Shifters and Secrets: GRIMM Academy Book 1 Page 3

  “Where. Is. It?” My tío’s voice sounded more like a growl.

  “It got away.”

  Tío Javier advanced toward us. “You let it get away? A shifter, Javier? You couldn’t handle a shifter?”

  My lip curled at his harsh tone. Javi’s fists clenched by his sides, but he said nothing. I blinked at him. Wasn’t he going to defend himself?

  I turned to my tío. “He shot him. It ran away before we could do anything. This isn’t Javi’s fault.”

  He didn’t spare me a glance. Did my words mean nothing to him?

  “Get inside. Both of you. I’ll handle this.”

  I bristled. “This isn’t our fault. There’s nothing else he could have done. That thing was too fast and too strong.”

  Javi shot me a look. “That’s enough, Rose.”

  Heat rushed across my face. “Fine. I’ll be in my room.” I marched past them.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Javi start to follow, but my tío stepped in front of him. I paused to listen.

  “I trust you to handle this, Javier.” His words sounded more like a command than a statement.

  Javi’s face hardened. He gave him a curt nod and walked toward me. I glared at him, but he avoided my eyes. Inside, Javi closed the door and turned on his heel before I could say anything.

  I could read the anger and embarrassment in his stiff movement. There was something he’d been hiding too. Resentment, maybe? I felt sorry for him. Papi might have lied to me, but I knew without a doubt, he’d done it out of love.

  He really and truly loved me and that was why he’d kept these secrets all my life. To keep me safe from the harsh, cruel world my cousin knew.

  A world that I felt so utterly and totally unprepared to face without Papi.

  3

  It was nearly dinner time when I ventured out of my room. The savory aroma of my tía’s cooking wafted from the kitchen, making my stomach rumble in anticipation. I could hear my little cousins laughing and chattering, but I didn’t hear Javi. Did he leave with my tío? Did they catch my father’s killer?

  His ghastly transformation replayed in my mind. It was hard to picture Manny the way he’d been before. Human—I’d thought.

  A part of me never wanted to lay eyes on him again, but another part of me was kicking myself for missing the chance to confront him. He’d killed my father. I didn’t know how exactly, and I didn’t see the body, but his guilty apology was proof enough.

  I’d gone through every puzzling memory and random piece of knowledge I had, but I was left with only questions. Why did he do it? Was my mother’s death caused by a shifter too? All questions that I knew would only be answered by Javi and his family, but if I went down that path, where would it lead? It wouldn’t bring Papi back and accepting this revelation meant that I’d be forced to become like them—a GRIMM.

  My fists clenched. I hated that my parents kept such a big secret from me, but I was old enough now to decide for myself and I wasn’t so sure I wanted that life, whatever it entailed. Maybe it was good they’d kept me in the dark, given me freedom. The question was, did I still want to remain in the dark?

  “They didn’t catch him.”

  Javi’s voice made me jump. I turned to see him standing behind me.

  His eyebrows were furrowed in worry. I blinked as his words registered.

  Manny. He’d gotten away.

  “I’m sorry, Rose. My dad had a long talk with the GRIMMs stationed here. They will find him.”

  I nodded. “And then what?”

  His jaw clenched. “He’ll pay for what he’s done. He pretty much confessed to killing a human so once they find him, they’ll execute him on sight.”

  A shudder went up my spine. Who was this boy? What had he seen and done that he was so comfortable with all the… violence? Though, admittedly, I couldn’t find a speck of sympathy for Manny myself. Not after I’d seen the monster he was.

  I wanted him to pay for his crime. Did that make me just as bad as Javi?

  “Javi! Rosa! Vamos a comer.” Tía Teresa’s shrill voice broke the silence.

  “Do you want… to know what happened?” Javi leaned in closer.

  My heart pounded in my ears. Yes. No. I wasn’t sure I was ready to know everything.

  His dark eyes searched mine. I had to give him an answer.

  “Rosa! Javi! Vengan!”

  I took a deep breath. “After dinner.”

