by Terry Spear
“You’re not easily hypnotized?” Stasio discarded another card on the coffee table between them.
“No, no one can hypnotize me.”
Stasio glanced at Levka, and she noticed Ruric watching her with a curious look, too.
She shrugged, realizing how bulky and uncomfortable the lifejacket was, but she still couldn’t take it off.
“Do you want me to try?” Stasio asked.
“It won’t work.” Not with being a witch. She just couldn’t give up control to another in that manner. “It’s been tried on me before,” she said honestly, “and it won’t work.”
“You don’t want it to.” Stasio picked up a card.
“Oh yes I do if it can help me sleep through this.”
He looked up at her, his blue eyes fathomless. “If I tell you that you are getting sleepy, you will resist me.”
“I want to sleep.”
He smiled. “Yes, but not here, not in the ship’s lounge. You find the idea disagreeable because you’d feel vulnerable, and you wouldn’t go along with it. If I took you back to your cabin, you’d resist me because you would fear the unknown.”
Her whole body grew hot. She glanced at Levka, whose lips were smiling slightly.
Ruric had the same bemused expression.
“You’d fight me, because you wouldn’t entirely trust me,” Stasio added.
Arman came back with her hot chocolate topped with whipped cream. “Cheers. Maybe this will help you to relax.”
She took a deep breath and thanked Arman. The guys continued to play cards while she drank the hot chocolate. Not once did they flinch when the ship shook or rolled or felt as though it was going to sink. She didn’t think the storm bothered them at all.
She stared into her dwindling drink.
“You are getting sleepy.”
She looked up at Stasio, but she didn’t think he’d said anything. Not with his voice, anyhow. But he couldn’t have reached her telepathically. She kept her abilities locked up, not allowing anyone in, or letting her own thoughts out. Besides, she’d only known one person who could telepathically communicate with her besides her parents, and he was also dead.
Stasio continued to play his cards without looking at her.
Levka glanced at her nearly empty mug and looked at Arman, which seemed to prompt him to ask, “Want another cocoa?”
“Sure, thanks so much, Arman. I’ll return the favor tomorrow.” She took another deep breath and finished off the drink. “Okay, Stasio, go ahead. Try hypnotizing me. I promise I’ll try and accept it.”
He continued to discard a card, then picked up another. “I don’t like anyone to think I’m a fraud.”
She smiled. “I know you’re not a fraud. You’re very good at what you do.”
Looking up at her, he said, “But you would be more of a challenge than I’m willing to risk.”
“I give myself into your care.” She yawned. “Well, after I drink my second cup of chocolate or Arman will be disappointed.”
After Arman returned with her cocoa, she began to sip it, hating that the waves weren’t quieting. Several times she nearly spilled her cocoa until she drank enough of it.
Though the others continued to play cards, she could tell from their shared looks, they thought she was nuts. “Okay, tell me to go back to my room and sleep.” She set her mug on the coffee table. She knew it wouldn’t work, but she didn’t want to look any more stupid than she already did. Maybe Alicia had some of that seasickness medicine that might make her drowsy. “Okay?”
Stasio looked up at her. “Go back to your room and go to sleep.”
Caitlin stood. The ship rolled and she instinctively grabbed Levka’s shoulder. He winced and she quickly released him. “Sorry.”
She shook Alicia. When she didn’t respond, she said, “Alicia, come with me back to our room.” Alicia stood. Caitlin took her hand and grabbed a nearby pole, then without a backward look made her way down the hall to the stairs that would lead to their deck. She knew the guys were watching them, knew they were laughing to themselves. The lounge was supposed to be empty. They shouldn’t have been there. She had wanted to hide there from the storm, from the crew, from the passengers, not show her insecurities to the world.
Minutes later, she unlocked the door to their room. “Go to bed, Alicia.”
When Alicia settled back on her bed, Caitlin stared at the balcony door where the rain pounded the glass. It might have been waves and not rain as high as she imagined the crests were.
