Centaur Rivalry (Touched Series Book 3)

by Straight, Nancy

  Nice. Not only was she a Centauride who tended bar, she helped her friend cheat at cards! Katherine’s comment earlier about Jessica not allowing sharking in her bar must have been a joke. Jessica would be able to hear my message loud and clear. My eyes narrowed at her as I telepathically scolded her, “Stop it now. No more cheating.”

  Jessica’s laughter interrupted the quiet of the game. Brent, Daniel and Katherine all looked at her as if she’d grown a third eye. Katherine’s voice sounded concerned, “Ya okay, Jess?”

  “Never better.” Her eyes remained locked on mine. “What are you three running from?”

  “If you don’t already know, I’d like to keep it that way.”

  Jessica’s eyes narrowed. “Part of that Lost Herd nonsense?”

  Nonsense? Maybe she didn’t care there was a death warrant on our heads. “You could say that.”

  She nodded slightly, not enough for the others at the table to notice. “I thought so. Why are you traveling with a half-breed?”

  “Don’t call him that! Daniel isn’t traveling with us. We just happened in on him here. I thought he’d gone back to California weeks ago.”

  “Hate to break it to you, but he is a half-breed.”

  “He’s my friend. My very good friend.”

  Jessica’s features took on a knowing look. “Oh, I see. You’re from the Lost Herd. They’re the only ones who can mate outside of wedlock.”

  I nearly lost my temper and shouted out loud, but caught myself just before I could make a fool of myself. I scowled at Jessica, “Not that kind of very good friend!”

  Katherine’s voice was frustrated from across the table. “Earth ta Cami, are ya in or what?” I wasn’t sure why she asked, Katherine had already folded her hand.

  Trying to keep up with Jessica’s mind-versation and the card game was hard. “I call. Hey, this is my last hand. Deal me out on the next one. I’ll help Jessica fold those towels.”

  My royal flush won. With Jessica and me out of the room, Daniel and Brent had half a chance against Katherine. I stood up and motioned for the door. Jessica followed me out, but it seemed our conversation was over. Once we were out of the room, she made a beeline for the bar. She ducked through an opening under the bar, grabbed a dishrag, and began scrubbing the counter.

  As I looked around, there were five people still inside the place, not including the mousey-looking man who had tended the bar in Jessica’s absence. She turned to the man, “I’ve got it, Brandon. Go ahead and head home.”

  Brandon had long stringy dark hair, and even in the dimly lit bar his yellowing teeth were gross. I gave him plenty of room as he ducked under the opening and headed toward the door. As he was zipping up his jacket, he asked, “Fine. Tomorrow night?”

  Jessica hesitated, “Can you open for me tomorrow morning?”

  Brandon answered, “Sure. Going to be late tonight?”

  “Katherine’s in the back playing cards, so, yeah, I think so.”

  Brandon shook his head. He didn’t say anything specific, but I got the impression he didn’t care for Katherine. Jessica reached up to a large brass bell over her shoulder. She rang it loudly as the clang reverberated off of every surface. “Last call! You’ve got five minutes! No camping out tonight, folks. Stanley wants us shut down by two – no excuses.”

  Jessica continued scrubbing the bar without looking back at me. I wanted to get Jessica talking again and decided the best way would be to ask a few benign questions first. “Who’s Stanley, the owner?”

  When her eyes met mine, the look was close to a glare. “I already told you, this is my bar. Stanley’s the town cop. He gets pretty pissy when we close late.”

  “But you just told Brandon it’d be a late night.”

  “Sometimes it takes Katherine longer to take the other players for everything they’ve got. I stop serving before two, but I let her stay as long as it takes.”

  I chuckled at her, “Even without you telling her what to do with her cards?”

  A wide smile erupted on Jessica’s lips, “We don’t get many Centaurides in here. I could have made it a quick night for everyone, but I was trying to be stealthy.”

  “Newsflash. You suck at stealth.”

  Her smile didn’t diminish, “Oh, on the contrary, it wasn’t until you got flustered that you even had a clue.”

  She had a point. I hadn’t suspected anything until after I spoke with Drake. “Most of the Centaurides I’ve met don’t use their gifts for gambling.”

