Vagabond Circus Series Boxed Set

by Sarah Noffke

  A flock of birds sprung into the air, startled by the loud bang.

  Epilogue

  LA Times

  Summer Time, Circus Time

  Summer is here and that means that the Vagabond Circus is gearing up for another season. The circus is celebrating its 21st year and there’ve been many changes. For one, there are new owners, Finley Raydon and Titus Rogers. The two have really set the bar high, promising to bring the circus to more cities this year, and thereby spreading more magic. They’ve also hired a few new performers who will definitely bring more awe-inspiring moments to the show. And even though Dave Raydon has passed the circus on to his son, he won’t be absent from the venture he started twenty-one years ago. Last year he was replaced as ringmaster by Charles Knight, but Rogers stated in an interview that Knight wasn’t the right fit for the circus. The Vagabond Circus and Knight mutually agreed that his time with the circus should be short. They had tried something new to switch things up but have decided to return the circus to a dreamier feel. So if you’re like me and prefer the whimsical circus to the nightmarish one, then you’re in luck. Check out the show, which promises to have some new and old stars returning.

  ***

  “You’re going to do great,” Zuma said, placing a hand on the young boy’s shoulder. She leaned down and kissed Benjamin on the cheek, making him blush. “You were born for this role.”

  He smiled so wide at the acrobat that his eyes could hardly see. “Okay,” he agreed and turned for the curtain.

  Zuma felt the hand in hers and turned to find Finley behind her. “If you’re giving out kisses, I would take one.”

  She rose on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on his cheek but using his super speed he whipped his head forward so the kiss landed on his mouth. Zuma giggled against his lips, loving the free feeling happiness gave her. The lovers were so engrossed in each other that they didn’t realize that the show had started until the music boomed overhead. The lights dimmed as a single spotlight shone down in the middle of the ring.

  “Gadies and lentlemen,” the voice of Dave Raydon said and was immediately followed by deafening applause.

  “He’s back!” people in the crowd yelled.

  “Woohoo!” a boy screamed, jumping up and down in his seat.

  Not until that first show did the public know that Dave Raydon had returned as the ringmaster.

  Zuma turned to peek through the crack in the curtain, Finley’s arm around her shoulders, holding her into him. There in the middle of the ring stood a man who no one would ever suspect wasn’t Dr. Dave Raydon. He wore the same teal blue suit and top hat. The same broad grin, and the same easy manner. And most importantly, Benjamin had in his heart the purpose of bringing magic to life and that exuded from the performance. “Welcome to Vagabond Zoo,” he said and the crowd exploded with laughter.

  “Why are you laughing at me?” he said in the voice of Dr. Dave Raydon.

  “It’s not a zoo!” people shouted.

  “It isn’t?” he said, pulling his hat off his head and scratching his smooshed down hair.

  Zuma smiled and turned to Finley. “He’s doing a brilliant job.”

  Finley’s fond eyes were on the man in the center of the ring. The one who was his father and also wasn’t. “Yeah,” he said, attempting to swallow. Zuma placed her hands on his chest to borrow his attention.

  “Mr. Raydon, are you ready for our first act?” she said to him.

  He brought his eyes to hers. “Yes, Ms. Zanders,” Finley said and kissed her once on the cheek. His gaze was over her shoulder at the man he would never truly know, but would love with all his heart.

  ***

  Zuma and Finley stood on the platform for the flying trapeze. They wore their matching teal blue and neon green leotards. Hers was cut high like a one-piece swimsuit. His was a full suit covered in brilliant gems. The pair held onto the scaffolding with one hand, leaning out over the platform, waving out to the crowd.

  “There they are!” people yelled.

  “He’s back!” someone in the crowd said.

  “Woohoo!” the crowd chorused.

