Chapter 8: Burn, baby, burn!
“Fuck…” Mateo spewed out after the doctor had left the ward, and Bastille stopped laughing.
Odry held to her stomach, taking deep breaths, and blinking intensely.
“How…? We always…” she murmured.
“Well, considering how… ehem… active you two lovebirds were, it shouldn’t come as a surprise,” Bastille smirked at her.
“Excuse me, Bastille, sir, I mean Jean-Luc,” Mateo couldn’t get use to calling Bastille by his name, “don’t get me wrong, I’m happy for your family, but what if the baby is… you know… one of your kind? I mean…”
Bastille’s face lost its happy glow. He obviously remembered the reason Odette died.
“If the baby is an energetic vampire, Odry’s life might be in danger,” he said seriously, “Her weariness could be something other than grief.” He stepped closer and looked into Odry’s eyes.
“It’s up to you to decide, whether…”
“No! I don’t care what it is. It’s mine. And Linden’s. I’m keeping it, even if it kills me!”
Odry’s voice rang through the ward like a furious bell. Both men flinched.
“Whoa, kiddo!” Mateo exclaimed.
“Mateo, get out! You saving me doesn’t change anything. If you would’ve kept your mouth shut, maybe Linden could’ve lived. I don’t want to see you or speak to you!” she said with her eyes full of hatred.
“Okay, kid! You’re right. I… won’t be bothering you. But… if you ever need me, I’ll be there for you.” Mat stormed out of the ward with his eyes all teary.
“Odry, blaming yourself or Mateo is pointless. If you blame anybody - you can just as well blame Linden himself; what was he even doing in the Casino?! We told him not to follow you! He obviously did.”
Odry crossed her arms on her chest stubbornly and kept quiet.
“Besides, you’re going to get over your differences on stage!”
“What?”
“Of course, you didn’t read the script. You’re supposed to partner with Mateo. You’re the female lead.”
“No, but I can’t… I said I won’t dance and now… with the pregnancy…”
“Did I say anything about dancing?!” Bastille said with a heavy sigh.
“Tomorrow you’ll read the script and it will all be clear. Rest now.”
Bastille went out.
How is this even possible?! How can I do this on my own? I don’t want to be a single mother! Linden, why did you leave me?
Nervous thoughts swirled through Odry’s head. She curled up into a ball and cried quietly. On the other hand, an unexpected feeling of joy rose within her. Linden hadn’t left her with nothing. Now she had something more than her memories. A part of him lived inside her, and Odry smiled through the tears.
***
“Eeeeeeeeeek! I’m sooo happy! We’re having another circus baby!” Daffy squealed happily at the sight of Odry entering their Madeira mansion. Bastille had obviously informed the troupe.
“Welcome to the diaper club, Kid!” Danny added, grinning, and tapping her on the shoulder. His and Rouge’s baby twins were a couple of months old, they turned into lovely two little red-haired, green-eyed giggling wonders.
“I’m sorry Hon!” Daffy hugged her, “I don’t even want to imagine how tough it is for you. But this is good news, right? We’ll help you! We’re family.”
“Thanks, I know,” Odry replied crying.
“You need a lot of rest and a healthy diet. And take your vitamins!” Though Rouge’s voice sounded mechanical, Odry knew she genuinely cared.
“Don’t lift heavy stuff, ‘kay?” Winnie growled.
“I’ll use my powers or… I’ll call you, Win,” Odry replied.
Winnie nodded approvingly.
Odry had to smile through the tears, these circus freaks had become her family. She was not alone in this.
“How are you feeling, kiddo?” Mateo came to her shyly with his big wolf-like eyes full of guilt and love.
“I’m fine,” Odry replied coldly and turned to Bastille, “Jean-Luc, I would like to read the script now. We should get to rehearsing as soon as possible.”
“Whoa, kiddo! Slow down! You should go gently on yourself,” Mateo exclaimed.
“Did I ask for your opinion?!” Odry snapped at him.
“Settle, children! Odry’s right. We must start rehearsing. As cruel as it may sound - the show must go on! I have found that work is a good remedy for grief. Anything is better than pointless delving into self-pity, or the blaming game,” Bastille gave Odry a meaningful look, “but in your case, Mateo has a point. We shall observe your state, Odry, if rehearsing would take too much of your strength, you’ll have to sit this season out.”
“No! I can do it! I’ll be fine!” Odry objected, “besides, where will you get a new female lead?!”
“Well… we have an addition to the troupe,” Bastille smiled at Mateo.
