Kept (19 page)

“I’ve got about two hours or more before we get there. I’ll be ready to stand when you open that door.”

He shook his head, and I waited for him to say more.
To give me a million reasons why I should just go home. My dad had to have healed himself by now. But how could I face him? I’d given my best. I’d sacrificed everything. Or had I? Especially if I went home. I could see Auntie Yelena now. She’d have a thing or two to say about how defective I was.

A familiar
beep
from the front seat caught my attention. Nick leaned over and grabbed my phone. Using one hand, he flicked through the screens. From my angle, I couldn’t see them.

“It’s for you.”

He placed the phone in my hand, and I about melted.

It was the picture of a baby. A perfect child.

“Ya tyotia,”
I murmured.

“What?”

A rush of emotions went through me, and all my tense muscles relaxed for a moment.

“I’m. An. Aunt.” Although my voice was weak, there was a full smile in the words. The child was wrapped in one of Grandma’s blankets. Snuggled perfectly in her crib. The text message with the picture read,
Svetlana Mina Stravinsky, six hours old
.

“I was wondering if that was your brother’s baby.”

I wiped a tear from my cheek. He’d named the baby after Grandma Lasovskaya. I was sure she was overjoyed at the news. She’d spent so much time fretting about Alex over the years. Now she had a new great-grandchild to enjoy. A new half-werewolf, half–wood nymph baby, of course, but a beautiful baby girl nonetheless.

Alex had sent an additional text message, one that had me release a sigh of relief, but also saddened me:
dad’s healing well. how u holding up, sis? u need help?

Thank God Dad was okay, but the truth of the matter was, I wasn’t doing well. This wasn’t the time to focus
on my problems or bring my brother into them, though. He needed to focus on bonding with his daughter. And, well, I had a baby picture to savor and enjoy.

Nick said, “Congratulations.”

“She’s so perfect,” I replied. “Although, I wish I knew if she had any hair under her cap.”

Every Stravinsky child had been born bald and bawling, according to my mother. It took at least a year before our true hair color was revealed. Maybe it was a good thing for me not to know. It would be something to look forward to.

Then I realized that Svetlana wouldn’t have a pack to belong to when I returned. Even after the trials, the Stravinskys wouldn’t have a formal relationship with the pack. That’s what happened to families with an unfulfilled moon debt. We would have no honor, and with no allegiances, we’d all be considered rogues, unless another pack took us in. And all of this was because of me. I’d failed my family. I’d failed little Sveta.

The tears came quickly, and since I couldn’t even manage to cry quietly, a hand reached back to touch me. “Are you okay?”

“Perfectly fine.” I sucked at sarcasm while crying.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

I wanted to shake my head, but that would hurt too much. Instead of revealing my worries, I turned away.

Time passed, at least an hour, before the dryness left my mouth. “If you stop driving, I’ll find the strength to cover your staff with the grossest thing I can find. And I’m resourceful.”

Nick chuckled in the front seat.

Sleep called to me with promises of fat rabbits and spotless forest floors. I whispered, “Promise me you’ll take me to Atlantic City.”

When my eyes closed again, I wondered if it was sadness or pity I’d seen on Nick’s face.

*  *  *

The lights of Atlantic City should’ve given me a bit of comfort. I was back to face the moon debt. To be truthful, I had fulfilled part of the payment, I’d delivered the truck to the Jackson pack. Of course, the contents weren’t what the pack expected. But you can’t win them all, can you?

Nick continued to drive, not speaking to me. Maybe he was letting me rest up for what was to come. After all, he wasn’t a fool. I’d been asked to transport a truck across New England with a fairy child imprisoned inside. It wasn’t your average trip to Coney Island with the family.

I wanted to sit up, but just the effort of stretching out my legs pained my stiff muscles. As a werewolf, I usually healed quite quickly. I could sense my shoulder muscles reconnecting, my tendons snapping back into place. And Nick had made a drive-through pit stop to give me a nice meal of sub sandwiches. But even a full belly did nothing to take away the heaviness that weighed down my every limb.

Something was very wrong with me.

