THE FIREDANCER

A BLACK CAT CIRCUS NOVEL

RYE COX

Copyright © 2023 by Rye Cox

All rights reserved.

This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Cover Art: Coffin Print Designs

Editing: Jen Sharon

Proofreading: Charity VanHuss

CONTENT NOTE

This book contains mentions of offscreen homophobia, foster care, child neglect, and trauma.

CONTENTS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Epilogue

Letter from Rye

Also by Rye Cox

About the Author

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Books by Rye:

The New Neighbor

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The Forever Neighbor

The Hideaway Neighbor

The Cocky Neighbor

The Holiday Disaster

The Holiday Boyfriend

The Firedancer

Visit Rye’s website at ryecox.com

ONE

COAL

I walked through the familiar setup of the circus grounds, passing by the booths and smaller stands to the large tent in the back where we had our group meals. The familiarity felt safe, like a warm blanket wrapped around me, except it didn’t suffocate me like the extreme heat did. Besides the different locations our traveling circus set up at, nothing else had changed in the nine years that I’d been at Black Cat Circus.

Well, that wasn’t true. Not anymore.

The mess hall, or more accurately, mess tent, was alive with noise. The people who I considered family chatted and laughed as they had their breakfast. It was a sight that I’d walked into a thousand times before, but I couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease settle in my stomach.

I stood by the entrance watching the people go about their business. Sometimes it felt like time was moving faster for others than it was for me. My circus family zoomed past me as I stood frozen in place, frozen in time.

Their world was filled with bright lights that illuminated even the darkest of nights, while mine was smoky. It was the color of fire that didn’t burn properly from the lack of oxygen. Like how my chest currently heaved to breathe in precious air to keep my fire alive, but also not too much so that it didn’t consume me whole.

It was a constant struggle to maintain the balance, but it was necessary. However, my gut was telling me the balance was tipping.

I jumped when a hand landed on my shoulder. Turning to the interruption, I found our ringmaster—and the owner of our circus—looking at me with an empathetic smile. “Everything okay?” he asked as he quickly withdrew his hand. After years of spending every day together, he knew that I didn’t like being touched.

“Yeah. Sorry, I’m fine,” I said and tugged the hood of my thin hoodie lower over my head, making sure most of my skin was covered. The only time I showed skin was during my fire performance or when I was absolutely sure that I was alone.

“There’s nothing to be sorry about, Coal,” Seven said with a firm tone that made it clear that his word was the law. It wasn’t a tone he used often, so I knew he meant business.

Seven was a mentor and my closest friend. Similarly to most of the people here, he’d found me in my time of need. He’d appeared as if out of thin air and extended an invitation to join his circus.

The night came back to me in a rush of memories. I had been sitting on a random bench in the closest town near my family home—the sacred lands—wondering where to go next. My home was located in a different space from the human one, and while my father was in and out of our lands frequently, I’d never traveled to the outside before. I’d been alone and penniless when I was kicked out of the sacred lands, so I had sat there, contemplating my next plan.

The first thing I had noticed was the vibrant purple hair that had glowed under the full moon. A handsome, tall man had walked toward me with a black top hat under his arm. He had casually sat next to me, commenting about the beautiful clear night, the gleaming stars, the bright moon that lit up the entire plaza. He had kept the conversation going with tales of a circus filled with people like me, like us.

I hadn’t even questioned who he was and took his chatter in stride. Although I’d never seen him before, he didn’t feel like a stranger. He felt familiar, and that was probably why I’d stayed and shared the bench with him.

We sat there for hours—mostly him talking while I listened—when he’d finally stood. I had been disappointed to see him leave, as well as terrified to be left all alone again, but to my surprise, he had turned around to face me.

“There’s still much to see in the world, and your journey has only just begun,” he’d said as he held his hand out in an “after you” gesture. My gut had urged me to follow him, so I had. That had been the pivotal choice that had altered the course of my entire life for the better.

Since then, I’d followed the traveling circus with Sev and the rest of my family. The same people, the same circus ground layout, but different sights at every stop. With each new location over the last nine years, my world expanded with new experiences, and yet I still felt exactly the same.

“Something is troubling you,” Seven said matter-of-factly. He did that a lot, speaking exactly what was on my mind. I’d persistently asked him countless times if he could read minds, but he’d assured me it wasn’t one of his abilities. I still wasn’t convinced, though.

I nodded at his statement, since I wasn’t sure how to voice what I was feeling. Emotions came hard to me when I was too used to maintaining a state of neutrality. It was easy to lose control when the mind was turbulent.

With his top hat tucked under one arm, Seven held out his other hand in a familiar gesture. “Nothing will be solved on an empty stomach. There’s time to figure things out, after breakfast, of course,” he said with a wink.

I shot him a small smile, then followed him to grab a plate of food before sitting with my closest friends. Seven sat in the inside seat while I took my preferred spot at the edge, where there was less of a chance of people bumping into me.

Drake, our daredevil with the personality to match, sat with his boyfriend, Eli. “Whose assets are you eyeing this time, Marshmallow?” Drake said teasingly as he leaned into his boyfriend to sneak a peek at Eli’s camera screen.

Eli tried to push him away, but the human had no chance against the man with dragon blood flowing through his veins. Giving up on struggling, Eli glared at his boyfriend and tried to hide his camera.

“I told you it wasn’t like that. Those pictures weren’t for me. My friend is the one who wanted them,” he grumbled. I’d heard the story of how Drake had caught Eli taking pictures of Brighton’s bulge when they first met. It certainly made for a funny story, and it was something Drake loved to tease his boyfriend about.

Drake laughed and wrapped an arm around the redhead. I watched the easy touches and closeness they shared with envy.

Drake joined the circus before me, and he’d become a good friend. As a being of fire and a half-blood like me, I felt solidarity with him. Perhaps that was why I was so surprised when he’d fallen in love. Sure, he might have had men by his side over the years, but nothing that felt permanent like his relationship with Eli was. But unlike me, he didn’t have to worry about burning those precious to him. I was very happy for the new couple, but it was a change that I was still adjusting to.

“Oh, yeah? And which friend of yours wanted pics of Brighton’s ass? Are they trying to complete their collection?” Drake joked as he peeked over Eli’s shoulders.

Seven leaned over Eli’s other shoulder to take a glance as well. “You never fail to surprise me, Elijah. You managed to capture the perfect angles, although I hope they’re not meant for public view. Our little aerialist might be all grown now, but he’ll always be a child to me, and I can’t help but feel protective.”

I leaned over as well, making sure not to bump into anyone as I peered at the tiny camera screen. As they said, it was a picture of the bird shifter during his act last night.

Brighton had his back to the camera and his head turned to glance over his shoulder. He posed gracefully in the air as if he was on steady ground. He wore a white crop top, bright pink short shorts, and white thigh high socks. Along with his infectious wide smile and sparkling pink glitter in his hair, one would think he was a mischievous pixie if they didn’t know better.

A faint blush spread on Eli’s pale, freckled cheeks. “I swear it’s not like that. Brighton said—”

“What about Brighton?” The very man himself flitted to our table like the ball of energy that he was. He pushed in between Drake and Eli, and a huge smile broke out on his face when he saw the camera.

“Oh, wow! These came out better than I thought they would. I told you my new shorts would make my bubble butt pop,” Brighton said as he grabbed the camera to get a closer look. 

“See! I told you they weren’t for me. It’s not like I go around taking pictures of people’s privates for my personal collection or something,” Eli said with a huff.

His boyfriend wasn’t fazed as he leaned into the photographer’s ear and whispered, “You’re always welcome to take pictures of me whenever you want, Marshmallow. In fact, I think it’s an excellent idea to add to our personal collection.”

I was pretty sure Drake had only intended for his boyfriend to hear that, but in a group full of magical beings with supernatural hearing, not much was private around here.

Seven and I acted as if we hadn’t heard our friend’s intimate comment as Eli choked out a cough. The human was almost crimson with embarrassment. He elbowed Drake in the stomach, which only made the dragon shifter chuckle. However, he clearly wasn’t angry as they continued to whisper to each other, completely forgetting that the rest of us were still here.

Brighton was in his own world as he continued to flick through the camera. I could almost imagine his feathers puffing up with pride.

Our aerialist studied his pictures for a few more seconds before looking up and catching my gaze. He floated to my side, putting himself between Seven and me. I scooted closer to the edge of the table to put some space between us, which only earned me a knowing smile from Brighton. The man didn’t understand what personal space was, but he was always respectful when I put some distance between us.

“Look, this one is my favorite!”

The mentioned picture was a front view of Brighton posing as he flew through the air. Brighton always looked like he was dancing during his acts, which I guessed he basically was, and I had to admit that this shot perfectly captured his elegance as he smoothly slid between his hoops.

In the next second, our aerialist zoomed in so that his pink covered crotch took up the entire screen. “I knew those shorts were a good purchase. I look like perfection from both the front and back!” he happily said as he bounced on his heels.

I coughed and quickly averted my eyes. While his statement was true, I wasn’t keen on checking out the young man’s bulge. Brighton’s parents were also with the circus, and we had all basically watched him grow up. He was like our little brother. Looking at him like that was weird.

Seven hummed in agreement. “These are lovely pictures. You look wonderful in them,” he said, ruffling Brighton’s hair. This was one of the reasons he made such an amazing ringmaster. Seven was always calm and collected under pressure. Nothing seemed to faze him.

I continued munching on my breakfast, thinking the conversation was over, but Brighton turned to me with expectation. His large eyes sparkled as he waited for me to speak. There was no way I could disappoint the man. He was family, and I’d do anything for family, including complimenting their private parts if necessary.

“They look, um, you look great. The shorts were definitely a good purchase,” I said, and Brighton’s smile widened as he hugged the camera as he did a little jump of joy. His little jump shot him high up above our table. The bird shifter was light on his feet.

“Poppy’s gonna love these too!” he threw over his shoulder before bouncing toward another table to where his aerialist friends sat and proceeded to animatedly show them the shots.

Seven chuckled at the young man’s departure. Brighton was five years younger than me at twenty-two, but I was sure we both seemed young to our ringmaster. The man hadn’t aged a day since I’d joined the circus and now appeared around the same age as me, but no one knew exactly how old he really was. Despite him being my closest friend, all I knew was that he was a lot older than he looked.

“Looks like our chef outdid herself on her last day,” Seven said as he took a bite of the breakfast sandwich. “She deserves her retirement, but I sure am going to miss her food. But don’t worry, the new chef is just as talented. He’ll make a great addition to the family.”

I nodded as I ate. The unease that had washed away from watching my friends settled back in my stomach.

We attracted some stragglers who only stayed in the circus for a couple months before moving on but for the most part, people rarely left the circus except to retire.

We were a family.

Not much changed around here besides the next place we set up our circus grounds. At least it didn’t use to. But these days it felt like something was changing every other day, and I didn’t like it at all.

Change was terrifying. The first significant change was when I was still a child, lost control of my fire, and accidentally burnt down one of the dwellings on the sacred lands.

Fortunately, nobody was in the house, but my human mother was burnt trying to protect me. That incident had scarred her both physically and mentally. She went insane with fear of fire, and being surrounded by beings made of fire hadn’t helped.

The elders judged that it was best to have her memories erased and send her back to human civilization, which meant that her memories of me were also erased. It was probably for the best considering I grew up with stories of how she hung on the brink of death while trying to give birth to a baby made of fire, even if I was a half-blood. The only thing that remained from her time on the sacred lands—and of me—were the burn scars on her arms.

The last I’d heard, a nice human man had found her and took care of her. Her memories had never returned, but she had started a new life and family with that man.

The second major change happened the night I was marked and kicked out at eighteen. As half-human, I’d always had trouble controlling the fire that burned within me. I couldn’t turn into the true form of the Vermilion Bird, and that wasn’t acceptable as one of the descendants of the ruler of the South.

I was terrified to be out in the human world all alone for the first time in my life, but that hadn’t lasted long before Seven had found me and took me in.

Since then, my life had been the same. Nothing changed, I hadn’t changed. But now I sensed another significant shift coming, and I didn’t know if I was ready to ride with these new winds.

TWO

RHETT

Today was the big day. I’d packed all my belongings and hopped into the car to leave for the circus grounds. I only had one suitcase to my name, but that was all right. As the new chef to a traveling circus, it was probably best to travel light.

It wasn’t hard to leave behind the little town I’d grown up in. It was quite the opposite. I was so ready to see something beyond the only place I’d known. It was exciting to think of the new people I would meet, to maybe even find a place where I finally belonged.

Growing up in foster care, I didn’t have much to leave behind. The families who took care of me were nice, but I’d always known those houses were only pit stops. They weren’t my home. While the other foster kids found families of their own, I was always too weird or didn’t fit in with the family dynamic, and was passed around from house to house.

I’d eventually aged out of the system and found a small studio near the diner I’d worked at since sixteen. I’d started out washing dishes but was later promoted as the diner’s second cook.

The owner was a mean looking ex-con who had the heart of gold. Hector had his own shit going on but looked after me when he could. He taught me how to fend for myself and was also the one to show me the joys of cooking for others.

Hector was the only semblance of a family I had. I’d miss him, but I knew that he was happy for this next step in my life as well. He’d said so a billion times over the past few weeks after I’d notified him of my resignation.

“This will be good for you, Rhett. The world has so much more to offer you than this small town in the middle of nowhere,” Hector said as he started the car. It didn’t take long for us to leave town. As we drove away, I watched Kither Springs grow smaller through the passenger side mirror and wondered if I’d ever be back. Maybe to visit Hector.

I’d tried to reject his offer, worried that the two hour drive would be too much of an inconvenience, but he’d insisted on closing the diner for the day to drop me off at the circus.

The care he showed as he circled around me, fretting about whether I was ready or forgotten to bring anything, was touching. He was more worried about this new adventure than I was. 

I craved change. Needed it.

I was tired of the same sights and of being in a small town where I’d always felt like the odd one out. Maybe the traveling circus was exactly what I was looking for. I would be able to explore new places and see new sights. Plus, I’d heard that the circus attracted unconventional people. Perhaps I’d finally fit in a place where everyone around me were all a bit strange in their own way.

Hector pulled the car to a stop outside the circus grounds. Turning off the engine, he exited the car and unloaded my sole suitcase from the trunk. I slung my backpack over my shoulder, followed him out, and accepted my belongings with a thanks.

We stood at the back of the car for a few seconds, looking at each other. I only had smiles for him as he glanced at me with the scowl he’d used when he was worried.

“Hey, kid, maybe I should go in with you and meet everyone before I go?” Hector said, looking around the grounds. It was still morning and not a single soul was seen in the area. The place was quiet and looked so peaceful.

“C’mon, stop it. I’m not a kid anymore. I’ll be fine,” I said with a teasing tone.

A sad smile appeared on Hector’s face as he ruffled my hair. “You’ll always be a kid to me, kid, even if you’re bigger than me one day.”

I laughed at that preposterous idea. I’d stopped growing at the sizable height of five foot two. Considering that Hector was over six feet and built like a lumberjack, I’d become a millionaire before that ever happened.

I ducked under his hand and wrapped my arms around his middle. He wrapped me in a tight hug that had squished my head hard against his dad bod.

“Keep in touch, okay? And let me know next time the circus is in town. I’ll stop by for a visit,” Hector whispered into my hair. I nodded into his pecs and looked up at him with a toothy grin.

Growing up in foster care, I never knew what having a dad was like, but I’d imagined it was like the care Hector had showered me with. Sometimes I wondered if he would have adopted me if not for the narrow-minded people in Kither Springs thinking it would be better for me to stay in foster care than become family with an ex-con.

And his nasty wife.

Every time I saw his wife, she was always shouting curses at Hector or glaring at me with a judgmental sneer. Hector always looked at her with defeated eyes that contained nothing but sadness. Whatever love they’d shared between them had obviously faded years ago.

I’d asked him why he’d never divorced her, but he only replied that he was too old to start over or that no one would want a divorcee with a criminal record. I personally didn’t think forty was old, but he had a realistic view. Maybe it was horrible for him to drag out a relationship that neither of them was happy in, but I could understand the fear of being alone. Better the hell you knew than one you didn’t.

Taking a step back, I looked up and etched the face of the man who had given me more kindness in the eight years I’d known him than the entire world had combined.

“Hector, you gave me a chance at the diner when no one was willing to hire some weird kid who’d never had a job before. When you took me in and taught me how to cook, I—”

“No, none of that now,” he interrupted and held up a hand to me. Unshed tears glistened in his eyes, and his scowl only deepened as he tried to hold them back. I laughed and wiped at my own teary eyes.

I’d promised myself that this wouldn’t be a sad goodbye, but I’d lied. I lied when I told myself that it wouldn’t be hard to leave Kither Springs because it would be hard to leave Hector behind, but this was something I needed to do. We both knew that.

“You’ll do great here, but you’ll always have a place at the diner if you need it, kid,” Hector said, his voice thick with emotion. There was no way to hold back my tears after that. I cried in his embrace as his large hands gently patted my back.

After my twelfth birthday, I’d never let the world gain a sense of satisfaction by crying over the shitty circumstances life had thrown at me. Tears would do nothing to help me, so why waste the energy?

But now, I let myself cry in the arms of the only person who treated me as a kid when I’d been forced to grow up too soon. I cried for the scared and lonely child who didn’t get the chance to experience Hector’s kindness.

A part of that child would always live inside of me, but regardless of what Hector thought, I wasn’t a kid anymore. Despite my height, I was a whole ass adult. I wouldn’t let the world beat me down. I was going to obtain my own happiness.

Pulling back, I wiped the tears away and forced a bright smile. It wasn’t like I’d never see Hector again. It wasn’t a goodbye but a see you later. This wasn’t a sad moment. It was the start of something good.

“Thank you, truly. For changing the course of my life and teaching me skills to survive in this world.” I bit my lip to stop the last words from slipping through.

For being my family.

Family was a burden that not everyone wanted. I couldn’t selfishly impose that responsibility on him when we’d never even talked about that.

Hector scowled again as he ruffled my hair. “Don’t worry about it, kid. That’s what family is for.”

My smile stretched my face so hard it hurt. “Yeah, family,” I mumbled, feeling all goofy inside.

“Now, go get ‘em. You’re going to be the best damn cook they’ve ever seen,” Hector said, giving me a little push toward the entrance of the circus grounds.

I laughed, waved at him, and turned to walk toward my future. When I was a few steps away from the closest tent, I peeked back to find Hector still standing in front of his car. He raised his hand to wave again when he saw me looking back.

There was no doubt that I was capable of accomplishing whatever I wanted by myself, but it was nice to know that I had someone on my side. Hector’s silent support gave me courage to jump into the unknown, knowing that I’d land on solid ground no matter where I went.

As long as we kept moving forward, things would turn for the better. Change was good, and I was so excited about the biggest change that was happening to my life.

THREE

RHETT

When I was hired for the job, I was told to report to the large purple tent. Apparently, it was where they set up their kitchen and had their meals. It didn’t take me long to find it.

A tall man—even taller than Hector by probably half a foot—stood in front of the tent’s entrance with his back to me and a black top hat tucked under his arm. The ringmaster was a hard man to miss with his regal posture and bright purple hair.

A few weeks ago, I found the newspaper sitting outside my studio apartment. I’d thought it was strange considering I didn’t subscribe to the town paper nor read it, but I found myself skimming through the one left at my door. It shouldn’t have caught my attention, but the tiny square on the bottom corner of the classified ads had.

The ad was seeking a cook for the Black Cat Circus. The position required a lot of traveling, but it offered a stable income, housing, and other benefits that I could never dream of obtaining at the diner. Hector was a great boss, but he wasn’t exactly rolling in money.

I’d emailed over what was probably a poorly crafted résumé just for the heck of it. I didn’t think I’d even hear back from them, much less actually land the job, but the world was full of surprises.

Seven had called me the very same day, asked if I was available for an in person interview the next day, and stated he would travel to me if I was. It sounded too good to be true, especially considering the circus wasn’t due to be anywhere near my town for a few more weeks according to their online schedule.

Even if this was some twisted prank, I had nothing to lose, so I confirmed my availability. I was surprised to find the ringmaster outside my door the next morning before work. He’d asked me to whip up a dish for him with whatever I had in my kitchen. I made my ten-minute baked eggs with mushroom and spinach, and Seven had offered me the job after the first bite.

He’d disappeared just as quickly as he’d appeared, leaving behind the contract with the employment information as well as instructions for me to meet them at the circus grounds when they stopped in the area a few weeks later. The entire situation was a little bit bizarre, but I’d figured the circus wouldn’t do things according to the norm.

Thinking back, it still seemed like a dream or a scam, but something in my gut told me Seven was trustworthy. My gut hadn’t let me down.

Seven turned around with a wide smile when I walked up to him. “There you are, Rhett. I thought it was you. I figured it would be best to wait outside the mess tent so you weren’t so overwhelmed.”

I wasn’t even going to question how he knew I’d arrived. I’d notified him that I would come today, but hadn’t specified what time. I had a feeling the man in front of me—and this entire circus—was full of mysteries, and I was going to have fun uncovering them.

“Great to see you again, boss,” I said, holding my hand out for a handshake.

“Please, no need to be so formal. Call me Seven or Sev,” he said, accepting my hand. He peeked at my suitcase behind me before gesturing to it. “Let’s get you settled into your accommodations first, then I’ll show you around.”

Before I could reply, loud shouts of discord escaped through the flapping fabric door of the purple tent.

“My apologies about them. I warned them to be on their best behavior for your arrival today, but they’re a bit unsettled after days of eating subpar food. Our last chef spoiled us, so they aren’t pleased with their breakfast of plain toast three days in a row,” he said with a slight frown. I could tell Sev wasn’t happy with their current meal options either.

“Then I better get started. I can’t keep the hungry people waiting,” I said, pulling my suitcase behind me as I walked toward the tent entrance.

Sev hurried to my side and tried to stop me. “Oh, no. We couldn’t make you work as soon as you arrived. Don’t you want to get settled in? I’m sure we can survive for one more day on takeout.”

I waved his concerns aside. “I’ll be fine. Besides, I wouldn’t want the performances to suffer because the performers lacked energy from hunger,” I said with a grin.

Sev chuckled and lifted the tent flap open for me. “If you’re sure. I know we’ll all be very grateful for some home cooked food.”