“Bastille sir, I mean Jean-Luc, I don’t think she’ll be ready in just a month! Heck, I don’t know if we ourselves will be ready, but Gina… she has to learn how to be human again,” Mateo said.
“I’ll get to her training as soon as we return to US, Mateo. It will take a lot of work, and it won’t be pretty.”
Odry remembered Mateo’s training with Bastille. She frowned. Her and Mat’s eyes met. Despite their differences, both understood each other without words; no creature should go through Bastille’s violent training. Still, none of them had a better idea, and they kept quiet.
***
They flew back to US later than planned. Bastille, being himself, had already arranged for the grand Cirque du Macabre tent to be set up. With a bit over a month until La premiere, they had to get rehearsing. Bastille kept the tradition alive - Odry laughed out loud at the sight of their trailers behind the tent. Danny, Rouge, and the babies got a brand-new trailer - a fully equipped tiny house on wheels.
“Lucky Dan!” Daffy whined sitting on her mattress in hers and Odry’s trailer, “Bastille should’ve bought these cute little homes for all of us. He can afford it.”
“Hm… maybe I should suggest that. After all… I am family now,” Odry suddenly realized.
“Oh yeah, you’re Mrs. Bastille now, and you should have your say in the circus business.”
“Yeah…” Odry remembered Linden calling her Mrs. Bastille. She couldn’t stop the tears falling.
“Oh, I’m sorry hon!” Daffy exclaimed.
Tears were followed by nausea… Odry ran straight to the bathroom.
This is impossible… how will I perform if I cry or have to throw up every five minutes?!
Nevertheless, the next morning, 9 a.m. sharp Odry and the rest of the troupe stood shivering in the big tent for their first rehearsal. Mateo came up to her without a word and put his leather jacket on Odry’s shoulders.
“Take it back!” She barked at Mateo.
“Oh, it’s not for you. It’s for the baby. I have to take care of the Mama for the little one to feel good!” He smiled shyly and winked.
Odry hissed furiously but kept the jacket. He was right. The baby’s needs came first.
No hatred could top that.
Bastille marched into the tent, his stride springy and light. The circus was his playground, no place could heal his grief better than the Circus ring. Still Odry saw his eyes with no glow in them. He didn’t ask for a re-charge despite their agreement.
“Bonjour, children! Ahh… I love the smell of rehearsal sweat early in the morning! Since you’ve gotten acquainted with the new program, I suggest we get to the first scene.”
Odry had read the script. She wasn’t thrilled, but Bastille wouldn’t listen - he stuck to his rightful vengeance of a show “Cabaret Sauvage”. Unlike Tiberius, Bastille actually thought of a story as the backbone for the whole show.
It was still a cabaret, and Bastille kept most of Mateo’s choreography, which made the latter mighty proud. However, Bastille decided to give the show more depth. Described in short, the story revolved around “enemies to lovers”. It was a story of a cursed and haunted old cabaret theatre in the jungle of South America. Not only would it involve the elements of tango, but also samba and salsa. Odry would play the role of a ghost - a spirit of a woman, stabbed by her lover. She’d haunt the abandoned Cabaret theatre. She would be known as “The Lady of Daggers”. Odry wouldn’t have to dance much, most of her performance revolved around using her telekinesis powers to make daggers and other objects fly. Mateo would play the role of a young man cursed with lycantry and banished from his hometown into the jungle. He goes into the cabaret theatre for refuge but disturbs the spirits. He fights the dark Lady of Daggers and her minions taking his werewolf form. They engage in an epic dance/battle with flying daggers. The young werewolf has the chance to kill the Lady yet he spares her. She falls for him. She releases him to leave the cursed place, but he refuses - he ends his life to become a ghost and spend all eternity in the cursed jungle cabaret with his love.
Although the theme and the outcome of the story was grim, Bastille made sure the setting would be nothing but - it was an abandoned cabaret theatre with colourful jungle wildlife growing into it. The dancers would be dressed as colourful tropical birds and butterflies. The Fae twins were supposed to be two emerald-green hummingbirds.
“Overgrown hummingbirds,” Danny snickered at the idea.
Winnie would have to get on all four - he’d be doing an impression of a giant magical Jaguar, who’d carry the Lady of Daggers on his back.
Winnie raised his large eyebrows at Bastille, but the latter reassured him - the costume and the make-up would make him look impressive and not at all silly. Rouge would play a smaller part along with the fire dancers; even though they had hired a nanny for the twins, she was still recovering, and Bastille showed genuine concern about her health. As he did for everyone else’s well-being. Since Bastille ‘returned from the dead’ he had become more caring toward the troupe. Maybe it was his agreement with Odry or maybe Linden’s sudden death, but Bastille was acting genuinely kind. He absolutely refused Odry’s offer to help him re-charge.
