by CC Dragon
“Yeah?” I paused.
“Thanks. I know we’re not really gypsies, but thanks. If you treat people like they don’t matter, they have nothing to lose, and they’ll act out. It’s a vicious cycle,” Iris said.
“Glad college is paying off. No cutting class for manis and pedis, so sort out the schedule and text me. But not before six a.m.” I trudged up the stairs and just wanted to crash.
Chapter Nineteen
By ten a.m. the next day, I was showered, dressed, and the news about me being single was all over the café and the coven. The texts were numerous but supportive. I finished my first coffee of the day as the twins came back from their morning class.
“Nothing until this afternoon. Derrick squeezed us in at eleven,” Iris said.
“Sounds good.” I went for an iced coffee, this time. “Did I really throw Bran into his car last night?”
Violet nodded. “Are you sorry?”
“No. I’m shocked he didn’t fight back.” I’d never really been in a fight. Not a fair one. When I was picked on as a kid, I could use magic to settle score, and they’d never know. Bran could’ve done some damage in return.
“He seemed sort of old fashioned. Really polite and stuff. I don’t think he’d hit a woman,” Iris said.
“That’s his choice, and it might be nice, but that doesn’t excuse prejudice. There are some bad gypsies, like there are bad people in every subculture on the planet. All gypsies aren’t bad.” I sat at my table and kept an eye on the clock.
“True, but the nomadic tendency made a lot of people suspicious. It was easy to blame them when they left and no one had to face them, anymore. I’m not saying it’s fair, but most people don’t know about the hunting of bad paranormal creatures. Can’t blame the humans for what you’re keeping from them.” Iris shrugged.
“But Bran isn’t human. He knows the value of the gypsy community in keeping the peace. Do you think powerful wizards like him want to go out and hunt down the killer vamps and weres? That’s beneath a man like him. Even using a spell, he wouldn’t be bothered. He and his family aren’t in danger from those creatures,” I said.
“So, he doesn’t want to kill anyone? That’s good,” Iris said.
“It means he doesn’t care about humans. If they live or die,” Violet said.
“What was I thinking?” I asked.
“You didn’t know him that well. Esme is the oddball here. She’s been friendly with them for decades,” Iris said.
“I get wanting to know others with big magical powers. But there’s a difference between knowing them and seriously dating them.” I sipped my coffee.
Violet nodded. “You’re lucky you found out. If you’d married him or gotten pregnant, it’d be a lot harder to get away.”
“Has he called or anything?” Iris asked.
“Nope. He’s too smart to grovel over the phone. At the very least, he’ll let me cool off before he tries to make his case. If he even wants to talk to me. I blasted him out of my café and pinned him down.” I looked at my hands.
“If you’re more powerful than he is now, he might be freaked. Guys don’t like that. No matter how enlightened they act.” Violet frowned.
“Doesn’t matter. I’m done. Let’s go to Derrick’s,” I said.
It was a short drive, and Derrick was quick with the hugs. He didn’t ask a million questions, which meant the twins had filled him in.
“My mama wants to talk to you, Claudia, but she’s out with her lunch group. She’ll be back by the time you’re done.” Derrick led us to them manicure tables in the back.
I picked a sparkly dark red and let the manicurist start taking off my old polish.
“You don’t usually go red,” Iris said.
“Sometimes, red just feels right.” I smiled.
“Lose the rings, hon,” said the manicurist.
I’d forgotten about the gypsy rings. “Sorry.” I took them off
“Did you text the gypsy sisters?” I asked Violet.
“Yeah, they’re looking into claiming Trela’s body. It won’t be the flash and big funeral they do for family, but they will bury her in gypsy fashion.” Violet smiled.
“They should be here soon,” Iris said.
“Who else did you invite?” I asked.
“No, they aren’t getting anything done. Just to check on you,” Iris said.
“I’m fine,” I said.
“You stood up and put your neck out there for gypsies. They need to know. Dad can’t even believe it.,” Violet said.