  Finley stepped up, taking the bar Zuma handed to him. With a “hup” the trick started. Finley jumped off the platform with an incredible height, swung forward and then back, clearing the platform and rising fifteen feet above it. That was the height he needed for the trick to be successful. He flew forward and at precisely the perfect moment he released off the bar and spun once, twice, three times and then when the crowd thought that was it, he soared in a tight ball at super speed a fourth time. Finley laid himself out and there was a bit of a distance from his catcher so he teleported a foot to ensure he was caught.

  Jack swung forward and clapped his hands around Finley’s outstretched arms completing the quadruple. The pair of acrobats swung back as the crowd stood with applause. Jack looked down from his upturned position into the eyes of his friend.

  “Nice catch,” Finley mouthed up to him. He couldn’t be heard over the applause.

  “Anytime,” Jack said and released Finley, who dropped down to the net. After he dismounted Jack pulled his legs off the bar and dropped to the net as well. And then he joined Finley on the ground where they both bowed to a crowd who had bright eyes and a renewed belief in magic.

  The End.

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  Acknowledgements:

  When I was a little girl I didn’t dream of being a writer. That was a preposterous idea. I grew up reading Kahlil Gibran, Emily Dickinson, and Judy Blume. I knew who good writers were, and that wasn’t me. I set my sights on something more realistic. I was going to be an Olympic gymnast. Makes sense, right? And as fate had it, my pride got the best of me and I quit gymnastic and became a super huge nerd…and later a writer. I still have callouses, but they’re from typing my books on my phone. Did I forget that this is the acknowledgement page and mistake this as a blog entry? No. I’m still coherent…mostly. Anyway, I became a writer because of awesome supporters. People who believed in me. Who pushed me. Nurse Fanny is named after a freshman English professor who did this for me. I remember Trudy Swedlund calling me a tiger on my first day of college. Then later on she praised me for my papers, again and again. And it’s because of people like her and many others that I have the confidence to write. So thank you to those who in the past and in the present gave me encouraging words. It made me start and keeps me going. Thank you to my readers. You’re my Trudy Swedlunds now.

  Thank you to my friends. You’re my first readers. My biggest supporters. Where would I be without you all? I’d be sad. A little lonely. And laugh a lot less. But also I wouldn’t have the encouragement I need to write. For some of you, I write just to keep you entertained.

  Thank you to Christine LePorte, my editor. I love that we have this long standing writer/editor relationship. And I love even more when you offer me praise, because I know you are one of the few objective people who read my books. That’s why you’re great at your job.

  Thank you to my cover designer, Andrei Bat. When we completed this cover, I actually held my breath. It only lasted a few seconds, because I can’t spare any brain cells, but it was really that good. Your designs take my breath away. There, I said it.

  Thank you to Dominic and Maja who run the Goodreads fan group. You amaze me with your support and encouragement. I feel so lucky that you picked up my books in the first place, and continue to do so. Thank you for the bookmarks, Dominic. They are simply marvelous.

  Thank you to BOD and all the supporters there. I could fill up another book listing all the people from that group who amaze me with their support. Best group ever, run by amazing ladies. Thank you.

  Thank you to my family for all the support and encouragement. To my Texas family, thank you for reading and the lovely praise. Thank you to my sister, Anne. You’ve always been my biggest supporter in everything. To my nieces and
nephews, thank you for all your kind words. Thank you to my sister, Bea. I hope to make you proud. Thank you to my parents and in-laws.

  Thank you to my beta readers: Heidi, Colleen, and Melinda. Thank you to ARC readers. OMG, there’s so many of you now!!! Do you know how happy that makes me? I love you all. I might forget someone so forgive me in advance. Thank you to Katie, Katy, Kimberly, Dominic, Maja, Tamika, Anna, Christine, Elizabeth, Lesley, Heidi, Kelly, Kit, Kira, Tiffany, Nicole and Karen. Thank you to my devoted readers. Kathy, Stephanie, Christine, Cheree, Cheryl, Elizabeth, Katy, Vikki, Alicia, Shelah, Jennifer, Diane and April. I know no matter how crappy my post are you’ll Like and Share. You’re so good to me. Don’t stop. Seriously. Ever.

