Romani Witch (Shifter Blood: Romani Curse Book 2)
Romani Witch
Book Two in the Romani Curse Series
Frances Trilone
Magic Raven Press
ROMANI WITCH
Copyright © 2019 by Frances Trilone
All rights reserved.
This book is a work of fiction. Any names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any similarities or resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or places, is entirely coincidental.
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the author. Brief quotations may be embodied in articles or reviews.
Published by Magic Raven Press
ISBN 978-1-7324998-3-6
Cover designed by Ravenborn
Editing by Liz Dempsey, The Error Eliminator
Proofreading by Katie Harder-Schauer, Proofreading by Katie
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Acknowledgments
About the Author
“The course of true love never did run smooth.”
– William Shakespeare
Chapter 1
“Sienna, promise me you won’t have sex. You know it’s the Romani rule to wait until marriage.” My cousin, Drina, closed my bedroom door and joined me by the dresser. It was Saturday morning, and I was getting ready for my trip to Norwood Isle, a national park located in Lake Sweeney and home to the Norwood wolf shapeshifters. “I know you want to complete your bond with Kaleb and use transference, but…”
“I never said we were going to have sex,” I replied as I put on lip gloss. Transference was the method used by the wolves to communicate telepathically with their mates and other wolves in their bloodline. Although Kaleb had claimed me as his mate two weeks ago, our bond wouldn’t be complete until we had sex.
My stomach twisted in knots. In a few hours, I’d be alone with over forty wolves. I trusted Kaleb to keep me safe, but the thought of being surrounded by the entire Norwood Pack made me queasy. In the past, Romanies who set foot on Norwood Isle were killed. Today, my visit would change that and not all the wolves were happy.
“You’re going on a private tour with Kaleb. Alone.” She touched my arm. “He’s much older than you, and he’s experienced. He’s not a virgin, so he’s going to expect things. Guys have needs and—”
“He’s not just some average guy. He’s a wolf.”
“That’s what I’m worried about. What if he can’t control his urges?”
I laughed, covering my mouth. “It’s not like that with Kaleb. He’s gentle and kind.”
“Well…” Drina sighed and sat on my bed, folding her arms. “Maybe you should put your jeans and boots on, so you can take your hunting knife.”
“The forecast calls for a warm summer day. Plus, I already told you, I’m not taking my knife. The wolves need to believe I trust them.” I closed my eyes for a few seconds and rubbed my right temple as a dull ache hit.
Please go away, headache. I don’t need you today.
“Do you have a headache? That’s the second one this week.” She walked to my bathroom and returned with two aspirin and a cup of water. “You need to go see a doctor.”
“No. I’m fine.” I swallowed the aspirin not wanting to admit the truth. This wasn’t my second headache in seven days—it was my fourth. The doctors had told me I wouldn’t feel a hundred percent better until my body completely healed, and that could take several weeks. That’s what happens when you fight and kill a wolf shapeshifter like Lexi.
“Maybe you should reschedule your trip. I know Kaleb would understand.” She lowered her gaze to my left hand. “It’s not like you’ve already told him yes.”
“I’m not rescheduling this trip.” I set the cup on the dresser, carefully avoiding her gaze.
She and everyone else had been waiting for an engagement ring to appear on my finger. They assumed Kaleb had proposed already, but he hadn’t. I tried not to let it bother me as I wasn’t in a rush to get married, but I was beginning to think maybe he’d changed his mind on a forever life with a half-Romani girl.
“What about the pack war?” she asked.
“There won’t be one.” I chewed my bottom lip, wishing I hadn’t told Drina what Kaleb’s sister, Carmel, said at my eighteenth birthday party. She’d claimed the other wolf packs would never accept me as Kaleb’s mate and that a pack war would erupt if I accepted his claim. “Kaleb said his sister’s just trying to stir trouble.”
“And you believed him?” she asked, her voice filled with worry. “A pack war’s the last thing we need. The alliance between us and the Norwood wolves puts the Romanies at risk. I don’t want—”
“Can we not talk about this right now?” I snapped before taking a deep breath. “Sorry. I’m nervous about meeting his parents today.”
“I shouldn’t have said anything. You’re under a lot of stress at the moment, and I know you wouldn’t put any of us in danger.” Drina got up and went to the bathroom, closing the door behind her.
I stared in the mirror as I braided my hair. What if there was some truth to what Carmel said? Is that why Kaleb hadn’t proposed yet? Were there issues with the other wolf packs?
“Hey.” Mom gently knocked on the door and entered my bedroom. “So, what outfit did you and Drina finally decide on?”
I turned around to let Mom examine what I wore—black capri pants, white blouse, and sneakers. I’d already changed my clothes three times before Drina showed up to offer her expert fashion advice. “We decided on something casual and comfortable.”
