by Mia Strange
I looked over my shoulder and blinked my eyes innocently. “Like white?”
“You’ll get a turn, Jin. Promise,” said Dark. “Now. Skye? Turn around. I can’t wait to see the wings on you.”
“Really? I get to wear them?”
He nodded. “And that’s not all.”
I held my arms out to my side as he lifted the harness over my shoulders. I couldn’t believe how light they felt, how well they fit. There was only one word to describe the delicate wings. Amazing.
Walking around to the front, Dark crisscrossed a string of white leather belts across my heart. Reaching around, he circled the straps back in a most intimate fashion to buckle beneath my breasts. My heart raced as the familiar tap of magic passed between us as his fingertips grazed my skin. Our eyes met, and for an instant, the world fell away and there was just the two of us.
“Tonight,” he whispered. “You fly. And Skye? You look amazing.”
“Do they really work?”
“They do.”
“It’s a good thing. I can’t walk in these heels.”
He laughed. “I noticed.”
“My, my, Lovely. Don’t you look exquisite? An angel draped in virginal white. A tempting treat for our audience.”
All of us, including Dagger, looked up into the rafters. Traveler Hale crouched above us on a narrow beam. Like a popped bubble, the moment between Eli and I vanished.
“Traveler,” Dr. Dark nodded a greeting. Jin frowned but managed a small wave. With her knife. Dagger growled, and hackles rose. I met Traveler’s gaze and held it. This was the first time I had seen him healed from the silver. He looked good. Whole.
We stared at each other. I had so many questions. He looked at me as if he knew all the answers.
Dr. Dark cleared his throat. “Showtime in less than five minutes. We cut it close tonight.” He looked at both of us.
“Yeah,” I said. “Sorry.”
“Yeah,” said Jin. “Sorry. Skye kind of hogged the shower.”
“Me? You went first.”
“Well, yeah. But I mean you’re bigger. Takes longer.”
Traveler laughed from above. Dr. Dark shook his head.
“So. Is the gang all here?” The Bone Man walked up. Zombie Phil followed behind, attached to his show leash. The thick steel chain had sharp spikes twisted through it. If needed, the leash made one hell of a weapon.
The chain clipped into a wide leather collar. This too, had spikes protruding from it. The zombie wore faded black cargo pants that had huge holes everywhere. Better for the show, to see rotting flesh, The Bone Man had said. An equally torn black T-shirt that read, ZOMBIES HATE FAST FOOD, was haphazardly tucked into the pants. They were being held up with a belt version of studs and spikes and leather.
The Bone Man had used kohl to blacken around Phil’s eyes and applied fake theater blood around his mouth. He wore one of those, “Shuffle For The Cause” charcoal gray ribbons pinned to his shirt. A stick-on, “Hello. My name is Phil, all the way from Missouri,” nametag, and a bit of Crazy Glue dabbed on the end of his deteriorating nose, completed his look. The tooth he broke trying to eat the rock had been filed in a matching wicked point. Overall, Phil looked damn scary. Just like a good zombie should.
Pilot walked up behind them. “I’m here. Wow, Skye. Nice wings.”
The Bone Man pointed an accusing finger at me first, then Pilot. “Look, you guys. I leave Phil in your care, and what happens? Poor Phil breaks a rib.” He held up Phil’s shirt and pointed to neat little rows of hot pink Duct Tape. Duct Tape that had little unicorns and rainbows on it. I met Pilot’s eyes. Neither of us could keep a straight face. Jin just had to say it.
“So, you ran out of industrial gray? Hello. That would have matched way better.” She snapped her gum. Loud. Dark automatically held out his gloved hand. Jin sighed, took out the gum and shoved it under the seat of a nearby chair. Nice.
“Sorry about the rib,” I said.
“Yeah,” echoed Pilot. “Sorry. It happened when we were, how should I put it? Bat-shit-crazy? That about cover it, Skye?”
We both started to laugh. The Bone Man glared. Phil groaned. I think he got the joke. After all, he was there.
A Lion roared, and Turk walked over from the shadows. The giant cat followed him, but his amber eyes were fixated on me and my wings. I took a step back. “He knows I’m not a bird, right?”
“Until you fly,” Turk said. There was no humor in his voice.
