“Kid…kiddo…” Mateo’s voice hummed in her ear as he laid her on the bed gently. His soft lips tickled her neck. He tried to be extra gentle up to the point where Odry got annoyed.
“Are you sure, kid? I mean…”
“Shut up and come here!” Odry grunted and pulled him closer. Both were already half naked, kissing on their way to bed. They got completely naked, his weight laid on her like a hot ocean wave. Odry wrapped her legs around him.
“Mmm… kid…” Mateo moaned low. “Finally, our first night…”
“Yes, yes, Wolfy…” Odry moaned. Just a bit more… he felt so good.
Suddenly Odry noticed a man dressed in black standing near the bed. His blue eyes burned in the pale face. A gunshot! Linden’s eyes full of pain looking at her. Linden fell.
Odry woke up screaming, covered in sweat and tangled in her sheets.
Just a dream… just a dream… she laid back, taking deep breaths.
“You okay, Hon?” Daffy peeked into her room.
“Just a dream.”
“The gunshot nightmare again? I thought those were over.”
“Yeah, I’ll just try to sleep.”
It was 5:00 a.m.
“You should! La Premiere is tonight!” Daffy rejoiced.
“Yeah…”
Odry could think only of Mateo. She wanted him bad, but she realized how wrong it would be if she’d creep to his room now. She still loved Linden. She ached for him, but the afterglow of Mateo’s nearness lingered. Even if it was just a dream. It would be wrong if they did it just for fun. Mateo loved her. Odry didn’t want to use him.
But maybe he too would be up for a bit of fun? He said so himself…. No, no! That’s just wrong! Odry scolded herself. She tried to sleep, but every time she closed her eyes, Odry saw Linden’s face full of pain. How could she?! No, Odry would not betray him, not even in her dreams!
The feeling of guilt only intensified after a courier brought a giant bouquet of fresh, white roses to their house. There was no card.
“Why did you do it?!” Odry marched to Bastille’s room and showed the roses in his face. “You thought I needed to be reminded of his death?! Today?”
White roses where Linden’s favourite flowers.
“Not me, mon cher!” Said Bastille yawning. He was still in his silk pyjamas. It was 7:00 a.m. “But I know someone else who might want to bring our spirits down today.”
“Tiberius?! How did he know?”
“He wants to show us he has gathered sensitive information about us. Stay on your guard. Carry the gun with you.”
Odry took the roses back.
“Throw them out! Don’t worry, you will be the most protected person in Vegas when performing on stage,” he reassured Odry. She went downstairs to the kitchen, threw the roses into the garbage bin, and bumped into Mateo. He looked as gorgeous as in her dream - half naked, covered in sweat; Mateo had just returned from his morning jog, and taken his sweaty shirt off.
“Hi, kid! You’re up early! Watcha doing there?” He took a bottle of water.
“Huh?” Odry snapped out of staring at his muscled torso. “It’s nothing. Tiberius sent these…”
“He’s a fucking monster. Just forget it. Don’t let him win. Come here!”
Mateo wrapped her in a sweaty embrace. Though she was upset about Tiberius’ flowers, that wasn’t exactly the reason she lingered in Mat’s arms.
“Oh, sorry kid! I’m off to the shower!”
“No, no… it’s okay!” Odry wasn’t bothered by his sweaty body. Both shared a warm smile, before he pranced out the kitchen.
Odry and Winnie brought Gina her breakfast. She could tell Gina spent most of her time in human form, judging by her appearance. She tried to comb her hair and clean up. She wore the T-shirt and the skirt Odry had given her. The basement was clean and even all Gina’s pencils were arranged by colour. Odry had also given her the most ‘essential’ of human accessories - a smart phone.
“You’ll be able to see our show tonight! It will be on live stream,” Odry explained. Gina had seen Mateo’s video blog.
“Gina… after the show, would you mind if Mateo visits you with us?” Odry observed Gina’s reaction carefully. Gina frowned thinking.
“He is in full control of his beast form,” Odry added, but Gina took a quick glance at the large scars on Odry’s arm.
“It was an accident!” Odry said nervously.
“The beast did this.” Gina pointed at the mangled half of her face and her missing leg. “No accident,” she said bitterly.
