Romani Blood (Shifter Blood: Romani Curse Book 1)

by Frances Trilone

  “They pointed guns at him?” she asked.

  “Yes. The whole thing was really strange. Is there history between him and the Romanies?”

  “I haven’t heard anything, but I can ask my stepfather. He’s lived in Woodlake forever. I bet he knows why.”

  I shook my head. Wendy asking questions about Kaleb and the Romanies was not a good thing. The sheriff might wonder why, especially when he’d told Kaleb to stay away from Wendy. “No, don’t worry about it. I’ll ask Kaleb.”

  “Ask Kaleb what?” Markus slid between Wendy and me. He wore black shorts and a black t-shirt, and he looked well rested.

  A huge smile spread across Wendy’s face. “Is Cole here?”

  “He’s over there.” Markus pointed to a group of guys near the bonfire. They too wore black shorts and black t-shirts.

  My heart stopped when I saw Kaleb. He stood apart from the rest of the Norwood staff, with his arms crossed. He appeared to be searching for someone.

  “I’ll be back,” Wendy shouted over her shoulder as she ran toward the bonfire.

  “Thanks for the other day.” Markus nudged my leg with his hand. “You know, on the boat. I owe you.”

  “You don’t owe me anything. I’m just glad you’re okay.”

  A loud commotion erupted near the bonfire. Two guys pushed each other, and one of them pulled his fist back, preparing to fight.

  Markus jumped off the rock. “I better check on things. Probably the Kingsleys. We heard they were in town.”

  “Who are the Kingsleys?” I asked.

  Instead of replying, Markus hurried toward the fight and pulled the two guys apart. I didn’t recognize one of the guys, who was dressed in a red shirt and black shorts; but the other guy was Cole. Neither looked happy with Markus breaking up the fight. In fact, the guy with the red shirt pushed Markus’ hand off his shoulder and shouted to three other guys who walked up, ready to join in the fight.

  Kaleb confronted them all. Whatever he said made everyone back away. Cole grabbed Wendy’s hand and headed toward me, while Markus stayed next to Kaleb.

  “What happened?” I asked as Wendy and Cole sat next to me.

  “That guy’s a jerk.” Wendy leaned against Cole as he wrapped an arm around her. “I bumped into him and he freaked out. He said he didn’t care if I was the sheriff’s daughter.”

  I thought about what Markus said about the Kingsleys being in town. Sounded like a rich family whose son thought he was above the law. But nothing about this guy screamed rich boy. “Is he a Kingsley?”

  “Yeah, he’s Carter, Kaleb’s cousin.” Cole glanced at me. “Don’t get in his way. He doesn’t play by the rules.”

  “He doesn’t look so tough. I bet Kaleb could take him,” I said.

  Kaleb briefly glanced my way. His stance and demeanor oozed authority over his cousin and everyone else around him. At that moment, he looked even sexier than he had when he’d stood on the boat with no shirt and dripping wet.

  “He said something about sacred ground,” Wendy said. “What’s that?”

  Sacred ground? Kaleb mentioned sacred ground in the tent when Victor confronted him.

  “Some nonsense.” Cole jumped off the rock and pulled Wendy into his arms. “Let’s grab some drinks. You want anything, Sienna?”

  “Yes, please.” I lay back on the rock and stared at the full moon as I thought about how different Kaleb was, especially his heartbeat. Was something wrong with his heart? He looked healthy and had an extremely long life line. He was never out of breath or tired, and he loved to swim in cold water.

  Why did the Romanies have a problem with Kaleb? First, Ethan said to stay away, and then today’s incident in the fortune-telling tent. Aunt Norma had been scared and upset. Mom had said I didn’t understand. She said he’s not supposed to touch us.

  What would Mom say if she discovered I’d touched Kaleb’s birthmark? What would she do if I told her I thought he was one of the nicest guys in Woodlake once you got to know him? He came across as arrogant and cocky, and he liked to order everyone around, but you could tell he cared about the Norwood staff.

  “What are you looking at?”

  “I’m looking at the moon.” I sat up, startled to see Roger. He didn’t look too bad, with his tight blue jeans and red plaid shirt. He held a beer bottle in one hand and a white plastic cup in the other.