Searching through Alicia’s bags, she couldn’t find any seasickness medicine. She grabbed her pillow, walked into the hall, and shut the door to her room. With her back to the wall, she sat and laid her head on her pillow on top of her knees. She would not get near the balcony or the ocean. Here in the narrow hall away from the prying eyes of others and the wickedness of the cruel waters, she would be safe.
Sometime later, she dreamed Levka called to her, “Invite me in, Caitlin. Invite me into your room.”
She felt she’d slurred the words, “Come in,” but she couldn’t have sworn to it. In the hazy fog of her mind, she further fantasized he carried her to her bed, pulled off her lifejacket, and covered her with her blanket. Leaning over, he kissed her forehead with a gentle caress. “Sleep,” he said, his dark eyes overpowering her. “Sleep, and join us in the morning.”
She studied his semi-sweet dark chocolate eyes, amusement and intrigue sparkling in their depths. She wanted to reach out to him, to touch his pale cheek, and thought she had. But he captured her hand and kissed it. His lips curved up, and he leaned over and kissed her mouth this time. His tongue licked her lips, then he pulled away, seemingly startled, his eyes turning to midnight. Then he withdrew into the shadows. She wanted to follow, tried to, but he repeated his words to her, “Sleep, sweet angel.”
It seemed that no sooner had the vision faded from her sight, that an annoying knocking on her door woke her. She stared at the door, but the knocking had stopped. Maybe it was next door.
She glanced at Alicia, still sleeping in her lifejacket. Caitlin was still dressed, too, only her lifejacket was sitting on the desk chair. Levka couldn’t have brought her into her room. He was too weak. Still not completely awake, Caitlin sighed. She must have walked into the room half asleep without even realizing it.
The knocking began again, and this time Caitlin realized it was her door.
Alicia bolted from her bed, stared at her lifejacket, then jerked it off. Before Caitlin could say a word, Alicia grabbed her pillow and slugged Caitlin in the head with it. “You’re a moron, you know!” Alicia shrieked.
Caitlin grabbed at the pillow before Alicia slugged her with it again when the knocking at the door grew louder and more frenzied.
Chapter 6
Levka shook his head at Arman as they stood outside Caitlin’s stateroom door. “It sounds as though Alicia needs to be under our control again.” He stared at the door. “I can’t believe as much sleeping medicine as you’d put in Caitlin’s two mugs of cocoa last night, she ended up trying to stay awake in the hallway.”
Arman shrugged. “Stasio says she’s resistant to mind and drug control. But then, you already found that out, I suspect.”
Yeah, Levka had when he’d tried to get her to tell him what upset her so much during the lifeboat drill. “You amended the records at the doctor’s station so no one would know you broke in and stole some of the sleeping medicine?”
“Yep, I don’t make mistakes like Stasio.”
Glad Arman had finally stepped in to help their cause despite breaking rules, Levka nodded.
“I’m the best trained to serve as the doctor, and she needed to sleep,” Arman said, crossing his arms, defending himself.
“She did, and I thank you for helping her.” Staring at the door, Levka said, “Knock again. I’m afraid she’ll miss breakfast.”
Arman pounded on the door again. “Caitlin, are you up? Levka’s worried you’re going to miss breakfast wit
h him.”
Levka scowled at him.
Arman shrugged. “Your words, Levka. You cannot fault me for being honest.”
Caitlin yanked the door open, a hairbrush in one hand, a smile stretching across her face. “I’ll be just a few minutes.” She looked down at Levka and gave him a lopsided grin. “Sorry, I guess I finally fell asleep sometime this morning.”
He looked at the cut on her lip where she must have bitten it earlier and even now could taste her blood on his tongue, sweet and spicy. Forever, her blood would be imprinted on his mind. He bowed his head to her. His friends were right. He wanted her in the worst way, and resisting her would take all his strength. “The seas have settled down.”
“Yes, thank God. Did you want to wait for us upstairs? There’s no reason for us to hold you up.” The bathroom door slammed behind her, and Caitlin rolled her eyes. “Sleeping Beauty will take forever.”
“Do you still need to use the bathroom?” Levka asked.
“I wanted to freshen up my makeup.”
