[Mystic Caravan Mystery 04.0] Freaky Games Read online

  “Don’t you even look at her,” Luke hissed, his eyes flashing as his fingers elongated a bit. He didn’t shift, but I recognized the signs that he was readying to do just that should the need arise.

  “Oh, I’m going to do more than look at her.” The man licked his lips, reminding me of a disgusting snake about to strike. “I’m going to spend some quality time with her … right here and now. I think she’s really going to like it.”

  I swallowed the urge to throw up and stared down the man. “Who are you?”

  “Who are you?” he shot back.

  “Don’t worry about her,” Luke said, his tone bordering on desperate. “She’s not part of this. Focus on me.”

  I’d never seen Luke this unhinged, and I was around that time they announced the wrong Miss Universe winner and he had a complete and total freakout. He was totally out of sorts, unable to make eye contact and sweating profusely, and I had my suspicions why. That was a discussion for another time, though. For now we had other issues to deal with.

  “No, you focus on me,” I instructed, never moving my eyes from the man’s face. “What’s your name?”

  “What’s your name?” the man countered, clearly enjoying the game. I could guarantee that smug smile wouldn’t last for very long.

  “Poet Parker.”

  “That’s cute.” The man smiled. “And what do you do here, Poet Parker?”

  “I’m the fortune teller.”

  “Really?” The stranger’s eyes gleamed. “Can you see how this is going to end?”

  “As a matter of fact, I can.”

  “Poet, I’m handling this,” Luke said, his eyes busily bouncing between the stranger and me, panic spilling out of his pores as he fought to maintain some modicum of control. He didn’t realize it was far too late for that. “Don’t get involved. I … you were right. I know that now, but you can’t get involved.”

  “It’s too late, Luke. I’m already involved.”

  “Poet.” Luke’s frustration was evident as it washed over his handsome features, drowning him in sorrow and regret. “This is dangerous.”

  “Shh.” I pressed my finger to my lips, every syllable uttered serving as a salve to my frazzled nerves. “I’ve got this, Luke. Don’t worry.”

  “Yeah, Luke,” the man mocked. “She’s got this. She’s a fortune teller, after all. She can tell us exactly what’s going to happen. Tell me, girl, how do you see this going?”

  I wasn’t fond of the man’s smug attitude, so I decided to turn the tables on him, invading his mind with minimal effort. “Well, Ron Waters, I see it going poorly for you.” It was easy to pick the man’s name from the surface of his brain. I had no problem going deeper, but for now I merely watched his reaction. The way his lips twisted told me Waters wasn’t happy about being caught off guard. In fact, he was almost fearful given the shift in my demeanor.

  “How do you know my name?” Waters asked.

  “I’m a fortune teller.”

  Waters pursed his lips, as if measuring my worth. After a few moments of silence he offered up a lame chuckle. “That’s a nice trick there, girly, but I’m not falling for it. Do you have cameras in the parking lot? Did you have your friends run my license plate and track my name that way? If so, that was a smart move. What you’re doing now isn’t exactly smart.”

  The threat didn’t dissuade me. “No. I didn’t run your license plate.”

  “Then how did you figure out my name?” Waters’ voice turned unnaturally dangerous. “What game are you playing here?”

  “I’m a fortune teller,” I reminded him. “I know things.”

  “Oh, really?” Waters tilted his head to the side in a challenging manner. “What else do you know?”

  That was a loaded question, and I was ready to unload the past weeks’ worth of misery on someone. I vented a bit of it on Mark a few moments earlier, but this guy was something else entirely. I couldn’t wait to mess with him.

  “Your name is Ron Waters,” I repeated. “You were born on the eighth of March in 1979 to a single mother who worked as a showgirl at one of the lower-ranked Vegas establishments. Well, at least that’s what she told you. She wasn’t really a showgirl as much as a prostitute.”

  “You take that back,” Waters hissed, narrowing his eyes.

