Circus of the Dead: Book 1
Page 16
I glance at the clock. It’s two a.m. “It’s always open.”
He nods and continues on down the street. I half-expect to see Samuel pull up in a car next to us, but he doesn’t. The car arrives at the airport, and I get out with a breath of relief.
Almost there.
A lone figure sits on a bench next to the door.
“Why’d you kiss him?” Benny frowns at me.
I sigh. “To get out of there. How are you here?”
He pats the seat next to him, but I don’t sit down, so he stands. The absence of a dozen birds is odd. “I can make myself visible off-island, but I’m not…whole. If you tried to touch me, your hand would pass right through. I’ve gotten very good at avoiding touches. All of us can do it.”
I want to reach over and try it, but I hold myself back. I can’t let him distract me.
“I see.”
“That kiss was more passionate than someone simply fulfilling a deal.”
I can’t have Benny following me. “I know. Maybe I like him.”
Benny doesn’t say anything for a moment. “I thought you liked me.”
“That’s a bit premature. Besides, I like Samuel more.” I don’t look at Benny’s face. I can’t. “He’s a good kisser, too. I’d do it again.”
I expect Benny to argue or fight, but he doesn’t. He just stands there, so I quickly make my way past him. The doors hiss as they open. Benny follows me, but I ignore him. It’s quiet for an airport, but then again, it’s the middle of the night.
I look around, and figures materialize. Not just Benny but all the ghosts from the island. I meet Benny’s eyes.
“You were sent to distract me. Damn you.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
I wanted so badly for both him and Samuel to be good guys. But they aren’t.
“Look around. Samuel sent all of you. That means he knows where to find me. I can’t believe you.”
I storm away from him, but he doesn’t follow. I ignore all of the ghosts. If I can get past security before Samuel gets here, I should be good to go. I check the monitors, and a few ghosts stand way too close to me. My stomach is a bundle of nerves, but I have to keep moving.
I look for the first flight out to L.A. Southwest has one leaving at five a.m. I find the ticket counter and totally overpay for a flight home. I take the ticket and rush away. The ghosts are all here, and they follow me up toward the security gates.
Joke’s on them. As soon as I’m through, Samuel will be history.
There is no line, and I rush toward it but stop dead.
Security doesn’t open for another two hours.
I’m screwed.
Chapter Thirty
Think dammit.
There has to be some place I can hide. It will be nearly impossible since the ghosts can all see. I eye the women’s bathroom. There aren’t a lot of people around, so Samuel might not care, but it’s better than being out here in the open.
It’s a long bathroom with over a dozen stalls. I pick one in the middle, lock the door, and sit on the back of the toilet with my feet resting on the bowl. I’m sure this is all kinds of icky, but I’ll take a good long shower once I get home.
Home.
Maddie will be so excited to see me. Mom and Dad will deal.
I’m so close. Just two more hours, and I’ll be able to escape this nightmare. I have the watch Juliette loaned me, and it moves slower than the fat lady at the circus.
Fifteen minutes before security opens, footsteps clatter on the bathroom floor. A stall door closes, and the anxiety in my stomach loosens a bit. A few moments later, the toilet flushes, and water runs in one of the sinks.
The footsteps recede, and I allow myself to breathe again. Seconds later, more footsteps come in.
“Oh, little girl. Come out, come out wherever you are.”
I don’t know the female voice, but I feel like I should. Stall doors slam open, and I brace myself. I’ll just have to fight. But I won’t make it easy on them. Feet appear right in front of my stall door, and I’m ready.
She pushes on the door, but it doesn’t budge.
“Found ya,” she exclaims. She drops to the ground and peeks under the door. It’s one of the teens who comes to the circus every time. Not the lice girl, but her friend. She has dark dreadlocks and a pale face. She smiles, revealing gray pointed teeth.
“Whatcha waiting for?” she asks.
“I’m not coming out.”
“Oh, yes you are.” She flips over on her back and slides under the door. I wait until she’s almost all the way through and slam my foot onto her nose. She squeals, and I throw the lock and fling open the door. I tread on top of her, but she lifts her legs up, entangling them with mine, and I go down, my chest slamming into the hard floor. The wind is knocked out of me, and I have to pause for a moment and catch my breath.
Then, I push up off the ground and jump up.
“Hi,” the lice girl says. It’s the first time I’ve heard her voice, and it’s surprisingly deep. I duck around her, but she grabs my wrist with an icy steel grip. I jerk my arm, but nothing happens.
The girl from the ground scrambles up and grabs my other hand. I squirm, but they hold me tight.
“Gotcha,” pointy teeth girl yells. “Now, maybe Samuel will let us stay.”
The lice girl laughs and snorts. “Yeah, he has to now.”
“Let go of me,” I growl.
They tug me forward, but I go limp, hoping they’ll lose their grips. But instead, I’m dragged along. I get my feet underneath me and fight against them, but it makes no difference. They pull me out the door, and Samuel stands ten feet from the bathroom, arguing with Benny and Juliette.
