Foretell

by Belle Malory

  I wiped at my eyes with shaky hands. “I’m sorry,” I said, smiling. “This was just really a nice surprise.”

  “Well get over it,” he ordered brusquely. After a moment, he sighed and lifted the bottom of his t-shirt. “Here,” he directed, and wiped at my eyes. Seeing Rex’s sculpted abdomen beneath his t-shirt was enough to startle me out of crying.

  “Why are you looking under my shirt, Spence?”

  I blushed, realizing he’d caught me staring. “Why are you putting yourself on display, Constantin?” I countered back.

  He grinned at my question, shaking his head. Reaching inside his backpack, he removed a large picnic blanket, spreading it out over the rocky ledge.

  I collapsed onto the blanket, exhausted from the hike.

  “How’s your knee?” he asked me.

  I looked at the bandage, noticing some blood had seeped through my leggings. “It’s fine.” I lied, even though I could feel a faint throbbing.

  “You’re lying,” he said, calling my bluff. “How badly does it hurt?”

  “I swear I’m okay. It’s just a little sore, that’s all.”

  He frowned, shaking his head. “That bandage needs to be changed once you get back to camp.”

  “Yes, sir.” I gave him a mock salute.

  He ignored my attempts to make fun of him and pulled out a box of crackers from his backpack. He opened it, then offered me the box. I took the box and munched with him quietly, staring out at the countryside from where we sat, and enjoying the scenery.

  It was so serenely beautiful, I could sit there all day.

  “So what’s the deal?” I asked. “Did you bring me up here to seduce me with this spectacular view and your picnic of crackers? Do you have a bottle of wine hidden in your bag too?”

  I’d only been joking, but Rex didn’t seem even remotely embarrassed. Instead, he moved closer to me. Using a low, husky voice, his warm breath was on my ear. “Have you ever experienced how utterly nice casual sex can be?”

  I rolled my eyes, refusing to take the bait. He was just trying to make me feel uncomfortable, I told myself.

  “Maybe in another life,” I answered honestly. “But not so far in this one.”

  He scooted closer, leaning over me. Intimidating me. I could smell the delicious scent of soap he used. “You might enjoy it,” he said. “In fact, I promise you’ll enjoy it.”

  I pushed him away. It was a weak push, not very heartfelt, but he moved away from me just the same. The cocky grin I despised was plastered across his face, knowing he’d gotten to me. I was determined to prove him wrong. “You don’t want to go there with me. Remember when I mentioned how inexperienced I am? Well that included my sex life too.”

  My mouth was left hanging open, just as I was about to take a bite of a cracker. Did I really just say that out loud?

  Rex’s expression turned serious and my cheeks reddened in shame. I knew I shouldn’t feel embarrassed, but I did nonetheless. If there was anything that worked to cool a man’s ardor, I was sure it was for him to find out his prey was a virgin. I never even admitted that much to Landon, for fear that he’d lose interest in me.

  But I didn’t want Rex to be interested, right?

  I shook the doubtful feeling away. Of course I didn’t want him to be interested, not that he was even being serious in the first place. He was only amusing himself by getting under my skin.

  I supposed there was a small chance his efforts were genuine. Lina had said he was a heartbreaker. And then there was his lack of commitment to any one girl, with the exception of the blonde from his portfolio.

  I shifted uncomfortably. There was no point in getting involved with Rex, if he was actually being serious. He would only break my heart into a million pieces. I was confident of it.

  “Hey,” he said gently, moving to sit next to me. “I didn’t mean to offend you.”

  “Is that some kind of backhanded apology?”

  “No. I’m not sorry for what I said.”

  I turned to face him, my expression morphing into confusion as I tried to read his. He didn’t look sorry, so he was definitely telling the truth. Instead, he looked amused, which annoyed me all over again.

  “What’s with the daggers?” he asked. “I’m only sorry if I offended you. What else do I have to be sorry about? You’re a beautiful girl. Figured I may as well try.”

