“Gypsies have always been students and protectors of the Earth. Time after time, they relished and cared for her. Even in those days, they already knew about the healing properties of certain herbs and plants. They understood their uses and used their understanding of early medicine to help others. But they were also feared and made outcasts because of their innate knowledge.”
“Why?”
“Because people fear what they do not understand. The human mind grasps such a small thread of the vast data it is given.”
“I understand. I learned humans only use a small portion of their mind.”
“Excellent.” He seemed impressed she knew that fact. “Continuing…the gods also gave them the gifts of premonition and increased physical abilities.” He elaborated when her brows hitched in confusion. “They gave the elder women additional strength, speed, cunning, and revealed other lesser known plants they could use to slow the aging process, to heal faster, and to further enhance their gifts. The gods promised that each generation would become better than their predecessor. When their own people began to fear them, the elder women broke away and formed their own community. Thus…the Romani was created.”
“They were no longer considered gypsies?”
“Correct,” he acknowledged.
“Only the women were endowed with the power?”
“At first,” his eyes narrowed, looking at her with a veiled expression. “That’s the depth of my knowledge of Romani history. The rest you’ll need to consult with Nicolae. Some things they still keep close to their sleeves.”
“Oh,” she gulped, suddenly feeling like a two-headed dog at a freak show.
“I’m certain you will learn more of your Romani lineage when you attend your trials.”
“If I survive these trials first,” she scoffed, trying to hide her nervousness.
“Enough,” he responded with a flirtatious wink. “No more negative thoughts. I have faith in you,” Blaine added encouragingly. “It’s time to get back to our lesson.”
“Whatever you say,” she giggled.
“Winning a battle isn’t only about physical strength and prowess,” he enlightened her. “It’s also about getting into your opponents mind, understanding how his or her mental processes work, and studying both psychological and physical warfare in order to achieve your goal. Once you get inside someone’s head you can play them like a chess piece. That’s how you really win battles.”
“So, you’re telling me to use psychology on my opponents instead of just brute force.”
“Psych them out,” he smirked arrogantly. “That’s what I would do, but you have to find your own balance. Whatever works best for you. I happen to believe a combination of both is usually what’s needed, depending on who you are up against.”
“Sounds logical,” she mumbled not quite convinced.
“For example,” he examined her facial features then requested, “tell me a lie.”
She thought for a few seconds then said the first thing that came to mind. “I have four arms.”
“When a person lies he or she has tells. You, my lovely Raina, your beautiful hazel eyes look up and to the left. Your breathing accelerates and you can’t look me directly in the eyes.” He stepped closer and touched her right temple, running his finger over her skin with feather-like motions. “Also this vein…right here…starts to throb. Not everyone knows what to look for, but I see it.” He traced a line from her temple to her neck, quickly finding her carotid artery. “I can see your pulse accelerate and hear your heartbeat quicken and smell the perspiration on your palms.”
She swallowed, harder than she would have liked. Blaine’s soft touches igniting more than just her intellect.
Removing his hand from her neck, she stated as calmly as possible, “I get it. Look for tells. I’ll remember.”
He smiled, his eyes looking into hers…emerald green to hazel…and she felt the unexpected need to rip his clothes off and trace each muscular inch of him with her tongue.
There was no doubt, she needed Antonio. Badly.
“See that you do,” he grinned, stepping away to a safer distance. The want in his gaze not masked. At all.
They spent the rest of the afternoon evaluating eye movements, body language, verbal and nonverbal cues, as well as how to devise and demolish battle strategies. Everything that Blaine considered relevant. They practiced, re-practice, and then practiced again. By the time they had finished the lesson, she was analyzing everyone that crossed her path.
That night, she ate with her father in the kitchen. The more intimate space made her feel less intimidated and more at ease.
“When can I see Antonio?” she asked right before refilling her plate with tocaniţă, a meat stew seasoned with onions and spices, a mound of flavorful herbed rice pilaf, and sautéed Brussel sprouts with raisins and pancetta.
Mrs. Radu had also left unique cakes called kurtoskalacs or chimney cakes for dessert. Each chimney cake was garnished differently. Some with crushed walnuts, a few with cinnamon sugar, and several with chocolate, but all were soft bread with a crispy, caramelized sugar coating and an airy open center.
“Soon,” was his only answer.
“That’s a lame answer and you know it,” she scolded, unable to hold her tongue any longer.
“I’m sorry you feel that way, but it’s the only answer I can give,” he scolded right back.
Steeling her courage, she blurted, “Why does he despise you?”
Taken aback, Richard looked up from his plate. “Who?”
“Antonio,” she replied brusquely, eyes shooting daggers.
Richard stared back abandoning his dinner for the moment. “He hasn’t told you.” It wasn’t a question.
“No,” she said, watching more closely for tells. Unfortunately, her father was an impossible man to read at the moment. “He told me to ask you.”
Clearing his throat, he said, “I am the Alpha.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“No new wolves are turned without my permission.”
“Again with the cryptic crap,” she groaned.
