by Stella Price
Nyx laughed and got up to stretch. “That crowd is thrashed. Shall we go out and say hi?”
“Be my guest,” Rhys said and nuzzled Saffron’s nose. “I’ll be out, I mean we will be out in a few minutes.”
“Don’t take too long man,” Winter said and stood. “You know they wanna see us, but it’s really you those chicks are screaming for.”
He waved them away and focused on Saffron. “So? Fun times with my parents?”
“Your mother is shameless.”
“I know. Where do you think I get it from?”
“I never wondered. So? You ok?”
“Never better love. Why?”
“Just making sure,” she said and nipped his bottom lip. “We really should get you out there…”
“In a minute…” he said and kissed her hard again. “How long till we get out of here? You promised tonight we say at my place…”
She had. After their little issue at the graveyard, she had insisted they stay at her hotel, citing Xxieda and Dante needed to be watched. They had cuddled but sex wasn’t even a thought. She could forgive him, but the thought of him with Phaedra, well she couldn’t forget. No, as much as she ached for him, she didn’t want to sully things by ‘enforcing her claim’ on him so soon after. Tonight, well they could, and she would feel better about it, but tomorrow, with the concert and Samhain, she would prove to that ghostly little troublemaker that he was hers now.
“Depends on you, and before you say now, this is a hometown show. You need to just hangout. The bedroom and your place will be there when we are done.”
He smiled at her and nodded. “You know, that’s another reason you are perfect for me. It’s not just about us. You understand my career, what it takes.”
“Obviously. And I wouldn’t get in the way of it.”
He kissed her again and nuzzled her cheek. “Then let’s go.”
Chapter 18
Your tears are only alibis. -Cursive
Voodoo was in full swing prep when they got there Halloween morning at eight am. Everyone was bleary, groggy and even a bit hung over from the partying with the hometown fans and friends they hadn’t seen in ages.
Rhys and Saffron had left the fray soon after midnight, ending the night cuddled in his bed. Sex had been slow and quiet, languid and reserved. It was the one eighty of how he was earlier in the night on stage and that suited her just fine.
The fans and friends had embraced her, made her feel like one of them, something that rarely happened in these instances. It was much like the prince of the realm looking for a bride, and Cinderella, the most unlikely, snatching him up. Truth was that analogy wasn’t that far from the mark. Rhys was the one they all wanted, and Saffron snagged him for being everything the girls that wanted him weren’t.
It didn’t faze Rhys, not in the least. He took all the adoration in stride, was flirty and gracious, but he never once let on that Saffron meant anything less than the woman he was committed to. Her heart beat faster every time he looked at her, kissed her, and held her. It was surreal, but then again, what in this industry wasn’t?
“Saff, baby, why in sweet hell are we here so damn early again?” Tosh asked and slipped a New Orleans Saints hat on to further shield his eyes from the sun. Apparently the sunglasses weren’t doing their job.
Saffron turned to him and smirked. “You so shouldn’t have partied so hard last night.”
“Noted, but irrelevant at this juncture.”
She shook her head and grabbed the clipboard. “We’ll load in, sound test, no full band check here too much going on and the shit starts in about 2 hours. Add in the interviews Xxieda has set up with some music channel from Canada, two interviews with two mags and ooh two zine’s… this should be an interesting day.
“So we are going to be on camera? Shit I should have showered.”
“That’s what the trailer is for…” Nyx said and pinched his ass.
Tosh perked up. “They filled out rider? Like for real?”
The 13 Shades of Red rider had some pretty unbelievable things on it, including a 1976 tennis racket, novelty socks for Chandler, and a double wide trailer for outdoor events and festivals with specific specifications, one of which was a full shower.
Saffron nodded. “Apparently you guys are worth it.”
“You damn right.” Xxieda said and handed Saffron a large packet. “Passes, all access for band, meal passes and bracelets for the backstage open bar. You can thank Dante for charming the bar girl. Winter, you might have to go and flirt.”
“Saw that girl, not a hardship.”