I extended my hand, and it brushed against the window. The surface was cold against my fingertips. My mind drifted to Thorn. I held back a laugh, wondering if he’d be waiting at Roscoe’s place. Maybe leaning against the wall outside of the door. Like he always did.

The car pulled to a stop, Nick shifted it into PARK, turned off the ignition, stepped out, and handed the keys to a valet. Then he opened the back door and waited.

“Couldn’t you have gone to the parking garage? So I’m not rushed?”

The valet stood there, focusing his gaze on the distance, as if looking at a faraway place. He was obviously trying not to listen to us.

Nick slowly leaned into the backseat. He was close enough for me to make out the details of his face. His long nose. His strong chin. Nick was a handsome man at any angle. He reached out and gently tucked his arms around my waist. With minimal effort, he lifted me from the car.

“If you would’ve given me some time …” I whispered.

“A few hours’ time maybe?”

“More like forty-five minutes, give or take.”

He carried me up the entrance stairs, and I snuggled in his arms. He said, “The only thing you seem to be moving is your mouth.”

“Well, it doesn’t take all that much work.”

“So I noticed.” But when Nick reached the final step, he stumbled.

“Okay, that’s what you get for your jokes.”

A few people around us glanced in our direction.
We must look like the most embarrassing couple ever
, I thought. Then, still slightly sagged in Nick’s arms:
Do we look like a married couple? A girl with her newlywed husband?
The very thought warmed my face.

That dream was squashed when Nick nearly dropped me again. “Okay, hero. You’re not doing too well here.”

“I’m not the one who ate five, I repeat, five deluxe sandwiches with all the fixings.”

We were barely into the lobby, and Nick’s strong strides had turned into a shuffle.

“Really, are you sure you’re okay?” I asked.

“I don’t know. Something’s wrong.”

He let go of my legs. They hit the ground painfully but managed to hold me up.

“Are you sure you want to walk?” Now that I was standing, it wasn’t so bad. My legs were a little wobbly, but I didn’t stumble when we continued forward. My
stomach was still sour, but I definitely didn’t look as pale as Nick. He usually had the lack-of-melanin thing going for him, but now he looked ghostly.

“I’m so tired, but you look pretty bad too,” I said.

“I can sense the wards now. Pretty powerful ones.” He laughed softly. “They paid someone to put these in place. Most likely a warlock.”

“Will they hurt you?” We were at the end of the entrance and still had to go through the casino to reach the doorway to the facilities. A long way at the rate we were walking.

“It’s like tiny threads holding me back,” Nick said. “And it’s not just one or two, but millions of them, pulling at every muscle in my body.” He appeared thoughtful. “It’s a well-crafted spell.”

I took his arm to urge him forward when he slowed down further.

“So, it’s not hurting you—just slowing you down.”

“Yeah.”

We continued, but stopped to laugh when a bunch of slow-going elderly people passed us. Or should I say, left the building and then came
back
again.

When we arrived at the middle of the casino, I knew this couldn’t go on any longer. “Nick, you need to go back.”

“After all this effort? I promise the weekend won’t be over by the time I make it to the door.” Even under the difficult circumstances, his smile was infectious.

“If I were the warlock who made this spell, I wouldn’t construct it to keep people from leaving. Take a step toward the door.”

“You’re not getting rid of me, Nat.”

“Just do it!” I pushed him toward the lobby.

He took a step and then another, much faster one.

I gave him my most smug smile. Ever.

He stared at me. And I wished I could take a picture
to preserve how wonderful it was. He’d done so much for me. He’d saved my life numerous times. Yet this was my journey to take alone.

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll head in there, talk to Roscoe, and then come back. A quick trip.”

He continued to stare for a bit, then said, “You’re lying.”

“Why would you think that?” My damn tears betrayed me again.

Nick reached up and wiped one off my face.

“You don’t have to go in there. People like Roscoe never show mercy.”

I shuffled a bit. What could I say? “I know—but I’m not doing this for me anymore. I’m doing it for my family now.”

“I could keep you safe,” he offered softly. He took a step closer to me. “Hide you away.”

“In your never-ending wizard pocket.”

“If you like.”

A grin snuck on my face.

“I’d really like to show you more than what’s in my pocket, but perhaps that’s a bit too forward.”

