She stared at the squat box. “What is it?”
“Many years ago, before everyone could use their cell phones to take pictures of everything and everyone, couples used to come in here and get their photographs taken.” He led her over to the structure. The bright images decorating the booth had faded with age, chipped and worn off in spots.
He dug in his pocket for a pair of quarters. “Here. Get inside.”
She pushed aside the threadbare curtain and sat on the wooden seat. “I still don’t get it.”
“Right.” Erik squeezed in beside her. “Now I drop the money in here…” He put the coins in the metal slot. “And now we smile and look at the happy dot there.”
Her frown disappeared as he put his arm around her and grinned, joining him as they stared at the bright arrow pointing to the lens.
The flash startled her, enough to let out a throaty gasp that sent his heart racing.
“Keep laughing,” he urged. “There’s three more to go.”
“What?”
The bulb flashed again, her surprised laugh feeding his desire.
“That wasn’t fair,” she protested. “I wasn’t ready.”
Another flash.
Brenna let out an annoyed sigh. “Really?”
He laughed and pulled her into a tight hug as the final flash went off.
“Now we wait a few minutes for the photographs to be developed.”
“In here?” She laid her head on his shoulder. “It’s very small. Were these very popular in the past?”
“My grandparents used one of these on their first date to get some privacy.” He chuckled. “My great uncle was chaperoning them and turned away for them to get some pictures. Got some kissing in while the pictures were developing.”
She let out a soft laugh before leaning in, her voice dropping to a sultry whisper. “I see.”
He let her lead, giving her total control over the situation despite his growing hunger. Her lips brushed his again in a replay of their first meeting, the softness startling him as much as it had then.
Brenna’s hands went around him, pulling him closer on the narrow seat. She shifted her hips, swinging one leg over his as she moved in and deepened the kiss. Her fingers drew through his short beard, and he groaned, unable to hold back any longer.
A loud ding interrupted them, and Erik pulled back, reluctantly. “Guess it’s a lot faster now.”
Brenna smiled before rising, straddling his lap before making her way through the small doorway. “Your grandfather would not have approved. Hardly enough time to steal a kiss.”
He reached down and pulled the long strip free of the basket before displaying it to her. “One hell of a kiss.”
Her cheeks reddened as she studied the four small square color images, showing the two of them in various poses. “I see. So now what?”
He gently pulled the strip apart along the pre-cut lines. “You take two, I take two. That way we’ll always have a memory of us together, at a good time and place.”
Brenna tucked the photographs into her back pocket. “Sounds good.”
Erik did the same before they walked back out onto the midway. Her fingers entwined with his as they rejoined the crowd, the people milling around them as they strolled along.
This…was perfect. His worries fell away as his heart surged, the possibilities flooding his mind.
Cut across the country, maybe head north. South? Go to Europe—they’d have to keep moving, but as long as Kara was behind them…
A series of screams came from the nearby roller coaster, drawing his attention. Beside him, Brenna cocked her head to one side, frowning as she took in the small train racing around the track.
Maybe that’d be a little much for her. But…
He stopped and pointed at the Ferris Wheel, a short walk away. “Want to go up?”
She eyed the slowly spinning structure, the frown slowly disappearing. “Is it safe?”
“I thought you’d love to get up in the air.” He squeezed her hand as he drew her along. “There’s other rides, but…”
“No.” The firm reply made him laugh. “Those other…things would make me sick.”
“What?” The lineup wasn’t too long for the old-fashioned ride, most of the other customers waiting consisting of older men and women. “I’d think you’d love spinning around and around.” He drew circles in the sky with his finger. “Didn’t you do that when you had wings?”
The pained look in her eyes slammed into him like a kidney punch.
“I’m sorry.” He took both her hands and held them in his. “I didn’t…”
“It’s okay.” Brenna pressed her lips into a tight line before continuing. “Sometimes when I fall asleep, I dream about flying.” She gave him a wistful smile. “Then I wake up and it takes a few seconds to figure out where I am.” Her gaze went to the large metal wheel above them. “You sure this thing isn’t going to break down?”
The old carny operator heard her and let out a loud snort. “Ma’am, this is my baby here.” He slapped his calloused hand against the control box, hard. “I check her every few hours for wear and tear and put her together at every stop myself. You’re safer up there than you are in an elevator.” He pulled a lever, and the wheel slowly came to a stop.
He grinned and lifted the safety bar, letting a happy couple climb off. “Ready to go?”
Brenna nodded and slid onto the seat, Erik beside her.
“Get ready for the ride of your life.” The operator locked the railing in place before stepping back.
…
Brenna’s stomach twisted into a knot as the seat lurched forward, rocking back as they began to move.
Erik put his hand atop hers. “It’s fine.” He glanced upward. “We’ll go around to the top and maybe another circuit before the ride is over.”
She frowned as the slow climb began. “That could take a long time.”
He smiled and sat back, stretching out his arms along the top of the seat. “Yes. Yes, it could.”
She shook her head and moved closer, letting his hand fall on her shoulder. “And what do you do while waiting to come back down?”