Bright sunlight streamed inside through the mesh windows of the tent. Dozens of foldable tables were set around the middle with a corner sectioned off as a makeshift kitchen.

The entire place went eerily quiet when we stepped inside. All eyes turned to us, and I had to resist the urge to hide away from all those curious glances. I wasn’t very good with having so much attention on me. It only reminded me of when the people of Kither Springs discussed me. They’d gossip out of earshot, but I’d always hear about it eventually. The walls in the town had ears, and nothing ever stayed secret for long.

Fortunately, Sev took a step forward, seemingly thriving under the spotlight as he said, “Let’s all welcome our new chef, Rhett. Although he doesn’t officially start until tomorrow, he is kind enough to offer to cook for us today.”

Loud cheers and applause ensued once Seven finished speaking. People started getting up in groups, pushing past Seven to shake my hand or give me a slap on the shoulder and telling me how happy they were to have me there.

“Um, thank you?” I said with a questioning tone. I wasn’t used to people being so enthusiastic about my presence, even if it was only for my cooking.

Seven squeezed to my side again and laid a protective arm around me. He must have put his top hat somewhere since both of his arms were empty as he waved the crowd away and pulled me off to the side. I looked around for the hat but didn’t see the hat in question anywhere near us.

“I thought I warned everyone to behave and be human. We don’t want to scare the newest member of our family away, do we?” Seven scolded as he glared at someone outside my field of view. I raised an eyebrow at the phrase he decided to use to settle them down. 

Be human?

Was there any be-ing needed for that? You either are human or...well there was no or. It wasn’t like supernatural creatures existed or anything. When I was younger, no matter how much I wished to discover that I was the prophesied hero destined to save some alternative dimension from the demon lord, it never came true. Magic wasn’t real.

Those who were leaning in a bit too close for comfort gave us some space. They had goofy smiles on their faces as they mumbled apologies and continued to appraise me with curiosity.

I’d read online how some companies used the word “family” to justify a toxic work environment of having their employees work long hours with low wages. However, I could already tell that this wasn’t the case at Black Cat Circus by the friendly way everyone interacted with each other. When Seven said family, he meant it.

“Now then, the kitchen is this way. If you would do the honors?” the ringmaster said with a hand out toward the sectioned off corner. He somehow had the top hat tucked under his arm again even though I only had my back to him for a second. I put that thought away as another mystery of the circus and followed him. 

The kitchen area wasn’t small, but it wasn’t huge either. I was pleasantly surprised to see the two, four burner gas stove top ovens and commercial refrigerator, but what shocked me the most was the sheer size of the appliances. I had to admit that I wasn’t the tallest person to exist, but I wasn’t short enough for a regular sized stove to almost reach my shoulders. If I hadn’t known better, I would have thought my predecessor to be a giant or something.

“Our previous chef was...tall. Everything in the kitchen was custom made for her, but the new stove and counters I ordered should arrive in a few days. It’ll be easy to do the replacement and hook the new ones up to the generator. Everything else should still be usable,” Seven explained as he gestured to the fully stocked kitchen.

I hadn’t known exactly what I was expecting when I agreed to take on the job of a chef for a traveling circus, but definitely not a commercial kitchen of this level. It wouldn’t be fun having to cook on the tall stove, but I could make do. My eyes shone as I took a look around the area and found basically every appliance that I could need.

Seven followed me as I opened the commercial fridge. “We try to keep the fridge stocked, but our group is full of big eaters, so you will probably have to do some grocery shopping every few days.”

I spun to him, ready to remind him that I didn’t know how to drive. I hoped he hadn’t forgotten. Seven held up his hand and spoke up before I could. “Don’t worry. You only need to do the shopping. We’ll have someone drive and go with you.”

I nodded, breathing out a sigh of relief that my inability to operate a vehicle didn’t cost me my job. I never had a reason to learn how to drive to since I’d lived really close to the diner and if I needed to go anywhere else, walking through town was doable.

“It’s probably safer that way, anyway,” he continued. He narrowed his eyes ever so slightly as he looked at me. No, looked beyond me, like he was staring into my soul. It was honestly unnerving, and I shifted under his gaze.

I was starting to realize that my new boss spoke and acted quite particularly. I couldn’t understand why he would worry about safety on a grocery run, but maybe it was another one of the circus eccentricities.

Turning away from him, I put down my backpack in a corner with my suitcase. My smile returned as I took stock of what was in the fridge and came up with a game plan to feed all the hungry mouths.

“I’m sure everyone is starving, so let’s get them fed,” I said as I pulled out a tray of eggs. Since there was already toast prepared, prepping bacon and egg sandwiches would be easy and quick.

When everything was prepped, I took the pan to the stove with hesitation. “I could get you a step stool?” Sev offered from where he watched from the side.

I shook my head, not wanting to admit that I needed the extra help with my height. I still had my pride. However, when I realized how high I’d have to lift my arms to cook, I’d quickly tossed my stupid pride aside and gratefully accepted the stool Seven had someone fetch for me. I hated to admit that the stool was very much needed.

Once I got cooking, I was in my element as I tuned out the noise around me and focused on the ingredients in front of me. While I hadn’t cooked for this many people all at once before, the task didn’t intimidate me. My six years of experience at the diner had turned my actions into muscle memory as I got into the zone.

Not long later, I plated piles of breakfast sandwiches and put them out on the serving table. The food disappeared at a frightening speed, but I didn’t let that dishearten me and quickly whipped up another batch.

It took another four trays of eggs and many dozens of sandwiches later before I was finally able to catch a break. The heat of the kitchen had never bothered me, but sweat still formed on my forehead from running around trying to get the food out as quickly as possible.

I wiped the sweat with a paper towel and took a seat by the table of plated food. The crowd had lessened, but people were still coming back for seconds and thirds. Each new person who came by complimented me as they grabbed more sandwiches.

The tables were completely filled with happy smiles as my new coworkers dug into their food. This was what I loved about cooking. The blissed out expressions of the people I fed made the exhaustion that followed a long day in the kitchen completely worth it.

The mood inside the tent was now completely different than it had been when I’d first entered. The discontent from earlier had shifted into a harmonious atmosphere filled with laughter. Food could be the decisive factor of whether it was going to be a good day or not. It was a universal language that brought people together.

After sharing this first meal with them, I knew I was going to like working here. Chefs were reviewed by the reactions of the diner, and it was invigorating to see the zealous attitudes my new coworkers had toward my food. Meal ideas popped in my head as I imagined all the delicious recipes I wanted to feed them.

There was nothing more motivating than watching people love on the food I created with my own two hands, and I promised to myself that I would never let the people of this circus go a day without good food. I was going to be the best damn chef they’d ever known.

FOUR

COAL

With our previous chef retired, the food options had been less than desirable these past few days. I didn’t trust myself enough to be in close proximity of an open stove, which that meant I was under the mercy of whoever was kind enough to cook for the mass. I was grateful for the meals, but nobody in our circus was trained to cook for a group of large eaters. The food was edible, but we’d been spoiled with professional chef quality cuisines, and it was an adjustment switching to takeout. Like I said, we’d been spoiled.

Today, I’d opted to skip breakfast altogether and headed to the open area of concrete in the back. After two days of dry toast, I figured practicing in the morning would be a much better use of my time.

The large, open space with nothing flammable within arm’s length was the perfect place to practice handling my fire. As the circus’s firedancer, I needed to have full control of the flames, especially in a tent full of people.

It took a long time after I joined the circus before I was even able to work up the courage to be around fire, even flames that I hadn’t created, since fire attracted fire and being careless could cause the flames to go out of control. 

Seven was very considerate and had never pushed me to do anything I hadn’t wanted. At first, I wasn’t part of the shows and worked odd jobs around the circus grounds. It helped that I was surrounded with people like me—half bloods that didn’t fit in with the outside world. At Black Cat Circus, we didn’t need to face the contemptuous gazes of others or care about their opinions.

We belonged to each other, and that assurance gave me courage to believe that I was more than the waste of space that my family had convinced me I was. My real family at the circus, gave me space to finally accept myself and not fear the very thing that made me.

With Vermilion Bird blood flowing through me, it was impossible to separate me from fire. It was the very thing that gave birth to me. Unlike the phoenix who was born in flames , Vermilion Birds were the flames itself. It was the very essence of the god of the South and fire.

Although, I would be the first to admit that my father didn’t hold the grandeur of a god in the slightest. I’d heard gods were benevolent, kind, and forgiving. None of those things described my father.

He was a heartless bastard who didn’t care about any of his children or the dozens of mistresses he’d acquired throughout his eternal life. The only difference between me and my half-brothers and sisters was that they were at least acknowledged by the elders.

Being the only child born from a non-magical being, my powers to control the fire that created me lacked severely, and were almost nonexistent before coming to BCC. Back at the sacred lands, they’d only trained me just enough so that I didn’t burn everything in sight, and even that took years. They’d called me Coal for a reason.

Seven had introduced me to others of the fire element. Although our fires worked differently, they were able to teach me the basics of controlling my powers. It took years of training, but I’d eventually become comfortable enough to be around artificial fire—fire created through external means—and eventually even control it. However, that didn’t mean I could slack off on my training considering controlling my source flames was an entirely different story than the man made fire.

I’d switched into my performance clothes of a long sleeved shirt made of fire-proof mesh. I’d had to get the clothes specially made since the standard firedancer costume didn’t include a top, and I refused to have my chest exposed. It was just as well since the new outfit was made from magical material that could withstand the heat of the sun—or so I was told by Seven.

The others knew not to get too close to me when I was practicing, but I still gave one last glance around my surroundings to make sure that I was completely alone. Today, I wanted to dabble with my source flame, and that was more dangerous than when I was practicing my fire dancing act with artificial fire.

After making sure I was truly alone, I slowly released the restraints I’d placed on my flames. With each release, I could feel the heat around me rise until it was almost suffocating.

Even then, I didn’t stop. Everything around me faded away as I completely focused on the dangerous flames inside of my core. I’d locked it under thousands of chains. I imagined unlocking them one by one, going only until I was choking from the intense heat. 

So far, I’d never been strong enough to unlock all the bindings and withstand the full power of my source fire, but with each passing year, I’d gotten stronger and unlocked more of it. Hopefully, I’d eventually have complete control over my fire instead of letting it conquer me.

When I’d exhausted all my energy, I was kneeling on the hot concrete on all fours and panting. Concrete thankfully had a high melting point, and I was able to rein in most of the firepower so that nothing around me was damaged.

Lying flat on the ground, I caught my breath and let the remaining heat dissipate in the air. I didn’t usually push myself this hard, but it had been a while since I had this much time away from the others to practice.

I loved my circus family, but between traveling, practicing for our performances, and the days the circus grounds were open to the general public, it was hard to find alone time. The circus grounds were only so big, after all. 

However, with the complaints on food these past few days, not many of my fellow circus members were up to practicing. They were all spending time resting indoors.

I’d heard that our new chef was coming today, but who knew when. It was part of the reason why I wanted to come out here today as well. While it wasn’t frequent, we did get new members joining every so often, and I’d always have a sense of discomfort at the news.

Growing our circus was a good thing, and I was sure that there were countless people who needed a family like this one on their side, but I wasn’t good around strangers, especially non-magical beings. The only humans I’d been around were my mother—and we all knew how that went—and the few humans that lived with us, but they all knew the truth behind the members of our circus.

The new chef, however, was a human that wasn’t aware of anything of this world. I’d asked Seven countless times why he would let a potential risk join the circus, but he’d only smiled and said that I would understand in time.

Seven was like that. He was a man shrouded in mystery. I knew that he was able to glean truths more clearly than most, but he refused to share what he knew with the class. Something about breaking the balance and needing to let fate run its course. And trying to wrangle answers out of him was impossible. The man was a vault when he wanted to be.

After I’d mentally shoved my fire back where it came from and carefully relocked each chain that surrounded my core, I got up from my lying position. I was in desperate need of some sustenance and sighed at the thought of another lunch of takeout. At the very least, I’d stop by the mess tent to get some water to cool me down.

FIVE

COAL

The mess tent was more crowded than I’d expected with what seemed like every single person in our circus there for lunch. It wasn’t unusual for all of us to eat together in our communal area, but with the low quality of food these past few days, the families that had a kitchen in their RVs had opted to cook their own meals and eat in their homes alone.

When I entered the tent, the tables were all crowded with people with their heads lowered to their plates, and a mouthwatering smell lingered in the air. I looked to the back of the tent where a kitchen area was set up for the chef.

Walking closer to the back, I realized that there was a kid standing in front of the stove with a wok in front of him. The boy was barely tall enough to reach the stove and was currently standing on a step stool.

Our previous chef was a woman who had giant blood somewhere in her family tree. The giant ancestry had been so far removed that she’d never even been in contact with giants before, but the blood still showed through her height.

At seven foot, she was even taller than our ringmaster and needed to have everything in her kitchen custom made. The kitchen was bearable for someone with a normal height, but this kitchen definitely wasn’t made for children.

I didn’t know what this kid was doing back there or why nobody was batting an eye at his playing house, but it was dangerous for a kid to mess with fire.

“Hey, kid. Where are your parents? The kitchen isn’t a place to play,” I said to his back. 

The boy turned off the stove—thank fuck—before spinning around on his stool to face me. The first things I noticed were his bright green eyes that glittered as beautifully as gemstones. His eyes shone even brighter as his features twisted into a frown as he crossed his arms.

The next things I noticed were his handsome features with a dark, five o’clock shadow that seemed too mature for a kid, but I brushed it off considering I knew nothing about the human aging process. I’d heard from the circus-goers that children these days looked almost too mature for their age.

“Excuse you, but I’m not a kid,” he said as he glared at me. The kitchen counters were in between us, but we were close enough for me to tell that even while standing on the step stool, he still stood half a head shorter than me.

“Right, but it’s still dangerous to fiddle around with fire. Why don’t you go find your parents? I’m sure they can find you something else to play with,” I said with patience. The children who traveled in the circus with their parents hated being referred to as kids, so I figured he was the same.

My words only made his glare toward me feel even more piercing as he said, “First of all, I am not playing around back here. Secondly, I’m an adult. And lastly—not that it’s any of your business—but I don’t have parents.”

“Oh, I’m sorry for bringing up a touchy subject,” I said, hanging my head in shame. I should have known better than to mention anything to do with families, especially when I hated having mine brought up.

“It’s fine. I got over it a long time ago,” he said with a wave of his hand. The action was so exaggerated that he lost his center of balance and toppled forward.

Fortunately, I was tall enough to lean over the counters and catch the kid under his armpits before he fell and cracked his head open. His eyes were wide as he hung with his arms flapping in my hold before freezing completely still as he stared back at me.

The boy was so light that I knew he had to be lying about being an adult. I was a tad bit stronger than normal humans from the Vermilion Bird blood, but I definitely wasn’t strong enough to hold an adult human man up like I was holding a puppy.

“Thanks,” he muttered as a blush crept up his tan skin. “Can you put me down now?”

“Oh, sorry,” I apologized as I set him on his feet. He let out a sigh when he was on steady ground again and turned to shoot me a bright smile.

“Thanks again. That could have gone very badly,” he said with a nervous chuckle. The blush had disappeared from his cheeks but remained on the tip of his ears.

“This is why I said it was dangerous back here, so will you please go play somewhere else now?”

The glare returned as he reached a hand behind him to pull out a wallet. “I told you I’m not a child,” he said with a growl and shoved a card in front of my face. “Look, I’m twenty-four. A full grown adult.”

I read the birthday on the ID he held in front of me and did the math. I was stunned into silence to find that he was indeed an adult and only three years younger than me.

The boy—man—laughed as he watched my expression and put his ID and wallet away. “There, do you finally believe me now? Also, I’m not playing back here. I was hired as the new chef.”

“You...You’re the new chef?” I asked, still recovering from his previous statement. It shouldn’t have shocked me as much as it did considering we used to travel with mountain dwarves who were centuries older than I was but had only reached my waist. But I was told our new chef was human, and I hadn’t met any adult human men who were as short as he was. But then again, I didn’t know much about humans either besides the ones who lived in the circus with me.

“Yes, do you have a problem with that?” he said, narrowing his eyes. I had a faint sense that if I replied with anything other than no, I would deeply regret it.

“Of course not,” I quickly said. I wasn’t stupid. This man was now in charge of our meals, and there was no way in hell I was going to get on his bad side.

“In fact, I’m so happy to have you here! You’re saving all of us from bad food that was more grease than anything else. And from the delicious smell in the air, I can already tell your cooking is divine. I can assure you that everyone is ecstatic to have you here, and you are one hundred percent welcome.” My words came out in nervous rambles as I tried to repair the damage I’d done. I didn’t want to offend the new chef more than I’d already had.

Besides, I wasn’t lying about how good the mess tent smelled. I’d noticed it when I’d first walked inside and the aromatic scent had only gotten stronger the closer I got to the kitchen. If I wasn’t so worried about the kid—man—behind the stove, I would already be scarfing food down my throat.

Our new chef busted out in laughter as he bent in half and crossed his arms over his stomach. I stood frozen as I watched him with embarrassment. Maybe I went a little overboard with the bootlicking, but at least he wasn’t glaring at me anymore.

When his laughter finally stopped, he stood up to his full height and looked back at me with a smile. “The name’s Rhett,” he said, holding out his hand.

While still in the daze and mortification of this entire situation, I accepted the handshake despite my usual aversion to touching others, especially a stranger. I’d caught him when he almost fell, but that was a different situation. I was trying to save him then.

Rhett’s hand was larger than I’d expected and had more calluses than I did. It didn’t fit his image at all, nor did the death grip he had on me like he was trying to squeeze some sense into me through the handshake.

“Coal,” I said after he finally let go of me. I shook my hand in the air, trying to relieve some of the sting from his tight grip. Rhett’s eyes sparkled with delight as he watched me. He was totally enjoying this, and I wasn’t even mad at him. Maybe it was because I thought he was a kid moments earlier, but he had an innocence about him that told me he’d only found this situation hilarious and wasn’t making fun of me.

“It’s nice to meet you. I’m glad we got this misunderstanding cleared between us. Now, you should probably get something to eat before it’s all gone, and I—” He spun around and got on the step stool again before turning his head over his shoulder to shoot me a wink. “I need to get back to work. Got bellies to feed, ya know?”

He faced the stove again and turned on the burner to resume his cooking.

“Are you sure that’s safe? Maybe we should—”

“I’ll be fine as long as some hot, tall, mysterious man isn’t distracting me,” he cut me off with a wave of his hand before turning back to his cooking. I didn’t reply and stood frozen facing his back.

He thought I was hot?

My close friends had told me I was handsome before, but they were family, and I’d figured they were kinda required to say things like that. It wasn’t that I had low self-esteem, because I’d always considered myself average for a half-blood, but I guessed it surprised me to hear the compliment from a human.

The only thing was that he didn’t know just how hot I was. Not in relation to my appearance, but the heat that burned inside me. Because of that heat, I’d remained alone. I couldn’t let someone else get hurt the same way my mom had.

So without replying to his comment that had my heart fluttering, I walked away. I grabbed a plate, loaded it with the chicken fried rice Rhett had prepared, and found an empty seat to dig into the meal. The hunger that had overtaken my body after today’s practice had faded away during my conversation with the new chef but came back in full force with the savory scent of the food right in front of me.

I dug in and my hands didn’t stop moving until all the food on the plate was gone. Chicken fried rice was a simple dish, but it was delicious. I went back for seconds, and when the plate was empty not even minutes later, thirds.

This time, Rhett had finished cooking and was taking a seat by the serving table. He smirked when he saw me walking up with my plate that still had stray grains of rice on it. It was obvious that I was coming back for more.

He placed his elbows on the counter and rested his chin on his palms as he glanced up at me with an unrestrained smile. “It’s good, right? Told you I wasn’t playing around,” he teased. His bright eyes glistened as they focused on me.

A strangled sound came from my throat, and the chains I’d tightly bolted around my core loosened. Nothing about his actions should have caused me to lose control over myself, but they had anyway.

I knew if I stayed there, it was only going to lead to trouble. Giving Rhett a polite nod, I turned around and calmly made my departure. If my strides were two times faster than normal, it was nothing more than a coincidence.

SIX

RHETT

The broody man who was covered head to toe in long pants and a hoodie was another mystery of the circus.

Cole, was what he told me his name was. Honestly, it was a more normal sounding name than I’d expected from the circus. Their ringmaster’s name was Seven, after all.

I thought he was making fun of me for my height at first, but he seemed sincere enough when I’d corrected him. I’d returned my focus on the food I was cooking, but my eyes kept wandering to him.

There was a deep sense of satisfaction when I saw him get seconds, and when I took a break by the serving table and saw him come up for thirds, I couldn’t hold back my happiness.

I loved cooking, but nothing made me happier than seeing people love on my food so much that they were coming back for more. And even better still when it was from someone as handsome as he was.

I hadn’t been kidding when I’d said he was hot. Although his features were only partially visible under his hoodie even from my vantage point on the step stool, I got a front row seat of his handsomeness when he’d caught me from my almost fall.

It was hella embarrassing to be held under my armpits like I was a puppy, but it was worth it to get a clear view of him. He had smooth skin that was free from any blemishes or wrinkles. His strong features seemed to be cut from fire: sharp cheekbones, straight and narrow nose, and fierce eyebrows that had been narrowed with worry.

The concern shining in his startling blue eyes had caught me off guard. I should have known better than to judge someone based on their appearance, considering the most compassionate people I’d met were ones who looked the exact opposite.

Maybe I had a soft spot for people with strong features and kind hearts, and that was what had attracted me to him in the first place. And when he started his cute babbling that didn’t match his stoic appearance, I was hooked.

What I hadn’t expected was for him to run away from me during our second interaction, completely forgetting that he was going to get more food.

I watched his departing back as he dropped off his plate in the dish bin and basically sprinted out of the tent. My mouth hung open at the scene. I had a hand held out in midair, hoping to stop him so that I could talk to him for a bit longer, but he’d run out before I even had a chance to say anything.

It was weird behavior, but I tried brushing it aside as an eccentricity of the man. At least, I hoped it wasn’t because of something I had done because that would be a depressing thought. I wanted to get to know him better.

