The Fire Dancer

by Kristen Strassel

  “I summoned a flame.” I pretended to be bored again, and tried to make myself comfortable on the couch. “But that’s not a good idea in a room with no way out.”

  Cash sat in a high-backed leather chair that looked like it belonged more in castle than a basement. I swore I could hear screams as he settled. I closed my eyes and the sound intensified. Desperation. Starvation. Insanity. Bethlem. It swirled around me, and I had to clutch the sofa to stay in the room and not get dragged to the place Cash had brought this chair from. “That’s my girl.”

  My eyes snapped open. “I’m not your girl.”

  He chuckled. It was getting annoying. “You are, Holly, more than you know.”

  It took everything I had to keep from reacting to him, because that’s what he wanted. I was not about to give this man what he wanted. No matter what he knew. Cash picked up on my resolve, and leaned forward. “Let’s get down to business. I know you have to prepare for your performance tonight. What do you know about Talis de Rancourt?”

  “Nothing she doesn’t want me to.” But I had a feeling that was about to change. “Lucille brought us to Vegas because of her. For whatever reason, she thought we could get in the way of her success. She partnered with another clan leader, wanted me to work with those vampires.” I shuddered, and Cash nodded. “It went badly, to say the least.”

  If that information affected Cash, he didn’t show it. “Lucille brought you here because she knew I’d follow. She didn’t mean for you to destroy Talis, she meant for me to do it.”

  “Why does Lucille want you here? She doesn’t want me anywhere near you.” Lucille was going to flip her shit when she found out Cash was taking over Le Cirque Macabre.

  Unless she was in on it.

  “Because Lucille didn’t think I could destroy her.” Cash didn’t sound angry, more hurt. I never expected him to reveal vulnerability to me. “I was created to love Talis. She was my queen, but she didn’t want me. She didn’t just send me away, she followed me, like a cat would toy with its prey, for many years.”

  I saw him in another time, a long coat pulled around his body to protect him from the cold, standing outside a building, peering up into a window. Rich laughter floated away from the window, the kind that a man and woman can only produce when they shared something not meant for the rest of the world. Cash walked away from the building, head down to protect himself from the elements, but nothing could shield him from the pain of his heart breaking. My own chest ached with the memory.

  “Then why would she think that you could do it now?” I asked.

  “Talis is nothing if not a business woman. She’s been successful because she’s a self-centered bitch that always put herself first. It’s something a lot of women hesitate to do. She was a born leader. What she’s done with Immortal Dilemma has infuriated many of our kind. We lived quietly for centuries. Contrary to the legends, we don’t need to kill people to survive.” His smile made me shudder. “But taking life is the ultimate ecstasy.”

  “That’s what the vampires claim on the show.” Lucille forced us to watch the reality show associated with the Vegas performances, Immortal Forever. It was little more than a sex romp set to a heavy metal soundtrack, soaked in booze and debauchery. We didn’t attract the frenzy at Le Cirque that the vampires across the street from us did. It seemed like another planet. Of course, we weren’t promising the chance of mind-blowing sex. “How much of that is real?”

  Noah had tried to show me, but I didn’t want it.

  “All of it,” Cash snapped. “Immortal Dilemma isn’t my concern. Talis is. Or was. Someone else has taken care of that for us.”

  That was the last thing I expected to hear. “Who could do that?”

  “A brand new vampire.” Cash nodded at my confusion. “And that’s what actually brought me here. No offense, you certainly fascinate me, but I always meant to watch you from the shadows.”

  A chill swept over my body. Nothing with vampires made sense. “None taken.” Even if I was creeped out. “But if Talis is gone, why does this concern me?”

  All of this for nothing. There was a lot to be pissed off about. But so much more to be thankful for. I’d be still be nobody if I wasn’t in the show. I needed the adoration. Without it, I was completely empty.

  “This new vampire, Blade Bennett, can control fire.” Cash finally got to the point. He leaned forward, his fingertips pressed together, close enough I could see his hazel eyes glitter with excitement. I hated how envious I was of this new vampire. “It’s how he destroyed Talis. It’s been a long time since a vampire has had that sort of power.”

