Centaur Rivalry (Touched Series Book 3) (8 page)

Relief looked back at me from three sets of eyes when I announced,
“Jessica wants us to go back to the bar.”

Katherine
was quick to answer, “Wait, ask her what her favorite ice cream flavor is.”

I didn’t understand what
Katherine was up to.  “What?”

“Just do it.”

“
Jessica, Katherine wants to know what your favorite ice cream flavor is.
”

“
Oh, right.  Tell her, Lamborghini.
”

“
Seriously?  Lamborghini?
”

“
Just tell her.  Hurry up and get back here.
”

I cleared my throat
, wondering if I’d heard her wrong.  “She said Lamborghini, and to hurry up and get back to the bar.”

Katherine
was visibly relieved.  “Okay, coast is clear.  Let’s go.”

I didn’t understand the little code between the two and wanted clarification before we took a single step. 
“What are you two – spies?”

“No, just cautious.”

Still suspicious, “Lamborghini flavored ice cream?  I don’t remember seeing that at the grocery store.  Is that a South Dakota thing?”

“That was Jessica’s idea.
”  Katherine wrapped her fingers around my forearm and squeezed hard, “Always ask that question if she tells ya to meet her somewhere.  If she’s being coerced in any way, she’ll answer with an ice cream flavor – chocolate, vanilla, rainbow sherbet, something.  Don’t let on that ya know it’s a trap, and stay as far away from where yer supposed to meet as possible.”

I couldn’t understand how they would have put together a code system like this one. 
“When did she tell you that?”

Katherine
looked off into the distance of the tunnel.  At first I didn’t think she would answer my question, but when she did, her voice was shaky.  “She and I used ta have a friend -- Gayle.  She died because Jessica couldn’t warn her she was being led into a trap.  After Gayle was buried, we came up with the code thing.”

We had a long walk
ahead of us, back to the bar through the tunnel.  I wasn’t sure if we could trust them.  For all I knew the code meant something else entirely.  There was likely a bounty on my head, maybe Brent’s, too.  I began walking, but kept my pace slow while I pressed for more information.  “A trap?”

Katherine
’s gaze was far off in front of us, remaining focused on the dimly lit tunnel ahead.  I couldn’t be sure what special powers a Lapith might possess.  From Brent’s reaction to her identity, I needed to be cautious.  She must have sensed my apprehension because words began pouring out of her.

“
We grew up together.  Gayle, Jessica, and I grew up right here – in this town.  We met in kindergarten, and everyone, even our teachers, called us the three amigas.”

I
expected to see images playing in Katherine’s mind while she spoke.  When people talked about the past, life-like images played in their head.  As Katherine spoke, hers was blank.  The absence of the images was eerie.

“When we were little we played
tetherball together on the playground, hopscotch on the sidewalk in the sunshine.  I can’t tell ya how many notebooks I went through in junior high, passing notes to ‘em in the hallway at school.  We were inseparable.”

She paused looking at each of us. 
Her brows pulled together and her complexion lost some of its color.  She was wrestling with how much to share.  When she found her voice, it was steady, maybe a little distant, as if she were trying to barricade her emotions up – away from us. 

“
There aren’t many Centaur families in this part of the country – only a handful.  I had always known my ancestry, and so on instinct alone – I knew theirs.  We gave up the playgrounds and recesses as we got older.  I remember endless Saturday afternoons at movie theaters, window shopping at malls for fancy dresses we’d never wear, sharing chicken nuggets in the food court long after the stores closed, studying together for classes none of us cared about, and even ice skating on Gayle’s pond, praying the ice would hold the three of us.  We were natural enemies and here I was looking at ‘em like we were sisters.”

The strength in her expression seemed to diminish.
  “Lying to them about who I was started eatin’ me up from the inside.  We were supposed to be enemies. . . but . . . I loved them both.”  Katherine’s voice lowered to barely more than a whisper, “They
were
my sisters, or at least the sisters I had always wanted.”

She finally settled her gaze on me. 
“Centaurides can’t detect a Lapith – to them I was a human.  I worried they would abandon me, ridicule me, maybe even send their family after me if they found out.  But, I couldn’t keep lying to ‘em.”  A thin smile formed on Katherine’s lips, “We were playing a game of truth-or-dare one weekend at Gayle’s house.  We were fourteen, and I blurted out that I was a Lapith.”

“How did they take it?”

Katherine muffled a laugh against the back of her hand, “Gayle offered ta give me a blood transfusion.”  She smiled at the memory and shook her head, “Can ya imagine?”

My eyes widened,
“What would that have done?”