  “You probably don’t remember me. I came by the café with my friends a few days ago.” He sat next to me and handed me the plastic cup. “This is for you.”

  I looked into the cup, wary of the red liquid. “What is this?”

  “I don’t know. Wendy told me to give it to you.” Roger shrugged and took a gulp from the beer bottle. “Do you want a beer? I can go back and grab you one.”

  “No, this is fine.” I glanced toward the bonfire, not expecting my chest to burn when I saw Kaleb; his arm wrapped around a girl who whispered in his ear. Whatever she said made him smile.

  “I heard you’re a gypsy. Is that true?”

  “Yes.” I didn’t care that he’d called me a gypsy and I didn’t bother explaining I was half-Romani.

  I spotted Wendy near the keg. She pointed to her white plastic cup and gave me the thumbs up. I smiled, raised my plastic cup in a toast, and took a sip. The red liquid felt warm as I swallowed and took one last look at Kaleb and his date.

  I shouldn’t be jealous. It’s not as if we’d made plans to see each other.

  “Are you okay?” Roger asked.

  I nodded as I looked at him and his goofy smile. “Are you in town to see Norwood Isle?”

  “Yeah, my friends and I have been planning this trip for a year. We’re checking out the wolves and camping near the lighthouse. You should join us. I have plenty of room in my tent.”

  I set my cup down and slid off the rock. Did I have easy written across my forehead? Or did he think Romani girls put out? “I’m not interested.”

  “Hey, wait up.” He followed me as I walked away.

  “Go away,” I said when he kept following me. I stopped walking when I realized how far away we’d wandered from the bonfire. “I said I’m not interested.”

  “Your friend said you liked me. I thought—”

  “Go back to the party and hit on someone else.” I pushed him away as he tried to put his arm around me. “Touch me again, and you’ll regret it.”

  “Fine.” He raised his hands, still holding his beer bottle. “You’re not the only pretty girl here.”

  I watched him stumble back to the bonfire as someone uttered a soft chuckle behind me. I turned around and was surprised to see Kaleb standing between two large rocks. “What are you doing here?”

  “I came to check on you,” he replied. “You shouldn’t be out this far. It’s not safe.”

  “I don’t need you telling me about the wolves. I know all about them.” I rolled my eyes. I was tired of everyone telling me what I could and couldn’t do. Paige had disappeared a month ago, and now Norwood Isle had officially opened for business, no one talked about her or even searched for her anymore. It was as if she’d never existed.

  And I still hadn’t seen any wolves. Not at the café, or while driving to and from work.

  “Then you know how dangerous they are,” Kaleb said.

  “I can take care of myself,” I snapped. “You didn’t have to leave your date.”

  “I’m not on a date. We’re in town, keeping an eye on things.” He glanced at me, eyes narrowing. “Why are you upset?”

  “I’m not.” I sighed, frustrated I’d let myself get jealous. Mom said no boys unless Uncle Henry approved, and that wasn’t going to happen. “It’s been a long day.”

  “Why don’t you sit down?”

  I sat on one of the large rocks while Kaleb remained standing, looking alert.

  “How’s your mom doing?” he asked.

  “She’s fine,” I said as I thought about Mom collapsing. “Things were a little crazy in the tent today. I swear my mom wouldn’t ha
ve hurt you. I’m sorry she pointed a knife at you, but that—”

  “Don’t apologize. She was protecting you.” He cleared his throat. “How long has she had cancer?”

  I lowered my head. I didn’t want him to ask about Mom’s cancer. I didn’t want to talk about this. Why did Wendy tell him? Didn’t she know I wanted that information kept private? “We found out a couple of months ago. She’s doing much better, and they’re running more tests. She’s supposed to start chemo treatments soon.”

  “That’s why she moved you to Woodlake.”

  I looked at him, meeting his gaze. His green eyes shimmered in the moonlight. They almost seemed to glow as he glanced over my shoulder.

  “I’m surprised Henry let you come to this party without a chaperone,” he said.

  I laughed. “Why would I need a chaperone? I’m not engaged, and I know the rules.”

  “Going for a walk with that guy isn’t following the rules.” His voice sounded irritated.

