mystic caravan mystery 01 - freaky days

by Amanda M. Lee

  “Yet,” Luke said. “You don’t know him yet. That will change. The country is big and there are only so many people here to talk to.”

  “Now that you’re done helping Raven, do you think you can help me?” Nixie positioned herself so she edged Raven out with her diminutive hip and focused on Kade. “I need help with my hot tub.”

  Kade arched an eyebrow. “You travel with a hot tub?”

  “My sister does,” Nixie corrected. “She’s … particular about water. If she can’t take a long bath every day she gets cranky.”

  That was an understatement. Nixie and Naida were sprites, with Naida leaning heavily on the water nymph side of the equation. If she doesn’t have a bath or a torrential downpour or two, she gets downright cranky and makes sure to conjure one herself. The hot tub was really for everyone’s protection. Explaining a monsoon in Iowa would be tricky.

  “I … um … .” Kade didn’t look thrilled with the prospect of having to set up a hot tub. I decided to help him out of the goodness of my heart.

  “Kade’s job is not to move furniture,” I said pointedly.

  Nixie had the grace to look abashed. “I’m sorry.”

  “We told you guys if you wanted to cart that hot tub around that you were responsible for setting it up,” I reminded her.

  “I know.” Nixie’s aquamarine hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail. I could see the tips of her ears as they burned.

  “Kade probably wants to set up his own trailer,” I said. “You should let him get settled so he’s comfortable. This is only his second night with us.”

  “You’re right,” Nixie said, sighing dramatically. She was barely twenty-two in human years. On the fairy plane, she was almost five hundred years old. Still, she had a young streak that was both enjoyable and annoying.

  “I’ll make sure he’s comfortable,” Raven volunteered, shooting me a challenging look I opted to ignore.

  “I’m sure Kade would love that,” I said, mustering as much faux enthusiasm as I was capable of conjuring. “I think that’s what every guy needs when he’s trying to get a feel for a new place – a sex-starved maniac throwing herself at him. That should make him feel right at home.” I had no idea why I said it. My mouth gets ahead of me sometimes. These are very rare occasions, mind you, but it does happen.

  “Oh, good, chick fight,” Seth said, sidling to the middle of the camp and plopping down on a plastic chair. We generally line up the trailers so they’re end to end and facing each other, a long pathway between them. It allows us to cut ourselves off from the paying customers. We don’t want well-meaning visitors to get curious and let themselves into our world. It’s for safety and comfort.

  We also erect a communal eating area in the center of the campground, complete with a barbecue and tables and chairs. Some of our meals are spent together, including a big dinner on the night we set up. Speaking of that … .

  “We should start getting dinner ready,” I said, shooting Seth a disapproving look. “Aren’t you on grilling duty tonight?”

  Seth offered me a half-hearted salute. “You’re such a slave driver.”

  “Just do it.”

  Luke and I returned to our setup, both lost in thought, until Kade ambled in our direction. He watched us work for a few minutes and then curiosity got the better of him.

  “Do you two always put your trailers right next door to each other?” Kade asked.

  “I’m addicted to Poet’s wit and sarcasm,” Luke said, winking in my direction. “If I’m not close to her I go through withdrawal.”

  “Ha, ha,” I muttered.

  “How long have you two been dating?” Kade’s eyes were keen as they settled on me.

  “Oh, we’re not dating,” Luke said.

  I shot him a look. “We’re very close to one another,” I said. “We’ve been together like this for … what is it … nine years now?”

  Luke nodded, his eyes narrowing as he watched me. “I guess.”

  “When you spend as much time together as we all do, you want to make sure you put someone who isn’t going to drive you insane on either side of you,” I explained.

  “I drive you insane twenty times a day,” Luke countered.

  “You do not.”

  “I do too,” Luke said. “You threatened to gag me during the drive.”

  I extended a warning finger in his direction. “That’s because you found that radio station that was having a throwback to boy bands and insisted on singing every song you could at the top of your lungs.”

