Romani Blood (Shifter Blood: Romani Curse Book 1)

by Frances Trilone

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” She pulled me into a hug and squeezed me tight, causing me to groan. She lifted the back of my shirt. “Why are you wearing a bandage?”

  “There was something in the water. A fish or something,” I replied. “It’s a minor scratch. I’m sure Kaleb put more bandage on than I needed.”

  “That’s great,” Wendy said. “Your Uncle Henry is never going to let you hang out with me again. Not when you show up with a bandage like that.”

  Kaleb’s head jerked back. “You’re related to Henry Stanescu?”

  I nodded, surprised to learn he knew Uncle Henry. “He’s my mom’s older brother.”

  “Let’s go to your car.” Cole wrapped an arm around Wendy, and they walked to the dirt path.

  “How do you know Henry?” I asked.

  “I don’t,” Kaleb replied. “My father knows him.”

  I glanced at Cole and Wendy, who now stood by her car. There were no other cars nearby, except for my Jeep. “Do you need a ride to town?”

  Kaleb shook his head. “I need to get back to Norwood Isle.”

  Of course, he needed to check on Markus. I took one last look at his muscles and birthmark. “Thanks for the boat ride. I had fun. Tell Markus I hope he’s feeling better, and next time, he needs to wear a life vest.”

  “I’ll tell him.”

  “Thanks for your shirt, too. I’ll wash it and give it back.”

  “You can throw it out. I have lots more at home.” He scratched his chin. “Were you serious about what you said? You want me to come by the tent?”

  “Yes.” I ran my fingers along the edge of Kaleb’s shirt. No way was I throwing his shirt in the trash.

  “You know me being there might cause some trouble?” He untied the rope and climbed onto the boat. “Are you okay with that?”

  I nodded. “Does that mean you’ll come?”

  “Maybe.” He started the boat’s engine. “I was right about you. You are different.”

  A big smile crossed my face as I watched him speed toward Norwood Isle. I didn’t care if Ethan saw Kaleb at the fortune-telling tent. Uncle Henry had said I needed to read palms all day. It’s not my fault if Kaleb showed up and paid the ten-dollar fee.

  But what if Uncle Henry found out I’d asked Kaleb to come see me at the tent?

  Chapter 10

  “What’s with you?” Aunt Norma frowned from the tent’s entrance.

  Business flourished in the fortune-telling tent during Saturday’s Norwood Festival, but my fortune-telling skills lacked the necessary finesse to make the tourists happy. Reading their palms was easy, but staring into a crystal ball and reading their body language proved challenging.

  My lack of sleep didn’t help either. Since Norwood Isle was now open for business, more customers came to the café, so Bill had extended the café’s hours.

  And my back still ached from jumping into the freezing water to rescue Markus. I struggled to concentrate, and Aunt Norma wasn’t pleased.

  “Can I get some food from the café?” I crossed my fingers, hoping she’d agree with me. I’d left the house in a hurry, hoping to see Kaleb at the Norwood Isle booth since he hadn’t come by the café this week. There was no sign of him or anyone else I recognized, so I’d walked to the fortune-telling tent and found myself stuck in a chair reading palms all day.

  “I told you to eat breakfast.” She handed me one of her homemade granola bars and shooed me out of the chair as a middle-aged woman entered the tent. “Get some water from Drina. I’ll handle this one.”

  As I left the tent, I took a bite of the granola bar, savoring the flavor of peanuts and chocolate. People covered every inch of Main Street as they shopped from the booths along the blocked-off street. I toyed with the idea of hurrying to the café, but a palm reading took twenty minutes and that wasn’t enough time. Unfortunately, the fortune-telling tent was far from both the café and the Norwood Isle booth.

  “Sienna!” Mom called, walking toward me from one of the nearby beverage carts. She handed me a water bottle and pulled me into a hug. Her body felt light in my arms. When she released me, I couldn’t help but notice her sunken eyes and dry lips.

  “When did you get back?” I took a sip of water.

  “A few minutes ago. I was driving home and I remembered you were helping Norma today. Thought I’d stop by to see you first. I can’t believe how crowded it is.” Mom led me across the street to a shaded area under a tree. “I heard you and Ethan danced at Drina’s wedding.”