“No need,” he said.
Her eyes sparkled. “Well, maybe you don’t mind, but I’d scare the rest of the passengers into jumping ship.”
The bathroom door opened, and Alicia said, “It’s free.”
Caitlin glanced back at her. “Oh, okay, thanks, Alicia.” Turning to Levka, she said, “We’ll be right up.”
Leaning back in his wheelchair, Levka folded his arms. “We’ll wait.”
Caitlin smiled, then shut the door.
Arman cleared his throat. “I can’t believe you wouldn’t let us take her into her room last night.”
“I felt better.”
Shaking his head, Arman said, “Today, you’re so much better, Levka, despite not minding me. Maybe by tonight you’ll be able to ditch the wheelchair.”
“That is my profoundest desire.”
“What about the seating arrangements for breakfast?”
Levka looked up at him. “Ruric said he’d take care of it.”
“That should be interesting.”
Watching the door, Levka listened to Caitlin showering and Alicia swearing about something as she banged through drawers. The hair dryer came on, turned off, more drawers slid open and closed, then a several minutes later, Caitlin opened the door to their suite. “We’re ready. Sorry we took so long.”
She reminded him of a sunshiny day, warm and vibrant.
Brushing Caitlin aside, Alicia headed for the stairs. She was more like an annoying storm cloud, chilly, and moody.
Caitlin sighed. “I’d better go after her.”
Levka grabbed her hand. “Ride with me in the elevator?”
She watched Alicia’s retreating backside. “Yes, of course. You were nice enough to wait for me.”
“I’ll see that Alicia gets to our table.” Stalking after her foster sister, Arman closed the gap between them, caught up to her, and escorted her up the stairs.
Caitlin raised her dark brows. “Don’t tell me he’s a hypnotist, too.”
“We all play around with it,” Levka admitted, easing Caitlin into their world, though he had no intention of bringing her into the darkest part of their existence.
Caitlin wheeled Levka to the elevator and punched the button. “We really shouldn’t do this to Alicia the whole trip.”
“You deserve to have some fun, Caitlin. Your foster parents shouldn’t have made you take this trip, knowing how fearful you are of the water.”
“They’re right. I have to get over it somehow.”
He breathed a heavy sigh. “It’s one thing to have you work on your fear, but sticking you out here in the middle of the ocean is overdoing it. And the other thing is they shouldn’t have made you baby-sit your foster sister. In dealing with your anxiety, you should be able to enjoy what you like doing. Like watching the comedy show last night.”
She gave him a small smile, but said nothing.
The elevator arrived, but was packed with teens.
“Sorry, no room,” one of the guys said and gave Levka an ugly smirk.
“Why don’t you take the stairs?” Caitlin asked, her voice harsh. “Looks like all of you could do a little climbing.”
Someone hit a button, and the doors began to close. But then another guy punched the button to open them. Two teens got off. Then another two.
“Losers,” the first guy said.
Caitlin pushed Levka’s wheelchair into the elevator and ran the wheel over the boy’s foot.
He swore at her and stalked out of the elevator.
Several chuckled.
“The guy’s a jerk,” one of the girls said. “Good move.”
When they got off the elevator, two of the girls were talking to Levka like he was their long lost friend. Caitlin pushed his wheelchair to the dining room, quiet the whole time.
They soon reached their reserved table and found the same seating arrangements. Red-faced Dylan glared at an unresponsive Alicia. Ripping apart a roll, Lynne scowled. Levka’s friends raised their brows at him as they looked at the girls that had Super Glued themselves to him.
The girls seemed disappointed to see the seats at the table already filled. “Maybe we can get together with you later, Levka,” one of the girls said, then patted him on the shoulder.
“See ya around,” the other girl said and squeezed his hand in parting.
He swore Caitlin humpfed under her breath. A girl had never been envious over him before, not even Cassandra, which couldn’t help but inflate his ego.
“What’s up?” Ruric asked, moving into his chair with a backward glance at the other girls.
“A little trouble getting room on the elevator,” Caitlin said. “Doesn’t anyone teach their kids to be nice?” She gave Alicia a sarcastic look.