Calmly, Richard removed his glasses and laid them on the dining table beside his plate. “The strength of a turned wolf, one who is not a purebred…”
“You’re a purebred, right?” she interrupted, certain that was the case due to his high status. For some reason, wolves seemed quite obsessed with lineage and good breeding.
“Correct,” Richard smiled proudly. “I was born with the ability to shift forms,” he confirmed. “A turned wolf is as strong as the one who sires them.”
“Antonio explained that already, but I still don’t understand why he hates you.”
“Four years ago,” Richard continued, “I learned about the Covenant and the events leading up to the appearance of the Hybrid.”
“Go on,” she urged, her palms beginning to sweat.
“All of the signs pointed to you, a female born of two great houses, a child possessing both werewolf and Romani lineage. This woman would lead both groups in a war against the most powerful threat they had ever seen. And she would rule both groups during their most successful era.”
“Okay,” she frowned. “It all sounds like rainbows and puppies, but what does that have to do with you and Antonio?”
“The scrolls also told of the perils the Hybrid would face during her journey.” Stopping briefly, he cleared his throat and took a long drink of his water. “I needed someone to protect you when I couldn’t.” He turned away, breaking eye contact, before he continued saying, “Antonio was your best friend. I loved him like he was my own son,” his cheeks reddened, “and I realized that he had been in love with you since secondary school.” Her father finally looked at her directly, “I had no doubt he’d do anything to keep you safe.”
“Oh, god!” Realization landed on her like a ten ton anvil, leaving her stunned and disgusted.
Taking her hands in his, he confessed, “I had to be certa
in he was powerful enough to defend you.”
Her mouth dried and her stomach began to churn. “You were the wolf in the park four year ago, the one who attacked him…us?”
“I was,” Richard said, his words filled with guilt.
“But you didn’t look like a wolf.”
“I was in transition,” he revealed guiltily.
“You fuckin’…two-faced…bastard,” she whispered, tears beginning to roll down her overheated cheeks. Her stomach threatening to evict its contents.
“Antonio was destined for this role.”
“Be quiet,” she sobbed, pulling her hands from his. “You stole his life from him. We stole his life from him. Everything he wanted…all of his dreams…”
“I didn’t have a choice,” Richard tried to explain, but she was over it.
“Of course, you had a choice,” she bellowed.
“I made a decision, him or you. I chose you. I will always choose you, Raina.”
“I hate you.” The words slipped out before she could stop them.
“You can hate me if you’d like, but it doesn’t change the fact that I would do anything…anything to protect you.”
“Is that why you gave me the pepper spray? To protect me from you that night?”
He shook his head. “I hadn’t shifted in over five years and as you already know emotions are not easily controlled when you’re in fur. I gave you the pepper spray to give you a chance, in case I tried to…”
“…kill me?”
“Raina, please, try to understand.” He reached for her hands again, but she pulled them out of reach. “There was a threat to your life. Others had learned of the Covenant and were coming after you. You hadn’t shown signs of your gifts and I had to do something.” The sincerity in his features were undeniable. Against her will, something inside her softened.
“I could have been human,” she shouted. “I never wished I was anything else besides myself.”
“The others wouldn’t have cared,” he stated weakly. “They would have killed you just to be certain.”
Unable to look him in the eyes, she changed the direction of their conversation.
“What’s on the list for tomorrow?” Her curiosity getting the best of her as she said, “Nicolae’s already sparred with me. Blaine has gone over every psychological tactic he knows and believe me, there were a lot.” Eyeing him suspiciously, she added, “I guess tomorrow is medieval weaponry training, wrestling a great white shark, or perhaps running through the woods covered in honey with a grizzly bear on my arse. Am I close?”
Her father didn’t say anything, only returned to eating his dinner. The silence in the room was deafening. And it took all of her willpower to remain seated and not lunge across the table and tear out her father’s lying tongue.
“Everything with you people…wolves…whatever…is all so secretive. Don’t you give a shite that I might die during these ancient trials designed by some masochist two thousand years ago to torture innocent women? Do you?” Still no answer. “I hope you have other children hidden away somewhere that I haven’t met because I might not survive this.”
“Enough,” Richard growled low, hitting the tabletop with a clenched fist, the sound frightening to say the least. “Do you honestly believe I want you to do these things? You are the only thing that gives me any sort of happiness. I could tell you not to go through the trials. I’ve thought of doing just that, but the reality of the situation is, regardless if you go through with it or not, they will still come for you.”
“Who will come for me?”
Her father frowned. “The ones who object to the Covenant will come. The Weres and the Romani, who believe that peace is an abomination, will come. They will come for you to prove you are not the Hybrid. They will send the Death Dealers and the Enforcers to hunt you down and kill you. That is the reality of the situation, Raina. Regardless if you pass the trials or not…sooner or later…they will come for you.”
Contemplating his statement, her palms began to sweat. “Death Dealers. What are they?”
“The Death Dealers are a select group of Romani warriors who have enhanced abilities.”
“More than they already do?”
“Yes.”
“What abilities do they have?”
“No one knows for certain,” he sighed. “They are highly secretive and extremely dangerous. Their training and abilities are closely guarded.”
Gulping loudly, she asked, “And the Enforcers?”
