mystic caravan mystery 02 - freaky lies

by Amanda M. Lee

  Luke puffed out his chest. “I am the most popular performer,” he agreed.

  Whew. Crisis averted.

  “I’m also not an idiot,” Luke added, causing my stomach to roll. “I know you’re hot to trot for our new head of security. Denying it is … well … beneath us both. You two spend every night together. It’s … annoying.”

  It was true. Ever since Kade joined the circus we’d been like magnets, seemingly drawn together by a force neither of us could identify nor fight. It had been only two weeks since our introduction (and subsequent fight) but we were already inseparable. In fact, Kade asked me to ride to Lincoln with him before breaking camp this morning, but because Luke’s nose was out of joint and he claimed I was neglecting him, I opted to placate my best friend instead of heeding my protesting girl parts. What? That’s a thing. It’s a gross and weird thing, but it’s still a thing.

  “We don’t spend every night together,” I argued. “We just … um … enjoy each other’s company.”

  “You’re so full of crap we’re going to need a plunger to get you in your trailer tonight,” Luke shot back, the absolutely disgusting visual causing me to make a face.

  “I wasn’t looking at him,” I argued. “I was just … looking at the beautiful scenery.” That sounded more plausible. Well, kind of.

  “Yes, you were looking at the mountainous peaks of his pecs and the lush valley of his butt,” Luke said. “The scenery is surely delightful in this part of the country.”

  “Fine,” I muttered, giving in to my embarrassment. “He’s just so … pretty.”

  Despite his irritation, Luke couldn’t help but smile. “He’s very pretty,” Luke agreed, staring at Kade for a moment and drinking in the man’s fine form. Because he’s gay, Luke understands Kade’s appeal. That doesn’t mean he’s a member of his fan club. “I’m going to beat him up.”

  I fought the urge to roll my eyes … and lost. “You are not. He would kick your butt from here to next Tuesday if you tried.”

  Luke scorched me with a look only years of friendship could sustain. “I am in better shape than he is,” he countered. “He has bulky muscles … like he does steroids. I have leaner muscles and I run five miles a day. He doesn’t run. He sits in your trailer with you and gazes adoringly into your eyes. He’s getting fat because of all that cooking you do.”

  “He doesn’t gaze adoringly into my eyes,” I scoffed. What? You can’t do that when you’re making out with someone nonstop. “Also, he doesn’t use steroids. He’s all natural … and perfect.” Ugh. I have no idea when I turned into such a girlie girl, but I’m aware of how annoying I sound. I just can’t seem to stop myself from saying goofy things. I blame Kade’s muscles. Apparently Luke does, too. That’s why we are constantly bickering these days.

  “He could use steroids,” Luke said, grabbing two lawn chairs from the back of the truck and setting them on the communal area between our trailers. We always parked our trailers adjacent to each other. At first it was because we adored spending time together. Then it became habit. Now, well … no matter how annoying I find him, I still love Luke. That’s the definition of family. “You wouldn’t know if he used steroids and it ended up giving him a small package because you two are still kneading the dough instead of baking the loaf.”

  “I … what?” I knit my eyebrows. Some of Luke’s phrases were hard to comprehend, especially if you are listening with only half an ear.

  “Oh, you know exactly what I’m referring to,” Luke said. “You two are kissing … and hugging … and petting every chance you get. You’re also sleeping in the same bed every night. What you’re not doing is anything else.”

  “What do you mean?” I knew exactly what he meant. That’s not a conversation I wanted to embark upon, though. I hoped Luke would have the grace to back away before things got out of hand.

  He didn’t. “I mean the lips are locking but the trailer isn’t rocking,” Luke replied, not missing a beat. “You two are stuck on second base when you should be rounding third and sliding home.”

  “You know I hate it when you use sports metaphors,” I groused, kicking his tire as I moved around the back of the truck with our tabletop grill in tow. “Besides, you have no idea what we’ve been doing.” Sadly, we hadn’t been doing anything more than Luke suggested. I didn’t want him to know that, though. Kade’s refusal to make a move – and, yes, I know I could make a move, too, but I don’t want to seem too forward – was driving me insane. My hormones were about to stage a coup.