“No
thing.  But it was sweet of her to think she could dilute my Lapith blood with her Centauride blood.  Gayle tried ta convince Jessica that they should look for a doctor to do the transfusion, and they could each give me a couple pints.  She reasoned that if they put more Centauride blood in me than Lapith, they could change who I was, or make me a hybrid.  It sounds silly now, but we all wanted ta be sisters.”

“So, did they?”

“No, but they would have if I let them.  They cared about me whether or not I was their sworn enemy.  The two of them agreed never ta tell a soul.”

Katherine
’s bright green eyes went misty, she wiped them hard with the palms of her hands, and her voice began to shake again.  “Centaurides don’t date, or they’re not supposed to.  Gayle got asked ta some stupid high school dance by the star football player.  He was gorgeous, built like a brick house, and completely wrapped around Gayle’s little finger.”  She shook her head at the memory, as if she were still frustrated with it.  “Gayle agreed to be his date.”

“
The football player killed her?”

“No.
”  Katherine took a breath to steady herself, “Jessica’s brother did.”

My heart stopped, then began beating like crazy. 
“Wait.  Jessica’s brother, Roscoe, killed Gayle?”  She nodded, “But why?”

“Gayle’s parents were furious with her for agreeing t
o go on a date with a human.  It was our junior year.  Her father didn’t want ta take a chance on her getting involved with a human, so he arranged a marriage to Roscoe.  At first Gayle said she’d go along with it.  She chose Roscoe.  Gayle said it was her duty, and this way she and Jessica could really be sisters – at least by marriage.”

Katherine
began trembling.  She wrapped her arms around herself and bowed her head.  What little color she had drained completely out of her face.  “The football player wouldn’t let it go.  He brought her flowers.  He gave her his jersey.  He walked her ta class – anything to be close to her.  He didn’t understand she’d already been promised to Roscoe, and Gayle couldn’t tell him about Centaur traditions.  None of it would have mattered ta him anyway – he was head-over-heels for Gayle.”

“
The football player convinced her to break the betrothal?”

Katherine
’s voice was hollow.  “Jessica didn’t know Roscoe intended to seek a Blood Debt that day.  She found out just before Gayle arrived.”

Katherine
stood in the middle of the three of us.  Her eyes met mine, and I wanted to comfort her.  None of us made a sound, waiting for her to continue, but unwilling to prod her.  When she spoke, there was a rhythm to her words, as if she were forcing herself to tell us.  “Jessica’s mother told her she would know if Jessica tried ta warn Gayle.  Her mother threatened a betrothal to a Centaur who would make Jessica regret the day she was born if she betrayed her brother and warned Gayle.”

Tears streamed down
Katherine’s cheeks, but she kept talking.  “Instead, Jessica pled with Roscoe – begging him not ta kill Gayle.  Jessica promised she could make Gayle change her mind and marry Roscoe.  In the end, Gayle showed up at Jessica’s house, and Roscoe took his Blood Debt right in front of Jessica.”  It was hard to understand Katherine through the sobs, but she couldn’t keep the story in, “Roscoe told her that killing Gayle may end their blood line, but it would be ended with honor.”

T
he barbarism – the thought that my life could have been sacrificed for Mom running away all those years ago sent shivers down my spine.  I remembered the desperation I felt when I was told I might have to pay a Blood Debt.  The debt for me would have been far better than the debt paid by Gayle.  I would have been forced to marry Gage – no one planned to kill me.  Tears flowed freely down Katherine’s face, and the only response I could force out was, “I’m so sorry.”

Katherine
must have been holding this story inside since it happened because her words didn’t stop.  “Jessica didn’t attend Gayle’s funeral.  Gayle’s family said she died from the flu – but she hadn’t been sick.  It was weeks before Jessica could bring herself ta tell me the truth.  She wouldn’t talk ta me at school or answer my calls or. . .”  Katherine trailed off, her voice choked from her own sobs.  A full minute passed before she resumed.  “Ever since, she’s been lying low, biding her time until she can get out of here.  When she goes – I’m going, too.”

I could hear the truth in her words
, and I saw the pain in her face.  I believed her, but knew I had to be cautious.  “That’s why you’re helping us?  You two are getting back at Roscoe, by keeping us safe?”

(Katherine Newton, Deserted Mining Tunnel in South Dakota)

Why was I helping them?  They didn’t have a clue what they were up against.  If they did, they wouldn’t have wandered around the countryside waiting for the Council’s enforcers to find ‘em.

Jess
ica was the only person outside my family that I cared about.  Her family was a bunch of fanatics.  I didn’t know how long she had left.  Her parents could arrange a marriage tomorrow, and her only future would be being tied ta some freak like her brother or death if she backed out.  I couldn’t lose Jess the way we lost Gayle.