“The Enforcers are werewolves specially chosen at birth from the strongest pack bloodlines and meticulously trained. They are lethal in strength, intelligence, and are only called upon during times of extreme adversity. Your grandfather was an Enforcer and if they are half of what he was…”
“I get the picture.”
Her grandfather was the tallest, strongest, most intimidating man she had ever known. Even in his relaxed state he was terrifying. Her life was complete and utter shite.
He paused then added, “Blaine is an Enforcer.”
“Will he turn on me?”
Shaking his head her father reassured, “Blaine and both of his packs are loyal to the cause. Of that, I am confident. There are many, however, that do not share our beliefs.”
“Then why should I complete these tests?”
“Because at least if you are the Hybrid you’ll gain access to both your Were abilities as well as your Romani ones and a few unknown ones as the blending of both.”
“My life is total shite isn’t it?”
“Unfortunately…yes.”
*****
In a fog of depression, she retired for the night. Still unable to sleep. Pale shards of moonlight slipped through her bedroom window, creating dancing prisms of light that refracted through the space in a kaleidoscope pattern upon the walls. It had been over an hour since her talk with her father and she hadn’t heard Antonio’s voice inside her head since their earlier escapade. The loneliness she was beginning to feel stifled her.
Curiously, she examined the wooden box her father had given her, still unable to find the release that would open the bloody thing.
“How do you open?” she pleaded with the box to reveal its secrets.
Running her fingers gingerly over the raised pattern of the lid, she admired the engraved figure of a man that morphed into a form that had a wolf’s head with a man’s body. Finally, the figure of a wolf stood alone, teeth bared, eyes glowing as the amber stones embedded as irises shone in the dim room.
“Tell me your secrets.” She ran her fingertips over the lid once again, this time the raised design felt more like words rather than decorative carvings. “Ah, ha!” she whispered to the room in general, the shoe-box sized, rectangular-shaped box still mocked her shamelessly. “What do we have here?”
She turned on her bedside lamp allowing the man-made bulb to illuminate the room. Looking over the lid once more, she felt for the inscription with her fingers once again. But to her frustration they were no longer there.
“What the f…” she grumbled, feeling like someone had just stolen her winning lottery ticket, the emptiness in the pit of her stomach not helping the situation. “Where did you go?”
After several more minutes of examining the box, she gave up. In a foul mood, she turned off the lamp and lay on her back, head propped-up on two pillows under the opened window. Delicate strands of moonlight continued to stream inside. Silvery strands landing on the lid once more.
It was then she saw it. An inscription. The archaic symbols shimmered under the light of the almost full moon.
“Magic,” she whispered to herself.
Befuddled, she continued to stare at the unfamiliar words, words that resembled scratches instead of letters. On the sixth pass, a protruding splinter at the corner of the lid stabbed the tip of her index finger, causing several drops of blood to smear onto the scratches. Thick, scarlet liquid embedded itself into the deeply carved spaces between each marking. Pointedly, Raina ig
nored the slight sting of pain she felt as she continued her movements, studying each character. Tracing each one, over and over and over again, until the scratches turned into words. Actual words she could understand.
Hesitantly, she read the inscription out loud. “This Covenant I fulfill. I am the bridge connecting Were to Hunter. Linking flesh to spirit. Binding Heaven to Earth. I accept this Covenant. I accept my fate.”
With those words spoken, the wind outside began to bluster. There was a loud roll of thunder along with several bolts of lightning that illuminated the still cloudless summer sky. Then it all became eerily still.
Without warning, the lid of the box sprung open. The unforeseen motion made her scream which caused her to drop the box onto the floor. She couldn’t suppress the need to kick the clearly possessed object under the bed. So she did just that. Kicked it until it was hidden completely by the dust ruffle. Unable to think clearly, she sat on the bed, afraid to move.
“What on Earth?” her voice shaky and terrified. “This is ridiculous,” she announced with more confidence, before crawling partially beneath the bed to retrieve the wooden object, but left it on the ground, still partially hidden by the bed skirt. She sat in silence, bathed in moonlight, staring at the bloody box that silently stared back. For how long, she had no idea. “I hate being me.”
*****
It wasn’t until the bedside clock chimed midnight before her legs had stopped shaking enough for her to stand. As her patience grew thin, her anxiety strengthened until she could no longer stand to be inside any longer. On silent feet, she redressed in dark sweatpants and a form-fitting black tank top. A pair of flip flops were her footwear of choice, not to mention the first thing she saw. Quietly, she made her way to the lower level of the manor.
Downstairs everything was still. Only the settling of the house lent sound to the unnaturally quiet space. She sniffed the air locating the other occupants. At least she could access her wolf’s ability to track, the thought made her feel slightly less useless.
Duncan was in his room, as far as she could tell. Her father was still in his office. Nicolae was… She sniffed again, trying to locate the brooding male Romani, but couldn’t find him. Blaine, however, was nearby. Outside actually. His impressive broad silhouette could be seen through the sheer curtains. Against her will, her sex tightened. What was happening to her?
Lup Teren (Wolf Land Series Book 1) Page 15