  “So what do you want me to do?” Because that’s what this came down to.

  “Find out how he does it.” Cash stood and headed to the door. “I need him.”

  Chapter Six

  “I can’t do that!” I chased Cash up the stairs. He moved too quickly for me to keep up with, and I wasn’t convinced he wouldn’t lock me away in his chamber. His reveal was a relief, but I was still pissed. Something about Cash touched me, and I wanted to be the same to him. Special. And not because I had something he needed.

  “I understand that your preferences lean toward the feminine persuasion.” His eyes raked up and down my body. I couldn’t wait for that feeling to burn away during tonight’s show. “But aren’t you curious, Holly? There’s someone else like you out there. You’re not the only one anymore.”

  “I am curious.” Emotions swirled through my body faster than I could control. Fear and jealousy twisted with excitement. I thought again about Bethlem. The possibility of more like me, and now Blade. Now back in the hallway, I had to lean against the wall and concentrate on not igniting. “But why do you need him if you have me?”

  “Gone are the days of the two-headed dolls and the men with the forked tongues. Science can take care of that now. But where does that leave people like us? Exposed. All we can rely on is exploiting the darkness within our souls, and the rare individual who has a special talent. Exceptional strength. Mind control. The ability to control the elements. That’s why I need Blade.” Cash tipped my chin up so I met his gaze. They were almost solid gold, metallic. “The two of you will make an exquisite team, both of you able to do something that science has yet to figure out.”

  “What if I don’t want a partner?” I pulled away from him and marched toward my dressing room. “People come to this show to see me.”

  Cash caught my shoulder just before I reached my door. “Stop being so selfish. Blade wasn’t born to this. But Talis saw something in him. She wanted him. He was a musician, or in this town, the equivalent of a male whore. She knew he had something she could profit from. He walked away from her once. When she tried to take him by force, he destroyed her. You have that kind of power inside you. Imagine if you knew what to do with it.”

  “I’m not a vampire.” We were drawing a crowd, though no one dared come too close.

  “You had no idea what you were until I told you.” Cash let go of me, satisfied that he proved his point. I stumbled back. “We’re going to make a great team.”

  RAINEY WASN’T IN MY dressing room when I returned. I found in her booth in the lobby, frowning as she smoothed the velvet scarf she laid her tarot cards on. She didn’t need them, but sometimes they helped explain her visions. I took the seat meant for her customers and waited for her to acknowledge me. This was how she always acted when she didn’t get her way. She retreated. I had to let her come around.

  “I don’t want to talk to you right now, Holly.” She pulled her favorite deck of Goddess tarot cards out of her bag. Taking them out of the satin pouch, they were still wrapped in a scarf. She laid the deck on the table but didn’t touch it. She didn’t need it to read me. “You’ve made your decision.”

  “What? I haven’t made any decisions.” There was no way she could’ve known what happened in that hallway. This was more like Rainey made a decision. My heart pounded. Cash Logan might need me, but I would always need Rainey. “Don�
�t you want to hear what Cash told me?”

  “Not really. If he wanted me to know, I would have been invited to the meeting.” Rainey unwrapped the deck slowly and flipped over the first card. She smiled sadly and handed it to me.

  Ukemochi. The Transformation card. Or in other decks, Death.

  How appropriate.

  “The ending brings a new beginning,” Rainey said, like I didn’t know what the card meant. “I’ve been sitting here thinking about you. About us. You get smaller the further I look into the future. I’m losing you.”

  “You’re not,” I whispered. “Things are changing, but what if it’s for the better?” I wasn’t sure how convincing that was, because I couldn’t believe it yet. But I had to make her think so. “You’ve always been a part of my journey.”

  “Hey, that’s Holly Octane!” A random voice called from the middle of the lobby. I forced myself to smile as I turned around. Showtime. “Can I have your autograph?”

