Circus of the Dead: Book 1 Read online

  A hand catches mine. Crap. Luke. I’m ready to scream and tell him to leave me alone, but instead I meet a dark piercing gaze. His eyes capture mine in a way that has never, ever happened before. I’m lost, and I want to stay lost forever.

  He drops my hand, and the spell breaks. “Sorry, doll, thought you were someone else.” He speaks in an Eastern accent like he’s from Boston or New York. It’s alluring.

  I wipe my hands on my shorts, trying to gather my thoughts. “It’s… it’s okay,” I stutter.

  His eyes still hold mine, but I manage to take in the rest of him. He has a sharp jaw and dark hair that falls across his forehead. He brushes it away and gives me a grin.

  He has broad shoulders but wears an odd, old-fashioned shirt and suspenders. He’s got that look that is dangerous but devastatingly handsome. The kind of guy who is sure to treat you like crap, and yet, you run back to him because his kisses curl your toes. That’s the kind of guy Maddie always falls for. The kind who takes you to the isolated cove at the beach and then never speaks to you again. She’s had her heart broken at least six times.

  Not me. Because I’m saving my first kiss for love. Silly, I know, but when I get kissed for the first time, I want a story to go with it. I want a connection and commitment.

  Several birds flutter down on the tent behind him. A raven perches on his shoulder, and a vulture flomps down next to him. He ignores the birds.

  If a bird landed on me, I’d dance around like a possessed woman. Also, why are the birds close to him in the first place? Birds don’t behave like that.

  “I haven’t seen you around. Are you here for the show?” He nods to the tent, still not acknowledging the birds. The raven nudges his cheek, and he reaches up and scratches the bird’s neck.

  “No. I’m visiting Luke.” I glance around to make sure he isn’t close by. At the tent across from us, a girl blows her nose into a wad of toilet paper. Her eyes are red, and a guy stands next to her, looking sick.

  The guy next to me creases his thick eyebrows. “Luke Legrange?”

  “Yeah.”

  “What do you want with him?” He looks over my shoulder, and I turn, hoping Luke’s not right behind me. Thankfully, he’s nowhere to be seen.

  “He’s my uncle.”

  “Didn’t realize Luke had family.”

  “Can you help me get out of here? I’m pretty sure Luke is crazy.” I have no reason to trust this guy, but I have no other options at this moment. He’s at least talking to me, and he seems fairly normal. Plus, he’s hot.

  He grins, and I think I might melt.

  “Doll, I don’t even know your name, and you’re already asking me to help you blow this joint.”

  I blush. Oh, this is so ridiculous. I am not Maddie, and I am not falling for the first good looking guy I see. I’m finding a way out of this wretched place.

  “I’m Callie.” I don’t meet his eyes. It’s easier that way.

  “I’m Benny the shark.” He stands there all cocky like.

  “I’m supposed to be impressed?” I fold my arms and stare back at him. He’s adorbs but way too full of himself.

  “Nah, I was just playing with ya. You barely landed here. How bout a tour? This circus is pretty grand.”

  “I just want to go home.” This is not at all what I expected when I got here. Especially the crazy uncle part. Surely Mom didn’t mean for me to spend the entire summer with him. She had to have misunderstood the situation. I can’t stay here.

  He hesitates for a moment. “Okay. First, let me show you something. You can’t leave the island without experiencing what we have to offer.”

  Right now, he’s my best shot to get away even if he does talk a little funny. Maybe sitting in on a show will give me more thinking time as well and less chance of Luke finding me. “Fine, but just one.”

  “How’d you end up here with Luke?” Benny steers me away from the main tent, and I keep my eyes peeled. The birds follow us. It’s unnerving. I can’t tell what most of them are, but they are mostly black.

  “Mom said he needed help and sent me here for the summer. But I can’t stay with Luke.” We steer past a group of acrobats. One blows Benny a kiss, and another one elbows her. He winks at her but doesn’t give her any more attention.

  He turns to me and holds his hands out wide. “This is the life. You don’t think?”

  I shake my head, and my stomach growls a bit. It’s been hours since I ate.