“He has changed. You’ll have to come out of this basement one day and meet him again. And… we can fix your face,” Odry reassured her.
“And the leg,” Winnie growled. “You’ll dance again, Gina!”
Odry noticed the two smiling at each other with a mutual understanding; obviously they had talked about this yesterday, when Odry went for a drive with Mat.
***
When the troupe arrived at the theatre, it was overtaken by mad rush of the preparations. A beautiful sign “Cirque du Macabre” graced the entrance, decorated with lights and flowers.
“Whoa, that’s cool!” Odry gasped.
“Thank you! Shall we, mon cher Odry?” Bastille gave a smug smirk, offered her his arm and led Odry into the theatre, with the troupe following them. Of, course it was a manic chaos inside, the stage workers, the florists, he caterers, the dancers arriving, the troupe themselves with their army of bodyguards… despite the stress, Odry suddenly felt as happy as she hadn’t felt in months. She loved this colourful, frantic mess before the show. It was the moment when the magic was born, when all came together piece by piece, and all the separate elements of the show began to make sense. Odry’s eyes searched for Mateo every idle minute; he was so full of joy and energy, he fit right into this world. Mateo was made for the circus, and maybe… Maybe he was made for her? Odry felt like falling in love with Mat all over again. They smiled at each other every time their eyes met.
How will we play out the “enemies-to-lovers” vibe tonight when it’s just… lovers?
They had some last-minute rehearsals with the dancers. The stage had been set up yesterday. Odry rehearsed with her dagger, making it fly back and forth.
“How do you do it?” the dancers pondered.
“Magic!” Odry winked smiling. She rarely used her powers outside the circus.
They had lunch and the time to get dressed into their costumes had come. Since Mateo didn’t have much of a costume, he got on everybody’s nerves with his video blogging again.
Odry was the last one left in the dressing room, when Mat danced into the room still filming. He chattered away carelessly with the invisible audience behind the screen of his phone when he noticed Odry standing by the mirror in full-costume-and-make-up.
“And that’s it for the backstage fun! Stay tuned for the show!” He put his phone away.
“You… are… the most beautiful woman in the world,” he said pacing to Odry slowly with fire of lust burning hot in his eyes. He stood behind Odry, their faces side by side in the mirror. No words were needed. Odry felt his breath on her neck.
Come on, Matty… go on…
Odry closed her eyes waiting for Mat to kiss her neck and wrap his strong arms around her.
“Odry, Mat, fifteen minutes, guys!” One of the stage staff guys peeked into the room.
“Tonight!” Odry couldn’t stop herself from whispering in Mat’s ear. His eyes replied squinting in a naughty smile.
Everything was set and done. Odry’s stomach exploded with a thousand butterflies of excitement - the stage was her love and she felt as if it was the first date before every show. The happy murmuring of the crowd waiting for the lights to go down, tickled her ears. Just a couple of minutes and she’ll feel all that sweet magic of the stage. Mateo gave her a quick kiss on the lips.
“For good luck!” And he was off to the darkened stage with the first group of dancers. The music began to play. Odry peeked at Mateo opening the show in the lonely blue spotlight, and suddenly her heart sunk… there in one of the front rows sat Cassio and Clarissa… Linden’s murderer sat in the audience.
“What the hell is he doing here?! Call the security!” Odry ran up to Bastille standing nearby, observing Mateo’s performance in the backstage monitors.
“Cassio? Oh, I invited him along with Tibbey and Clarissa,” Bastille’s answer left Odry with her mouth ajar.
“What??! Why?”
“I wanted him to witness my rise and his fall sitting in the front row. Just like he invited me to his La Premiere. Sadly, Tibbey, didn’t come. Probably drinking cheap champagne all alone in the afterparty of his renewed shit show!” Bastille chuckled. Odry knew he had deliberately arranged for their show “Cabaret Sauvage” to start at the exact time Tiberius’ show “Cabaret Selvaggio” ends. Which meant the curious audience would leave before Tiberius’ show ends, and skip his afterparty to see Bastille’s show. But Odry didn’t know he’ll invite Tiberius and his family.
“Go on, your cue is in three minutes! Focus, Odry!” Bastille said with a wide grin all over his face and pushed Odry toward the stage.
Bastille sure can be stupid sometimes.