“You need all the energy you can get,” he said.
They stood around Bastille in the Circus ring. Odry realized just how much she had missed this place. All warmed up and began sorting out the choreography. Mateo began his routine. He was good, that much Odry had to agree.
She knew it wouldn’t be easy. Though Bastille didn’t yell at her, she ran off at least three times to throw up behind the tent.
“Odry, mon cher,” Bastille came up to her, “as much as I hate to, I must remind you the number one rule - we leave the tears outside.”
He put his hand on Odry’s shoulder. She was lost in her thoughts, staring at the spot where Linden usually stood playing his violin.
“Yeah, sure! I’m sorry,” Odry wiped the treacherous teardrops off her cheeks.
“If at any point this gets too hard for you…”
“I’m fine! See? All good!” Odry forced a smile and went back to the others. She and Mateo had to rehearse their first scene together.
Afterward all Odry wanted to do was sleep. She fell on her mattress and slept all day without moving. She had no strength.
Odry woke deep in the night from the sound of a gunshot and Linden’s wide eyes staring at her. She jumped up with a shriek.
“Hon, it’s okay, it’s okay! It was just a nightmare! Hush, hush!” Daffy comforted her.
Just a nightmare! No gunshots! Just a nightmare!
Odry tried to relax her breathing. Though the gunshot wasn’t real, she did hear terrifying sounds breaking the silence of the night. It was the howling and whining of an animal, accompanied by Bastilles yelling and quiet thumps.
“Oh no…” Odry said.
“Yeah, poor Gina. She arrived while you slept. Bastille wasn’t kidding about getting to her training right away. Oh, no! Don’t go there, Hon! Bastille didn’t want anybody to see it, he forbade us…”
“He can’t forbid me anything! Shit! No creature should be treated like this!” Odry got up despite Daffy’s attempts to stop her.
The heart-wrecking howls reverberated all around the big tent, as Odry marched to it. A dark figure emerged from the shadows and blocked the entrance to the tent.
“Don’t kid!” Mateo stood in her way.
“How can you just stand here and listen?! Don’t let him torture your sister!”
“If there was another way, kid… “
Odry slipped past him and stepped into the tent.
The lonely spotlight illuminated Bastille’s slender figure with a metal cane in his hand. His white shirt had splatters of blood on it. Odry covered her mouth, a wave of vomit crept up from her stomach. The creature whining by Bastille’s feet was a mangled grotesque monster. It wasn’t a human female, nor it was a wolf. It appeared the creature was stuck in-between its forms. Half animal half woman, with bloodshot eyes, patches of fur covering her dirty skin. Her half-muzzle, half-face attempted to bite Bastille with its bared wolf fangs.
“Down, Gina!” Bastille bashed the cane over the creature’s head. Gina howled and fell.
“Stop it, Bastille! Stop!” Odry yelled.
Before Bastille could object, the creature used his distraction; it got on all four and raced toward Odry. She didn’t expect the attack. The animal rammed her, and the next thing Odry saw was a row of yellow sharp teeth moving toward her face… Odry shrieked; a large wolf jumped from behind her, it pushed monster Gina off Odry in its leap, both monsters tumbled onto the ground. Mateo was stronger and in full control of his Wolf form, unlike the confused Gina. Mateo held her down, growling furiously. Bastille ran up to them. He grabbed Gina by the throat, she shook howling, while the energetic vampire Bastille took nearly all her energy. Odry saw Bastille’s face mangled with inhuman hunger. He was very low on energy and took as much as he could. His eyes began to glow with bright blue flames. Gina fell unconscious, transforming into her human form before their eyes. So did Mateo. Odry had got up. Where seconds ago, a monster growled, now laid a young beaten girl, the mess of her dirty silvery hair revealed a face mangled with long years of suffering. She was scarred, especially the left side of her face. She was missing her left leg, right beneath her knee.
“Mateo, take her to the cage! She is incredibly spunky even in her state,” Bastille commanded, “as for you!”
He stared at Odry hatefully.
“I hope this little encounter will teach you a lesson! Gina is a dangerous creature and if not for Mateo’s quick reaction…” Bastille shook his head.
“But… but… there has to be another way…”
“I wish there was. She’s a smart girl. She learns quickly. It was just the first session and she already tried to take her human form at will.”