Our
only chance was helping these five get outta here.  I kept a suitcase packed for Jessica at my house.  It’d been there for two years – waiting for our escape.  Right after Gayle was murdered, Jess and I talked about running away all the time.  As the weeks turned inta months, our window of freedom grew slimmer.  Jess was twenty-three now.  She was the oldest unbetrothed Centauride in the area.  This was it.  This was our last chance.

Cami wants t
a know if we’re trying to get back at Roscoe.  Roscoe is just the tip of the iceberg.  Her eyes are fixed on mine.  How can I make her understand?  “No.  I don’t want revenge.  Nothing will bring Gayle back.  But I can’t lose Jessica, too.”

Cami’s eyes were soft.  I didn’t want her pity.  Jessica and I were sticking our neck
s out already; they owed us.  “When we heard about your betrothed kickin’ the crap outta Roscoe and the thirty Centaurs sent by the Centaur Council to kill ya, we thought things might be changing.  We’ll help ya, but you hafta help me get Jessica away from here.”

Daniel and Brent hadn’t said a word the whole time. 
Tears were still streaking down my cheeks.  I hated that they saw me cry, but I couldn’t help it.  Every time I thought about Gayle, I either flew into a rage or bawled like a baby – it didn’t matter that it happened six years ago.  As much as I hated sharing it with ‘em, I needed ‘em to know about Gayle.  I needed ‘em to know why we had to get Jessica far away from her family.

Daniel seemed t
a be the ring-leader.  Cami trusted him.  It wasn’t normal for a Centauride to be so close to a human, even if the human was a half-breed.  If I could just get Daniel to agree ta help us escape, everyone else would follow suit.

I stood there starin
’ at Daniel, tryin’ to put the urgency into words, but none would come out.  My eyes silently pleaded with him to understand – this couldn’t be up for discussion.  Daniel looked like he was going to ask me a question when Brent, who had been at least ten feet away, strode up to me and said, “I’m sorry for your loss.  I never heard of a Lapith befriending a Centauride before.”

I used every ounce of
what was left of my strength to answer, “We weren’t friends because she and Jessica were Centaurides – we were friends in spite of it.”

Brent nodded
.  He closed the distance to me, wrapped both his arms around me and pulled me forcefully into his chest.  I was surprised. . . stunned. . . shocked.  I froze, not sure how ta react.  Less than an hour ago, I had barely touched him, and he had about lost his mind.  I stood stiffly against him, trying to make the tears stop, wanting to break free of his hold while my body only wanted to accept his warm embrace.

My lungs sucked in as much air as they could hold. 
I had to convince Daniel to help us.  Brent’s sudden willingness not only to touch me, but to try to ease my pain didn’t make sense, and we didn’t have the time to waste.

H
is strong hands held me close.  His chest rose and fell under my head as he breathed.  It was as hard as granite under my face.  No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t hold it together.  The tears that had streamed down my cheeks gave way to heavy sobs again, and I let ‘em loose against his chest.

He whispered in my ear,
“We’ll get you out of here.  We’ll get you both out.  You have my word.”  His gentle hands ran up and down my back, squeezing ever-so-gently every few seconds.  He kept talkin’, but I couldn’t hear his whispers over my own sobs.  I didn’t need to hear his words:  he was telling me he’d help us escape. . . both of us.

Brent’s
posture and his movements were so stiff.  It seemed like he wasn’t accustomed to being affectionate, to comfort someone with anything more than words, but he was trying his best.  I could have shut off the tears if I hadn’t been affected by how badly he wanted to make me feel better.  The more he tried to comfort me, the more my emotions sailed outta control.

Instead of just leaning against him, m
y arms snaked around him, holding on to him for dear life.  He gently kissed the top of my head and gave me one final squeeze.  He didn’t let go of me; he just loosened his grip so that if I wanted to pull away, I was no longer held in place.  I didn’t move.  It took me a couple minutes, but I got my sobs under control, took a deep breath, and told them, “Jess is waiting for us.  We need to go.”

Brent didn’t let
go of me, at least not all the way.  His arm hung over my shoulder as we started back down the dark tunnel.  The warmth of his body walking next to mine was therapeutic and toxic rolled together.  I’d been raised never to trust a Centaur – never to allow one to learn who I was or I would risk being killed on the spot.  But, here, now, I more than wanted Brent’s comfort.  I craved it – which got me worried for a whole different reason.  I silently prayed that I had not just felt the spark – Lily’s spark.

Less than an hour ago he’d accused me of trying to accost him when nothing could have been further from reality.  I understood why we
were discouraged from any interaction with Centaurs, but for the first time since Gayle’s death, I felt like things were going to be okay.

