“Give me my swords back and I’ll show you how feisty I can be,” I forced the words through clenched teeth, wanting nothing more than a good ole hand to hand smack down with the vindictive blonde sea-bitch.
Arroyo’s full lips sank into a mock pout. “You know, I would give them back, but right now they’re being used to guard your pig. You remember him, right? Cute little curly-tailed porker I stole from you.”
Unable to hold back my rage, I took a threatening step forward only to be caught by Eldoris slamming one hand to my shoulder to hold me back. “One day, when you aren’t surrounded by a gaggle of lackeys, I’m going to enjoying kicking every inch of your ass.”
Rocking back on her heels, Arroyo’s mouth twisted into a smirk. “Your ill-placed confidence truly is adorable.”
My hands were curling into fists at my sides when Eldoris intervened by stepping in front of me with her hands clasped behind her back in true sentry fashion. In a covert move of subtly, she elbowed Bahari in the ribs as she passed. “My deepest apologies, magistrate, that a halfling would dare such forward speak to a fellow elder in your presence.” While her tone was a casual one, it was obvious she was attempting to steer Bahari’s response.
Lucky for us, he was able to pick up on hints that were slathered on with such a generous hand.
“She will … uh … be dealt with accordingly,” he stammered, shoulders back as he awkwardly claimed his role.
To my great regret, I wasn’t the only one to notice Bahari’s hesitation. Dragging her tongue over her top teeth, Arroyo’s head tilted with mild interest. “I must admit my mind wandered atrocious places when you didn’t answer the door right away. I was so worried something horrible had happened to you.” Her gaze traveled over Bahari as if looking for some flaw in her façade. Thankfully for us, his disguise was a convincing one. “With you gone, my status as the next highest ranking officer here would drop this entire troop into my lap. Your shoes would be hard to fill, for certain. I just don’t know how I’d manage.” Something in her tone strongly implied she not only knew how she would manage, but was measuring Bahari’s trailers for new curtains to match her own sense of style. “Thankfully, the ringmaster of this little circus is alive and well.”
She was questioning Bahari. That much was obvious. I could only hope our star performer could ease her lingering doubts.
Rocking back on her heels, Bahari assumed the wide-legged status of a dude asserting his masculinity. “That I am! Nothing like enjoying a good meal!” Even I heard the unsteady tremor that quaked through his tone.
“I do wonder, though, if something you ate doesn’t quite agree with you, old friend.” Edging in closer, Arroyo locked stares with a visibly anxious Bahari. “You look a bit .. flushed.”
Bahari whipped his forehead with the back of his hand. “Do I? Must’ve eaten too much. Too much of a good thing, you know how it goes.”
Arroyo crept in closer still, her chest rising and falling with ravenous anticipation. “It’s a good thing we aren’t sharks.” She uttered, teeth clicking together in something that resembled a threat. “Any sign of weakness, and they turn on their own. The weaker of their kind quickly become a meal if they aren’t strong enough to defend themselves.”
Bahari—aka Clayton—was a successful man in life, his invention to the pageant signified that. One thing success had obviously taught him was not to back down to any challenge. Pulling himself up to full height, he went nose to nose with Arroyo without batting an eye. “I guess it’s a good thing for us all that my teeth are good and sharp,” he sneered.
A beat passed between them, with both waiting for the other to make a move.
It was Arroyo that backed down first, that ever present smirk tugging at the corners of her full lips. “It’s a good thing the troop is in the hands of such a formidable leader, Poseidon knows I’d be drunk on that kind of power.” Taking a step back, she waved her men forward with a jerk of her head. “Find the nearest body of water. Weight and sink the corpse.”
Lips pressed in a thin white line, Bahari tried unsuccessfully to squelch his discontent over the fate of his former meat suit. Despite his best efforts, a whimper escaped him.
Pupils dilating as if she caught a whiff of blood, Arroyo’s head snapped in her elder’s direction. “Unless this displeases you, magistrate?”
Bahari swallowed hard, his gaze locked on the lump of flesh that defined his identity up to that day. “No,” he managed, forcing a tight smile, “The sins of the past must be shed.”
