Chapter Fifteen
ARINA
Bobbitt talked fast and walked even faster.
After Daze returned my backpack, she shooed him away, so he could help set up equipment. He waved once before disappearing, and then she gestured for me to follow along behind her.
I did without question.
I couldn’t help but be a little disappointed as we left the arena.
I’d just gotten comfortable around Daze, and now I was on my own again.
Well, I was with Bobbitt, but I wasn’t sure how I felt about her yet.
She was sweet and bubbly, the exact opposite of Zero, but I got the feeling something dark lurked beneath her soft exterior.
Daze said she’s just as crazy as Hallow…
If she was anything like them, it was best to follow orders.
Besides, I was already on Revel and Zero’s shit lists. I couldn’t afford to piss anyone else off.
She waited until we were in the hall to speak. “So, what’s your lore?”
“My… lore?” I cocked my head while I struggled to keep up with her brisk steps. Her bubblegum-colored flats clicked against the tile floor with impressive speed, and she made it look easy.
“Yeah, what’s your story? Your lore? Where ya from?” She looked at me over her shoulder. “What made ya want to join the show?”
I hesitated.
If I was sticking around the circus, I’d have to get used to that question. I needed a story, one I could repeat on command. One that wouldn’t raise suspicions.
Telling convincing lies had never been one of my strong suits, so it couldn’t be far from the truth if I hoped to keep it up.
“My dad died.” I spat out the first thing that came to mind. There was a very good possibility that he was dead, so it wasn’t much of a stretch.
“Oh no, I’m so sorry.” I’d managed to catch up, keeping pace beside her, and she looked over with a sympathetic frown.
“He was all I had, really,” I went on. Another truth. When Mom died, he really was the only family I had left. “After that, I knew I had to leave. The circus was just a coincidence. Revel found me on the side of the road and gave me a ride. Then, I met Daze.”
“Dazey is a sweetheart, ain’t he?” Bobbitt giggled. “It’s hard to tell that sucker no once he sets his mind on something. I’m surprised you got an act of service out of Revel though. He can be a bit…”
“Rough around the edges?” I offered.
She cackled. “A bit of an asshole.”
Tell me about it. He lost his shit when Daze mentioned me joining the circus.
He was going to be pissed when he found out that Hallow let me in.
“Yeah, he is.” Dread weighed heavy in my stomach. Maybe if I gave him a wide berth and stayed far away, he wouldn’t say anything.
Maybe he’ll pretend I don’t exist.
I could only hope.
“We’ll make sure you fit right in,” she assured me. “The alphas are all hard to get along with, but Hallow keeps them in check. Ya won’t have to worry about them.”
The alphas.
Revel.
Zero.
Night.
I hadn’t even met the last one, and I was already overwhelmed by the number of alphas I’d be working with. Maybe I could keep a low profile and avoid their attention.
Except for Zero… I had no idea how I would manage to stay away from him, especially when his scent affected me the way it did. But I’d worry about that later.
“That’s good to know,” I muttered.
Before I knew it, we were in the parking lot, and she was leading me toward a long, black bus with a terrifying clown face stretched across the front.
“Umm… Bobbitt, where are we going?”
“Please, call me Bobbi.” She grinned. “Bobbitt’s just my stage name. And we’re going to get you settled on our bus.”
Our bus? I eyed the twisted clown face, whose pupil-less eyes seemed locked on me. It matched the one on Zero’s shirt from earlier.
“Am I going to be a clown?”
“Yes and no.” She tugged open the door and led the way up three steps with me on her heels.
My eyes bulged when I saw bunk beds on either side of the aisle leading to the back of the bus; I’d never seen anything like it. Each was covered with a black curtain for privacy, which was nice, but how much privacy could you really get when you were traveling with eleven other performers?
“Most of the performers who don’t have a specific talent get lumped with the clowns.
We have the broadest roles, and sometimes our jobs change from show to show,” Bobbitt explained while I took in the bus.
“Hallow is bringing you on as an assistant; you’re going to help the Big Three with their performances, and anyone else who can use you.
So you’ll be staying here, with the clowns. ”
“Zero has his own trailer, right?” I asked before I could stop myself.
Bobbitt shook her head. “Unfortunately, no. He rides with us.”
Fuck.
I’d be traveling with the clowns.
I’ll be traveling with Zero.
How the hell would I survive being stuck in close quarters with him? I’d be choking on his scent for hours on end, and there wouldn’t be anything I could do except suffer through it.
At the thought of his rich, caramel-covered popcorn, I inhaled and picked up on a faint whisper of it lingering in the air.
My mouth watered, and my eyes darted around the bunks, wondering which one belonged to him.
If Bobbitt wasn’t standing next to me, I’d probably start sniffing mattresses trying to figure out where my scent match slept.
Gross.
“Don’t worry,” Bobbitt said when she noticed the look on my face. Did I look as nervous as I felt? “I’m technically a clown, so I’m on this bus too.”