  I ignored the order. “When you were thirteen you figured out that she was really a prostitute,” I continued. “Actually, one of your friends told you the truth. His father was a regular client and he happened to see them getting it on in a car. Your friend wanted to know how much she charged because he was interested in spending time alone with her himself.”

  The expression on Waters’ face was beyond comical. “How can you possibly know that?”

  “I’m psychic,” I reminded him. “I’m also not done. Where was I?”

  Luke still looked terrified but he was mildly interested in Waters’ reaction, so he decided to see how far we could take this. “His mother.”

  “Right, his mother,” I intoned. “His mother worked for a man named David Pardo until she was all used up, and then she was killed in a freak accident involving a train and an accidental push on the track at the commuter terminal. The cameras recorded a man pushing your mother and then fleeing … a man you recognized as one of Pardo’s bodyguards.”

  “How can you possibly know that?” Waters was beyond frustrated.

  I ignored him. “You were an adult then, Ron, and you thought you would make Pardo pay. You loaded up the only gun in the house and decided to go on a suicide mission to avenge your mother’s honor, but instead he offered you money and you forgot any loyalty you had for your mother and joined his employ within a few minutes of discussion.”

  “I had no loyalty to that woman,” Waters spat. “She was a terrible mother.”

  “Yeah? You weren’t much of a son. Anyway, Pardo realized you were easy to manipulate, so he gave you all of the jobs no one else wanted. He also paid you less than he paid his other muscle. He didn’t have to. He simply enjoyed using you.”

  “You lying piece of … .”

  I held up my hand to cut off Waters’ argument, using my magic to tangle his tongue so he couldn’t utter a sound. I got perverse pleasure out of watching him struggle to make a noise, his face reflecting more panic with each passing second.

  “Poet, what are you doing?” Luke looked worried.

  “I’m having a talk with your friend,” I replied. “Don’t worry, I’ll have a talk with you before too much time passes.”

  “I can’t wait,” Luke muttered.

  “Neither can I.” I took a bold step forward and fixed Waters with a serious look. “You are paid far less than your co-workers, and Pardo’s only keeps you around until he needs a sacrificial lamb. That will occur in exactly six months. I read the future just as well as I see the past. He’ll get in deep with a drug pusher – you know, try to take over his territory – only he’ll pick the wrong person to mess with.

  “The drug pusher is going to push back and Pardo is going to realize that he’s in a world of hurt,” I continued. “He’ll find that out after the drug dealer kills his current showgirl bed buddy – who he is legitimately fond of despite the fact that he feels very little loyalty to most people – and then he’ll sacrifice you to get out of trouble.”

  Waters’ mouth dropped open, but no sound came out.

  “It’s true,” I pressed. “I don’t really care how you die. I can’t stand you regardless. You should know that you sold out for money and it’s going to cost you your life. I think that’s only fair.”

  Waters clawed at his throat, as if trying to rip a hole so he could speak, but he was too feeble to face off with my magic.

  “Now, we’re going to have a little talk,” I said, trailing my fingers over the empty animal cages as I walked through the tent. “As you’ve figured out by now, this isn’t a normal circus and we’re not your run-of-the-mill circus folk.”

  “Oh, he’s definitely figured that out,” Lu
ke drawled, relaxing a bit even though his expression remained tense. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”

  “Because you haven’t had a good idea in almost a week, Luke, I’d really appreciate it if you stayed out of this,” I snapped.

  “I created this mess. I can hardly stay out of it.”

  “Oh, there are ways.” I glared at him, mildly delighting in the fact that he refused to break eye contact. He was beaten down and worried, but he was still Luke. He wouldn’t allow me to bully him even though he was practically ready to throw himself at my feet and beg forgiveness.

  “Hey, I admit I made a few mistakes, and I’m really sorry for them,” Luke growled. “I think you’re the one making the mistake here, though. What’s your plan?”

  I shrugged, noncommittal. “Don’t worry about that.”

  “I can’t help but worry,” Luke countered. “You seem … a bit crazed.”