“More like she didn’t want to be beaten into a bloody pulp!”
“Whatever works!” Bastille waved his arm.
Mateo had come back into the tent, after he carried Gina to the prop tent, where her cage stood.
“I covered her with blankets. She wouldn’t let me treat her wounds,” he said.
“She’s already up?” Odry exclaimed.
“Incredibly full of energy!” Bastille confirmed, “I hope you understand, Odry, it’s not just your life you’re risking… “
Bastille gave her a meaningful stare and went away.
“Let’s go, kiddo!”
“Don’t touch me!” Odry yet again snapped at him, as Mat tried to put his arm around her shoulders to walk her to the trailer.
Unbelievable! There must be another way… if it wasn’t for Mateo…
“Thank you for…” Odry finally said. Mateo walked beside her.
“It’s okay, kid! I get it. And I wish Gina wouldn’t have to go through this fucking mess, but I don’t know another way to help her,” Mateo’s eyes were full of despair.
Odry went into her trailer without a word.
***
The next couple of days went by quickly. All Odry did was eat, rehearse, and afterward sleep. Just to wake up to the same nightmare of gunshot and Linden dying. Night after night. Every time she woke, Odry heard the same howling - Bastille carried on with his plan, although it was clear Gina would not become a performing circus artist in merely a month. Odry felt the time slipping away too soon - no way would the program come together for the planned first night of the show. How will they manage?! Odry hoped Bastille had some secret trick up his sleeve to make it all work in time.
Despite her weariness the pregnancy proceeded smoothly; Odry had a check-up at the gynaecologist. The doctor prescribed her vitamins. Of course, Odry didn’t even attempt to explain that the baby might be an energetic vampire, therefore the vitamins wouldn’t help her.
At times the baby and the circus kept her sane, otherwise she’d go mad from the memories of Linden. And the gunshot-nightmares…
Gunshot! And another. Odry woke up screaming as usual, but this time she wasn’t the only one. Daffy shrieked too - the gunshots were real. The tiny glass window of their trailer shattered - somebody shot at it. The girls screamed. They heard hoarse voices laughing and yelling. There was a blazing explosion outside.
“Burn, baby, burn!” A familiar voice bellowed into the night. Odry scrambled to the door on all four.
“Don’t, Hon!” Daffy screamed.
Odry rolled out of the trailer, onto the gravelled ground. She saw dark figures standing in front of the big circus tent, all ablaze in flames. A man looked back at her. It was Cassio. His henchmen threw burning bottles of Molotov cocktails at the circus tents and the Carnival rides behind them.
Bastille, Mateo and a couple of security guys ran toward the intruders, with their guns out.
“Nobody steals my father’s show! Have a fucking awesome show season, Bastille! Yeah!” Cassio yelled jumping into a black jeep driving up to him. Tiberius’ henchmen drove away as quickly as they appeared, accompanied by bullets from Bastille and the others shooting.
Bastille called 911, all the while cursing at the security company he hired - apparently Tiberius found a way to bribe them, so they wouldn’t stand in the way of his henchmen.
Odry ran up to them, just to hear Mateo howling “Gina!” as he ran to the burning prop tent. Odry followed him. The smaller tent had caught fire from the big one.
“Matty, take me with you, I’ll help!” she grabbed onto Mateo. He got the idea quickly. Mateo turned into a Wolf with Odry on his back. He jumped through the flames, into the burning tent. The wolf Gina growled and whined in the cage, frightened by the flames and the smoke surrounding her.
Odry raised her hands and directed the cage to rise and fly out the tent through the flames as quickly as possible. Mateo followed it with Odry holding onto his fur. They jumped out just moments before the burning construction collapsed. Odry directed the caged animal to fly further away behind trailers, because three fire trucks rolled to the burning circus. Although it appeared to be too late. The circus burned, so did the Carnival. Constructions caught fire, collapsed and burned to the ground. The troupe stood watching. Danny and Rouge, holding the frightened, crying babies, Winnie with giant tears rolling down his cheeks, Daffy hugged Odry, the poor fae cried desperately, and Mateo embraced them both.
Bastille stood alone. Silent. His back straightened. His dark figure unbreakable on the background of his life’s work burning down.
Bastille fell to his knees. The sight broke Odry’s heart. Bastille didn’t even cry. Just sat there, devastated, watching the flames. The troupe gathered around him. Winnie picked him up gingerly, and all of them embraced the circus director without a circus.
So Bastille is human after all. This story is movng along well!