I sighed and sank back into the seat. I had a couple hours before I needed to start dinner prep. From what Sev told me, most people had breakfast together, but the other meals were sporadic depending on when everyone had free time in between their shifts, so lunch and dinner wouldn’t be as hectic as breakfast. That was good for me since this morning had been a lot.

After another five minutes sitting by the serving table to rest and contemplate why the tall man had run away from me like I was a giant dinosaur about to stomp on him, I returned to my station and cleaned the kitchen. Only a few stragglers remained in the mess tent from the lunch rush, and there was plenty of food left for anyone who had late lunches.

Today, being my first day, had been an adventure. I only had enough time to drop off my luggage inside the RV Seven had assigned to me before coming back to assess what stock I had to work with for lunch.

I definitely needed to go on a grocery run soon, but there had been enough ingredients in the fridge to whip up my easy fried rice dish.

When the kitchen was spotless, I left the purple tent and made my way back to my future home. Seven informed me that I would be sharing the RV with someone, but I hadn’t seen the person when I’d dropped off my luggage earlier.

There was a man sitting on the couch inside the RV when I entered. He sprang up to his feet when I stepped inside the vehicle and took both of my hands into his.

“Hi, I’m your roommate! I’m so excited to have you here!” he said as he shook my hands so hard that I felt unstable on my feet. “Oh, sorry.” The man must have seen how I was about to trip as he placed his palms on my shoulders, then guided me to sit on the tiny couch.

“I heard that you’re human! It’s nice to have another human like me around here. There aren’t many of us traveling with the circus,” he said as he plopped on the couch next to me.

“Um, yes? I’m definitely human?” I asked more than said. There was that phrase again, and I was starting to wonder if they were playing a huge joke on me or was this a thing circuses did? Did they categorize the non-performers as boring humans or something?

The stranger—my new roommate—smiled broadly, and his eyes lit up after confirming my human status. He had pretty blue eyes, but they had nothing on the captivating ones the stoic man had. I’d been told that my eyes resembled emeralds, but I hadn’t understood how eyeballs could look anything like something as beautiful as gems until I’d seen Cole’s eyes. I would have believed him if he told me he had some magical surgery that had replaced his eyes with sapphires.

“Anyway, my name is Conall. We’re going to have so much fun together!” he said with a little bounce in his seat. The man was a bit too enthusiastic, but he seemed nice enough.

“The name’s Rhett. It’s nice to meet you. Sorry about crashing your space,” I said as I looked around. The RV wasn’t huge, but it was homey, decorated in warm greens and browns.

“Did you do those? They’re so realistic. You have quite the imagination,” I said, gesturing to drawings that filled the walls of the vehicle. They were portraits of the people I’d met earlier today at the circus but with magical elements added. Fairies, mermaids, gargoyles, and there was even Cole standing in a blaze of fire. I wasn’t sure why, but the fire suited him.

The charcoal drawing was very lifelike and captured his stoic face, but he looked somewhat solemn. He was still handsome, but the urge to pull him into a tight hug swelled up inside of me as I continued to admire the drawing.

“Thanks! I pride myself in being able to draw anything I’ve seen once,” Conall said. He scooted closer to me and looked at the portrait I was now staring at. “I had a hard time getting Coal to pose for me for that one. He may look fierce, but he’s really a total softie inside. I wore him down eventually and got him to show me with the condition of standing very, very far away. I didn’t want to end up turning into a lump of coal like his name, you know?” he said, bouncing in his seat again.

There was a whole lot to unpack in his words, but I focused on the last point.

Coal. His name was Coal.

The strange name was more aligned with the names of the other circus members I’d been introduced to, but I had to wonder why he was named after something like the bleak rock when he suited brilliant gems instead. Although, the name did fit the fire theme.

“You’re very skilled in your craft. I met Coal earlier, and the drawing looks just like him,” I said, turning to Conall. He puffed up his chest at the compliment and shot me a toothy smile.

“Oh, let me show you around!” he said, shooting to his feet. “Sorry, I didn’t have a roommate until now so I kinda took over the entire place. We can change anything you don’t like.”

“It’s fine. You did a great job decorating,” I said and I also stood and followed Conall as he excitedly showed me everything inside the vehicle. I knew going into this that I wasn’t going to have the comforts of my own space living with a traveling circus, but honestly, the RV was more spacious than I’d expected it to be.

The small couch was put in the middle of the vehicle, across from the small kitchenette and the door. The rest of the space was split in half with a loft bed and short curtains to give the small loft some privacy, all on top of the driver and passenger seats and built-in storage spaces behind the seats.

Toward the back of the RV, the rest of the kitchenette lined one wall and more storage the other wall, with another loft bed over that space. I assumed this was Conall’s bed since it was made up with vibrant pillows taking up half the bed.

“The bathroom is back here,” he said, walking through the tight passageway to the only door inside the vehicle. Inside was a toilet and a small shower area. It was probably a bit cramped for Conall, but the small bathroom would work just fine for me.

“And that’s our place!” Conall said with a spin toward me and his hands out gesturing to the space inside the RV. “I know it’s small, but we’ll make it work! Oh! We also have this curtain if we need some privacy.”

Conall walked back to the middle of the vehicle and pulled open the curtain next to the couch. There was still an open gap since the kitchenette was there, but it covered enough to give the semblance of privacy.

He pushed the curtain back against the wall again and skipped to my side. “Anyway, I should let you unpack. I have the day off so I can help if you want!”

Conall was so earnest that I was almost sad to disappoint him. “It won’t take me long since I only have one suitcase—” I pointed to my only belongings, which were sitting beside the couch. “—but you can keep me company? And if you have time later, I’d love a tour around the place.”

“I’d love to!” he said and took a seat on the couch again, turning his entire body to face the front as he leaned over the arm of the couch. How he tucked his long legs under him on that small piece of furniture, I didn’t know, but he somehow looked comfortable in that position.

Conall told me stories about growing up in the circus with his adoptive parents as I unpacked and settled into my new home. Considering I only had one suitcase and a backpack, it only took about twenty minutes to put everything away. Before I knew it, I ended up on the other side of the couch listening to Conall talk.

He told me about the adventures they’d had while traveling from place to place. I was fascinated since I’d never left the small town I grew up in. It was exciting to think about all the new sights that I’d experience as we traveled and I couldn’t help getting sucked into his stories, even if some of them were a bit out there.

Jumping off the Red Cliffs in the dead of the night as a dare? I was pretty sure they would have broken more than a leg, but it made for an interesting tale.

I was so absorbed in his stories that before I knew it, an hour had passed. I wanted to hear more, but I knew I needed extra time to prep for dinner. It was always an adjustment when I cooked in a new kitchen, and when it was a kitchen that seemed to be made for a giant, I definitely needed the extra time.

Making plans with Conall to tour the place after dinner, I headed back to the mess tent with bright eyes.

SEVEN

RHETT

Seven stopped by as I finished filling the rest of the steam table pans with tonight’s dinner of lasagna.

“How’s everything going, Rhett? I’ve heard nothing but compliments about your food all day,” he said when he walked up beside me. He took a sniff of the air and smiled.

“Thanks!” I said, puffing up. I would never get tired of hearing people say nice things about my cooking. “And everything’s been great. Everyone here is super nice. I unpacked my things earlier and Conall also promised to show me around later tonight.”

Speaking of Conall, the young man had showed up not long after the first lasagna came out of the oven. He had shot me a wave before making himself a plate and sitting with an older couple who I assumed were his parents. The couple left after they finished eating, but Conall stayed at his seat to fiddle on his phone.

“Sounds like you’re making yourself right at home here. I’m glad,” Sev said with a smile. He followed me as I dumped the dirty dishes into the deep, commercial sink and stopped me when I tried to start the faucet.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll have someone else take care of dishes later. Why don’t you take the rest of the night off?” When he finished speaking, he waved the young man over.

Conall bounded over with a pep in his steps. “You called, boss?”

“I heard you agreed to show Rhett around. That’s very kind of you,” he said, and the younger man’s smile stretched across his entire face. After only a day at the circus, I could already tell that many of the members here saw Seven as a parental figure. “Why don’t you take Rhett to see our main show since it’s starting in half an hour, and you can give him the grand tour later?”

“But shouldn’t I stay to make sure there’s enough food to go around?” I asked. Seven had told me that not everyone ate dinner in the mess tent, but since it was my first day, I didn’t have an accurate gauge of how much food I needed to prepare.

“It’s fine. If you’re going to be traveling with the circus, you should experience our performance at least once. You cooked more than enough to hold us over for the night, and you weren’t even supposed to work today! So go have fun. Conall will show you around.”

“Okay, if you’re sure...”

“Yes, he’s sure! Now, let’s go!” Conall said, looping his arm through mine as he pulled me to the tent entrance. I laughed as I let him drag me. Sev stayed in the kitchen and waved goodbye to us.

“There’s so much I need to show you, but since the big show is starting soon, we should get there early and grab good seats. But first, we can’t watch the show without popcorn!”

Conall led me to the back of what I assumed was the line for popcorn. The people in front of us were quick to get their orders and we didn’t have to wait long for our turn.

“Why, isn’t it our new chef? Looks like it’s my turn to feed you,” the man standing behind the popcorn machine said with a grin. He filled two bags and handed them to us.

“Thanks, David. See you later!” Conall said as he took the offered bags and started pulling me away.

“Wait, what about the payment?” I said, glancing back at David, who shot me a wave before turning to serve the next customer.

“Our money’s no good here. Besides, it’s not like you charge us for your food,” Conall said while still tugging on my shoulder.

“But I was hired to feed you all.”

“And David was hired to fill us with popcorn. Now come on before all the seats are taken.”

The man had a point, so I stopped resisting and followed to the largest tent around. The magnificent red and white striped structure looked like it had come straight out of the movie I’d watched about the boy who’d made his big dreams of running a circus come true. Countless people milled around the tent as they stood in groups chatting and hanging out. They all had one thing in common, and that was the smiles that lit up their faces.

“C’mon, I’ll show you the best seats in the house.”

I didn’t have much time to admire the beauty of the outside before Conall was leading me inside. I thought the outside of the tent was beautiful, but my breath caught at the sight of the interior of the tent.

“Wow, this is…”

“Amazing, right?” Conall said beside me, and I nodded.

He waved his hand around the space. “This is Black Cat Circus’s pride and joy. It’s where all the magic happens,” he said with a wink. If he’d told me that actual magic was happening here, I would have believed him.

It was a lot more spacious than I thought it would be. The performance tent looked huge, but the inside seemed almost twice as large as it appeared on the outside. It was probably an illusion that was intended with the design of the tent, and they did a good job making the viewer feel like they’d entered an entirely new world.

Hundreds of seats circled the outer wall of the tent with almost half the seats already filled with people who chattered excitedly as they looked around their surroundings. At the very center of the space was a giant round stage that commanded all eyes on it. Lights lined the ceilings—all pointing at the stage—and an aerial hoop hung above the stage.

“Over here,” Conall called, breaking me out of my daze from taking everything in. He’d walked to the left and was waving at me from the stairs. I followed him up the flight of stairs. We stopped a little under halfway from the top and claimed two empty seats at the back of that section.

“While others may not agree, after watching the performance thousands of times while growing up, I can guarantee that these seats have the best view. We’re far enough for the most optimal experience but close enough to also catch all the little details. And as a bonus, we don’t get a glare from the lights here,” he leaned into me and whispered like it was top-secret.

I nodded earnestly at his words. This was my first circus performance so I had no clue if his words checked out or not, but he made sense. Conall started munching on his popcorn as he explained the different performances they did there. There were smaller, more specialized shows throughout the day with the grand finale—the show we were going to watch—starting at seven in the evening.

“I’ll show you around the backstage tent later too. My mom is probably back there now. She’s the makeup artist, you see,” he said, pointing at the tent opening that was on the other side of the main entrance.

I nodded again, still taking everything in as I looked around. The tent was currently lit just bright enough to see what was in front of you, but there were glittering lights flying in the air inside the tent. The lights flickered in such a random and inconsistent pattern that I had doubts that it was a program set by the circus.

Before I could ask Conall about it, all the lights inside the tent flicked off and the flood lights lit up the stage. During the second that the tent was filled with darkness, Seven had somehow appeared in the middle of the stage with his arms spread out wide in front of him. He wore a black and white suit with his signature top hat on his head. A huge smile shone on his face and stars filled his eyes as he looked around the room.

“Welcome, friends. I thank you for joining us on this wonderful evening when there are a thousand other choices that you could have made. Instead, you were led to that seat to watch this show. I’d like to call that fate,” Sev said. He snapped his fingers and the twinkles that had stopped at his entrance reappeared, sparkling bright as they swooshed around, closer to our seats this time.

The ringmaster took off his top hat and walked the edge of the stage to give each section a deep bow. The lights flew above him in the air as if they were following him before disappearing as quickly as they had appeared.

“Like the fate that brought all of us together tonight, I was led to the members of our circus in a similar fashion. For our first performer, I met him on a night of a full moon.” Sev paused as if remembering the night in question.

“Darkness surrounded me, but by the grace of the moon’s light, it led me to where a man sat on a bench. The way he glowed under the soft light of the goddess of night drew me in, and the closer I got to the man, the fire within him became even more evident. He was a man created by flames that burned as fiercely as the world that had shunned him. However, he didn’t let that stop him. He took something that had only caused destruction and took control, mastering it and turning it into something beautiful. And tonight, he has agreed to share the flames’ beauty with all of us. Let’s welcome our firedancer, Coal!”

Seven finished his little speech with both his arms out and raised in the air. I clapped with the rest of the audience as the tent fell into darkness. When the lights came back not even a second later, Seven had disappeared and Coal stood in his place wearing a mesh long sleeve shirt and black leggings that hugged his legs. The only part of his body that was exposed were his buzzed head, hands, and bare feet.

Music filled the tent. Heavy drums pounded with a fast beat that vibrated within my entire body. The sound was deep and grounding, like I was part of the music instead of just a bystander listening in.

Coal stood with his eyes closed for a few beats before he started moving. His pec muscles rippled under the mesh shirt, yet his movements looked as graceful as a ballerina’s.

The dance started off slow as he swayed with the music with his arms held out in the air as if paying tribute to the gods that bestowed the power of fire onto him. I was hypnotized by his actions as my eyes tracked each of his movements.

The music turned faster still, and with a loud stomp of Coal’s feet, fire erupted in the air surrounding the man. The audience roared their surprise and the fireballs looked to be floating in the air as Coal continued his movements. With each jump and twist in the air, the fire swayed as if it was dancing along with the man.

His dance spoke to the deepest parts of me, capturing my soul. It was like Sev had described it. Beautiful, but also containing so much power that I worried that Coal would lose control and get burned.

Having worked in the kitchen for the past six years, I knew firsthand how dangerous the flames were. It was an important part of our lives, giving us heat, fuel, and beauty, but it could just as easily turn into something deadly.

Fortunately, Coal never let the flames get out of hand. He continued to dance as if the dangerous fireballs were an extension of his body and he had the ability to freely control them.

He did one last spin in the air before landing on his feet in a squat and slamming his palms hard onto the stage floor. The fireballs shot up into the air above his head, turning into a large blaze that lit up the entire tent. The heat of the flames licked my skin from where I sat in the audience, wrapping around me in a comfortable hug, but quickly disappeared as if it had never been there in the first place.

The audience busted out in shouts and cheers. Everyone stood as they clapped for the enchanting firedancer who still knelt on the stage, panting.

I stood and clapped along with the others. My heart raced as the beautiful dance Coal had shared with us replayed in my mind. It was a show of power but also sensual, and I couldn’t help but want to see more of his enchanting flames.

As I numbly sat back down, Coal left the stage and Seven returned to introduce the next performer. Each of the acts were as amazing as I’d been promised they would be, but I kept thinking about the solemn man who danced with fire.

They let down the aerial hoop that hung from the ceiling for the next performance. The pretty man in a bright crop top and glittering hair wrapped around the hoop like he was made of water. He twisted his body in ways that I didn’t think were possible. All while making it look so effortless in the air.

For the final act, they brought the Globe of Death to the center of the stage. A handsome man in a leather jack and gages in his ear put on his helmet before mounting his motorcycle. The daredevil rode inside the metal globe, going at speeds that I couldn’t even imagine. My breath caught when he was completely upside down in the globe, I worried that he’d fall from his bike and hurt himself, but the daredevil proved talented in his arts and smoothly performed his trick.

The show lived up to its name, and I could understand why people came far and wide to see the Black Cat Circus perform. Each act showed a different specialty, keeping the audience engaged and waiting for more. Loud groans ensued when Seven thanked the audience for joining them tonight and announced the end of the show. It was a testament of how good it had been. We wanted to continue watching, but good things always came to an end eventually.

As people filed out of the tent, I stayed in my seat, dazed. The entire performance felt magical, and I needed a second to come back to the mundane reality. I didn’t want the night to end just as the rest of the audience, but unlike them, my thoughts laid with the dance that had continued to replay in my mind. I wanted to continue watching Coal play with the fire that moved at his will.

A hand touching my shoulder finally broke me out of my daze. Conall stood over me with a bright smile. “It was that good, huh?”

I nodded, still unable to find my voice. Good was a mild way to describe the performances I’d witnessed tonight.

It was magical. Out of this world.

“C’mon, I’ll take you backstage to meet everyone.”

I was too far from the stage to see, but I imagined Coal’s glowing blue eyes burning as brightly as the flames he had danced with on stage. I wanted to experience the fire up close and personal. To feel the heat of his gaze on me, a gaze that was as comforting as the heat from his flames.

I couldn’t get out of my seat fast enough.

EIGHT

COAL

I sat in an empty corner inside the backstage tent. My entire body sank into my seat as I hung my head over the back of the chair. I’d changed out of my performance clothes and back into the comforts of my loose hoodie and sweatpants.

The thrill of the dance still drummed in my blood as it always did after every performance. Although I didn’t use my source flames in the dance, that didn’t mean it would be any less intense.

Fire attracted fire, and as a being born from the burning heat, the artificial flames sought to merge with my core to grow and overtake everything in its path. My years of practice made controlling the weak artificial flames easy, but one could never be too careful.

The rest of the backstage tent buzzed with energy as it always did after a successful show, but the others knew to leave me alone as I centered myself again. The noise that surrounded me faded away as I closed my eyes. Getting into the zone became easier with each meditation session I did, and I was able to tightly lock the chains that had tried to loosen during the dance.

When I opened my eyes again, I almost fell out of my seat when a face appeared inches away from my own.

“Whoa, are you okay?” Our new chef held a hand to my arm, steadying me. I shrank away from his touch, but not before I noticed the heat of his warm palms through the fabric of my hoodie. It surprised me that I was able to feel his heat, considering I’d always been told that I ran a lot hotter than others. Maybe his high body temperature adjusted after years of working in the kitchen?

Rhett’s hand fell when I flinched away from his touch. A hurt expression flashed through his face, and I instantly regretted my actions. He was only trying to prevent me from falling off of the chair and hadn’t known about my aversion to touch. I didn’t owe anyone an explanation, but I didn’t want this cute guy thinking that I was avoiding him on purpose.

My insides churned at that admission. Cute was the perfect way to describe him and it wasn’t just because of his petite size. The way he earnestly looked at me with shining eyes had me wanting to wrap him up in a hug, which was a very foreign thought for me considering hugging was not something I did.

“Sorry, you just scared me,” I said as I straightened myself in my seat. Rhett and I were closer to eye level in my sitting position, and I was able to have a closer look at his bright green eyes.

They glittered as his face morphed into a smile. “No worries! Sorry about getting so close. I called out your name but you didn’t answer,” he bashfully said as he rubbed the back of his neck.

His gaze fell to his feet before turning back to me. “I saw your dance. It was beautiful. The way you moved with the fireballs like they were a part of you was magical. I keep thinking about it. Even now.”

He tilted his chin slightly down and peered at me through his thick eyelashes. The fire within me churned hotter, weaving through the chains around my core as if the compliment from this man gave them enough power to break through their restrictions.

I gulped and took a deep breath to settle the turbulence that his words had wrecked inside of me. My circus family had complimented me numerous times on my act, but it felt different coming from the man in front of me. For whatever reason, my fire liked hearing his praises and danced inside my core, demanding more.

My heart sped up from either straining to bind the chains tighter or from the emotions that Rhett had evoked, I didn’t know. What I did know was that being around him was too dangerous. He had the ability to cause me to lose control, and that was the worst thing that could happen.

I needed to keep my distance.

Mumbling a thanks, I pulled the hood of my hoodie tighter around my head and gave him a random excuse so I could leave the backstage tent. I usually had dinner in the mess tent after the night’s final show, but that was Rhett’s domain, and I didn’t think I could handle running into Rhett again tonight. Not when my control was already wearing thin from just his compliment.

The last thing I saw before slipping through the tent flap was Rhett standing where I’d left him. His eyes were fixed on my back, and he had a complicated expression.

I didn’t want him to think I hated him, but that was a better alternative than losing hold on the dangerous fire inside of me.

Tonight was a full moon, much like the one on the night Seven had found me all alone in the world. Walking to an open space inside the forest that lined the main part of our circus ground, I found solace in the stillness of the world around me. The fresh air cooled some of the heat that tickled my skin from when my source flames ran amok from Rhett’s praise.

When my emotions turned turbulent, I liked getting away from the noise of the world. It helped to think and find my center when I wasn’t distracted by my surroundings.

I sat with my legs crossed on the soft grass and tried to think of nothing as I blended in with nature, but my thoughts returned to the short man that looked at me with such pure, bright eyes. Eyes that I could get lost in if I wasn’t careful enough.

I’d come into the forest to stop myself from thinking about him, but my thoughts didn’t want to stay still. Every time I closed my eyes, Rhett’s face appeared in my mind. The anger he showed when I’d mistaken him for a child. The hurt that marred his handsome face inside the tent. The confusion in his expression I’d caught a glimpse of when I’d left him inside the backstage tent. But most predominantly was the way he lit up when he smiled. He was brighter than my flames, and I was the moth that was drawn to the deadly beauty.

Falling on my back onto the soft grass, I spread my arms wide and stared at the sky. Gods, even the twinkling stars reminded me of Rhett’s bright greens. The man had done something to me, and I half wondered if he was a witch who’d cursed me.