  “No way.” They’ll probably dress me up like those spooky clowns, that is if I survive the night with Luke. I can’t let him find me. “No offense.”

  “No problem. Where you from?” He brushes his hair out of his eyes, revealing thick brows. His gaze is absolutely captivating. Almost enough to distract from the smell of the food that is teasing my empty stomach.

  “California.”

  He gives a slow nod. “Been there. Nice beaches.”

  Sticky bodies from the crowd press up against mine. I had no idea this circus would be so popular. Especially one where the signs are all splattered with fake blood, and a scream rents the air every few seconds.

  “Yes. That’s what I mean. That’s where I belong. Not here. Not even for a summer.”

  “Maybe you’ll be surprised.”

  I wonder what his role is here. It seems like he works here, but he’s not wearing a costume.

  “What’s with the birds?” I ask.

  “Ah, they’ve always liked me. Plus, I feed them.” He takes a handful of sunflower seeds out of his pocket, and the raven grabs a few. Several other birds flutter down onto his hand and peck at the seeds.

  “Doesn’t that hurt?” I ask.

  He shakes his head. “You want to try?”

  “No thanks.”

  A small kid runs out of a tent that has a man breathing fire painted on it. He rushes right to Benny and grabs his hand. “I want a ride!” He’s bouncing on his toes, grinning from ear to ear.

  Benny crouches down. “Not tonight, Jeffrey. I’m showing Callie around.”

  Jeffrey looks up at me. “Can he give me a ride?”

  I shrug, still not sure what’s going on. I keep my eyes on the crowd, ready to run if I see Luke.

  “How about a quick airplane ride, and then I need to take Callie to a show.”

  Jeffrey jumps up and down, and Benny swoops him up in his arms and runs in circles making airplane noises. Jeffrey laughs with his arms outstretched, but at the end of the ride, he pouts, and Benny grabs a cotton candy from the booth behind him. Jeffrey grabs it and runs.

  Benny’s all smiles when he comes back to me. “His mom won’t let him have cotton candy. She’s gonna have words with me when she finds out. But otherwise, we would have had a tagalong all night long.”

  We stroll along a row of smaller tents, and I try to keep my eyes open for Luke, but the tents capture my attention. All have signs proclaiming the horrors within. A man with three arms. Curse your enemies. Watch a vampire feed. Waterboarding.

  What on earth?

  “This doesn’t look like a normal circus.”

  “Oh, doll, it’s not. It’s a circus of horror. Quite an operation we got going here.”

  We walk past a group of clowns. Every one of them has his face painted white and fake blood dripping down their chin. A tall one with a bright blue wig bares his teeth. They’ve all been sharpened to points. Holy flip.

  “You want to check out the vampire?” Benny asks, and I take my eyes off the clowns. A crow lands on Benny’s shoulder, but he ignores it.

  I swallow. “No. It’s not real anyway. I can practically smell the fake blood.”

  He arches an eyebrow. “Not real? Let me show you.” His hand curls over mine, and warmth floods my stomach. My hand is sweaty from the humidity, and I hope he doesn’t notice.

  “I’m not sure vampires are my thing.” Maybe I watch too many horror movies or have been listening to Maddie spin too many tales. But yeah, I’m scared. Sue me.

  He points to the
next door. “Maybe the snake charmer then?”

  In spite of my performance on the boat, snakes don’t scare me as bad as vampires. As long as I can keep a decent amount of space between them and me.

  And I really need him to help me get off this island.

  “Okay. But just this one show.”

  He pulls back the yellow tent flap. I glance around one more time and spot Luke just on the other side of the vampire tent. I rush inside and hope he didn’t see me.

  A small half circle of a dozen chairs is set up with a tiny stage in the middle. Benny motions for me to take a seat, and I sit, feeling the cold metal of the chair on my thighs. He pulls his chair closer to mine and rests his arm lightly on the back of my seat, letting his fingers brush the bare skin of my upper arms. I shiver.

  The tent smells wrong. Cheap air freshener mixed with wet dog. Though, I’m not sure what the tent of a snake charmer should smell like. Maybe this is normal.