  “Oh, I know,” Luke said. “If you were doing that you would’ve told me. You always tell me.”

  “I do not!”

  “You do, too.”

  “I do not!”

  “You do, too! Stop denying it!” Luke planted his hands on his hips and stared me down. “If you finally hit a homerun you would’ve run to my trailer the first chance you had and forced me to give you a standing ovation. I know you. Don’t deny it.”

  Crud. I hate it when he’s right. “Stop talking and start working,” I snapped. Whenever I’m faced with an uncomfortable situation my first inclination is to be mean to the person challenging me. What? It’s a personality defect. I’m not proud of it. Okay, I’m a little proud of it. Wait … what were we talking about again? Oh, yeah, right. “Get the grill ready. We need to cook dinner before it gets too late.”

  “Whatever,” Luke grumbled. “You’re the mistress of denial, though. You know that, right?”

  I did know that. I wasn’t admitting it to him, though. “Shut your trap for five minutes. You’re giving me a headache.”

  “You’re the only reason I ever get headaches,” Luke retorted.

  “What are you two arguing about?”

  We were so lost in our fight I didn’t notice Kade detach from Naida’s trailer and head in my direction. He was on top of us before I registered his presence. Crud on toast. How much did he hear?

  “Um … we were just arguing about the stuff we always argue about,” I replied lamely.

  Kade didn’t look convinced. “Uh-huh.” He shifted his attention to Luke. “What were you arguing about?”

  “Baseball,” Luke replied, not missing a beat. “Help me set up the grill, will you?”

  “Sure.” Kade amiably bobbed his head. His relationship with Luke was a work in progress. They liked each other, but they still had growing pains when it came to sharing time with me. They got along more often than they fought. “As soon as you tell me what you were arguing about I’ll help you.”

  I sent Luke a mental warning but he ignored my pointed stare.

  “We were arguing about the fact that Poet would rather watch you work with a moony look on her face than listen to me,” Luke replied, unruffled. “There was actual drool and everything.”

  I was mortified. “Shut your mouth!”

  Kade grinned as he slid a mischievous look in my direction. “Is that true?”

  “No.”

  “Yes,” Luke interjected. “I pointed out that she doesn’t have much choice but to look at you because you won’t make a move and give her something else to fixate on. You should really find your courage, by the way. She’d be much easier to deal with if she weren’t so sex deprived. Forcing her to share a bed with you but not fluffing her pillows during the process is just plain cruel.”

  Now it was Kade’s turn to be mortified. “What?” He shot me an incredulous look. “Is that what you were really talking about?”

  I didn’t want to answer, but I didn’t see a way out. “Luke was talking about it more than I was,” I replied, shrugging. “He’s obsessed with the trailer rocking.”

  “Yes, which it never does,” Luke said, grinning as Kade’s expression darkened. “I’m starting to think you play for my team and don’t want to admit it. That’s probably good for me because it’s always harder finding dates in these flat states in the middle. They’re all out buttering corn on the sly – or in special bars I’m not aware of.”

  “Oh,�
�� I intoned, realization dawning. “Buttering your corn. I get it.”

  “You sure are quick on the uptake, Ma,” Luke drawled. “I’m so glad my emotional needs are at the forefront of your concerns.”

  “We’ll find you someone,” I offered, my stomach untwisting as I realized Luke’s bad mood revolved around a lack of men rather than dwindling time with me. That was a problem I could fix. “I bet it will be easier to find someone than you think.” Luke is always happiest when he has a new crush. If I could point him in that direction instead of my non-rocking trailer things would be better. “We’ll start looking tomorrow.”

  Luke brightened at the suggestion. “That’s the best news I’ve heard all day.”

  I returned his wide grin. “I’m glad we worked this out.”

  “Me, too.”

  I shifted my attention back to unpacking his truck. “Let’s get this done, shall we? I’m starving.”