A soft meow came from my right, and I twisted my head to find a cat sauntering toward me. He was as black as his surroundings, and I would have missed him if not for the distinct white heart shaped spot on his chest.

The cat kept his crescent eyes on me as he crept closer. When he was close enough, he quickly brushed his head against my chin. His soft fur tickled my skin. I turned my body to my side to face him and stretched a hand to give him a rub that was just as quick as his head butt.

Peanut traveled with the circus. The first night I stayed with the circus, Peanut showed himself to me in the dead of the night. Having never left the sacred lands before, being around so many different magical beings had overwhelmed me. Everyone was nice and had welcomed me with open arms, but it was still a lot.

We’d set up camp by the forest that night as well, and I’d gone to get some space to myself. Most small animals feared me, probably because they could sense the dangerous fire that could easily turn them into coal, but Peanut had been different. My heat didn’t seem to bother him.

He walked up to me without reservations and lightly brushed his body against me as he had done tonight. When I found out the next day that Peanut had been with the circus pretty much since its existence, I had a sense that the cat had been scenting me, welcoming me into the circus family.

I heard rumors that the circus had been named after Peanut, but I wasn’t certain about that. No one knew who Peanut belonged to or who he hitched a ride with when we traveled to each location. He was another of the circus’s countless mysteries. He appeared and disappeared like the wind.

“Peanut, have you met our new chef yet? What do you think about him?” The crescents in his eyes turned even thinner as he stared at me for a second before he looked away to lick his paw.

It was probably stupid of me to talk to the cat, but sometimes I got the sense that he would answer me. It was easy to think of him as a supernatural being when I was surrounded by creatures that were said to only exist in stories every day. I’d always need to remind myself that he was just a cat and nothing more.

Peanut sat by my head and continued to groom himself as I watched him. His quiet movements allowed me to focus on something other than my thoughts. His purrs soothed the storm that had raged inside of me, and in the moment, I finally found stillness in myself.

As I lay there with Peanut for who knew how long, I let myself just be. The night got cooler as the moon rose higher in the sky. Peanut had finished cleaning himself and walked on the path toward the circus. He took a few steps before turning his head back to look at me, as if telling me to follow him.

I stood and did just that. Peanut walked in front of me, guiding me through the back of the circus grounds to the lot—the space we parked our RVs and trailers. He turned the corner, and when I followed, he was nowhere in sight. I wasn’t too worried, though, since this was a normal occurrence.

Continuing along the path, I found Seven waiting outside my RV. He’d changed out of his performance clothes and had his top hat tucked under his arm again. He turned at the sound of my footsteps and shot me a smile that held a hint of concern.

“Were you able to clear your thoughts while you were alone?” he asked as he stepped aside to let me open the door of my RV. I never bothered locking my door since I trusted my family to respect my personal space. Plus, we had security watching the area for any unwanted guests.

I opened the door and entered the vehicle. Seven followed behind me and took a seat by the small couch. He carefully placed his top hat on the space beside him.

Seven was very generous with our compensation, which allowed me to purchase my own RV years ago. Knowing that we would constantly be on the road, the first thing I did was magically modify it to be bigger on the inside than it appeared, even if it was only by a bit. The renovation costed a pretty penny, but it was completely worth it in making my RV a real home.

I grabbed a couple bottles of water from my small mini fridge, handed one to Seven, and took a huge gulp before turning to lean against the small counter on the other side of the couch. My RV didn’t have a kitchenette since I didn’t know how to cook nor did I want to have any potential flames around me when I slept.

“I wasn’t alone,” I said, facing Seven. “Peanut accompanied me for a bit.”

His face scrunched up in confusion the way it did when anyone mentioned the black cat. I wasn’t too sure of the details, but apparently Seven had never seen this cat before. He’d thought it was one big joke that we were all playing against him, but eventually realized that it wasn’t.

Nothing ever fazed the ever knowing ringmaster except Peanut. The poor man had a cat running around with the circus for who knew how long but couldn’t find any physical evidence of his existence. I would be frustrated if I was in his situation too.

“But, yes,” I said, answering his earlier question. “I was able to clear my head eventually. My core isn’t as unstable after the show as it was before. It’s just...”

He shook himself out of the confusion from the mention of Peanut and looked at me with knowing eyes. “There’s something bothering you. Or should I say someone.”

I nodded and chewed on my bottom lip. Maybe talking with Seven would help me understand what I was feeling, help me understand why I was losing control like this over Rhett.

“My fire seems wary of the human chef.”

The ringmaster tilted his head to look up at me from his sitting position. “Is it really wariness you’re feeling?”

I narrowed my eyes at that question. What else could it be?

He chuckled at my expression. “Not all overwhelming emotions are negative. Have you thought that maybe your fire is intrigued by our newest member? I think the two of you will get along splendidly if you get to know him better.”

I wrinkled my nose at that thought. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. I’d probably lose control if I stayed around him. I think it’ll be best to just avoid him.”

Seven stayed quiet as he watched me intently. Sometimes he did that to give me time. This time, the silence didn’t last even thirty seconds before he spoke up, “You know, when you first came to the circus, you thought your fire would consume you if you were around open flames. Look at you now, performing in an enclosed area with fire at close proximity to you for hundreds of guests.”

I nodded at his words. When I first arrived at the circus, I’d been so afraid of hurting the people around me that I probably would have continued to avoid fire if not for Seven encouraging me to practice control around the others with the fire elements.

However, I didn’t see what that had to do with our current conversation, so I stared at him with confusion.

“Just think, if you had continued to run away because of fear, you would have missed out on the joy of performing on stage. Perhaps it might be the same with Rhett?”

I unconsciously nodded at his words. I couldn’t lie and say that I disliked performing. I didn’t thrive under the attention of the audience like Drake and Brighton did, but there was something about dancing on stage. I felt alive with the music and energy of the tent. The artificial fire that I’d once shied away from didn’t terrify me but felt almost playful during my act, and I never thought I would feel that way about something that had only had a negative effect on my life.

Seven stood and carefully tucked his top hat under his free arm. Taking his unopened water bottle with him, he opened the door to my RV and stopped at the entrance to shoot me a glance over his shoulder. “If you let fear dictate your life, then are you really living?”

I stared at his departing back, my gaze still fixed on the empty air even after he’d shut the door. His words lingered in the air, thick and heavy. Fear had controlled me most of my life, but did I want to let it rule over me forever?

I still didn’t understand what all of this had to do with Rhett, but based on Seven’s advice, maybe I needed to spend a little more time with the man to understand.

NINE

RHETT

I stayed in the backstage tent for another half an hour after Coal abruptly left me standing there. I’d tried not to think too hard on his particular actions, but the thoughts lingered even as Conall introduced me around.

His dad was in charge of the lighting for the show, but his mom was the makeup artist for the circus and was cleaning up her area when we walked up to her. Mimi was a petite woman who was the same height as I was.

The way her face lit up as she pulled Conall into a tight hug was unmistakable. Conall had mentioned that he was adopted and didn’t know who his biological parents were. But by the way Mimi looked at Conall with loving, indulging eyes as he relayed his entire day to her, I could tell that she loved him as her own.

I was happy that the kind man had found an amazing family, but it would be a lie to say that I wasn’t jealous of their relationship. I didn’t think the hurt of being abandoned and unwanted would ever leave me. The emotion might have faded with time, but it never completely disappeared.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am. Conall had nothing but good things to say about you,” I said and held my hand out for a handshake.

Mimi narrowed her eyes on her son. “I hope he didn’t talk your ear off. My boy thinks that the sound of his voice is a blessing to us all.” Conall gave us a toothy grin at her words. The teasing between the two of them showed just how close they were.

Mimi turned back to me and the hand that I still awkwardly had out and gently pushed it back. “This isn’t some corporate office,” she said as she enveloped me in a tight hug. “No need to be so formal. We’re all family now. Call me Mimi.”

She was a small woman, but her hug was powerful, showing that she possessed more strength than she appeared to.

Hector used to give me hugs sometimes, but it was always those awkward man hugs. He wasn’t the most affectionate man in general, but I knew he cared about me. However, I never knew how touched starved I truly was until I was in this stranger’s warm embrace.

Her hug was everything, and I melted into it. I closed my eyes and imagined that this would be what it felt like to return to a warm hug and a loving mother.

I didn’t know how long I stayed in her embrace, but Mimi let me cling onto her and held me back just as tightly. When I realized that an uncomfortable amount of time had passed as the hug prolonged, I jumped out of her arms. The poor woman probably thought I was some weirdo with how I was clinging to her. I felt my cheeks burning as I looked between Conall and Mimi, but they only had huge smiles as they looked at me.

“Ugh, sorry about that,” I said. My gaze fell to my feet as embarrassment overwhelmed me.

“You have nothing to be sorry for, dear.” Mimi placed a gentle hand on my arm. “I love giving out hugs. Just ask Conall,” she said with a wink that caused me to smile.

“She’s right. Mom can get so clingy that I have to pry her off of me sometimes,” Conall teased, and Mimi gave him a soft slap on the shoulder. I laughed as I watched them. I knew they were trying to make me feel better, and it just showed what kind of people they were.

Kind. Compassionate. Loving.

In fact, everyone I’d met so far had been nice and showered me with a warm welcome. The only exception had been Coal, who’d seemed standoffish, but even then, he’d cared enough to not let me fall face first in the kitchen earlier today.

We chatted with Mimi for a few minutes before leaving her to finish cleaning up her area. Conall brought me around and patiently introduced me to everyone. The amount of names that had been thrown at me today was enough to make me dizzy, but thankfully, no one seemed offended if I couldn’t recall their names.

Conall pulled me to a corner where a man sat with his head lowered to study the camera in his lap. “Eli! Have you met our new chef?”

The man holding the camera looked up when we got to his side. “I saw him in the mess tent this morning but didn’t have a chance to introduce myself,” he told Conall before turning to me with a hand out. “Nice to meet you. I’m Eli. I’m in charge of taking photos.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” I said, accepting his handshake.

“Rhett’s human like us!” Conall popped in beside us.

I frowned at that phrasing again. It wasn’t my first or second time hearing it, but I still thought it was weird. When we got back to the RV, I really needed to ask Conall what he meant by that.

Eli shot me a mysterious smile, but didn’t comment on Conall’s words. “Did you watch today’s performance? They really put on a show today,” Eli said in an obvious attempt to change the topic.

“I did, and it was amazing. Everyone here is really talented. Some of the acts seemed so magical that I question how they were performed.”

A knowing smile appeared on Eli’s face, but he lowered his head to look back on his camera. “I captured some great photos of the show. Do you wanna see?” he asked as he tilted the screen toward me.

Conall and I both readily said yes and stood over either side of Eli’s shoulder as he flicked through the photos on his camera. The first set of photos were of Seven looking majestic on the stage during his closing speech. The next set were of the daredevil on his motorcycle. In fact, there were dozens of pictures of just that single act.

Conall giggled and nudged Eli on the shoulder after the twentieth picture of the daredevil appeared. Red tinted Eli’s pale skin as he continued to press the next button. “Sorry, I always get carried away when Drake’s on stage.”

“Drake is Eli’s boyfriend,” Conall whispered behind his hand, but it was obvious that he wasn’t trying to keep Eli from hearing. The blush deepened on Eli’s skin, but his smile was full of love as he looked through each photo of his boyfriend.

I stared at the two of them in fascination. Neither of them seemed to care about the fact that Eli was dating a man, but it felt like a huge bomb had been dropped on me. A pleasant and eye-opening bomb. I wondered if Conall was part of the rainbow as well.

There were about ten more pictures of his boyfriend before images of different acts appeared. Eli was a great photographer. With each picture, he’d captured the essence of the performers.

I’d kept silent as I appreciated his work, but when he flicked to Coal’s performance, a surprised gasp escaped me. “Wow, these are mesmerizing,” I said as I leaned closer to see the tiny screen. The photo looked almost alive, like Coal would jump out of the screen at any moment to give me a private show of his dance.

“Yeah, Coal really outdid himself today. He’s come a long way to overcome his fear of fire,” Conall casually said. I turned to him with a brow raised.

“Wait, he’s the circus’s firedancer, but he used to be afraid of fire?” I asked. That made no sense. I was terrified of heights, and there was no way in hell anyone could convince me to ride the Ferris wheel, much less perform with the very thing I was afraid of. He was very brave to be able to do that, and my appreciation for the man rose.

“Yeah, apparently he burned his house down when he used to live on the sacred lands or something. He lost control of his flames, so he was terrified of fire when he first came here. It’s a lot better now,” Conall explained, and I listened intently at his words. I wanted to learn more but didn’t want to pry too much.

My roommate saw my expression and cast a smirk at me. “You seem really interested in our firedancer,” he teased. I sputtered out a denial that sounded fake even to my ears.

I’d never dated before—being that I’d lived in a small, backwards town and all—but I’d known I was attracted to men since middle school. My town didn’t take too kindly to those who were different, and men were not supposed to like other men, so the only opportunity I had to explore my sexuality were the porn videos I’d found online. Thank god for the internet, because a whole new world had been opened to me, and I was able to confirm with absolute certainty that I was gay.

However, confirming something about myself was different than putting it in practice. I’d been so used to hiding that part of myself from the world that I’d never had the chance to form crushes on anyone—not that there were any possible candidates from my town.

That was why this interest in Coal confused me. I’d only known the man for a few hours, so it wasn’t like I knew much about him. But from what I’d seen so far, I knew that I wanted to find out more.

Lost in thoughts about the mysterious firedancer, I didn’t have a chance to answer Conall before the younger man was nudging me with an elbow and leaning closer to my ear. “He’s single, you know? If you like him, you should totally go for it. I can help too. We’ve traveled together for ten years, so I can tell you everything you need to know,” he said with a confident pat to his chest.

I knew Conall was being nice and trying to help, but sourness settled in my mouth at his words. It was irrational to get jealous over the fact that Conall had ten years more knowledge on Coal than I had, and it was worse to know that he’d hand over all his information so easily like knowing him wasn’t an honor.

Doing so felt like it would cheapen the experience of getting to know him, so I shook my head. “Thanks for offering, but I want to hear more about him from Coal himself.”

Conall hummed with agreement and hooked an arm around my shoulder. “Well if you ever need someone to talk to, I’m all ears.”

I smiled and leaned into the taller man. Even though it had only been a day since I met the man, I could already tell that he could be a close friend in the future. Sure, he was a bit eccentric sometimes with his weird way of calling us “human,” but my gut told me that Conall was a genuine person and that I could trust him.

It helped to know that I didn’t have to hide who I was with him, or fear him judging or shunning me. I could have a crush on the captivating fire dancer if I wanted to, and Conall would be on my side, supporting me.

TEN

RHETT

Coal’s breathtaking dance didn’t even escape my sleep, as dreams of the man surrounded by a blaze of flames haunted my mind. The scenes morphed each second with the setting of the dream ever changing. The only constant was Coal dancing amongst them with his deep eyes staring straight at me.

He was there at my high school, the dozens of foster homes I’d gone in and out of, my old apartment, Hector’s diner, and lastly the grand stage where I’d witnessed his dance for the first time.

Coal locked his glowing blue eyes with mine and paused his movements as he held a hand out toward me. He called to me. They called to me: the mesmerizing yet deadly flames that engulfed the mysterious man.

I walked straight into them, without any fear. The heat licked my skin, becoming almost suffocating, but I pushed through and continued to make my way to Coal.

When it all became too much and I thought I wouldn’t make it, Coal’s hand shot through the fire and grabbed ahold of me. The heat subsided, and contentment filled me.

My eyes shot open and I was met with darkness that I hadn’t been expecting. The bright light from the dream felt so real that it took a moment for my eyes to adjust.

I felt disoriented and couldn’t remember where I was for a second. My room wasn’t this dark since I’d never purchased blinds to cover my windows. There was always light streaming into my window either from the sun or the street lamps that blinked on and off at night. There was always some source of light, but there wasn’t any now.

It took another couple seconds for me to remember that I’d left my apartment and Kither Springs to accept a job at the Black Cat Circus. It was how I’d met the firedancer that had appeared even in my dreams. I’d basically passed out after coming back from the backstage tent with Conall. 

I rubbed my jaw, feeling the prickliness of my thick stubble. It was annoying how fast my facial hair grew, especially when I worked in a kitchen and needed to make sure everything was clean. I shaved every morning, but I’d still have a five o’clock shadow by the time lunch rolled around.

Opening the thick privacy, blackout curtains that separated my loft from the rest of the vehicle, soft light finally streamed in. Looking at the loft across from mine, Conall’s curtains were still completely shut. I glanced at my phone, and the time read to be five in the morning.

While I was usually an early riser, five was still a bit too early even for me. I considered closing my eyes to try and fall back asleep, but I was antsy. My skin felt too tight.

I knew that sleep would evade me, so I climbed down the loft ladder and changed out of my pjs. I tried to keep quiet as I slipped on my shoes so that I didn’t wake Conall. Thankfully, there was no movement from his side as I left the RV. The crisp morning temperature cooled the memories of the fire that had licked my skin in my dreams. I took in deep lungfuls of air to dispel the rest of the heat.

The circus was very quiet in the early morning. It was completely different from all the noise from yesterday. The chatter from the other circus members wasn’t a bad thing, but it could get overwhelming, especially when I wasn’t used to being around so many people.

I took in another deep breath of the clean air and was about to take a quick walk around the circus grounds when a black cat walked up to me. The cat was completely black except for the white, heart shaped pattern on their chest. They waltzed up to me and weaved through my legs, pressing against me with every turn of their body.

“Hi, baby,” I cooed as I knelt down to give the cat chin scratches. They happily let me as they let out loud purrs from my actions. “Do you belong to someone at the circus?”

If I didn’t know better, I’d think that the black cat was glaring at me in response to my words. The cat tilted their chin away from me and walked toward the back of the living area.

They took a couple of steps before turning their head back to me, as if telling me to follow them. I took a couple steps toward the cat, and they turned back to the front to continue on their original path.

Whenever the cat saw me stop, they would also pause and wait for me to catch up. Considering that I’d already witnessed countless unexplainable things at the circus in the past day, I didn’t think too much into it and followed the cat as they wanted me to.

The black cat led me through the forest. If it had been dark, there would be no way in hell that I’d voluntarily go through the creepy woods by myself. Good thing the sun was currently out, even if it was still the weak morning rays.

Another minute of walking passed, and the forest broke into a large, grassy open space. A large man sat in the middle of the clearing with his eyes closed, but opened them when I stepped on and broke a branch.

Bright blue eyes that had haunted me in my sleep stared back at me. Surprise filled Coal’s face when he saw me. Our eyes locked for an awkward couple beats before the cat’s meow broke off the staring contest we’d been in.

“Uh, hi?” I said and walked to his side. “I was brought here by the cat.”

Coal narrowed his eyes at the black cat, who sat there licking their paw without a care in the world. “Peanut did, huh? He does like doing weird things sometimes.”

“So his name’s Peanut? Is he your cat?” I asked as I dropped to sit next to him. My moves were slow, asking permission to join Coal. I took his lack of refusal as a welcome. He could have stopped me if he wanted to.

“No. Actually, no one really knows who he belongs to, but he travels with our circus.” He paused to curiously glance at me. “What are you doing here, Rhett? It’s dangerous to be in the woods alone.”

“I’m not alone. Besides, are you really one to be telling me that?” I said, giving him a pointed look. He was here sitting with his eyes closed before I’d found him.

“It’s different. I can protect myself,” he said with a shrug. I frowned and shot him a glare. I’d been the butt of the joke in high school because of my height and small size. I didn’t need Coal giving me shit about it now too, especially when he’d held my interest.

“I thought I told you yesterday that I’m not a child. I can take care of myself.”

“I’m very much aware of the fact that you’re an adult,” Coal said. His glowing eyes lingered down my body, and I involuntarily shivered under his gaze.

Oh.

“But that’s not what I meant. Danger will follow the circus sometimes. It’s best if you don’t hang around deserted areas.”

I didn’t really understand but still nodded. Maybe this was another circus thing that I had to get used to? I’d never heard of violence following circuses, but who was I to question it?

“So what are you doing here all by yourself? Sounds like you’re not very good at taking your own advice,” I said, crossing my arms.

Coal shot me a sexy smirk that had my heart almost stopping. He still wore a hoodie and sweatpants like he had yesterday, but god did he look hot as fuck in those clothes. He didn’t have his hoodie over his head this time so his short, black hair was visible. The buzzcut accentuated his features, making them sharper, which only increased his hotness level. It was a bit alarming how attracted I was to this man, but I tried not to dwell on that thought and enjoy the sight in front of me instead.

“They’re more scared of me than I am of them,” he gloated, and I laughed. Coal was a big dude, but I couldn’t see him hurting a fly. Coal’s smirk morphed into a grumpy expression that just had me laughing even harder.

I finally stopped when he crossed his beefy arms and hugged them to his chest.

“Sorry, I just can’t see you hurting anyone,” I said as I wiped a finger under my eye.

Sadness filled Coal’s eyes before he quickly lowered his head to stare into his lap. “That’s because you don’t know me very well. I’m sure your opinion of me will change once you do,” he said in almost a whisper.

“Why don’t you let me be the judge of that? Because I like what I know about you so far,” I said and poked his knee. Just like yesterday, he flinched out of my touch like I’d burned him.

“Sorry,” he muttered, looking at me with deep eyes filled with worry. That wasn’t how someone looked at you if they were disgusted by you.

I nodded, then said, “Sorry.” I knew some people didn’t like being touched, and I should have asked before laying my hands on him.

“No, it’s not your fault. It’s just a habit. I don’t want others near me getting hurt. I’m...dangerous.”

He kept talking like he was some evil villain or something. I couldn’t understand why he thought so negatively of himself. “Do you think you’re dangerous because you burned your old house down? Sure, you might have lost control, but I’m sure it wasn’t because you wanted to.”

He flung his head to me at my words, his eyes narrowed. “You know?”

Shit.

I hadn’t planned on revealing that I was made aware of his past by someone else. I was supposed to get to know Coal the old fashioned way. Rubbing the back of my neck, I said, “Sorry, I heard from the others.”

“But you’re human?” he said, making it sound more like a question than a statement. The worry in his eyes had morphed into confusion.

