Gypsy Freak Read online

  I’m going with batshit crazy. The woman chased things with a broom down the street on occasion. Not even I could ever see what she was after.

  “That’s what Marta said. She was usually right about those things, so I believed her. She even started using her Portocale name again, which I thought was stupid. But we both know your mother was right more than she was wrong.”

  I almost verbally agree with him about the stupid decision to use her true name, which would probably cause a bit of hysteria. Since, you know, I’m invisible and this guy is wary of something as simple as mortal gypsy magic.

  “I’m going to use your shower. It’s been a long day,” he says abruptly as he stands. “I’ll inspect the home and find out what repairs need to be done tomorrow, and I’ll also get started on that wall in your bedroom.”

  She gives a tight nod, still sipping her tea, and when he starts up the stairs, she turns toward me.

  “You’re such a dick,” she says, her eyes on my chin.

  “You can see,” I say accusingly when I hear the upstairs door shut.

  “No. I can’t. But I can feel you when you’re sitting that close. It feels like electrical static humming all over me.”

  I let myself appear, and her eyes lift to meet mine.

  “I don’t know if I can trust you,” I say on a weary breath. “Gypsy women tend to be confusing and manipulative.”

  “Gypsy women?” she asks on an incredulous breath like I’ve said something ironic or insane.

  Not sure which.

  My phone buzzes in my jacket pocket, and she pulls it out for me, rolling her eyes as she hands it to me, putting our disagreement on pause.

  I glance down at the image sent from Vance. Then I get a little queasy.

  “What’s that?” she asks, invading my privacy a little when she leans over and looks at the picture without so much as even asking.

  And she says I have no boundaries. Little rude to be so hypocritical.

  “That would be the coffin Arion was trapped in. It was made with the blood, sweat, silver, and tears of a Van Helsing, and no ordinary monster could possibly have broken free. However, Arion did, because he had a little help.”

  I don’t mention her part in it, because I’m still not sure what part she really played, and at current, neither does she.

  “Arion’s the big bad vampire,” she states like she’s working a quiz.

  The seals were burned through, but it’s the images of the inside of the coffin that are making me queasy. Claws have scored every surface on the inside.

  “He awoke early,” I say under my breath, bile rising to my throat.

  “What?”

  Before I can answer, a series of very haunting howls erupt in the air, and right behind them, one monstrous, feral, enraged howl rattles the ground and the dishes.

  “Shit,” I say quickly as I dart to the back door.

  Violet stumbles over her toga when she follows, and I catch her before she falls off the back stoop. Damn gypsy and her shitty threading.

  The howls ignite again, and I glance up to see the almost full moon. It’s a bad night to be a vampire. Emit’s almost at his strongest and most deranged. Tomorrow night he’ll be all beast.

  “What’s going on?” she asks as shutters drop rapidly on all the homes around.

  Staring out at the road, hearing the thunder of wolves as they pound the pavement somewhere ahead of us, I heave out a breath.

  “Emit just realized Arion has risen,” I tell her just as I start toward my keyed car.

  She runs along behind me, cursing the snow that starts falling anew. Turning, I lift her, and she throws her arms around my neck, as I move quickly across the surface of the snow, not giving it time to sink under our combined weight.

  “I’m glad you feel like going,” I chirp as I drop her to the ground and open the passenger side door for her.

  The howls grow louder and twice as vicious.

  “I’m not sure why in the hell I’m following you right now instead of hiding here and running when I can.”

  I shut her up inside my car and jog over to the driver’s side.

  Cranking the vehicle, I back us out of the driveway, shaking my head. “Possibly some guilt is driving you, tricky gypsy,” I suggest.

  “What guilt?”

  “Never mind,” I say instead of explaining, as I drive. “The point is, Emit is a lot stronger this close to the full moon.”

  “Okay…that’s a bad thing right now?” she asks, hissing out a breath when I take a sharp, slick curve and fishtail a little.

