Circus of the Dead: Book 2

by Kimberly Loth

  “Ugh. That’s not romantic at all.”

  “No, murder is not.”

  “Sigh. You are ruining my story. Anyway, where was I? Ah, yes, our dear Benny is hoping she won’t open the door.”

  I have to admit I like Juliette’s version better than mine. No, I don’t. Benny and I are just friends.

  “Dumbo here knows that sunrise is just around the corner, but she can’t resist him either. So she opens the door.”

  “Then, Benny stabs her, and she’s actually a ghost right now.” Amy bursts into laughter. I can’t help it. I giggle, too.

  “Mom!!! That was not nice. It was just about to get good.” Juliette stomps the ground and chucks a potato at her mom. Amy ducks, and it flies out into the water, narrowly missing a crane. It flaps back a few feet.

  “Anyway, as I was saying, our dimwitted friend here opened the door, and Benny stood there looking like some sexy highlander. Callie simpered and let him in. He drew her into his arms and whispered low in her ear how beautiful she was and how much he loved her and that someday they would have babies together.”

  “Juliette, he’s a ghost. We’ll never have babies together.”

  “Um. Everything works right on the full and new moon.” She gives a pointed look at her mom, but Amy doesn’t say anything.

  I blush, not wanting to have any part of that conversation.

  “I never should have told you about Benny.”

  Juliette has way too big an imagination.

  “Exactly. You didn’t. Why do you think I’m making this all up? You said nothing, so I had to fill in the blanks. But I don’t know what happened after he drew you close.”

  “Nothing. That’s what happened.”

  “Ooo, that sounds juicy,” Amy says. “Why didn’t he kiss you?”

  “Because he disappeared.”

  “Oh, man, yeah, because that creepy dude in the trench coat biffed it. Not looking forward to seeing him as a ghost.” Juliette wrinkles up her nose.

  “How did he die?” I ask.

  “Pretty much gutted. It was gross. Don’t know who killed him. Obviously not Benny. So, now what?” Juliette asks.

  “Nothing. That’s what. I don’t want Benny to kiss me. We’re just friends.”

  Amy pats my knee. “You keep telling yourself that, dear.”

  Juliette gets a massive grin on her face. “Wait two weeks, and then you’ll get the kiss of your life.”

  I hope Juliette gets used to disappointment. I'm not kissing Benny.

  Chapter Nine

  I can attack people, but I can’t defend myself. Well, I can’t really even attack people, but I can conjure a mean fireball. That’s not enough, though. I need to be able to keep Samuel or anyone else out of my house.

  Juliette is babysitting today, and Lorena said she needed a break from me. So, I pull out a few books and study the protection spells. I pause on one that keeps people you don’t want to see from stepping over your threshold.

  That seems like a good one, and the ingredients are simple enough. Salt, crow feathers, and whiskey.

  On my porch are a slew of bird feathers, and I think I have a bottle of whiskey somewhere in the back of a cupboard.

  I gather everything I need and settle on the floor in front of my door. I study the spell. I have to pour the salt along the bottom of the door frame, place the feathers on either side, and sprinkle whiskey on the door itself.

  Then, with magical intent—whatever that means—I say the words “Let not (the person’s name) enter.”

  Raptor squawks next to me. “Let’s see if this works, buddy.”

  I set him outside and shut the door. He quacks loudly at the injustice.

  I follow the directions perfectly. “Let not Raptor enter.”

  Then I open the door. Raptor looks up at me with indignation and hops right over the sill.

  Crap.

  “Whatcha doin’?”

  I jerk my head up. Elias stands on his porch, smoking a cigarette. He always looks so creepy with his dirty flannel shirt and perpetual five o’clock shadow.

  “Nothing.”

  “You didn’t look none too happy about yer bird.”

  Hmm. Maybe the spell only works on people.

  “Hang on a sec,” I say and slam my door shut. I brush away the salt and replace the bird feathers. “Let not Elias enter.”

  I open the door again and grin at him. “Come on over.”

  “Didn’t think I was welcome at yer house.”

