I never ever would have thought that King could dance. He’s way too serious, too scary to be so blessed with so many talents. If you ever wondered if God played favorites, just look at King. Then again, wasn’t Lucifer also a favorite? When the beat slows, I rub my body against his, and then just as the closing chorus starts again, I smirk from over my shoulder, grinding into him. He pulls me in again, and I lean back, my hair sashaying across the ground. The dance is intimate, our movements igniting fire beneath our feet.
The song finishes and the next one starts playing, but I bounce away and hit pause, spinning back around to face him. “What the fuck! I had no idea you could dance!”
King shrugs, wrapping his lips around a bottle, his eyes still on mine.
“It’s no secret that he can, Little Bird.” Val slithers in, and I spin around to see a whole lot of people in the tent, obviously watching our little—thing. “It’s just that he doesn’t want to.”
“Fuck off, Val,” King bites, tossing the bottle across the ground. I try to search out the rest of The Brothers but only find Kyrin. Keaton and Killian long since left.
Kyrin leisurely walks onto the stage, and King starts laughing, shoving him back by his shoulder. “You can fuck right off.”
Kyrin’s eyes slide off me and onto King. “Why? At least let me in.”
King pauses.
Kyrin chuckles. “Or don’t you trust her?”
“I don’t have to trust her. We’re just fucking.”
Val winces, as do I, deep down. Val quickly composes herself and walks off.
“Well, then if we’re just fucking, sure, Kyrin. Take a seat.” I glare at King and grab one of the chairs from the audience.
“Oh, I’m here for this.” I hear one of the Demon actors say from the seating area.
Kyrin shakes his head, finally bringing his eyes to mine. “You know where my room is when the time comes.” He turns to head out of the tent, and I spin around to face King, my hands on my hips.
“Don’t go bitch on me, Little Bird. You know damn well that’s all we’re doing.” He leaves behind Kyrin, obviously going to do damage control. I’m confused with what’s going on, and I can feel the tension between them all. All I know is I don’t know why. I know how I felt when we had sex earlier today. Multiple times. But there were times that were more. I don’t know if he noticed it, but when he’s lost inside of me, a small part of his wall cracks, and I see flashes into his soul.
“Hey, chica!” Rose hits my hip with hers. “You and King finally there.”
“Yeah,” I say, bringing my eyes to hers. “Though I’m not sure if it’s something I should be talking about.”
“Hey,” she says, looking around skeptically. “Did you open that note I gave you?”
“Oh shit!” I whisper. “I forgot all about it. It will still be in my room. Come on, let’s go.”
“I’m coming!” Maya yells out, leaving Val and Mischa behind, dumbfounded.
“She’s different, Dove. You can trust Maya.” I’m not sure why she felt the need to tell me that, but I thank her anyway. We start on our way back to the RV, and while Maya and Rose talk about some guy who’s missing, I’m lost in my head trying to figure out what The Brothers could be fighting about. Is it about me, or is it still about Killian and his mom being some weird sex addict? And what about all those strange men? Killian’s mom had the same tattoo. My eyes close for a brief second, but it’s enough for a flashback to come over me.
Red hair fell over the girl’s shoulders as she ran toward a field. I stopped; my hands tightly secured in my father’s. I pulled on him. “Where is she going?”
Father looked ahead and smiled. “Probably to watch the hot air balloons. It’s your favorite part of carnival weekend.”
“I know.” I rolled my eyes at my father’s obvious fact. “But why is she excited?”
“Well, you’re not the only one who loves hot air balloons, Little Bird. Your sister does, too.”
I freeze, my footing falling. We’re a few footsteps away from the RV when Rose and Maya both turn to see what’s stopping me.
“Now what’s wrong?” Maya asks.
I think over what I just saw inside my head. The clean, crisp blades of grass underneath the soles of my shoes. The early sunset off in the distance burns against an orange sky. The girl with red hair, who looked like a replica of me. “Nothing.” I keep walking, my brain fuzzy in confusion. I’ve never seen that before, never had a memory that dated that far back. Maybe I fabricated it somehow. I squeeze my eyes shut and count to three before swinging the door open.
“What’s wrong?” King asks, his eyes searching mine.
“Nothing.” I shove past him as the girls follow behind me.
King lets them through before yelling, “Bullshit.”
I glance out the side of the window on my way to my room when I see Killian standing outside, staring right at me as I move through the RV. This is a depth I’ve never seen in Killian, and it frightens me. Enough for my footsteps to pick up.
“Dove!” King blocks me inside my room, both of his bare arms stretched on either side of the exit. I try not to look closely at his chest, but every time I do, I find myself drawn to his tattoos, especially the two red roses over his hip. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing. I think. I just had a weird flashback.” I take a seat on my bed, looking behind him to see Rose watching me from the kitchen. Maya is making herself something to eat, but my eyes lock on Rose like don’t leave me here. It’s the same silence we used when we were both locked on the boat.
She nods, and I know she understands.
I exhale.
King tenses. “You don’t have them often?”
I shake my head, my eyes landing on the clothes I was wearing that night when I was with Rose, and she tucked the note inside my shorts. I can see the edge of the paper sticking out from beneath my bikini. “No. Not usually. I actually can’t remember anything from before my father and mother were killed.”
The air shifts, and for the first time since I first met Kingston, I feel unsafe with his proximity. The air thickens, and darkness caves in around me. I swing around, with an eerie feeling that something, or someone is watching me. I haven’t felt this feeling since they stole me.
I haven’t felt this feeling since that night.
I know what this feeling is. It’s like an old friend has walked into the house for the first time in a long time, carrying his aura with him.
“The Shadow,” I whisper, standing. I almost trip over myself and land back on my ass when King reaches out and catches me.
“Thanks,” I say, my eyes traveling up to his. When I land on them, they’re bleak, black, and send chills down my spine. Suddenly, I don’t feel comfortable with his hands being around me.
“King,” I whisper. “Why did something just change?”
His jaw clenches and then his eyes soften. “What? It didn’t. Get changed,” he announces, turning back around to exit the room. “We’re going to another party. This time, it’s with my parents.”