by K. A Knight
Epilogue
With the final show in this town finished, I head off stage to a thunderous applause. I meet up with my men at the side. Jesse greets me with open arms as he picks me up and spins me around, the happiness on his face mirroring mine. He sets me down and Rex gives me a quick hug before Blain drops a kiss on my head. Nixon wraps his arm around me and I meet Alcide’s gaze, as he watches me tenderly. I decide to shake off his words… for now. Later, though, I will question him.
We decided earlier to leave tomorrow morning, bright and early, and head to the closest city. With our show growing and our reputation preceding us we can finally try and woo a big audience. We know we will face new challenges there, but we haven’t had any issues with breeders or hunters again. Maybe the safety we are feeling is stupid, but surely in such a big city we will be safe?
“I wonder what it will be like in the city, I’ve never been.” I grin at my men as they watch me.
“They won’t know what to do with us,” Jesse comments, making everyone groan. I guess we’ll just have to see, but at least I know one thing—we will be doing it together.
The End.
Under The Stars
Takes place between Book One, Circus Save Me, and book two, Taming The Ringmaster
The wagon comes to a halt and I sigh in happiness, glad to be stopping for the night. We have been cramped up on the road from dusk to dawn for the last four days, and my body is sore and aching to be stretched. I wish we could set up camp and stop for a while, but Alcide seems to have a place for the next show in mind. He told us we are headed to the city, and working some towns on the way, but the last show was over a week ago and the crew and my men are starting to get restless.
Blain jumps from the wagon, cracking his back and sucking in air, and I jump down next to him, stretching my back and legs as I shield my eyes from the dying sun. We are on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere, with a dead field to our left and some trees to our right. There is nothing in sight, but that doesn’t bother me, it just means less eyes on me and my family. Something I crave after spending so much time in the spotlight during the shows.
I enjoy the rush, and not having to hide who we are or worry about being seen, but sometimes I just want to hide away with them and laugh and joke like we did at Christmas. It seems like we have been moving a lot since then and haven’t had a lot of time together, so maybe Alcide will let us play hooky tonight and we can just relax instead of practicing or getting ready to travel tomorrow.
Speak of the devil… Alcide drops from the wagon in front with Nixon on his heels. I grin and wave at them, but laugh when arms wrap around me from behind and I am swung around in the air. “Missed you, Firecracker!” Jessie grins at me and puts me down on my feet, his hand pushing my hair back before he drops a soft kiss on my lips.
“Wait, do we all get a kiss?” Rex calls, jogging over, his face bright and cheery and I laugh, moving away from Jessie and jumping at Rex. He catches me easily and I smile at him.
“Hi, cutie.” I grin.
“Hi, Wildcat.”
I kiss him softly, knowing he won’t make the first move, before sliding down his body and turning to face the others.
“What, no kiss for me, Harpy?” Blain smirks.
“You can kiss my ass,” I tease and he steps closer, lowering his head and voice.
“That can be arranged, bend over,” he orders, but I stick my tongue out at him, ignoring the heat his words create as I head around him to greet Nixon and Alcide.
We really need to get bigger wagons so I’m not separated from them for hours at a time, they change over as often as they can, arguing over who gets to share with me, but I like it when they are all here.
Nixon grabs me and pulls me to his side, and I smile at Alcide. He winks at me before turning to the crew that has assembled around us, waiting for instructions. “Alright, basic camp tonight, guys, and feel free to roam but not too far. Stay alert, I know nothing has happened in a while, but we can’t afford to be complacent.” He claps his hands and people whoop and turn to grab the basic items we will need for camping.
“Does that mean we got a night off, boss?” Jessie asks, almost jumping up and down.
“Yes,” Alcide answers with a laugh.
Jessie whoops again, grinning at me. “I call the tent with Rhea!” Him and a few others shout at the same time, making Alcide snort.
“Why don’t we just all sleep under the stars?” I suggest, knowing it will take a long time to unpack and pack the tents back up. I don’t mind sleeping in the open and it’s not like we haven’t done it before.