“Yeah, and?” I grumbled. I was getting tired of people stating the obvious fact that I was human. We were all human, for fuck’s sake. Why did it matter so much?

He slowly shook his head. “I’m just surprised they told you already. There’s usually an adjustment period before we deem the human trustworthy. Eli was a special case, but that’s only because he and Drake have a connection. I’m sure everyone will be relieved to know they won’t have to restrain themselves in front of you now.”

“Right,” I said. I was absolutely confused by where this conversation was heading. This must be another eccentricity of the circus. “So what I’m trying to say is that I hope you can learn to trust me too. You don’t have to hide your real self from me or anyone else, for that matter. If someone dislikes you, that’s their problem.”

Coal studied me for a second, and I had to wonder if it was the way the soft light hit him or a trick of the eye, but his blue irises seemed to glow more intensely than usual, as if they were burning.

“What if I scare you away?” he asked. His voice was so soft I almost didn’t hear him in my daze.

“You won’t. I’m braver and a lot stronger than you think,” I said with an arm raised into a fist. He chuckled at my actions, and it was such a deep, melodic sound that I wanted to hear it again and again.

“It doesn’t matter how brave someone is, fire burns everything into coal,” he said. His eyes dimmed slightly, the sadness back in them again.

There was a story there, but it was unlikely he would share it with me at this moment, so I tried not to pry. Still, I couldn’t help but wonder if his name had something to do with what he’d just said.

Fire burns everything into Coal.

“You know, I saw your performance last night. It was breathtaking the way you moved through the flames. It looked so alive. You looked so alive and beautiful that I even dreamed about it.”

I tilted my head down after my impromptu confession. My cheeks felt hot, but I didn’t regret my words. Coal deserved to know how amazing he was. He was afraid of fire, but was able to overcome it and be in full control of the very thing he feared to perform in front of hundreds of people.

The light came back in Coal’s eyes as he looked at me. “Can I test something?” he asked, scooting a bit closer to me while still leaving a sliver of space between us.

I nodded and let him take my hand into his. I might have been the size of a tween boy, but I’d always had big hands for my height. And when he slotted his hand with mine, they fit together perfectly. His palms were smooth and soft to the touch. I tended to run warmer than other people, but Coal’s body temperature almost matched mine.

His thumb brushed over the back of my hand, and a shiver passed through me. His touch felt so good in mine that I clutched his hand tighter. A tingle started from where he touched me and flowed through my entire body.

I wasn’t sure why he had suddenly grabbed my hand, but I wasn’t going to complain. I wanted to keep holding on to him and stay in this calm moment where there was only the two of us...and Peanut. But Peanut was napping in a patch of sun a couple feet away and wasn’t paying attention to us, so it was basically the same as us being alone.

Coal raised his other hand, palm up, as he kept his gaze to mine. “You promise you won’t be afraid?”

My brows wrinkled in confusion at his raised hand, but my gut told me that he would never harm me. There was nothing I needed to be afraid of here, so I nodded.

“Okay,” Coal said. His Adam’s apple bobbled as he gulped. He closed his eyes and sucked in a deep breath. When he opened his eyes again, his eyes narrowed in concentration.

The air felt alive with something, sizzling like there was a hot pan on the fire. The faint scent of smoke tickled my nose, and I looked around to see where it was coming from.

A second later, a flame appeared above Coal’s palm. It started out as a tiny ember before growing to almost the same size as the fireballs he’d danced with last night.

“What the fuck is that!” My fingers dug deeper into Coal’s hand as my eyes widened at the sudden flame that had appeared.

“It’s my source fire. It’s been wanting to meet you,” Coal softy said. His eyes never left the fire on his palms, and I watched it with him.

The flame condensed into a circle closer to Coal’s palm with tendrils of fire stemming out from the circle at the top. It looked like the flame was dancing as it swayed in a slow motion back and forth.

“Is this some kind of magic trick? How did you do that?” While this was a good show, I was confused as fuck.

Coal closed his palm, and the flame instantly disappeared. He turned back to look at me with his brows in a deep furrow. “What do you mean? I thought you said you knew that I could control fire? That I’m a Vermilion Bird?”

My mouth hung open, and my hand fell limp in his. What did he say? He was a bird that controlled fire?

The most logical thought was that he was playing some sort of prank on me, but then I thought back to how Conall kept mentioning me being human and it all finally clicked.

Coal was a Vermilion Bird or whatever the fuck that was, and what about the others?

I thought Conall was weird for saying things like that, but now I knew he was only telling the truth. He, Eli, and I were human, but most of the other members of the circus were...not.

“I need to go,” I said as I jumped to my feet. Coal looked as shocked as I felt by my sudden action. He stared at the hand that I’d abruptly let go before looking up at me with a sad expression.

“Wait, let me explain—”

“It’s, uh, getting late, and I still need to prepare breakfast,” I said, cutting him off. I didn’t wait for him to speak before turning around and sprinting out of the clearing.

I caught sight of Peanut running next to me out of the corner of my eye, but I didn’t stop. Was Peanut one of those magical creatures that could turn into a human? What were they called, shifters?

The thought freaked me out more than seeing Coal create fire out of nothing. At least Coal was human shaped in front of me.

When I reached the area where all the RVs parked, I slowed down. Peanut still followed behind me, but I ignored him.

The members of the circus were waking up, and I studied everyone I passed. They all called out in a warm greeting, but there was sometimes a stiffness in their actions.

I watched them more closely and picked up on the strangeness that I’d attributed to mere characteristics of people who lived with the circus. But after the huge revelation that was thrown in my lap, I saw things differently.

The people who randomly covered their heads when they saw me. I thought it was a habit, but after closer observation, I saw something poking through their hair.

Are those ears?

Or the way some people’s skin glimmered under the sunlight. I’d told myself the scales on their skins were nothing but a trick of the eye, but now it all made sense.

Peanut finally stopped following me when I reached my RV. I watched him disappear in the crowd before turning to the door of the vehicle and swinging it open. Conall sat on the couch playing with his phone but looked up with a smile when he saw me. “Hey, where did you—”

“Who, no, what are the members of this circus? You need to tell me everything.”

If I didn’t get answers now, then I really would go crazy. Knowing that I was serving food to a bunch of a non-humans was one thing, but finding out that I was crushing on a bird, now that was absolutely bonkers.

ELEVEN

COAL

Fuck.

Fuck.

That did not go as I hoped it would have. I knew I messed up when I felt his tight grip loosen in my hold.

He’d said he knew. But he didn’t. And I was the one who spilled the beans.

I watched Rhett’s back as he basically ran away from me. I should have chased him and tried to come up with an excuse for what he’d seen, but I couldn’t bring myself to.

He said he wasn’t scared, that he wouldn’t be scared, but it was all lies in the end.

My source fire had stirred crazily when Rhett sat beside me. It had wanted to come out and show off. It danced like it was waving its peacock feathers when I loosened the chains just enough for a small fireball.

I couldn’t say that it didn’t hurt when he’d let go, but I could understand. It would shock anyone to find out that they were living amongst creatures that weren’t entirely human, but that didn’t mean it hadn’t stung.

I stayed in the clearing for another half hour, taking deep breaths to find my core and calm my emotions. If I wanted to talk to Rhett again, I needed to calm the fuck down before I scared him off completely.

When I felt like I’d finally gotten some control, I left the woods and returned to my RV. Breakfast didn’t officially start for a few more hours, and while I knew Rhett had used needing time to prep as an excuse, I was sure that he actually did need to start cooking soon.

Seven was waiting outside my RV again, but this time, he had a serious solemn expression on his face. That wasn’t a good sign.

“I fucked up,” I said by way of greeting. Seven’s expression softened and gave me a quick pat on my shoulder. His touch didn’t feel nearly as good as Rhett’s had.

“It’s partially my fault for rooming him with Conall. I’d warned him to be careful, but we all know he’s not the best at keeping a secret,” Seven said. We entered my RV and took a seat on my couch. The couch was just big enough to fit our large bodies with an inch of space between us.

“This wasn’t how I had intended for him to find out, but it’s going to be okay. We can trust Rhett.” Seven had so much conviction in his voice, and I had always trusted his judgment, but his words didn’t make me feel any better.

Sinking into the couch, I ran a hand over my face and sighed. “He said he wasn’t scared of my fire, but then ran away without even looking back.”

“You showed him?” my friend asked. The shock on his face would have been comical if I hadn’t felt like shit right now.

“Yeah, I did,” I said with a sigh. And now I wished I hadn’t.

“Wow, that’s huge. You must feel comfortable with him.” Seven was staring at me with bright eyes like he was planning some big scheme. I looked away.

“It was a mistake. I shouldn’t have done it, and look what’s happened now. Rhett is probably packing his things to get away from us as fast as possible.”

“Considering I saw him cooking in the mess tent a few minutes ago, I doubt that. You should have more faith in him, Coal. He might have freaked out, but honestly, who wouldn’t have in that situation? People need time to digest news that big.” Seven placed his hand on my shoulder again. He usually didn’t touch me this often since he knew I was sensitive to touch, but his calming hand felt nice at this moment. It still wasn’t as nice as Rhett’s hand, though.

“I don’t know. What if he runs away again?” Watching his back leave this morning had hurt. I didn’t know if I could handle that twice in one day.

“You’re letting fear cloud your judgment, Coal. I think Rhett is stronger than you’re giving him credit for. Look, you don’t have any shows today besides our grand finale tonight. Why don’t you talk to him in private after breakfast?”

I knew I was having my own little freak out, so I tried to push through it and think logically. Seven was giving me good and sound advice. He always did.

Seven left not long later and I spent the next couple of hours squishing my body so that I was able to lay flat on my couch. My queen sized bed was only a couple steps away, but I didn’t have the energy to move right now.

My phone was the only thing that kept me company as I waited for the seconds to tick by. When it turned ten, I finally got up and headed to the mess tent.

Most of us had breakfast together at this time, so I wasn’t shocked to find my friends already there. Drake and Eli were sitting at a table laughing about something. Brighton and Seven sat across from them smiling at the antics. Even Conall, Rhett’s roommate, was having breakfast with his parents as he animatedly talked to them.

Everything looked like business as usual to me, but then I realized that the others weren’t restraining themselves anymore. They let out their horns and wings and used their magic to play tricks with each other out in the open. It was a scene I was used to, but they were supposed to be on their best behavior with Rhett joining us.

My eyes drifted to the back of the mess tent where the kitchen area was set up. Like Seven had said, Rhett was standing in front of the large stove, cooking something in a pan. Seven had ordered new appliances for the kitchen a few weeks ago, but he had them magically customized to make them sturdier and easier to transport from place to place. Magical items took time to create, so for the time being, Rhett still had to stand on the step stool to use the stove.

“Hey,” I softly said when I walked up to him. Rhett glanced over his shoulder to look at me. 

“Hey,” he replied with an easy smile. He’d shaved in the hours since I’d seen him, which only made his wide smile more noticeable. The fact that he was even willing to smile at me again had my heart speeding up. I thought I’d scared him away, but he looked okay right now. In fact, he didn’t even seem fazed when Mimi walked passed us to fill her plate, all while she had her wolf ears and tails out. She usually had them away around outsiders but claimed she always felt stifled if they weren’t out.

“Can we talk? I want to apologize for this morning.” I watched him as he finished cooking whatever was in the pan, clicked off the burner, and turned to me.

“I would love to talk. In private. One second please.” He picked up the pan, hopped off the step stool and filled the warming table with the newly cooked food before returning to the kitchen area and tilted his head at me to follow.

We walked out of the tent, and he pulled me off to the side. “I want to say something. I—”

He paused when someone walked past, which reminded me of the fact of how many of us here had really good hearing. “Let’s go this way,” I said, gently grabbing Rhett’s arm and leading him back toward where our vehicles were parked. With most people at breakfast, we’d have more privacy here.

It wasn’t until we stopped under the shade of a tree that I realized that I was touching him. That I’d voluntarily grabbed hold of him, and the fear that had always overtaken me wasn’t there. The fire inside of me stirred as it did whenever I was around Rhett, crashing against the chains, but I wasn’t terrified of it. It wanted freedom but seemed calm now.

“I know you want to say something, but please let me apologize first,” I said, pleading to him with my eyes. “I’m sorry for shocking you this morning. I acted too rashly and shouldn’t have sprung all of this onto you.” I finished my words with a wave in the air around us.

Rhett shook his head, and my heart dropped. I wanted to beg for him to hear me out, but he spoke up before I could. “It’s not your fault. I played a part in our misunderstanding too. None of this would have happened if I didn’t make it seem like I’d already known everything. And you wouldn’t have shown me your fire then,” he said. I didn’t know if I was reading too much into it, but he sounded almost sad at the last part.

I took a step closer to him and said, “I wanted to show you. My fire is very interested in you.”

Rhett looked up at me, his eyes wide with shock and a huge smile on his face that was quickly replaced with hesitation.

Rhett paced back and forth in front of me. “But I can’t lie and say I’m not still freaking out a bit. I mean everything I’ve been taught is a lie. Magic is real, mythical creatures are real, the next thing I know, you’re going to tell me that the Tooth Fairy is real too!”

A small smile spilled on my lips. This probably wasn’t the best time to tell him that tooth fairies were real. I met one who came to watch our show years ago. Rhett must have gleaned something from my expression as he let out a groan. “They’re real, aren’t they? Wow, I don’t know what to believe anymore.”

His eyes were wide again as he paced, and he looked like he was about to go on full blown panic mode. I pressed on his shoulders to stop him in place and cupped his cheek so that he was looking at me.

The tingles that spread from our touch like it had this morning had returned at full force. His smooth cheek was soft under my hand, and the warmth of his skin was a comfort I never knew was possible.

My life revolved around the heat of the flames. It was never a pleasant sensation, especially knowing that the heat could potentially swallow me and everyone around me whole at any moment.

However, the heat that Rhett radiated was different. I wasn’t bound by the fear that had lived with me every waking moment. I wanted to get closer and bask in his gentle warmth.

“Believe what you see in front of you. Your eyes won’t lie to you,” I said.

“Then can I believe in you?” He placed his palm over mine, where I was still cupping his cheek. He looked up at me with bright eyes and with his question, my breath caught in my throat.

Could he believe in me? Place his trust in me?

I had trouble trusting myself at times, but everything inside of me was telling me that I would never hurt this man. Just the idea of causing him any harm filled me with dread. I wanted to protect him, as did my fire. And for once in my life, the fire inside of me and I finally agreed on something.

“Yes.”

TWELVE

RHETT

Coal looked at me with such earnest eyes that held nothing but pureness in them. I hadn’t known the man long, but I trusted him. I didn’t think he would ever do anything to hurt me.

However, that didn’t mean I was suddenly okay with everything I’d learned today. I had a major freak out with Conall when I returned to our RV. He was confused as fuck at first, but when he realized that I, in fact, hadn’t know about the other side of the circus and he’d basically let the cat out of the bag, the look of horror on his face had me busting out laughing.

Seven had appeared outside our door not moments later, like he had known something had happened. Conall had quickly explained the situation to him, looking so guilty that I’d felt bad for him.

The ringmaster didn’t get angry, but sat us down. He was patient with us as he tried to settle the both of us—Conall was distraught about spilling the beans and I was having an early morning crisis regarding what I’d just learned.

Once I had time to think about this new reality, with Seven answering the billion and one questions I had, I was able to calm down some. Things like magic and people that weren’t human was definitely way out of the norm, but honestly, what was normal these days? Definitely not me.

I’d watched movies where they were always afraid of other species, terrified that they would only do harm and try to take over the world, but humans weren’t much better. News of shootings and hate crimes ran rampant on the news. Even in my hometown which seemed to have been far removed from the rest of the world, it wasn’t any better. I was abandoned by society, and good people like Hector were shunned for a single mistake.

I’d seen first-hand the cruelty of humans, who thought themselves to be good. So why should I fear creatures who were actually good to me just because they were a bit different than I was used to?

It was normal to fear the unknown, but that just meant I had to learn more about the people at the circus, because I wasn’t done with getting to know Coal.

“I can’t lie and say that I’m suddenly okay with everything, because this is a lot, but I do know one thing. I’m not scared of you or your fire. I meant what I said this morning. Your fire is beautiful, so I hope you don’t forget that.”

I squeezed Coal’s hand that he’d laid against my cheek. He pulled back, and I thought that maybe that was too much. It was obvious from how he’d flinched away from me before that he wasn’t comfortable with touch. Maybe he was okay if he was the one doing the touching and not the other way around?

Just as I was about to drop my hand and give him some space, Coal flipped his palm around and took my hand in his. He let our combined hands hang as he gently held it.

“Thank you. You’re the first person to describe my flames as beautiful. They’ve caused nothing but pain for me in the past, but when you compliment it like that, I want to believe you, and I do. So thank you.” Coal held my hand tighter as he kept my gaze. His eyes were filled with some kind of emotion that I couldn’t decipher, but I could see the warmth clear in them.

“Your eyes, they’re glowing,” I said. Coal held up his free hand to cover my view, but I gently pushed his hand away. “No, don’t hide from me. They’re so pretty that I want to stare at them forever. Is your power causing them to act like this?”

Coal let me push his hand aside as he turned back to face me. “The light is a reflection of my core. Blue flames burn hottest, and my fire acts up along with my emotions.”

“Are you saying I’m stirring you up?” I asked with a smirk. His only answer was a gulp that had his Adam’s apple bobbing as the blues in his eyes shone even brighter. My smile widened at that. I liked knowing that I was able to affect him in this way. From what Conall told me, Coal was one of the earliest members of the circus and was like family to everyone here, but I got a sense that he kept everyone at arm’s length. From his actions today, it felt like he was trying to let me in, and I couldn’t wait to get to know him better.

“So, you told me that you’re a Vermilion Bird. I didn’t know what that was, so I looked it up. So you’re basically a phoenix?” I asked. There was no better time to get to know him than now.

Coal’s jaw tightened at my words and his lips turned downward into a slight frown. His eyes rounded, making him almost look like a kicked puppy. He was so damn adorable, and I had to bite back the laughter that threatened to spill at seeing this giant man pouting like that.

“We’re nothing alike,” he grumbled with his arms crossed.

“Oh, how so? You’re both birds, aren’t you?”

“Phoenixes are birds reborn in fire. Vermilion Birds are gods and our essence is fire. We’re on a completely different level.” Coal’s jaw tightened while he had the most disgruntled look on his face that actually did have me laughing out loud this time, which only made his pout more pronounced.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t laugh,” I said, quickly catching myself. “It’s just that you looked so out of character, not to mention very cute.”

His eyes went wide as his mouth hung open. “You think I’m cute?”

I looked up at the man who had to be at least a foot taller than me and smirked. “Yeah, I do. You’re freaking adorable.”

“I-I’m not,” he sputtered. The tip of his ears turned pink as he looked down at his feet for a few seconds before turning back to me. “I think you’re cute too.” His ears reddened even more after his confession.

Was this what flirting was? Because it was an amazing phenomenon.

My smile grew wider as my heart squeezed, but not in a bad way. This was a good sensation that I wished I could feel forever.

“Do you want to go for a walk?” I asked. I was still holding his hand, and he didn’t seem like he had any intention of forcing me to let go, and there was no way in hell I was going to break our contact first.

He nodded, and I took that as a cue to guide him toward the forest where I met him earlier this morning. “So you’re a god, huh?”

“Well, I’m not really. My dad is the one who’s a god. My mom was a human, so I can’t turn into our true form. I guess you could say that I’m a failure as a Vermilion Bird.” He chuckled, but it was an awkward, self-deprecating one.

I stopped. Coal took another step but paused too when my hand dragged behind him. I let go of his hand and moved so that I was standing facing him. He looked confused, but I didn’t give him time to question me. Instead, I cupped his cheeks with my hand and pulled his head down so that he was eye level to me.

Shock registered in Coal’s eyes as he was dragged down. I was stronger than I looked.

“Hey, I don’t want to hear you talking about yourself like that. You’re not a failure. Sure, you may be a bit different from your dad, but that’s not a bad thing. It just means that you’re your own person. And honestly, I like what I’ve seen of you so far. So please have some confidence in yourself.”

Maybe this was a bit too forward and a little too quick, but he deserved to hear it. No one should feel bad about who they were.

Coal’s eyes were suspiciously wet, making his glowing blues shine even brighter now. He cleared his throat and pulled back. “Thank you. Nobody has ever said that to me before,” he said before turning his head away and wiping at his cheek.

I stepped back and gave him a couple minutes to settle himself. When he turned back to me, his tears had dried, replaced by a soft smile for me. He held out his hand, which I happily accepted.

We continued our walk and got to know each other. I told him stories of my childhood growing up in a town that I’d never left. Joining a circus was something I never thought I’d do, but it really opened my eyes, and not just in the most obvious way of finding out an entire world I hadn’t known about existed. It was impossible for me to change in a day, but I knew that the longer I stayed with them, the more I’d grow as a person, and I couldn’t wait to see what kind of person I’d grow into in the future.

He didn’t mention much about his childhood, but had plenty of stories of after he’d joined the circus. He told me how Drake would get him into the most ridiculous and oftentimes dangerous situations—at least for humans. Apparently, magical creatures were a lot sturdier than people like me.

He told me story of when Brighton tried to teach him aerial hoops, and he’d learned that heights weren’t his favorite thing despite the fact that his true form was a bird. He smiled when I told him I wasn’t fond of heights either and pointed out that it was something we had in common.

Most of his stories involved the ringmaster. It was obvious that Seven had a huge impact on his life from when he found and brought him to the circus to continuing as a best friend and sort of mentor to Coal through the years.

From what I could gather, Coal wasn’t in touch with his original family anymore. They were the ones who’d constantly put him down as never being enough. However, he was strong enough to put all of that behind and create a new family of his own at BCC.

He might have thought himself to be weak, but I knew he wasn’t. Someone who was weak wouldn’t have had the courage to overcome their fears. They were stagnant and stayed in their comfort zone, and that was definitely not Coal.

Maybe he couldn’t see the courageous person he was, but I could, very clearly. With every new piece of information I learned about him, he’d captured more of my attention. And I knew that I was in danger of having my heart captured as well.

THIRTEEN

COAL

Rhett had to return to work about an hour later. Neither my fire nor I was happy about that but duty called, and I had to start preparing for tonight’s show soon too.