  “Vance lost his will to even fight these battles. He does so out of obligation now. However, Arion happily kicked his ass too damn easily, it seems. If Emit and Arion tangle this close to the full moon, a war could reignite.”

  “I’m confused,” she groans.

  “The monsters are kept in line by the monster slayer, Violet. If they feel the Van Helsings aren’t strong enough to keep them in their place—”

  “They’ll rebel,” she guesses.

  “They’ll pillage, feast, plunder, and far, far worse if the order falls. It’s a fragile, precarious balance Vance is responsible for as Head of the Van Helsing family.”

  She sighs and massages her temples.

  “I used to think there was only one Van Helsing—by myth. Maybe someone should point out there’s an entire family,” she mutters under her breath.

  “We take no role in fiction. It’s expressly forbidden.”

  “Glad you guys have your priorities in line,” she mutters as she blows a piece of her hair away from her face.

  The showdown has already started when we arrive at Arion’s isolated home. Wolves are attacking vampires at the entrance, and I text Vance. Since, you know, he should come start kicking asses and putting people in line.

  Violet’s breath erupts from her lungs as she stares out at the madness, inching closer to me in my car until she’s practically in my lap. Not that I’m complaining.

  “I take it back. I want to go home,” she says quickly, tugging at my shirt as she looks around.

  “I’m afraid I need you to keep Arion from killing anyone tonight,” I tell her as I push the door open and lift her out with me.

  She clings to me like a spider monkey, as I shroud us in illusion, removing us from the naked eye as we walk through the rabid, bloodthirsty battle. It’s mild in comparison to what it once was between these two, so I have no idea why she’s trembling like she is.

  “I’m not ready for this,” she groans against my neck, hiding her face there.

  My grip tightens on her, and I debate whisking her away to enjoy some alone time with her while she’s in a more…pleasantly touching mood.

  Until I hear Emit’s roar from inside. The entire house rattles seconds before there’s a loud crash around back.

  “Who wins in a fight? Werewolves or vampires?” she whispers close to my ear.

  “Right now, I’m more concerned with the fact Arion woke up in that coffin for an undetermined amount of time, and he may very well kill the mongrel and all the wolves he brought with him,” he answers. “Emit won’t be talked down by you, but Arion just might.”

  “Have you lost your mind?” she snaps, pulling her head back, eyes wide with horror, just as a massive wolf yelps and goes soaring out of the home.

  I watch, somewhat stunned, as Emit’s dark wolf struggles to stand, badly beaten and bloody. Arion walks out with a smug, careless grin on his face, shirtless skin streaked with more blood that isn’t his, and claws distended.

  His eyes move over to me, and his sadistic grin only widens when he sees Violet in my arms.

  “How fucked up are you?” I ask under my breath as he struts out, licking Emit’s blood from his claws.

  Violet’s breath catches in her throat when her eyes lock on his, and I look between them as I cock my head.

  “Hello, love. Fancy seeing you here so soon,” Arion drawls.

  Violet stiffens in my arms.r />
  “Now I remember,” she says quietly as a small tremor goes through her, and she clutches me tighter.

  “Okay, so this was a terrible idea,” I say to myself. “Where the fuck is Vance?”

  Chapter 8

  VIOLET

  The wolf on the ground across from us groans, and Arion’s attention snaps back to it.

  “More, Emit? Really? Haven’t you bled enough for the night?” Arion asks him, grinning like he’s enjoying all of this.

  That pitiful wolf is Emit?

  Seeing the blood streaming from the deep gashes across his sides, back and face has me scrambling out of Damien’s arms. Fortunately, I’m still wearing boots as I jog toward the large wolf without really thinking.

  The wolf turns and growls at me, and I second guess if it’s really Emit or not, the same man who let me feed him cookies like they were the greatest things ever.

  His growl tapers off, and he steps in front of me before turning his attention to Damien and really growling.

  “Yes, well, I’m the charmer, not the thinker of the bunch. It seemed like a good idea at the time,” Damien tells him defensively.

