Chapter 5 Danni
Danni
I land with a cushioned thud. The familiar scent of popcorn and dirt invades my senses.
I open my eyes to find the vampire I was clinging to…
has vanished. Lying on the ground, I stare up at the striped tent ceiling, knowing that I’m right back where I started.
My entire body is tight and achy. No doubt thanks to the mysterious squeezing sensation of the pit.
Well, I guess he was right about something. The inbetween is not meant for humans.
“You useless bunch of idiots! Her fear will ruin everything. I’ll put all your heads on spikes if you don’t bring her to me!”
The blonde’s high-pitched voice pulls me to my feet.
My eyebrows furrow when I realize I didn’t land back in the center of the ring but in the middle of the crowd.
Even more disturbingly, it’s like no time has passed at all.
When I gaze out onto the ring, everyone is right where they had been before the desolate inbetween appeared.
My brain explodes with too many questions and very few answers.
How is any of this possible?
The blonde vampire’s eyes narrow as she searches for me within the laughing crowd. I duck into a crouch between the legs of the people nearby until I hear her voice carry off into the opposite direction. When I stand back up, I freeze with disbelief.
The creatures are clowns again. No green skin and no red eyes. My gaze travels around the ring, searching for an answer other than the vague explanation of “magic.”
Then, it clicks.
It’s all an illusion.
Blondie is worried that my fear will break it for the others. There must be a thousand people in this tent. All of them, zombified and oblivious to the creatures in here.
But we do outnumber them—if there aren’t more monsters hiding in the shadows, that is…
I sink down slowly again, crouching behind the legs within the crowd.
If my fear is the key to waking people up, I need to wait this out to save everyone. I will pretend, if I have to.
The prickling starts up again on my sweat-drenched neck.
“Clowns not your thing?”
A hand grips my shoulder and I scream, practically giving away my hiding spot. I whirl around and come face to face with the hot vampire again.
“If you look harder, you’ll see the barrier.” His dark hair is perfect, as if the sand dunes and motorcycle ride had never happened. His face hovers inches from mine. It takes every fiber of my being not to lean in and kiss him.
“What the fuck is going on?” My words come out as a plea. I watch intently as an indescribable emotion dances within his red eyes.
“You didn’t listen to the music box, did you?”
So, the music box is the key?
I observe him even more as his eyes dart around the crowd.
Is he searching for other vampires? Is he ready to give up my hiding spot?
“No. I got caught up with Pinocchio.”
He laughs, and I scowl, sick of his arrogance.
“So, what’s the deal, here? Are you going to drink my blood or not?
Because you keep popping up when I’m trying to escape, being all vague and handsome—No, wait, not handsome, forget I said that.
What I meant to say is, what the fuck is going on, and are you here to help me or kill me?
If it’s the latter, I’ve got a stake in my hand with your name on it. ”
Why won’t the words stop pouring out of my mouth?
His eyes dash to my hand. I watch his throat bob.
Good. This fucker should be afraid.
“I’ll explain everything, but right now you need to do exactly as I tell you. I need you to trust me.”
Now it’s my turn to laugh.
“Trust you? We just met and you’re a fucking monster!” Albeit a monster who just so happens to be my type.
His eyes seem to darken to a deep and dangerous shade of red.
“Fine. Long story short, you’re my mate. When you walked in, I smelled your blood and felt the bond snap into place. It’s now my life’s purpose to protect you, because if I don’t, I’ll suffer nothing but pain and torment for the rest of my life. Now, listen to me because I don’t have much time.”
I blink several times. “Mate, as in a British friend?”
He rolls his eyes, voice growling with irritation.
“I don’t have time to explain the semantics of magical beings and soul ties, nor for a big romantic gesture to prove it—not that I’d want to anyway.
This is purely an inconvenience for me. The magic won’t work on you because you can see through the illusion.
I don’t know why, so don’t ask. But you have to go through the training in order to get to safety.
I will help you as much as I can, but I’m kind of a big deal around here and I have more important things to do than save your human ass. ”
Training? For what?
“Oh, and by the way, I’m not exactly thrilled for my soul to be tied to you either.”
The harsh clip of his words feel like a literal stab to the heart. I clutch my chest and bite back a scream.
“I don’t—” Is all I can manage through the excruciating pain.
What the fuck is a mate bond?
I have no time to process anything before the laughter dies down and the pain in my chest is replaced by a deep, unsettling pit in my stomach. Something bad is about to happen and my only hope of survival is staring back at me with utter revulsion.
“Is it over?” I whisper.
He brings his finger up to his lips, motioning for me to keep quiet. I nod. Then he holds out a hand for me to take, his pale skin stark against the dark leather. After a moment of hesitation, I take it. Unmistakable heat scorches my palm as he hauls me to my feet.
If I want to get through this alive, I have to trust him.
My eyes stay fixed on the circus ring, just like the rest of the crowd.
I focus only on the firm ground beneath my feet.
I run through the details of my plan in my head; just because he’s supposedly “my mate” doesn’t mean I can’t still go through with it.
I replace fear with determination. I will get through these trials and find my mother’s killer, even if it means I die in the process. At least I now know someone here has my back, even if it’s against his own wishes.
My chest aches at the thought.
Why do I crave his approval?
I fight the urge to crane my neck and look for the other awoken spectators. I don’t see any sudden movement out of the corner of my eye, so I can only guess they’ve chosen to pretend, same as me. Either that or… they were eaten.
The hairs on the back of my neck stand to attention as I watch the “clowns” take their positions around the edge of the ring. They turn their backs to us in unison. It reminds me of the military drills I went through at the police academy.
The mysterious vampire’s hand leaves mine. A cold emptiness replaces the heat of our touch. I turn to ask for his name, only to find he’s left me on my own.
The lights dim.
The next performance begins.