“I see how he looks at you.” Vadoma’s eyes bore into me.
My empty stomach aches. I didn’t want to have this conversation.
“You know I’m talking about Kyle.” Vadoma hands me the brush. “Was there something between the two of you?”
“We worked together. I met him before Colin and we went out a couple of times.” I brush my hair out and put it up in a ponytail. “It was over before it started.”
Vadoma turns away from me. “Does he know that?”
We walk back to the trailer. “He knows I’m with Colin.”
“The guy who tried to kill you and may succeed one day?” Vadoma sneers. “It’s just, Kyle is a good guy, okay. Don’t lead him on.” She runs the rest of the way, leaving me behind.
Emilian paces outside the trailer. Vadoma reaches him first, and then rushes inside.
“What is it?” I ask.
Emilian grabs my hands and pulls me to the door. “They found them.”
Chapter 7
I had hoped some of my family escaped the Hunters on the island and would show up here to meet us at Gildi’s, but that’s not going to happen.
Gildi sits at the small table in the dimly lit RV; her eyes glow an iridescent light yellow. A large, cloudy crystal ball in front of her shows a scene I struggle to see. She grips Aunt Mirela’s hands, who sits across from her. Vadoma stands behind her, next to Emilian and Hedji. Jili sits on the tiny couch rocking back and forth. Tamas remains outside, and Kyle stands next to the door watching the scene unfold. The fast food remains in bags on the counter in the kitchenette.
The crystal ball’s clouds disperse, revealing Fonso lying on dirt. He trembles, reaching for a batch of straw to cover his legs. He leans against bars on one side of a cell. The scene changes, moving closer, like it’s focusing through a lens. Dirt covers his swollen face. Emilian winces. Aunt Mirela whimpers and her shoulders slump, but she doesn’t break the connection with Gildi.
The image changes and shows Bo and Aunt Simza in the same cell. Bo paces the few feet of the chamber while Simza sleeps on a bed of straw. They don’t appear bruised or battered. Bo stops in front of the cell and peers down at Fonso. Bo shudders and continues to walk.
The crystal ball fills with willowy smoke and the scenes vanish. Gildi slumps over, her head falling onto the table.
“What happened?” Aunt Mirela releases Gildi’s limp hands.
Hedji rushes to her mother and places a small pillow under her head. “She’s not as strong as she used to be. She has no more energy.”
“We didn’t see Nadya.” Aunt Mirela’s voice cracks.
“Or Dad, Colin, or the others,” I say.
Kyle takes the two steps to me and places his hands on my shoulders. Vadoma notices.
“Does she know where they are?” Vadoma asks.
“Her powers don’t work like that. She can show you any place at this moment, but doesn’t always know where exactly that may be,” Hedji explains. “She gathers the thoughts from one person and they project into the crystal ball.”
“How soon before she wakes and is able to revive the link?” Aunt Mirela asks.
“I’m not sure,” Hedji says.
“She needs to sleep.” Jili stands and looks at Hedji. “Bring her into bed.”
Hedji lifts her mother, as if she weighs nothing and brings her down the hall.
“We don’t have room for everyone to sleep here, but the couch pulls out,” Jili says. “Someone is welcome to it.” Jili takes blankets out of an overhead cabinet and places them on the couch. She passes Hedji in the hall and closes the bedroom door behind her.
“I don’t think Jili likes us much,” Emilian says.
“There’s a hotel nearby,” Hedji says. “It’s less than a mile away.”
“Where do you sleep?” Emilian asks.
“That’s a secret.” Hedji winks at him.
“I’ll stay here,” Aunt Mirela says. “In case Gildi wakes.”
The wind howls, and I try to control the uneasiness building inside me. I want to remain here, too. I need to know if Dad and Colin are fine.
Kyle reaches into the bag and pulls out a burger and fries for Aunt Mirela. “They’re cold now, but at least it’s something to eat.”
Aunt Mirela takes the food. “Thank you.”
“How do we contact you if we need to?” Vadoma asks. “If we lose our powers again.”