“Or, you know, the fast food wrappers have to be thrown away,” Arroyo corrected with a roll of her eyes. “Get to it, boys. My trailer has a jetted tub, that I full intend to enjoy. Get your chores done, and you may make it back in time to wash my back.” Casting one final lingering glance in Bahari’s direction, and she flipped platinum waves over her shoulders and strode from the trailer.
Eager to do her bidding in time to claim their price, the guards each grabbed an arm or leg and heaved Clayton’s empty shell out into the night.
As they shuffled out, Eldoris, Joan, and I all huddled around Bahari to offer unspoken support as he watched an abbreviated version of his own funeral.
“You did good,” I muttered, offering him a pat on the shoulder.
“I didn’t have a choice,” he exhaled, sagging with relief as he expelled the breath he had been holding. “That woman is absolutely terrifying. Pretty as she is, by demeanor alone, she’d give Freddy Krueger and Jason nightmares.”
Marching across the trailer, Eldoris peered out into the night to make sure all of our intruders were truly gone. Only when she was convinced as such did she dare to glance back in our direction. “Let’s hope she was convinced. Make no mistake, she meant every one of those thinly veiled threats.”
Chapter Seven
Somewhere in the middle of the all night cram session to school Clayton on all things Bahari, I drifted off. Not that I was relaxed, mind you. Matter of fact, I didn’t even get the chance to flop down on my bunk. After moving our group to Eldoris’ trailer—since Bahari’s no longer had a door—I sat down at the table along with the others and tried to aid in his education as best I could. For the most part, that meant reminding the other two ladies to go easy when he answered even one question wrong or didn’t nail a mannerism right after hours of coaching. Sure, the guy came to the pageant in search of a virgin bride plaything, but when Eldoris got annoyed she emitted a high-pitched scoff that could only be described as squealing tea pot. The guy already died for his sins. He didn’t deserve that further measure of torment.
I could tell when he was starting to get overwhelmed. His complexion would drain ashen, and beads of sweat would dot his forehead and between his newly acquired tits. Chewing on the inside of his cheek, he would slouch down in his chair with his legs splayed under the table. I saw his stress and intervened, reminding Eldoris and Joan that he was doing the best he could.
Then, I fell asleep.
I woke to Eldoris shaking me, her tone urgent and panicked. “Shit, shit, shit! Octavia, you have to wake up! Bahari, she’s gone!”
I woke with a snort, neck throbbing with the crick of sleeping upright with my head propped against the wall. Drool streaked down my chin from the corner of my mouth, that I wiped away in my struggle to blink my way to a clearer frame of mind. “Wha …? Who?”
Coffee mug clutched between her hands, Joan paced the length of the trailer kitchen/dining area. “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh. They’re going to find out, and we’re screwed! They won’t show us any mercy. Not now. Not after this.”
“Shut up!” Eldoris snapped, in a hushed whisper, and crouched down beside my chair. “I don’t know when. I gave him a break after one of our lessons reduced him to tears.”
“A good sign it’s time to stop,” Grinding the heels of my palms into my eyes, I tried to force myself awake.
Throwing her hands in the air, she let them fall between her knees in exasperation. “I thought a bit o
f sleep would calm his hysterics. Really, human males are such babies.”
“And how do siren men handle times of stress?” I yawned, eyeing Joan’s coffee with deep longing.
“How would I know?” Eldoris flinched, as if that was the most ludicrous questions she’d ever heard. “As soon as our offspring are born, they are allowed to feast on their fathers.”
My mouth fell open, only to snap shut again. “I’m forming a new rule for life, effective immediately. No cannibalistic talk before coffee. Joan, pour be a cup of that and leave it black like my soul.” I jerked my chin towards the coffee pot in the corner.
“There’s more to this that you need to know,” Eldoris said in a hesitant tone while Joan obediently poured me a cup of liquid life.
Something in her tone made prickles of uneasy skitter up my spine. “If you tell me he took my pig I will burn this entire camp to the ground. That’s not a threat either, just a blatant statement of fact.”
