Circus of the Dead: Book 1

by Kimberly Loth

  “Why?”

  “Because Samuel’s deals never end well.” She opens a few drawers and comes back with a couple of bottles. “This will sting but will make sure you don’t get infected.”

  I hiss as the foul smelling liquid hits my neck, but by the time she finishes, it feels infinitely better. I worry about Samuel. I like him a lot, and I want to trust him, but everyone has warned me off of him. But he’s been completely honest with me so far. I just didn’t believe him. Maybe he’s the good guy, and everyone else is evil.

  “What deal did you make with him?”

  Her eyes flash. “A foolish one. I fell in love with one of his ghosts. Samuel was sympathetic and acted like he would help me get what I wanted. He blamed the island for the problem and promised me safety if I signed his contract. I did. Didn’t even think to ask about the ghost I loved. A month later, the ghost was gone. Moved on. So now, I’m trapped here forever with a broken heart.”

  I don’t know what to say to that. Maybe Samuel had nothing to do with the ghost moving on. I debate whether to ask more questions, but Lorena will probably have better information. I thank Ruth and make my way down the docks to Lorena’s boat.

  It’s time for answers. Real ones now that I no longer think everyone is crazy. I knock softly on the door. She peeks out.

  “I was just getting ready for bed, dear. Can I help you?”

  “Benny tried to kill me again. This time I know for sure it was on purpose. I need to protect myself from him.”

  She frowns. “Hmm. As much as I’m dying to know the whole story, I must get some sleep. You should, too. Go home, go to bed, and we’ll work this out later. I promise.”

  I squeeze my eyes shut. She’s taking this all too lightly for someone who tried to convince me the ghosts were real earlier. “Lorena. My life is on the line.”

  “Not anymore, it’s not. The sun is up, which means the ghosts are gone. They’re only here during the new and full moons. You know that. I promise I will explain everything this afternoon. Please. Let me rest.”

  I clench my fists and storm away from her boat. I don’t think I can rest.

  Juliette waits on my porch, pacing.

  “What happened?” I ask, not really in the mood for her stories. I actually thought I’d have a good story of my own, and I did. Just not the kind I thought I would.

  She throws her arms up. “Victor. I got him away from that slut girlfriend of his, but he’s a bigger ass than Samuel and Benny combined. Got me thinking he was all interested in me and then totally left me hanging. Disappeared.”

  “Ouch. I’m sorry. But, at least someone didn’t try to kill you.” Though mooning after a vampire doesn’t seem like a smart choice either.

  “True,” she says, and I wait for her to ask what happened, but she doesn’t. “Anyway, when I hunted him down, he was in bed with that slut.”

  “That’s his girlfriend. You’re the other woman.” I don’t mean for it to come out so mean, but I’m grumpy.

  She glares at me. “I thought you were on my side.” She storms away, and I don’t have the energy to go after her.

  I lay down in bed, not expecting to sleep, but my eyes grow heavy, and the smell of whiskey comforts me.

  “What the hell do you mean there is nothing you can do?” I glare at Lorena. I’m sitting in her kitchen, surrounded by the sickening scent of incense, the light reflecting off all the crystals.

  “It’s the way of things.” Her face is calm and collected like this is all just so normal. It’s not.

  “Benny’s gonna kill me. There has to be something you can do. Either find me a way to protect myself, or get me off this effing island.”

  Lorena takes a deep sigh. “Do you believe me now, about the ghosts? You didn’t before even though you said you did.”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “Then it’s time for you to learn the rest of the story.”

  About freaking time. “Go on.”

  “Samuel has trapped one hundred seventeen ghosts on the island.”

  “Because he’s the Obeah man, right? I’m having a hard time believing that Samuel would do such a thing. He’s not a bad guy. I talked to him. He said the island forces him to do those things.”

  She rolls her eyes. “I know you want to like Samuel, but I hate to tell you this. He’s the bad guy. The one you should stay away from.”