I never thought I’d be able to have physical touch with someone, much less for so long. However, things were calm when Rhett and I held hands. My core burned hotter from his touch, but the dangerous sensation that usually accompanied my turbulent emotions didn’t come. Instead, there was a calm that accompanied the excited dancing of my fire. Being around Rhett brought both me and my fire to life in the best way.

It was a first for me to want to be near someone for so long, but I found that was exactly how I felt for Rhett. I sought him out when I went to the mess tent for lunch later. There was plenty of food prepared, but Rhett was busy with getting his new kitchen ready to use. The kitchen appliances had arrived earlier than scheduled, and I was glad he didn’t have to stand on the dangerous stool to cook anymore.

I quickly said hi before grabbing my food and joining some friends at a table. They were chatting about tonight’s show, but I wasn’t really paying attention. My eyes were fixed on Rhett as I watched him move in the kitchen. He would glance back to me every so often and shoot me a smile that had my fire burning and almost had smoke coming out of my nose. I had to leave for some fresh air, and because I’d probably stay there all night if I didn’t.

Rhett didn’t visit the backstage tent after tonight’s show, and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed. But it was all made better when his face lit up when he saw me in the mess tent hours later. He’d finished cooking and cleaning up early and joined me for dinner.

We weren’t able to spend much time together since he had to do a grocery run early in the morning. I walked him back to his RV, and by the way he was shuffling his feet outside his door, I could tell that I wasn’t the only one desperate for more time together.

However, I didn’t want him feeling tired tomorrow, so I urged him inside. He stood on his tiptoes, grabbed my shoulders, and pulled me down just enough to land a quick peck on my cheek. The faint blush that colored his cheeks as he ran inside had me standing there, dazed as I touched the place where his lips had touched me.

My skin felt hot from his light kiss. Walking back to my own RV, I pressed my hand against the warmth, hoping to prolong the sensation that his lips brought me. I couldn’t wait for the new day to start so that I could be near him again.

Rhett didn’t return until late in the morning. Farren, our head of security, went with him as the driver, so I wasn’t worried about his safety, but I was damn near jealous that they were spending so much time alone together.

“How was your trip with Farren? With you two all alone together?” I asked when there was a lull in the breakfast rush.

My displeasure must have been very apparent because Rhett smirked and wagged his finger for me to lean down. I did as instructed, and he whispered in my ear, “I’d much rather wish to be alone with you.”

He quickly pulled back like his words had been an innocent statement when it had been anything but. I sputtered out some words but wasn’t really sure what they were. It didn’t really matter either, but Rhett’s happy laughter ringing in my ears was more than enough to chase away my earlier unhappiness.

The rest of the day was spent with us trying to carve out time together as much as we could. Rhett was still getting used to the rhythm of being the chef of the circus, so he was often in the mess tent. I visited him in the tent throughout the day when I was free. Sometimes we chatted and other times, I’d just sit and stay with him while he worked. I was afraid that I was disturbing him, but he was quick to shoot that down when I’d voiced that thought to him.

“Are you free later tonight?” I asked. Rhett was prepping some ingredients for dinner, but paused and looked up at me when I spoke.

“Tonight? I don’t have anything planned yet,” he said with a shake of his head.

“We do fireworks every Saturday night. They’re unlike ones you can see anywhere else since there’s magical elements in them. I know you had an early morning and you’re probably tired, but I’d love to watch them with you. I mean, if you’d like.”

I was definitely rambling, but for the first time in my twenty-seven years of life, I liked someone. It was nerve-wracking.

Another smile spilled on Rhett’s lips as he wiped his hand with a kitchen towel. He turned his entire body toward me and grabbed my hands. “Why, are you asking me out, Coal?” he teased. I was mesmerized by how radiant he looked and nodded dazedly.

He laughed again. “Of course I’ll go with you. It’s a date,” he said with a wink.

I didn’t know when I left the tent, because nothing else mattered after getting a yes from Rhett to go on an actual date with me. Dating was a human concept, but Rhett was human, so his agreement had me walking on cloud nine.

My friends questioned my strange behavior, but I didn’t care. Life was beautiful just from Rhett’s acceptance. The fire burned brighter during the main show, reacting to my excitement about the date in a few hours.

I danced hard and fast, using my act as an outlet to burn the extra energy. It was probably reckless of me to go so hard in a room packed full of people, but my core was stable even with my elevated mood.

I was either drunk from the happiness and imagining things or it didn’t take as much effort to control the flames as it had before. They moved with my body seamlessly. The flames kissed my skin, feeling almost too hot. I thought I’d messed up and let the fire get too wild, but it quickly settled back down as if the fire was in a playful mood similar to the one that I was in.

That was something new. Fire was wild, free, dangerous, but never playful. Fire should always be taken seriously, but the flames tonight danced more unrestrainedly around me, as if teasing me. It burned hotter, brighter, and freer than I usually allowed it, and yet somehow, I felt more in control than ever before.

The show ended with me bending slightly backward with my face toward the sky. I took a deep breath and blew, letting a bit of my source fire out from my lips. The bright flames lit up the entire room, and gasps of surprise filled the air around me.

I would never usually attempt to use my source fire at a show, but something felt different today. It wanted to show itself and willingly yielded control to me. There was no fear or hesitation, just the freedom of not having to restrain myself.

Rhett said I looked alive during my show. Dancing had always been cathartic for me, a way for me to express myself without overwhelming my emotions, but now I knew that he also had a point.

I felt alive.

FOURTEEN

RHETT

“I heard your set tonight was something else,” I told Coal when he came to pick me up for our date.

I hadn’t been able to watch the show since I had to finish cooking the rest of the dinner and clean up, but I heard about it from those who had.

Word must have gotten around that I was interested in Coal, since everyone was all too happy to share news of Coal with me. It was weird having them know about my crush, but having others in my business wasn’t anything new. There were no secrets when you lived in a small town and the circus was basically a small town of its own.

Coal gave me a soft smile, looking shy by the mention of his show. I’d noticed that he would always try to keep a straight, emotionless face, but that didn’t mean he was emotionless. Although his expressions were subtle, they were there. You just had to look for them.

“I wish I’d been there to see it,” I said as I walked up next to him.

He turned to me and slid my hand into his. “I’ll give you a private show sometime.”

“Oh wow. A show just for me? I feel honored.” My lips hooked up at how easy it was to flirt with him. I didn’t consider myself to be a master in the art of seduction, but it came out easy with Coal. I didn’t have to force myself. I only had to focus on having fun.

Coal watched me for a second, his eyes doing the glowing thingy again. I loved seeing him look at me like that. It showed that his emotions were raging, and I was the one who made him like this.

He always looked good even in his sweats and hoodie, but he looked extra handsome today. He traded his sweats for black, form fitting jeans, and a black, long-sleeved shirt made of some kind of mesh material.

“You look hot, and I’m not talking about the fire inside of you,” I blurted out. Coal bit his lip to stop his smile, and the warmth in his eyes was more evident as he looked at me.

He leaned down and pressed a kiss onto the top of my head, but pulled back just as quickly. He let out an awkward cough, then pointed at his cheek and said, “Payback for yesterday.”

Coal quickly turned around before I could say anything. I was learning that he did this when he was shy, like he didn’t want others to see his expression. I smiled and took his hand again. He shot a quick glance back with a small smile and led me toward the main area of the circus.

“There’s still some time till the fireworks. Is there anything you want to see?”

Black Cat Circus had the main circus tent with the traditional circus shows—with a magical twist, of course—but they also had stalls of food and games set up as well as some rides.

We stood at the entrance of the carnival. Bright lights chased away the darkness of the night, and the giant, colorful Ferris wheel stood in the very back, completing the scene. If I hadn’t known magic was actually real, I would have said that this place was as close to magic as was possible.

“I want to try everything!” I basically squeaked out as I dragged Coal to the stall closest to us. It was a game where we had to shoot down the glass bottles with a BB gun. I sucked at the game, but Coal humored me and cheered me on as I tried again and finally knocked down a bottle.

We moved on to the next stalls, ring toss, bean bag toss, and water guns. We passed Conall, who was helping out at the giant Ferris wheel. He shot me a knowing smirk when he saw us holding hands before turning to help the next people in line. Coal and I firmly agreed to skip the Ferris wheel since neither of us were fond of heights.

In between the games, we tried the different foods the stalls had to offer. There was so much food that I’d never tried before, with most of them being fried. Coal was partial to the cheese curds, and I fell in love with funnel cake. I didn’t know how I had lived twenty-four years without knowing what heaven tasted like.

Sharing the food, we quickly polished everything off and moved on to the next activity. More people were gathered around the stalls now that the firework show was drawing close.

There were a few times where Coal paused in place just to avoid an incoming person, and I remembered how he’d avoided my touch. It was easy to forget about considering Coal hadn’t had a problem holding my hand this entire time.

I put myself between him and the crowd of people. When the people left, I pulled him into an isolated area, still putting myself in between him and the rest of the carnival.

“I’m sorry. You must be so uncomfortable. It’s hard to avoid others when there’s so many people here,” I said. I was having so much fun with him that I didn’t even consider his feelings. I was the most inconsiderate person in the world.

“No, you did nothing wrong. I still don’t like being touched by others, but it wasn’t that bad. Honestly, I didn’t even notice anyone else for the most part. I was having too much fun with you.”

He grabbed my hand again, and I could have melted right then and there. I had my suspicions that he was okay with my touch, but it was an entirely different thing to hear him confirm it.

“I’m having a lot of fun with you too,” I said, suddenly feeling shy.

He shot me a huge, unrestrained smile in return. “I’m glad.”

I thought his soft smiles looked good on him, but I was not prepared for this genuine and wide one. He looked so devastatingly handsome that I didn’t want to share his smiles with anyone else.

We took a rest away from all the people for a couple more minutes before heading to the next stall. It was hoop shooting where Coal and I competed with each other to see who could make the most goals. We laughed as we teased each other, trying to get the other person to miss their shot. Coal’s focus was unbreakable, and I was usually the one who got distracted by his comments and disastrously missed the shot.

In the end, Coal won, but it was suspicious that he was ahead by only one point. “You won because of the massive height advantage you have over me,” I huffed, jabbing him lightly on the arm. He laughed and captured my finger and used it to pull me forward so that I fell in his embrace. I automatically wrapped my arm around his middle and rested my chin on his chest as I looked up at him.

“I know you missed so many shots to go easy on me. Thanks for sparing my feelings,” I said, and Coal gave me a gentle smile in reply.

“The fireworks are about to start. Should we find somewhere to watch them?”

The start of the fireworks meant the night would be over soon. I was sad to see my date with Coal end, but I also couldn’t wait to get him alone later. Coal said the fireworks were a sight to see, and he hadn’t led me wrong once.

There was an open grassy area on one side of the circus grounds where they had set up small garden lights that provided just enough vision so that we weren’t stepping on each other. There were a lot of people already gathered there, waiting for the show. Some sat on blankets while others stood around chatting. Kids ran around chasing each other, while their parents called out to them to settle down. It was such an idyllic scene, something so ordinary and yet I thought it was the most magical thing I’d seen all night.

Coal and I navigated through the crowd to find someplace more isolated from the rest of them. We were still part of the scene, but had enough space to comfortably breathe. He pulled something out of his back pocket, opening what turned out to be a thin sheet to place on the grass.

“After you,” he said, gesturing to the ground. I happily obliged, taking a seat on the corner of the sheet, and patting the spot beside me. There was just enough space for him if he squeezed close to me, which was exactly what I preferred.

Coal was shy as he took a seat. He shot me a smile as he awkwardly sat as close to the edge of the sheet as possible. That wouldn’t do at all, so I scooted closer to him and snuggled into his side. He froze at the first contact, but quickly relaxed and loosely wrapped an arm around my waist.

I looked up at him with a teasing smile. “So have you brought a lot of dates to watch the fireworks with you?”

“What? No!” Coal sputtered as he spun his head to me. “You’re the first person—the only person I want to watch the fireworks with.”

The small confession felt like a Cupid’s arrow straight to my heart. The smile on my face couldn’t have gotten any wider as I grinned up at him. He gazed down at me with a warm smile and kind eyes that glowed to show the truth of his words. It was the most beautiful thing I’d seen.

While I was also new to this whole dating thing, my gut told me this was one of those moments from a movie. This was the moment the main character lost his heart to the love interest, and I was no different. We hadn’t known each other long, but I was falling hard for this man. I may not have known everything about him, but I knew the essence of him. I saw the real him that he tried to hide behind his indifference to the world, and I only wanted more.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled myself up to crash our lips together. Fireworks exploded behind my eyelids when our lips touched. Coal let out a soft gasp of surprise before tightening his arms around me to pull me onto his lap.

Our mouths were awkward as they moved together. This was my first time kissing anyone, and I didn’t know if there was a proper way to do it. I moved with him, trying out different pressures to see what felt good.

When I opened my mouth, he slipped his tongue past my lips to melt our mouths together. Just his lips already felt good, but his tongue? That was heaven.

The lights danced past my lids again as the tingles of his touch warmed me. I stuck closer to him, pressing us together so that there wasn’t even a centimeter of space between us.

The movies always said kissing someone you liked felt like fireworks, and I never knew what that meant, but I did now.

A loud bang had me pulling back slightly to look toward the sky. Our foreheads were still pressed together and the bright lights we’d come to watch exploded over us. I laughed as we were bathed in bright blues and purples. Coal laughed with me as he held me tight in his arms. The fireworks were the soundtrack accompanying our laughter, then later the background music as we kissed some more.

Coal was right when he told me the fireworks would be magic. Even if I spent more time with my eyes closed and lips locked with his instead of watching the show, I could definitely feel the magic in the air, surrounding us and intensifying the sparks that exploded with each move of his lips.

FIFTEEN

COAL

We moved together, trying to weave through the crowd of people watching the fireworks show. To be honest, I didn’t remember much of the show. The sounds of the firework explosions faded away in the background as all my senses tuned into Rhett and his wonderful lips.

Did kissing always feel this good? If so, I was really missing out, not that I’d ever had the urge to put my lips on anyone else besides Rhett.

He lit up the fire inside of me in a way that I hadn’t felt before. It was intense, a burning that overwhelmed my entire body, but I didn’t fear it. My fire danced with each movement with Rhett, desiring more of him until the need traveling through my body became a physical need for him.

Rhett pushed his body closer to me, telling me that I wasn’t the only one with this need. It didn’t take us long to get to my RV.

I quickly pulled Rhett inside and had him pressed onto the couch while I hovered above him. He moaned as he opened his mouth to let me in again. His hands clawed at my back as his legs wrapped around my waist, pressing his hard-on against my own.

Everything felt too magical and almost like it was all a dream, but the burn from his stubble scratching my skin proved it to be real. It was glorious as our mouths moved together in unison as the pleasure from the kiss built up until I was about to explode.

I wanted more of him. I needed to feel him in the most intimate way as another validation that this was all real. Pulling back, I slid a hand down his chest over his shirt and stopped at his erection. “Can I?” I asked.

His eyes shone with what I hoped was lust as he nodded. “I want you. Now,” he said in a low voice, and what could I do but obey him?

He lifted his hips as I pulled his jeans off of him. His hard erection bounced on his stomach as it waved proudly in the air. If someone had asked me if I thought dicks were pretty before, I would have thought they were crazy, but pretty was the only way to describe Rhett’s dick. Unlike his height, there was nothing small about his cock. He was thin, long, and a delicious pink color.

“This feels a little unfair. It’s your turn.” Rhett’s voice shook me out of my daze of drooling over his dick. His hand raised up to unzip my jeans and release my own hard cock from my boxers.

He sucked in a breath when he saw it, and worry instantly filled me that this was all too soon, too fast. “Is this okay?”

Rhett flicked his gaze to mine before returning to look at my dick in wonder. “Yeah, it’s perfect. This is my first time seeing someone else’s dick in real life, besides from porn, of course.”

A growl came from somewhere, and when Rhett’s laughter hit my ears, I’d realized the growl had come from me. It was probably hypocritical of me to be jealous over the fact that he’d seen another man’s cock considering we hadn’t even known each other then, but I hated the thought of Rhett masturbating over someone else.

“I love seeing you go all animalistic over me, but you have nothing to worry about. The porn stars I’ve seen through the screen have nothing on you. I mean, just look at you.” He paused and fluttered his eyelashes as he looked at my cock again. “You’re just...wow.”

He reached out and tentatively palmed my leaking cock. Closing my eyes, I hissed at how good his touch felt. My fire danced harder inside of me, pushing against the chains that bound it. I pushed back, forcing them to comply with my will. I didn’t want to lose control and ruin this perfect moment.

When I felt like I’d gained a bit more control over myself, I opened my eyes again to find Rhett watching me with wonder. “Your eyes,” he said. I raised a hand to touch the corner of my eye, wondering if there was something wrong with them. “There’s fire dancing inside your blues. It’s breathtaking.”

He used his free hand to cup my cheek as he swiped his thumb under my eye. I placed my hand over his and turned my head to kiss his palm.

How was I lucky enough to find someone like him? He wasn’t afraid of my fire but embraced it, even thinking it to be something beautiful when I’d only known it to be dangerous. He accepted me for who I was even after his world was turned upside down by my very existence.

Rhett had called me beautiful many times, but he was the beautiful one, inside and out. I was so fucking lucky to be the one who got to share his first time, and he mine.

I joined our lips together again in a sensational tangle as I took him in my hand. He didn’t stay idle as he continued to stroke me slowly. The pace allowed me to let the flames underneath my skin cool a bit before it boiled over.

Rhett didn’t seem to mind the heat that emitted through my skin and stuck closer to me. There was barely any space between us. He grinded his leaking cock against mine, and I groaned into his lips. I didn’t know what was hotter, the way he tasted or how into this he was.

I took the both of us into my hand and squeezed us until our heats blended together. Rhett’s back arched as I quickened my strokes. He pulsed in my hand before screaming out his orgasm. I swallowed his moans as I followed him, and he held me tightly as he stroked my back, soothing me down from the orgasmic high.

I snuggled my head into the nook of his neck, taking in deep breaths of his scent. He smelled like warmth and the musky scent of a long burning fire. I didn’t know if the scent had been rubbed off from me, but on him, it smelled delectable and calming, so calming that my own source fire swayed with contentedness as his scent enveloped me.

“You’re very warm,” he said, snuggled up to me. I tried to pull off of him, thinking that he wanted to cool down, but his hold on me got tighter. “No, don’t go. It’s very comfortable, like putting on clothes straight out of the dryer.”

I chuckled and kissed the base of his neck. He shivered at my action and blew out a deep breath that had him sinking into the couch. “I could stay here forever,” he whispered, and even though there was cum drying on my hand and my arm was starting to get sore from holding myself up so that I wasn’t crushing Rhett, I completely agreed with him. There wasn’t anywhere else I’d rather be than with him on that tiny couch.

SIXTEEN

RHETT

Jerking off was always satisfying, but doing it with Coal? It was an entirely different level.

When he was worked up, he burned hotter than usual. The heat never bothered me, and maybe it was because I’d gotten used to it from working in the kitchen for so long, but it was familiar, safe. I wanted to stay in his arms, and I probably would have if not for my lower back starting to cramp from how uncomfortable the tiny couch was.

I instantly missed the heat when Coal pushed off of me, but it was all worth it as he helped me back into my boxers and pulled me into his arms with his nose pressed into my hair. “Stay the night?” he asked, the sound coming out almost muffled.

“Yes, all the yeses,” I breathed into his chest. He was grinning when he pulled away and led me to his bathroom to wash up for bed. It should have been evident by the fact that there was only the giant queen bed in the back half of the RV, but I was still glad to hear Coal say that he didn’t have a roommate. I didn’t want our time to be interrupted by anyone.

I’d thrown my shirt off since I liked to sleep in my boxers, but Coal had changed into a tank top while I was using the bathroom. Once we got into bed, we sought each other out like it was the most natural thing to do. Coal let me use his thick arm as a pillow as I threw an arm over his waist.

I drew circles over his heart. He was frozen stiff at first but slowly relaxed under my lazy motions. His walls were obviously still up high, and I wanted to breach them even if it was a bit. Coal carried something on his shoulders, that I knew for sure from the way he voiced his fear of the thing that made him, and I wanted to understand better.

I recalled what he said about fire turning everything into coal. He looked so sad, scared even, when he told me that. To me, it sounded like coal was a bad memory for him, so I wondered about his name.

“Can I ask you something?” I asked, pushing myself up on my elbow so that I could see him. He opened his lids to glance at me. The flames that had danced inside his eyes earlier were gone, but his blues still faintly glowed with emotion. I wished he always looked at me like this.

Coal cupped my cheek and leaned up to press a quick peck on my lips before laying back down and saying, “Of course. What is it?”

If he hadn’t captured my heart already, then I would have fallen hard for him at this moment. The small kiss wasn’t nearly as sexual as having his hand on my dick like earlier, but it felt more intimate.

I sucked in a deep breath to shake me out of the love-drunk daze that Coal always seemed to put me into by all of his actions. There was time to fawn over him later. For now, I wanted to know more about the man that made my heart flutter like it was trying to fly out of my chest.

“It’s about your name, Coal. Is that your real name?”

He looked taken aback by the question. “Why do you ask?”

“It’s just what you told me yesterday about fire burning everything into coal. You looked so pained, so I wondered why use a name that reminded you of something that obviously made you sad?” Coal was quiet after I finished speaking. I worried that I’d overstepped by asking him that question. “Sorry if I touched a sore spot. You don’t have to answer me.”

“No, it’s fine. It’s something from so long ago.”

I stopped drawing over his heart and took his hand in hopes of offering silent comfort. “Just because it was a long time ago doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt you—that it doesn’t still hurt you. Time dampens but doesn’t forget. I know that from experience.”

I didn’t think I would ever get over the fact that I was abandoned and never found a family to adopt me. Heck, my parents didn’t even want me, so it was no surprise. It didn’t hurt as much as it had when I was a kid and wondered why I never had a place where I’d belonged in this world, but there would still be moments where the emotions overwhelmed me. Feelings of loneliness that had only grown with each passing year in the system.

It was better after finding some sort of familial semblance with Hector, though this was one of my demons that would probably live with me forever, but that didn’t mean I would let it consume me.