  “I’m alone with you now. That’s breaking the same rule.”

  “I’m not some guy trying to get with you. I’m nothing like him or his friends, and you know that.” He crossed his arms. “You need to be more careful.”

  “Whatever,” I muttered, staring at Lake Sweeney. Did Kaleb say he wasn’t trying to get with me? I was such a fool.

  “I’m serious. The rules are there to protect you. You need to follow them.”

  “I wasn’t doing anything wrong.” I sighed. “Why can’t I talk to whoever I want to or go to school? It’s ridiculous. I’m the boss of me.”

  He shook his head and then laughed. “You’re just like an alpha wolf.”

  “Well, I don’t like being told what to do.” I glanced at Kaleb. “Moving here hasn’t been so great. I miss my school and friends. I mean . . . I love my job and Wendy’s great. My only cousin in the world is nice to me. You and Markus don’t seem so bad either.”

  He glanced toward Lake Sweeney and then looked over his shoulder. “We should get back.”

  “You’re right.” I slowly slid down the rock, hoping I didn’t face plant in front of him.

  “Let me help you.” He grabbed both my hands and eased me off the rock until I stood in front of him, only a few inches away.

  My heart raced as I lifted my head, and my lips brushed against the bottom of his chin.

  He backed away, releasing my hands. “Find Wendy and stay with her.”

  “Where are you going?” I asked as he stormed off in the opposite direction, away from the bonfire.

  “I need to eat.”

  Was he heading back to town?

  I cleared my throat and yelled, “Should I wait for you?”

  “No. I’ll meet you at the bonfire!” he shouted over his shoulder as he disappeared into the woods.

  I picked up several tiny rocks and walked along the shoreline, throwing them into the water one by one. I was in no hurry to get back to the bonfire and be the third wheel with Cole and Wendy. At least Kaleb hadn’t blown me off, even if he’d said he wasn’t trying to get with me. The signs were there—he liked me, but something held him back. Was he unsure because I was half-Romani?

  I threw the last rock into the water. What sounded like a branch snapping made me glance over my shoulder. My entire body froze.

  An unusually large brown wolf stood near the woods. He was nothing like those images I’d seen online when I researched Woodlake on the internet. The wolf glanced around but didn’t seem to notice me standing on the shoreline. He lifted his head high in the air, let out a low growl, and entered the woods.

  Chapter 12

  Warning bells sounded in my head. I should run and tell everyone about the wolf, but I needed to warn Kaleb. He didn’t know a wolf had followed him.

  I didn’t have enough time to get help. Not if I wanted to find him before the wolf did.

  I ran in the same direction I’d last seen Kaleb and stopped at the edge of the woods. Except for the bright moonlight peeking in through the trees, I couldn’t see much or hear anything.

  No birds chirping. No wind. Nothing but silence.

  I touched my hunting knife strapped inside my boot, feeling relieved I never left home without it. Not since those two men attacked me at Drina’s reception.

  I could do this.

  Dad always said I might need to defend myself one day. Somehow, I doubt he’d imagined me going after a wolf.

  “Kaleb.” I tried to keep my voice low as I pushed aside branches and walked deeper into the woods. Something brushed against my leg, causing me to stifle a scream and whirl around.

  No Kaleb, and no wolf.

  “What are you doing here?” Kaleb stepped out from behind a bush with no shirt or shoes on. His hair was ruffled, and there was a smudge of dirt on his cheek. “I told you to go back.”

  “There’s a wolf.”

  “I know.” He lowered his voice. “You can’t be here.”

  “You know?” That made no sense. “Why aren’t you wearing a shirt?”

  “I told you I needed to eat. We’re stronger after a meal.”

  My head spun. What exactly did he need to eat to make him stronger? Why enter the woods if he’d seen the wolf? “You’re not making any sense. Have you been drinking?”

  A low growl came from behind Kaleb. He turned and held his arms out, blocking me. “Leave.”

  “I’m not leaving you alone.” I quickly moved next to Kaleb and pulled my hunting knife out as every nerve in my body tensed up.

  Three ginormous brown wolves with glowing yellow eyes confronted us. They were even larger than the polar bears I’d seen at the zoo. I sucked in air, hoping Kaleb really was a wolf whisperer.