Pushing off her knees, Eldoris rose to her feet and shook out her cramping legs. “No, not your pig. Your bike. He stole your Scrambler when he snuck off.”
Silence fell as I let that information sink in. Elba’s motorcycle. All I had left to hold on to of him … gone.
“Is there a car I can borrow to track him?”
Plunging her hand into her pocket, Eldoris pulled out a set of keys and tossed them onto the table in front of me. “Those are to one of caravan of Lincoln’s. It’s a boat to drive, but it’ll get you where you need to go.”
Grinding my teeth to the point of pain, I rose to full height and scooped up the keys. My pulse pounded in my temples, kicking off the day with a hell of a headache. “Put that coffee in a to-go cup if you have one, Joan. I have had all I can take of people taking my things.”
“Actually,” Eldoris interjected, positioning herself between me and the door. “I’m going to need you to take her with you.”
My mind was already ticking on which direction to go in search of him. Combing my fingers through my hair, I twisted it into a high bun and fastened it into place with the tie on my wrist. All the while I formulated my plan. We came in from the west, and passed through a town full of amenities before venturing on to this purgatory of nothingness. Unable to go home, a guy on the run would most likely go in the direction of civilization.
“Octavia, did you hear me? I need you to take Morningstar with you.”
Pulling up short, I stared in confusion. “Who?”
Rolling her eyes, Eldoris pointed to the lovely young woman currently holding my coffee. “Joan. She needs to go with you. If I’m going to explain the missing bike, it’s easiest to say you broke out of the trailer and took off.”
“And you sent Joan after me?” I pressed, nose crinkling at the insult I found that to be.
“Hey!” Joan countered.
Not wanting her to take out an anger directed at me on my much-needed caffeine, I placated her with an off-handed compliment. “I just meant there’s another pageant tonight, and you’re the prettiest of all the girls. Taking you out of the competition seems like sidelining the prize filly.”
Face brightening, Joan beamed.
Eldoris shook her head at my rather obvious tactics, but allowed me my win. “it gives an adequate reason for you both to be gone. I have done this long enough, I can run everything backstage without Bahari. So, we’re covered there. Plus, we have her morning ritual that will buy us some time.”
“Morning ritual?” Tucking the keys into my back pocket, I reached for my coffee and let it burn down my throat in one potent gulp.
“Every morning Bahari starts her stay with a self-applied mud mask, and a manicure while she sips a mimosa and watches old clips of WWF matches from the 90s.” Joan’s brows knitted into her hairline as she explained their leader’s treasured routine. “She was a huge fan of Stone Cold Steve Austin. She even had a black leather vest like his she wore on occasions.”
So many questions swirled through my mind. How they hell did this group of women steal my pig from me? What occasion would a haughty woman like Bahari deem appropriate to wear a black leather vest to? How much distance was Clayton getting from us while we continued to stand there and talk?
What actually tumbled from my lips was based on the compilation of information I’d discovered about their former leader. “What an incredibly complex woman she must have been.”
Grabbing me by the shoulders, Eldoris steered me towards the door. “She was, and I will tell you all about her the instant you get back. But you need to get gone before anyone sees you, or our alibi is shot.”
The trailer door opened, slapping me away with the chilly breath of morning. Soles of my boots sinking into the dew covered grass, I glanced back over my shoulder. “I’ve got keys and a ride. What makes you think you can trust me to come back?”
“You wont leave without your pig, and you sure as hell don’t want her for a traveling partner.” Eldoris countered, shoving Joan and I out the door.
“Again I say hey!” Joan huffed, stumbling to claim her footing after being forcibly removed from the premises.
“I mean … she’s got a point.” One shoulder rising and falling in a casual shrug, I pressed the key fob to locate our chariot to adventure.
“I know, but … rude.” Joan pouted.
Chapter Eight
“So, I did a search on the estimated miles per gallon of gas that the make and model of your Scrambler typical gets. Then, mapped out all the gas stations along this route that fall roughly along where he’s going to need to stop for fuel. I’ve also pinned along the route rest areas and truck stops where he might stop for bathroom breaks. It’s not much to go on, but gives us a jumping off point.” We had been on the road for over an hour, and that was the first time Joan had broken the silence between us. Truth be told, I thought she fell asleep staring at her phone.