  “I thought that was Benny.” I’m still not sure I believe her about Samuel.

  She gives me a small smile. “Well, him, too.” The tea kettle whistles, and she sets two cups in front of me. She opens a cupboard full of all kinds of teas. “Pick your poison.”

  I choose jasmine. “Anyway, that’s a random number of ghosts.”

  “Actually, it’s not. Nine and thirteen are powerful numbers in voodoo.”

  Math was one of my better subjects, but that doesn’t make sense. “Nine and thirteen are not one hundred seventeen.”

  She levels her eyes at me. “I dare say your education on this island will be far better than the one you’ll get out there. Nine times thirteen is one hundred seventeen.”

  “Oh.” Now I feel like an idiot. I put my tea bag in the cup, and Lorena pours the hot liquid over it. I inhale the jasmine.

  “Every full moon, one soul moves on.”

  “Moves on to where?”

  “Heaven. Or hell, depending on their circumstances.”

  “Right.” I don’t know what I believe about the afterlife. Mostly, I’m agnostic.

  “It upsets the balance. One hundred sixteen isn’t nearly as powerful, and so every new moon that soul is replaced when one of the ghosts trapped here kills someone.”

  One hundred seventeen ghosts trapped here for as long as the island thinks they should be. That seems so awful. I hate being stuck anywhere. And Samuel. If he’s being forced to trap people, that can’t be fun for him. Poor guy.

  “Who decides who is going to be killed?” I take a sip, and liquid scalds my tongue.

  “Depends on who gets to it first. A ghost will be resurrected after he kills thirteen people, so it’s all a fight to get the first kill of the night. They all want their lives back, but as soon as someone is killed, the ghosts go back to their spirit forms once again. They only have a short window where they can kill. From the time the sun crests until you can see the whole thing.”

  “Benny is trying to kill me so he can come back to life?”

  “Yes.”

  “Real nice. How do they decide who moves on during the full moon?”

  “I don’t know. I expect Samuel has something to do with that. He has to release a spirit every full moon. He hates doing it. It makes him weak.”

  I cross my arms and stare into the trees, avoiding any glance at the water. “None of this helps me know what I can do to protect myself.”

  “You can hide the best you can during sunrise on the new moon.”

  “I thought you’d be more helpful than this.”

  “I know it sounds callous, but I’ve come to accept the ways of the circus. I’ve been here a very long time. I’m sorry. I wish I could do something to help you.”

  “Why isn’t anyone trying to kill you or Juliette or any of the others on the island?”

  “Because we all made deals with Samuel that protect us. You haven’t. Most of the time, the victims are visitors to the island.”

  This is absolutely ridiculous. No way to protect myself unless I go to Samuel. Which I might do. But the way my body reacts to him, I don’t trust myself to make any sort of deals. There has to be something else I can do.

  I rush back to my boat, not sure where I should go.

  I stop dead just before I step onto my porch.

  “I’ve been waiting for you.” Samuel grins, and my stomach flip-flops.

  “Why?”

  “Because I understand Benny tried to kill you again. Surely, you believe in the magic of the island now.”

  He sits on my porch swing, and I take a chair as far away as I can.
I don’t want to be distracted by him. But I can’t deny my attraction. I sure like looking at him. “I certainly do. When a headless body gets up right in front of me, I can’t help but believe.”

  “Good. Now, how much do you know about me?”

  “That you are the Obeah man, whatever that means, but you have the power to protect people on the island from the ghosts.”

  He leans back and smirks. “You make it sound so gallant. Surely, that is not the way people presented it to you. I’m not well liked on the island.”

  I drop my eyes. “But I like you.”

  He scrambles off the swing, kneels in front of me, and takes my hands in his. My stomach buzzes.

  “Do you really? I was hoping, but I wasn’t sure.”

  I meet those eyes that I can never resist. “Yes. I do.”

  “Then, that makes this so much easier. You see, in order for me to protect you, you have to make a deal with me.”