  “Are you crazy?” Kaleb’s eyes widened. “Give me that knife.”

  The wolf in front snapped at me as Kaleb reached for the knife. I jumped to the side, swinging the knife and cutting the tip of the wolf’s ear. He growled, baring his teeth.

  “Damn,” Kaleb muttered from somewhere behind me.

  The wolf growled louder and leaped through the air toward me as I held my knife up, ready to fight back. Out of nowhere, a fourth wolf flew over my shoulders and knocked the other wolf out of the way.

  I stumbled backward, searching for Kaleb, but found only trees. What a jerk! How could he run off and leave me?

  The fourth wolf stood in front of me; he snapped at the other wolves, and growled a few times, as if he was talking to them.

  Whatever he said didn’t work. All three wolves pounced on the fourth wolf, biting at him as they rolled around. He let a long, deep howl and attacked the wolf that bit him.

  I wanted to run and let these wolves fight it out, but I couldn’t leave the wolf that had defended me. I swung the knife, yelling, “Go away!”

  The wolves looked at me, surprised as I swung my hunting knife again. Maybe Kaleb ran to get help, and if I held them off a little longer, I’d be okay. I’d make it through this.

  From deep in the woods, a series of howls broke the night air. The three wolves froze. They pawed the ground, whimpered, and ran in the opposite direction of the howls.

  I tucked the knife back into my boot and glanced at the fourth wolf. He stood nearby in the darkness, panting heavily, and watching me with glowing yellow eyes.

  “You need to leave,” I said to the wolf.

  The wolf didn’t move. Was he hurt?

  “Look, I’m unarmed. I won’t hurt you.” I knelt down and held my hands up. “I need to touch you and see how bad that bite is. You can trust me. I promise.”

  I lowered my hands and inched my way toward the wolf, keeping my head lower than his glowing eyes. When I finally got close enough, I held my breath and extended my arm.

  Someone grabbed my waist, lifting me up, and away from the wolf.

  “What are you doing?” Markus released his hold on me. “You don’t touch him.”

  “The other wolf bit him.” I took a deep breath, happy to see Markus. “I was checking to make sure he was
n’t hurt. It’s not like he—”

  More glowing eyes appeared in the darkness, but none of these wolves snapped or growled, and Markus didn’t seem bothered by their presence. He kept his gaze on the other wolf, which howled and trotted toward the bushes as the others ran off.

  “Are you hurt?” Markus asked.

  “No.” I leaned against a tree and slid to the ground, suddenly feeling exhausted and a little light-headed. “Did Kaleb tell you to come?”

  “He called us.” Markus touched my forehead. “You don’t look good. Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine.” I pushed his hand aside and took several shallow breaths. He was right. I didn’t feel good. My insides burned and my head ached. “Where’s Kaleb?”

  “I’m right here.” Kaleb appeared wearing only shorts again and looking much dirtier than before.

  “You left me.” The words came out hoarse and dry even though I’d intended to yell and lash out. My lips tingled and went numb.

  “What’s she doing in the woods?” Markus asked. “We agreed you’d get her back to the bonfire.”

  “She followed me. What did you expect me to do?” Kaleb said.

  “This is bad,” Markus said. “If you hadn’t stepped in, they would’ve—”

  “I know.” Kaleb shook his head. “I’ll talk to Carter. He’ll listen to me.”

  I slowly stood but held onto the tree as I tried to focus on Kaleb. He looked hazy, and the woods behind him spun in circles. “Hey, guys … I feel sick.”

  Kaleb touched my cheek. “You’re burning up.”

  “Didn’t that guy give her a drink?” Markus asked. “Sienna, what was in the cup?”

  “Punch.” I leaned forward and touched Kaleb’s chest. I giggled and ran my hand over his birthmark. “You have sexy muscles.”

  Markus laughed. “She must be drunk if she thinks you’re sexy.”

  Their voices sounded far away even though they still stood next to me. I pushed my hair back as the trees appeared to move around us.

  “She only took one sip.” Kaleb crossed his arms. “Go get that guy. I want to know what he put in her drink.”