  “Sure, sugar. What’s your name?” I stood up, plastering a smile on my face like Bette had told me to do when dealing with fans. It made this whole exchange slightly less uncomfortable.

  “I’m Jimmy, and this is Nick. God, you’re gorgeous.” Nick’s eyes were glued to the top of my sweatshirt zipper, which stopped just low enough that it gave him a hint of cleavage. I didn’t have much. Jimmy patted his shirt and his pants pockets, then turned to Rainey. “You got a pen?”

  She handed him a marker without saying a word. “You guys should get your fortune read,” I said as I signed my name on the show program, flowery metallic letters under a puffy heart. “See what the future holds.”

  “Are you in it, hot stuff?” Nick asked, banging his hand against Jimmy’s arm, their beer breath clouding over our heads as they laughed at their own jokes.

  “You didn’t let me finish, boys.” It took everything I had to stay in character. “Rainey is the best Seer in Las Vegas.”

  They didn’t care about Rainey. It broke my heart. If she could ignite, she would have already burst into flames. “Then I bet she can see to take a photo.” Nick shoved his phone at her. I shrugged an apology. The show was already on the verge of implosion. We couldn’t afford to piss fans off. Rainey’s vision of me getting smaller could mean many things.

  “Can you call up a little fire for the picture, Holly?” Jimmy’s hand was dangerously close to my ass.

  I swatted it away. “That wouldn’t be safe.” Even though I’d love to burn him.

  “Say Macabre.” Rainey’s voice was flat as she took the picture, then tossed the phone back to Nick. He bobbled it before he got a firm grip on it. When I turned away from the guys, Rainey was already gone.

  I ran into the theater to see Rainey headed backstage. “Rainey. It’s part of my job.” I meant the picture, but I could’ve meant Cash, too. He’d be the one signing our paychecks.

  She stopped and turned, and I crashed into her. I tried to put my arm around her shoulder but she shrugged away from my touch. “It’s not part of mine anymore. I’m going in to tell Stephen I quit.”

  “Don’t,” I called after her. “Think about this, at least. I know you’re mad. This is too drastic a decision to make over Cash Logan. Wait and see how things happen. You might be pleasantly surprised.”

  I forgot who I was talking to. “I know how it turns out.” Rainey smiled, but shook her head. “That’s what I keep trying to tell you, but you won’t listen. I did this for you, working here. You want this. But I don’t. I can’t stop you, but I can’t stand by and watch, either.”

  “You can’t See vampires,” I protested, and she bit her lip, holding back some emotion. “What does it mean?”

  “When I see my future, you’re not there anymore.” Her words were little more than a breath. “I’ve always seen you before.”

  “If you’re not in my future, it’s because you don’t want to be. It’s a simple as that.” I crossed my arms across my chest. Sweat beaded on my forehead as the heat rose in my body. If I ignited, at least I was in the ring. It seemed appropriate that our fight happened on stage, even if there was no audience to witness it. “You’re the one pushing me away.”

  “It’s time for me to be me. You’ve certainly had a chance to be you.”

  I didn’t want to fight with her anymore. It’s all we did lately. Those guys in the lobby might have set Rainey off, and she might have hated everything about Cash Logan, but I was beginning to see the root of this had begun long before he came to Vegas. It started when we came to Vegas.

  It didn’t me feel any better. This was where I belonged. “What are you going to do?”

  “I’ll get another job. I can work anywhere.” She deflated before she turned around to head to Stephen’s office. “I’m not special.”

  Rainey might be able to see the future, but she was oblivious to what was right in front of her face.

  Chapter Seven

  I hated sleeping alone. I woke up a dozen times during the night, with no idea where I was or where I’d been. Sometimes I confused dreams and time travel. I reached for Rainey, but she wasn’t there. Ever since she quit Le Cirque Macabre, she spent every night on the couch, not even getting out of her sweats. Now she spent more time watching Elvis movies with Lucille than talking to me.

  It hurt.