  “I still maintain that O-Town is underrated,” Luke argued.

  Kade pressed his lips together, his gaze bouncing between the two of us. “I see. Well, I … do you need help with anything?”

  “I think Poet has something she needs help with in her bedroom,” Luke teased, his eyes sparkling.

  Kade either missed the joke or opted to ignore it. “What do you need help with?”

  “I … um … .” I felt my cheeks burning. “I’m fine. Everything is under control.”

  “Are you sure?” Kade’s angular face was pointed in my direction. “I want to help if I can.”

  “He wants to help, Poet.” Luke was practically singing he was so giddy.

  “I’m fine,” I said, fighting to stop myself from mentally zinging Luke – something I was more than capable of when the mood struck. “We’ll have dinner ready in about an hour.”

  “What are we having?”

  He asked a lot of questions. It was starting to bug me. “Hot dogs, hamburgers, potato salad, watermelon … you know, the usual picnic stuff.”

  “I can’t wait,” Kade said. “I’m really looking forward to learning about the whole process at this place. I’ll bet you guys have some interesting rituals.”

  That was an odd way of putting it. Did he know something? “We have a routine,” I said, choosing my words carefully. “Everyone likes to stick to a routine.”

  “Well, that should be fun.” Kade shot me one more smile before walking off, jumping as Nixie appeared out of nowhere to talk his ear off. He offered her an amiable smile, but it was obvious he wasn’t interested in the chatty pixie.

  “What do you think?” Luke asked, moving up behind me.

  “I think he might know more than he’s letting on.”

  Luke snorted. “That’s not what I’m talking about.”

  “What are you talking about?” With him, I never know. He goes off on weird tangents and sometimes it takes me hours to follow.

  “Are you playing hard to get or are you going to let him get the goods when you think no one is looking?” Luke asked.

  My mouth dropped open and I shot him an incredulous look. “Excuse me?”

  “Oh, honey, you’re so transparent,” Luke drawled. “You think he’s hot. Don’t worry. He thinks you’re hot, too.”

  “I do not think he’s hot!”

  “Whatever.” Luke turned back to his task. “When you’re ready to admit you want to see him naked, you know where to find me.”

  “That’s never going to happen.”

  “Never say never.”

  “SO, give me the rundown,” Kade said, settling in the chair next to me a few hours later and lifting his chin to look at the stars. “It is beautiful out here, by the way. You forget how many stars there are when you spend a lot of time in cities.”

  “It’s Des Moines.”

  “So? Does that mean it can’t be beautiful?”

  “That’s not what I meant,” I protested. “It’s just … I guess you forget how fun this can be for a newbie. Most of us have been doing this for a long time. We’re a little jaded.”

  “You should try to look at the bright side of things.”

  “Like the stars?”

  Kade grinned. “You are very sarcastic,” he said. “You’re also pouty and secretive.”

  The hair on the back of my neck stood up. “What do you mean?”

  “You don’t want to volunteer information about how this place
runs because you’re hoping I’ll fail.”

  “Oh.” I exhaled heavily. “That’s not really what I’m doing.”

  “It feels as if that’s what you’re doing,” Kade countered. “You’re bothered by me being here. I get that. It will be an adjustment for everyone.”

  “I think most people have welcomed you with open arms,” I countered, my gaze landing on a suspicious-looking Raven as she studied us from across the fire pit. “Raven and Nixie were practically clawing each other’s eyes out as they competed for your attention this afternoon.”

  “Does that bother you?”

  “No,” I said, furrowing my brow. “I was merely pointing out that you’re acting as if you’re getting the cold shoulder when the exact opposite is true.”

  “I guess that’s a fair point,” Kade conceded. “That doesn’t mean you like me, though.”

  “I don’t know you.”

  “You can get to know me if you put in a little effort.”

  “I … fine,” I said, tilting my head to the side so I could study him. “Why didn’t you go back to the Marines after your mother died?”