  “It’s been a long couple of days,” I admitted, never moving my gaze from Waters’ terrified face. I could tell that the reality of his situation was beginning to sink in, and he didn’t like it one little bit. “Between the figment … and the shadow monster … and you becoming the world’s worst gambler … and the dead body … and this tool … well, I really need a vacation.”

  “I’m sorry for the worry I’ve caused you,” Luke offered. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”

  “I know you didn’t. That doesn’t mean you’re blameless. You’re not off the hook, even though I don’t believe all of this is your fault.”

  Luke knit his eyebrows, confusion evident. “What do you mean?”

  “Later.” I returned my full focus to Waters. “We need to have a little discussion here. I trust you’ll pass along the message I impart to your employer – make him see the error of his ways – and then move on. Can I trust you to do that, Ron?”

  I tilted my head as I waited for Waters to confirm he’d heard me. When he didn’t speak, Luke snapped his fingers and pointed at the man’s throat.

  “He can’t talk.”

  “Oh, right.” I shook my head and released Waters’ vocal cords. He seemed tentative when he opened his mouth and tested them.

  “I’m going to kill you.”

  I wagged a finger, annoyed. “Now you’re not making me want to work with you, Ron. In fact, I kind of want to punish you instead.”

  Luke’s eyebrows winged up, but otherwise he remained quiet.

  “I’m going to kill you.” Waters took a purposeful step in my direction, his eyes blazing.

  I didn’t back down. I couldn’t. I had a message to send, and Waters was my best opportunity.

  Luke sprang into action, moving to intercept, but I ignored him and focused on Waters. The second the man was within striking distance, I momentarily delayed his reflexes – slowing him down so I could move fast enough to make him think I had super powers – and grabbed both sides of his face with my hands before returning his movement to normal time.

  Waters groaned when my hands slapped against his face, his knees buckling as I poured all of the anger and resentment clouding my mind during the past few days into him.

  “You need to understand what’s going on here, Ron,” I seethed, staring into his terrified brown eyes. He had no idea what was happening, but the images I showed him were enough to make him wet himself as he cowered on the floor in front of me.

  “Do you see that?” I asked, my voice eerie and hollow to the point I almost didn’t recognize it, my back aching as I bent over him. “We’re not going to lie down and let you bully us. Now, you will get your payment for the money Luke borrowed because that’s only fair, but you’re not getting a penny more from us.”

  Waters’ mouth formed an “O” as drool spilled from the corners and he made soft gagging sounds.

  “We have a lot going on here,” I added. “We don’t have time to mess with the likes of you. Do you understand?”

  Waters dumbly nodded, so I released him and took a step back.

  “Don’t come back here,” I warned. “I’ll make sure your boss gets the money he’s owed before we leave town, but if you come back here … all bets are off. I’ll make you wish you’d never been born.”

  Waters lurched to his feet, running into the pole at the center of the tent and bouncing off it, reminding me a sitcom scene I saw as a child. Very little was laughable about this situation, though. Waters managed to remain standing – although just barely – as he trudged toward the exit.

  My emotions boiled as I watched him go, but I waited until he disappeared through the flap before heaving a sigh. I kept my eyes on the opening as Kade walked in and stared at Luke and me, his expression unreadable even as his discomfort and worry filled the tent.

  “What happened?” Kade asked, confused. “Mark said I should get over here because there was about to be trouble, but … I only heard the tail end of that.”

  “Poet … um … showed him the light,” Luke said, clutching his hands together as he stared at me. “Are you all right? You look a little pale.”

  “I’m totally all right,” I shot back, even though I felt anything but all right. My legs threatened to give out as I took a step toward a concerned-looking Kade. “I’m perfectly fine.”

  My knees buckled in that instant, and Kade leaped forward to catch me. Worry etched lines into his handsome face as he swung me up and cradled my body against his chest, glancing between Luke and me as he struggled to contain his temper. “What is going on?”