  Kade didn’t immediately respond, and when I risked a glance in his direction I found him standing with his hands on his hips staring at me. He made quite the impressive sight when he was angry. Heck, he made quite the impressive sight when he read the newspaper … and woke up in the morning … and pretty much did anything. Wait, what were we supposed to be doing again?

  “You and I are going to have a long talk tonight,” Kade warned, finally snapping out of whatever reverie briefly distracted him. “I’m going to be rocking your head before we’re done.”

  “Not her head,” Luke argued. “You need to rock something else. Do I need to draw you a diagram? Would that help? Do you prefer crayons or markers?”

  Kade ignored him. “We’re definitely going to have a talk.”

  I swallowed hard. Crap. I should’ve known he wouldn’t let that go. “I can’t wait.”

  2

  Two

  “You really didn’t have to come out here with me. I’m fine on my own.”

  After the uncomfortable conversational turn while unpacking, I was looking for any excuse to put some distance between Kade and myself before dinner. I wanted to collect my thoughts and think of something – anything really – that could explain away Luke’s words. That’s why I volunteered to walk the perimeter before our moving night ritual. I didn’t expect Kade to volunteer to go with me and ruin my plotting session.

  “I know you’re fine on your own,” Kade replied, his eyes busily scanning the surrounding area as he walked beside me. “I’m head of security, though. This is technically part of my job.”

  What we were doing had nothing to do with his job. When Kade first accepted his position with Mystic Caravan Circus he had no idea we were really circus folk by day and monster hunters by night. We spent the better part of a week hiding our true identities from him … and failed miserably. When the truth came spilling out in the form of a dead monster, he’d been flabbergasted and angry because we’d kept a secret from him. Since then he’d come to accept everyone at the circus – and their magical abilities. While he was still getting used to the way we did things he managed to refrain from being judgmental, instead seeming keen to learn. Unfortunately, I didn’t think he was out here this evening to learn, but to question me about Luke’s big mouth.

  “I just need to make sure there aren’t any unseen caves or anything,” I said, pushing a decaying branch out of the way and scanning the dense tree line. “I don’t think we have anything to worry about, though.”

  “That’s good to know,” Kade said. “I would hate to think we’d have something to worry about other than rocking trailers.”

  Of course. He just couldn’t let it go. I exhaled heavily as I turned to face him, biting the inside of my cheek as I decided how to respond. Instead of recrimination, though, I found Kade grinning. The expression threw me for a loop. “Why are you smiling?”

  “Because you’re cute when you’re trying to avoid confrontation,” Kade replied, brushing a strand of flyaway hair from my face. Summer humidity in the Midwest can be brutal, and it was supposed to be a scorcher of a week in Nebraska. I wasn’t one for makeup or caring how I looked, but now that Kade studied my face regularly I couldn’t help but feel self-conscious. “Are you really upset about … that?”

  On the surface Kade was smooth and debonair. When it came to emotions, though, he occasionally stumbled. I liked that about him. If he didn’t have at least one flaw I would be certain he wasn’t human. As it was, I was beginning to have my doubts – and it wasn’t just because he appeared perfect on the surface.

  “I’m not upset about anything,” I replied. I mostly meant it. Luke teased me about our lack of physical intimacy, but in truth, I was thrilled with the pace of our relationship. Just getting to know him was fun. “Luke was in a mood – he’s the one who brought it up.”

  “I figured that out myself,” Kade said. “You’re usually not chatty when it comes to that stuff. Still … if Luke and you are talking about this, perhaps it’s something we should discuss because we’re the ones in the … um … relationship.”

  I sighed, frustrated. I hate heavy conversations on an empty stomach. Okay, fine. I hate heavy conversations at all times. “Are we in an ‘um relationship’ or an actual relationship?” I challenged. I have no idea why I always see a problem and feel the need to make things worse. It’s a natural gift.

  “Oh, don’t do that,” Kade chided, wagging a finger in my face for emphasis. Apparently he wasn’t going to let me bait him. That was probably a good thing. “That was the wrong way to phrase that. I’m not going to let you derail this conversation. Do you want to talk about this?”