  I rolled my eyes. For the past few days, Aunt Norma had kept asking me about Ethan. I didn’t need Mom doing the same thing. “He’s dating Nadya. Everyone knows that.”

  “He danced with you.” She squeezed my hand.

  “He asked me because Aunt Norma told him to. Besides, he danced with five other girls too.” I shook my head, hating to squash her good mood. “Why didn’t you tell me you were best friends with Ethan’s mom?”

  “Kezia and I?” She laughed. “Who told you that?”

  “I met her at the wedding. She said you taught her how to drive.”

  “It was so long ago. I can only remember holding you and knowing I had to leave this place,” Mom said.

  “So how did the tests go?” I held my breath, expecting bad news.

  “They went really well.” She smiled and then bombarded me with questions about Drina’s wedding and my job at the café. She seemed okay with me working in town now, and even more pleased when I mentioned my friendship with Wendy. But when she heard about the party tonight, she put her foot down.

  “What do you mean I can’t go?” I took another sip of water and looked around. Where the heck was Uncle Henry when I needed him? Wendy and I had talked about this party all week. “You said to listen to Uncle Henry, and he wants me to go.”

  “I won’t have you out there at some wild party. Something bad could happen.”

  “I’ll be fine.” I patted the hunting knife hidden inside my right boot and lowered my voice. “I have my knife, Mom. Please. Just this once.”

  “Are you sure Henry said yes?”

  “Of course.”

  She sighed. “Promise me you’ll stay with Wendy and you won’t go anywhere alone.”

  “I promise.” I pulled her into another hug. “You’re the best.”

  A few minutes later, Mom left, and the middle-aged woman walked out of the fortune-telling tent, looking very pleased. I entered the tent and sat in the chair as Aunt Norma tossed money into a cash box. She muttered a few Romani words and glanced at me with a raised eyebrow.

  “I need to find Drina. Will you be okay?” Aunt Norma asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Remember, just the basic palm stuff.” Aunt Norma left the tent.

  I gazed into the crystal ball, wishing I could see the future. Maybe even see Kaleb with his shirt off. I’d give anything to see his abs and touch his birthmark again. I giggled and waved my hands over the crystal ball, imagining him in front of me.

  I glanced toward the tent’s entrance as someone entered and pulled the flap shut. When Kaleb turned around, my gaze dropped to the crystal ball on the table. I couldn’t believe he stood less than ten feet in front of me. Maybe this crystal ball granted wishes … even though Kaleb was wearing a shirt.

  “I didn’t think you’d come by.” My heart did a happy dance as he looked at me with those kind green eyes.

  “Uh, I . . .” His lips parted slightly. “You look pretty.”

  “Thanks.” I blushed and pulled up the front of my blouse.

  Drina had picked my outfit: a long black skirt with red beads along the bottom, and a red peasant blouse. I loved the skirt, but the blouse showed too much cleavage. Unlike my usual look with braided hair and a bare face, I wore my hair down and a full face of makeup, including dark red lipstick and fake eyelashes.

  “So how does this work?” Kaleb sat in front of me.

  “Well, I’ll need both your hands.” I moved the crystal ball aside and
scooted my chair closer to him.

  He laid his hands on the table. “I thought you only looked at the right hand.”

  “Most people are right-handed, so that’s partly true. Your active hand shows the present and your non-active hand, your left hand, shows your past.” I touched his left hand and looked at the palm.

  “You can’t really tell me my future?”

  “Not exactly.” I touched the lines on his hand and then lifted his thumb to look at his nail. “That’s interesting.”

  “What?”

  “You have a murderer’s thumb. You see how your thumbnail width is longer than its length? That means you’re short-tempered and prone to violence. Nothing can stop you once your mind is set, and you have a protective nature.”

  “Did you ask your uncle about me?” He laughed.

  “No way, he’d kill me if I asked about you.” I smiled at Kaleb and thought of the one line I had to see—his love line. I rolled his fingers toward him, into a fist. “That’s weird.”

  “You’re not gonna tell me I’m dying, are you?”