  “You’re not. I want to see if a spell I did works.”

  He coughs. “I ain’t going to be no test dummy for yer magic.”

  “All I need to see is if I can keep you out. It won’t do anything to you.”

  He looks at me with skepticism written all over his face, and I hold out the bottle of whiskey. “If you can get over the threshold, it’s all yours.”

  “And if I can’t?”

  I shrug. I’m not about to give up the bottle of whiskey if it works.

  He thinks for a moment and slowly trudges over to my boat, moving about as fast as a sloth. He stands just outside my doorframe. “You sure it ain’t gonna do nuthin’ to me?”

  “Positive.”

  He hesitates for a few seconds and then steps right over the salt.

  Dang it.

  He snatches the bottle of whiskey out of my hands and whistles as he steps back outside. I pinch my lips together. This was supposed to work.

  My stomach growls, and I grab a banana off my counter then sit back down with the book. I tap my fingers on the cover as I search for a more active spell and come across a rather interesting one.

  I rub my temples, trying to push away a headache. The spell involves a voodoo doll. The doll itself is easy to make, though I’ll need to visit Lorena for the spell’s ingredients. Elias will squeal when I snatch his hair, but I should be able to use the doll to see if I can get him to do what I want him to.

  Lorena scowls the second she lays eyes on me. “I told you I needed a break today.”

  “I just need a couple of things. I’m practicing on my own.”

  “What do you need?”

  “Sage, linen, buttons, and muskox thread.”

  “You’re making a voodoo doll.” She frowns at me.

  I shuffle my feet. “Yeah.”

  Lorena shakes her head. “I’m not helping you with that.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because it’s dangerous. You should be trying to learn light passive magic, not the dark stuff.”

  “But this is passive. I’m going to see if I can prevent someone from coming into my house. Besides, I read that to have a dark voodoo doll, you also need monkey blood, and I’m not asking you for that. Please.” I can hear the whine in my voice.

  “No. Now go home.”

  I cross my arms over my chest, stare at her for a minute, but I know I lost. I trudge home, watching Raptor in front of me chasing bugs. He gets a little close to the edge of the dock, and something in the water splashes. Raptor jumps and flaps his wings for a second.

  I pass near Amy’s place and hear kids crying. No way am I going down there and getting roped into babysitting with Juliette.

  Raptor quacks at the birds resting on my porch, and a few of them flutter to the side, but most don’t move. I tiptoe around them and freeze just before my door.

  Laying on the mat in front of my door is everything I need to make a voodoo doll—including a vial of monkey blood. Holy flip. I look around to see if anyone is watching, but nobody is out.

  Well, I’m not going to waste it. I snatch up all the stuff and tromp inside. I’ll still need Elias’s hair, but that should be easy if he’s been drinking that whiskey. I sniff at the ingredients and wrinkle my nose. It all smells like bad air freshener.

  The voodoo doll doesn’t take long to make. I leave out the monkey blood and head over to Elias’s boat to see if I can pull out a hair or two. Sure enough, he’s zonked out on his porch. I’ve never noticed before h
ow sterile his boat looks. It’s pure white, even the entire porch.

  I pluck out three hairs and kick his chair. He sits up blurry eyed.

  “I’ve got another bottle of whiskey if you want it.” I actually found a few in the back of my cupboards.

  He yawns, showing me his missing teeth. “I’ll never turn that down. Gotta piss first, though.”

  I skedaddle off his porch without a word, rush into my house, and pick up the voodoo doll. I staple the hairs to the doll since I don’t have time to sew them. I should be able to redirect him to go away from my door instead of to it.

  A few moments later, he lumbers down the dock, hesitating every few moments like he’s in a long line. I pick up the voodoo doll and whisper to it. “Go to the circus.”

  But he keeps coming.

  “Go to Samuel’s boat.”

  Elias doesn’t even pause.

  “Go back home.” My voice rises a couple of notches, but he doesn’t even notice, and before I know it, he’s over the threshold.

  I’m freaking useless.