“We could go stargazing,” Rex offers, giving a private smile just for me.
“I’d love that,” I reply softly, held in Nixon’s big arms.
“Fuck, you mean I have to stare at stars all night? Like they have changed since last time?” Blain grumbles, and I roll my eyes at him. He can be so grumpy sometimes.
“You could just stare at your own reflection, you seem to love that,” I tease.
His eyes narrow, his nostrils flaring as he starts towards me. “Run, little harpy,” he growls and I squeal, racing around the guys and hiding behind them as he chases me, the others laughing at us.
“Alright, alright, star gazing it is!” Alcide calls with a laugh, just as Blain catches me.
He swings me up and over so I hang over his shoulder, his hand landing a slap on my ass, making me wiggle. “Blainy,” I hiss.
“Sorry, what was that, Harpy? You conceded?” he calls with a chuckle, spanking me again.
“Let me down,” I grumble.
A soft kiss lands on my cheek where he just slapped and I freeze. “Told you I’d kiss it,” he teases.
Narrowing my eyes, I let my powers run through me and I feel my skin change just as Blain yelps, trying to hold on to my now slippery skin, but it’s no use. I slide from his arms and tumble, rolling from the impact and jumping to my feet, already pulling my powers away again until my skin is normal.
“Come on, Blainy, I’ll even be your cuddle buddy,” I whine, and he rolls his dark eyes, nibbling on his pierced lower lip.
“Fine, I swear if they all start holding hands and getting their feelings on, I am out,” he grumbles, while I laugh and grab his hand, pulling his sullen ass back over to the others who are unloading the few supplies we will need for the night.
The fire is burning bright, reaching towards the darkening sky, as the last rays of the sun fade into black and the moon peeks out. Leaning back against Blain’s arm, which is propped in the dirt behind me and crossed with Rex’s, I relax into both of them, letting them hold me up as I watch my family with a smile on my face.
We are all healing, slowly, from what happened. Fluffy is nearly fully healed now and Alcide is starting to let his guard down...not a lot, but enough for me to know the quiet is helping. The worst part was when we had to take down Esme’s tent, I couldn’t bring myself to throw her things away, so I kept them, even though they told me the reminder would only help the pain linger. But I have a plan. Once we have a break and set up at the next big town, I am going to sneak into their tents and hang tiny pieces of her stuff everywhere. We shouldn’t forget her, she wasn’t a perfect person, but she was family and we can’t forget that.
Jessie laughing brings me back to the present and my smile grows as I watch him. The fire dances off his face, highlighting his cheekbones as he throws his head back and laughs harder at something Alcide said. He must feel me watching because he looks over and winks at me, his eyes glistening with happiness. I smile back and look over to Alcide to see him watching me as well. His eyes are dark and he isn’t in his costume, not even wearing his hat or red jacket...he’s simply in a white shirt with suspenders over his shoulders, holding up his tight grey trousers. I like this side of him, when he is relaxing with his family. Ever since the attack he is always on high alert, assessing for threats and protecting us, but it means he is pulling away. I can feel it. We hardly ever see him a
nd he has stopped celebrating with us on a night after a show. It feels wrong but I know he needs time. He thinks he has to protect us all and it’s hard for him. I know he thinks he failed, but only time will heal that wound.
His lips quirk up before he focuses back on his conversation with Jessie, and I realise I have just been staring at him, lost in my own thoughts. A blush heats my cheeks and I hope the others think it’s because of the heat of the fire. Despite my new independence and sexual...exploring, Alcide still makes me feel like a blushing little girl.
“You thinking dirty thoughts again, Harpy?” Blain teases, the whisper just for me as he leans down and blows against my ear.
“You wish.” I grin, leaning heavier on him. Don’t get me wrong, he can still be an asshole but he’s my asshole, and honestly? I love it. I love our arguments and that we give each other shit, and that he never holds back from me. He doesn’t treat me like I am some miracle breeding machine, but like a person...like family.