“Is that what you’ve been doing all this time?” I asked, daring to let my gaze flick away from the road. Eldoris was right, the Lincoln was a boat. A luxury cruise liner of a statuesque size I had to concentrate to keep between the lines of the road. “I figured you were playing Emoji Blitz.”
“We have an undead corpse to find!” Joan’s almond shaped eyes widened, amber flecks brightening her seafoam stare. “How could I possibly play any sort of game with a task this important resting on our shoulders?”
“That’s what I plan to do when you drive,” I muttered under my breath. “I have to say, I’m a little surprised Eldoris let you come with me. I’m guessing you don’t have field trips like this very often?”
“Why would you say that?” Joan asked, flipping blonde bans from her eyes.
Gripping the steering wheel in both hands, I shrugged one shoulder. “I don’t know, maybe because the troop would be worried about you ever coming back?”
Curling one leg under her, Joan pivoted on her seat to face me. “Do you think I’m a hostage of the troop? Or, that any of the pageant girls are, for that matter?”
“Um, yeah.” I deadpanned. “It’s not exactly a rash rush to judgement seeing as I was dragged there against my will. Hell, even your precious Eldoris kept my pig there just to make sure I’d come back.”
“She did that because she needed your help, and that was the only card she could play to make sure she got it.” Joan stated matter-of-factly. Unscrewing her water bottle, she treated herself to a sip. “Can’t really blame her there. But the rest of us, we don’t need any king of motivation to keep us there. It’s home. Each member of the troop is family. We travel plenty, new towns all the time so the disappearances of the missing men don’t get pinned on us. Not that they would. No man of good standing wants to admitted to frequenting our little meat market. Even so, a night or two here or there, then on to the next town. If there are things any of us girls want to do or see, we’re allowed to do so as long as we’ve been meeting the obligations of our chores.”
“The same chores they deny you food if you fail to complete?” I force
d the words through clenched teeth, feeling this was a textbook Stockholm Syndrome case.
“You might not understand the ways of our kind, or a troop, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s home to many of us. Are there elements of it we would like to change? Absolutely. No family is perfect. But at the end of the day, that’s where I want to be. In my trailer watching The Bachelor with Songbird while Rain strums on her guitar and the other girls gossip over the men in the audience they thought were cute. It might not seem like much to you, but to me it’s bliss.”
She was right. It wasn’t my place to judge their day to day lives. I tried on many homes, still the concept of family was foreign to me. Not that I intended to accept any guilt in the matter when they were holding Bacon hostage. “Can we at least agree your names are ridiculous?”
“Oh, absolutely,” Joan, aka Morningstar emphatically nodded. “I actually prefer Joan. I’m hoping I can make it stick when we get back.”
The moment passed between us. You know the one, between two people new to each other where they share a laugh and make the decision to soften to each other and become friends. Before I could decide if that was what I wanted, Joan cleared her throat and peered back down at the notes she had taken on her phone. “Did you have any idea where you wanted to start? Bathroom breaks or gas ups?”
“Neither,” I stated, turning the wheel in the necessary hand over hand fashion. “I’m thinking we start right here.”
Craning her neck, Joan read the flashing neon sign. “Cheaters’ Gentlemen’s Clubs. Ugh, they really call a spade a spade with that name, don’t they?” Her nose crinkled as she shook her head. “Why are we stopping here? He’s got the inklings of a Bahari now. Something as degrading as stuffing dollar bills in a G string of a fellow female wasn’t really her forte.”
Gravel crunched under the Lincoln’s tires and I docked us in a parking spot. “Because, I have done the run in the middle of the night thing many times. Adrenaline carries you a good distance with the desire to get as far away as fast as you can. But when that fades, it’s replaced by a ravenous hunger.”
Drop Dead Gorgeous (The Journals of Octavia Hollows #4) Page 4