“What are you talking about?” Hedji asks.
“When we were attacked, our abilities disappeared. They were gone until we were far enough away from the Hunters.” Vadoma bites into her burger.
“Did you hear that Tamas?” Hedji asks.
Tamas opens the RV door. “I did.”
Super hearing must be a perk of being undead.
“Something’s wrong if they have the ability to render the Roma powerless.” Hedji stares at her brother. “I’ll take them to the hotel and you try to find out what’s going on.”
Tamas disappears.
“Whoa!” Emilian’s eyes widen.
Hedji laughs. “Tamas isn’t terribly social and speaks little most of the time, but he knows how to find information when necessary. We monitor the werewolves. I’ve never heard of them being able to do this, though.”
“Emilian, stay with me.” Aunt Mirela’s stern voice catches everyone’s attention.
“No.” Emilian grabs the food bag and exits.
“He’ll be fine,” I say. “He can sleep in a room with Kyle. Vadoma and I will share another.”
Aunt Mirela frowns and nods.
Hedji rides in the front and shows Kyle where to go. Once we are there, Kyle and Hedji check in while we wait in the SUV.
“I’ve never been this close to a vampire before, but they don’t seem all that scary.” Emilian watches Hedji through the dark-tinted window.
“I wouldn’t underestimate them. I’m not sure even Elysia’s powers are fast enough to strike them down,” Vadoma says.
“Want your burger?” Emilian holds the bag out to me.
“No. I’m not hungry anymore,” I lie. Trying to control my emotions requires a lot of energy, and I feel depleted, but I’m honestly not sure I can hold anything down.
Kyle gets into the SUV and holds the steering wheel without starting the car.
“What’s wrong?” Emilian asks.
“Hedji compelled them to give us the room keys. I didn’t even have to pay for it.” His mouth falls open.
“Cool trick,” Emilian says. “Where is she?”
“She ran off telling me she’d see us tomorrow night.” Kyle starts the engine and parks in front of our two rooms.
“I wish she would have stayed longer. I have so many questions.” Emilian hands Kyle the food bag and gets out of the vehicle.
“All I want to do is sleep.” Vadoma yawns.
“Don’t you want something to eat?” Kyle looks into the bag and then at me. “Your burger’s still here.”
“Are you sure you two don’t want to share a room instead?” Vadoma grabs a few store bags with the things they bought and hurries out of the SUV, slamming the door behind her.
“What—?” Kyle starts to ask.
“Don’t.” I hold my hand up, and then out to him. “Give me the key to our room.”
He places the keycard in my hand.
“Thank you.” I slide out, move around Vadoma, and open our door. She passes by me. “Was that necessary?”
I shut the door.
“Why did you say that?” I ask. “I love Colin. We have a bond I can’t explain. Maybe you and Kyle should talk things out. Obviously, you’re still into him.”
“Oh please. You’re toying with him and you don’t even realize it.” Vadoma throws the bags on the bed. “Kyle and I weren’t meant to be together. When I realized it, I became a bitch to him until he finally got the picture.”
“You say that like it’s normal,” I say. “And I’m not toying with him. At least, I don’t think I am.”
/> Confusion dances in my head.
“I hear the doubt in your words.” Vadoma points at me. “I’m the one who knows when others are lying?”
I sit on the bed and shake my head, playing the day’s events over again. “There has to be a median path here.”
“Whatever.” Vadoma crawls into bed and turns off the light. “Stop leading him on.”
“You’re impossible to talk to.” I grab the key and storm out of our room.
Kyle closes the hatch with a duffel bag in his hand. “Everything okay?”
“I need a walk.” I start in the parking lot toward the street we entered on.
Kyle throws his bag into the back seat and runs to catch up with me. “At night in an area where vampires could be lurking?”
“Can I ask you a question?” I ask, without giving him a chance to respond. “What made you hate Vadoma so much when you broke up? What did she do that drove you over the edge?”
“Besides seducing my father?” He kicks a rock out of the road. “I think that qualifies her to be put in the ‘bitch’ category. At least in my book.”
