Fused in Fire (Fire and Ice Trilogy Book 3) Page 14

  The lion was bowling through the small tents, flinging them every which way with such force they fell to our sides. Papers and other debris, whatever was in those tents, flew around us. There was a solid thunk of an old-school typewriter as it sank into the ground five feet away.

  “That doesn’t even fit with the theme!” I hollered, angling right to get out of the tents.

  I thought you usually ran at attacks.

  “That is a freaking giant lion, man! I’m not trying to go head to head with a lion with nothing but a sword.”

  You are not being rational.

  The lion roared as it burst out into the open strip leading to the huge circus tent. Demons of all shapes and sizes, most fitting with circus theme, including a little boy with a big lollipop and a forked tongue, scattered.

  “All the other demons are taking off, and you think I’m irrational?” I picked up speed, but I heard it right behind us, shaking the ground with each step. It didn’t look big and heavy enough to concuss the ground with footsteps, which meant there was an illusion afoot, and the real creature was probably gigantic. All the more reason to run.

  Another roar and all the tents leading up to the circus arches tumbled through the air like paper in a tornado. The ice magic within me throbbed right before something swatted my backside. The lion shared a few of my magical tricks. Wonderful.

  I went flying, just like those tents, ass over end.

  “It’s powerful,” I said as I hit the ground and rolled. Darius tumbled beside me, for once not looking like a graceful elder vampire.

  Let’s go. Hurry! he thought frantically.

  Like I needed to be told.

  We jumped up as one and sprinted for the circus gates, the huge golden archway glittering manically with the reflection of lights.

  Bim-bom, bim-bom, bim-bom.

  The lion’s roar drowned out the music as we raced through the arches. A collection of women dressed in red performance suits rolled by on a unicycle, one stacked on top of the other, fanning out to the sides. Honestly, it was pretty impressive.

  “Eat them,” I yelled over my shoulder at the lion, pointing at the stacked women. “They have a better presentation.”

  The lion got to the gates and pulled up short, letting out another hearty roar, this time sounding frustrated. We ducked behind a Chinese pagoda-looking thing, the big top at our backs, and glanced out.

  The lion paced the gates, sniffing and staring. It wouldn’t pass through them. The demons that had scattered before still hadn’t come out of hiding.

  “All the demons in there are afraid of that lion, and that lion is afraid of whatever is in here,” I said softly. “Where have you brought us, Darius, and how the hell are we going to get through?”

  Chapter Eighteen

  The obvious answer was not to go through the enormous circus tent, but to go around.

  The sect seemed to have thought of that.

  One side of the tent had pits dug a hundred feet out and going as far back as I could see. Some of those pits were obvious, but—as I quickly found out—some spots that looked like solid ground fell away to spikes of doom.

  The other side of the big top ended in a steep cliff that dropped off into nothing. The gorge also spanned about a hundred feet. Someone must have dug it out, because there was no natural reason for there to be a huge drop-off between the two sides.

  Clearly they wanted people to experience the circus, or die.

  Back near the archway, the lion had wandered off. It had probably found someone new to chase.

  “Why don’t we head back to the boat? I bet one will be there,” I said, squinting as a means to block out the music. It didn’t work. Go figure.

  Ja mentioned this area was considered the wilds, and it was the best place to get in unnoticed.

  “Ja might also have been trying to kill you, remember? She downplayed the whole fog thing.”

  We will encounter one or two powerful demons in any of the entry points, and encounter more concentrated sects of power as we get deeper in. There is no easy way to accomplish our tasks, Reagan.

  I knew he was right, which made me grumpier.

  Fresh sawdust was sprinkled on the well-kept ground in a direct path to the entrance of the circus tent. A monkey wearing a tutu idled by with its hands raised, chirping. Another ten feet down the path, rope lined with colored plastic flags rose along either side of the path, wide at first, then narrowing.

