Chapter 9
Kai
I heard the tent flap open, and I froze in place. It was too early for that dreadful red clown to come for me. The scream announcing the opening of the carnival had just happened. The first show wouldn't happen for two hours, and my show would be another three hours later.
If he thinks he's going to sit here and watch me get ready again.
Sitting on my bed wrapped in my towel, I had been running a comb through my wet hair, having just finished with my weekly bath. My eyes went from the customary red gown I was required to wear to the flap in the tent.
"Kai, I—" Jack stopped mid-step, his eyes going wide as he took me in. My damp hair hanging loose around my shoulders. Bare legs tucked beneath me on the bed.
"Jack!" I jumped up and ran to him, feeling heat flooding my cheeks that had nothing to do with my phoenix nature. "What are you doing here? The carnival just opened. Someone could see you—"
"Kai, you look amazing." His arms wrapped around me as I hugged him. His voice sounded rough and strained. "You look like you're glowing. And your skin is warm."
"Oh," I giggled. "That's what the sun does to me," I said quickly, though my heart was racing for entirely different reasons now.
I stepped back from him. "Mortis wants me to burn brightly and have the energy to fly around.
In order to do that, I have to be warm and have the sun.
I'm allowed to spend the day outside when it's a rejuvenating day.
" The mate bond was singing between us, intensified by the intimacy of the moment.
"That and I just got out of the shower." Suddenly, I was very aware that all I was wearing was a towel.
Something dark and possessive flashed in his eyes at those words. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, and I could see his gorilla just beneath the surface, barely contained. His chest rose and fell rapidly.
"Jack?" I walked back to my bed and picked up my comb.
"What are you doing here?" He dragged his eyes up to meet mine with visible effort.
"I have news. There's a plan. But first—" He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small paper bag.
"I brought you something." He moved to stand next to the bed and handed me the bag.
The scent hit me first, and I gasped. "Cinnamon?"
Opening the bag farther, I took out three cinnamon sticks, each carefully wrapped. Beneath them, wrapped in tissue paper, were chocolates. Real chocolates, the expensive kind with foil wrapping.
"Jack," I breathed, my hands trembling. I pulled out one of the cinnamon sticks, bringing it to my nose and inhaling deeply. The scent was intoxicating. "How?"
"I researched," he said softly. "I stayed up last night learning everything I could.
I read that phoenixes have an affinity for cinnamon.
That it's sacred to your kind, helps with regeneration and healing.
Other than you, I didn't smell any in the tent, so I figured it was another thing Mortis kept from you. "
"What do you mean, other than me?" I asked Jack, who was rubbing the back of his neck, looking embarrassed.
"It's what I smell when I'm around you. Cinnamon and woodsy smoke, like a bonfire."
I smiled. "That's funny. When you're around, I smell fresh air, dirt, and trees."
Jack looked at me with enormous eyes. "I smell like dirt?"
"Yes, and I adore it. You smell like a long, leisurely drive on county roads." I looked at the ground. "Is that insulting?"
"No." My cheap twin metal bed creaked as Jack took a seat next to me. "If you want, we'll take lots of rides like that."
I raised my eyes to him and smiled. "Thank you for this." I held up the bag. "I haven't had cinnamon since I was in our cave. Jack, to me—" I held up the cinnamon. "This is... this is better than diamonds. Well," I blinked a few times, "almost." I winked.
His laugh in response was surprising and warm.
I set the bag carefully on the small table, reverently placing the cinnamon sticks beside it before unwrapping one of the chocolates. The moment it hit my tongue, I moaned. Rich, dark chocolate with a hint of raspberry—it was heaven after years of bland meals.
"Good?" Jack asked, and his voice had gone rough again.
"So good," I mumbled around the chocolate, then swallowed. "Have one." I tried to hand him one, but he refused. "Thank you. Really, Jack, this means the world to me." I clutched my precious cinnamon.
"Easy to please. I like that," Jack nudged me. "Kai, you deserve more than cinnamon sticks and chocolate," he said, his eyes intense on mine. "But we don't have time for that. Listen, I have a plan."
The weight of his words sobered me instantly. "Tell me." I shoved another chocolate into my mouth and listened.
