Chapter Seventeen
BLISS
“This place looks good,” Dericia says as we stand outside a chill-looking bar and restaurant. “Should we eat here?” She turns from the menu posted out front and looks at the group.
“Sounds good to me,” Amelia says. “Tay, you good to eat here? Looks like they’ve got a real Bloody Mary,” she adds with a wink.
“Sure.” Taser’s voice is monotone, his gaze fixed down the sidewalk on a group walking towards us. “Let’s just go inside already.”
“I’ll go see if there’s a wait.” Reese bounces inside and chats with the hostess. She pops her head back out. “It’s self-seating.” She waves us inside, but the group Taser is watching comes to a stop in front of him.
Taser looks like a coiled snake of anger, his fists clenched at his sides.
I look over at the group and immediately recognize them due to my vast social media stalking of them. Three members of the Phantoms—a more classical metal rock band—look us over. I bite my lip as I notice the tallest one, Grim.
Do I have a little crush on him? No, definitely not.
It’s a huge crush.
Okay yeah, I’m fan-girling for sure.
There’s something about their shows that’s so immersive and engaging, probably due to the storytelling element.
They also wear masks, but unlike Voracious Maw they’re not concerned about their identities being known.
I dug deep into the backgrounds of the musicians out of boredom once, so I know them all by sight.
It would be so much easier if the wraith wanted me to steal from one of them. At least I’d know where to start.
There’s Grim, one of the rhythm guitarists and backup vocalists. Pinkie, their lead guitarist, and Bell, the other rhythm guitarist.
Bell looks up at Taser through thick lashes and smiles softly at him. “It’s been a long time, Tay,” she says, reaching out and laying her hand on his forearm, her rich copper brown skin contrasting with his slight tan.
Dericia and I exchange looks at her husky voice, edged with a bit of wistfulness.
Taser shoves his hands in his jean pockets and looks away from her. “Yeah. Years.”
I honestly am not sure how he could look away from this woman.
She’s gorgeous. Her hourglass figure is on full display with a see-through lace blouse layered over a low-cut button-up top.
Heavy chain necklaces drop just between her breasts, moving as she breathes.
Her leather pants are tight and accentuate her curves even more.
“It’s good to see you, man,” Grim says, offering his hand to Taser.
He wears a genuine smile, flashing his full set of white teeth that brings out his golden tan skin even more.
He has an easiness about him, his other hand hooked in the pocket of his black jeans.
When it’s clear Taser won’t shake his hand, he sighs and runs his hand through his dark hair instead, scratching himself behind the ear.
I definitely don’t let my eyes linger on the soft short waves of his hair.
“How have you been?” he asks, awkwardly.
Pinkie, the lead guitarist, stands at the back of the group, not looking at Taser. His light brown hair ends just below his shoulders and somewhat hides his face, but I can still make out light skin and deep brown eyes, and the glare that he’s currently directing at the sidewalk.
Dericia finally can’t take the awkwardness anymore and tugs Taser into the restaurant. The rest of us stand there, unsure of what to make of Taser’s reaction. We know he has a past with this band, but I never realized how strained their relationship is.
Amelia smiles softly at the Phantoms. “It’s been a long day already,” she says, letting just a bit of her succubus charm loose. It’s probably unnoticeable to anyone but me.
“Of course, we get it,” Grim responds, grinning even wider at us. “You must be Amelia? We’ve been listening to your EP on repeat for a bit.”
“At first we were just stalking Taser, wanting to see what he’s been up to, but we’ve been pretty hooked after hearing ‘You Can Always Reach Me,’” Bell adds, her smile warm and inviting.
It’s so hard to imagine how Taser and them got on such bad terms. Maybe it’s Amelia’s powers, but I find myself hoping we can all be friends.
“And you are?” Grim asks, turning his attention to me.
“I’m Bliss,” I say, shaking his hand, my eyes probably wider than saucers. I stare at my hand after he lets go.
Amelia leans in, adding, “She’s our band manager.”
He gives a soft chuckle. Bell shakes my hand next. “He has that effect on people.”
I laugh, slightly embarrassed. “I’m guessing you also have that effect on people,” I add.
She shrugs. “It just comes with the territory of being cool, but you two know all about that. You’re succubi, right?”
I nod.
“And your bassist? She’s human? It’s nice to meet another band that’s mixed like that.”