I rolled my eyes. Even his dirty wizard jokes needed help.

“Either way, you don’t have to go to Roscoe right now. You’d be safer if you ran away.” He took my hand, but all I felt was warm skin—no racing pulse.

“Hiding seems to be what you’re good at,” I mumbled. “I can never truly sense you. It’s like you protect yourself with magic so nothing can touch you. I wonder if you ever follow your own advice when it comes to me.”

Frustrated, I pulled him back toward the entrance. With each step, his stride became stronger. By the time we were outside, he was the old Nick again. When I tried to direct him down the steps, he yanked back.

I turned to look at him, but I wished I hadn’t. He was right next to me—with an expression I wasn’t ready for. When I didn’t speak, he took a half step closer, ensuring that the mist from his breath brushed against my nose. “You’re right.”

He immediately interrupted me when I tried to speak.

“Can you see it now?”

“See what?” My voice had grown small for some reason.

“My heart.”

Something inside his body pulsed. Where before there had been silence—now I heard a sound, both soft and familiar.

His fingertips traced a path along my chin, and I couldn’t look away. I fell into his eyes. A light flashed like starlight. So beautiful. So hypnotizing. Yet I knew I had the free will to look away. What power did he have over me?

In the reflection of his eyes, I saw myself. From my brown hair to my chin, back up to my cheeks. My small smile grew to a full-blown one. But I didn’t just see my face—I sensed what he felt when I smiled at him.

His heart fluttered.
For me
.

“Now can you see me as I see you?”

I was speechless. That white wizard had rendered me speechless.

He laughed and then slowly leaned closer to me. His hands brushed against the sides of my face before he brought his lips toward mine. Our noses lightly bumped before we kissed.

Pure warmth came from the kiss. Not a burning fire, but an exquisiteness that was both gentle and precious. My body hummed, but since it was in a weakened state, it didn’t do a very good job to help a gal out.

My damn knees buckled when Nick tried to deepen the kiss.

No romantic moment for me tonight. His lips ended up making out with my nose, and I got a mouthful of his chin.

Yep, it was as awkward as it sounds.

Nick wiped off my nose while I tried to keep from laughing. Nick had just kissed me—our first kiss—and here I was laughing as if two friends had shared a joke.

Were we just friends?
My smile faded for a bit. For some reason, I regretted that I still saw him as one.

“Sorry about that,” I said.

“Don’t apologize.” He took my hand again, his lips twitching.

What more could we say to each other? What hadn’t been said with the kiss?

“You should go now,” I whispered. “I need to see Roscoe before I change my mind and decide to hide in your pocket—as tempting as the offer appears.”

He opened his coat. “It still stands.” He was silent for a moment. “I don’t want you to go,” he said.

“I know.”

I took a step back, and he released me. The warmth of his palm lingered in mine.

After taking a deep breath, I turned and walked back into the casino. Then I realized I hadn’t said good-bye and glanced over my shoulder, hoping to remedy that. He’d already left.

The trip through the casino into the basement should have been easy. I’d made it just twenty-four hours ago, with Thorn and my brother at my side. But this time it was different. I’d failed, and now I’d come to beg for mercy.

Briefly, I thought about how easy it would be to let Nick protect me. He’d keep me safe. I wouldn’t have to
face Roscoe or any of the consequences of the unfulfilled moon debt. But none of my problems would be resolved. I paused for a moment, then kept going. Turning back wasn’t an option anymore.

When the guards outside the door saw me, they almost shot me a look asking me why I’d come. I guessed I had that I’m-dumb-enough-to-come-back-for-it appearance about me. My feet shuffled outside the door. They suddenly felt heavy again. Was that the relentless exhaustion, or my fear finally coming into play? A sheen of sweat built along the nape of my neck, and the racing of my heart threatened to turn into a full-blown panic attack.

With each deep breath, I stepped back into Roscoe’s den. This time, he was entertaining guests instead of playing games on the computer. Men and women dressed in fine clothes stood among the black lounge chairs, sipping drinks. From the state of their clothes, they’d been partying for some time. A few of the men had undone their shirts, while two of the girls had discarded their shoes.