“Enjoy the sights.” Erik pulled her close, snuggling her tight as the chair continued to rise.
It was fun to slowly ascend into the sky, the people below them shrinking away as the bright lights of the midway sparkled, the wheel placing them between the heavens above and the crowd below.
Just like us, she mused. Caught between Valhalla and Helheim.
She pushed the thought away and leaned in, enjoying the warmth Erik’s body offered. A cool wind buffeted them, and the chair swung forward, sparking a gasp as she dug her nails into his thigh.
“Don’t worry. We’re fine.” Erik pulled her closer, hugging her tight. “We’re not going to fall out.”
She didn’t want to admit that was her first thought. She studied the people below, milling around the various booths and stalls.
“They all seem so happy,” she murmured.
“For the time being,” Erik said. “That’s sort of the point. You come here, eat what you shouldn’t, play games that’ll take your money, and enjoy a break from the rest of the world for a few hours.” He dropped a kiss into her hair. “A little piece of heaven on earth.”
The chair rose higher, the squeaking sound of metal rising above the din below. She curled into Erik and closed her eyes.
Suddenly his hand tightened on her shoulder, fingers digging into her coat.
Brenna opened her eyes to see Erik flinching, pressing his fingers to his forehead.
“What is it?” She sat up.
“Just a headache. Just…” His forehead furrowed. “Like in Vegas.”
She frowned. “I don’t understand.”
He sat up straight, his grip on her firm and solid. “In Vegas, I had this same type of feeling. It’s a sensation, that something’s wrong.” He looked at her directly, locking eyes. “The first thing that came to mind was t
he type of pain you told me about, when you were hunting me.”
Her mouth went dry as she remembered, the calm of the last few minutes swept away in anticipation of Kara’s arrival.
Spinning away from Erik, she scanned the crowd beneath them. Her heart raced, her pulse thudding in her ears as she searched the pedestrians.
Erik leaned forward, the seat shifting as he did so. “We’re sitting ducks up here.”
She wasn’t familiar with the term, but she got the intention. “Is there any way for us to get down faster?”
“Not unless we climb down.” He gestured at the metal bars nearby. “And that’ll draw attention to us.” He dug out the borrowed cell phone, tapping the buttons to bring it to life. “Can you see her anywhere?”
“No. Not yet.” She squinted, dragging her gaze across the crowd. “But even if we find her, what…”
There.
She pointed to their right, her arm sweeping across Erik’s chest. “Kara. She’s down there, over by the games. The one with the goldfish bowls.”
“Are you sure?” He followed her direction, staring down into the mob.
“Yes. She’s wearing the leather coat—I’d recognize her anywhere. She’s beginning to move, see her?”
“Fuck.” He put the phone to his ear. “Keep an eye on her.”
Brenna started to ask what they could do to keep Kara from confronting them and finishing her mission, but Erik began snapping orders into the phone.
She focused on Kara as the giant wheel began to turn again, lowering them toward the ground. After a few feet, it stopped—the seat swinging as a couple exited below.
Kara made her way through the crowd, the end of her walking stick thumping into the soft ground. She hadn’t looked up at the Ferris Wheel yet, but as soon as she did…
The wheel turned another notch, bringing them closer to the platform.
Erik tucked the phone into his pocket and turned to her. “As soon as the chair stops, get out and run for the van. Don’t look behind you. Just run.”
She grabbed his hand. “We go together.”
The seat lurched forward again.
“She’s not after you,” he protested. “She’s after me.”
“That’s why you have to get away.” Brenna glanced over where Kara stood only a few hundred feet away, surveying the people around her. The minute she turned her attention skyward, they’d be lost. Freyja might have been blessed her with the same ability Brenna had to hunt Erik down, but the Valkyrie still had to work for it.
But once she spotted them, stuck in a metal car high off the ground…
A shout went up in the distance, a low roar that spread through the crowd like wildfire.
The chair dropped again—now they were only two seats away from the platform, about thirty feet. They could jump, but…
“Hold on.” Erik leaned in, putting his mouth to her ear as the yelling increased. “Don’t go until we get our feet on the ground. We don’t want to draw any attention to ourselves. We go too fast, people yell and point. Our goal is to slip back into the crowd, disappear.” His gaze went past her to focus on Kara, who stood now with her back to them as she studied the people around her.
As they went down one more notch, Brenna could make out the mutterings around them, voices rising over the dull hum of the crowd.
“Fight.”
“Two guys fighting over a girl.”
“Two girls fighting over a guy.”
People began to peel off, heading toward the end of the aisle where the crowd was congealing. The thick wall of people grew, spreading through the side lanes and rows as more spectators joined in.
The chair was almost level with the platform.
Brenna held her breath. If Kara turned around…
One woman bumped into the Valkyrie, then a pair of men as they surged toward the distraction. Kara took a step toward the crowd, caught up in the mob and her own curiosity, no doubt, as to what was going on.
The bench settled with a screech of metal on metal, their feet brushing the top of the wooden platform.
The operator flipped the safety bar up with a grunt and a smile. “Hope you have a good time.”