Dante walked up and frowned. “I’m not happy with my new designation of ‘company flirt’ love.”
Xxieda rolled her eyes. “Please.”
“Saffron love, where is the golden boy?” Dante asked and looked around and then slipped a pair of sunglasses on his face.
“Talking to the lead singer of Stranger Angels. Something about a tour?” she looked at Xxieda for conformation.
“If the girl can convince Rhys it’s a good idea.”
“Lola Cavendish?” Winter said and frowned. “Which way did they go?”
Saffron pointed and Winter set off. She arched a brow at Nyx who just smirked.
“History.” Xxieda said.
“Rhys or Winter?”
“Both,” Chandler and Tosh said at the same time.
“You’re not worried are ya love?” Dante asked.
Saffron shook her head. “Not a shot in the ten hells.”
“I’ll have you know there’s a lot more than ten. X? Shall we?” he said absently as he looked at his watch.
Xxieda looked at her cell and nodded. “We have brunch with the event staff this morning. Something about a new festival…” she trailed off as she waved and walked away with Dante’s arm around her.
Rhys walked up seconds later with a smile on his face and wrapped himself around Saffron.
“Good talk?”
“No idea. She and I just waited till Winter found out we were alone and then I left when he walked up with murder in his eyes.” He said, his lips nibbling her neck as he did.
“Do I wanna know?” She asked and he grunted.
“Not a pretty story love. Winter and Lo used to be a thing, she left him when SA took off, and then Winter started seeing Carrie. Carrie, of course is the girl that took on every member of The Waking and Falling Stars one night and totally broke Winter’s… well not heart, but his idea on women being loyal. Anyway, Lola did break his heart, and X knew. So when their company asked about a joint tour for next spring, she told them Lola had to ask personally. Lo and I both knew he would freak if he found out I was talking to her… so we set it up.”
“Dastardly. But why would he be pissed?”
Rhys shrugged. “He thinks Lo and I fucked. We didn’t but we didn’t correct him.”
Saffron shook her head. “You are a horrible friend.”
“Not so, Lo was home and wanted to see him. He was seeing Carrie at that point, so he blew her off, and I went to hangout. She wanted to get back together with him… and was quite upset when she found out about that little porn star in the making. We hung out, drank, and passed out at my place. Sitting in the bedroom.
“We didn’t do anything, but Winter showed up at my place and found us both in bed-fully clothed mind you-and jumped to conclusions. We were so bleary we didn’t correct him and now he won’t listen to reason.”
“Hence the murderous look.”
“Exactly. But a tour is pretty much up to Winter saying yes. I personally would love it. Lo and the band are good friends of ours.Got picked up before us, but all in all it would be a damn good experience. As long as Winter could handle it.”
“She seeing someone?”
“No, it’s a bit more complicated than that.”
“She married?”
“Nope. Haunted.”
“Haunted? Like you’re haunted?”
“Nope. And that’s all I’m saying about it.”
“So where is this trailer?” he asked as Nyx jumped up on Tosh’s back for a piggy back ride.
“Hell If I know, let’s go find it.” Saffron said and looked at the map and started walking toward the back stage area, hand in hand with Rhys and the band trailing behind.
***
Lola Cavendish was an addiction Winter wasn’t willing to admit to. Sure, he blamed his philandering and wild ways on Carrie, but really it was all Lola’s doing. Lola, the girl he loved and lost to rock and roll, and his best friend; Lola, the girl that was right now talking to said best friend like nothing ever happened. Lola was his reason for the self hate, and the negligence in his treatment of the women he chose to keep up with.
Why? Because Lola was everything to Winter, and Lola tossed it away on a record contract. How dare she even consider talking to Rhys about anything? Yes, he was still sour about catching them, even though he swore to everyone that they were through, but reason left him where she was concerned.
He rounded the corner of one of the sound trailers to see her standing there with Rhys, smiling and looking better than ever. Son of a Bitch was she fucking hot.
It has been almost two years since he saw her last, but goddamn nothing had changed-Blood raced to his cock and he groaned. This was not going to be good.