“Good. We’re all here,” Dark said. He pulled his watch out of his coat pocket and started to swing it in that mesmerizing to and fro movement. He tipped his head toward the red eyes of The Gov rats, glowing from the shadows. We all gave a slight nod, knowing in moments, they would be hypnotized into oblivion.
“Tonight, we do a revised, shorter version of the show.”
Traveler Hale floated from the rafters above, gliding down on a thick rope used for pulleys and moving heavy props. He landed next to me, silent as a cat. “I’m in,” he said. He touched his knife that was sheathed around his thigh. “And ready.”
The tube beads in his hair chimed softly as they bumped against each other. Puffs Of black magic escaped from the beads and floated away toward the crowd, looking for any willing takers. Traveler’s magic loved to cause trouble, an unexplained fight here, a thief in the making there. And no doubt, this was a receptive crowd.
Traveler still wore his tight, leave nothing to the imagination, black leather pants. He wore no shirt. He was all lean, hard muscle and ropey sinew. The women in the audience, no matter what age, always went crazy over him. He usually left the show with one. Or three.
He wore no belt, and of course, no glitter. Barefoot, half-naked, I could hardly take my eyes off him. His body was perfectly sculptured. And he knew it.
His skin looked like marble; the texture smooth and pale. But I knew in a few minutes that skin would tear and bleed. The truth was, his act, was the only one I disliked. Most nights I couldn’t even watch. Tonight, fear overrode logic. My frayed nerves felt raw. Exposed.
Tonight, Traveler Hale was top billing.
Tonight, he was a Vampire in Silver.
Would he survive? Would I? Would any of us?
“Tonight, Skye flies with you, Hale,” Dark said.
“What?” I gasped.
“It’s safer in numbers. Tonight, we pair up. Our separate acts will be in teams. We will all filter on stage slowly, but at once. After that? Things will move very fast. Be ready.”
“Teams?” Jin said. “Um, Dear Dark? I guess you didn’t get the memo. I don’t do well sharing the stage. You know how much room I-”
“Tonight, you go on stage with Pilot. When he boards The Dark Destiny, you board a few minutes after. Go to the stateroom, lock the door and stay there until he gives you an all-clear.”
“But–”
“But nothing, Jin. I want you to live through this night. I want us all to.”
Jin paled and nodded. Pilot stuck out his hand. “I got your back, Jin.” She nodded and took it. I couldn’t help but notice, hers trembled.
I felt it, too. The fear creeping in through the shadows and crawling under our skin.
Dark continued. “Skye. When Turk and The Bone Man are done, you head to The Madison right behind them. You’ll know when, believe me. Bone Man? Phil rides on top, for reasons–well, you’ll see.”
The wolves padded in, their enormous paws were silent on the rotting cedar floor. As usual, it was easy to spot Anastasia with her platinum fur in the lead. She was always in the lead. Spotting Traveler, she lowered her head, flattened her ears and paced around him in circles. She growled, low and menacing. She stopped circling just long enough to growl at me. And like water circling a drain, the large pack joined her, circling, circling, circling…
“Ana,” Dark said sharply. “Not tonight.”
She stopped but did not back away. Not one inch. The entire Academy was having a hard time accepting a vampire was living on ou
r train. Everyone was on edge. There was an inordinate amount of turtleneck sweaters being worn by members, which of course was ridiculous. Ridiculous until I caught The Bone Man sporting a lime green one.
Garlic wreaths adorned some of the sliding iron doors. Traveler had just laughed, plucked a garlic clove off a wreath and popped it in his mouth. Truth be told he was enjoying the attention. He’d gone from creepy to terrifying overnight. And as Dark often said, there is power in fear.
I thought of the Dublin twins. Tonight, they were nowhere to be found. And I had to wonder why.
“The wolves will run interference, stir up the crowd, confuse The Gov’s security. And after–” Dark paused.
“After?” I whispered.
“After we pack up and leave. After my work is done, we leave.”
I knew by referring to his work, he meant the death of Bishop West. And didn’t that just make my heart skip a beat. Or two.
“We leave this theater,” Dark continued, “leave this city, The King Street station, all of it.” Lock the door to the Madison. Open only to Academy members. Kill anyone else who tries to get in. Anyone. You protect precious cargo tonight.”