My jaw drops and I stop. “What…how…?”
“When she called me this morning, I wanted to vomit. When she told me you were with her, I decided to help.”
“How come you never told me this?”
“You think anyone wants to admit their girl slept with their father? It was embarrassing.”
When Vadoma aims to be a bitch, she goes all the way. “I don’t believe it. Maybe she lied.”
He looks me straight in the eyes. “I walked in on them. She didn’t even try to hide it. It was as if she set me up to see them together in the act.”
“You told me she was too into her ‘work’.” I purse my lips.
“Too much into her work with my father.” He gazes at the stars. “You know what Dad said to me?”
“What?”
“She was too mature for me. She needed a real man to take care of her.” He shrugs. “I left and started distancing myself from them both.”
“Do you forgive them now?”
“I was upset for a long time and I never resolved it with him before…”
We continue to walk.
“I forgive them,” he says. “It’s over now. Although, I was surprised Vadoma hugged me like she did yesterday.”
“Let’s head back.” I turn.
“I wished you had hugged me like that.” He stares away from me.
“She says I lead you on,” I blurt out. “If I do, I’m sorry. You should hate me for what I did to your father. If you did hate me, maybe I’d feel better about it.”
“Oh, I hated you,” Kyle says. “I hated you for several months.”
Guilt ebbs into my gut. A wind blows next to us.
“You scared me at the beach.” He watches the treetops sway. “Seeing my father struck down like that was awful, but I knew what he would have done. That’s not why I hated you, though. I hated you because you cared so much for Colin, even knowing what he’d done. I hated you because you didn’t want me. I hated you because I didn’t hear from you for over six months.”
The howling wind becomes stronger.
We reach our rooms. Kyle grabs his duffel bag from the backseat.
“Kyle, I’m sorry for everything,” I say.
He shakes his head. “Don’t. I don’t want your pity. The moment I saw you, even the wet mess you were this morning, I stopped hating you.”
“Vadoma was right about one thing.”
He tenses. “What?”
“You’re a good guy.” I smile. “Good night, Kyle.”
“Good night, Elysia.”
The sun shines through the curtain and hits my eyes.
“Let’s go, Elysia,” Vadoma pours herself a cheap cup of free coffee she made. The aroma makes my stomach churn.
“Did you have to make that here?” I ask. I lean on my elbows and stare at her. “I’m starving.”
“It’s your fault you didn’t eat last night.” Vadoma sticks her tongue out at me.
“Very mature.”
Someone knocks on our door. I jump, pull my jeans on, and tug my tank top over me.
“I hope the old bag is awake.” Vadoma sighs. She grabs the plastic bags with our stuff in them, and answers the door. “We’re coming.”
We pile into the SUV, and ride in silence.
A woman jogs through the campground, but no other inhabitants stir. We pull up in front of Gildi’s RV. Jili opens the door before we knock. “Come in. She’s up.”
The smell of fresh scrambled eggs reaches me; my mouth waters. Aunt Mirela leads Gildi to the table.
“Good morning.” Gildi smiles and sits. “I suppose you all want to see more.”
“Don’t push yourself Gildi,” Jili places eggs and toast in front of her.
“Oh, stop Jili. I’m fine.” Aunt Mirela moves to take the seat opposite from Gildi, but Gildi holds up her hand. “Elysia, take the seat here.”
Aunt Mirela opens her mouth, but then shuts it.
“I had a dream about you last night.” Gildi pushes her plate aside and brings the crystal ball in front of her. “Take my hands.”
I slide in and take her hands. “What dream?”
“That I’m supposed to help you.” Her head falls back and her eyes glow. A strong blast of energy flows through my hands into her.
The crystal ball fogs up; a picture quickly forms. Colin is standing over Dad, who’s kneeling on the ground. His hands are tied behind his back. He stares up at Colin and pleads.
“Don’t do this,” Dad says, his hoarse voice sounds raw.
“I have to,” Colin replies. He balls his hand into a fist and punches Dad so hard that he falls to the ground. His eyes close.