His eyes light up when he sees me, and I fight harder against the girls. Benny turns, spots me, and waves to Juliette. She rushes over and tackles the lice girl, and my arm is wrenched down. Half of Benny’s body passes through mine, and though I don’t feel anything, it gives me the creeps. His head dips down to my ear.
“We’re going to distract Samuel and these clowns. If you can get away, run to security. Samuel knows he can’t get you beyond that. Good luck.”
I take advantage of the fact that I only have one captor at the moment. I swing my arm back and catch the girl right in the stomach, and she lets go. I run, steps away from the security gate.
Strong arms latch onto me.
“You can’t escape,” Samuel growls.
I thrash in his arms. “Like hell I can’t.”
He holds tight, but I crumple over, and we both go down. Unfortunately, Samuel lands right on top of me. I roll, and suddenly I’m on top of him. But he still has me clasped in his arms.
“You’re making this harder on yourself than it needs to be.”
I pull back like I’m trying to get up, and he comes with me. I have one shot at this, and I don’t want to screw it up. I wait until I’m up on all fours, and then I thrust myself on him.
He goes down fast, and his head cracks on the ground. His grip goes limp, and I leap out of his arms. I look back and see Juliette still wrestling with the teens from the circus. I race for the gates and stop dead.
Standing in front of the security gates are all the ghosts. They glower at me and snap their teeth. They all have their hands out, ready to catch me. My stomach sinks, but then I remember Benny. They can’t touch me.
I rush them, and as soon as I reach the first one, they all disappear. I give my boarding pass to the bored TSA agent, and before I know it, I’m through.
Not long after, I board the plane with a handful of other passengers, and we’re in the air.
I’m free!
Chapter Thirty-One
I sleep a little on the plane. After I arrive, I make my way to the empty cab line and hop in the first one I can find.
“202 Pacific Ave.”
The driver nods and pulls away from the curb.
“Did you have a good time in New Orleans?” he asks.
“You know, love, double crossing me wasn’t one of your better moves,” Samuel says, and everything goes black.
The End
Dear Reader,
Oh my word. Samuel is killing me. Just when I think I start to like him again, he goes and betrays Callie AGAIN.
Are you ready to see Callie get her revenge? If so, check out Circus of the Dead Book 2!
Book two will answer many of the questions you had in book one, but it will also introduce a whole new set of questions. Sorry. Not sorry.
I do have one favor to ask. If you loved the book (or even if you didn’t) please leave a review. I know I make a lot of my decisions on what to buy based on reviews, so help me out here, please.
Also, I hope you all know how much I love y’all. Without you, I wouldn’t be able to have this career.
XOXO
Kim
P.S. Stay in touch!
Want to discuss my books with other like-minded people? Join my FB group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/KimsBookDragons
Be the first to know about all my upcoming releases, events, and giveaways by becoming a FB fan! (https://www.facebook.com/kimberlylothbooks/) Or even better (and more reliable) join my newsletter :) (https://www.subscribepage.com/KLoth)
If you want to see adorable pictures of my puppy and my travels, follow me on Instagram. http://instagram.com/kimberlylothbooks
Want More from Kimberly Loth?
Kimberly Loth has published several series. Read on for sneak peaks from each one.
The Dragon Kings: Obsidian
The Thorn Chronicles: Midnight Angel
Stella and Sol: God of the Sun
Sons of the Sand: The Smoking Lamp
Omega Mu Alpha Brothers: Snowfall and Secrets
“May I see your tattoo?” Sid asked, startling Aspen.
“My what?”
“Your tattoo, the one on your ankle.”
“Oh, sure.” Until tonight, she’d been super careful about keeping the tat covered. Sid was the first person to see it, and she wanted to show it off a bit.
He slid onto the floor and pulled her foot into his lap.
Shivers ran up her spine. He slowly traced the words with his finger and whispered under his breath.
Aspen’s first instinct was to pull her foot away, but she enjoyed it as much as it tortured her. She bit her lip and waited for him let go. Instead, he adjusted so that he could see her, but he continued to hold her foot in his lap.
“When did you get this?” he asked.
“Um, about a month ago. It’s not really a tattoo.”
He raised his eyebrows.
“It’s gonna sound crazy, but it’s a dragon marking. It appeared when I touched that black dragon.”
He let go of her foot, moved onto the couch, and pressed the play button on the remote.
About halfway through the movie, her eyes refused to stay open. After fighting with them for fifteen minutes, she gave in, allowed them to close, and settled her head into a soft warm pillow.
Ella shook her awake. “Aspen,” she whispered. “We need to go.”
“No,” Aspen said and closed her eyes.
Ella shook Aspen again. “Come on, we’ve got to leave. You can’t stay here.”
“Yes, she can,” Aspen’s pillow said.
“I was trying not to wake you up, Sid,” Ella said. “I’m sorry.”
“No worries.” He brushed hair out of Aspen’s face.
Aspen shot up, embarrassed. She stumbled around the couch looking for her boots. Ella handed them to her.
“Here ya go.”
“Thanks,” Aspen mumbled.
Aspen fumed. His lap was not where her head should have been.