  He nodded. Nausea rolled through me as I followed him to the dining room, and it had nothing to do with the mouthwatering posole my tía prepared.

  Cristina and Juliana looked up from their places at the table and stared at me. Did they know what happened at the graveyard? I took my place next to Javi and watched as Tía Teresa served us generous portions of the steaming soup. She hustled about, a small smile on her face, either oblivious to the recent events or doing an A+ job of pretending not to notice my sullen mood.

  “Gracias, Mama. Looks delicious.” Javi gave her an appreciative nod.

  She beamed and planted a noisy kiss on his cheek, which he pretended to shrug off. My eyebrow arched at their exchange. Definitely a Mama’s boy. I glanced at the empty seat where Papi always sat. For as long as I could remember, it had just been he and I, with the occasional friend, sharing meals. A lump grew in my throat. Would Marta stay on and cook for just me now?

  Tía Teresa took a seat and said the prayer. Hollowness filled me. I pushed away the vision of eating alone and dug into the food. I hated to admit it, but it was even better than Marta’s version. Is that what my tía did all day? I couldn’t help but be impressed. Despite her obvious wealth and the stigma of not having a personal chef, she didn’t give up something she enjoyed. Cooking was not one of my skills, and I wondered if my mother had known how to cook anything. Javi’s words came back to me.

  Your mother’s spell has worn off.

  I replayed that over and over, still unsure what it meant. Who had my mother really been?

  “Mami, when is Papa coming back?” One of the twins asked between mouthfuls of bread.

  Her mother frowned at her. “Swallow first. He will be back soon, but I couldn’t keep you all waiting with empty bellies.”

  Try as she might, my tía couldn’t get more than one-word responses out of me and finally gave up midway through. There were way more important things to worry about than sports or school. Truth was, I had never found my ‘thing.’ Though I liked physical activity, I didn’t do the whole ‘team’ thing, and I never stuck with a hobby long enough to be skilled at… anything.

  When the front door opened and slammed shut, everyone fell silent. Javi visibly tensed, his carefree manner vanishing immediately. Even my little cousins straightened.

  Tía Teresa stood and rushed to the kitchen to retrieve another bowl. I folded my arms across my chest and stared as my tío entered. His eyebrows were pinched together as he met my gaze.

  Who pissed in your coffee?

  “Any news?” Javi broke the awkward silence.

  Tío Javier glanced at him. “We will discuss it in a moment.”

  Cristina and Juliana exchanged serious looks. I frowned. I couldn’t blame my father for not wanting anything to do with the man. Family or not, he was an ass.

  “Rosita, come with me. Now.”

  I bristled, clenching my fist around my spoon. Oh. Hell. No.

  Tía Teresa chose that moment to walk back in with the bowl, saving me from doing something I shouldn’t—like launching my spoon at him.

  “Javier, no vas a comer?”

  He held a hand up to her. “That can wait.”

  Her face fell, but she gave him a firm nod and set the bowl on the table. I wasn’t the only one to notice her disappointment. When I met Javi’s eyes, I saw the anger flashing behind them.

  “Let’s go,” Tío commanded me.

  My eyebrows shot up. Who the hell did this man think he was? I was acutely aware of my cousins’ stunned gazes as I remained unmoving in my seat.


  “Yeah. When I’m done eating.” My words spilled out with more attitude than I’d meant.

  The twins gasped in unison and Javi shot me a warning look. Tío Javier’s eyes widened. Clearly the man hadn’t been told no enough.

  “Surely, this can wait until after dinner, yes?” Tía Teresa stood behind me, laying a hand on the back of my chair.

  I stared at my Tío. Maybe his bullying turned his family into his personal mats he could walk all over, but I was no doormat.

  “You are just like your mama.” His words were harsh. Not the way you’d expect an older brother to talk about his sister. He said it as if it was an insult.

  “Javier, por favor. It’s been a long day. Rosa has been through so much.”

  He glanced at his wife and back to me. “Rosa?”

  I lifted my chin. “Rose. Don’t call me Rosita anymore.”