“He walked away from that life. And I wouldn’t trade with Belle or Viv to save my life, but that doesn’t mean their culture is less than mine or anyone’s. I dumped my boyfriend. I didn’t win some legal case or change the world.”
We were in the pedicure thrones by the time Viv and Belle showed up. They examined the rings in person.
“Definitely gypsy designs and probably made by gypsies as well. Not worth a lot but nice,” Belle said.
“You guys should take them. I shouldn’t be wearing them.” I waved the rings in their direction.
“Can’t. That’s against the rules. A dead gypsy’s possessions are burned or sold to a Gorger. I don’t want this woman haunting me,” Viv said.
“Right. Gypsy death superstitions. Can’t say the name. Can’t keep the property. So unique,” I said. I turned to Violet and Iris. “You two want them?”
They both scrunched their noses and shook their heads.
“Why not?” I asked.
“Dad would freak,” Iris said.
“He’d believe we’d be haunted,” Violet added.
“Funky rings are a terrible thing to waste.” I slid them over my sparkly red nails.
The pedicurist stood. “You’re all good.”
“Thanks.” I flexed my toes.
“Claudia, Mama’s back.” Derrick said.
“We have to get back to work, anyway. Lunch, soon. Thanks.” Belle hugged me. Then, Viv did the same.
“Soon, lunch,” I agreed.
I headed to the front where the office was set. Genie insisted it be there, so she’d catch anyone who tried to avoid paying, but she and Derrick made use of every inch of their place. Hair and nails took up one room. There was a storage closet in the back, a washroom, and this space that felt more like a closet. It had the electric panel in it, but she’d made it homey with a tiny desk and recliner.
I knocked on the open door.
“Come in and close that.” Genie nodded.
I closed the door and took the guest seat.
“What’s up?” I asked.
“I’m sorry to hear about your breakup. Bran, well, he’s one of the good ones in that family. Not everyone is good, but he means well, and his mother, too. But some of them? You’re better off without that mess,” she said.
“Why didn’t you tell me that before?” I asked.
She tapped her long gel nails done in neon orange on the desk. “You were happy. It boosted your magic. You deserve to be happy and needed to flex your powers. Finding the right man takes time. It’ll happen. And the gypsies now adore you. I mean, really. You always had the paranormals who needed help, but having the gypsies on your side, that’s unique. They usually reject outsiders as a group.”
“That’s all nice. Am I here for a pep talk?” I asked.
She shook her head. “I heard about this last night. I know one of the maids who works at the mansion. I cornered Bran, and I got the truth out of him. You shook him up. I just had to rattle his cage.”
My heart pounded, and I thought I might pass out. “Okay.”
“Deep breath. You’re not a gypsy. Your dad wasn’t a criminal or anything to be ashamed of. But the story you’ve heard isn’t quite accurate,” she said.
My mother went dry. “Do you have a water or something?”
“Sure, baby. Here.” She grabbed a bottle of water from a mini fridge behind the recliner.
I opened the bottle then took a slow sip. �
�Thanks. What’s the truth?”
“You want your cousins here?” she asked.
“They already know. I need the truth. Please,” I said.
“I hear you. Your mother was killed by a werewolf. She was trying to see if she could communicate with a werewolf once they’d shifted. It turned on her,” Genie said.
“Then, it killed my dad, and my uncle killed the werewolf before it got to me. That’s the same story,” I said.
“It’s not. You’ve been told there was another person there. There wasn’t. The werewolf wasn’t a random experiment. The werewolf that killed your mother was your father.”
My jaw dropped, but no words came out.
“I know. I know it’s hard to believe. To hear. By all accounts, they loved each other. Your mother trusted him. She didn’t think he’d ever hurt her or you. Your uncle killed your father. He didn’t know it at the time. He got the werewolf before it got to you. So, the story you had was mostly true. That makes a lie much easier to tell and keep going.”
“Very easy. Just throw in another rogue werewolf. It fits my mother’s work. They made them both victims.” I shook my head.