  I eyed him skeptically. Admittedly, his compliment was sort of nice. Especially since it wasn’t followed by him telling me how similar Indie and I look.

  But of course, Rex couldn’t just leave it at that. He ruined it by adding, “We are stuck together, after all.”

  I groaned loudly, and stood. I headed back in the direction that led downhill, calling behind me, “I take back what I said at the train station. You’re still an asshole.”

  He grabbed me before I could get very far. He was trying to contain a fit of laughter. “Okay, okay. I’m sorry about that one. Really, I am. I would try to get in your pants even if we weren’t stuck together. Promise.”

  I realized then just how silly this conversation was. I could feel the barest hint of a smile forming at my lips. I pushed him away, not being able to help my laughter. Rex picked me up by midsection and swung me around. We tumbled to the ground, with Rex landing on top of me.

  “Get off me,” I yelled playfully. “You’d have to be the biggest idiot in the world if you think I want my first time to be with someone who offers me casual sex.”

  His face drew closer to mine. “Great, awesome, feverishly erotic, casual sex,” he emphasized.

  “I don’t doubt it, but I think I’ll pass.”

  “A shame.” He tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear, and the moment went serious again. “But I can respect that.”

  I smiled, touched by his words.

  He rolled off me, reaching for his bag. “No bottle of wine, though it was a great suggestion. I’ll have to remember it for next time. You’ll have to make do with cherry coke for now.” He tossed me an ice-cold can. “I noticed your penchant for it.”

  “I’m working on the addiction.” I cracked the can open. “They tell me I’ve made progress.”

  He raised his brows in mock surprise. “Ah, look at you taking baby steps. I’ll make sure you don’t have one too many. Wouldn’t want to subject the rest of the camp to the highly caffeinated.”

  We both laughed in unison. I giggled until my stomach began hurting.

  After a while, we’d both succumbed to silence again, and I looked over at Rex, seeing him in a newfound light. It was like he was a different person; completely opposite from the person I’d originally met.

  The once cold, sarcastic demeanor faded from my vision. The hardened lines of his jaw erased. It was almost as if I could see beyond his front, into the depths of something more. Something that terrified me, but in the same instance, captivated me.

  I shuddered, but not from the cold. It was a breath of fresh air to meet someone so completely different. I had despised Rex at first. With a passion. But the longer I was around him, the more I could see that it was all just a pretense. And the person he was hiding, the person he tried so desperately to cover up, I was pretty sure I was falling head over heels for.

  Oh God, I thought crazily, biting my lip at the realization. It’s not true. You don’t even know him that well.

  I closed my eyes, shutting them tightly, wishing I could block out the insane thoughts.

  When I opened my eyes, I noticed Rex staring at me. His amber eyes glowed warmly as he smiled, the sun setting within them.

  I swallowed fearfully. It was true. I, Essie Spencer, was undeniably smitten.

  Thirteen

  I tried not to think about my newfound admiration of Rex. In fact, I tried really, really hard not to think about it. Yet, with that one little realization, my entire world transformed. Walking back down Mount Victory was a completely different walk than the one I’d experienced on the way up.

  I couldn’t stop w
atching him. Every move he made, every step he took, every time he paused to help me over a rock-I was entranced. It was like I was seeing this whole new person.

  I’d always thought that Rex was handsome, incredibly so, in fact. But this. . .this was different. When I looked at him now, I saw someone I cared for. In the short amount of time it took to climb up this mountain, Rex had suddenly become. . .beautiful.

  It scared the hell out of me.

  Normally I was a fairly straightforward person. I tended to let people know how I was feeling, especially the significant things. I couldn’t tell Rex, could I? What good would come of it anyway? He’d probably just laugh hysterically in my face.

  I frowned, grasping the truth of my situation. There was no possible way that Rex could have feelings for me…or could he?

  I thought back on all the little moments I’d shared with him. For someone claiming to be so apathetic, he’d taken it upon himself to watch over me very closely, and had come to my rescue several times. He’d also danced with me because I asked him to. Most of the time he seemed to enjoy our conversations, even when we argued. And what was up with his helping me cross off things from my bucket list? It was like he was trying to give me what I wanted for a change. Like he was my oracle or something.