“You look beautiful.” Mom smiled. “Are you nervous?”
“Just a little.” My stomach twisted again, but I did my best to keep a straight face. This morning, I’d overheard Mom talking to Aunt Norma on the phone. Unlike Uncle Henry, who was thrilled, they were both nervous about my trip.
“You have nothing to worry about. You’ll be safe with Kaleb.”
“I know.” I sat on the bed and sighed. “I’m not worried about the wolves. I’m worried about Kaleb’s mom. What if she doesn’t like me? It’s bad enough his dad isn’t happy about him claiming me.”
“Of course, she’ll like you, and I wouldn’t worry about his dad. Asher doesn’t know you. Give it time,” she replied. “I wasn’t all that thrilled about you and Kaleb at first, remember?”
I nodded. Recently, Mom had invited Kaleb over for dinner. He’d really impressed her, and she’d told him to come over anytime, even if she wasn’t home. She completely trusted him. I could only hope his parents would also welcome me with open arms.
Mom sat next to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “I know they’re not the in-laws you’d expected, but you and Kaleb love each other. It’ll work out. Trust me.”
“You’re right,” I mumbled, then changed the subject. “The new waitress starts at the café this week.”
“You told me that last night.”
Looking Mom in the eye, I prepared myself to convince her to take me to Dover next week. She’d been diagnosed with cancer six months ago but was in remission. She had a follow-up appointment with her specialist coming up, and I wanted to be there. “I was thinking maybe I’d take the day off and go with you to see your doctor. I’m sure Bill would say yes.”
“We talked about this already. Your Aunt Norma’s going with me, so we can go shopping for a rug. Besides, Drina’s looking forward to some girl time with you. That’s all she’s been talking about. She’s planned a weekend slumber party with facials, nail polish, and romance movies. You don’t want to disappoint her, do you?”
“No.” I frowned.
Mom glanced at my face. “Why don’t we have Kaleb over for dinner before I leave?”
“I’ll ask, but he’s been so busy lately,” I mumbled.
Lately, Kaleb had been a no-show to our dinner-and-movie nights, saying he had errands to run. I was beginning to believe his father was trying to keep us apart. Maybe he figured we’d come to our senses if we didn’t spend too much time together.
“I’m sure he’ll say yes.” She looked out the window at the wolf in the backyard. Being claimed by Kaleb meant I always had a wolf nearby protecting me. That also meant I was never alone, which often got annoying. “Henry called earlier. He told me someone saw you at Marie Dinescu’s house. Is that true?”
“Yes. I was looking for the hunting knife Dad gave me.” I couldn’t admit the other reason I’d gone to the witch’s half-charred house. I’d wanted to see if her ghost would appear so that I could thank her. If it weren’t for Marie, my knife wouldn’t have magically appeared in my hand and Lexi would certainly have killed me.
“What’s wrong with the hunting knife Drina gave you for your birthday?”
“Nothing.”
“You need to stay away from Marie’s house.” She folded her arms. “It’s not safe. That’s why it’s been off-limits to everyone for years.”
“Okay,” I said as the doorbell rang.
“That must be Victor.” Mom left my bedroom and hurried to the front door. Victor, Drina’s husband, was one of my chaperones. It was his job to ensure I remained a virgin until Kaleb and I got married.
“I’m not feeling so well.” Drina came out of the bathroom, clutching her stomach.
I eyed Drina as she crossed the room and grabbed her purse off my dresser. She’d been feeling sick off and on all week. “You don’t look so good. Maybe Victor should take you to the hospital after he drops me off.”
“No. I’ll be fine.” She pulled a bag of saltine crackers out of her purse. “Must’ve been that shrimp Mom made last night.”
I folded my arms, staring at her in disbelief. “Your mom gave us leftovers. There wasn’t any shrimp in the casserole. What’s going on? You’ve been feeling sick all week.”
“You have to promise not to say anything. Mom and Dad don’t even know yet.” Drina grinned as she lowered her voice. “I’m pregnant.”
I squealed as I jumped up and down.
“Shhh…Your mom might hear.”
“That’s so exciting! I’m thrilled for you.” I hugged her, relieved to know it was just morning sickness and nothing serious. The thought of anything bad happening to Drina was more than I could bear. “When are you due?”
“End of October. Victor’s praying for a boy. You know how guys are, always wanting a son. I don’t even care what sex it is. All I want is a healthy baby.”
“I hope it’s a girl.” I released my hold on her as my mind drifted to Kaleb.
Did he even want children? The topic had never come up, but I’d always wanted a big family. We’d talked about mongrels—the offspring of a human and an olden, so having babies was possible. But I’d never be able to give him an alpha shapeshifter. What did that mean for the Norwood Pack? Who would lead them once Kaleb got too old?
“Remember, it’s a secret,” Drina said. “Promise you won’t tell anyone. Not even Kaleb.”