  I give him the bottle, and he heads back home. Scattered books and ingredients lay all over my table, and I should clean up, but I don’t want to look at them anymore.

  I step out onto my porch and sit on the hard swing. Raptor jumps into my lap, and a few other birds settle around me. A noise from the docks startles me, and I look up.

  Samuel stands there, staring at me. He crosses his arms and leans against a tree. He’s just outside the perimeter of the birds. I meet his eyes defiantly but don’t say anything. He doesn’t back down, either. After a few moments, fear crawls into my stomach, and I pick up Raptor and race into my house, sending birds flapping and screeching.

  I throw the lock on the front door with my heart racing.

  If the birds were to ever leave me, I’d be toast.

  Chapter Ten

  The second the sun dips below the horizon on the full moon, there is a knock on my door. I hesitate. I know it’s Benny. I have to tell him that we’re just friends, that he can’t try to kiss me again, but it makes me nervous. Probably because deep down, I want to be more than just friends, but I can’t let him distract me. Especially now.

  Raptor quacks, and I look down at him. “Coming,” I call through the door.

  I duck into the bathroom quickly and double-check my hair. Just friends. I swear.

  I open the door, and he stands there wearing what he always does, white shirt, suspenders, and black slacks. His hair falls into his eyes, and I want to brush it away.

  He’s grinning from ear to ear as birds of all kinds surround him.

  “Hey,” I say a little breathlessly, and my face flushes. Geez, this is going to be hard, but I have to keep the bars around my heart or I won’t get out of here with my heart intact.

  “You wanna go for a walk with me?”

  “Sure.” I swallow and step into the mass of birds. Raptor lopes after me.

  I don’t know what to do with my hands, and I wonder if my hair looks okay. Benny takes my hand, and we walk slowly toward the circus under the cypress trees and through the Spanish moss. It feels nice.

  “How was your week?” I ask.

  “Good. I watched you a lot.” He winks at me.

  “You know there is such a thing called privacy.”

  His lips twitch. “I never follow you into the bathroom, and I don’t watch you sleep. Well, not much, anyway.”

  We enter the circus, and people are everywhere, standing on every corner. The scorpion man enters the crowd, and screams ensue. The crowd is younger tonight than usual. Samuel stands next to one of the tents, eyeing us. Creeper.

  “Did you hear the whole conversation with Juliette the day after the new moon?”

  “Yes. Juliette’s got some imagination.” He chuckles.

  Speaking of the nosy brat. She’s watching us from the clown tents. I catch her eye, and instead of dropping her gaze, she gives me a goofy grin and a thumb’s up. It looks odd with blood dripping down her mouth and her fake razor-sharp teeth. She’s pushing for me and Benny to get together, and we can’t. I have to end this before it gets out of hand.

  I let go of Benny’s hand and face him. “Benny, you can’t kiss me. I just want to be friends.”

  He cocks his head and steps back. “I thought you wanted to be my doll.”

  He’s not making this any easier. I can’t stop staring at his lips. I wring my hands and look over his shoulder at the same time one of the ghosts jumps off a platform and hangs himself.

  “I do. It’s just complicated. I want to be your friend. I want to hang out with you and laugh and be silly, but nothing romantic. Is that okay?” I bite the inside of my lip.

  Please don’t say no.

  He gives me a quick nod. “Sure. I can do that.”

  I let out a breath. That was easier than I thought it would be.

  He leans in a little closer and winks at me. “I’ll just wait for you to kiss me.”

  I have no idea what to say to that, so I don’t say anything at all.

  Chapter Eleven

  Callie,

  Girl. This letter business is getting really old. Text. Email. Something. Geesh even a phone call. Didn’t you say that creeper Samuel has a phone? Go freaking use it already.

  I loved your little bird feather. I got a jar full of sand and stuck it in there. Send me another one with the next letter.

  As for Benny, I think you need to say the heck with it and kiss him anyway. Seize the day. Think about it this way. If you don’t do anything, you’ll always wonder. I think it’s worth the risk.