“They told it that way, so you wouldn’t hate your father. What good would that do? He got bitten young. Your mom fell in love with him—she took a foolish chance in trusting that love can overcome all, and thankfully, your uncle made it there in time to save you,” Genie said.
I nodded. “How did my uncle know? Why didn’t my mother use her magic to stop my dad?” I asked.
“I can’t answer that. Being attacked by the man you love, wolf or not, she might’ve been in shock. Maybe she tried to get to you and thought she’d use her magic, then. Unless we were there, we can’t know that level of detail,” she said.
I took a deep breath, then another drink of water. “My dad was a werewolf.”
“Feels like a letdown that it wasn’t more earth shattering?” she asked.
“No, I mean it’s shocking that he killed my mother. It’s twisted, somehow, but makes sense. Sort of. She wanted to help weres. Why wouldn’t she fall in love with one of them?” I said.
“And I don’t need to tell you that, when shifted, werewolves don’t remember family. They attack and are aggressive to anyone in their way. It was a tragedy, but there’s no one to blame or hunt down. You were lucky,” she said.
“Yeah. Thanks for telling me and getting it out of Bran.” I stood and hugged her in that massive recliner.
“No problem. He was mostly defeated. You did a number on him,” she said.
“He earned it.” I rubbed my neck.
“Maybe he’ll learn from it and be a better wizard and a better man. People can change,” she said.
“So, what’s with Derrick and the detective? Do you approve?” I asked.
“The man has as job, wears a suit, and treats my baby like a treasure. I approve. He did close the case on that gypsy girl as a suicide, but death by spell won’t hold up in court.” Genie grinned.
“I understand. He’d better treat Derrick well,” I said.
“I got that covered. But I don’t think we can tell him about the magical side of our family. He’s not one for the paranormal, so far.” She frowned.
“Well, no one is perfect. You can bring him around to that,” I said.
“If this sticks, I’m going to bring them around to adopting an adorable little baby girl, first. I need a mini me around here to dress up and try on wigs with,” Genie said.
“That would be adorable. Genie and little Genie,” I said.
“Oh, hon, don’t get my hopes up. Now, you go on home. You look like you could use a nap.” Genie waved me toward the door.
I nodded. “It’s been a lot. I don’t know how I’ll deal with my family.”
“When you’re ready, you’ll know. Don’t push it,” she said.
“Thanks.” I exited the tiny office and bumped into Derrick, who was waiting.
He gave me a big hug. “I sent the cousins home. They were worried you’d be pissed they didn’t tell you. I can take you home if you want.”
“Thanks. You should go have lunch with your detective,” I teased.
“He’s busy on a new case. But he is hot and good. They don’t make them like that, anymore,” he said.
“I know. No one is perfect but give him a good chance.” I looked at the door. “I’ll walk home. What’s the damage?”
“No, on the house for you. The twins paid. You needed some spa therapy,” he said.
“That’s not how you run a business, Derrick,” I said.
“You have given me many a breakup latte and scone. We’re even. But come in Friday morning at nine, and we’ll do your hair. I’ll charge you for the purple.” He winked.
“Fine. Text me a reminder,” I said.
“Done. I’ll give you the dirt on my new boyfriend, then.” He waved.
I left, not sure where I was headed.
Chapter Twenty
There was a time when I’d have said Bran was smart. Showing up at my café a day after I’d learned the secret about myself he’d been privy to? Not smart.
I’d stayed in bed late this morning, but luckily, I was dressed and ready when I felt him enter the café. I stomped down the stairs coldly.
“Get out,” I said.
“Claudia, let’s talk. I know you were upset. But there’s a lot of complicated things that are going on.”
“What? What is so complicated that you think you can keep secrets from me?” I asked.
The customers were staring at us. Some left, but the fury in me overruled any concern.
“Let’s go upstairs,” he said.
I walked up the stairs to the second floor and stopped there. “What?”
