“That’s right, Horny Bearded Lady. You didn’t stop to think. The tigers think it’s funny how the Bearded Lady forgets her beard when she’s around The World’s Strongest Man.”
“Oh, please. Roane is not the world’s strongest man.” I felt foolish saying that. Who said things like that?
“You might be surprised.” The Immortal laughed it off and vanished.
Great—back to the dark abyss. There were no winds this time. It was just darkness, no mocking voice, and no uneasy feeling inside of my stomach.
I looked down and choked out a gasp. I lifted my arm and like before, I saw the same silver color underneath my skin. I watched in fascination as the silver color seemed to melt into a thick rich paste that sparkled like diamonds. I liked diamonds, just not inside of me.
“You’re every girl’s best friend. You’re the prize, Davy. You’re the one that everyone wants.”
“Tell me something that I don’t know,” I challenged.
“Craig wanted to make you a vampire. He told you how he’d do it, how much he’d enjoy it, and that you’d thank him in the end. And now—vampires, vampires all around the shiny prize. What’s a scared little girl to do? The hungry monsters keep circling, but they won’t be kept at bay for long. A shark’s going to bite soon—or maybe one did.”
“Roane didn’t bite me. I bit him.”
“You liked it. You’d do it again. I can feel the thirst inside of you. What’s that mean? Are you going to become a vampire?” The Immortal laughed hysterically and spun around me in tight circles.
I looked down at my arms and watched, detached, as the sparkling paste thinned and became like blood. “Roane said you chose me. Did you? Did you actually choose me or did you get stuck with me?”
“The divorce will have collateral damage that no fortune teller can foresee.”
That was a cheerful thought. “What do you want from me?”
I felt the Immortal slow to a stop, instantly, and sensed its calm. “Stop lying to yourself. You’re only hurting yourself.”
“Fine,” I gritted out. “You invaded me! You had no right.”
“He’s thee vampire. You should sit up and pay attention.”
“How can I? Your riddles are a bit mind twisting,” I snorted out.
Then it answered another one. “As long as you’re the Immortal, you are unable to become a vampire.”
I clasped my eyes closed in relief. Maybe there were some benefits to being the Immortal.
“You drank his blood. There are ramifications for that—ones that won’t be foreseen until much later, but they’ll still be there when you’ve forgotten your worry.” Relief, release, and now doom.
“I’m tired. I want to wake up.”
“Every circus has a snake charmer. Who’s yours? What snake slithered in your tent?”
I gasped awake and bolted upright in bed. I didn’t need to find my bearings. Everything rushed back at me at breakneck speed. I was in Roane’s bed. His sheets were a welcoming cool touch against my naked skin and I turned to see him at his window, gazing outwards. His black pants rode low on his hips. There was no shirt in his hand this time, only worry in his eyes.
I swallowed tightly because I felt what he felt inside.
Resignation and fatigue. Underneath that was determination. He was going to win. He’d always known it and now it was time to remind everyone else.
“What’d you dream about?”
I curled against the headboard and wrapped the sheets around me. I felt exposed. “A lot of ramblings and crazy talk. There was a circus theme this time.”
“Circus?” Roane frowned, but never moved away from the window.
The fairytale wasn’t worth mentioning. “The Immortal told me that there was a snake charmer in my tent.”
“You talk? You have conversations?” Roane looked taken aback.