  “What kind of deal?”

  “Say you’ll be mine forever, and I’ll always protect you.” He looks at me so earnestly, like that actually makes sense.

  I gently take my hands out of his. “I said I like you, not that I’m head over heels in love with you.”

  His cheeks redden, and he rocks back on his heels. “I see. So what do you want?”

  I slide off the chair onto the damp wood so that I’m face-to-face with him. “I want to go home. That’s what I’ve wanted since I got here. I don’t belong here. I belong at home.”

  He frowns. “I’ve been looking into it, and I suppose I could do that. But I don’t want to. I like having you here. Just stay with me. Think of the things we could do. We could explore the island. I could teach you magic. You could lead the circus with me. People don’t like me, but they would like you. You’d be treated like a queen.” His face is so earnest, and in a small way, I want to give in. But this is not my home, and I’m not throwing away everything for a boy. Even a boy I can potentially see myself falling in love with.

  “Surely you see this place doesn’t make me happy.”

  He stares at me with sad eyes. “Yes. I can see that, and I want you to be happy. I will help you get off the island on the next full moon. I think I can override that magic that keeps you here.”

  “Really? You would do that?”

  He said think, so it still might not work, but for now, it’s what I’ve got.

  He sighs and drops his eyes. “I promised you I would.”

  My heart swells in my chest, and I throw my arms around him. “Thank you.”

  He hesitates for a moment and then wraps his arms around me and holds me tight. I try not to think about how much I enjoy it.

  Or that once again, I’ve put my fate in the hands of another.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Dear Maddie,

  Someone tried to kill me. Literally held a knife to my throat and nearly sliced it open.

  Please, please, please convince Mom and Dad to get me out of here. I can’t stay here any longer. I don’t know what to do. I’m trapped, and if I stay here, I’m going to die.

  I can’t believe Mom sent me here.

  Please send help.

  Love,

  Callie

  Cal,

  You know, I wanted you to fill me in on all the goings-on, especially the boys. The circus always has boys.

  But instead, you try to scare me.

  Not nice, Cal, not nice at all. You know I’m gullible, and you tried to trick me, but I’m not buying it.

  Love

  Your slightly peeved sister

  Chapter Twenty

  The next day, after I help Amy shell a crap-ton of shrimp, I head back to my boat and take the long way in the hopes that I’ll see Samuel, but that seems silly, so I tell myself it’s because this route has less snake or alligator potential.

  I walk past his dock and stare at his boat, but he doesn’t seem to be outside. Should I just go up to his door and say hi? A braver girl would. Not that I’m normally bashful, but there is something about Samuel that makes me feel incredibly insignificant. A fish jumps in the swamp, splashing.

  A hand pops out of the water and grabs the dock next to me. I scream and hop back. A second hand joins it. Oh crap.

  I’m about to be attacked by a zombie. I try to figure out the best way to run, but a head pops up before I do.

  Samuel gives me a grin, and his wet hair drips down his back. He hoists himself up onto the dock, his shorts dripping wet. I bring a hand to my chest and slow my breathing.

  “You scared me,” I finally get out. He squeezes water out of his hair, and I lose my breath. That man won the genetic lottery. Every part of him is lean muscle, and I desperately want to get my hands on those abs.

  He gives me one of his cocky grins. “Like what you see?”

  My face flushes, and I drop my gaze. “Um. What were you doing in the water? There are alligators and snakes. And zombies, don’t forget about them.”

  He chuckles. “You forget, I’m the Obeah man. The zombies don’t bother me. The alligators or snakes either.”

  “Right.” I wonder if I’ll ever get that comfortable being here. Lorena and Amy don’t seem that scared of things either.

  “I need to go change, but I’m glad I caught you. Would you like to come over for dinner tonight?”

  “To your place?”

  “Yes. Not many restaurants on the island.”

  “Um. Sure.” My stomach buzzes a little. Having dinner at a guy’s place is usually a sign of “let me take you to my bed,” but this feels different. Maybe I’ll get that kiss anyway.

