by Dani Rei
“You’ll keep it a secret, then?”
“Sure, but it’ll cost you.”
“Cost me what?”
Blake lifts his head to smile at her and plants his lips on hers. “That. As many as I want.”
Inez giggles and scoots herself closer, leaning her head on his shoulder. Blake puts a gentle hand on her knee and raises a brow when her body shifts.
“Are you okay?”
Inez nods and hides in his neck.
“You don’t like being touched, huh?”
“Not always.” She wraps her arms around him. “But I like when you do it.”
Blake lets out a breath of relief. He reaches his arm under her knees and swings her legs to rest over his, caressing her thigh while the other hand runs through her hair.
Inez tenses at the movement, but her body relaxes at his gentle touches. He drops a hand to her arm and caresses her smooth skin, the resulting goosebumps combined with the scent of her hair making his heart soar.
“Inez, I want you to feel comfortable talking to me. You don’t have to tell me everything all at once, but I want to know that whatever happens between us, you’re okay with it.”
“I’m fine with whatever you want.”
“Whatever I want?” Blake blinks hard. “That’s not the Inez I’ve gotten to know so far. Where’s that power kick I saw when Ian touched you?”
“Shut up,” she scoffs. “I’m still getting used to this. It never mattered what I wanted before. But I do like you, and I don’t need to kick you off of me. I don’t know what else I’m supposed to do.”
“What you want matters now, especially to me. I’m not here for my own pleasure, I’m here for us. Tell me what you do and don’t want. Your desires, your hopes, your fears, everything. Little by little, day by day, let me get to know you.”
“It’ll take a while. I still don’t really trust anyone, so I’m sorry to say I don’t entirely trust you, either.”
“You trust me enough to let me kiss and hold you. That’s more than enough for the time being. We can take this as slow as you like. What can I do to make you happiest right this moment?”
Inez’s frown lifts, and she bites her lip with a tiny grin. “I want you to kiss me.” She points to where her neck meets her shoulder. “Right here.”
Blake smiles and presses his lips to her smooth skin, his body heating up as her moan floats into his ear. He pulls away, but she pulls him back to press her lips to his. She pulls away to shoot him a mischievous grin.
“Now I want a pony.”
“Sure. Let me just pull out the thousands of dollars I definitely have.”
Inez giggles, and Blake squeezes her, chuckling along. She hides her face in his shoulder, relaxing in his arms.
“I lied,” she confesses. “I’m not okay with everything, not yet. With Allistair, whatever happened was fine in the moment. It even seemed okay to kiss him. But later, when I thought about it, all I had was regret. I shouldn’t have let it happen but saying no felt dirty and ungrateful; Like I wasn’t allowed to. Like I owed him something for being a friend. But then he wanted more, and I couldn’t stand the thought of regretting something like that. And right now, I can’t stand the thought of regretting any of this. With us.”
“I’m proud of you.” He places a gentle kiss on her forehead. “Don’t let me do anything you’re not comfortable with. Not even kissing.”
Inez hugs him tighter, and Blake pushes her away to look at her with narrowed eyes. “You are comfortable kissing me, right?”
“Yes,” Inez laughs. “I said that!”
“Good. Just checking.” He gives her one more kiss before he pulls her close again. Inez breaks into a fit of giggles, and his heart lifts at the sound. He kisses her head, taking in the enticing smell of her hair, the smooth skin on her thigh, her warm breath on his neck. A yawn sneaks up on him too fast for him to block it.
“Getting tired?” Inez asks.
“A little.”
“Do you want to leave, so you can get some sleep?”
“Absolutely not.”
Chapter 22
B
lake strolls through the backyard, enjoying the sunrise, lost in the beautiful memories of Inez that kept him awake even after he left her room. The smooth touch of her skin, the delectable taste of her lips, the melodious sound of her laugh.
He’s passing through the empty aerial rigs when a black shadow flies down in front of his face, making him leap back with a yelp.