  A scowl lit his face. “I don’t care what your name is. I have news to tell you, and I will not be kept waiting. You will come with me and then you can return to your dinner.” His eyes drilled into me.

  My hackles rose. If this was a challenge, the man had no idea—no idea—who he was dealing with.

  “Rose, we should listen to him. Find out what is happening,” Javi pleaded with me.

  I slammed down my spoon and stood. “Fine. Let’s get this over with.” I glared at my tío.

  He said nothing, but his stony face spoke volumes. My disrespect wouldn’t be tolerated. I smirked. Rebelling and sarcasm were what I did best. That was my ‘thing.’

  Javi rose and followed, placing himself between me and his father. Tío Javier led us into the living room and motioned for us to sit down. We could hear the twins concerned, muffled voices and my tía’s soothing tone.

  “As you know, your father’s murderer is still at large. The agents assigned to this case have been replaced with more adept ones. I assure you, they will not let this creature get away, and they will keep us informed of the case every step of the way.”

  Javi sat forward. “Wait. We’re not helping on this?”

  His father frowned at him. “It’s a shifter, Javier. Only a rookie would let a shifter slip away.”

  Javi flinched, fists tightening at the insult. My lip curled at my tío’s coldness.

  “But he was family. We should be handling this case ourselves, Papa.”

  I blinked in surprise at him. I appreciated his genuine concern.

  Tío Javier scoffed. “Juan Pablo never wanted anything to do with us. And now look what’s happened. Stubborn idiot.” He spread his hand in a careless wave.

  Anger rushed through me. I shot to my feet. “Don’t you dare. You will not insult my father in his own house.”

  “Hot headed like both your parents, I see.” He clucked his tongue. “Mouthy too; I will not allow that talk in my home.”

  I stood with my hands on my hips. “I’m not in your home. This is my home.”

  He blinked. A small smirk spread on his face. “Oh, you didn’t think you could stay here, did you? You’re still a minor. You are under my guardianship now.”

  The air was ripped from my lungs. No. My eyes darted to Javi. He stared at his folded hands in his lap, refusing to make eye contact. Coward. The room spun around me. I sank back down into the couch.

  No. No. No. This is not happening.

  “You will pack your essential things tonight. We leave first thing in the morning. Whatever else you need can be shipped later.”

  His words echoed around me. My throat went dry. I couldn’t leave. It was my freaking senior year! I’d lived my whole life here. Hot, burning anger replaced the icy fear. He couldn’t make me.

  I met his gaze. “No.”

  Javi sucked in a breath.

  I lifted my chin. “This is my home. I’m not leaving.”

  Tío’s face darkened. “Pack. Your. Bags.”

  Anger surged through me. What gave him the right to rip me from my home?

  “No.”

  He took a step toward me, towering over me. I didn’t flinch. I refused to let his scare tactics work on me.

  “You will get in that car tomorrow even if I have to drag you out of here myself.”

  “Papa.” Javi shot me a worried look.

  I glared at my uncle. “Try it.”

  Javi cursed under his breath.

  “Javier, the compulsion spell.” My tío’s eyes never left mine.

  “Papa, no.”

  “Now.”

  My forehead crinkled in confusion. Compulsion spell?

  Javi reached into his pocket and pulled out a thin, metal bracelet. With one move, he had my hand in his grasp and clasped the bracelet in place.

  His eyes refused to meet mine. “I’m sorry.”

  Regret was stamped across his face. I held up my hand and inspected the silver jewelry. What in the hell was going on?

  Tío raised his hand toward me and started chanting.

  I stared at them in disbelief. I didn’t understand the words, but the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Heat rushed through me, making my skin burn. The metal around my wrist vibrated and sparked. I yelped and tried to pull it off.

  It didn’t budge.

  “What are you doing?” The hint of panic in my voice made me cringe.

  Tío Javier folded his hands together in front of himself. “Pack your bags, Rose. You will do as I say.” His face was stony, and his words rang in my ears.

  My body jerked into motion. Terror gripped me. No. I watched as my legs started moving on their own accord, my mind screaming for them to stop.

  They didn’t.