  “No.” I shook my head and grabbed his right hand. I rolled this hand into a fist also, and squinted, trying to get a good look at his love line.

  “Is something wrong?”

  “I’m just checking something.” I uncurled his fingers and looked at his right palm again. My eyes widened at the two lines that caught my attention.

  “What is it?” He pulled his hand away, looking slightly uncomfortable.

  “Your life line is unusually long.”

  He grinned. “Anything else?”

  “Well . . .” I bit my bottom lip. “You don’t have a love line. It doesn’t make any sense. Everybody has a love line. But your left hand shows no past loves, and your right hand looks blank. I think there’s a tiny, faint line but I need more light to see.”

  “Are you saying no one can love me?” His voice sounded irritated.

  “No. I’m saying you’ve never been in love. It’s a rare thing to see in palm reading, especially when you have a strong flirt line.”

  His eyebrow arched. “What’s a flirt line?”

  “It’s the short parallel line next to your life line. Yours is super dark and longer than your life line. That means you have the power to get anyone. You can have any girl you want.”

  Kaleb stared at me. “And?”

  “That’s it.” I shrugged. “I’m still new to this, but I can take another look. I could analyze your head and heart line if you want. There might be other—”

  “No. That’s enough.” He pulled a ten-dollar bill from his pocket and set it on the table.

  “Thanks.”

  “I almost forgot.” Kaleb pulled a silver bracelet with tiny heart charms out of his pocket and placed it on the table. “I wanted to give your bracelet back. I found it on the boat.”

  “It’s pretty, but it’s not mine.” I ran my fingers along the tiny hearts. Something about the bracelet felt familiar.

  “It’s not? Well, you keep it or throw it away. I don’t care.”

  I put the bracelet in my purse. “How’s Markus doing?”

  “He’s good. Thanks again for saving him. I owe you.”

  “It’s not a big deal.” I grinned as my heart did another backflip. “I haven’t seen you guys at the café. I was starting to worry.”

  “You were worried about us?”

  “Well, I was worried about Markus.”

  Kaleb pushed his chair back and pulled one of my arms across the table. “Whatever you do, don’t tell them you invited me.”

  “Sienna!” Aunt Norma entered the tent with three men holding guns, including Victor.

  Kaleb immediately released my arm and stood. His smile replaced by a frown.

  Aunt Norma yanked me away from the table and ran her hands over my arms. “Are you hurt?”

  “No.” I shook my head, fearing the worst for Kaleb. Three guns pointed at him.

  “You know the rules. You’re not allowed here,” Victor said.

  “We’re on sacred ground.” Kaleb crossed his arms. “Go ahead and shoot me. I haven’t broken any rules.”

  Mom ran into the tent, holding a knife. Her gaze darted from me to Kaleb. As she pointed the knife at him, her hands shook. “Did you touch her? You have no right to—”

  “Her life line isn’t broken,” Kaleb said as Mom’s eyes fluttered.

  “Mom!” I rushed forward, pushing Kaleb out of the way as Mom collapsed into Victor’s arms. Her pulse was weak, but she seemed okay.

  Victor stood, raising his gun. “I think it’s time you left.”

  “Your father will hear about this,” Aunt Norma said as Kaleb headed toward the entrance.

  “Don’t threaten me, old woman.” Kaleb uttered what sounded like a low growl as he stormed out of the tent.

  The men followed Kaleb, except for Victor. He helped Mom sit in a chair as I handed her my bottled water and the half-eaten granola bar. Color soon returned to her pale face.

  “Are you okay?” I put my arm around her waist, worried she might faint again.

  “I’m fine,” Mom replied. “I forgot to eat breakfast.”

  “Nells, let me drive you home.” Victor slid an arm around Mom as she stood. “I’ll have a few guys keep an eye on the tent. If Kaleb comes back, don’t go near him.”

  “I don’t understand,” I said. People came in and out of the fortune-telling tent all day. Why did Kaleb’s presence upset everyone? “What’s with the guns?”

  “He’s not supposed to come near us,” Mom said.

  “I can’t believe he tried to hurt you.” Aunt Norma rubbed sanitizer lotion on my arms. “If you see him again, you run the other way.”