  I want to say a giant thank you to my author friends. I firmly believe that when we support each other that we all do better. And you all continue to inspire me with your stories, your journeys, and your relentless passion. I love that I can share my ideas with you and that you in turn give me great ideas. I’ve learned so much from other authors. I’m constantly humbled by the people I get to work with. Thank you!

  Thank you to Luke. And you know why. Because you’re awesome and encouraging. And you keep supporting me while I do what I do. Which the more and more that I do it, it feels like a real profession. That’s thanks to you.

  This is my tenth novel. I will not be breaking tradition here. The final thank, as always, goes to my daughter Lydia. In your eyes I see so much of the strength in my characters. In your smile I see the magic that inspired this circus. And in your words, I feel the passion that became this book. Forever and always, my muse. I love you.

  Love,

  Sarah

  About the Author:

  Sarah is the author of the Lucidites, Reverians, Vagabond Circus and Ren series. She’s been everything from a corporate manager to a hippie. Her taste for adventure has taken her all over the world. If you can’t find her at the gym, then she’s probably at the frozen yogurt shop. If you can’t find her there then she probably doesn’t want to be found. She is a self-proclaimed hermit, with spontaneous urges to socialize during full moons and when Mercury is in retrograde. Sarah lives in Central California with her family. To learn more about Sarah please visit: http://www.sarahnoffke.com

  Check out other work by this author:

  The Lucidites Series:

  Awoken, #1:

  Around the world humans are hallucinating after sleepless nights.

  In a sterile, underground institute the forecasters keep reporting the same events.

  And in the backwoods of Texas, a sixteen-year-old girl is about to be caught up in a fierce, ethereal battle.

  Meet Roya Stark. She drowns every night in her dreams, spends her hours reading classic literature to avoid her family’s ridicule, and is prone to premonitions—which are becoming more frequent. And now her dreams are filled with strangers offering to reveal what she has always wanted to know: Who is she? That’s the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out. But will Roya live to regret learning the truth?

  Stunned, #2

  Revived, #3

  The Reverians Series:

  Defects, #1:

  In the happy, clean community of Austin Valley, everything appears to be perfect. Seventeen-year-old Em Fuller, however, fears something is askew. Em is one of the new generation of Dream Travelers. For some reason, the gods have not seen fit to gift all of them with their expected special abilities. Em is a Defect—one of the unfortunate Dream Travelers not gifted with a psychic power. Desperate to do whatever it takes to earn her gift, she endures painful daily injections along with commands from her overbearing, loveless father. One of the few bright spots in her life is the return of a friend she had thought dead—but with his return comes the knowledge of a shocking, unforgivable truth. The society Em thought was protecting her has actually been betraying her, but she has no idea how to break away from its authority without hurting everyone she loves.

  Rebels, #2

  Warriors, #3

  Ren: The Man Behind the Monster:

  Born with the power to control minds, hypnotize others, and read thoughts, Ren Lewis, is certain of one thing: God made a mistake. No one should be born with so much power. A monster awoke in him the same year he received his gifts. At ten years old. A prepubescent boy with the ability to control others might merely abuse his powers, but Ren allowed it to corrupt him. And since he can have and do anything he wants, Ren should be happy. However, his journey teaches him that harboring so much power doesn't bring happiness, it steals it. Once this realization sets in, Ren makes up his mind to do the one thing that can bring his tortured soul some peace. He must kill the monster. *Note* This book is NA and has strong language, violence and sexual references.

  Ren: God’s Little Monster #2

  Ren: The Monster Inside the Monster #3

  Spanish version of The Lucidites Series:

  Awoken: Despertada

  Stunned: Atonita

  Revived: Resucitada

  Sneak Peek of Defects (The Reverians Series, #1):

  Prologue

  My fingers tremble as I assemble the pieces.