"Alright, tonight."
"Tonight?" I gasped. "Like tonight, tonight?"
He glanced toward the tent entrance, then back to me. "Is there another tonight meaning I don't know about?"
I shook my head and gave a little giggle. "No, I'm sorry. Go ahead, I'm listening."
His eyes swept over me again, and I saw him swallow hard.
"Focus," he blew out a breath. "Last night after the carnival closed, all of us went back to the clubhouse to give our reports, like we do every night.
" Jack started. "Everyone was giving their usual updates when Fang made an announcement.
He said that tonight there are VIP guests coming for a special show.
Some sort of big ultimate act is supposed to happen, but he didn't know what it was.
Just told us to stay sharp around the rich assholes. "
My stomach clenched. "Mortis told me I'm the ultimate act, the pay-to-see act."
"That's exactly what I thought." Jack took my hand in his. "The moment Fang said it, everything clicked. I knew it had to be you. So, I took a gamble."
"What kind of gamble?"
"I stood up in front of everyone—the President and all the members. I told them I knew what the final act was." His eyes met mine. "I had to tell them about you, Kai, to make the plan work." He looked nervous, as if he were worried about what I would say.
"It's alright. If you thought that was best, I trust you." I touched his forearm. "Tell me the rest."
"I told them that Wednesday night, during my patrol of the lodging area, I saw Mortis go into that weird red tent set apart from the others.
When he left, I did a perimeter walk that took me behind the tent, and I heard crying.
" He paused. "I said I found a woman sitting behind the tent.
She begged me to take her away from the place.
She said she would pay me in gold. I told her I was just there to work.
I explained that I figured she was another one of the weirdos working at the carnival.
You know, waiting for someone to feel sorry for her, then bam, she sucks the blood out of you. That sort of thing."
"Sucks the blood out of you?"
"Yeah, that sort of thing."
Smiling, I urged him on. "Please continue."
"I had to embellish it a little, get the guys hyped.
Anyway," Jack said, "for the record, all the guys agreed with me.
So, I kept going. I told them that later I saw a lady take a tray of food to the tent.
She stayed only long enough to drop it off and leave.
I got curious and followed the lady. She went through the door on the side of the practice tent.
The window was open, so I stepped closer and overheard voices.
Two women. The first asked if the phoenix was sitting up in the poles again.
The other said she was but came down to eat.
Then she said it's easier to feed her when she's a chick in the cage.
Then she can leave the food in a dish and go.
The first lady agreed with her, saying it's all a pain, but they have to take care of the money maker. "
"You made all of this up?" My heart was racing now.
"Yes, I had to."
"I'm impressed. Keep going. What did the club think?"
"They scoffed at me and made their usual crude humor jokes.
But I stopped all that when I looked the President in the eyes and told him he wasn't listening.
I repeated the part about the money maker.
I then told him that some phoenixes produce gold when they rejuvenate.
That got his attention. He told everyone to shut the fuck up and had me repeat myself. "
"I would imagine he would," I said, riveted to my seat. "And then?"
"He asked how I knew that. I told them my grandfather used to be really into phoenixes.
How he told us kids about the ones who, when they rejuvenate, their ashes are real gold.
The President asked if I was fucking crazy.
I told him I wasn't. Luckily, one of the other guys said his grandma used to tell him the same sort of thing.
" Jack shook his head. "That's exactly what I needed.
The President jumped up, whooping and hollering, saying this has to be what he's been looking for—the valuable merchandise. "
Fear coiled in my stomach. "So, the club thinks this is just a treasure grab? Take me and my gold?"
"Kind of," Jack confirmed. "But wait, see, the President wants you.
So, they think we're stealing gold and the gold maker.
But what we're actually doing is rescuing you and bringing you to the clubhouse where I'll keep you safe until you're back to full strength.
It will work, Kai. We spent the rest of the morning making the plan.
Here's how it's going to play out. Every one of our members will be there tonight, and we'll all be armed.
The plan is, the minute you do your thing, we'll create chaos, grab you and the gold, and get out. "
"Jack, I don't understand." I got off the bed and walked a few steps away, turning back to him. I crossed my arms. "You want me to be a captive of the motorcycle club?"