Madeline Sheehan - The Soul Mate

Instead, she turned into a mermaid, an immortal mermaid who forever swims the seven seas. Whenever a ship would encounter her, she would ask the sailors a question, the same one every time. “Does Alexander the Great live?” She would ask. If they answered incorrectly, she would transform into a Gorgon, sinking the ship and all its sailors to the bottom of the sea. But if they answered correctly, telling her that “Yes, Alexander the Great lives and still rules as King”, she would allow them to pass safely.”

“But that was a lie, cuz he was dead.”

“Duh, Dani, but she was crazy, she turned into a Gordon and killed them. Wouldn’t you lie to her?” Benyamin piped up.

I laughed. “A gorgon. They have giant gold wings and huge claws and fangs with scales like a snake. They were the most feared of all sea monsters.”

“See, Dani.” Benyamin stuck his tongue out at his sister. “You would have lied too.”

Hockey’s little sister Simza stood up. “Trinity?”, She asked. “Maisera always tells us what the story means afterwards, what does your story mean?”

Oops. I hadn’t thought that far ahead.

“Well… ” I heard someone snicker at my hesitation causing my face to flame. The guys were going to eat me alive unless I got my act together.

Think Trinity! Think! I tried to channel my daddy.

Taking a deep breath, “It also shows you the importance of accepting what the Gods have granted you. Alexander was already a great warrior with great power. He should have never stolen the immortal water. He was never meant to have it and neither was his sister. The story shows the consequences of his greed. Instead of being thankful for everything the Gods had blessed him with Alexander ended up dying and his sister was forced spend eternity grieving him in the form of a monster, killing innocent people as a result.”

Simza nodded slowly, smiling, “It’s like dark magi-

“Sim!” Aishe yelled. The warning in Simza’s mother’s voice was clear. The little girl shut her mouth, gave me a small smile and took off toward her mother.

Aishe couldn’t have been anymore obvious. I was an outsider, an interloper, a Gaje. To speak of magic in front of me was forbidden. Between learning that Gerik’s on again/off again relationship with Onyx was definitely on and once again being called out as a Gaje in front of the entire clan, I suddenly didn’t feel much like being social.

The start of the music was a happy reprieve from my dark thoughts. A heavy drum beat had begun and the clan whooped with delight. Intrigued I headed toward where the crowd had gathered. Drums had never been used at fire dances since I’d been at camp.

The immergence of two male figures, both wrapped in bear furs complete with the bear head that concealed their identities, was a fearsome sight. Their beady eyes, formidable fangs and sharp claws cast menacing shadows from the firelight.

As the two men began to dance, heads down, feet pounding and bodies swinging, so did the clan, stomping their feet and clapping their hands along with the resounding thunder of the drums.

The bear’s movements were starkly different and yet somehow in sync with each other. It reminded me of something Native American.

There was a natural energy forming around them. Their movements were electric and the rhythm was addicting. You couldn’t help but be affected by it.

I didn’t even notice Drina standing beside me. She nodded toward the dancers, her expression one of admiration and also sadness. “Beautiful isn’t it?”

I wasn’t sure beautiful was the word I would use to describe it. Beautiful seemed far too tame a description. It was awesome, ferocious and unique.

It was downright seducing.

“So you’re a bear dancer.” I teased, finding Xan leaned up against a tree, expertly juggling his giant bear headed fur and a bottle of gin while smoking a cigarette. His face was swollen mass of blue and purple.

“You looked pretty into it,” He murmured.

“It was cool,” I admitted, a blush creeping up my neck. “I’d never seen anything like it. So, who was the other dancer?”

“Tobar.” He said on a big exhale of smoke.

“Tobar! Quiet, introverted Tobar!”

Xan shot me an amused glance. “One and the same, although he’s not so introverted as all that, just ask Becki.”

Becki?

“My father taught us. He’s a Blackfoot Indian. Or half anyway.”

“Truly impressive heritage,” I said, genuinely meaning it.

“It is what it is.” He took another swig of his gin. “At least the asshole gave me something before he took off.” He gestured to the bear skin.

“You miss him,” I guessed.

Xan’s dark eyes bored into me. “Not so much anymore. He’s been gone for twenty years.” He took another drag off his cigarette and offered it to me.

“Now I’m just kinda pissed he left me somewhere I don’t really belong. I’m a goddamn mechanic in a clan of some of the most powerful Roma in the world.” He looked down and snorted.

I could identify. I didn’t belong here either. The fire meeting tonight had, once again, painfully driven that stake a just a little deeper.

Even Gerik, who claimed to care for me and desire me, still wouldn’t share so many things with me. Things I knew he could easily share with Onyx, a fellow Roma. I had to question how anything between us could ever be real when a wall of secrets would always lay smack in the middle.

“See you later fată.” Xan nodded at Gerik, who had wandered over to us and was watching me curiously. Probably wondering why I had been avoiding him the entire day. No bruises marred his perfect face. A whisper of pity for Xan slithered through me. Gerik won everything, got everything he wanted.

“Frate,” Xan said to Gerik. He left quickly, walking toward the fire pit.

“Where have you been? And why are you smoking?” Gerik asked. “I thought that after…" He trailed off. I mean, I thought we were good.”

Good? What did that mean?

“Everything is fine.” I tried to walk around him but he mimicked my footsteps and blocked my way.

He shook his head. “You are avoiding me.”

I sighed. “I’m not. Honestly.”

Skepticism crossed his features.

“I’m really not. I just needed some…” I paused thinking of how Simza had almost accidently betrayed some magical Roma secret in my presence and had been shushed by her mother.

I shot him a hard look. “I needed some Gaje time.”

He rolled his eyes. “You can’t take it personally Trinity, you’re not one of us, you can’t expect an entire culture to change their ways overnight because you have hurt feelings.”

“No,” I said, agreeing with him. “I don’t.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“Gerik, it isn’t them I expect anything from.”

He narrowed his blue eyes in confusion while I continued to stare at him.

“Me,” He said flatly as realization hit. “You expect it of me even though you know I can’t, yeah?”

"Can’t? Or won’t?” I shot back.

Gerik drew himself to his full height, his legs spread wide and his jaw set in a hard line. He laced his hands behind his neck causing his t-shirt to pull up, exposing his abdomen. My breathing increased as the thin cotton stretched tight across his broad expanse of muscled chest.

I drank him in, the sight of him, the smell of him, all instantly steering me away from my anger. All my previous hurts fled as the magic that compelled me to react to Gerik in this manner infused me. Unwillingly I took a step closer to him.

My reactions to him never went unnoticed. With his hands still around his neck, he took a step forward as well, his eyes now burning gray.

“Let me come home with you tonight,” He whispered.