“I’m home!” says the figure with a catlike grin and a leather jacket, hanging on a branch by his knees. “Did you miss me?”
“Mishkin!” Blake stomps his foot as Mishkin pulls his legs between his arms to let himself down. “You shouldn’t be climbing around after you’ve just had your heart stop!”
“I’ll be fine. It’s strenuous exercise I need to stay away from.”
Blake shakes his head, but a smile quickly replaces his frustration, and he throws his arms around him. “I’m so glad you’re back!”
“Aww, and here I thought you didn’t like me!” Mishkin chuckles before Blake pulls away. “So, it’s been a few days. What’s the latest on you and Inez?”
“Actually, last night...”
Mishkin puts his hands on his face. His jaw drops, and he takes in a long gasp.
“Don’t get too excited! We just kissed.”
“Right, it’s still early. So, is it official?”
“Sort of. She wants to keep it a secret. From Rex.”
“That’s smart. Probably good to keep it from Allistair too. At least for now, with the timing and all.”
Blake agrees, and a shadow looms into his mind, remembering how Mishkin got to the hospital. He turns his attention to the mansion towering over them with a new air of menace.
“Do you think you’ll still enjoy being here? Even after everything that’s happened?”
Mishkin sighs and kicks at the grass. “I know it looks bad. Well, scratch that, it is bad. But I love the stage. I love what I do. I love living here with Vladik and Inez, and you, of course. Rex saved us, and takes care of us, and has everyone convinced he has their best interest at heart. I did too, until I woke up in the hospital. I want to speak up, but I can’t do anything that would leave me back in the streets. No one here knows how to make it out there. Rex kept us powerless, and that gives him every advantage.”
“What would happen if Inez told them she wanted to leave?”
“I don’t know. So far only one person has left, and I think she’s still struggling. She called me a few times, saying how rough it is to not have such a large family anymore. It was hard for her to hold down a job for a while. Eventually, she got pregnant and stopped calling. I guess she became too busy, but she’d been doing better by then. At least I hope so.”
“So, it is possible? I could just ask them to let me leave with Inez?”
“Not right now. Remember, you’re under contract for a year.”
“But it’s possible, right?”
Mishkin frowns at him. “You fought so hard to be here, and you’re ready to give it all up?”
“I wanted to join because you and the others inspired me. But if this is what your ringleader is like, it’s not worth it. Besides, Rex made it clear he isn’t going to renew my contract. I’ve already lost his favor.”
Mishkin purses his lips before he shrugs. “Well, you’ve still got a whole year. You still didn’t tell me much about what happened last night.”
“Oh, right.” Blake lets out a heavy breath, trying not to get carried away with this new information. It would be good to talk to Inez about it later. He scratches his head and searches through his memories for details that aren’t too personal. “Sorry, not sure what else to say. We just admitted we liked each other. Although she seemed really nervous about everything. Even as I held her, she was much more timid than I expected. Has she always been like that?”
Mishkin chuckles. “Not from what I’ve seen, but it’s really not that s
hocking. Rex has been intimidating her since day one, so of course she’s kept her guard up. My guess is she can relax around you, and it scares her.”
“I see. But I want her to know that she’s safe with me. I want her to be open with me. To trust me.”
“She won’t do that so easily. You have to prove she can trust you. I wish I had some clever advice, but I’ve never seen Inez make goo-goo eyes before, so I don’t have much practice in that department. I always figured she was the lone wolf type.”
“You’ve never seen her date anyone?”
“No, I’ve seen her date. I’ve just never seen her care so much.”
Blake chuckles as Vladik approaches them, putting a hand on Mishkin’s shoulder. “My love.” He turns to Blake. “My friend. We should go inside. To be outside today is to catch death.”
Mishkin nods, and the three hurry inside, where a large group is waiting to greet and hug the beloved Cat. Blake’s eyes instantly land on Inez, capturing the image of her genuine smile in his mind—a smile he wants to see every day.
Leaving with you wouldn’t be a loss. I don’t need to be on stage. I need to be by your side.