Damn it Man! Maintain! Your pissed at her remember?
“What the fuck is this?” he said as he frowned as them, his hands in his hoodie pockets to help him walk without her knowing he was sporting some major wood.
“I was just talking to Lo about a tour…” Rhys said with a lazy smile at Winter who frowned harder.
“Saff is looking for ya…” he said and gave Rhys a meaningful look.
Rhys turned back to Lola and smiled. “I’ll see you later tonight?”
She reached over and hugged him. “Damn right, and I better get to meet this mysterious Saffron.”
“Count on it.” Rhys said and winked as he left, leaving them alone in the filtered sunshine. She assessed him.
“You look good.” She said and smiled, the cupids bow of her lips glistening in the weak light.
Sweet Christ he voice was still honeycomb dipped in white chocolate. And she looked like a fucking wet dream he’d had continuously. An inch or two shorter than him, she was clad in a dangerously short black micro mini, knee high purple and black striped socks, heeled Mary Jane’s, a tight as fuck white button up shirt, underbust vest that made her ample breasts in their black bra pop forward, skinny tie that was askew, and her customary black kitten collar with the rubies in it. Her hair was black, with blonde chunks and was presently in two pigtails with some extra blue cyberlox thrown in for good measure.
Her makeup was flawless, heavy on the eyes so they were rimmed in kohl with blue and white slashes to her brow. She wore a ton of black plastic bracelets, the same as he did, exactly the same number. Seemed nothing ever changed. Well except the Monroe piercing she was now sporting. That was new. And sexy as fuck.
She shifted and he saw the peaking of vibrant color from the side of her torso, what he knew were peacock feathers tattooed on each side of her, the plumes, or eyes of the feathers sitting just above her panty line.
The thought of her panty line, or rather, what kinda panties she was wearing, if at all, was yet another jolt to his system and he tried to discreetly adjust as he gave her a half snarl. “You look like a present ready to be unwrapped. Hope it wasn’t wasted on Rhys, him and Saffron are pretty hot and heavy.”
Lola frowned. “Wint, nothing ever happened between me and Rhys, like ever, unless you count him holding my hair back when I was puking.”
Winter rolled his eyes. “Spare me. So why the contact? I believe I told you…”
“Will you shut up already you ass? I don’t give a shit what you said Winter. It was said out of anger so just cut the shit. You had no right to get pissed at me anyway, you didn’t want to hangout remember?”
Oh he did. He wanted to see her so badly, to get on his knees and beg her to take him back but his pride wouldn’t let him. So he went to see Carrie, fucked her blind and then went to the bar and got hammered. Neither had taken the edge off so he had gone to Rhys’ to see if he knew where Lola was staying and found them in the bedroom, Lola putting her shirt on and Rhys sitting there in pants unbuttoned, shirtless, putting his sneakers on. So much for him getting on his knees for that woman. Nothing in the world was more disturbing to him then sharing the woman he loved with his best friend.
“I remember finding you in Rhys’s bedroom but you know what that’s not even the issue. Why the fuck would you wanna do a tour with Shades?”
Lola looked at him and shook her head. “Why? Because we share a lot of the same fans? Or maybe because the guys miss you guys and thought it would be pretty fucking cool?”
So, it wasn’t to see him. okay then. He stood there for a few minutes trying to figure out what to say. As he opened his mouth to speak when he saw Toro, Lola’s bff and collaborator in Strange Angels. Once, back in the day, Winter was hella jealous of the time they spent together, until he realized that Toro wasn’t trying to get in Lola’s knickers, he was trying to get into her brothers.
“Lo! Girl we have the interview! Get your ass in gear!” he looked over and then grinned. “Is that Winter Tulane? As I live and breathe! We’ll get a drink later kay?” he said and licked his lips which were painted up with lip liner and gloss, to match his own warpaint: corpse white base, black rimmed eyes, zombie white contacts, and one eye with red fake lashes. Winter never understood it, wanting to look like Marilyn Manson. Toro grinned and showed off what looked like fangs, which he licked with a seductive glint in his eye aimed at Winter.