  “Gifts? You mean curse! I can’t help that I can see what I see. Believe me, there’s a lot in this world I wish I’d never seen.”

  “Like what?”

  “You see that guy over there?” She pointed at a heavyset man across the room from us. His eyes were half closed, he wore a bright red and black checkered winter hat, stubble covered his face and wrinkles nearly enveloped his eyes. “He stays until closing three nights a week because his wife left with their kids. He’s trying to figure out if his life is worth living – from the shoebox, rat-infested apartment he’s going back to – I’m not sure it is.”

  “Jessica! If you know he’s hurting, why don’t you offer to help him?”

  She kept scrubbing the bar, not even looking in my direction. “Not my business. Even if it were, how do I approach a guy who’s never said more to me than his drink order?”

  “You go up and start a conversation. Where’s your compassion?”

  “It’s long gone. Or that guy over there.” Jessica nodded toward a rail thin man slowly peeling the label off of his bottle of beer. “He’s a convicted rapist. He did his time and he’s out, so I guess he’s paid his debt to society, but the thoughts in his head are awful. He may be out, but he’s not rehabilitated.”

  I didn’t want to stare but felt my eyes lingering on the skinny stranger too long. “So tune out his thoughts and go help the guy with the hat.”

  “I told you. Not my business.”

  I huffed out a breath, straightened my blouse and walked over to the man who had been contemplating suicide. I reached his table and extended my hand, “Hi, I’m Cami. Mind if I sit?”

  He gestured to the seat across from him. Now that I was here, I had no idea what to say. “So, I couldn’t help but notice you were sitting here by yourself. Are you going to be okay to drive home?”

  “What? No. I just live a few blocks from here. I’ll walk it.”

  “You’ve been sitting here by yourself. Is everything okay?” His mind was numb. I couldn’t make out many coherent thoughts, but I smirked when I realized he thought I was trying to pick him up. Then some other fuzzy thoughts flew by, and he decided I must be a prostitute.

  Jessica must have been listening in because a glass dropped behind the bar. I looked in her direction, and she was covering her mouth to keep the laugh in.

  “Fine. Everything’s fine.”

  “I recognize the look on your face. You’re lonely. My mom had that same look most of her life.” I listened to my words as they came out and cringed. I wasn’t doing much to dispel the conclusion he’d drawn.

  His speech was slurred, and he was much more interested in his near-empty glass than he was in me. “You don’t say.”

  “I know something that might make you less lonely if you want to give it a try.”

  He leaned across the table, a smile crept on his face, and he took my hand. “I’m all for it, sweetheart, but I don’t have much money.”

  Repulsed that he would actually voice his thoughts, I was still careful not to rip my hand from his grasp and offend him. “Do something nice for someone – for no reason. When you get home, shovel someone’s sidewalk, or put salt down on your neighbor’s steps, or take a pot of chili to a neighbor tomorrow. Doing something for someone who hasn’t asked for help will make you not so lonely.”

  He eased his hand away from mine, “I’m not that kind of lonely, sweetheart.”

  “Everyone is that kind of lonely. How we react to the loneliness is what defi
nes us. Doing something nice for a friend or a stranger will make you feel better – I promise.”

  His eyebrows pursed together, “What’s your angle?”

  “No angle. You’re not alone, even if it feels like you are. Connect with someone.”

  The door to the bar opened, Jessica’s voice shouted in my head, “Cami, get in the back room, now!” My body froze on instinct. I should have bolted. I should have listened without question. I didn’t.

  As I glanced toward her frame behind the bar, her warning screamed in my head, “Don’t look this way. In the back. Now!”

  Heavy feet stomped snow on the welcome mat just inside the door, as her voice greeted the newcomer. “Hi, Roscoe. We’ve already had last call. You know how Stanley gets after two a.m.”

  “Awe, Jess. You can spare a thimble of something to warm me up. I’ve been searching through the snow fer two straight days.” Roscoe wasn’t a common name. One of the Centaurs who had assaulted Cameron’s house two nights ago was named Roscoe. My whole body tensed as I stood up from the table and left the man in the checkered hat without another word.

  Jessica’s voice sounded apologetic. “Sorry, Roscoe. Can’t do it. I’ve got some liquor at the house. Go help yourself.”

