The Soul Mate

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

An unplanned fire meeting had begun about an hour ago. Tonight was special, several of the school aged children were participating in an impromptu spelling bee and would be singing songs they had been practicing for weeks.

Spelling was the last thing on my mind.

Between watching Xan chug a bottle of Gin, only pausing long enough to make-out with the most terrible of the triplets, Fifi and having to watch Gerik and Onyx do the same, I was having trouble simply remaining calm.

“Becki!” I exclaimed. “I need a mental detour over here.”

“You and me both,” She said sullenly.

Nadya moved from her place beside me and wriggled in between the two of us. “Hmmm…” She tapped her chin while she scoured the fire pit. “Aha! Whose boobs are bigger? Alana or Jaelle’s?”

Becki laughed. “My mami’s definitely. They are the size of my head.”

“Okay… too easy.” She looked around. “Who would rather kiss, Pitti or Pesha?”

I pushed Nadya playfully into Becki. “Ew!”

“Okay, okay…” She grinned mischievously. “Who would you rather hook up with, Harman Siwak or Djordji Čonka?”

“Eeeee!” Becki shrieked. “They are sooo old!”

Throat clearing had us looking up into the smiling face of Madeleana Čonka. “Some things get better with age girls,” She said with a wink.

As she walked away we fell over top of each other laughing.

Pitti plopped down next to me. “What’s so funny fetita?” Still laughing, no one answered him.

He shrugged and handed me his flask. “Half full babe. Just for you. And may I add Trinity, that you’re especially sexy tonight.”

Seriously? Maybe I would prefer to be off the market if this was how it was going to be from now on.

“Damn, I can’t even spell some of these words.” Stevo mumbled, taking a seat next to Becki. “How old is Adi anyway? Five? Six? Shit.”

“I can’t spell at all,” Pitti said.

I had just taken my first swig of the Gods’ awful concoction when Becki suddenly jumped to her feet.

“Oh shit.” She covered her mouth with her hand, muffling the string of curses that followed.

“What?” Everyone asked.

“Oh… damn... oh, why is he doing this?” She continued, not answering. Pitti stood up, followed her line of sight then, eyes wide, he plopped right back down.

What the hell was going on? I tugged on Pitti’s pants and shot him a questioning glance. I followed his finger, pointing to the opposite end of the fire pit where Hockey was striding determinedly toward our small group. His Chicago Blackhawks hat was pulled down so low you couldn’t see his eyes and he was holding something in his hands.

Maisera stopped the spelling bee when she caught sight of him. The whole camp became instantly, eerily quiet.

“Don’t do it frate!” I easily distinguished Gunnar’s voice. “It’s not worth it!”

“What does he have in his hand?” I whispered.

“Rope,” Becki seethed. “The idiot has rope.”

“Why?” I asked, confused. “What’s going on?”

“That’s it,” Becki yelled. “I’m out of here!” She turned to leave just as Stevo jumped in her way. Grinning like the Cheshire cat, he grabbed her arms and swung her around to face Hockey.

I set the flask down, about to stand when Pitti grabbed my arm. “You can’t interfere Trinity, just sit tight.”

Hockey had stopped a few feet from us and raised the brim of his hat, his gaze fixed on Becki.

“Don’t you dare touch me!” She screamed. Then in typical Becki fashion, she spit in his face.

Unconcerned, he wiped the spit from his cheek and reached for her hands. Her legs, still free, shot outwards and she managed to knock him in the shins a few times. With Stevo’s help, the brothers’s wrestled her into a kneeling position, making it easier for Hockey to bind her wrists. Her ankles were a whole another story. She screamed, kicked, twisted and spit, reminding me very much of a frightened cat.

“What is wrong with you?” I demanded of Pitti. “Why isn’t anyone doing anything?”

“Shhh. It will all be explained.”

I didn’t see how any of this could be explained. No one, not even Indiana, Becki’s twin brother was doing a damn thing. And Maisera had a smile on her face for Gods sake!

As Hockey hoisted Becki up and over his shoulder, his face contorted in pain. Becki had sunk her teeth into him.

Stevo grinned at his big brother. “You sure about this frate? I’m just guessing here, but I’m not sure she’s willing.”

Hockey couldn’t answer as his teeth were clenched tightly together. Blood was seeping through the shoulder of his white t-shirt where Becki’s jaws of steel had clamped onto him.

Then with an exasperated sigh and a nod at his brother, Hockey left with his unwilling prize and headed for the living lot. I could still hear Becki yelling even after his trailer door slammed.

