and magazines. Neatly stacked boxes sat in the far corner, near an open window that allowed a warm breeze into the room.

  Pain shot down my back as I tried to sit up. I took a deep breath, wiggled my toes, and tapped my fingers on the bed. All of my limbs were still intact and my face felt fine, although bandages covered my neck, left shoulder, and the side of my stomach. Despite the dull ache and soreness, I was surprised that the pain wasn’t worse. Somehow, I’d survived a fight with a wolf. But how long was I safe? Would the other wolves come after me next?

  The clock on the nightstand read 1:00 p.m. which explained the rumble in my stomach, but not why
I was in a strange room in the middle of the day.

  A movement to my right caused me to freeze. Kaleb, dressed in blue jeans and a black t-shirt, slept in a sofa chair. His right hand rested on his chest, holding Dad’s copy of Romeo and Juliet.

  “I thought I heard you moving around.” Mom entered the bedroom, carrying a glass of water. She set the glass on the nightstand. “Are you hungry? Norma brought stew over.”

  I rubbed my eyes, ignoring her question. Why hadn’t she freaked out at the sight of Kaleb? I must be dreaming. “What’s he doing here?”

  “He insisted on staying with you.” Her tone sounded calm. Kaleb slept not even five feet from me, and she didn’t seem to care. She pulled two pillows out of the closet and propped them behind me, allowing me to sit up comfortably. “I’ll make him leave if you want me to.”

  I didn’t know how to respond. Why did Mom think she could make Kaleb listen to her? Had I died and woken up in an alternate universe? She should be screaming, telling me to run.

  “I don’t understand.” I shook my head as Mom sat on the bed. “Whose bedroom is this?”

  “It’s your bedroom.” The smile disappeared from her face, and she handed me the glass of water. “You were in the hospital for a few days. I told you we had a new home. You don’t remember? It’s been almost two weeks since you were attacked.”

  “That can’t be right.” I took a sip of water and set the glass on the nightstand. How had I lost two weeks of my life? It didn’t make any sense.

  “The doctors said you might have some memory loss.” She covered my hand with hers. “What’s the last thing you remember?”

  “We were at a party. The Norwood wolves were there.” I took a deep breath. “Nadya accused me of kissing someone in the gazebo. She said—”

  “No one cares about that now.” She sighed. “Do you remember going outside? You and Victor went looking for Drina. The wolves came after you, and you killed one of them.”

  My chest tightened. I glanced at Kaleb, expecting him to speak. “Are you sure she’s dead? The wolves heal really fast.”