  He’ll be back in a few minutes.

  I blink away the sweat dripping into my eyes. I can’t afford to swipe it away.

  The two ceramic pieces chip at the edges as I try to match them up to how they should align. I know he keeps glue in his front desk drawer. Everyone does. We fix things that are broken. I slip the tube from the drawer and dab a glob of adhesive on the center of one of the broken pieces and then press it against its counterpart. I’m so used to fixing things, but now I’m not doing it because it’s the law. I’m doing it because if he finds out I was here he’ll punish me with night terrors again.

  The pieces slip just as the glue is setting. Ragged breath hitches in my parched throat. If he finds out I was here, that there was a trespassing… I press the pieces together so firmly the glue seeps out and threatens to cement my fingers to the statue. Footsteps in the hallway. Soft-soled shoes. His. I know his gait.

  I release my fingers from the statue. It teeters but stands, looking unmarked by the fall it recently experienced. But will it stay up?

  The envelope still sits neatly on the mahogany desk. It was my own nervous reaction to it that shook the statue down from its high place on the shelf. I knew I should come here and look first. Knew I’d find information. My father always told me, “Instinct is the gods tapping you on the head.” Still, I wish I knew what lay inside the folds of that envelope that bears my name.

  The key slides into the lock, a sound like a reluctant bell. I close my eyes and dream travel back to my body, pulling my consciousness out of its current location.

  Chapter One

  My house is haunted. I’ve never seen a ghost in it, but Tutu, whose gift is seeing the dead, says there are many who reside in our home. I haven’t received my gift yet. At age seventeen that’s rare. My sister, Dee, teases me that this is a sure sign our mother had an affair with Ed, the mailman, who’s a Middling—a person who can’t dream travel, has no gifts. I pretend this is a joke but with each passing year I believe it could be a possibility. My family is pureblooded Dream Travelers and they’re all gifted with strong talents since puberty. And although I dream travel I have no other talents, which is a first in the Fuller family. My grandmother, who I call Tutu, has three abilities. My mother, two. Even my older sister, Dee, has her gift—which she spends every single opportunity rubbing in my face. Since I have no super power I’ve reverted to spreading false rumors about her all over Austin Valley.

  “You’re going to be late again,” Dee says, sounding pleased by the prospect.

  “Thanks for the reminder,” I say, not meaning it.

  I slip my favorite organic bamboo blouse over my head and hurry out of the room I share with my sister. With one hand I smooth my hair and the other guides me down the banister as I take the stairs two at a time.

  “I’m sure his mother would lov
e the opportunity to be interviewed,” my mother says to a visitor in her usual subdued tone. I don’t even chance a glance at her as I scurry to the entryway, head low. Maybe this visitor will actually save me from being scolded. The brass doorknob is cold under my palm. I wrench the door open and pull it back, a rush of warm June air greeting me at once.

  “Not so fast there, Em,” my mother says.

  I freeze. Push the door closed. Turn and face her.

  My mother stands in the threshold of the sitting room, her hands firmly pinned to her hips. “You’re late for your meeting with your father.”

  “Which is why I’m rushing to get out of here,” I say, sweeping my eyes to the person my mother was talking to. Zack. He’s giving me a curious expression, arms crossed in front of his suit jacket.

  “Have I not instilled in you the proper manners to know you should greet and say farewell to everyone you come in contact with?” she says, shaking her head at me.

  “Hi, Mother. Hi, Zack. I’m leaving before Father kills me for being late. Goodbye,” I say, turning on my toes. I slip my hand onto the door handle again, but don’t even dare to open it.

  “Em?”

  I turn and stare at my mother. Her red hair is pulled back into a tight low bun. Her sleeveless black turtleneck must be stifling in this heat. “Yes, Mother?” I say, working hard to keep the irritation out of my voice.