It was Stefan who broke the silence that followed. He grabbed both Jaelle and Indiana in a giant bear hug. Aishe too joined the embrace with tears streaking down the sides of her face.

Jericho clapped his hands together, his grin wide. “Time for celebration, family of mine! To Becki Bălan and Stefan Sava Jr., may their union flourish in love, their families unite in happiness and this clan prosper with their many, many children!”

Hearty laughter and whoops of joy followed.

“Music, music gentlemen!” Jericho motioned to anyone holding an instrument. The instant the crisp sweet sounds struck the evening air he grabbed hold of Maisera and swung her around.

I pulled away from Pitti and stood up, glaring down at him. “Tell me what in all the Gods names just happened?”

He grinned, “All the Gods Trinity? That’s a tall order.”

“Pitti!” I yelled, stomping my foot.

“Okay, okay. Calm down. It’s an old Romani tradition. Back in the day, either to avoid paying the bride price or when the girl’s family wouldn’t let her marry who she wanted, if you kidnapped her and held her for a few days, that was enough. You were married.”

Pitti laughed at my startled reaction. “Close your mouth Trinity you look like a dead fish.”

“I… I… That is so barbaric!”

An indifferent shrug was his only response.

“But what about love?” I cried. “She doesn’t sound very happy about this!” I gestured toward Hockey’s trailer where Becki’s shouting could still be heard, much to the amusement of the entire clan. Gods, what was wrong with everyone.

“Yeah, what about love?” Xan slurred as he ambled up to us, Fifi in tow. A cigarette dangled precariously from his lips.

“Oh please,” Shandor scoffed as he joined our group. “Who cares about love?”

Simionce laughed, sounding every inch Shandor’s little brother. “Who knows, maybe the frate does love her," He said, then waggled his eyebrows conspiratorially. “But we all know why he’s really marrying her.”

I recognized Onyx’s cackle behind me. I refused to turn around and look at either her or Gerik.

“Boy needs to get laid is all,” Onyx giggled. “Jaelle is strict with her kids, no nooky till marriage, right Stevo?”

She strode forward leering at the blushing teenager.

Wait…what? Becki and Hockey had never…

“But…” I said, then trailed off, not entirely sure I wanted to join in the gossip fest centered around my friend.

Shandor winked at me. “Nope,” He said. “Never.”

I had no room to judge but Becki’s recent behavior and Hockey’s response to it didn’t exactly equal a sudden and forced marriage.

“All of you can go to hell!” Stevo yelled. “Sex isn’t everything! And Hockey and Becki do love each other. She just was surprised is all!”

“You’re right,” I told him, realizing that we were the two lone virgins in this group. “Sex isn’t everything.”

“Even if they don’t love each other yet, it can come second, yeah?” Gerik said quietly. Walking forward, he placed his arm around Stevo who looked grateful for the support.

“Need almost always come first,” He continued. “Way of the world.” Gerik glanced at me and I froze as those pools of blue sucked me in.

He looked amazing in a loose fitting, white linen shirt, paired with baggy jeans so worn you could practically see right through them in places. He was barefoot as usual and his hair hung loose around his face and shoulders, freshly washed. I couldn’t pry my eyes away from the sight of him no matter how badly I wanted to.

“How would you know?” Xan spat out. “When you just magically force people to think they are in love with you?”

Gerik accessed Xan coldly, “My life and the people in it are none of your business or your concern.”

With his eyes narrowed and his jaw set, Xan looked ready to attack.

“But you’re in love aren’t you Xan?” Gerik smirked at him. “Good luck with that one, yeah?”

Everyone grew quiet, all eyes on Xan, waiting for his response to the taunt. Instead of responding he just glared at Gerik. Then, as turned his hate filled gaze on me, his face changed. The pure rage he’d shown Gerik was now a mixture of anger, helplessness and anguish.

As we stared at each other, him hating me and me wishing for nothing except to be able to be with him, a slow ache began building in my chest, it grew deeper and more painful until I swear I felt my heart broke.

“Fuck you both,” He said, his eyes still on me. Then stamping out his cigarette, he stumbled back to the fire pit. As Fifi took off after him, it took every ounce of my will power not to cry.

“Trinity?” Gerik took a step toward me and I instantly put my hands up.

“Don’t I have a magical restraining order against you?” I mimed the air in front of me as if there was an invisible wall between us.

He didn’t bother to hide his anger. Eyes white, veins bulging in his neck, he stood tall, looking every inch a mad man. Onyx began tugging on his arm, pleading with him to leave.

I walked away, uncaring. What was there to care about anymore anyway?