  “I think I’m going to take a nap now,” I murmured, a tear sliding down my cheek. “I’m really tired.”

  “You do that,” Kade said, kissing my forehead. “I think that would be best for all concerned.”

  “Okay.” I closed my eyes. “That guy probably won’t be back, but that doesn’t mean others won’t come. We have to be ready.”

  Kade cradled me closer to his chest. “I’ll handle it. You’ve done enough for one day.”

  “Okay.” I was close to falling asleep when something occurred to me. “We’re totally going to fight later, Luke.”

  Luke chuckled, the sound low and hollow. “I’m looking forward to it. Just … rest.”

  “Okay.”

  That was all it took for me to let go and fall asleep. I expended more magic than I should have – my rage getting the better of me in the face of Waters’ defiance – but I knew I would wake strong and recharged. I was fairly certain the world would keep spinning in my absence.

  Oh, well, at least I hoped so.

  24

  Twenty-Four

  I woke with a start, jerking to a sitting position and fixing my eyes on the end of the bed. My inner alarm clock reminded me I had things to do, and sleeping wasn’t one of them.

  “I’m here.” Kade quickly moved to my side, cupping the back of my head as he sat. “Did you have a nightmare?”

  Did I? I couldn’t be sure. My dreams were heavy and disjointed. It didn’t feel as if I had a nightmare, though. “I don’t think so.” I tilted my head to the side and stared at the window. Someone – probably Kade – drew the blinds to allow me to sleep without risking the light waking me, but it was still early enough that the sun filtered through the slits. “What time is it?”

  “Almost dinner time,” Kade replied, his hand busy as it rubbed the back of my neck. “Do you want to tell me what happened?”

  “Didn’t Luke tell you?”

  “He did, but even he seemed confused about what you did at the end,” Kade replied, his voice soothing. “I need to know what you did, because I’m guessing this Pardo guy will send someone else out to reason with us … and by reason with us I mean terrorize.”

  “I don’t doubt that.” I rubbed at the tender spot between my eyebrows. “I need to get back out to the circus grounds in case it happens soon. I should get up.”

  “You slept for only two hours,” Kade argued. “I thought about leaving you alone for as long as possible, but … I needed to see you.”

 
“That’s sweet.”

  “I think my presence woke you.” Kade was contrite. “You were dead to the world when I came in. I paced at the end of the bed for about two minutes trying to decide if I should wake you. I had just about decided to leave you for another hour when you bolted awake.”

  “That’s okay.” I patted his hand reassuringly. “I’m up. I’m fine.” That was true. I felt relatively strong despite the draining magic I had employed a few hours earlier.

  “I don’t think you’re fine, but you are awake.” Kade heaved out a sigh as he shifted me a bit, tilting up my chin so he could study my face. “You look okay.”

  I offered him a rueful smile. “You’re supposed to say I look gorgeous … even if you’re not certain whether or not I was run over by a train.”

  “Ah, well, I’ll file that one away for later,” Kade teased. “You look pretty good all things considered.”

  “And what are those things?”

  “I need you to tell me that,” Kade admitted. “What did you do to that guy?”

  “I showed him what would happen if he didn’t lay off Luke.”

  “And what was that?”

  “Basically I just grabbed a bunch of memories from some of the beasts we’ve fought over the years and mashed them together,” I replied. “Then I shoved the memories into his head and watched his reaction. It wasn’t good.”

  “Why did you do that?”

  I shrugged, unsure how to answer. Even I couldn’t be certain why I opted to go the route I did. “It was effective when the figment showed me what happened to the miners. I thought it might work on that Waters guy.”

  “Okay.” Kade licked his lips. “Does he realize that you guys have special abilities?”

  I nodded. “He figured that out when I made it so he couldn’t talk, although he had no idea how I was doing it. The panic was real when he grasped the fact that he couldn’t speak. Plus, well, some of the visions I showed him were a bit fantastical. There was this one time we were fighting a human spider and it was just a bevy of dismembered legs flying around. So gross.”