  His frustrated voice ignored her offer, “Is Katherine around tonight?” I felt sweat peppering my brow. If I went in the back room and Roscoe followed me in, what would happen to Daniel, Brent and Katherine? I searched the near empty bar for a dark corner to escape into. Nothing.

  Jessica’s voice didn’t waiver. She sounded like she was talking to someone she’d known her whole life – trying to convince him to walk out the way he’d come. “Yeah, she’s got some tourists in the back. I’ll be home soon. She’s just about cleaned them out.”

  I couldn’t stay where I was – in the open. If he looked this way he’d see me for sure. I was a few strides from the door to the back room when it hit me. If I went inside, there was no other exit. We’d all be trapped. I didn’t know if Roscoe was by himself, and I didn’t want to take the chance and put the others in danger.

  Jessica called out to the bar. “Okay, folks: two a.m. – time to go.”

  The man I’d just talked to at the table stood up. He put some cash under his empty glass and zipped up his coat. Could I make it out with him? Did Roscoe know what I looked like?

  Jessica’s words sounded in my mind. “Don’t do it. Go in the back room. I’ll get rid of him. Stay with Katherine.”

  I had no reason to trust her. As my heartbeat picked up speed, I wanted to make a run for it. Roscoe was a Centaur – I felt it. He didn’t realize I was here. If I made a break for it, I could make it to the truck. He wouldn’t know anything about Brent or Daniel. They’d be safe.

  Jessica’s voice was loud in my mind, “You’re going to get me punished. Don’t you dare make a run for it. Get in back.”

  Roscoe was staring at Jessica. “Joo see something, Jess? Joo got a premonition fer me?” He reached over and tugged her sleeve. Who was Roscoe to Jessica? Would she allow a Centaur to touch her if she weren’t betrothed? Was she betrothed to Roscoe? When we arrived, Katherine had said neither Daniel nor Brent had a chance with her. My stomach cinched tight as my heart raced out of control.

  Jessica never took her eyes off of Roscoe, but her words were unmistakable in my mind, “Hide before he sees you. Katherine’s been drinking and she won’t be able to protect us both.”

  Katherine can’t protect us? What was she talking about? Did she have a gun on her or something? I wanted to ask for clarification, but the fear of Roscoe finding us was too much of a possibility. I gave in. I couldn’t hear what Jessica said to Roscoe, and I hoped my gut was right to trust her. I casually walked to the back room, hoping not to draw any attention to myself. As I closed the door behind me to the little room where Katherine, Daniel and Brent were still playing, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. If I told Drake there was danger, he would be here in minutes. I couldn’t risk anything happening to him either. I called out to Bianca instead. “Bianca, can you hear me?”

  “Cami, what are you three doing? You’ve been gone for hours.”

  “Drake’s with you, right?”

  “Yes, he and Gage are still working transportation details to Africa.”

  “Good. Don’t say anything to either of them. One of the Centaurs who stormed my brother Cameron’s house just walked into the bar where we’re at.”

  “What?!”

  “I don’t think he recognized me, but I may need your help. Be listening for me, okay?”

  “Cami, Gage and Drake can be there in minutes.”

  “I know. I’m counting on it. But don’t warn them yet. I need to see if he’ll go away on his own.”

  “I don’t like this, Cami.”

  “I don’t like it, either. I just wanted you to know, in case I need you.”

  I opened my eyes and saw a huge pile of chips in front of Brent while Katherine wore an unhappy face. Daniel looked at his hand and grimaced, “Hey, where’s my good-luck charm?”

  I didn’t understand what he was asking, but could tell from the way he angled his body around he was talking to me. “Good-luck charm?”

  “You two said you were going to close up the bar or fold towels or whatever. If it’s closed, where’s Jessica?”

  “She’s getting the last couple customers out. You guys about done?”

  Katherine and Daniel nodded, Brent answered, “No. We could do this for a while yet. Can you call Gage and Bianca and let them know we’ll be late?”

  “Already did. One of the stragglers seems to be a friend of Jessica’s. His name’s Roscoe.”

  Daniel pursed his eyebrows together wondering what my comment meant. Katherine put her cards down and looked me square in the eye. “Did he see you?”