The Bone Man nodded. “Understood.”
“All of you. Get back to the train as fast as you can. Don’t stop for anything or anyone. Don’t take a stand. Don’t fight. Just run.”
Just run? I tapped down a shiver. Jin reached out and held my hand with her free one.
“What about you, Eli?” I whispered. Traveler sighed softly and stepped back, giving me some space. Jin let go of my hand and walked away. At that moment, I couldn’t call Eli, Dr. Dark. I just couldn’t. I desperately wanted my Eli back. I wanted to hold him once again in my arms. I wanted to gaze into clear, bright, ocean blue eyes. I wanted to say goodbye. Just- just in case.
“I’ll be fine.” He reached out, and with twisted, arthritic fingers squeezed my hand. “I have Onyx. Dagger. Traveler and I will be together.”
I nodded. I knew the two of them were a lethal combination. What I didn’t know is if Traveler would survive the silver long enough to contribute to the fight.
“Stay close to Turk.” Dark lowered his voice. “Annabel will need you.”
“Okay,” I said. But I was anything but okay.
He stepped back to address the small group of Academy members that had crowded in for last instructions.
“Tonight,” Dark spread his arms, “tonight we set a few wrongs right. Even a longstanding score. Tonight, we move the pendulum closer to our side. Tonight? We leave Seattle for good. We shall never return. We have what we were looking for.”
Never return? Never? I felt like Traveler’s Athame, his black magic knife, had just pierced my heart. What about Emma? What if she was here? What if… not likely, a voice whispered in my head. Think about it, Skye. Not likely. Recognizing the voice, I turned and glared at Traveler. He shrugged. Just stating the obvious, his voice whispered.
“We do?” Jin asked, breaking the connection with Traveler. I’d have to thank her later. “We have our clue?” A puzzled frown creased her brow.
“You found her.” The Bone Man smiled. “I knew you would.”
“Chapter Three?” Pilot asked.
“Is apparently closed,” Traveler said.
“Well done, Doc.” Turk grinned, his, straight white teeth flashing as bright as his big cat.
Dr. Dark took a bow.
“And now?” Dark swung his clockwork once in a huge circle. The Gov rats scrambled from the darkness, squealing away in fear. He caught the watch in the palm of his hand.
“It’s Showtime.”
14
We stood in the wings as the inevitable hush fell over the huge crowd. The Usher automatons had been switched off, the absinthe bar closed, opium pipes confiscated.
Adrenaline coursed through my veins, and my heart wanted to beat out of my chest.
This was my favorite part of the show.
This was the part where Eli truly became the infamous Dr. Elijah Dark, the showman of the rails, sideshow barker, the magic man. This?
Was Showtime.
And it was a thrill. Every damn time.
The gas-fed sconces faded, torches dimmed, handheld candles blew out. An eerie quiet fell over the crowd that just moments ago was yelling and swearing and stomping their feet.
As the first notes of music echoed through the building, sea fog appeared and rolled across the stage. Pilot, hidden from view, methodically fed threads of aether into buckets of cold water. Fog spilled from the pails, snaking its way across the stage, feeding into an already mesmerized audience.
Mesmerized by music.
We’d become famous for resurrecting songs long lost, forgotten and abandoned to a faded world. A world that no longer existed.
A haunting melody filled the room, floating up into the rafters where I knew Traveler Hale watched and waited. I didn’t need to look up to find him. I felt him all around me, his dark gaze resting on my back, caressing my wings, stroking my bare shoulders. I tapped down an unwanted shiver.
The ornately carved, semicircle stage was illuminated by one hundred skulls, exactly. Tall, tapered black candles that smelled of white sage and licorice were held upright in the holes bored on top of each head. The wax dripped down, crawling into empty eye sockets, and dripped from jaws that would never again open and close.
In a world filled with zombies, skulls of the dead were not hard to come by. We had purchased ours years ago, from a traveling group of Pickers that specialized in that sort of thing. Dark had only two requirements. Adult skulls only. And this was a one-time purchase. Do not come knocking on our railcar doors, trying to sell us more. Ever.