Coal squeezed my hand, and I shot him a smile. I was supposed to be comforting him, but he was the one who ended up doing the comforting.

“Sorry, I wasn’t trying to make this about me. I’d like to know about your name, if you want to tell me.”

He placed a soft, warming kiss on the back of my hand and turned his glowing blue eyes back at me. “If it’s something you’re curious about, I’m very happy to tell you, but I want you to know that I’m the same. I want to know everything about you as well but only if you’re comfortable sharing it with me.”

I leaned down and pressed a kiss to the corner of his eye. “I am. I’ve never felt more comfortable with anyone else. I’ve never had a home, but I imagine being with you is what home feels like.”

The fire inside his eyes danced again at my words. I caught a quick glimpse of his blues shining brighter than I’d ever seen them before he pulled me down to crush our mouths together. I moaned at his taste. There definitely wasn’t anything that tasted better than he did, and I was a chef who cooked some pretty good dishes—if I said so myself.

The kiss was slow this time. It was an action of comfort more than a way to chase pleasure, and it was heavenly.

I pulled back a few minutes later to gaze down at him. The fire danced faster as Coal looked back at me.

“So your name?” I prompted as I returned to drawing circles over his heart. If he was willing to share all his secrets with me, then I wasn’t going to give up until I heard every last one.

“Coal is a nickname. The other kids in my family thought it was fitting since I burned everything I touched when I was younger. If you can believe, my control over my fire was even shittier than it is now, and I have to be careful even now. It’s the same reason there’s no kitchenette in here and the reason why I have to use specially made fireproof bedding,” he said with a bitter laugh and a wave around the RV.

It was only then that I noticed his bedding. I was obviously too distracted with something else to notice earlier, but I could see how different his sheets was now from anything I’d seen before. It was made of some kind of silver material that felt like silk on my skin. It was cold to the touch, and considering that I tended to run hot, I guessed it would be great to sleep on top of.

I’d imagined it was made using magical means. This was another stark reminder that Coal and I lived in completely different worlds, but it didn’t scare me. I saw the real him, even if he couldn’t.

“You were a kid. It’s normal for kids to need time to learn control. They couldn’t have held that against you,” I said.

He sat up and shrugged. I mirrored his actions and snuggled into his side as we leaned against the headboard. “You said that you knew about my burning my house down when I was younger, right?”

I nodded.

“The fire came from me. It was one of those hard days and I just lost control of my fire. The flames were burning wild around me, and I thought for sure that I was done for.”

“Oh, Coal.” I grabbed his hand with both of mine, holding him to confirm that he was still here with me.

“Obviously I’m fine. My mom rushed in to save me, but she was left with a nasty scar and was never the same again. The incident messed up her mind and she had to leave our lands, leave me,” Coal said, looking down at our hands. Sadness filled his eyes.

I jumped onto his lap and pulled him into a crushing hug. I didn’t know much about the other world yet, but it never made sense to me for someone to be afraid of the essence that made them up, but now I could understand. Coal had a kind heart and feared hurting anyone. It must have traumatized him to hurt someone he loved, much less his own mom.

“The incident wasn’t your fault. You were just a kid. Your family should have been teaching you how to control your powers. That’s not on you.”

He shuddered into my tight hold and took deep, calming breaths. His warm arms surrounded me, holding me as tightly as I was holding him. We stayed like that for a few minutes. I pulled back a bit and curiously glanced at him. ”Why do you keep using the name? When it obviously hurts you so much?”

He shrugged again. “To remind me, I guess? I need to remember how dangerous I am.”

I pulled back and cupped his cheek. “Anything can be dangerous when in the wrong hands. What’s important is your intention, and I know that you would never intentionally hurt anyone.”

“I don’t understand how you can see me in such a good light, but I’m thankful that you do. I always want you to see me as someone good,” he said, staring at me with eyes that conveyed his innermost thoughts.

I wished that he could see what I saw, what everyone at the circus saw. They loved him for who he was. He didn’t give himself enough credit.

“Besides, I think coals are kinda nice. It’s a necessity to so many people in the world, generating electricity and providing heat in cold winters. It’s important, just like you are.”

Fuck, I never knew that I was so cheesy, but the huge smile that Coal graced me with was entirely worth it.

“What’s your real name? I’d love to know if you’re willing to share,” I asked. If it was possible, I wanted to know everything about the man, even the tiniest details.

Coal shrugged. “I never got one. It was tradition for us to use a nickname until we became adults since so many of us half-bloods succumbed to the fire. I survived, but they chose to kick me out instead of naming me.”

My heart cried for the boy that his family had treated so harshly. I pulled him into a hug.

“It wasn’t so bad. Coal was what the others referred to me by, but my mom used to call me her little ember,” he said. There was a soft look in his eyes as he mentioned his mom. He clearly still missed her.

“Flames that outlive the rest. I like it. You escaped the place that held so many bad memories for you. You survived and are now my little ember,” I said as I hung onto him tighter so there was no doubt that he wasn’t alone anymore. I would always be on his side.

SEVENTEEN

COAL

Rhett stayed the night. At first, I had trouble sleeping, worried that my flames would go out of control in my sleep—it wouldn’t be the first time that happened. But with Rhett calmingly patting my back, I’d eventually dozed off.

Waking up wrapped around Rhett was the best feeling in the world. Scratch that, sharing mutual orgasms with Rhett first thing in the morning was the best feeling in the world.

I held his cheek as I pressed him for a deep kiss. His stubble had turned into an almost full beard overnight. I gently tugged on it, and he chuckled. “I never knew why, but my facial hair has always grown a lot faster than other people’s.”

“I think it looks good on you. You look very manly.”

He laughed hard. “Are you saying I don’t usually look manly?”

“What? No! That’s not what I meant. I just mean...”

Rhett looked at my expression then busted out in laughter again. His laughter was infectious, and I chuckled with him. “I’m just teasing you,” he said when he’d caught his breath.

“Either way, I think you’re an amazing, brave person. Most people wouldn’t be able to accept the unknown, much less be with someone so different from them,” I said. Growing up in a land that was cut off from the human world, it had taken me a while to adjust to how differently they did things. Family was huge for most humans and not so much for Vermilion Birds. Continuing the line was important, but our father left us in the care of others for the most part as he travelled around spreading his seed.

“Thank you. It means a lot that you see me that way. Sometimes I don’t feel very brave.”

“You wouldn’t have left the only place you knew and joined the circus if you weren’t brave.”

He lifted his gaze to me, and his smile lit up his entire face. “Then I guess that makes both of us brave, huh? We wouldn’t have met if otherwise.”

I nudged him to sit in front of me and wrapped him in my arm with my head hanging on his shoulder. He snuggled back into my chest, his laughter ringing out in the peaceful early morning.

The moment was over too soon as Rhett had to return to his tent to get ready for the day. I took my morning walk, feeling at peace with myself and my fire. In fact, my core felt more stable than it had in a long time.

Rhett might have thought that I was brave, but it was hard to see myself like that sometimes. It was easier when he was around. He gave me strength to believe in myself, and perhaps that was what I had been lacking for a long time.

Today was Sunday. It was the last day before our break, so it meant that we weren’t able to spend much time together. Which I was very disappointed about. However, we managed to find a few spare minutes to visit each other to sneak in some kisses and even a quick handjob while hidden behind the trees of the lot.

It wasn’t nearly as much time as I’d wanted to have spent with him, but it was enough to hold me over until I was able to sneak him away to my RV later that night.

We had our mouths sealed together as soon as the door was closed. His hands were tearing at my clothes, pulling my sweats and hoodie off. I was just as anxious to get him naked and had only managed to get his shirt off that I hadn’t realized what had happened until Rhett’s hand landed over my heart with a gasp.

“Wow, it’s beautiful,” he said as he stared at the mark that was currently right in front of his face. “The tattoo feels hot, almost burning, even to me.”

“Shit,” I said as I tried to pull away from him. He wasn’t supposed to see that, not when it was a symbol of shame.

“Wait, what happened? Why are you hiding your tattoo?” He stood frozen in place as he watched me frantically try to tug on my hoodie again. I must have looked like a madman by my actions.

“It’s not a tattoo,” I said as I pulled on my boxers as well. Now that I’d ruined the mood, there was no point in being the only one completely naked.

Rhett looked at me with a puzzled expression. I understood that my words were vague. He had no way of knowing what the symbol actually represented.

He nibbled his bottom lip as if he wasn’t sure if he should ask. I almost didn’t want him to since it wasn’t something I was exactly eager to explain, but I didn’t want to hide anything from him. I wanted Rhett to see me. All of me, including the ugly parts. And I could only hope that he still looked at me with starry eyes even after he found out exactly how much of a failure I was.

Sighing, I slowly pulled off the hoodie again to let him see the mark. “This is a mark of shame given to those kicked out of the family. It’s to show that we are failures who never mastered control over our source fire, that we are a danger to those around us. It’s meant to isolate us.”

Rhett stared at me with eyes bright with what looked like anger. “I hate how your old family treated you. They didn’t deserve you. To them, that may be what the mark symbolizes but not to me. It’s proof that you are more amazing than you think. You went beyond their expectations and survived. You didn’t let your fire consume you and took control instead. It’s the mark of a warrior.”

He took a step closer to me, cupping my cheeks with his hands, and pulled me down to his level. “You are loved by so many people here. That I can clearly see. You deserve so much more than the status that they arbitrarily pushed onto you. You are wanted. I want you. Do you understand that?”

I nodded numbly while my head was still in his hands. My eyes were probably so wide that they were almost popping out of my sockets. I wasn’t expecting him to react this way, not with the warming confession that he wanted me, accepted me exactly the way I was.

I hadn’t shown my mark to anyone else, even my closest friends at the circus, because it was something that had haunted me. It was a reminder that I had been completely abandoned by the people who should have cared for me the most, and if that was the case, why would strangers want me?

Rhett’s words were outside of my expectations just like the man. He was always full of surprises and somehow always knew exactly what I needed to hear. I was always receiving so much from him, and I wanted to give him something back. A piece of me.

“I want you too,” I managed to whisper even though Rhett was squeezing my cheeks very tightly at this point. His response was a sweet kiss that lingered until the pain from bending in this position forced me to pull back.

Rhett was looking a little kiss drunk, but his gaze shifted from my eyes down to my chest. He stared intently at the mark that I’d tried to forget but had been engraved in my mind since the day I received it.

The mark was of a bird surrounded by fire. Fire that was about to consume it whole. The bird looked toward the sky, at the god—our father—who had created us, in penitence for being unable to live up to our potential. The mark also served to seal the inheritance that every member of my family gained through our bloodline. It left me unable to access my true power—not that I had the control to do so anyway—and left my fire to be nothing more than a very dangerous party trick.

“Can I touch it?” Rhett asked with his hand raised, inches from my chest. I nodded, and he placed his hand over my heart. “Does it hurt you?” he asked.

“I can’t really feel it,” I said, shaking my head. Rhett gently traced the mark with his finger. I followed his actions with my eyes. His touch over the mark burned hotter than the mark did itself.

“Why is it so hot? I know you run warm, but this is almost burning,” he asked, looking up at me with the same shining eyes.

“The mark seals up my inheritance, so most of my powers cumulate here. I can put on a shirt if the heat bothers you—”

“No,” Rhett said, cutting me off. “Don’t hide yourself from me. I told you I can handle the heat.”

He winked and pressed a quick kiss on my mark. I shivered under the kiss, not prepared for how intense it would feel. We’d shared countless kisses over the past couple of days, but his gentle kiss on my mark was something else all together. It was like he’d touched my very soul, lathering it with gentle warmth.

“Do you like that?” he asked, and when I shivered more, he did it again. He pressed dozens of gentle kisses on the mark that I hated, that reminded me of everything that was wrong with me. Each kiss covered a different part of the mark like he was trying to overwrite all the memories that it had held for me.

I knew that healing took time, but I swore something released inside of me with each of Rhett’s kisses. He gave me permission to forgive myself for my failures and showed me that I was still desirable. I didn’t need to hide myself with him, and that was so fucking liberating.

He continued his kisses, stroking my need for him again. His hand slid down to palm my now hard dick as he pulled back to smirk up at me.

“Fuck, the way you rile me up,” I said as I leaned down to smash our lips together again. He didn’t let me have my way for long before moving his lips down my neck, down my chest, until he was on his knees and glancing up at me with those seductive eyes.

“I want to pleasure you. Can I?” he asked, still palming my dick through my boxers. Even though the fabric was thin, there were still one too many layers between us.

“Fuck, yes. You don’t even need to ask,” I said, my voice grumbly with lust. Rhett was all of my firsts, and the thought of his mouth on me had me going crazy. His hands already felt like heaven, so how much better could it get?

“You’re so sexy like that, looking like you’re about to devour me,” he said as he connected our gaze. If only he knew. My source fire was burning for him, and it took almost every ounce of my control to push it back behind its chains, restraining it completely so that I didn’t hurt him.

“The sexy one is you. I’m going to dream about you on your knees for me like that,” I said, weaving my fingers through his short locks.

“Then I better give you something even better to dream about,” he teased as he pulled my boxers down and put his mouth on me without any warning.

I groaned on contact. My fingers tightened in his hair as he worked me in his mouth. He wrapped his hand around my base while his tongue lapped at my tip, moving around in sync with his hand.

“Fuck, that feels so good,” I gritted out. I couldn’t keep my eyes off of him, especially when he looked up past his eyelashes at me as well. He worked me up with his mouth and hands, while his eyes stoked my soul, telling me to unravel for him.

I couldn’t resist the call and shot into his mouth embarrassingly quickly. He lapped up my release, never breaking eye contact with me as he did. He slowly stroked me as I calmed down from my orgasm, making sure to love on my balls as well.

When I finally regained enough of myself, I pulled him to his feet and kissed him hard. Tasting myself on his tongue was almost enough to get me hard again. Instead, it was my turn to bring Rhett the same pleasure that he’d brought me.

I picked him up by the butt, and he naturally wrapped his legs around my waist. Our lips never broke contact as I fumbled through the small living area of my RV to the bathroom in the back.

I worked his pants and underwear off, then turned on the shower on low. The cool water felt amazing on my skin, calming down the blistering heat that Rhett had worked up inside me. It was my turn to taste him, so I got down on my knees just as he had done for me. Having his dick so close to my face was a bit intimidating, but I wasn’t going to let that stop me. I was determined to make him feel good.

Rhett was panting as he gazed at me with so much emotion in his eyes. “You don’t have to do it just because I did it for you,” he said as he tucked a hand under my chin.

I snuggled into his hand, still looking up at him with all the hunger that I’d felt for him. “I want to. I want all of you. Please let me?”

Rhett gulped and nodded. “I would never say no to a blowjob,” he said, teasingly, but his blown out pupils told me that he was just as serious as I was at that moment.

His erection stood proud, greeting me. A thick strand of precum dripped from its tip, and I tentatively lapped it up. I wasn’t really sure what I was expecting, but his salty flavor relit the fire inside of me that burned for him.

 I sucked him in quickly, taking him all the way to the base without any hesitation. My inexperience had me choking at how far he reached down my throat, but I was determined to do this right, to make it good for him.

Rhett held my head tight as he tried to hold still. His neck muscles strained with effort as his thumb rubbed over my short hair. “Fuck, I’m so close already.”

That had my mouth moving and sucking as hard as I could. I wanted him to explode and taste his essence. I was awarded seconds later with his salty cum spurting on my tongue as he shouted out his orgasm.

He tasted as good as I’d expected, and I made sure to gulp down every last drop. His eyes softened as he watched me. An emotion that I wasn’t familiar with bubbled up inside of me as he gently stroked my cheeks.

Everything with Rhett had happened hard and fast, but it felt right. He had claimed me, my fire and everything that I was.

I already belonged to him, and I could only hope that he was serious when he’d said that he wanted every part of me.

EIGHTEEN

RHETT

When I entered my RV the next morning to change, Conall looked up from his seat on the couch with a huge smirk on his face. “Two nights in a row? I just got my roommate, and I feel like I’d lost him already.”

I laughed and took a seat beside him. My short brown hair was probably a mess, and I knew that my stubble had long turned into a beard overnight.

I loved my facial hair when I was a teen and had the jealousy of all the other boys who couldn’t even grow a tiny mustache, but as an adult, it was only an annoyance. Having to shave everyday was a pain in my ass, which was only made more irritating when my beard starting growing in not even twelve hours later. Thankfully, the hair on my head wasn’t as bad. I noticed that it also grew faster than others, but I only needed to trim in every few weeks to maintain its short length.

Since Mondays were my official day off and the circus was closed to outsiders as well, Coal and I had lingered in bed all morning. We shared countless kisses that had evolved into mutual blowjobs before falling asleep for a nap.

Being in his arms was definitely the best feeling in the world, especially when I knew that he didn’t hide himself from me. The last couple nights had been intense with him sharing about his past. My heart broke for the child that he was when all those cruel things had happened to him. Nobody should have been treated like they were useless and unwanted, especially by their own family.

I hoped that I was able to provide a bit of comfort by listening and accepting who he was without any conditions. He was perfect exactly the way he was, and I was determined to make him see that as well.

“You look happy and Coal does as well. Actually, I haven’t seen him smiling this much since ever,” Conell said, and I smiled. It was nice to hear that others could also see the affects Coal and I had on each other.

“I am happy. Coal is just so...”

“He’s that good in bed, huh?” Conall teased, and I bumped him on the shoulder with a laugh.

“Aren’t you a little too young to be talking about things like that?” I shot back. I didn’t know his exact age, but I knew that he was younger than I was.

“Hey, I’m eighteen. I’m an adult. I’m at the age where I’m ready to explore with other people—if only I could find other people to explore with,” he grumbled the last part under his breath with a frown before turning his bright eyes to me again. “So tell me, is sex as good as they say it is?”

“Uh, well...” I actually didn’t know the answer to that. Coal and I had shared multiple orgasms with each other, but we never really did the final deed. Not that I wasn’t ready, because I totally was, but it just never really came up.

“Sorry, am I being too intrusive? My parents always tell me I never think before I speak,” he said when the seconds stretched, and I still didn’t know how to reply. 

“No, it’s fine. While it’s true that you could be a bit more tactful about things—” I gave him a pointed look, and he shrunk back at my gaze. “—but don’t change who you are for others. You’re a sweet dude, and I know that you don’t mean any harm. I like you,” I said, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. “As a friend, of course.”

“Don’t let Coal hear you say that. He won’t be happy with you saying that to someone else,” Conall said with a giggle.

“Then it’s a good thing that whatever we discuss here won’t leave this RV, right?” I said, and he mimed zipping his lips together.

“As for your earlier question...I don’t really know. We’ve never actually done it exactly,” I said with a shy smile.

“Well why not?” he asked, and that stopped me.

Why not, indeed?

I knew that I wanted to, and I hoped to god Coal did as well and that timing was the only thing stopping me.

Conall’s question rang in my head when I met Coal in his RV later that night. He was very eager to get me naked and in his bed, but he didn’t move to take things any further than mutual blowjobs. I was so numb after having my brains sucked out that I didn’t think to ask him before falling asleep.

I’d scheduled to go grocery shopping with Farren early tomorrow morning. We did a quick food run the other day since all the ingredients had basically run out, but we’d only gotten enough to last a couple days. I was hoping to get enough today to last a week or so, but with how much everyone here ate, I wasn’t sure if that would be possible.

When my alarm rang the next morning, it was hard to leave Coal’s warm side and change into something suitable for shopping—I’d had the mind to bring a change of clothes to his place this time.

Farren was waiting for me by where they parked the staff cars. We greeted each other before taking off to the nearest town to replenish our supplies.

Farren was a gargoyle who didn’t like to talk much, but he’d been nice to me so far. Apparently he didn’t sleep much, so the early morning grocery runs were perfect for him, but not so much for me. It felt rude to be sleeping while someone was driving me around, but he assured me that he didn’t have a problem with it, so I didn’t fight my eyelids open any longer and quickly fell asleep.

He woke me up when we arrived at the wholesale store an hour later. Farren pushed the large platform truck while I threw items onto it. The first time I cooked for everyone, I was surprised by how much they all ate but attributed it to the fact that they were performers. I’d since learned that magical creatures just ate a lot in general.

It took a couple of hours to get everything on the list I’d made, as it was extensive. I was glad I had Farren to help me, since it would probably take me double the time if I was alone.

After we loaded the van—it was stuffed full with only the front seats free of groceries—Farren started the car and turned to make our way back to the circus. There was a drug store right before the turn onto the highway.

“Could we drop by there?” I asked, and Farren obliged. He parked the car and undid his belt, but I stopped him before he could get any further. This was already embarrassing enough, and I didn’t want an audience for what I was about to buy. “Wait, I can go in alone,” I said, glancing at him with almost pleading eyes.

“The ringmaster said to protect you,” was all Farren replied. I still didn’t understand what I needed protection from, and I was starting to think that Seven was just the overprotective type.

“I’ll be quick, and you’ll be right outside if anything happens,” I said, and quickly ran out of the car before he could argue. Thankfully, he stayed in the car and watched me disappear inside the store.

I’d purchased lube before in the past but never really had a reason to buy condoms—there was no way in hell I would have slept with any man from my town—but now there was a very important need for it.

They weren’t hard to find along with the lube, but it was embarrassing as fuck at checkout and even more so when I’d asked the cashier to put the items in a paper bag so that Farren couldn’t see what I’d purchased.

I paid and got the hell out of dodge. Farren raised a brow when I entered the car with the brown bag but didn’t say anything. We took off back to the circus, and the brown bag felt almost burning in my lap the entire time.

When we made it back to the circus grounds, Farren and some of the other guys helped me unload all the groceries and move them into the mess tent. I was in such a rush to put all the food away and start cooking breakfast that I’d forgotten that I’d left the brown bag in the car, when Farren re-entered the mess tent, holding the brown bag up to me.

“Thanks,” I muttered as I snatched it from him. He looked at me like I was crazy, but it was better than the alternative of him finding out what exactly I bought while I was with him. He gave me a mock salute as he exited the tent.

I stashed the bag in the cabinet under the sink, washed my hands, and went back to making breakfast. The tent soon filled with people, although not as many as usual since the circus was also closed on Tuesdays and a lot of the members opted to explore the nearby towns for the day.