  I wanted those huge worms from the movie Tremors to come out of the dirt and swallow me whole. “I … don’t know,” I hedged. “I think talking about it is going to be uncomfortable and I’m not sure I want to be uncomfortable.”

  “Life is messy sometimes,” Kade said, shaking his head. He has a pragmatic side that’s occasionally annoying. “Do you want to know why I haven’t made a move on you yet?”

  More than anything. “I’m good.”

  Kade rolled his eyes. “You’re work. You know that, right? You’re a lot of hard work. You make me laugh, but you also make me want to scream sometimes … and I’m not a screamer.”

  “That’s good to know in case we ever start rocking the trailer,” I teased, forcing my eyes back to the perimeter and reminding myself that we actually had a chore to do that didn’t revolve around our personal lives. I wasn’t lying when I said I was glad Kade hadn’t made a move yet. No, really. Whether he wanted to keep me at somewhat of a distance and grow the relationship organically or not, I had my own reasons for not initiating the final step.

  A week earlier, my boss Maxwell “Max” Anderson admitted the real reason he hired Kade to head security for Mystic Caravan. Because we are a group of supernatural beings hunting monsters it made sense for the head of security to be supernatural, too. Kade was introduced as a human, though. He had Special Forces training, don’t get me wrong, but he was human … or so I initially thought.

  Max was like a father to me. My parents died when I was a teenager, and after a disastrous stint at a foster home I took to the streets. I made my way by picking pockets and using my magical gifts – I can read minds and bend wills when the mood strikes – to make people give me things to survive. That’s when Max found me. Instead of turning me in to the police or giving me a handout, though, he taught me a trade. I joined Mystic Caravan Circus and never looked back. It’s my home and I never wanted to leave.

  That’s why Kade’s arrival was such a surprise. The previous head of security was human, but he went out of his way to pretend he didn’t notice the magic taking place around every circus turn. I’m hardly the only supernatural being. Luke, for example, is a wolf shifter. None of the circus’s animals are real. They’re all shifters of one form or another, including a tiger and bear. We also have magical pixie twins – one of whom can control the weather and another who can shrink evildoers into voodoo dolls and sell them at
a profit. We boast a cross-dressing dwarf masquerading as a bearded lady, a petulant lamia running the house of mirrors, and Max himself. My boss is a mage, for lack of a better definition, and even I have no idea the extent of his powers or his true nature.

  Kade’s arrival sent everyone into a tizzy – and his looks set all the females panting. I may have joined in the panting but I was suspicious of everything else. That’s when I started watching Max and his interactions with Kade more closely. Kade claimed Max was his “funny uncle” (not that way) and they knew each other because Max was tight with Kade’s deceased father. That timeline never synced for me and eventually I put two and two together and came up with one. One father, that is. I realized that Max is Kade’s father and Kade has no idea.

  Ever since confronting Max – a man I love more than life itself – I found myself in a quandary. I gave Max one week to tell Kade the truth. I couldn’t fathom getting involved with Kade while harboring a secret that could blow his life apart at any moment. Max reluctantly agreed to my demand. Still, here we are. A week had passed and Max still hadn’t told Kade the truth. The longer the secret remained hidden the more precarious my position became.

  “I know you’re joking to cover up how you really feel,” Kade said, playfully poking my side. “I haven’t made a move because I don’t want to rush things.”

  “And here I thought it was because you were still having nightmares about when I disguised myself as a clown,” I said.

  Kade inadvertently shuddered. A week ago our clown went rogue and tried to kill me (and a few others). I used my glamouring power to disguise myself as a harlequin during the ensuing fight. Despite his tough guy persona, Kade harbored a fear of clowns and couldn’t quite shake the memory.

  “Don’t bring up the clown thing again,” Kade warned. “That completely freaked me out.”

  “I noticed,” I said, slipping my hand into his as we resumed our trek around the circus grounds. We needed to make sure everything was clear before setting the dreamcatcher, a magical net meant to draw evil beings into our midst and alert us so we could dispatch them under the cloak of darkness. “You wake up every night screaming, ‘Please don’t put another clown in that car.’”