  “I considered it. I never really thought of myself as a lifer, though, and since I was already out it made sense to try to find a place where I fit instead of running back to a world where I would never be content.”

  “That’s almost poetic,” I said.

  “It wasn’t meant to be,” Kade replied, smirking. “I don’t know what I want from this life but I’m anxious to get a chance to see what’s out there. I like the idea of traveling to different places. It’s true that I never thought I would settle with a circus, but everyone seems nice and friendly … well, except for you.”

  “I’ll have you know that I’m a very friendly person.”

  “So I’ve seen,” Kade said, nodding. “With everyone else but me. You probably don’t realize it, but everyone here loves you. They respect you. You’re their leader, even more than Max.”

  I had no idea how to respond to that.

  “All afternoon I’ve been hearing about how great you are,” Kade said. “I think it has to be true if so many people are saying it.”

  “Raven said I was great?” I couldn’t help but be dubious.

  Kade chuckled. “Raven said you were … strict. I think that was the word she used.”

  Strict? I didn’t like the sound of that. Of course Raven would think I was strict, though. I’d banned her from making potions in her trailer because you could smell them for almost a mile in any direction. “Do you think I’m strict?”

  “I think you’ve got your nose out of joint because you think Max is taking something away from you and giving it to me,” Kade replied. “I’m looking forward to the day you realize that we can make this place even better if we work together.”

  Oh, well, great. He was trying to be reasonable. I hate that. It would be much easier to dislike him if he was mean and nasty. “If I’ve made you feel uncomfortable, I apologize,” I said. “That wasn’t my intention.”

  “How about we start fresh tomorrow?” Kade offered. “I’ll meet you here for the big walkthrough and we’ll pretend none of the … sarcasm … ever happened. How does that sound?”

  “Fine,” I said, resigned. “I can’t wait to show you the ropes.”

  “Me either.” Kade shot me one more enigmatic smile and then moved away, leaving me with a rolling heart and conflicted thoughts. I wasn’t alone for long.

  “How are we going to set the dreamcatcher tonight?” Luke asked, plopping down in Kade’s vacated chair. “He’s not showing any signs of going to bed and we can’t do it in front of him.”

  That was an interesting question. “I think he’s going to be up late,” I said. “He’s excited by the newness of everything.”

  “We need to set up some form of protection.”

  He was right. “Tell Nixie and Raven to go on their own and put up wards. I’ll do the same with Naida. If we can get through the night we’ll come up with a plan to distract Kade long enough to set the dreamcatcher at dusk tomorrow.”

  “Do you think that’s safe?” Luke’s expression was serious.

  “I don’t see where we have a lot of options right now,” I replied. “I don’t think anyone will come tonight. We haven’t been here long enough to draw a crowd. We can’t go through tomorrow night unprotected, though.”

  “Okay,” Luke said, instinctively squeezing my hand. “Did you and Romeo make plans to see each other naked yet?”

  “I will beat you, Luke!”

  Five

  Kade was keen to get started the next morning. I hate all hours between when I get up and noon, so my reaction was more muted.

  “I haven’t had any coffee yet.”

  “Do you need coffee?” Kade looked disappointed.

  “Dude, if you don’t get caffeine and breakfast in her you’re going to wish you’d never met her,” Luke offered, his eyes still puffy with sleep.

  “He already wishes that,” I groused.

  “I do not,” Kade snapped. “Wow. I thought you were grouchy in the afternoons.”

  “I’m not grouchy.”

  “She’s grouchy before noon,” Luke said. He gestured to the open spot at the table next to him. “Sit down. Poet is making eggs, hash browns and toast. You can get a good breakfast in you before you take your big tour. That will allow Poet to eat and have eight cups of coffee.”

  Kade arched an eyebrow. “Eight?”

  “You have no idea what bitchy looks like until you’ve spent a morning with Poet and a broken coffee machine,” Luke replied, nonplussed. “Trust me. You want her caffeinated.”

  “Okay.” Kade glanced in my direction. “I thought you were going to cook?”