I nodded, then turned and ran to the bathroom, where I threw up my breakfast. Today was going to be a long and stressful day.
Chapter 2
“Are you sure about this?” Victor asked as he drove past the café on Main Street. We’d left the house twenty minutes ago, and he’d said nothing until now. “You can change your mind. No one will be upset.”
“I’m not changing my mind.” I folded my arms. “I’m going to Norwood Isle.”
His gaze lowered to my sneakers.
I knew what he’d just realized. No black knee-high boots meant no hunting knife. “You don’t need to worry about me. I’ll be fine.”
“I’m your chaperone. It’s my job to worry.” He ran a hand through his dark brown hair. “Is he giving you a ring today?”
“I don’t know.” I shifted in my seat. Why didn’t everyone understand I couldn’t force Kaleb to give me a ring? A change in topic seemed like the best idea, but other than loving Drina, Victor and I had little in common. “I hear you agreed to Drina getting her GED and her driver’s license. That’s kind of you.”
“That’s supposed to be a secret,” he grumbled. “You can’t tell anyone. Not even Kaleb. If the Elders find out, they won’t be happy.”
“I won’t say a word. I promise.” Victor might be my pain-in-the-butt chaperone, but I was glad Drina had someone like him. He wasn’t closed-minded like many of the other men in the community.
After turning left onto a gravel road and driving about a hundred feet, Victor parked in a large field. We got out of the car, and I looked around, pretending I’d never been here before.
“Are you sure this is the right place?” I asked. Several months ago, I’d parked in this exact spot to meet up with Wendy and had gone on a boat ride with Kaleb. That was the start of our getting-to-know-you phase, but Victor didn’t know about this, and I had no intention of telling him.
“Yes. I followed Kaleb’s directions. He said to wait here.” He glanced at his watch and leaned against his car, folding his arms. “We’re a few minutes early. That gives us time to talk.”
I groaned inwardly, wishing I’d taken longer to get ready. What else did he want to talk about? I leaned against the car, next to him. “Talk about what?”
“What did Kaleb say about the vampire?”
“He said they took care of it.” I shuddered at the thought of what those words meant. That a vampire had appeared in town on the night of my birthday party. They usually stayed away from Woodlake since they didn’t get along with the wolves.
“What does ‘they took care of it’ mean? Maybe you trust Kaleb, but what about the rest of them? What about—” Victor stopped mid-sentence as Markus appeared in the distance, dressed in khaki shorts and a white t-shirt. He stood waiting near the woods by a dirt path.
I waved to Markus, excited to see him. A wolf shapeshifter from Norwood Isle, he was Kaleb’s best friend. He also happened to be my other chaperone, but he wasn’t as strict as Victor when it came to his duties.
“We’ll finish our discussion later. We still need to talk about the kris.” Victor unfolded his arms and walked toward Markus.
Taking a deep breath to settle my nerves, I followed Victor.
Kris was a formal court held by the Romani Elders to address disputes and accusations—such as the purity accusation made against me by Nadya Stinga. She’d disliked me from the moment we met, and that Ethan Istrati, her fiancé and Victor’s cousin, had planned on marrying me had only made it worse. Not that he loved me or even thought we had a future together, but his parents and Uncle Henry had signed a marriage agreement, promising my hand to Ethan. Lucki
ly, Mom hadn’t agreed to the arrangement, and Kaleb had claimed me as his mate.
“Hey, you guys made it.” Markus grinned, showing his pearly white teeth, before hugging me.
“Where’s Kaleb?” Victor asked.
“He’s waiting by the boat. Follow me.” Markus led us through the woods, along the dirt path to the shore of Lake Sweeney.
Victor stopped and scratched his chin as he stared at the blue speedboat tied to the small private dock. “Maybe I should go with you. If something happens, then I—”
“Nothing’s going to happen. Kaleb and Markus will be with me the whole time.” I looked around for Kaleb, eager to see him; it’d been three days since we’d last seen each other.
“She’s right.” Markus folded his arms. “Nothing will happen to Sienna. I give you my word.”
Victor sighed. “She can’t be alone with Kaleb. Don’t forget.”
“I know the rules,” Markus grunted. “We discussed them last night. I don’t need a reminder.”
“Hey.” Kaleb appeared from behind us and slid an arm around my shoulders, pulling me close. He brushed his lips against mine, kissing the corner of my mouth. “Are you all set for the boat ride?”
I nodded. My chest tightened as his forest-green eyes lowered to look me over. Like Markus, Kaleb wore khaki shorts and a white t-shirt with the Norwood Isle logo—a wolf howling against the backdrop of a bare tree and full moon. With his wavy black hair pulled back into a short ponytail and his jawline sporting stubble, he looked handsome, and I loved knowing he was mine.