3. Chapter Two
Chapter Two
Leif
I stand off to the side, enough to see onto the stage with some of the other crew.
Not everyone sticks around to watch the set, but I always do.
At least when it comes to The Unbound. There’s something about Aliko Anson that draws me in.
I want my eyes on him always. The way he moves, the music he makes, the sound of his voice… I can’t get enough.
I’ve worked for other bands over the years. Smaller ones that went on tour, but nothing on this scale. Their music never pulled me in the way The Unbound’s does.
I came into this position by happenstance, and not because I wanted a part of the first monster rock band to hit the stage. Though I will say that’s pretty fucking awesome, and I’m grateful to be part of it.
I had no idea who The Unbound was when I was asked to take this position.
Someone knew someone who knew me. They liked the way I worked and knew I was cool with monsters, and so I got the call.
I almost didn’t accept the position when it was offered.
What if it didn’t go anywhere? What if they flopped, and I was out of a job before the tour even finished?
I didn’t want to risk it, but once I thought about it, I realized the what if outweighed staying where I was—which was working at a bar, switching between security and stage setup on the nights bands played.
It paid enough, but it wasn’t my goal. Problem is, I wasn’t getting enough touring gigs to not have another job, but I didn’t want to sit still and do the same thing over and over again.
If I did, I’d be at a desk. What I want is what Aliko Anson has.
Not the fame or the money. Not even the talent, though I wouldn’t be mad about that. I’m a good drummer, but he’s downright fucking amazing.
What I want is the freedom to do whatever I want whenever I want.
Sitting at a desk job won’t give me the kind of flexibility I crave.
You get limited vacation time and have to wait for someone to approve any time you want off.
And they don’t care how important that time off is to you; all they care about is making sure the work is done, and there’s someone there to do it.
A buddy of mine from college once requested time off for his wedding.
They denied it. What kind of shit is that?
With this job, I get to travel. I go places, see all sorts of shit, and I get to party with rock stars.
Most of my stuff is paid for—hotels, food, travel—and I get paid for my work.
I have months off at a time, and because the pay is so good for this tour, I won’t be hurting for cash when I’m not on the road.
Meaning I may not have to go back to bartending.
I’ve always taken pride in my work, but I’m more careful these days, really wanting to leave an impression with Aliko. If I spent the rest of my working days setting up Aliko Anson’s drum kit, I would have zero regrets.
Aliko is living the dream. His face is all over the magazines.
He’s constantly getting offers to join other groups and collab on special projects.
Of course, he turns them all down because his focus is on The Unbound.
Fame isn’t what drives him. It’s not the attention he likes.
He cares about the music. That’s what he’s here for.
Which could be why he’s a drummer and not a frontman.
Drummers sit in the back. Do their own thing. They’re not soaking up the attention front and center like the lead singer or the guitarist usually do. But I’ll tell you, Aliko is the one who owns the stage—the one I can’t look away from.
The song comes to an end, and instead of bleeding into another, it falls silent until the crowd erupts into a frenzied cheer.
Lucien, the lead singer, shouts into the microphone, “How’s everyone doing tonight?” His booming voice echoes around the arena, and the fans only scream louder.
He laughs and goes on to explain what the next song is about. I’ve heard this one a few times already since I’ve watched each and every show from a similar spot. How could I not? Front row to Aliko Anson? Hell fucking yes.
My gaze is still on Aliko, who just guzzled a full bottle of water, tossing the empty one behind him where there’s already a pile.
He goes through a whole case in a single show, getting more dehydrated than the normal person because he’s a monster from the water.
I don’t know how the guy does it. Though I’m just human, so I don’t know much, I guess.
Monsters are around. I know enough. But I’m not a pro or anything.
I don’t have any monster friends, not really.
No one close enough to talk to about it and learn more than what the average person knows.
I watch him from my spot in the shadows as he rolls his shoulders and shifts on the seat large enough to hold his weight and frame.
He moves the sticks to his human hands and stretches out his kraken limbs before taking the sticks back in them.
He uses four at a time for most songs. One song requires six.
It’s amazing he can play that all at the same time—not just the physical part of it, but the memory.
He shifts on the stool again, then pauses for a brief moment before glancing over his shoulder as if he can feel me watching him.
Our eyes meet. His shine bright-blue like the ocean.
They’re stunning. Hypnotic. Aliko doesn’t smile or smirk.
Just gives me this intense look that has my stomach heating and feeling tight.
Hooking up with rock stars isn’t a kink of mine.
I’m not a fucking groupie. When I’m on tour, I hardly hook up with anyone unless I meet a random person at a bar that holds my interest, but not many people do.
Usually, they find out who I am and just want to get to me to get to them.
It’s shitty and annoying and probably why I avoid so many people.
I can’t imagine how the guys in the band feel.
Will they ever know if someone loves them truly for them?
Or will they always wonder if it’s because of the fame?
I’d never want Aliko to feel that way—to think the only reason I’m attracted to him is because he’s famous. I’d be attracted to him if he weren’t. All of his forms.
It’s not what he’s doing but who he is. It’s his talent that really gets me going.
It intrigues me. Makes me want more. His personality is great, too.
He’s funny, but in a way that he doesn’t realize.
There’s a bit of shyness that is unexpected from someone like him—a big monster in a rock band.
He’s vulnerable. Open. I could ask him anything and he’d answer.
He has a hunger for learning, always asking questions and wanting more information.
I’ve seen moments when he’s embarrassed over not knowing something simple, but he pushes through it, anyway.
He’s strong. Driven. Aliko isn’t from this world, but he’s learned a lot in the short time he’s been here, and for that, he should be so proud.
All of the guys should be proud of what they’ve accomplished.
Lucien, Dorian, and Kael don’t shift into humans.
I don’t know if they have the ability and don’t want to, or if they can’t.
That’s something I don’t know a thing about—magic.
Aliko, though? He changes into both forms, and no matter what he looks like, he never changes.
He’s the same person, and I’m attracted to him regardless of what form he’s in.
This form, his stage form, calls to me in a deep, primal sort of way. In a way that I can’t really put into words. It’s nothing like his human form that is holy hell fucking hot. I don’t know if he gets to pick what he looks like or not, but damn… if he did? He chose a good one.
Tall with a large frame. Muscled, but not overly so.
Defined jaw, short, cropped hair. Thick thighs and a round ass.
Bigger than me in all ways, but not extremely so.
It could be everything else I mentioned that makes him so hot, because for me, it’s not just about his looks.
It’s something deep inside me that just wants him.
I’ve heard rumors that the form he’s in now, the one that sits behind the kit, isn’t his true form. I don’t know if that’s accurate, and I don’t want to ask him because I don’t know if that’s a rude question to ask a monster, but it would make sense.
I’ve never seen a kraken before Aliko, but all the stories we have heard say they’re gigantic.
Big enough to take down a ship. Aliko is big, but he wouldn’t be able to take down anything larger than a kayak in this form.
I’m curious about the kraken drummer, and though I spend a lot of time with him, I don’t know him all that well.
He winks, and the lack of a smile has my stomach flipping. It feels like more than just an acknowledgment. It feels intimate. He turns back to his kit and starts the quick beat into the next song. Right on time.
The show was amazing. Better than the last one.
Each one is going to get better. I can feel it.
Tonight was our first show in Indianapolis, but I’m telling you, the next two are going to blow the roof off the place.
With each show, the hype builds more and more.
Now that they’re performing, the fans are talking, sharing pictures, and making the others excited about what’s to come.
Reporters are writing articles that are being shared, and that’s how it goes…
If they’re this big now, I can’t wait to see what happens at the end.