“Liar, Harpy, you were thinking dirty thoughts about Alcide...or maybe Jessie, or both?” he purrs, his tongue darting out at the end and curling around my lobe before he sucks it into his mouth. I stifle my gasp, my eyes flaring wide as I quickly look around at everyone. No one apart from Nixon is paying us any attention, and when my eyes meet his, he nods.
“What are you thinking about now?” Blain whispers, his voice rough, and it sends a shiver through me as I cross my feet at the ankles and clench my thighs together. “Want me to guess?”
My tongue darts out to lick my lips as my eyes drag away from Nixon and land on Alcide. He is watching me now, his eyes dark and hungry and focused on my lips. My breathing picks up from Blain’s closeness and Alcide’s eyes, it’s the most he has looked at me in that way in a long time.
“I’m betting it has to do with my tongue buried deep in that sweet pussy of yours.” Blain’s husky voice has me shivering again and his words...fuck. My pussy pulses and I clench my thighs harder, trying to fight the need building inside me. Rex presses closer on my other side, and I drag my eyes away from Alcide and glance up at him to see him looking down at me. His cheeks are red but his eyes are filled with need. He obviously heard what Blain said.
“Is it? Are you thinking about me tasting you? How I love to eat you? Or maybe about when I showed Rex how to do it?” Blain carries on. My nipples are hardening, pressing against the fabric of my loose top, and I am debating jumping Blain here and now, even with everyone watching.
“Stop playing with her.” Rex grins and looks over at the others.
“Who says I’m playing?” Blain whispers.
“Blainy,” I reply breathlessly.
“What do you say, Harpy? Want to go for walk in the woods? I can guarantee you will be looking at the stars.”
My eyes flicker up and lock onto Alcide’s for a moment. He is still watching me and I find myself answering Blain as I watch him. “You all talk, Blainy?” I taunt, loving the instant reaction I get.
He stiffens then climbs to his feet, before reaching down and hauling me up. He spins me, turning my back to everyone, and lowers his head so his lips are nearly touching mine. “I guess you will find out.”
He twines our hands together and starts to tug me away. “I’m taking Harpy for a walk, don’t wait for us to eat!” he calls to the others, and a giggle bubbles from me as he pulls me over to the trees. I look back to see Alcide still watching me, and I swear I see a flash of longing before he turns away.
Once we are in the treeline, he spins me, and in one move presses my back to a tree stump, not giving me a chance to look around before he is on me. His mouth covers mine and I gasp, taking the opportunity to slip his tongue inside and tangle it with mine. Groaning, I thread my hands through his perfectly styled hair and mess it all up, gripping it and pulling him closer until he is plastered against me. Pulling back, I curl my tongue around his lip ring and tug on it slightly. He groans, deep in his throat, and pushes closer, his hips hitting mine and he growls in frustration. I let go of his lip ring and he dives back in to kiss me, his hands reaching down and grabbing my ass and lifting me up. Wrapping my legs around his waist, I gasp when he tilts me back so only the top of my back is leaning against the tree and my lower half is held by him.
He sucks my tongue into his mouth as he thrusts against me, letting me feel his hard length pressed against my pussy. Ripping away from his mouth, I suck in lungfuls of air.
“Blainy,” I whisper as I look at him with wide eyes.
He smirks at me, leaning closer again. “Better look up at your stars, Harpy. I did promise, after all.” He presses a finger under my chin, and tilts my head back until I look up through the thin canopy of branches above and to the stars.
“Keep those eyes on the stars, Harpy, be a good girl for once,” he teases, before dropping open-mouthed kisses along my cheek and down my neck. Biting on my lower lip, I grab his shoulder and dig my nails in as he kisses his way across my exposed shoulder, and nudges at the top hiding my body from him. I narrow my eyes and glare at him.
“Don’t you dare cut if off,” I grumble, knowing he was thinking about it. In fact, I am betting he already made a blade in his hand. I have lost so much clothing to his knife happy ways. He calls it practising with his powers, but it always leaves me naked and then I have to explain to Alcide why I need new clothes.