Before she could reply, Erik grabbed her hand and pulled her up. “Time to go,” he said as he led her down the steps and out of the gated area, in the opposite direction Kara had taken.
The crowd milled around them, bystanders torn between wanting to go see what was going on and not interested in getting caught up in a mob scene.
A pair of uniformed security guards jogged by, headed for the far end of the lane.
Suddenly a jagged pain shot up her right leg, stopping her cold. The world spun around her, the tight grip on Erik’s hand snapping away as she fell.
The ground was cold under her cheek, her ankle throbbing as she forced herself to turn over.
The industrial broom lay on the dirt, kicked or fallen into the aisle from a nearby booth. It’d been enough to trip her up and send her flying.
She looked up to see Erik sprinting back toward her, his gaze shifting to look behind her.
“Go!” She waved him off. “Get away before…”
Kara.
She braced herself, imagining the lance flying over her head to impale Erik, sending him skyward.
Nothing.
Nothing but silence, save for the yelling in the distance.
Erik skidded to a stop beside her and reached out.
Brenna grabbed his hand and scrambled to her feet, daring to glance around.
The lane was empty save for a few stragglers and the stall owners.
“Come on.” Erik grabbed her around the waist and hustled her down the open road, oblivious to her injury. “The others are going to meet us at the van.”
“But Kara…”
“She’s busy trying to work her way through the crowd. Let’s not push our luck any further by hanging around.” He pulled her into a side aisle and then another, zigzagging their way back to the parking lot.
“What did you do?” She winced as her ankle throbbed—it wasn’t broken, she knew that much. The burst of energy brought on by fear and anticipation had worn off, leaving her drained.
“Called Jake and told him to start something. Guess he did.” He paused. “Are you okay?”
“Twisted my ankle.” She gasped as she slowed to a walk, now visibly limping.
“Damn it. You should have said something sooner.”
Before she realized it, Erik picked her up in his arms and continued on, barely slowing down under the extra weight.
“What did he do?” She wrapped her arms around him, resisting the urge to demand he stop. They needed to get as far away as they could—this wasn’t the time to argue.
“Who knows? But it got the crowd moving and got Kara caught up in it.” He slowed as they hit the edge of the parking lot, the gravel crunching under his feet. “Can you walk from here?”
“Sure.” She slid out of his arms, missing the warmth immediately. Gingerly, she put her weight on her ankle and grimaced. “Just a bad twist.”
“We’ll ice it back at the campsite.” Erik took her arm and put it around his shoulders in a reversal of what they’d been doing on the Ferris Wheel.
Helen was already at the van, leaning against the side. She sprung toward the pair as they approached, taking Brenna’s other side.
Lucy sprinted across the parking lot, followed by the two men. She laughed as she slapped her hand against the hood. “That was crazy.”
Brenna gasped as she took in the state of Jake and Mark. Both men had torn shirts, and a cut over Mark’s left eye oozed blood. Jake’s lip was split and swollen, purple and ugly-looking.
“What did you do?” she demanded.
“We provided a distraction.” Mark laughed as he turned his head to one side and spat on the ground. “Not bad, old man. Not too bad.” He leaned over and rested his palms on his knees. “But next time I’m not pulling my punches.”
Erik pa
ssed the cell phone back to Mark. “Owe you both a six pack of beer. Let’s get out of here.”
“On it.” Jake pulled the van’s keys out, and within a matter of minutes, they were headed out of the fairgrounds.
“Did she see you?” Mark asked as Helen dug out the first-aid kit, shaking her head as she checked Brenna’s ankle.
“Don’t think so.” Erik glanced at the rearview mirror. He’d taken the seat next to Jake. “If she had, we wouldn’t have gotten away.” He chuckled. “Guess two men fighting was more popular than we thought.”
“Hey.” Mark accepted a wet cloth from Lucy. “People pay to see you fight. Us, they got for free. One hell of a show, if I do say so myself.”
Brenna looked at Lucy. “Who were you cheering for?”
She tapped Jake’s shoulder. “I’ll never tell. Although I think some of the spectators thought you were both fighting over me.”
“In that case, I definitely won.” Jake let out a rough laugh before turning to Erik. “How did Kara find you?”
“No idea.” Erik studied the mirrors again. He rubbed his temple. “Thank God we saw her before she saw us.”
“Might be a coincidence.” Jake let out a snort. “Don’t believe in those. Helen, call the campground and cancel our reservation. We’re skipping this stop—I’ll make apologies and tell them we blew a tire or something, got thrown off our schedule.” He caught Brenna’s eye in the mirror. “As long as you’re both safe.”
“But you got hurt,” she protested.
Jake grinned. “Nothing worse than we do in basic training.” He turned his attention back to the road. “Now let’s get some distance between her and us.”
The next week was spent driving and camping. Jake’s route didn’t include any talks or meetings, and he backtracked over their previous routes, covering their trail. Helen updated the website with more false data about their travels, leaving red herrings that would send Kara north if she took the bait.
But the changes didn’t stop there.
Erik took night watch non-stop now, napping in the van during the day. No one contested his decision. Mark sat some nights with him; Jake took others to keep him company.
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