Daniel and
Cami gave us some space.  I could hear their footsteps behind us, but neither was talking.

Brent must have wanted t
a explain his sudden change of heart.  His eyes remained fixed on the tunnel in front of us.  His voice was quiet, only loud enough for me to hear it.  “I saw a Blood Debt paid when I was young; I was maybe eight.  Even now the image is so clear it feels like it happened yesterday.  I didn’t know the Centauride who’d been murdered, but from that moment, no matter who wronged me, I knew I’d never collect one.”

I hadn’t seen what happened t
a Gayle, but I’d imagined it ever since I heard how Roscoe had killed her.  Gayle’s Blood Debt had been an intimate affair – only Roscoe’s family was present.  The Centaur who had been wronged had the option to collect his debt in private or on a public display.  The Centauride’s family had the responsibility not only of claiming the body when it was over, but the added humiliation of disposing of the body, dealing with the human authorities, even having an autopsy faked.

Brent looked over his shoulder, maybe to make sure Daniel and Cami couldn’t hear him.  I wasn’t sure. 
“When we thought Cami might owe a Blood Debt for her mother, my brothers and I agreed one of us would pay it for her.  Dad was sure he could make it right to the Richardsons in cash, but we weren’t willing to take the chance.  Bruce was betrothed, so the four of us decided one of us would pay it before we let it be collected against her.”

“One of you?”

“Yeah, Beau, Bart, Ben and I all agreed.  No one would collect on Cami.”

“I can’t imagine that kind of
sacrifice.  Ya must be close.”

Brent chuckled, “That’s the funny thing.  None of us knew her that well, but there’s something about Cami.  She’s special.”

“The last Chiron Centauride, right?”

“Well, yeah, but that’s not what I mean.  She’s different.  It’s like, because she grew up as a human, she’s
doesn’t just conform.  She looks at our traditions and isn’t afraid to say, ‘Hey, that’s dumb, and I’ll do it my way.’  Don’t get me wrong, it drives me crazy, but we were all immediately drawn to her because of it.”

Brent’s description of Cami’s take on the Centaur world made me laugh. 
Truthfully, I didn’t know much about her other than she was Chiron’s last female heir and was also from the Lost Herd.  Hearing Brent describe her made me want to know her better.  It reminded me of how Gayle basically did the same thing – she was willing to throw everything away for a human.  It wasn’t even someone she was madly in love with – Gayle was just a free spirit.

I may have misjudged
Brent.  He was different.  A brother who would willingly pay a Blood Debt for his sister?  Gayle had two brothers.  Had they known Roscoe would collect a Blood Debt that day, would they have paid it for her?  It didn’t seem likely.

“
I can’t imagine Roscoe’s willingness to collect his Blood Debt.”  Brent’s comment hung in the air for a minute before he added, “If he knew how much Gayle meant to his sister, I mean, I just can’t imagine.  I could never hurt Cami the way Roscoe hurt Jessica, and we didn’t even grow up together.”

Could he be that selfless?  The few Centaurs I’d met in Jess
ica and Gayle’s families weren’t like Brent – at all.  They weren’t the beasts my grandma had described to me in her freaky bedtime stories, but they were distanced – almost absent human emotions.  Sure they had pride and courage, but none of the Centaurs in their families displayed even a morsel of empathy or sorrow.

We walked quietly for a few more minutes.  Brent didn’t remove his arm from my shoulder, and to let him know I appreciated his kindness
, I reached up and took his hand that lay over my bicep.  I had thought Brent was just like every other Centaur I’d known.  I wasn’t sure what to make of his thaw toward me.  He may not be my friend, but after his promise, I no longer saw him as an adversary, either.

I thought about his touch and what it meant for a Centaur to touch a woman once he was betrothed. 
Brent must have believed that Cami and Daniel would never betray him to his fiancé.  Or maybe he believed his betrothed had already changed her mind.  Maybe he needed to tell someone that even if he had the choice, he wouldn’t seek a Blood Debt.  Whatever his reason, I was grateful for his comfort.

We found ourselves back underneath the bar. 
I looked up at the ladder that led to the secret entry behind the pop machine and wished we could stay here in the tunnel – just a few minutes more.  I wanted to escape with Jessica, but I wanted to absorb the kindness Brent freely gave me, too.

Cami and Daniel
caught up to us and peered up the ladder we had escaped down nearly an hour ago.  I gave her an exhausted smile.  We were close – we were seriously close to freedom.  It lay just on the other side of the pop machine.  “Cami, do yer thing.  Ask Jessica if the coast is clear.”