Grey (The Romany Outcasts Series, Book 1)

by Christi J. Whitney

  Who were these people?

  Hugo appeared at the counter, and I jumped. He motioned for silence as he reached past me and pulled a large book from the shelf. ‘Go back to the apartment,’ he whispered harshly.

  ‘What’s going on?’ I whispered back.

  Hugo knelt, fingers gripping my shirt, eyes boring into mine. ‘Just do as I say. We’ll talk after they’re gone, but for right now, I need you to go back to the apartment and stay there.’

  My brother squared his shoulders and left, giving me no chance to argue.

  I’d seen Hugo deal with some pretty rough people: guys that would come into the shop drunk and violent, demanding refunds for tattoos they no longer wanted, or trying to cause trouble. None of them had ever fazed Hugo, though. I’d witnessed him – on more than one occasion – manhandle an unruly client right out the front door.

  I could grit my teeth and say whatever I wanted under my breath about Hugo Corsi. But I wouldn’t cross him. I couldn’t. I wrinkled my nose against the nasty smell permeating the shop, then I hurried to the apartment and shut the door behind me.

  A half hour passed before Hugo and the guys joined me.

  I’d been pacing the living room like a restless animal. With each pass, I’d catch a glimpse of myself in the wall mirror and a fresh wave of uneasiness would pass through me. Hugo entered first and collapsed on the sofa.

  ‘Hugo, what’s going on?’ I demanded. ‘Are you selling on the black market or something?’

  ‘Nope.’

  ‘Owe the mafia money?’

  ‘Uh uh.’

  ‘Then what?’

  He looked out the window, watching rain pelt against the glass. ‘It’s nothing, Sebastian. Everything’s fine. I’m just having to play some cards right at the moment. I can’t say more than that.’

  Anger simmered inside me. ‘Why are you trying to keep me out of this, Hugo? Is it because I’m not a Gypsy, like the rest of you? You said I was part of the clan, and now you’re treating me like an outsider.’

  ‘You are part of the clan, Sebastian. There are just some people who’ve been a little misinformed about a few things, and I’m trying to straighten the whole thing out. Like I said, it’s nothing.’

  I pressed my hand against my torso. I didn’t feel cold anymore. Was everything actually fine, as Hugo claimed?

  ‘Okay, so if you won’t talk to me about your covert operations, then let’s talk about stuff that is going on.’

  His head snapped back. ‘Like what?’

  ‘Like the fight I nearly got into at school.’

  The room went uncannily silent.

  Hugo stiffened. ‘What fight?’

  I sighed and dropped into a chair, putting my head in my hands. All my revved up emotions had left me drained. ‘I don’t know what happened, Hugo. I just got really angry with this kid, and I couldn’t control it.’ I closed my eyes, shivering at the memory. ‘I just snapped. I had him on the ground, and I wanted to…’

  ‘What?’

  Everyone was looking at me. I stared at my shoes. ‘I wanted to tear him apart, Hugo,’ I said hesitantly. ‘It really freaked me out. I’ve never felt like that before.’ I ventured a glance at my brother. ‘Ms Lucian should’ve sent me to the office, but she said she’d let it go, if I told you what happened.’

  ‘Well, you’re lucky Esmeralda was looking out for you, then,’ he replied.

  Esmeralda. It took me a moment to realize he was referring to Ms Lucian. My class schedule only listed her first initial. ‘She said you guys were friends.’

  Hugo sat back. ‘She’s right.’

  ‘Another thing you failed to mention.’

  ‘Well, forgive me if I neglect to run every part of my life by my kid brother,’ Hugo snapped. He pushed himself to his feet. ‘Has it ever occurred to you that some things just aren’t your business, Sebastian?’

  Ouch.

  ‘Look,’ Hugo said, softening his voice, ‘I didn’t mean to go off on you like that. It’s been a rough day. I know you’ve been dealing with a lot lately, and then we dumped all this Gypsy stuff on you. I’m sure what happened at school today was no big deal. If Esmeralda’s willing to drop it, then so am I.’

  Okay, so that had gone easier than I’d expected, but his answer didn’t make me feel any better. ‘So what about everything else?’

  Hugo stepped into the kitchen, and I heard the fridge open, followed by the squeak of a cabinet and the whoosh of gas on the stove. I frowned. Since when did the walls in this apartment get so thin?