  I shook my head that he hadn’t. She set her cards on the table, left her chips where they lay, and walked to a lighted Coke machine in the back corner of the room. It must have been on wheels because it slid easily away from the wall. Her voice was urgent, but not panicked, “In here, all of ya, now.”

  Chapter 6

  (Camille, Small Town in South Dakota)

  Brent and Daniel were confused – I didn’t know what to think, either. The three of us didn’t move, Katherine peeked around from the side of the Coke machine, “For the love of Zeus, get over here.”

  I reached down to the table and messed up the cards so it didn’t look like there was an unfinished game. The three of us grabbed our coats and cautiously crept over to the soda machine where Katherine stood. When I looked at the wall behind it, a small door led to a rickety old ladder. The ladder fed into a black hole under the building. Brent was the first to speak, “What’re you doing?”

  Katherine didn’t mince words, “If Roscoe’s in the bar, yer all in danger. Down, now.”

  Brent asked, “Who’s Roscoe?”

  “The lead enforcer for the Centaur Council in the area, that’s who. He’s rounding up all the members of the Lost Herd.”

  My jaw slacked as my mouth fell open. Katherine knew who we were. “You knew. But how did you. . . I mean. . . did we say. . . “

  She cut me off, “In the tunnel, before he comes in here.”

  I recouped my senses, “Jessica told him you were back here taking money from tourists.”

  “Shit. I’ll go down, too. It’d be better if he thought I’d slipped out without Jessica noticing if he comes looking for me.”

  “You can’t put yourself in danger for our sake. We should stay put. If he comes through the door, there are three of us.”

  Katherine shook her head in disbelief, “Cami, I’m not in any danger. Yer jus’ as naive as everyone said you were.” She paused for a minute as if she had to offer a better explanation for helping us. “I don’t need the hassle of Centaurs patrolling my mountain. A girl likes her privacy. Now get down there before he comes back here.”

  My feet planted – something still didn’t feel right. “
So, you knew who we were the whole time?”

  “Not right away. Every Centaur in this region is looking for Camille Chiron. I suspected, but I couldn’t be sure.”

  “But, you’re not a Centauride.”

  Katherine rolled her eyes, “What gave ya the first clue?”

  I thought of the Centaurs who had attacked Drake and me at Cameron’s house. We didn’t sense their danger until they were right on top of us. It was a well-rehearsed attack, carried out with military precision – they came through all the doors and windows at once. Had Drake’s transformation not surprised them, we may not have made it out alive. I wanted to warn her what she was getting herself into, “Katherine, these Centaurs are dangerous.”

  Her worried look gave way to a smirk, “Yer protected by the dangerous one.”

  Brent and Daniel stood watching our exchange. Neither made any effort to interrupt until Katherine’s last comment. Daniel leaned toward me, “What’s she talking about, Cami?”

  I couldn’t lie to Daniel, but I didn’t feel right telling him about Drake’s transformation. “Drake and I were attacked a couple nights ago at my brother’s house.” Daniel immediately turned to Brent who looked completely oblivious. I clarified, “Not Brent. We were hiding out at my twin brother’s house.”

  Daniel shook his head, “Cameron? But he took off to Florida. I saw him get on a plane myself.”

  “He did, but I called and asked if we could lay low at his house. It was fine until a couple nights ago when thirty Centaurs showed up and stormed the place.”

  Katherine’s expression seemed more urgent and her voice layered in frustration, “Look, I get there are some things you’ll need to fill us in on, but here, with Roscoe jus’ on the other side of that wall, isn’t the right place. Get down inta the tunnel.” She shoved me through the door and onto the ladder.

  I’d never been afraid of the dark, but the ladder seemed to be stretching into nothing but pitch black. The old wooden steps didn’t seem strong enough to support my weight, let alone the weight of four of us climbing down at once. Katherine was at the top of the ladder while Brent, Drake and I were making our way down. She shut the little door, so the only stream of light came through a small circular hole cut in the middle of the hidden door. She pulled a rope from inside the tunnel and what little light there had been completely disappeared. The soda machine had to have been attached to the rope, securing it in place to hide our departure.