  “Great, see you at seven?”

  “Uh, yeah, I’ll be here.”

  I don’t know what to wear. I dig around the closet and find a simple red sundress. It’s strappy and long and made of silky material. I take my hair out of my braid and put on a little makeup.

  At 6:50, I’m just finishing up my hair when someone knocks on the door. I open it cautiously. Samuel stands there.

  “I thought I would escort you.”

  “Oh, okay.” I turn off my lights and join him on the porch. It’s sweet that he thought to pick me up.

  We walk slowly, and he takes my hand. “Tell me about yourself,” he says.

  “What’s there to tell? I’m sixteen, and I surf. That’s it.”

  He chuckles. “There’s more to you than that.”

  I sigh. I don’t like talking about myself. “Okay, as a child, I danced competitively. Happy?”

  “No. Not in the least. But that does explain why you picked up the fire dance so easily.”

  We continue on in silence for a few moments, and I’m not sure what to say. He smiles as he opens the door to his house. I enter first. I’ve been in here before when I talked to Mom and Dad, but I didn’t really take the time to look around.

  The living room is open with wide comfortable looking deep green couches. The woodwork is old and rich, a deep brown.

  “Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. Wait here a second.”

  I sink down into one of the couches, and Samuel disappears through a door. He comes back a few moments later with two glasses of wine.

  I take one from him. I don’t like to drink because I don’t like to feel out of control, but I take a sip, anyway. It’s sweet and cool.

  “How did you get trapped on the island?” I ask.

  “Who said I’m trapped?” He lounges in his chair like he doesn’t have a care in the world.

  “Everyone talks about being trapped. You are all stuck on this island, just like me.”

  He grins. “Not me. I’m here because I want to be.”

  “Why would you want to be here?”

  “It’s beautiful, and I get to be the ringmaster of a circus. What more could I ask for?”

  I don’t understand his carefree attitude. How could anyone want to be stuck in that horror show? “But you can’t leave.”

  “Sure I can.”

  “Then why can’t I?”


  He leans forward, looking me straight in the eye. “Because you drew the eight of swords.”

  I already knew that, but that didn’t answer my question. “That doesn’t make sense. Why are the cards magical and can trap people?”

  He sighs and brushes a piece of hair out of my face. “Because the island wants to keep people here. There is more magic here than just about anywhere else on earth. There are many ways to be trapped. If I remember correctly, Luke asked you to stay in his boat the night you arrived, right? He knew that if you were let out, the island would find a way to keep you, and she did.”

  “Why can’t others leave?”

  “Everyone is here for different reasons.”

  “How many of them drew the eight of swords?”

  “None of them.” He scoots a little closer to me but doesn’t elaborate. “I, for one, am glad you’re here.” He takes my hand and plays with my fingers. My body tingles all over, but I extract my fingers from his. I have to focus.

  “I’m not staying. You promised to help me get off the island.”

  He frowns and fiddles with the edge of his shirt. “That I did. Any chance I can convince you to stay?”

  I swallow and wipe my sweating palms on the couch. “No. I really like you, but I need to get home to my real life.”

  “Look, I know we don’t know each other very well, but I would like to see where this goes, and I know you would, too. Just stay for the summer, like you promised your parents. Then we can reevaluate. Please.”

  I’ve seen enough by now to know that if I give up, I won’t ever make it back home.

  I clench my fists in my lap. “Can we talk about something else?” I don’t want to talk about anything that ends with me being anywhere but California.

  He holds up his glass and clinks it on mine. “To a single night with the most beautiful girl in the world.”

  My blood tingles. “Thank you.” I sip at the wine and glance out of the window. Something beeps in the kitchen.

  “That’s dinner. Dining room is that way.” He points to a door. “I’ll be there in a moment.”

  I push the door open, and a nagging feeling settles in my stomach. Something’s not right about Samuel, and I have no idea what it is.