  Only people who were in love made those kinds of gestures. The realization shocked me.

  Maybe he did have feelings for me.

  I grinned ecstatically, surprised to be so delighted by this revelation. But while I was basking in my discovery, I failed to pay attention to where I was walking, and tripped over a tree branch. I fell straight to my hands and knees, scraping them.

  Landing on the hurt knee would’ve made me double over in pain if I hadn’t already been doubled over in the first place. I moaned, feeling the area throb as if it had its own heartbeat.

  Slowly, I stood, brushing leaves and dirt off of my clothes. I took a few deep breaths, feeling the pain subside a little.

  “Are you okay?” Rex called out from up ahead.

  “Yeah, I’m fine,” I said. Just being a major klutz apparently.

  He waited for me to catch up to him. I tried desperately not to wobble as I walked.

  “You’re bleeding again,” he pointed out. Sure enough, there was blood soaking through my leggings.

  “Gross,” I said, and bent down to pull the fabric up.

  Before I knew what was happening, I was literally being swept off of my feet. Rex picked me up like some damsel in distress.

  The intoxicating smell of evergreen soap surrounded me and the sound of Rex’s heartbeat pulsed against my side. His arms were wrapped around me, carrying me as if I weighed nothing at all. They created a sense of safety, a sense of belonging there, enfolded within them. It was too much for me to handle.

  “I don’t need you to carry me,” I insisted. I struggled against him, trying to get him to put me down.

  “Shut up, Spencer. If you bleed anymore than you already are, you’re going to attract the bears.”

  I looked around, surveying the forest suspiciously. “There are bears in these woods?”

  Rex laughed. The rich, hearty sound echoed throughout the forest.

  In the meantime, I’d struggled enough to escape his grip. I slid out of his arms, landing flat on my butt.

  “Ouch,” I muttered, picking myself up again.

  Great, second time falling in the last few minutes. Maybe that whole thing about falling head over heels wasn’t so far off the mark.

  “You’re being ridiculous, Spence. If you walk on your leg, it’s going to make the pain worse and it won’t heal.”

  “I’ll manage,” I said stubbornly. Except the limp in my walk wasn’t helping to support my statement.

  He groaned, exasperated, and threw his hands up in the air. He trekked downhill without me, grumbling in what I surmised to be Romanian. I think I also heard something in English about me being a real pain in the ass.

  My earlier burst of euphoria faded. The roses and stars fell out of my eyes. It was becoming apparent once again that Rex Constantin was no prince charming.

  Soon there was a good amount of distance put between him and me since I wasn’t able to keep up. I wanted to prove I could handle myself, but every step took effort. It surprised me when Rex began hiking back uphill. Reaching me, he tore a shred of fabric from his t-shirt and held it out.

  “Tie this around your leg for pressure at least?”

  I accepted the fabric from him. I wrapped it around my knee several times, until it formed a tight bond. While I did this, Rex kicked the dirt and brambles surrounding us and picked up random sticks, inspecting them. He found a large, thick one and tested its sturdiness by leaning his weight on it. Satisfied, he handed me the stick.

  “You can use it as a sort of cane since you’re against me carrying you.”

  I accepted the stick he offered, mumbling a quick thanks before he walked away.

  As we headed back to camp in silence, I began to feel really, really bad. Here he’d gone to all this trouble to bring me up here, and I’d repaid him by acting like a complete brat.

  Great job, Essie, I thought to myself, sighing. I was mean to him when I decided I didn’t like him, and I acted even worse when I decided I did like him. There was something seriously wrong with me.

  Later that afternoon, I crept into the back of the RV, thankful to find a moment all to myself. I took it as an opportunity to gather my things, including the maps I’d purchased, quickly stuffing them into my duffel bag. Earlier I’d noticed the keys to the car were lying in the front console of the RV. Somehow I needed to grab those keys before Lola and Gabe went to sleep. They would definitely hear me creeping around in the dark if I waited until later tonight.