Winter had to laugh. Toro was a worse flirt then he was. “Yeah man, later.”
“Good, I have stories.” He called. “Lo…”
“Right there T. Look Winter, we should talk about this, it’s advantageous for both sides…”
“You seeing anyone?” he cut her off and pulled his sunglasses down.
“Its… it’s not that simple.”
“The hell it’s not. Are you currently fucking someone?” he said and annunciated each word.
Lola sighed and looked down. “It’s not that simple Winter. Look, just… You know what, fuck it. Don’t worry about the tour. I gotta go.”
Winter reached out and grabbed her arm as she turned to go and inwardly groaned. He felt her soft skin, the raised section of the tattoo she had gotten on her forearm that said his name in sanskirt. He had hers, her real name, low on his hip. “Just tell me.”
“I told you, it’s not that simple Winter, and I mean that.”
With that he let her go, and watched her tight pert ass slink away as she crossed to Toro, the seductive sway to her hips a lightning bold to his libido.
Gods did he want her… missing her wasn’t event registering. He would miss her later, when he was alone, and could drink himself into oblivion. But until then, he had a show to do, and a tour to think about.
Chapter 19
Get on that cross, that’s all your good for. - Cursive
Xxieda looked out across the crowd from her spot on the side lookout tower and shook her head. That crowd, some in costume others in much of nothing, was getting thrashed. Further back in the distance she saw the fire dancers, spinning and twirling, the dark slashes of paint on their bodies illuminated when the flaming pieces came close to the fore.
She frowned, the night was going along well, and it shouldn’t be. Not with Phaedra ready to appear, if she hadn’t already. The entire area was a supernatural hot spot.The veils at Voodoo not only thinned, but thrown the hell open, which was rare. Tonight, some of the hobgoblins and devils in the crowd were probably just that.
“Troubled?” she heard in her ear and turned, face to face with her Goddess, The Morrigan.
“I wasn’t aware that
you walked the earth on Samhain, Great Mother.” Xxieda said and hugged her Goddess.
“Normally I don’t, but this issue with Rhys interests me. For all his meddling, he is one of my favorites you know. He deserves to be happy with his intended female as well.”
“Saffron?” Xxieda asked and shook her head.
“That’s the one. Girl is perfect for him. Now to make sure that they end up together. Tonight is more than a test for Rhys, but a test for Saffron as well.”
“I don’t follow.”
“You don’t have to love. Just be here for him, same as I am. Now where is that strapping demon you have taken up with?”
Xxieda laughed and motioned to Dante, who was walking over with two beers in his hands. He saw The Morrigan, who gave him a little wave, and he scowled.
“Fancy seeing you here tonight, Goddess.” He said, no reverence or respect in his tone. They had an odd relationship. The Morrigan let Dante get away with things she would burn others to ash for… or maybe it was that she couldn’t burn him to ash because his demonic powers were based in fire.
“Eh, I like to mingle.” She said and snapped her fingers, a rocks glass with ice and what looked like whiskey appeared in her other hand.She offered it to Dante.
He took it gratefully. “You wouldn’t be able to bring me some normal coffee would you? I swear the south of this sodding country likes to destroy everything pure in this world.”
The Morrigan laughed. “Consider it done demon. But I will require a boon from you as well.”
Dante rolled his eyes. “What would that be?”
The Morrigan just smirked. “Oh I’ll come collecting.”
“Whatever.So long as I get real coffee I’m all yours Goddess.”
“No, you are all mine demon…” Xxieda said and he pulled her close to him. “So what about Phaedra?” she asked her Goddess.
“Oh the chit is around, that I’m sure of, out in the crowd. She knows all about Saffron’s ultimatum, this is not going to be easy for either of them.” Her eyes brightened and she smiled. “So when does Shades go on?”
“Fifteen minutes I think, maybe twenty. All I know is they are backstage and getting ready.”