  I reached my room, trembling and on the verge of tears. No. I wouldn’t cry. That was one thing I could control. Fear rippled through me. What did they do to me?

  Moving to my closet, I watched as my hands opened the doors and found my suitcase. Without pausing, I started packing. As hard as I fought to command my body, it wouldn’t listen to me. My blood ran cold. I’d lost control of myself and who knew what else they would make me do? Nausea washed over me.

  How was this even possible? I turned my head, the only thing I could still command, and looked at the picture hanging on the wall. Papi and I, standing at the entrance to our vineyard.

  Pain washed over me. My life was hell and there was no turning back now, but I refused to remain trapped like this. Sorrow turned to rage. I would escape.

  They would not control me.

  I didn’t leave my room that night. I couldn’t no matter how much I tried. Whatever hold my tío had kept me from leaving. My body and mind were worn to exhaustion and even if I’d wanted to, I wouldn’t have been able to open the door for Javi. Instead, he left the rest of my dinner outside and gushed apology after apology until finally giving up.

  His betrayal stung worse than the others. How could I have ever thought of him as a brother in the past? It was long after midnight when sleep finally overcame me. My dreams were as haunted as my reality.

  Manny’s monstrous face flashed in and out, then that dark closed casket. Every time I approached it a scream startled me. I turned to find my mother’s portrait staring at me, her mouth sewn shut and her dark eyes drilling into me. Blood rained down on me and when I came face to face with a mirror, I found my tío’s face staring back at me. Real American Horror Story type stuff.

  When morning came, I woke up to find I was still my tío’s living puppet. Anger burned inside of me as my body moved through the routine of getting ready, the whole while, my mind screaming for it to stop. How long was he going to keep the bracelet on? Already the metal dug into my skin.

  Javi didn’t come. Tía Teresa came instead and silently helped me finish packing, her eyes refusing to meet mine. No matter how many times I begged her to take off the bracelet, she pretended not to hear.

  I pleaded. I screamed. A string of obscenities rolled off my tongue, but my hands wouldn’t stop loading the final suitcase.

  They thought they could control me. Keep me moving in wh
atever action they wanted, but they couldn’t hold me forever. I refused to spend the rest of my life as their prisoner. Somewhere along the line, they would slip up and I would get away.

  As if hearing my vow, my tía flinched. “We are not trying to hurt you, Rosa. We are trying to protect you.”

  I glared at her. “By making me your prisoner?”

  Her lips pursed. “You are not a prisoner. Just give us time to explain everything. It’s not safe here for you alone. We will take off the bracelet when it’s time. I promise.”

  My eyes narrowed. “I don’t believe you.”

  She sighed and zipped up the giant suitcase. “I know, but you will in time.”

  With that she turned on her heel and left me standing by my bed, my bags all packed. Javi entered, his eyebrows drawn together in worry as he reached to help with my luggage.

  “Rose.”

  I turned my head from him. “Don’t talk to me.”

  I wanted nothing more than to storm away from him, but my feet refused to budge from the floor.

  His shoulders stiffened as he swung my suitcase off the bed and headed for the door. He glanced back, sorrow and regret flashing in his eyes.

  Good. He should feel guilty.

  Numbness spread through me as I hugged all our old friends and workers goodbye. As desperately as I tried to tell them what was happening, the words wouldn’t come. I hoped the terror in my eyes would be enough to alert them, but they mistook my fear for grief.

  Their well wishes and teary goodbyes were like arrows to my heart. When Marta wrapped me in a tight hug, I tried as hard as I could to cling to her, but whatever spell they’d put on me forced me to shrug out of her grasp.

  “The driver is waiting. Time to go,” Tío Javier interrupted.

  Panic rose inside me. This was it. I was leaving the only home I’d ever known. Papi was dead, and I was enslaved to my crazy, monster hunting family whom I barely knew.

  Things couldn’t get any worse.

  Inside the limo, I glared at my tío, who did a superb job at ignoring me. Every time I tried to get out the words to express my loathing, the bracelet bit into my flesh, inciting me further.

  Wanted to keep me quiet, did he?