  Run the other way? I wanted to run toward Kaleb, not away. “Why can’t he—”

  “This isn’t the place to talk about this. Someone might overhear us.” Victor glared at me.

  An elderly couple walked in, asking for palm readings as Mom and Victor left. Aunt Norma ushered them to the chairs and sat down. I kept quiet and waited by the entrance.

  Pointing guns at Kaleb didn’t make any sense. He wasn’t a threat. Why did I need to stay away from him?

  Chapter 11

  After the Norwood Festival ended, and I’d helped Aunt Norma pack up the tent, I walked to the café to meet Wendy. She was waiting for me in her car, with music blaring from the radio.

  “I was afraid you wouldn’t come,” Wendy said as I sat in the front seat and put on my seat belt. “Love that shirt.”

  “Thanks.” I still wore the red peasant blouse, but I’d changed into a pair of black jeans, since Wendy had insisted I wear jeans and boots.

  She cranked the music and drove the car down Main Street, past the ferry and out of town. I leaned back comfortably and stared out the window, feeling guilty for going to the party. An hour ago, Victor had stopped by the tent to tell me Mom went to bed early. She needed the rest before her chemo treatment started. That was news to me. Mom said the tests went well. She’d said nothing about chemo treatments.

  Wendy turned onto a gravel road and drove by several large homes before turning onto a dirt road. Trees surrounded us, looming overhead as the sun disappeared on the horizon. A full moon lit the night sky, revealing a perfect evening filled with stars. She slowed the car, turned left at a fork, and parked behind a row of cars.

  “This is spooky,” Wendy said as we got out of the car. She took her phone out, turned on the flashlight app, and led the way through tall weeds.

  We met up with a group of boys who were heading in the same direction. Two of the boys took the lead, saying something about a keg, while the other boys walked behind us. We finally came to a steep path that led down to a huge bonfire on the lake’s shore. A group of people stood around the bonfire while others sat on large, jagged rocks. Not exactly what I’d expected, but Woodlake didn’t offer much for teenagers.

  “Be careful going down,” one of the boys said from the front as we slowly descend
ed.

  The path was mostly rocks and a little dirt. I kept an eye on Wendy, who walked in front of me. Where she stepped, I stepped. If she grabbed onto a tree branch, I grabbed onto the same tree branch. The last thing I wanted was to tumble down this hill in front of everyone.

  “Why don’t I get us something to drink?” A guy with short brown hair winked at me when we reached the bottom of the hill. He walked off in search of drinks and the others followed him.

  “Someone has an admirer,” Wendy teased.

  “I’m sure he’s just being nice. He doesn’t even know my name.” I pulled up the front of my blouse, regretting not changing into something less low-cut.

  “You met him at the café, Sienna. He and his friends ate lunch there the other day. You don’t remember him?”

  I shook my head. Things had been busy at the café all week. I focused on orders, not on customers.

  “Well, he asked me if you had a boyfriend.”

  “What did you say?”

  “That you liked him too.” She grinned and looped her arm around me as she pulled me toward the bonfire.

  “Tell me you’re joking,” I groaned. Why did everyone think I needed a boyfriend? Aunt Norma and Mom had been going on and on about Ethan, and now Wendy had told this guy I liked him.

  Wendy introduced me to more of her friends. Most of them I’d seen at the café, so they already knew who I was. Eventually, we sat on an oversized rock close to the water.

  “Who are you looking for?” Wendy asked.

  “No one.” I glanced around for the tenth time, hoping to see Kaleb. Even if he came to the party, why would he talk to me? He must be upset with the way the Romanies had treated him.

  “It’s that guy, isn’t it?” She covered her mouth and giggled. “You’re hoping Roger talks to you.”

  I grabbed her hand when she pointed at Roger, standing near the keg. It was the guy who’d winked at me earlier and asked Wendy if I had a boyfriend. “If you must know, I’m looking for Kaleb.”

  “Kaleb?” She looked at me, surprised. “I thought you didn’t like him.”

  I told her everything—how Kaleb had stopped by the café and turned Jenny down, how he’d showed up at Drina’s reception and learned Mom was a Romani, and how he’d come by the fortune-telling tent and everyone had freaked out.