  Other people filter in until the seats are full, the lights dim in the tent, and a spotlight shines on the center stage, revealing symbols carved into the wood. It is less than three feet from any of us. A man stands there, wearing nothing but a loin cloth. His body is well defined, but he is hardly attractive. Blue snakeskin tattoos cover every inch of his body. He is bald and has a barb through his nose, and his eyes move around, making contact with everyone. They are gold and slitted like a cat’s. Those are some wicked looking contact lenses. He lingers on me for a moment, and I am unable to look away.

  He breaks the gaze, and a sneer forms as he stares at Benny. If I didn’t know my crazy uncle was possibly waiting just outside the tent flap, I’d make a run for it. I might anyway. This is so bizarre.

  The snake charmer bounces on the balls of his feet and closes his eyes. His lips twitch, and his tongue slowly rolls out, splits in two, and curls at the end. I recoil, and Benny chuckles softly.

  The abominable tongue is six inches long and flicks like a snake’s. I desperately want to look away, but I can’t.

  He steps off the stage and moves around the semi-circle. He stops in front of me, and I cower into Benny.

  The snake man drops down into a crouch. His strange eyes meet mine, and he flicks his tongue out. I screech, and the chair moves back. Benny pulls me closer to him, but I move away. I don’t need him. I can handle myself, thank-you-very-much.

  My eyes dart around, and everyone is staring open mouthed. What kind of sick people come to this place?

  The snake man moves on and stops in front of another girl who isn’t any older than me. She wears a summer slip dress that lands mid-thigh. Instead of crouching in front of her, he holds his hand out, and she takes it eagerly. What is she thinking?

  He leads her onto the stage, and she stands about a foot from him, her eyes drinking in his face. He takes her hand in his and runs the forked tongue up her arm. If that were me, I would run in the other direction, but the girl just stands there with a small smile on her face. If I wasn’t so disgusted by the whole scene, I would’ve thought she was enjoying it.

  He continues to move up her arm to her bare shoulder. She shivers. He slides his tongue up her neck and flicks the edges in her ear. Without warning, he spins her around and pulls her close to him, pressing her back into his chest. His ridiculous tongue laps against her chin, and she arches against him.

  “Close your eyes,” he hisses.

  She does as he commands, and he wraps his arms around her, holding her against him. A flash of movement catches my eye from across the stage. A gigantic snake slithers toward the couple. I grip Benny’s hand, hating myself for doing it.

  I’m not sure where this is going, but it can’t be good. The snake moves slowly but deliberately. About a foot from the unfortunate girl, it rises with a massive hood. The girl still has her eyes closed, and the snake charmer hisses.

  In a flash, the snake strikes the girl on the neck. Her eyes fly open, and she screams. The noise pierces my ears, and I want to scream with her, but no one else seems bothered by it. They all just stare as if they are waiting for something.

  The snake man holds her against him, and the snake strikes again, getting her cheek this time. The girl writhes and struggles against him, but the man holds her tight. The snake strikes twice more. Small trickles of blood flow down her cheeks.

  I can’t look away. This can’t be real.

  The girl falls limp in his arms, and the snake man lays her gently on the floor. He crosses her arms and runs that tongue across her cheek. Is she dead? She can’t be dead.

  The girl doesn’t move.

  I can’t take it anymore. I dash out of the tent, and birds scatter as I run through them.

  I clear the tent, and Benny catches up with me. “You okay?”

  “No! What was that?” I spin in circles trying to catch my breath. The pictures on all the tents make me gag. Blood, teeth, snakes, alligators, abominable creatures.

  Benny rests a hand on my arm. “It’s only a show.” He seems so nonchalant about it. It’s maddening.

  “A girl just died,” I shriek and back away from him.

  He keeps my eyes captured with his. “Yes. And she dies every show. They’re married, actually.”

  Of course she’s not dead. It’s just a show, and they are just actors. “It looked so real.” My head spins, trying to make sense of it.

  “You really think our operation would still be running if our snake charmer killed someone every show?”