Dylan snorted. “Looks like all you’re left with is the reject. What does nice get you?”
“It’s a good thing not all guys are like you,” Caitlin responded, her cheeks hot with annoyance.
“Well, seems you’re finally speaking your mind.” Lynne buttered a roll. “I’ve never known you to say more than a word or two and nothing nasty since you moved in on Alicia and her parents. Wheelchair guy got you all worked up?” She gave her a snide smile.
Caitlin ignored Lynne and looked over at Alicia. “You need to eat your eggs.”
“We went ahead and ordered already,” Stasio said. “Alicia told us what you like for breakfast.”
Caitlin gave a short laugh. “I didn’t think she knew.”
Stasio sipped his coffee, then set his cup down. “Cinnamon roll, iced tea, and one egg-over-easy.”
The wait-staff brought Caitlin’s breakfast, and she smiled. “Thanks so much.” She glanced at Levka’s empty place setting. “What do you like to eat?”
Everyone watched him, and Levka unfolded his napkin on his lap. “Steak, rare.”
Lynne wrinkled her nose. “For breakfast?”
“And eggs, runny.”
Caitlin grinned. “Like mine.”
The Irish comedian’s blood the night before had satisfied Levka, and he hadn’t needed any other nourishment this soon, but the look of worry on Caitlin’s face convinced him to share a meal. He knew his friends would rib him about it later. But he worried that with the other mortals taking notice, he had to make a good show of it. None of his friends were eating anything, and he assumed they’d found early morning snacks to satisfy themselves. They all drank cups of coffee, though, to fit in.
“That was some storm last night,” Lynne said. “But now that the seas are calm, I’m going swimming right after breakfast. What about you, Alicia?”
“She’s swimming.” Dylan gave Stasio a look like he’d better not contradict him this time.
Alicia looked at Stasio as if she were waiting for him to tell her what to do.
Caitlin cut into her egg. “It’s all right if she wants to go swimming.”
Dylan glared at her. “Like you have any say in it.”
She smiled at him and
the look was pure pixie-like, mischievous and full of the devil.
“Are you going to watch Alicia swim?” Levka asked, figuring she’d still take her baby-sitting job to heart.
“Sure.” She sounded resigned to it.
“Do you mind some company? I’d want to sit in the deck’s shade. I burn easily in the full sun. Fair skin.”
She nodded. “Me, too. That would be nice. I’d like that.”
Dylan said something under his breath, then tugged at Alicia. “You finished with your breakfast? Let’s go.”
“She’ll go when I do.” Caitlin said.
He turned and glowered at her.
“Well,” Lynne said, “this is a first. I’ve never seen Caitlin decide things for you, Alicia. Hope you snap out of it soon. Come on, Dylan.” She tossed her napkin at the table and it missed it and fell on the floor. “We’ll get ready and meet Alicia later.”
When they left, Caitlin said to Stasio, “Alicia’s not a very nice person, but I think maybe we ought to let her be herself for a while. Don’t you?”
Stasio’s blue eyes studied her. “If it pleases you.”
“No, but she’s too weird like this.”
Stasio bowed his head. “Finish your breakfast, and she’ll be back to her own spiteful self.”
Caitlin ate the last bite of her cinnamon roll and licked her fingers. “Okay, turn her loose.”
Alicia slammed her fork on the table and jumped up from her seat. “I heard you call me spiteful, you, you, jerk,” she said to Stasio.
Caitlin hurried to get out of her seat to keep up with her foster sister.
“As for you, Caitlin, what were you doing dragging me out of my bed last night to sit in the lounge in a lifejacket? Were you nuts?”
Caitlin glanced back at Stasio. He smiled and shrugged.
“You should have wiped Alicia’s mind,” Levka communicated to Stasio.
“Those under hypnosis remember what has gone on, though using our vampiric charm is not quite the same since we can convince people to do what they would not normally do. But if Caitlin knew that under hypnosis people remember what happens to them, I didn’t want her wondering why Alicia had lost her memory. Caitlin might have worried.”