  Off to the side of the flap sat a ticket booth with a lone attendant, a bearded cheerleader standing a head taller than Darius.

  “How many?” came the attendant’s deep, scratchy voice.

  One was on my tongue, but what if they saw through Darius’s suit? They’d probably be more offended by an attempt to break the rules and sneak someone in than they would be by having a vampire in their midst.

  On the other hand, admitting to two was pointing out that I had a friend. An invisible friend. Who was lurking around somewhere. Spying.

  No one liked spying.

  “How many?” the cheerleader asked again.

  A presence behind us had me glancing back. I did a double take. Two torsos (and heads) connected at the chest and reduced down to one set of hips and legs.

  “Uh huh, that’s happening,” I said, turning back. “Two.”

  Without asking for payment, the cheerleader slid two black tickets across the wooden booth. It looked beyond me to the conjoined twins.

  “All righty, then.” I edged away, trying to play it cool. I held both tickets and continued through the flap of the circus tent. Light spilled out from within, and that ever present bim-bom, bim-bom, bim-bom rose in volume. It was said that you could never get too much of a good thing, and clearly, this crowd loved that monotonous music.

  Would anybody notice if I burned this whole shebang to the ground?

  Hesitantly, I continued on until I saw what was in there. Then started back-pedaling, bumping into Darius and making it no farther.

  What is the matter? he thought.

  Outside, I’d gotten used to the constant flashing of hysterical color. All of that cut away inside. The interior of the tent was decorated with lines of alternating black and white, spinning around the tent—small at the top, growing larger and larger until they splashed down at the bottom. Rows of bench seating, also alternating black and white, led down to the empty, round, black performance area on the bottom. Spotlights of brilliant, dizzying white flew around the enormous space.

  “Seriously, would anyone notice if I burned all this to the ground? That is now an honest question.”

  Darius’s hand on my back, pushing me forward, was not the answer I was looking for. Let’s walk around the top and get out any way we can.

  After a couple steps he bumped into me, as though pushed. I glanced back to see Two Heads looking around in confusion. Both sets of eyes came to land on me, and a flash of anger took over. “Hey!” it said.

  “Sorry, buddy.” I took a step back and gave an olé gesture, clearing the way for him. “After you, please. I insist.”

  “How many tickets did you get?” One set of eyes dipped down to my hand holding the tickets, and the other looked around. “I don’t see no friend of yours.”

  “He’s shy.” I slipped the tickets into my pouch. “He’ll be in soon.”

  “You know what they do to those who are greedy.”

  “Feed them to the lion?”

  “Yes.”

  I nodded with a frown. “Not a lot of originality in this place, huh?”

  Both faces gave me a confused look that turned into hostility. “I will be watching you.”

  “And coming from you, that’s saying something.”

  He moved down the aisle toward the performance area at the bottom. I thought he’d stop at the first few rows, clearly excited for the show. Instead, he continued on, crossing the circular area and disappearing through a flap in the back.

  My stomach turned over. “Not good.”


  We had best go.

  Yes, we had, because if we didn’t, I had a feeling we’d be part of the coming act. I couldn’t ride a unicycle, and I certainly couldn’t do it carrying a bunch of scantily clad women. I’d be found out or ridiculed, and I wasn’t interested in either.

  We moved around the top, behind the last row of bench seats, making for an opening. Once there, I tried to pull at a flap, but wire held it fast.

  Nothing my sword couldn’t fix.

  It was a testament to how dazed this place made me that I couldn’t remember putting my sword away.

  Hurry, Darius thought, and I felt a firm hand on my arm. People are filing in now.

  His heart started to thump faster.

  I pulled out my sword in a quick, practiced motion and slashed it at the wires. The sword cut through them as easily as it did Jell-O. I knew from experience.

  I ripped the flap back as Darius thought, Go!

  Before I could dash through the newly created opening, air condensed around me weakly and held me in place.

  “Do I break out of this?” I asked Darius through the side of my mouth.