Chapter 23
T
he light of the moon fills the mansion halls with a blue hue, and Inez sits outside her bedroom door, a folded blanket clutched under one arm. The usual shorts and spaghetti strap top have been replaced by purple fleece that covers her arms and legs in loose folds. Her face lights up as Blake approaches her.
“What’s going on?” he asks.
“I want to show you something,” says Inez as she stands. “But you have to be as quiet as possible, got it?”
Blake agrees, and Inez grabs him by the wrist with a giggle, hurrying toward the stairs that lead to the third floor. Blake freezes at the bottom, making Inez stop and tilt her head at him.
“Are we allowed up there?” he whispers, looking around for potential witnesses.
“Not at night. That’s why I said to be quiet. Come on!”
One more tug at the arm, paired with that adorable smile, and Blake is putty in her hands. They scurry through the halls, the tile floor like ice on his bare feet, and both are doing their best not to stomp or say a word. Blake can’t help but wonder if Inez is as nervous as he is, though he’s convinced she isn’t afraid of anything.
The halls on the third floor are lined with double doors and much larger plaques. One catches his eye as they hurry past it. The world around him slows as he examines the words.
ALEXANDER BRANDT
A.K.A. REX - KING OF FOOLS
This should worry him, but he wishes Rex could see him and Inez together now, on a midnight adventure, alone and intimate. He imagines himself kicking the door open with both middle fingers in the air. A grin creeps onto his face as the plaque falls further behind him, and time goes back to normal.
So much for not being good enough, my King!
Inez leads him to a lion statue against the far wall and smiles at him. “Watch this!”
She places her hand under the lion’s chin, and something clicks before Inez slowly pulls it to the side. A loud screech echoes through the halls, making Blake catch his breath and look around for a response, his primary focus being Rex’s door.
Inez seems startled too, but her surprise turns to giggles as she pulls the statue to the side. A gust of wind rolls around them, and in the wall is a narrow hall with a concrete staircase.
The space is a bit wider than Blake’s shoulders, and the ceiling is barely high enough to stand. The edges of the stairs are jagged and chipped, with dust and spiderwebs lining the corners. The top of the staircase is shrouded in darkness until Inez flips a switch and a dim light flickers, barely making the steps visible.
“Follow me,” she whispers. “And close the door behind you.”
Inez crouches down under the doorway, hurrying up the steps. On the other side of the lion statue is a latch. Blake lifts it and closes the door as quietly as possible. When he turns around, Inez has disappeared behind a black frame door with twisted bars over a hammered glass surface.
Blake steps through, closing that door behind him as well, and his jaw drops at the view.
The night sky is a deep indigo, with pinprick stars spread into every corner. The changing leaves shiver in shades of blue and purple in the darkness, with black branches showing through the holes where leaves had fallen.
Inez leans on metal fencing similar to the door at the patio’s edge, gazing into the night sky as if Blake didn’t even exist. He steps behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her in to lay his head on her shoulder. She rests her arms over his and leans her head onto him.
The silence that embraces the two has never felt more calm, more comfortable, and in it, Blake feels at home. He lifts his head to look her in the eyes for a second before pressing his lips onto hers. When he pulls away, Inez is smiling at him with sparkling eyes.
“This is beautiful,” he whispers, kissing her again. “Thank you for bringing me.”
“I thought you’d like it. I used to come here all the time. But years ago, Ronan fell and got hurt. He was hand walking along the rail, and he slipped. No one was around to see it or get help, so he was out here for hours, calling and pleading, with a broken arm. Rex decided it was too dangerous, and he wouldn’t let us up here anymore.”
“Why was Ronan walking the rail in the first place?”
“I don’t know. He used to be an acrobat, so it’s not surprising that he would try something like that for no reason. Plus, he was a daredevil. No sense of mortality in his teenage years. Besides, lots of us do stupid things in the name of performance. Hell, I fucking eat fire, remember?”