  I was tired, cranky, and lonely. It was starting to come through in my performances. My rhythm was off, and last night I dropped a baton. I never did that before. Thankfully, I could disguise it. I had a few different routines so no one questioned that my dance was different. The crowd loved it when I fell on my knees to chase the flames before they got out of control, crawling across the stage in nothing but booty shorts and pasties. Maybe I’d incorporate it in to a new routine.

  I went to visit Bette, and even though she thought I handled my flub well, she warned me not to do it again. I could have applied that advice to all facets of my life right now.

  Tonight, I needed to be on point. Everyone on the cast was aware we were under a microscope. Some people thought I might get a pass, since many of them had witnessed my exchange with Cash last week in the hallway. Nobody said it to my face, but I heard the whispers as I passed. Tonight my performance started with Bruce Springsteen’s I’m on Fire, slow and melancholy, and exploded into Fall Out Boy’s The Phoenix. I whipped around the pole in a frenzy to the beat of the music, sliding down to the floor, then swinging back, climbing to the top, then holding my body out in an X as I spun around the pole. The flames engulfed me, and like every night, this was the first time I allowed myself to look out at the audience. All their faces were contorted, melting in shock and admiration, except for two: Cash, sitting at his usual table, and the man he brought as his guest.

  He had blonde wavy hair that brushed his shoulders and a beard. Even though I was shrouded in flames, he still managed to draw me in. I had the same effect on him. This guy was watching me like he found religion. I sensed the peace that radiated from him as the reflection of my flames flickered in his eyes. I’d be meeting the infamous Blade Bennett later that night.

  I would never admit it to Cash, but I was curious about Blade. I shivered in the shower after the show. Usually I took the time to come down from my performance, but I knew I’d have company soon. I put my sweats back on, and was towel drying my hair when there was a knock at the door.

  My heart pounded as I opened it, and then it stopped when I saw Rainey on the other side. Even though she wasn’t talking to me, she still drove me to and from work. “Hey,” I said as she walked into my dressing room, but didn’t sit. “I thought I’d meet you in the parking lot.”

  “I was early so I decided to come in. I miss you.” She bit her at fingernails.

  “I miss you too.” I didn’t know what to do, either. Rainey had been a part of my whole life and in the last couple of weeks she’d become a stranger. Maybe I had been selfish. I felt myself getting smaller, and I needed to fix it. “What’s going on?”

  “Not much. I got sick of
Lucille’s movies. It’s not like there’s going to be anything new. You look like you’re ready to go.” She wrinkled her nose while she curled one leg underneath her on the couch. I was glad to see her dressed, with makeup on. She’d been wearing her jammies ever since she quit. “I talked to a few people on the way in. Asrael and Lucinda. They’re worried about you.”

  Of course she spun it that way. When I passed by the same two acrobats they were speculating about when I started sleeping with Cash. I wasn’t going to fight with her. We may have been on the verge of a truce, even though that wasn’t going to last.

  “Did you see Stephen?” I asked hopefully.

  “I don’t want my job back.” She bit her lip. “But I do want you back.”

  “I’m worried about you.” I leaned in closer, I missed touching Rainey so much. I missed everything about us so much. When we used to have fun together, instead of fighting all the time. I couldn’t resist brushing my fingers across her cheek. She still made my heart race. I braced myself for rejection, but instead she closed her eyes and sighed. I traced my finger along the outline of her lips, then licked the lip gloss off my own finger. I should have kissed her. “We’re better with you here.”

  She shook her head sadly. “A few people didn’t even know I quit.”

  The knock I’d been expecting all along came before she had a chance to say anything else. I jumped up from the couch, answering the door before anyone could change their minds. Cash kissed my hand as he came in, mystery blonde guy in tow. He then held his hand out to Rainey, but she didn’t take it.

  “Rainey,” I said through gritted teeth, while she glared at Cash’s outstretched hand like it was a live grenade. “Come on.”

  Before she accepted his hand, she shot me a downright murderous glare.

  “Holly’s told me all about you.” Cash held her hand to his lips as he spoke. It was all she could do not to squirm. “If you decide to come work for us again, talk to me first.”