  He didn’t answer right away, and I knew it was because he was assessing the situation. Probably looking around to see who would notice, something I couldn’t see from my stuck-in-the-air-and-facing-the-flap vantage point.

  Do not break out. Let us go with the flow for now.

  Easy for him to say—he was invisible.

  “Grab the ticket from my pouch.”

  That will be noticed.

  “So will the fact that I got two tickets for one me. That seemed to be a sticking point with my new friend.”

  The air revolved me until I was looking at a demonic face shrouded in blond hair. The only other oddity, as far as those things went, was that it had human male genitalia that ended halfway down its legs…in a hand.

  “Normally I would say that you didn’t try very hard, but you win the gross factor. That’s really…something.” I couldn’t look away. Until the hand flexed into a fist. “Yikes. You give cock punch new meaning.”

  “You took a ticket. You must fight,” the creature said.

  I expected shivers of fear. Instead, I felt shivers of excitement. Am I smiling?

  Three Fists turned and made its way to the nearest aisle. The air, so weak that it almost couldn’t hold me, dragged me behind it, scraping my boots against the ground.

  “You will want to release me from this hold,” I said in a rough voice while trying to keep control of my power. “It is making me angry.”

  It ignored me, thumping me down the stairs.

  Close your eyes and focus on me, Reagan, Darius thought, following behind. Focus on me. Don’t let your power loose. Not now.

  I did as he said, sinking into the feel of his steady heartbeat. His comforting presence.

  All the while, my rage thumped in time to bim-bom, bim-bom, bim-bom.

  “We need to find a loving sect,” I muttered. “Maybe a lustful one. Certainly a quiet one. The rage is getting out of control.”

  “That is why you are here, is it not? To let the rage out of control?” Three Fists hissed, and I got the feeling this was him excited. “Wrath. Violence. Blood.”

  “I just want to go on my way.”

  “You will, soon enough. Unless you can rise up and claim your worth.”

  I had no idea what that meant.

  Three Fists used his air hold to move me across the performance area and through the flap. Darius followed. Several demons, including Two Heads, were crowded in a sort of holding area. The air hold released me and Three Fists pointed at a line forming to the side. “Wait in that line.”

  “Is someone going to give me instructions before I go out? I’ve never been here before.”

  “Wait in line. Go through. Kill the creature, or die trying.”

  “Simple enough.” I shuffled to the back of the line, already a dozen people deep and continuing to grow. Darius shadowed me. “So all these people are waiting to fight some creature and hoping not to die?”

  The creature in front of me, a plain-Jane demon compared with the rest of the lot, looked back. It must’ve thought I was talking to it, because it answered. “Are you fresh from the Brink?”

  “Yes?”

  It turned back around. “Did your maker send you here to prove yourself?”

  “…Yes?”

  It nodded. “It is trying to kill you. No one from the Brink stands a chance against one of its kind.”

  “Its kind being a demon, or being the creature we’re about to fight?”

  “Generally both. Humans are weak. Their pleasures might delight us for a moment, but mixing their blood with ours”—it spat, a glob of green—“is the worst offense. You are an abomination. Your human half will ensure you die a horrible death.”

  “You forgot to say no offense at the end of that. It’s only polite, really.” A roar drowned out the music for a moment, and even though it was probably a bad thing, I couldn’t help but enjoy the reprieve. A crowd cheered. At least, I assumed that was what all the banging and thumping and scratchy or guttural yells meant. “And why are you here?”

  “To prove to my sect that I am ready to rise in power.”

  “You think you can kill the creature, then?” Another roar drowned out the music. The crowd banged and jeered.

  “No one kills the creature.”

  Three Fists came through the flap we were all waiting in front of and spoke to the first contestant. A ticket was handed over and Three Fists motioned the creature—who, like my half-blood-hating buddy, wasn’t wearing circus paraphernalia—through.