He smirks up at me. “Ruining all the fun. Harpy...are you looking at the stars?”
Fuck.
I quickly look back up as he laughs against my skin, and I relax when I don’t feel a knife, but his hands reach up and pull down my shirt so it bunches at my waist, showing my lacy bra. He quickly pulls down the cups and I focus on the stars again, my breathing loud in the quiet of the trees. I can hear the others talking, laughing, and eating, but it seems far away, like we are in our own little world for just this moment. I have no doubt they know what we are doing, but when Blain’s mouth closes around my nipple I can’t bring myself to care. Digging my nails harder into his shoulders, I bite down on my lip to muffle my moan as he sucks and nips at my nipple, before moving to the other one, all while keeping me pinned to the tree. He pops my nipple out of his mouth and this time I manage to keep my gaze on the stars.
“Are you wet for me, Harpy? If I reach between your legs, will I find your cream?” he teases, his fingers tracing down my stomach before moving back up and around each nipple as he talks.
“Why don’t you find out?” I shoot back.
He doesn’t reply, but I gasp when his hand shoves into my pants and cups my cotton covered pussy in his palm.
He hums against my skin. “So wet, fuck, I only tasted you last night but I need to again.”
Groaning, I press myself into his palm, silently begging him for more. He holds me to the tree with one hand and pulls my pants down with the other, until I kick them off, not caring where they end up. Staring hard at the stars, I close my eyes at the first brush of his fingers. Pushing my underwear aside, he runs his fingers down my centre, teasing me.
“Blainy,” I groan.
“So needy, Harpy,” he murmurs, and my eyes shoot down when his hand lets go of my hip and I drop to the ground. He kicks open my legs and lowers to his knees before me.
“What—” I start, but it ends with a gasp when he throws my left leg over his shoulder and licks his lips as he stares at my pussy. Leaning back against the tree, I stare at him, not the stars, as he moves closer and sucks in a deep breath. My cheeks heat when I realise he is smelling me, but his eyes close and his mouth parts before he groans.
“You smell fucking delicious.”
His fingers trace my lips again before parting them, and I have to muffle my scream at the first touch of his tongue against my needy pussy. He swipes it down my whole length before dipping it inside of me.
“Fuck,” I groan, slumping back against the tree.
He replaces his tongue with his fingers, pushing one inside of me agonisingly slow, before pulling out and adding anoth
er, stretching me as he laps at my pussy. Biting down hard on my lip, the smell of smoke from the fire curling around us, I try to fight the pleasure coursing through me. My legs starts to shake and he bands his arm across my middle to hold me still as he devours my pussy.
Licking and biting at my clit as he fucks me with his fingers, he speeds up and curls them inside me at the same time he sucks on my clit. Groaning, I let go of his shoulder with one hand and grab my own breast, flicking and teasing my nipple.
“Why are your eyes not on the fucking stars?” he asks gutturally, and when I look down his chin glistens in the moonlight with my cream as he stares up at me, his fingers never once stopping.
“I prefer to look at you,” I whisper, letting go of my breasts and reaching down to grab the back of his head and guide him back to my pussy, I can feel the orgasm approaching, shooting through my body, building.
He licks my clit with short, hard strokes as he adds a third finger and scissors them, and it sends me over the edge, lightning shoots through me as every nerve ending fires with pleasure. It courses through my bloodstream until my eyes flicker open—I didn’t even realise I had closed them until I glance down at him. My breathing is heavy and my legs weak, he is the only thing keeping me standing.
He licks his lips as I watch. “Fucking delicious,” he murmurs.
He lets go of my waist, but grabs me when my legs give way as he climbs to his feet, then pulls me to his chest and smirks down at me. “So much for star gazing, Harpy,” he teases.
I roll my eyes, but lean up and kiss him, tasting myself on his mouth. “Shut up, asshole. Come on, we better get back before they eat all the food.”