  James settled into the place Hugo had vacated. His thick brows were pinched together in a way that looked strange on his normally jovial face.

  ‘What do you mean, “everything else”?’

  I worked the words around my mouth. ‘I…I think I might be sick.’

  ‘Sick how?’ questioned Vincent.

  ‘Like from your fall at the Fairgrounds?’ James interjected. ‘You mean like, as in you might need to go see a doctor kind of sick?’

  I shook my head. ‘No, it’s not that.’

  Was it my imagination, or did James look relieved?

  ‘Then sick how?’ repeated Vincent.

  ‘I just don’t feel…right,’ I replied. ‘I can’t really explain it.’

  James and Vincent exchanged looks, and I felt James subtly increase the distance between us. There was something in the air that reminded me of the night I’d overheard the whispered conversation about my apprenticeship. Or, at least, that’s what I’d been led to believe the guys had been discussing. I was getting all kinds of contradicting vibes. I clenched my hands, determined not to have another angry outburst.

  ‘Why are you guys looking at me like that?’

  ‘You know, Sebastian,’ said Kris from the other side of the room. ‘You could just be stressed. Have you ever considered that this whole audition and play business might have you worked up?’

  And Josephine, I thought, but I wasn’t going to admit that to the guys.

  ‘Yeah, maybe.’ I stood and rolled my shoulders, trying to loosen the muscles. A flash of lightning illuminated the room, and my reflection in the wall mirror looked almost ghostly in the dim glow. ‘Listen, can we maybe call a truce on this initiation thing?’ I pointed to my hair. ‘I know the tattoo’s a done deal, but all this other stuff’s getting old. Call me crazy, but I’m kinda fond of the way my hair used to look, you know, before you guys dumped paint on my head, or whatever you did.’

  I glanced back at the guys. They were staring at me; that same strange look that was becoming a little too frequent for my comfort. Just then, Hugo appeared from the kitchen, a glass in his hand.

  ‘Here.’

  I took the cup and studied its contents. ‘Warm milk?’

  ‘It’ll help you sleep.’

  I couldn’t resist smiling, despite the circumstances. ‘What are you, my grandmother, now?’

  He watched as I downed the drink in one gulp. Hugo nodded in satisfaction and took the empty container out of my hands. ‘Okay, Sebastian. You’re right. There are some things – some Gypsy things – that have been going on the last few weeks. So I’ll make a deal with you. You head off to bed, and I promise we’ll sit down and talk everything out tomorrow.’

  ‘Why not tonight?’

  ‘Well, for starters, you look pretty beat.’

  The others voiced their agreement. I started to argue, but I was feeling pretty tired. Actually, I was suddenly exhausted. My knees wobbled a little. It felt as though I’d been plugged into some power source that had abruptly run out of juice. I rubbed my temples wearily.

  ‘You sure you don’t want to stay home tomorrow?’ asked James.

  ‘Can’t.’ I yawned loudly. ‘Rehearsal.’

  Vincent’s pierced lip shifted into a frown. ‘But I thought you were sick.’

  ‘Just need some…sleep.’

  I couldn’t see straight anymore I was so tired. And all kinds of bizarre, fatigue-induced notions were dancing through
my brain, like the idea that Hugo had somehow drugged the milk. I yawned again and forced my eyelids open as I maneuvered around the sofa. Tomorrow. Tomorrow I’d find out what Hugo and the guys had been up to behind my back. I didn’t care about anything but my pillow and a dark room. I shuffled, heavy-footed, down the hall.

  ‘Goodnight, Sebastian,’ I heard Hugo call.

  I barely made it to my bed before sleep took me.

  10. Sanity and Madness

  The school day passed with the speed of a three-legged turtle. As soon as play rehearsal ended, I shrugged on my jacket and bolted for the door. I couldn’t get out of there fast enough. And it didn’t have anything to do with the jabs about my hair or my health, or the hushed conversations about the incident between Alex and me.

  I needed to get home before anything else happened.

  The feverish sensation was back, this time, with a vengeance. Though I’d slept like the dead the night before, I felt hung-over and scattered. I used the theater chairs for support as I hurried up the aisle of the auditorium, afraid I was either going to puke or pass out, neither of which would be a favorable end to my day.