  Once I was finished packing, I decided to say goodbye to Abby while I had the chance. I tried not to get all weepy over the separation, but it wasn’t really working.

  “You’re my only real family,” I told her miserably. “And hopefully, when tomorrow comes and you see that I’m gone, you won’t think I’ve abandoned you. I hope you’ll know that it’s only for a little while. Not forever.”

  Abby rested her chin across my thigh languidly, as if she knew something was wrong. I patted her head and scratched behind her ears. “Rex will take good care of you,” I promised her. “I know he seems like a jerk most of the time, but deep, deep down, he’s a good person. And I know he likes you, Abby. Even if he won’t admit it.”

  Suddenly feeling as if I were in some Disney movie, I swallowed and composed myself. I stood to leave the room, but stilled as I noticed Zetta standing in the hallway.

  Had she overheard me saying goodbye to Abby?

  “Don’t fret, child,” she said in her thickly accented voice. “I’ve already seen you leave in my dreams. I do not intend to tell anyone.”

  She moved towards me, reaching for my hand. She turned my palm over, slipping a piece of paper into it. “I’ve come to give you this.”

  “What is it?”

  “It’s Marcellus’s address. After hours of searching my mind, I was finally able to see it clearly.”

  I glanced at the paper, noticing the Vancouver address scrawled across it.

  “Thank you,” I said gratefully. “This will be an enormous help.”

  For a moment, her dark eyes beheld me in an endearingly familiar manner. “Be careful,” she told me gravely.

  “I will,” I promised.

  She turned to leave, but I stopped her. “Zetta?”

  “Yes?”

  “Did you see me find him? Did you see this curse end for me?”

  I stared into her eyes, desperately waiting to hear the answer I longed for. But she couldn’t give me that answer.

  “I’ve seen you leave quietly,” she said. “That is all.”

  A wave of disappointment spread over me. “Oh…okay. Thanks.”

  Zetta nodded solemnly before leaving the room.

  Fourteen

  I was ready to leave. My
bag was packed, I’d said goodbye to Abby and now I had Marcellus’s address. I even managed to swipe the car keys from the console earlier, which meant I wouldn’t have to worry about Lola and Gabe catching me. All I waited for was for everyone to fall asleep. And, of course, for my sense of bravery to kick in.

  “What if we just tell Estelle we want to get rid of the curse?”

  I gave Gabe my best are you serious? expression from across the dinner table. The group had been brainstorming different ideas all night, but so far had not come up with any useful ones. Although I was dismissive of Gabe’s suggestion, I wasn’t all that surprised to hear it.

  “Judging by that look, I’d venture to say you’ve already tried,” he told me.

  I nodded, swallowing my bite of steak. “I tricked my sister into asking me, not just once, but a few different times.”

  “And what was your response?”

  “Nothing. I was met with my own silence every time.”

  An idea coming to her, Lola quickly swallowed her food, and excitedly proposed, “Oooh, but what if it didn’t work because your sister didn’t genuinely want it? It’s no secret you’ve given her fame and fortune. That could have swayed her true desire.”

  I considered the possibility, then held out my hand. “Go ahead. For kicks.”

  Lola took my hand and said, “I want for you, Estelle, to be rid of your own curse. How do I do that?” She stared at me, hoping for a miracle.

  I met her gaze, with no magical words coming to save me. I shrugged despondently. “Sorry.”

  “Damn it all to hell,” she whined.

  “It was worth a shot,” Gabe allowed. “I guess we’re back to the drawing board.”

  After dinner, Gabe and Lola headed inside the RV for the night. My body tensed knowing the time to leave was drawing near.

  Zetta was already gone. She had kept her word, and told no one about my plans. They took her to the airport earlier after an irate phone call from Lola’s father. He’d said she was costing him money, by hoarding both of his best psychics and that she needed to return one immediately. Lola ended up sending Zetta on the first flight out. I was upset to see Zetta go, strangely attached to her presence.