Chapter 8
The bond breaks as I pull my shaky hands away from Gildi. A ringing in my ears reaches a horrific volume. The RV shakes; things fall on my head. My vision blurs as I attempt to stand.
“Catch her!” A female voice breaks through the static reverberating in my mind.
My legs give out and strong arms enfold me. A strong musky smell invades my nostrils as my head presses against a hard chest. The hazy shapes go around in circles, and blinking doesn’t make them stop.
“Calm her down!” another unrecognizable voice yells.
“What’s happening?” someone asks.
“She’s going to tear this place apart,” a male says.
“Get her outside!” my sister yells.
“Vaaa…” My throat constricts.
Trembles rattle my body. My head bounces. Wind hits my face. The scent of fresh trees fills the air and I try to picture which ones are near. The jostling stops, and wet damp earth seeps into my skin.
“Elysia, calm down. Breathe.” Kyle inhales deeply, demonstrating his instructions.
Digging into the grass, the soil imbeds itself under my fingernails. A natural energy seeps into me, starting in my hands. Its flow snakes slowly through my body, filling each crevice. My vision clears. The quakes stop.
Fear crosses Kyle’s face. His nostrils flare.
“Kyle.” A nearby oak tree glimmers with an essence I’ve never seen before. Vitality passes through the roots, up the trunk and drips from the leaves.
One of the leaves wilts, falling to the ground, and the energy releases into the air, floating up as little sparkles of light and disappearing. It’s life force flows through my, uniting me to its core.
“Elysia?” Kyle touches my shoulder and a static shock makes him pull away.
Pulling my hands out of the dirt stops the energy current to my body, but the visions of the natural movement of trees, the grass, and the clouds in the sky remain. I’ve connected with nature on a deeper level. We are one.
“I’m fine.” Happiness sinks inside me, knowing this bond will never break.
People throughout the campground exit their campers, studying the area. The tremors left no damage.
Vadoma, Emilian, Aunt Mi
rela, Jili, Gildi, and Kyle gawk at me, their eyes wide.
“What?” My smile fades.
“She’s—did she just…” Jili starts.
“Make the ground shake?” Gildi finishes the question.
“You should see what happens when she’s really upset,” Vadoma says.
Gildi claps her hands; a smile widens across her wrinkled face. “It’s you.”
“Gildi, did I hurt you in there?” I rise, wiping the dirt from my jeans, and remember how drained she was last night after showing us Fonso, Bo, and Aunt Simza. “If I did, I’d feel horrible.”
“Child, I haven’t felt this young in a long, long time,” Gildi says. “Come on, let’s get back inside.”
“What happened to you?” Vadoma grabs my arm. The others go inside. “One minute you’re convulsing and about to destroy everything around us, and now, you look like you’re tripping on ecstasy.”
“I can’t explain it.” The memory of Colin punching Dad surfaces. Sadness overcomes me, but the surrounding energy pumping through the trees, the grass, and the air soothes my soul. The knowledge I’m capable of calling the winds from all corners of the Earth envelops me; it’s as if even though the ability exists it’s no longer connected to my erratic emotions. “My mind’s clearer than it ever has been.”
“So, your boyfriend knocked the crap out of your dad and you’re not crying or going to wipe us off the map with a giant storm that will carry us out to sea?” Her eyes narrow.
“Don’t underestimate my skills. I’m mad. I’m furious, actually, but I’ve got it under control.” A crease forms between my brows, trying to figure out the best way to explain it. “A light bulb clicked on inside me. Now, let’s figure out where they are so we can save them.”
“How are we going to do that?” she asks.
“I don’t know.” I frown. “But I think Gildi knows more than she’s told us.”
“I have that same feeling.” Vadoma grabs my warm hand and leads me inside the cramped trailer.
Gildi grins when I walk in. She pats the empty seat on the couch next to her. “Come, child. I won’t bite.”
Kyle stands next to the door. Emilian claims one of the bucket seats while Vadoma takes the other. Aunt Mirela drums her fingers on the table next to the crystal ball, peering into the clear emptiness.
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