  Then I smelled a familiar fragrance drifting from behind me.

  ‘Sebastian?’

  As if on autopilot, my body pulled up short, just as I reached the last row. I tried to retreat into my hood, to mumble some excuse and keep walking, but my motor functions wouldn’t obey. Instead, I found myself turning around to meet her green-eyed gaze.

  ‘Yes, Josephine?’

  Saying her name felt incredible. It sent a blissful rush through my insides, easing the sickness, but making me dizzy at the same time. I leaned hard against the seat to keep my balance. Josephine adjusted her messenger bag across her shoulder. She was wearing a flowing green shirt that looked amazing against her skin. Green had to be her favorite color. It had definitely become mine.

  ‘I’ve been wanting to talk to you all day,’ she said. ‘But you’re hard to track down, even in rehearsal.’ She tilted her head to the side, studying me. Then she smiled a smile that warmed me all the way to my toes. ‘You haven’t been avoiding me, have you?’

  Yes, I have, because you probably think I’m a complete psycho at this…

  ‘Of course not,’ I said quickly. I started to laugh, but clutched my wrist instead. It stung like crazy. I considered taking the opportunity to ask her about the Ferris wheel thing, but I was so enthralled watching her, that it didn’t seem important anymore. I cleared my throat. ‘Ah, what did you want to talk about?’

  ‘I’m a little worried about our scenes,’ she said simply.

  Her answer caught me off guard. ‘Our scenes?’

  ‘Well, two weeks isn’t a lot of time to put on a play, and I don’t know how many chances you and I will have to work on our parts together in rehearsal.’ Her lips puckered gently. ‘So I was wondering, would you mind coming by today to go over lines with me?’

  Don’t sound stupid, my mind shouted at me. I hurried ahead to open the auditorium door for her. ‘You mean, at the…Fairgrounds?’

  Way to go, Sebastian.

  ‘Yes, at the Fairgrounds,’ she said, brushing against me as she passed through the door. ‘I have to get some practice in for my circus routine, but I’ve got about an hour free. Can you come?’

  ‘Absolutely.’ I didn’t understand what to make of these yo-yo feelings I had around her, but I wasn’t going to worry about it right then, not when she was looking at me, turning my legs into melted butter.

  ‘So, what do you think of the play so far?’ she asked as we maneuvered through the crowded parking lot.

  ‘I think it’s going to be good. You’re doing an amazing job as Titania. I love watching you.’ I clamped down hard on my lip. That last bit was probably too much. But she didn’t seem to notice.

  ‘Thanks. I have to admit, I’ve always wanted to play her. I adore Shakespeare.’

  ‘Me too,’ I said quickly. I was sounding way too desperate, but I couldn’t make myself stop. I was worse than a gushing fire hydrant.

  ‘Really? Well, what’s your favorite play?’

  ‘That’s a pretty loaded question,’ I replied, glad for a chance to recover. ‘I guess it depends on whether you’re talking tragedies or comedies. Or histories, even. I’m not as big into his sonnets and all that, but there are some that are pretty cool.’

  Josephine stopped walking and looked up at me. ‘You really do like Shakespeare,’ she said, sounding impressed.

  I kicked at a stray pebble, heat spiking up to the roots of my hair. Most guys didn’t voluntarily read things like Hamlet or Much Ado about Nothing. Shakespeare could be considered a form of cruel and unusual punishment. ‘Well,’ I began, trying to play it off as best I could, ‘I think…’

  ‘Hey, Josephine,’ said a smooth voice.

  The remains of my answer died on my lips. Quentin Marks strolled towards us. Muscles tightened along my back, and I went cold all over.

  Josephine practically glowed.‘Quentin!’

  He wrapped her in a hug, lifting her in his embrace as he planted a kiss on her lips. I looked away and curled my fingers into my palms. My theory about their relationship disintegrated like paper on fire. I searched for a quick and subtle escape, like a giant rabbit hole. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Quentin return her to the ground. She cuffed him lightly on the arm.

  ‘I’ve missed you,’ she said.

  ‘Well, I’m here now.’ He took her bag and flung it casually over one broad shoulder. ‘Ready to go?’