Amelia nods. “Kindred human. She grew up with us.”
“Awesome,” Bell says. “We’ve got a couple of kindreds with us as well, but otherwise we’re mostly fae.”
Grim motions behind him to Pinkie, introducing us.
Now that Taser is gone, Pinkie is flirty and nice, commending me for taking on the role of band manager.
He has the canines and scent of a vampire.
I fall into a warm conversation with him and Grim as we all make our way into the restaurant.
I find myself hoping this festival will prove to be a chance for Taser and the Phantoms to make up.
“So is this your first Alchemy Festival?” Grim asks me as he and I take seats next to each other at a table near to where Taser and Dericia have sat down. I feel a little bad at not joining them, but Amelia would kill me for not taking this opportunity for networking.
“It’s that obvious?” I ask sheepishly.
He grins. “The wide-eyed look does give it away a bit.”
“Oh, that’s for sure because we ran into you guys. I’m a huge fan.”
“Well, good, that means I’ll see you at our sets?” He winks at me.
“Oh, trust me, I will be front row screaming my head off during your show.”
His deep laugh rumbles in my bones and I want to sigh in contentment from that sound. This man is beautiful.
“How about we just settle for you being backstage and then I can find you more easily afterwards?”
Butterflies soar in my abdomen. “Sure, that works too,” I say, putting in quite the effort to sound casual.
Tubbs and Blake have joined Reese and Taser at their table, bringing a round of drinks with them.
Amelia excuses herself and goes to sit next to Taser, but not before she stares meaningfully at me, then at Grim.
The message is clear. I should eat with them and network.
And because it’s Amelia there’s probably also a message in there that I should flirt my way into Grim’s bed.
But I choose to ignore that one.
“So who’s your favorite Phantom?” Bell asks, sitting to my right.
I quickly look at Grim, grinning. “Oh, definitely Stormy. She’s so much fun to watch during your performances.”
Pinkie laughs and Grim shakes his head, chuckling. “The keyboardists always get all the love.”
“It’s my favorite instrument, actually,” I respond.
“Do you play?” Bell asks.
“Not well,” I admit. “I’ve never really prioritized it.”
“Something tells me that’s not quite true,” Grim says. He playfully reaches over and lifts my hand up. “These delicate things look like they could play quite well.”
Bell and Pinkie laugh. “Grim is a notorious flirt, just so you know,” Bell warns.
Grim smiles at me and shrugs. “It’s part of my charm. So tell us more about Goddess’ Trance,” he says, leaning in closer to me. I can smell just a hint of cologne on him that mixes perfectly with his own natural scent and I breathe in, smiling at him as I launch into our band’s origin story.
The conversation with the Phantoms over lunch is amazing.
I learn quite a bit about the growth they’ve been experiencing in the past couple of years.
I make a ton of mental notes about that and plan to discuss it all with Amelia and the others later.
All three of the Phantoms are hilarious in their own way and have an easiness and chemistry between them.
It’s obvious they’ve known each other for a long time, but I don’t ever once feel left out of the conversation.
I really, really like them, and we make plans to meet up later and hang out again as Grim settles the tab.
I offer to pay for my portion but he just shakes his head. “It’s on me, gorgeous.”
I blush a little and can see Amelia eyeing me from the other table. “Thanks,” I say, getting up. Before I can get any ideas about all the possible things I could do with this male, I promise to see him later, and then excuse myself to the restrooms.
I make my way to the back of the restaurant, hoping to hide out in the bathroom until my blush is gone and the Phantoms have left. As I walk, it becomes pretty clear by the smell and the feeling of magic caressing the air that the place is filled with fae and probably fae-owned.
I’m just a couple of booths away from the bathroom when I hear a laugh that makes my blood run cold.
Panic surges through me as flashbacks, mostly emotions and sounds of screeching tires, assault my senses.
I spot him in the booth just before the hallway to the bathrooms and I turn, practically diving into the booth right next to me. My face immediately turns bright fucking red as I realize there is a group already seated there.
All five faces turn towards me with matching quizzical expressions.
Fuck, why can’t I have the power to turn invisible or at the very least if I’d fucking listened to Amelia I could use my own magic to make these guys think nothing of me sitting with them.
Though I don’t think it would ease my own embarrassment.
Sometimes I really wish that instead of being able to influence others’ emotions that I could just influence my own.