  Emit’s growl rumbles deeper, and Damien takes a step back. “Psychotic alpha vampire on the rabid edge trumps poor-decision-making Morpheous,” Damien adds.

  Emit side-steps into me like he’s pushing me back, the top of his back almost eye-level with me, since he’s massive in comparison to all the other wolves toward the front of the house.

  My eyes lift and lock with Arion’s again as the memories continue flooding back.

  Arion just winks at me. “Choosing sides, love? I’d hoped you wouldn’t do such a thing. It makes me rethink my plan.”

  Emit’s growl thunders this time, and he turns abruptly, knocking the air out of me with his back half as I’m slung back several feet, landing hard in the snow.

  That’s when he launches himself at Arion.

  I really wish I had on my arsenal bra right now instead of just Vance’s sheet.

  “C’mon, wolf. Let’s finish this so everyone can get on with their bloody night then,” Arion says in an amused drawl just as Emit snaps his jaws, barely missing Arion’s throat.

  Arion moves like a streak of dark wind, and he’s suddenly behind him, kicking him hard in the stomach.

  Emit yelps then snarls before snapping again, catching Arion on the arm just enough to make the vampire hiss in pain, before he punches Emit in the face with his free hand.

  Five more punches sends Emit off him, but now Arion is cursing his mangled arm.

  I’ve never been accused of being the smartest girl in the world, but for a second, I allow myself to pretend that Arion is still Ace, since it makes it easier to run toward him instead of away from him.

  Never get in the middle of two dogs fighting…that’s the rule of thumb. No one ever said anything about wolves and vampires.

  Just as Emit forces himself up to an unsteady stance, Arion’s attention turns to me. His eyes widen when Emit launches himself once more, and the vampire moves like that streak of wind again.

  I feel myself being lifted seconds before the dizzying sensations of spinning, and I clutch whatever is closest.

  When we stop moving, I realize my arms are around Arion’s neck, and he’s still holding me off the ground.

  “You really shouldn’t interfere, gypsy girl,” Arion tells me, smiling over at Emit, whose growls have intensified to the point of rattling the ground under us.

  I can feel the vibrations through Arion’s body, since my feet are dangling.

  I’m clutching a psychotic vampire to keep him from tearing apart a rabid wolf, while wearing the sheet from a Van Helsing’s bed, and the jacket of Damien Morpheous. Just a typical…whatever day this is.

  I really miss Anna right now.

  “Stop!” I shout, causing Emit to snarl at me. “Please stop. You’re hurt and bleeding, and I don’t have on my bra to help you,” I go on.

  I think that’s the wolf version of a confused expression on his face.

  He glances from me to Arion, and takes another step before growling louder.

  “Relax. Violet and I made introductions not long ago at all,” Arion states, sliding his hand down my back and stopping just above my ass as he smirks. “Though it smells like she and Vance have made much more fun introductions even more recently.”

  “It was a sight to behold,” Damien adds with a smirk, as I try to pinpoint exactly how searching for my mother’s death spot landed me in this position.

  When Arion sniffs my neck, I go stiff. “You do smell prettier when you’ve been pleasured,” Arion goes on, gripping me tighter.

  Shera steps out, licking blood from her fingertips, and she winks at me.

  How did I forget that she kidnapped me?

  Emit’s wolf begins to pace, as the fur slowly starts to recede. It’s not a pretty process to watch him turn from wolf to man, but it’s like a gory train wreck you can’t help but stare at with curious fascination.

  As the fur is replaced by fleshy skin through a rapid transformation, he stands from his crouch, lips curled back as his claws stay out. “Let her go,” he says in a raw, animalistic tone that is quite terrifying.

  I feel Arion’s grin against my neck as he places a small kiss there. Gently, he lowers me to my feet and pats me on the ass like I’m a good girl.

  “Sure. So long as she accompanies me to my Welcome Home party tomorrow, she can even leave with you and tend to those nasty wounds.”

  Emit starts growling again, and Damien sighs dramatically. “You’ve lost tonight, mate. Try again on another,” he tells Emit.