  I edged off the sidewalk, but Josephine immediately turned, catching me in mid-step. Her expression was strangely intense. Something about the way she looked at me made my heart bounce under my sternum.

  ‘So, I’ll see you in a little while?’ she asked.

  ‘Sure,’ I replied, hoping I didn’t sound too eager. ‘I’ll be there.’

  ‘Remember…the Fairgrounds.’ She winked.

  ‘What’s going on?’ Quentin looked as though he’d just realized I was standing there.

  Josephine curled her arm around his. ‘Sebastian and I are going to work on our scenes for the school play.’

  ‘I see,’ he replied, studying me. ‘Hey, Sebastian. How’s the head?’

  ‘Good as new,’ I replied.

  His gaze returned to Josephine. ‘Today? Do you think that’s a good idea? You know we’ve scheduled a long practice, and you’ve got a lot to cover.’ He cast a sideways glance my way. ‘Maybe some other time?’

  Though he’d directed the question to Josephine, it was obvious that he was expecting me to answer; to bail out. The tone of his voice had changed – a slight variation – but I picked up on it, loud and clear. Something crackled through my stomach like icy fire. I pressed my fingernails into my palms, working to keep my face unexpressive.

  ‘Just an hour.’ Josephine rubbed his arm. ‘It won’t interfere.’

  I focused on Quentin, scrutinizing every move and reaction, storing the information in the back of my mind, though I didn’t know why. I’d never really been one for details, but things had changed drastically over the last few days. I found myself doing it a lot more, so much that it was beginning to feel instinctive.

  His mouth curved easily, but his body language conveyed that of someone trying a little too hard to appear relaxed. ‘Okay, Josie. It’s your call.’

  ‘Just an hour,’ she repeated, giving Quentin a peck on the cheek. Then she waved at me. ‘I’ll see you soon, Sebastian.’

  Quentin put his arm around her shoulders, spinning her towards his SUV. I watched the vehicle roar out of the parking lot, my blood pounding in my ears. Something wasn’t right. A burst of heat shot through me, and a sound I didn’t know I could make rose from my throat. Something registered in my peripheral vision. I whipped around, snarling.

  ‘Hey, easy, Sebastian!’ Mitchell cried, throwing his hands up.

  ‘I have to follow her. She’s not safe.’

  Mitchell looked at me as tho
ugh I’d lost my mind. ‘I’m going to take a chance here and say she’s probably fine, buddy.’

  ‘No, she’s not,’ I hissed. My shoulders pinched together. ‘She’s not.’

  My head was screaming at me. I pressed my fingers into my temples. Mitchell glanced away uncomfortably. I had to get a grip on my emotions. I breathed in hard through my nose and squeezed my eyes shut until the anger released me from its grip. Common sense told me that Josephine was fine, but the compulsion to jump into my van and take off after her was nearly overwhelming. I planted my feet until, finally, the urge passed.

  What the crap was going on?

  ‘Well…’ said Mitchell, looking as awkward as I felt.

  Before I could either apologize or explain away my latest out-burst, Avery arrived on the scene, inadvertently coming to my rescue. He slapped me good-naturedly on the back, totally oblivious to everything.

  ‘What’s up, guys?’

  I rubbed my shoulder, feeling more like myself again. ‘You know, Avery, some people might take offense at your greeting tactics.’

  He laughed. ‘Let me know if you meet one.’

  Katie bounded up beside me, her face flushed. ‘Rehearsal totally rocked today! I can’t believe how soon the show’s going to be here!’

  I grinned at her, relieved for yet another distraction. ‘So, how are you doing as the Hippo, by the way?’

  ‘Hippolyta is coming along quite nicely, thank you. That is, if her Theseus would learn his lines. Wesley totally sucks!’

  ‘Why don’t you tell us how you really feel,’ said Mitchell.

  Katie shrugged. ‘You know I only speak the truth.’ She started to say something else, then her gaze shifted to my hood. She leaned forward. ‘Wow, Sebastian, I just realized that your eyes are the same shade as your hair,’ she mused. ‘I mean, like totally exact. Did you do that on purpose?’

  ‘Contacts,’ I lied, simply.

  She propped her chin in her hand, forming her own opinions, probably. ‘It’s almost creepy.’

  ‘Um, thanks?’