  I’m a little hurt, though. I’m beginning to think you don’t want me to come. Why not? I thought you loved me. Obviously, you’re too good for me now that you’re in the circus.

  Maybe I’ll come anyway.

  Maddie

  Chapter Twelve

  I’m antsy the next day, and so I head to the tent to work on my fire dance. I don't really want to see anyone, and I need to think. I haven’t practiced since Samuel attacked me, but I miss it. My mind goes blank when I practice, which is what I desperately need right now.

  I pass Jane’s boat as she sits outside with Margaret and Edward, two other acrobats. Edward smiles and waves. I wave back but don’t stop to talk. I don’t need any more friends that I have to constantly wonder what their motives are.

  Once in the tent, I light up a couple wicks and start spinning. I lose myself in the dancing flames and try to forget all about Samuel and Benny, but I can’t.

  Samuel is dangerous, and there’s no telling what he’ll do to me if I ever let my guard down. And Benny—he wants things I can’t give him. Sure, he said he only wanted friendship, but I don’t trust myself around him. Plus, I’m not positive he’s all on the up and up, either.

  Finally the blessed release comes, and I forget about all my problems. The flames lick my skin like fangs but don’t hurt. The air moves across my body smoothly, and I enjoy the moment.

  But as fast as it started, it’s over, and my flames go out. Applause comes from somewhere in the tent. My eyes adjust to the dim light with the flames now gone.

  “Excellent job,” Samuel says.

  My spine tingles, and my whole body quakes. He should not be here. “Did my birds leave?”

  He comes into focus and looks up. “No, they are up there, and I imagine if I tried to attack you, they would have a few words to say about that. I’m not going to hurt you.”

  Up in the rafters of the tent, a few birds squawk, and I stare down at my feet, which are bare and dusty with dirt.

  “Then what are you doing here?”

  He pulls a chair over and flips it around, sitting on it backwards, his legs spread wide. He licks his lips, and I look away.

  “I want to talk to you.”

  “So, talk. I’m not stopping you.” I grab a fire stick and dip it in fuel. He can talk, but I’m not listening to him. I back away, and the cloying smell of a reptile house assaults me. I don’t
know where it’s coming from, but it’s almost enough for me to move back toward Samuel. Almost.

  “I would feel more comfortable if you would sit.” He gives me one of his simpering smiles and points to the chair.

  “Then get used to feeling uncomfortable.”

  “You know, you’re the only one who dares to talk to me like that,” he hisses, his eyes tightening.

  I light the wicks and spin the stick, focusing on the bright flames. “Probably because at this point, I know I’m protected from you. Also, I think I may be the only one on the island—dead or alive—who isn’t indebted to you in some way. You don’t own or control me.”

  Suddenly, my stick is out of my hands. He tosses it several feet, and the flames snuff out in the dirt.

  He stands way too close, and the tent rattles and shakes. I take a couple steps back, but he snakes his arm around my waist. My heartbeat pounds in my ears, and I tense.

  “Relax,” he whispers. “I won’t hurt you.”

  “That’s what you said last time.” I almost scream, knowing the birds will come, but I don’t, and I have no idea why. He’s going to attack me again.

  He sucks in a deep breath and lets me go. “Last time, I misunderstood the situation. I apologize for that.”

  I back away, my eyes taking him in. He’s wearing a green shirt that hugs his chest. Once upon a time, I would’ve found that chest attractive, but not anymore.

  “Please, let us sit, so I can tell you of my proposal.”

  A deal with the devil, no thanks. “One I am certain I am not interested in.”

  “I quite literally hold your life in my hands. Perhaps you ought to hear what I have to say first.” He’s acting like I’m a child. I don’t want to give him the satisfaction, but it probably would be good to hear him out. Perhaps he will offer something rather easy.

  “Fine, what do you want?”

  “Sit first.” He points to a chair and takes his own seat.

  I sink down into the chair and drop my head into my hands for a moment. I can’t believe I’ve given up my position so easily. I should’ve stood firm like a tree, but instead I am weak.