  Emit, very naked and cut up all to hell, reaches out his hand, gesturing for me. Arion leans over to my ear, “I’ll pick you up tomorrow at seven.”

  “No,” I say while turning and glaring at him.

  He just grins at me. “Then I’ll kill the rest of the wolves here myself, before putting him underground.”

  He turns like he’s about to do just that, and I grab his hand. His claws retract immediately, like he’s careful not to cut me, which is slightly reassuring.

  He turns a cocky, expectant look toward me. “Fine,” I bite out. “Seven, and no one else gets hurt tonight.”

  Emit turns and stalks toward the front where it sounds like the battle has ceased. His wolves retreat when he makes some sort of howl in the air, though they sound extremely pissed about it.

  Arion thumbs my chin, and then he’s gone, a ghost of a tremble left in his wake.

  “Hard to fight someone who moves that quickly, eh?” Damien asks Emit’s back.

  Emit tenses, looks back at me, shakes his head, and walks away again.

  Damien comes to lift me from the ground, but I bat his hands away, determined to walk on my own, despite the deeper snow back here.

  “I think I just agreed to a date with a psychotic vampire,” I grumble as Damien grins.

  “I bet I seem like the much lesser threat at this particular moment. It might not be so bad having a creepy guy hanging around who can move quickly and hide you from sight.”

  I start to tell him something…but forget what…it is…

  Shaking out of my foggy thoughts, I follow him to his vehicle, where he opens the passenger side door for me.

  I say nothing as we follow the running wolves toward Emit’s home, since every time I try to talk about things pertaining to Arion, my mind seems to fog, and the memories start to slip.

  I don’t want to forget everything again, so I keep my mouth shut.

  When we pull up to Emit’s house, Damien just sits still. “Are you not going in?”

  “To watch you nurse the wolf? No thank you. If you plan to fuck the wolf, though, please give me a call. Otherwise, I have business to attend to that involves Dorian’s loose turner.”

  “What?” I ask incredulously.

  “Another problem that’s fortunately in no way yours. In fact, I never want you around Dorian.”

  I
turn in my seat to face him, my lips pursing.

  “Why?”

  It’s unnerving how gorgeous he is and how complex he is. One second I hate him, and the next I feel safe with him. Which is weird, since he’s the one who took me to a vampire and werewolf battle like he thought it was an excellent plan.

  “Because, unlike me, he’s quite charming all the time. I’m a little out of practice,” he tells me, leaving it at that. “And he’s quite possibly the only person I genuinely hate with every fiber in my body,” he adds like that’s important.

  “Well, I think one Morpheous stalker is plenty, so no worries,” I tell him as I push out the door.

  He grabs my hand, pulling me back, and I watch as he stares at me.

  “I’m rather serious. Dorian is an unforgiveable boundary of mine.”

  Instead of asking why, I just keep staring at him. After a few beats of silent pause, he finally decides to elaborate without me prompting him to do so.

  “He spent his mortal life as the outsider of the family because he was a bastard, and now he’s the only one of us who gets remembered. Even you’ll forget me if you go too long without my presence near,” he goes on, confusing me. “Only the alphas remain unaffected by that curse and can remember me when I’m not in their presence for long periods of time. He enjoys when people forget me. Loves it, even. Loves it when any of us are forgotten, and now he’s father’s favorite because he’s the only one of us who still has any fame to his name. He’s what keeps us relevant at all, which is important to Father.”

  “Minor fame. Not everyone knows about Dorian Gray. Even I had to look all that up,” I point out, causing his lips to twitch. “I wasn’t kidding when I said one of you stalking me is enough. Orgies aren’t my thing, and that seems to be what he’s most well known for.”

  Again, his lips twitch. “Take care of the wolf,” he adds before picking the pockets of his jacket, retrieving an orange and a mirror I never felt when I checked the pockets earlier.

  “This orange is a gift from you now and not from Arion. Agreed?”