  I walk slowly out of the row of tents, keeping my eyes out for Luke. “I guess not. But that was twisted.”

  “Twisted is what we do.”

  “What’s this ‘we’ business? You can’t be older than eighteen. What do you do?”

  “I find all the people to witness this circus of death. People die in every act.”

  “So, all the people who come here want to watch people die?” The crowd is made of mostly younger adults who look normal. College kids probably looking for a scare.

  He shrugs. “Yeah. It’s better than a picture show, I guess.”

  No wonder my uncle wanted to lock me in his boat for the night. He almost seems slightly sane to me now compared to everything else. This is twisted. I never thought Circus of the Dead was literal.

  I shiver.

  Suddenly, all the tents seem evil, and I’m no closer to going home than I was thirty minutes ago.

  I want to find a hole, crawl into it, and never come out again.

  Chapter Three

  “Can you please just help me get out of here now?” I ask Benny. My eyes flick around the crowd, and my crazy uncle is nowhere to be seen, but black birds are everywhere, and people dressed up like zombies and vampires roam around. Inside every one of these tents is an act where someone supposedly dies. People seem so happy for such a horrible place. They laugh, shriek, and eat cotton candy. This is not my idea of fun.

  Benny leans against a post and pulls out a silver knife that he uses to clean under his fingernails. “The ferry doesn’t leave for a couple hours.”

  “A couple hours?” This is so impossible. At least I’ll have a tale for Maddie when I get home. “What am I going to do until then?”

  Anxiety creeps into my chest again. I don’t know if I can hide that long from Luke, and I certainly don’t want to watch more people die. The noise around us grows, and it sounds like a freeway with cars rushing past, but it’s just the buzz of people.

  “Watch the shows? There’s some pretty great ones. The big cats are my favorite.” He grabs a couple of cups off a tray carried by a girl who looks like a puppet with rosebud red lips and coal black eyes. The drink is an unnatural blue color.

  “I’m not drinking this.”

  He chuckles. “It’s only juice. Come on, ya ain’t afraid of juice, are ya?”

  “It’s made to look like poison.”

  He shrugs and takes a sip of his. I do the same. It tastes like Gatorade, and it’s cool in my throat after the heat of the day. Benny moves fluidly like he doesn�
��t have a care in the world. Like the circus is here just for him. His confidence is a little unnerving.

  “So. Another show?” He points to a tent with a fire swallower on it. Not many people are going in.

  “No, thank you. I’ve had enough death.” He probably burns from the inside out.

  “They’re not all that bad. You have to see there is some beauty here. I love the circus. It’s my home.”

  “It’s not mine, and it’s too gory for me.” I have to stop looking at him. His dark brown eyes draw me in, and I’m insanely curious about him.

  “I’ll find shows with a little less burning for you to pass the time. Like the big cats. I love animals, and tigers are my favorite.”

  The raven on his shoulder squawks, and he chuckles. “Correction. Birds are my favorite. Tigers are my second favorite.”

  I swallow and look away from him. He’s distracting me from what I really need to do. I want to just go hide out at the ferry docks, but they are too exposed. Luke would definitely find me there. We have to hide among the crowd, and Benny is a good person to hang with until I can leave.

  “You seem to really want to see the big cats. But I can see those at any circus.”

  He gives me an Are you crazy? look. “Tigers are the most fascinating creatures on earth. They are incredibly compassionate, yet could kill in the blink of an eye. You’ve got to meet Fiona. She’s a teddy bear. Wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

  We wander through the tents, and as much as I want to keep my eyes down, I can’t. A woman screams, and someone runs past me, stomping on my toes with muddy tennis shoes, but I don’t even look down at the damage. Less than twenty feet from me, a man dangles from the end of a rope, his eyes bulging out. It’s not real, I remind myself, but I still gag and grip Benny’s hand, burying my face into his shoulder. I may have just met this guy, but right now, he’s a safer bet than anything else. Plus, he smells good. Like whiskey and gunpowder. Which beats the stench of sweat that hangs over the circus.

  He chuckles. “It’s only a show. You’ll like the tigers better.”