The skulls had the desired effect, their gruesome appearance struck fear into an always superstitious crowd. And, Dr. Dark, as a master manipulator, knew the right amount of fear worked in our favor.
Each skull had a name, Jin had seen to that. At the end of the show, we wrapped the heads in crushed velvet and packed them away in sturdy trunks. Dark had taught us to always respect the dead, even if they were only props.
Tonight, as always, our bleached sentinels, with their gaping mouths and sightless eyes, stood guard.
The haunting melody grew louder, and louder yet. The center of the stage groaned as a platform rose from what looked like nowhere. The platform was real enough. The fact that it could rise, was magic.
ELI’S COMING, an old tune sung by a forgotten band called Three Dog Night blared into the waiting crowd. The band may be only a memory now, but Eli knew, that back in the day, whenever Three Dog Night took the stage, they were pure magic.
Gov royalty and The Ignored alike went wild. The applause thundered in my ears. Gooseflesh rose on my arms. The Bone Man grabbed my hand and squeezed. Emotional, I blinked back tears. Eli was coming. Indeed.
The crowd clapped and sang along until finally, the music faded.
The fog swirled.
Parted.
Cleared.
Dr. Elijah Dark stood alone.
Standing above his peers, slightly hunched, gripping his silver-handled cane, he looked mysterious. Just like the enigma he was.
Dagger trotted over and jumped the short distance onto the platform. Dr. Dark had to adjust his cane so as not to tip over as the two hundred plus pound dog leaned into him.
Dagger looked magnificent with his ears on perfect point, while his sleek midnight coat gleamed with a sprinkle of blood-red glitter. The small silver charms in the dog’s ear reflected specks of candlelight that danced around the stage. As with every show, Dagger would not leave Dark’s side.
Dr. Dark’s pocket clockwork was already in action, swinging back and forth. Back and forth. I had to remind myself not to look at it, less I fall under its spell.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls. Creatures and Monsters. Bishop West,” Dark bowed deep toward the balcony where the Bishop of the West sat. Flanked by bodyguards with fists of fused iron, the Bishop nodded an ackno
wledgment. Dagger put an elegant paw forward and bowed with Dark on perfect cue.
As Dark rose, I could see the look in Dark’s eyes, could sense the wheels turning in his complicated, clever mind. I looked up where Traveler was, still in the rafters, still in that kitty-cat crouch. He too stared at the Bishop…and fingered his knife. My blood ran cold. My attention was drawn back to the stage. Dark was speaking.
“Welcome To The Traveling Troupe Academy of Dr. Dark. Welcome to our little band of Oddities, Misfits, and Freaks. Prepare yourself to be entertained. Enchanted. Enticed.
Please. Sit back. Enjoy our show. Suspend your belief if you will. Believe in what could be. Believe in the magic.”
Magic. I shuddered. We tried so hard to hide ours. Yet, tonight Dr. Dark flirted with the possibility there might be some on this very stage. Flaunting it, right under The Bishop’s nose. It seemed to be working. The Bishop, a huge muscular man with a gleaming bald head, leaned forward eagerly in his seat. Hunger blazed in his black eyes. I was reminded of a moth to a flame. What was Dark up to?
Dr. Dark continued, quoting from our pitch cards. “Tonight? There is more to see than can be seen.” He raised his cane and motioned for the crowd to join him. The crowd shouted, “There is more to do than can be done.”
“And there is more than one way to lose your life,” The Bone Man whispered next to me. He put his arm around my shoulders. Emotion and fear clogged my voice. I looked at the row of evil that sat in the front row and nodded.
“And now, my good people, I present you with our amazing cast of Oddities.” Dr. Dark pocketed his watch, spun around, and with his arm held high over his head, smashed his cane into a brass gong that had appeared out of seemingly nowhere. The instrument had been there all along, hanging from the rafters. Dr. Dark’s power of misdirection was amazing.
A large, brightly painted canvas dropped and the image of Turk appeared, surrounded by all his exotic animals. His intricate tattoos had been drawn with glow-in-the-dark paint. The effect was stunning. Pilot stood next to him, his brass arm drawn in exaggerated proportions. His bow was loaded, an arrow pointing at the audience. He looked handsome. He looked deadly.