Blake chuckles. “Good point. So, no one’s been up here since?”
“I think everyone forgot about it.” Inez gazes up at the night sky. “But I could never forget those stars.”
“They’re beautiful. My mom used to tell me the stories behind the constellations, and how people use them for fortune telling.”
Inez smiles. “I’ve never believed in that kind of thing. My uncle used to tell me that life would give me signs when I’m uncertain. But I learned as a kid that nothing good comes without effort. I wasn’t born a fire spinner, I had to learn it, and practice. Why bother looking for a sign when you can just decide what you want and make it happen?”
“That makes sense. But you can believe and still make things happen for yourself. I like to think about the stories and horoscopes, but if fate existed, I’m sure I would’ve met you much sooner.”
“Well, you know me now, and fate had nothing to do with it.”
“What if it did?”
“Then I guess you’re stuck with me for a while.”
Blake smiles, taking in his own view of the night sky.
An icy wind whirls around them, and despite having chosen a warmer set of pajamas, Inez grabs her arms and shivers. Blake grabs the blanket from against the rail and spreads it over their shoulders.
The two sit against the mansion and Inez settles herself on his lap so she can spread the blanket over both of them. She rests her head on his shoulder as they gaze into the sky.
“So,” he mumbles after a moment of silence, “about the ball...”
“If we go together, we have to pretend we’re just friends,” says Inez. “We can’t kiss or anything.”
“And the Midnight Dance?”
“We can sneak away and come back here. I don’t believe in that dumb superstition anyway.”
“Right,” says Blake, pulling her close and fixing his gaze back into the sky. She’ll go with him to the ball, so why is he disappointed? It’s just superstition, right? It’s fun to consider, just like the stars. But imagine if that’s all it took.
A warm hand caresses his cheek, and Inez pulls him into another kiss, this one much harder than the last, sending ardent desire through his veins. Their lips part, and the kiss becomes wetter. Inez pulls away too soon, but she rests on his sh
oulder again, her warmth relaxing his muscles.
He presses his lips to her temple, then rests his head on hers. This all feels too good to be true. What made him hesitate to say something sooner?
A sinister grin pops into his mind with a bald head and a switchblade.
“I think you should know,” he mumbles. “A little while ago, Ian told me you used to be his girlfriend. Sorry, I should’ve said that sooner.”
“What?”
“I don’t care if it’s true,” Blake continues. “I just thought you should know that that’s what he was saying. I’ve seen how people talk in this place.”
Inez sighs. “It’s true. I wasn’t trying to hide it or anything. I would’ve told you eventually.”
Blake tenses in his spot, the Blade Master’s arrogant grin flashing into his memory. The remarks he made while he had his crotch in Blake’s face echo through his mind. He wasn’t lying. He hoped he was.
Ian is dangerous, and the threat to Inez’s safety makes his stomach churn. What did he do to get what he wanted?
“I was curious,” Inez continues, “and I never thought of Allistair that way. I was sixteen, and Ian was twenty-five.”
Blake tightens his arms around her, breath shuddering from more than the cold. “Inez, he didn’t...”
“Not in the way you’re thinking. I gave him consent in the moment, and I meant it, but looking back, it’s obvious he just said whatever he had to. At the time, it didn’t feel sinister. I had no idea he would turn out to be such a creep. It didn’t even worry me that it was illegal. His words sounded caring, and I would’ve done anything to feel loved again. Not that I fell in love or anything. His true nature showed after a while.”
A long, shaking breath escapes Blake as he rests his head on her shoulder. Inez rests a comforting hand on his arm.
“Come on now,” says Inez. “I’m sure you’ve had your own unpleasant experiences, right?”
“A few. I had a couple girlfriends throughout high school, and one in college before I dropped out. She was the worst. She hated everything I did, and juggling pissed her off because she associated it with clowns. She was afraid of them. Terrified. But when it came to sex, she was more eager than I was. I didn’t mind too much, until I found out that she was sneaking around behind my back, and I finally broke up with her.”