  I narrowed my eyes.

  “Don’t poke the bear,” Luke warned. “She’ll cook when she’s ready. Isn’t that right, love of my life?”

  “I will beat you,” I warned. “I’m stronger than you. We both know it.” I shuffled back into the trailer. When I returned with breakfast fixings, I found Luke and Kade chatting away as if they’d been friends for two decades instead of acquaintances for two days.

  “I think it depends on what you like,” Luke said. “A lot of these states in the middle all look alike. When you can go someplace like Arizona … or New Orleans … or even Michigan, you’ll find that the scenery changes and you have more to look at.”

  “Isn’t Arizona all dust?” Kade asked.

  “Have you ever seen a dust storm?”

  Kade shook his head.

  “They’re fun to watch,” Luke explained. “We’re in the middle of a long stretch of states that all look the same. Well, at least they look the same to me.”

  “I think it’s cool that we get to travel to so many different places,” Kade said. “As far as the U.S. goes, I’ve only been to three or four states.”

  “Then you’re going to have a great time,” Luke said. “Personally, I only get up for the big cities now.”

  “What cities do you like?”

  “I’m a huge fan of Vegas.”

  “He likes the showgirls,” I teased, mixing the eggs in a bowl and folding them onto the griddle in the middle of our small grill. “Most people have an aversion to sequins and feathers, but Luke loves them.”

  “You’re so funny,” Luke grumbled.

  “I’m sorry,” I said. “You like the slot machines, too.”

  “I like to gamble,” Luke explained. “Poet says it’s a waste of time and money, but I find it exhilarating.”

  “I’ve never been much of a gambler,” Kade said. “Vegas isn’t my type of city.”

  “What kind of city do you like?”

  “I’ve always wanted to see New Orleans,” Kade said. “I wouldn’t mind checking out Denver, too.”

  Luke snorted. “You and Poet will get along fine when you stop measuring … .”

  “Don’t finish that sentence,” I warned.

  “Poet loves New Orleans,” Luke said, cha
nging course. “She loves the voodoo people.”

  “I love the music and food,” I countered.

  “The music and food are great,” Luke conceded, “but I like bright lights and the chance to win money.”

  “I can see that,” Kade said, his eyes shifting from Luke to me. “Where did you grow up?”

  “Michigan,” I replied. “A small town in northern Lower Michigan.”

  “How did you hook up with Max?”

  “I moved down to Detroit when I was eighteen,” I explained. “I saw the circus advertised on a billboard, so I went to check it out. I ran into Max and we got to talking. The next thing I knew he offered me a job.”

  “As a business manager?”

  “As a fortune teller,” I corrected. “He had an opening and I had nothing keeping me in the city.” It wasn’t a total lie. It wasn’t the truth either. When Max happened upon me I was grifting, reading people’s minds so I could scam their wallets. I’d always been a master of minds – usually other people’s and not my own – and I never knew a world existed in which I could use my gift for anything other than survival. Max showed me a new world, and I would be forever grateful.

  “How about you?” Kade asked, turning back to Luke. “Did you grow up with Poet?”

  “I didn’t meet Poet until she joined us,” Luke replied. “I was a young … pup … fresh out of an Ohio high school. I always dreamed of running away to join the circus. That’s what I did as soon as I could.”

  “And you and Poet were friends right from the start?” Kade pressed.

  “I loved her from the moment she told me that muscle shirts were gross no matter how built I was,” Luke said, winking at me. “She was mean … and she had attitude … but I loved her all the same.”

  “That’s cute,” Kade said. “For some reason I assumed you two grew up together.”

  “That’s because we have all the social graces of fighting siblings,” Luke said.

  “Is that how you look at each other? As siblings?”

  Kade’s question was pointed, and I had no idea how to answer. Thankfully, Luke did it for me.

  “I think of her as the best friend I’ve ever had,” Luke said. “I watch out for her as if she’s my sister, though, so don’t get fresh.”