I exhaled a small sigh of relief. That was something. At least I wouldn’t be stuck alone on a bus with a bunch of strangers and a psychotic alpha who played with knives for fun.
“Are you also an assistant?” I asked.
She shook her head, sending her blonde curls flying. “I’m a balloon-animal artist. But sometimes I work concessions or security.”
I snorted a laugh, looking her up and down. There was no way this tiny woman worked circus security when there were alphas running around the arena. The idea was absurd.
However, she cocked a slender eyebrow at me with a smirk.
“Zero isn’t the only one who’s a fan of knives.
” She lifted the hem of her shirt, and I caught a glimpse of a sheathed dagger tucked into her pants.
My eyebrows shot up. “For the most part customers behave, but on the off chance they get unruly, the last thing they expect is to get their ass kicked by a clown with balloon animals.”
Holy shit. She was serious.
That was extra incentive not to get on her bad side. I didn’t want my ass kicked by a balloon-animal artist either.
Maybe with Bobbitt in my corner, I might actually stand a chance at surviving the sideshow and the alphas who seemed intent on keeping me out of it.
“Your bunk is in the back left corner. On the bottom.” Bobbitt gestured for me to lead the way. “It’s the only vacant one right now. Otherwise, you’d get to pick.”
Following instructions, I marched down the aisle between the bunk beds.
With every step, the caramel popcorn scent got a little stronger.
By the time I got to my bunk, the scent was overwhelming, making my thoughts foggy.
I took several deep breaths, clinging to it as much as I could without her noticing.
All I wanted was to drown in the sticky-sweet caramel-popcorn smell of my scent match. To crawl in his bed and roll around in his sheets, so the scent would cling to my skin. Which was insane, considering the fucker would probably skin me alive if he found me in his bed.
I looked around curiously, wondering which one belonged to Zero.
It had to be one of the ones with the curtain drawn.
My eyes landed on the top one across the aisle from mine, and I froze, my heart skipping a beat.
A half-step closer gave me the answer I was so desperate for; that bunk belonged to him.
Will he really be sleeping so close to me?
“Everyone gets their own cabinet for their belongings,” Bobbitt said, oblivious to my internal conflict.
I tore my eyes from Zero’s bunk in time to see her point to the cabinet next to my bed.
It had a little knob handle, and when I tugged it open, I found an empty space with two shelves and plenty of room for my backpack. “Bathroom with a shower is back there.”
I was barely listening, my heart rate accelerating at the thought of leaving my backpack on the bus.
There was no lock on the cabinet, just a magnet to keep the door closed when the bus was in motion, and no way to keep the suppressants completely safe.
Anyone could open the door and go through my things.
I swallowed hard.
“No one will mess with your stuff,” Bobbitt assured me when I didn’t move. “Besides, they’re all busy getting ready for rehearsal tonight. You can leave your backpack and change clothes if you want.”
“These are my only clean ones.” I looked down at my leggings and tank top with a frown. “So I guess these will have to do.”
“Oh doll, I have something you can wear.” Bobbitt’s eyes lit up. “Don’t even worry about it.”
I chewed the corner of my mouth, guilt welling inside me. I hated taking handouts—I’d told Daze as much—but I didn’t have an option. None of my clothes were circus appropriate, and I couldn’t go naked.
“Just shove your things in there, and I’ll look through my costumes.” She waved a hand and headed to the front of the bus.
I stood staring at my open cabinet, my heart beating in my throat. The thought of being away from my backpack, away from the suppressants, made my skin crawl. If I wasn’t near them, how would I know that they hadn’t been discovered? How could I ensure they stayed hidden?
Ari, you’re being silly.
I knew it, and yet, anxiety continued to burn through my veins. If I didn’t leave the backpack, it would look just as suspicious, if not more so. If I never left the bag unattended, it would be obvious I was hiding something.
Before I could stop myself, I shoved the backpack into the cabinet and shut the door. As soon as it was out of sight, my chest felt tighter, but I turned and walked away.
Everything will be fine.
At least, I hoped it would.
The clothes Bobbitt gave me to wear were unlike anything I’d ever choose on my own, but they matched the circus aesthetic perfectly.
Black-and-white polka-dot pants and a red top with puffy sleeves and a faux corset.
I wore my combat boots, refusing to give them up, and tucked my freshly braided hair into a bun.
“You look adorable.” Bobbitt beamed. “And you can keep those clothes; they don’t fit me anymore.”
“Thank you.” I looked down at my outfit, wishing there was a full length mirror I could use. “I appreciate it.”
“Don’t mention it. We’ll see if we can’t come up with an outfit for you before our show tomorrow night.”
I blanched. “T-tomorrow night?”
“Of course! After that performance earlier, Hallow is eager to get you in front of a crowd.” She giggled. “You’ll watch the rehearsal tonight to get a feel for everything, but tomorrow night you’ll be center stage with Zero, doll!”