  “Right. Okay.” I chewed my lip, thinking over the things I’d heard. “But you either kill the creature, or die trying, right? So that means you were also sent here to die. Hello, pot.”

  Another roar preceded a collective gasp, followed by wild banging and cheers. A moment later, Three Fists was back, looking for the next contestant.

  That was fast.

  Adrenaline coursed through me. I was about to go up against the creature that had made a lion quiver in fear.

  “Did your creator tell you nothing?” The demon ahead of me glanced back while making a distinctly mocking sound. It made me want to punch it with Three Fists’ third fist, if it could be arranged. “You must last for one cycle to claim victory.”

  “Ah.” So Three Fists was a broad-strokes kind of guy. “How many people make it through?”

  “A quarter or less of those who make the attempt. Have no fear. You will be added to the list of those who don’t.”

  We stepped forward. “You like me, don’t you? I can tell. No, no.” I held up my hand as it glanced back. “Don’t get freaked out. I have a sixth sense where it concerns demons. I can read you buggers from a mile away. You want to be my bestie.”

  It spat again.

  The roaring creature moved through the contestants at an alarming pace. Only a few made us wait, causing the crowd to gasp and moan. Two Heads didn’t make the cut. The cheering for those who lived was not nearly as loud as for those who probably died a gruesome death. It was clear what this crowd was into.

  Finally, it was my new admirer’s turn. It handed over its ticket, glanced back at me with a haughty sneer, and stepped through the flap.

  The seats that I could see were filled with mostly circus folk, and some underdressed demons that clearly hadn’t gotten the memo. I saw my new admirer walk out to the middle of the performance area and raise his hands before the flap drifted shut.

  The roar (which I’d gotten used to) drowned out the music (which I would never get used to) for a moment, announcing the start of the fight. Time ticked away and a few gasps punctuated with roars echoed through the flap. The lackluster cheering announced a favorable ending for my bestie.

  I had no doubt he’d hang around and watch me. He was a sweetie like that.

  Three Fists pushed through the flap and faced me.

  Reagan… Darius, who’d been w
aiting next to the flap, had gotten a look through it. The accelerated beating of his heart confirmed it wasn’t good news.

  “I sure wish I couldn’t feel your heartbeat at times like this,” I muttered as I handed over one of the tickets. I held my breath.

  Three Fists narrowed its eyes.

  “I’m ready,” I said, zipping up my pouch.

  Its eyes drifted down and stuck to my pouch. It held out its hand.

  “Dang it.” There hadn’t been an opportunity for Darius to snag it. I dug out the other ticket. “Sorry,” I said. “I thought my friend would be here. He’s not, so I don’t need that extra one.”

  Three Fists hesitated, staring at the tickets. Its eyes held suspicion when it glanced back up. “Who is this friend?”

  “My friend. He’s from the edges. You wouldn’t know him. Helluva nice guy, if a bit of a flake.”

  Three Fists shook its head slowly. “You are being greedy, wanting double the time.” A grin spread across its face. “We do not allow that. You should be tossed out in disgrace.”

  “Oh. Well, that’s okay, then. Go ahead and toss me. I’ll just head out the back, shall I?” I hooked a thumb behind me.

  A pointy-toothed grin spread wider across its face. I wished I didn’t notice all the flexing hands. “Humans have no honor. That is why you are here, yes? You hope to prove yourself?”

  “…No?”

  “I think it is.” It snatched the last ticket. “Double the time. Granted.”

  No! Darius reached for the neck of his suit. He meant to take it off. I will take my turn. It is enormous, Reagan. Obviously powerful. You cannot—

  “Do not reveal yourself,” I said through clenched teeth. “Don’t you dare. I might joke that you are taking the cowardly way out—and if not, I meant to—but you are my ace in the hole. I might need a surprise counterattack. Stick to the plan. If this creature nearly takes me down, help me then.”

  Reagan…

  “Speaking your disgusting human tongue will not help you now,” Three Fists said.