Download now: www.kimberlyloth.com/obsidian
Want the whole box set? www.kimberlyloth.com/TDKboxset
I cleared my throat. Dwayne smiled a wide toothy smile and my father glowered like I’d done something wrong. Which, of course I had, but it would be worth the punishment if I got the answers I needed.
“Could someone please explain?” There. I asked the question. So out of character for me and yet satisfying in a strange way, like the way I felt when a teacher praised me for a good job. I bit my bottom lip and tasted butterscotch, which was weird because the cake we had, contained nothing of the sort. While I knew asking questions was not an act of disobedience, I also recognized the power in the asking. As if I was taking control, even if that control was small. I took a sip of my water. Father hesitated for a moment and then frowned. He looked up and saw my mother standing in the kitchen, her eyes boring into his. He didn’t look away from her when he answered me.
“You’ll be marrying Dwayne.”
Download now: www.kimberlyloth.com/midnight
Want the whole box set? www.kimberlyloth.com/boxset
The prince entered and sauntered up the path to the thrones. He didn’t seem awed or nervous of my guards. A little too cocky for my taste.
He wore white billowy shirts that opened at the neck with a necklace that rested on the hollow of their neckline. It was a simple necklace, with no jewels.
Just before he reached the stairs to the thrones, he stopped and bowed. The prince rose from his bow and looked at my father.
“I am High Prince Leo, the fifth son of High King Ajax of Stella. I have come to see if it would be possible to join our kingdoms.”
His voice was rich and lilting. He had a devastating smile, rich caramel skin, and dark piercing eyes.
Father glared down at him. That was a bold statement for a prince in foreign territory. “How exactly would we join our kingdoms?”
His eyes met mine. “Through marriage of course. I have no kingdom of my own. Marriage would create a partnership that I think we have both longed for.”
I always knew I would have to marry a prince.
Never had I imagined a barbarian prince would seek my hand.
Download now: www.kimberlyloth.com/sun
Want the whole box set? www.kimberlyloth.com/ssbox
I wrapped a towel around my hair and stomped out to my closet. A light breeze blew across my back. That was odd. I spun around and froze.
Standing in front of me was the most gorgeous man I’d ever seen. And I’d seen a lot. The man in front of me was exotic. His shaggy black hair fell into his dark eyes with lashes even Nora would envy. A five o’clock shadow covered his jaw. He looked like a rock god.
My mouth dropped open. Then I remembered I was standing there in nothing but a bra and underwear. I ripped the towel off my head and attempted to cover myself.
“I’m not wearing any clothes,” I said stupidly.
He grinned, showing adorable dimples. Then he tugged at the hem of his linen shirt and pulled it over his head, holding it out for me.
Download now: www.kimberlyloth.com/smoking
Want the whole box set? www.kimberlyloth.com/sosboxset
A knock sounded at my door, and I rushed to put a robe on as I stepped out of the shower. I was running late for dinner and didn’t have time for visitors. My hair dripped down my back, and I shivered when I opened the door.
Lukas stood there looking scrumptious in jeans and a dark green button down shirt that set off his eyes. If I kept staring, I would officially be late for dinner. I had a hard time asking Lukas to leave. Ever.
“Hey, Tess, I’m your ride.” He grinned as his gaze swept from my wet hair down to my bare feet.
Download now: www.kimberlyloth.com/snowfall
Want the whole box set? www.kimberlyloth.com/OMAboxset
Acknowledgments
So, I wrote all four books of Circus of the Dead at the same time, so the acknowledgments will be the same for all the books.
Oh man, this year has been killer and there are so many people to thank for supporting me through it. Because I pretty much wrote the Circus of the Dea
d this year, I can’t really separate my personal life with the writing of these books.
First thanks go to Xandi. You’ve been a rock this year. I’m so proud of you and your strength. I know we moved to Idaho to support you but really it was you who carried me. Thanks for being the joy. Love you.
Will, thank you for not freaking out when I let everything slide. I mean, I know I had a good reason, but still. You’ve stood by me through it all. Thank you.
Virginia, oh man girl, if I didn’t consider you a sister before this, I certainly do now. Thank you for carrying my pain for me when I couldn’t carry it myself. Love you.
Mom and Matt, I called and you came without hesitation. Thank you. Love you and your continual belief in me and my talents.
Tiffany, thank you so much for your early reads and support. I value your opinion so much. Love you.
Richard, thanks for being an awesome sport. I hope you know how much we love having you as part of our family.
Amy and family, some tragedies pull families apart and others pull them closer together. We love you. Thank you for everything this year. Love you.
Nathan, oh man kid, where did you come from? Thanks for coming in and loving us and letting us love you.
YA Vets, thank you for everything. Seriously.
Mastermind group, you know who you are. You are my people. Thank you for having my back. Love you.
Four figs (Wait. I think it’s five now), I know I’ve been quiet this year, but I want you all to know how much I value your support and love.
Kelley and Suzi, you are the best editors ever. Just saying. Thank you.
Alerim and Jessica, thanks for the gorgeous artwork and typography. You both are uber talented.