He came closer, and I blasted the floor at his feet. “Stay back. I don’t want to be close to you.”
“Your family is very different from mine. I’ve been trying to ease you into things,” he began.
“No. This isn’t only about the gypsy thing. It would’ve helped if you’d said, my family is prejudiced, but I don’t share that view. You never did, so I assume part of you feels the same. And every family has weird and upsetting members who are on crazy missions or have extreme opinions. My aunt is a hippie. I can accept you aren’t your family, but you kept a secret from me.” I shoved him magically.
He fell to the floor. “Go ahead. Get it out of your system.”
“You’re not even defending yourself?” I asked.
“I couldn’t hurt you. Your father killed your mother. He was coming for you. I couldn’t even handle it. A gypsy saved your life, and my aunt just killed one. It was like a cosmic joke.” He raked his fingers through his hair.
“Right. It wasn’t that I’m half werewolf? That wasn’t an issue? If I don’t take the potion, I’ll shift. I know that much about werewolves. One parent is a werewolf, you get another werewolf.” I shot back. The hunters usually didn’t have to deal with born werewolves as much as new ones freshly bitten—if you were raised a werewolf, you were taught to take your potion and use care at the full moon. Some rebelled but at that point it didn’t matter how they became wolfie.
“I need to think more about that. I don’t want you mad at me,” he said.
I folded my arms. “Poor little rich boy doesn’t get his way. I’m mad, and that’s not going away anytime soon. I don’t need you. I’m not in this magical social structure where your opinion matters to my life one bit. I hope, if your aunt wanted to kill me, she’d come at me directly and not use a sneaky spell.”
“She wanted to you in the family until she found out about the gypsy connection,” he said.
“So, she’ll be happy I dumped you,” I said.
“No. She wants your powers in the family. You’re not a gypsy. We have werewolves in the family. You think we’ll reject Harry’s kids?” he asked.
“Harry was bitten. He wasn’t born that way,” I said.
“He was slow and let his guard down. You had
no control over that. You’re less responsible than he is. We wouldn’t hold that against you. As long as you take the potion, it’s fine,” he said.
“Oh, thank you. It’s fine. It’s okay with you. I meet your minimum pedigree requirements? We’re not a pair of purebred dogs. You kept secrets me and were evaluating me behind my back? I’m so done,” I said.
No one was asking why I hadn’t shifted before. Someone had to be slipping me the potion monthly. Aunt Mandy or Esme...no wonder the cousins had to know. They had to be in on it to make sure I got it month after month. It made so much sense, now. I wasn’t pushed to go to college, because I’d be away from the family. My aunt didn’t need to work, but she did in my café, along with my cousins, to keep an eye on me. They’d all gone through a lot of work to keep this secret.
He took a deep breath. “You shouldn’t be so hasty. You don’t know what you’re rejecting.”
“I get it. Your family is big and powerful. What are you, the magical Sopranos?” I asked.
He smiled and looked down. “You belong in a strong magical family. Your mother and aunt, they’re charitable, and that’s nice. You can follow their lead and be nothing. Seriously, magic-wise, they’re nothing. They help people and harm no one. No one is scared of them. Respect for them comes from what they do for others. Not their power or connections,” he said.
Sopranos. Nailed it.
“If I don’t date you, your family will wage war on mine?” I asked.
“No, I’d never let that happen. You’d be warring for your whole family, and we’d squash you. I couldn’t let you be harmed. I do care. I care about my family, too. They’re not perfect, but neither are yours,” he said.
“Esme would fight my side. Don’t doubt that,” I said.
“My family is large. Much, much larger than what you’ve met. We don’t lose. I want to be your ally, not your enemy,” he said.
“Then, let’s call a truce, and you leave. Don’t bother me, again. Don’t push your way into my life when I’m not ready to forgive you. I can’t listen to your side of things without feeling betrayed, right now. You knew how much that secret meant to me. How much the truth means.”
“I can agree to the truce, but I want you back. We can fix this,” he said.