My current favorite person also appeared by my side with a peck on my cheek while I was washing dishes. The circus members who were close enough to see the kiss cheered and joked about getting a show with breakfast. Coal grumbled at their teasing, but the huge smile on his face told me that he wasn’t really upset by them.

“Missed you this morning,” he said as he pulled me into his arms.

I flapped my hands in the air, trying not to get water on his hoodie. “My hands are still wet—”

“I don’t care,” he said as he pulled me completely into him. I chuckled and let myself be pressed right against his chest as my fists clenched onto his hoodie. Cheers and whistled ensued again, but Coal had blocked the other’s views with his body.

It was one of the perks of being so small, I guessed.

“Are you sure you’re okay with everyone knowing about this? Isn’t it embarrassing?” I asked, looking up through the small hole between Coal’s arms that were wrapped around me.

“I could never be embarrassed to be with you. I want to proudly show everyone that you’re mine,” he said. His bright blues stared straight into my soul as he looked at me with so much possessiveness. “Unless you mind?”

He let go, trying to give me space, but I pulled him back before he could. “Definitely not. If I could, I would show you off to everyone I know. I can’t believe how lucky I am to have met someone like you.”

“I’m the lucky one,” Coal said and pressed a sweet kiss on my forehead.

We were both the lucky ones, and I thanked my fortune for whatever fate that had led us both here, to each other.

NINETEEN

COAL

“What is that?” I pointed to the brown bag in Rhett’s hand and asked.

He quickly hid the bag out of my view when I mentioned it and stuttered out, “N-nothing!”

I only smiled at his suspicious answer but didn’t question it. He probably had a good reason for keeping the contents a secret from me, and I wouldn’t push unless he wanted me to know.

I’d helped Rhett clean up the kitchen, and we were on our way back to his RV so that he could change. Rhett had told me before that he wanted to see my fire dancing again, and I was more than okay with giving him a private show.

He turned to face me when we got to the front of his RV door. “Uh, can you wait out here?” he asked with a slight blush on his cheeks. The paper bag was hiding behind his back again.

I raised a brow at him and he said, “Please?”

There was no way that I wouldn’t give him whatever he wanted. So I pressed a quick kiss on his forehead and gestured for him to go inside. I leaned against his RV while I waited for him, wondering why he was acting so strange today.

My thoughts didn’t wander long before Rhett had returned—sans brown paper bag—and in delectable leggings that hugged his legs and butt. Maybe it was a good thing that I waited outside while he changed or else we wouldn’t have left the RV.

Since I wanted to show him my dance, I settled with pushing Rhett against the side of the RV and devouring him with a smothering kiss. He yelped when I picked him up but happily wrapped his arms and legs around me to return the kiss.

“You look so sexy,” I whispered in his ear when I finally pulled off of him. He smirked and rubbed his very hard dick against my stomach. I groaned but released him and took a step back. “We’re never going to get out of here if you keep doing that.”

“True, and you did promise me a private show. Maybe you can show me your fire dancing, then a different kind of dancing in the bedroom later?” he said with a waggle of his eyebrow.

“Sounds like the perfect plan to me,” I said and pulled him toward the isolated space I was using to practice my fire.

Thankfully, nobody was wandering around that area, so I pulled off my hoodie and flattened it out on the ground for Rhett to sit on. He took a seat with his knees up, and wrapped his arms around them.

“I never mentioned it before, but your performance outfit is so fucking hot. I’m a little bit jealous that everyone gets to see you like this. I want you all for myself,” he said as he rested his cheek on his knee.

Hearing that he was jealous over me had my fire roaring inside of me and banging against the chains to be released. I couldn’t keep the smile off of my face as I landed a quick peck on his cheek before walking away from him so that I couldn’t accidentally hurt him with my fire.

“They’ll never get a private show from me. Only you,” I said as I finally released my source fire over the palm of my hand. It waved in the air before turning towards Rhett, obviously trying to get to him.

“Even my fire is obsessed with you,” I said as I closed my palm and extinguished the naughty flame.

“Are you saying you’re obsessed with me, Coal?” Rhett said with a smirk that had me sputtering out nonsense. After a few seconds, he took pity on me and said, “I’m obsessed with you too.”

We smiled at each other, probably looking like two goofballs, but I didn’t care. This moment with him was everything, and nothing could ruin it...except my fire that had stirred up with excitement along with me.

I twisted and released the fire through my skin. When I danced, I usually used props and artificial fire from a matchbox, but not now. I let my source flames freely dance in the air as I twisted and moved with it.

Rhett’s exclamation hyped me up even more, and my moves became even more exaggerated as I unlocked more and more of my powers. My fire moved to my will without any of the usual struggles. There was no contest of wills, just pure joy as we danced together in front of the person that allowed us to unabashedly be us without any fear.

I let go and enjoyed the moment, feeling each move within my bones as my fire licked my skin. It roared brighter, wilder, excited to be able to have so much freedom. The crackling of the fire almost sounded like laughter in my ears, and it blended perfectly with the light laughs that came from Rhett.

With one last turn, I landed with my palm pressing on the ground and exploded my fire above me like I’d done when I performed the other day. Rhett stood as he clapped and cheered for me.

He ran toward me with his arms stretched and pulled me in a hug. My breaths came out in gasps as I calmed down from my exertion and took in a deep lungful of his scent.

“That was so freaking magical. You looked like you were one with your fire,” Rhett said when he pulled back and looked up at me with stars in his eyes. I smiled back and nodded.

I’d always been at odds with my fire and rejected it for not being what others wanted it to be, but there was none of that today. For the first time in my entire life, we worked completely in sync. The fire was an extension of my body and worked to my will.

“It was truly amazing and unlike anything I’d seen before. I don’t know how you see your fire as anything but alive with beauty.” Rhett took my hand and faced it palm up as he studied it. He used a finger to trace my palm lines like he could elicit my fire out that way.

Fear had always clouded my thoughts regarding my flames. It was what had caused major changes in my life—some of those changes that I would have never been ready for—but after constantly hearing Rhett describe the flames as something pretty, I was starting to see things his way. The way the fire moved in the air, and the cackle of joy as it danced for life.

“You’re right, they are. I’m starting to see the beauty in them, and it’s all thanks to you,” I said. Rhett looked up at me again. His smile grew wider as the stars in his green eyes shone even brighter. He was so freaking beautiful, I didn’t know how anyone could be so pretty.

I couldn’t help but lean down and steal another kiss. He easily accepted the action, just like how he’d accepted me without any question.

When he pulled back, he looked up and asked, “Can I meet your fire?”

I froze at his question. It was one thing for him to see it from afar. At that distance, I could ensure that he was safe from it. But it was different when he was this close to me.

“It’s going to be okay,” he said when I didn’t answer. He grabbed my hand again and gripped it tightly. “You would never hurt me.”

“Never. I would never hurt you intentionally, but how can I trust my flames not to?” I asked.

Did I have full confidence that I had total control over my powers? No. And I would never risk putting Rhett in any harm.

“Your flames are you. I trust in them like I do you,” he said as he continued to stare up at me with those eyes like he thought I could do anything I put my mind to.

My core vibrated under his words. My flames crashed against the chains again, wanting the freedom that it had experienced moments before so that it could meet the person that it had been desperately wanting to get close to. Like Rhett had said, the fire and I were one of the same, and I didn’t want to deprive any part of me of Rhett, especially when he was willing to accept it all.

“Fine, but you have to tell me immediately if you feel like it’s too much.” Rhett’s head bobbed up and down continuously like he was anxious to get on with it, but I wasn’t too convinced. “Promise?” I asked.

He locked our eyes together, and I could see the seriousness in them. “I promise,” he whispered.

I nodded and took a tiny step back and held my hand out, palm up. The thought of ever hurting Rhett made me physically sick to my stomach, but he had so much confidence in me, so I needed to have the same confidence in myself.

Very slowly, I let out a small ember from the center of my palm. The fire quickly waved in my hand, leaning towards a particular direction. It was obvious that it was trying to get to Rhett.

Rhett leaned down closer to it. His eyes were fixed on the fire like he was mesmerized by the flames. He reached his hands out toward it, and I instinctively pulled back, worried that I would hurt him. “You won’t hurt me,” he said with full confidence.

I remembered his words and the faith he had in me and held still. He placed both his hands around the fire, so that he was cupping it in a loose circle. Sensing him, my fire flickered more wildly. I was about to pull back again, afraid that I was losing control, but Rhett shot me a glare that held me in place.

“Doesn’t it burn?” I asked. Even I could tell that my fire was burning hotter than usual. It was too excited.

He shook his head. “It’s hot, but it’s a comfortable feeling. If a little heat bothered me, I wouldn’t be working in the kitchen,” he said with a smirk at me.

I chuckled, relieved that my fire didn’t scare him, or even worse, hurt him. I let Rhett do what he wanted as he continued to watch the flames. Small tendrils of flames would occasionally stem out from the main branch and caress his hand in a barely there touch.

Rhett moved his fingers as if playing with the flames and laughed as the small embers chased them around. I laughed too as I watched them, but I made sure to keep still so that the body of the flame didn’t accidentally get out of control.

Another couple minutes passed before Rhett pulled his hand back and looked up at me “Thank you for trusting me with this, and for trusting yourself.”

I closed my palm. The fire willingly extinguished and returned to my core without me having to force it. It was happy to have spent time with Rhett and finally meet the person that has had us both in a chokehold.

I smiled and took his hand to examine his palm. He said my fire didn’t burn him, but I needed to make sure that he was okay. I let out a sigh of relief when I didn’t see any injuries on his hand. There were old scars and burns that he probably got from working in the kitchen, but there wasn’t any evidence that my flames had hurt him.

Rhett laughed at my actions and pushed himself into my arms for a hug. “I told you I’ll be fine, and I am, aren’t I?” he asked while he rested his chin on my chest and looked up at me.

I leaned down and pressed a kiss on his forehead. I couldn’t help it when he was this close and tempting me. “You’re more than fine. You’re amazing,” I said with all earnestness.

Rhett busted out in laughter, and I joined him. That was cheesy as hell, I knew that, but I was learning that I turned into a cheesy sap whenever I was around Rhett, and I was completely okay with that.

When the laughter subsided a bit, he leaned up on his tiptoes and awarded me a sweet kiss. I wrapped myself around him and devoured his mouth, and everything felt right in the world again.

TWENTY

RHETT

Coal was so courageous to let me play with his fire without backing down. Honestly, there were moments where he looked like he was freaking out and would shut it all down, but he pulled through and let me spend as much time as I wanted with his fire. For that, I was so freaking proud of him.

His fire seemed eager to be close with me, and I’d attributed that as a reflection of Coal’s inner thoughts. I was ecstatic thinking that Coal wanted me as much as I wanted him.

I knew that things with him were moving so fast—faster than they did in any romance movie I’d watched—but being with him felt right. It was like he and I connected on a spiritual level that I’d never had with anyone else.

It was proven even more as we sat together in the open space in the forest that Peanut had led me to last week. My work had finished for the day, and Coal and I were chatting about random things.

He told me his favorite drink was watermelon juice because it reminded him of summer. I told him about my obsession with Hallmark movies and the fact that I’d probably seen every single one of them.

We talked more about our childhoods. Coal told me more about his mother and how she was now living with a human family, but by the stories he relayed of when they still lived together, I could tell that she loved him. Sometimes the brain is unable to process things normally after a traumatic event and was unable to recover, but that wasn’t because of him.

I told him about my experiences in foster care and the countless houses I was shuttled through. I told him about the relief I felt when I’d gotten a job at the diner and was able to afford my own studio apartment. It wasn’t anything grand but it was my home. And most of all, I told him about Hector, the only person who had become a constant in my life.

“Hector sounds like an amazing guy,” Coal said as he turned to me. His face was mostly a shadow in the darkness. The only source of light tonight were the small embers that he’d released earlier. They flickered around us in the air, dancing and weaving above our heads like fireflies. It was such a surreal scene that seemed to have come straight out of a dream.

“He really is. He’s texted me a few times to check in and always makes sure to remind me to take care of myself and eat my meals properly. He’s a true mother hen,” I said with a chuckle.

“I’m glad he’s there for you. I hope I can meet him someday,” Coal said, and his words made me pause.

Would Hector accept the fact that I was with a man? I didn’t know. He and I never talked about my dating life. There wasn’t anyone I liked in our small town, so I’d never felt the need to tell him that I was gay. I didn’t think he would care, but considering that we’d lived in a town full of small-minded people, I still worried.

Coal must have sensed a shift in my mood because he moved so that he was sitting behind me and pulled me to sit in between his legs. He wrapped me up in his safe arms, and I melted into them.

“It’s going to be okay. Your town might not be the most accepting, but Hector doesn’t sound like he’s the same. Believe in him like you believed in me,” he said as he rested his chin on my shoulder. I nodded and let his strong hold steady my turbulent thoughts as we continued to chat about anything and everything.

Hours later, we strolled back to the lot hand in hand. Most of the others were already resting in their lodgings or gone into town for a night of fun. Conall wasn’t in the RV when I returned to get my clothes and the brown bag I’d hidden in my drawers.

Today had been perfect, and I was determined to have the night end with a bang. Literally.

I threw everything in a canvas bag and returned outside to where Coal was waiting for me. He reached out to grab my bag, and I let him. I could have very well held it myself, but I wasn’t going to reject his kind gesture. Instead, I hooked my arm to his, hugging it as we walked to his RV.

Never in a million years would I have imagined myself doing something as ordinary as taking a walk with the person I liked, and especially not inside a place that was anything but ordinary. Some might think that today was too mundane, but to me, it was perfect. I could see myself traveling with the circus and having a million more days like this, and most importantly, Coal would be by my side.

We entered his RV, and Coal put my bag down on the couch before turning to me. “So what would you like to do? We could watch a movie, maybe your favorite Hallmark movie or something?”

It was sweet that he was wanting to share my favorite movie with me, but this was not the time for that. I placed my hands on his hips and pushed him backwards until he was sitting on the couch and looking up at me. “Are you sure there isn’t something else you’d rather do right now?”

His glowing blue eyes told me that he was very on board with this idea. He pulled me to sit on his lap and joined our lips in a slow kiss that quickly turned hungry. He tugged my shirt off, but before he could get any further, I said, “Wait, I want to ask you something first.”

“Hmm?” he hummed as he pressed kisses down the side of my neck. I shivered under his attacks but forced myself to resist the temptation. A quickie would calm the temporary fire, but I wanted more. I wanted all of him.

I pulled back and grabbed the canvas bag that lay on the couch beside us. Coal’s eyes were wide when I pulled out the lube and condoms and held them out in between us. “I’m ready to move on to the next step. I want us connected, and to feel you inside of me.”

Coal sucked in a breath as he cupped my cheek. The fire danced in his eyes again. It told me that he really liked this idea too, but there was worry there as well. “I don’t know if I can subdue my fire if we do. It’s already proven to be difficult to rein them in when they want you as much as I do.”

“Then don’t. We’ve already established that you nor your fire will hurt me. Let your flames join in the fun as well,” I said as I rubbed my cheek against his hand. My stubble probably scratched his palm, but he didn’t say anything.

“You’d want that?”

I shrugged and said, “Why not? In fact, thinking about it is kinda exciting.”

The fire in Coal’s eyes became more vivid as I spoke, but he still held himself back.

“What about this? We use the traffic light safe words?” I said. Coal raised a brow, obviously confused by what I meant. I thought this was common knowledge even outside of the BDSM community, but apparently not.

I cleared my throat to ease the awkwardness and wondered if it was too late to retract my words now. Coal continued to gaze at me, waiting for an explanation probably, so I could only continue forward. “It’s, uh, safe words people use when they need extra precaution while doing certain things.”

Coal still looked confused, but he finally got the hint a few seconds later as he stared at me with widened eyes. “You mean kink? I didn’t know you were into that,” he said. His voice was deeper than usual, with what I hoped was lust. We haven’t even had sex properly yet, so we were getting way too ahead of ourselves.

“I’ve never tried it, but it looked interesting from the porn vids I’d seen before,” I said with a shrug.

“I haven’t tried it either, but like you said, it does sound interesting,” Coal said in barely a whisper.

“Good, then,” I replied as we both stared at each other in silence. The air sizzled with heat and tension as Coal’s smothering gazes warmed my entire body. I cleared my throat again. “As I was saying, red, yellow, and green. Green means I’m enjoying myself, yellow means slow down a bit, and red means stop. Does that work?”

“Yes.” Coal paused for a second, then said, “But there’s just one thing.”

“What is it?” I asked. I would probably agree with whatever the hell he wanted if it meant getting to experience my first time with him.

He took the box of condoms from my hand. “I can’t catch or pass on any diseases. If we’re going to do this, I don’t want anything to be between us. Is that okay?” he asked shyly.

“Fuck, yes,” I said without hesitation. I took back the box and threw it toward the front of the vehicle. Coal laughed at my actions, but his laughter didn’t last long as I sealed our lips together.

He let out a low groan on contact. His hand cupped my cheek hard as he held my head in place so that he could do as he pleased. I was more than willing to let him have his way, except right now, I was too horny to take things slow.

Undoing my pants, I let my cock free from its restraints. I was so hard, it was uncomfortable. I took myself in hand, thinking that it might just be better to give myself some temporary relief so that Coal could take this as slowly as he wanted.

Coal wrapped his huge hand around mine to stop me. “That’s mine,” he growled against my lips.

I whimpered and squeezed my eyes shut as a thick dribble of precum leaked out. Fuck, that was so hot. If Coal hadn’t squeezed my base so tightly, I would have come just from his words.

I’d always thought of myself as pretty independent. I was my own person and basically only had myself to rely on all my life. If someone had told me that I would like being owned by another person one day, I would have thought that they were crazy. But the idea that Coal might want to own all of me had me almost shooting.

I wanted to be his.

“Yes, take what’s yours,” I said as I released myself. Coal took and held me in his tight hold. He tugged once, teasing me with the pleasure that was sure to come with an orgasm but not letting me achieve it.

I arched into him, hoping to get closer to the release that was so close, but Coal put a stop to it again. He leaned in to bite my lip then whispered, “Let’s go to bed.”

I almost fell onto the ground in my rush to get off his lap and do as he suggested. It was a brilliant idea, the best idea anyone has ever had ever.

Coal chuckled as he watched me fumble to get my pants and shoes off. He looked so calm as he slung his black mesh shirt over his head and undressed, but his burning eyes told me that he was just as worked up as I was.

We rushed to his bed, and in my haste, I forgot something very necessary if we’d planned to go any further than handjobs and blowjobs. “The lube,” I turned and said to Coal. He smiled and held it up in front of me. I was glad that at least one of us was thinking semi clearly.

“In a rush, are we?” he teased.

“Like you’re not?” I said, pushing him on his back and straddling his lap. “I’m gonna have my own fun if we don’t speed this up soon.”

His eyes flashed as he narrowed them. “Don’t you dare,” he said. His hands squeezed my buttcheeks so hard it stung, but the pain only made me shiver in excitement.

I laid a hand over his heart over his mark that symbolized his bravery to overcome all obstacles that stood in his way. It burned under my palm, alive, like he was.

Coal watched with warm eyes as he lay still. I traced the outline of the shape. To me, it looked like a bird ready to take flight and go into battle. The fireballs at its side ready to defeat anything that stood in its way.

My gaze lingered on his mark before meeting his eyes. “You’re mine too. All of you belongs to me. My little ember.”

Coal smiled and pulled me down for a crushing kiss. “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said when we pulled apart for air. “I want you.”

I nodded and let him flip us so that he was above me. Taking the lube, I flipped the lid open and shot him a questioning look. “Should I prep myself?”

“Hell no. That’s my job,” he said, snatching the lube out of my hand. I smiled and lay back down. Coal lifted one of my legs, resting it over his shoulder. He sucked in air as he let out curses under his breath.

“Is everything okay down there?” I asked with amusement. If he didn’t look so worked up, I would have worried.

“No, everything is perfect,” he said as he lubed up his fingers. Coal slowly slipped one finger in, but with my urging, he quickly got me adjusted to two, then three digits.

“I’m ready,” I demanded. I grabbed my knees and spread my legs out in invitation. Coal watched me in a daze for a second, and I smirked at how I was able to affect him.

“Are you sure—”

“Yes,” I said, cutting him off. “I’m done waiting.”

Coal’s Adam’s apple bobbled as he lubed up and positioned himself at my entrance. “Tell me if I’m hurting you,” he said.

“You won’t,” I assured him and pulled him down for another soft kiss. He slowly entered me as he peppered me with tender kisses that distracted me from the tight pinch of his large member intruding.

We both let out tiny sighs when he bottomed out all the way inside of me. My ass muscles worked to understand what this foreign object was, and the action made Coal let out a low groan.

“You feel so good,” he whispered as he peppered kisses all over my skin. I melted under him. We were finally connected in body, and it was everything. “It’s hard to keep the flames at bay.”

“Then don’t,” I whispered against his cheek. “Your flames don’t scare me. I think they’re cute.”

The corner of his mouth tilted up in a small smile like I’d wanted, and I could see him physically try to relax his tense muscles.

“Traffic lights, remember? Green, yellow, red,” he said, and I nodded.

“Green all the way,” I said with a teasing smirk. He returned my smile, then closed his eyes for a brief second. This time, his fire didn’t come from his palm. Instead, I saw tiny sparks flow out from different parts of his skin to form together in a small ember.

It swayed in the air like it was waving at me and was excited to be there. I’d gotten the same sense earlier, that his fire was excited to meet me. It was a ridiculous thought considering fire wasn’t a living object, but his flames felt just as alive as he was.

As if to prove my point, the small ember flicked toward me and gave me a barely there kiss on my skin. Coal watched with furrowed brows. I knew it wouldn’t be easy for him to trust the fire with me so soon, but I would prove to him that he had nothing to worry about.

“Green,” I said with a smile. “But it’ll be yellow if you don’t start moving soon.”

He smiled and pinned my hands over my head. “You have to tell me if it’s too much,” he said.

“I promise. Now hurry up,” I said, wrapping my legs around his waist. He might have my arms pinned but that didn’t mean I was going to just lay there. I had hips for a reason, and I damn well was going to use them.

Coal let out a long moan when I thrusted up to meet him. The small ember burned brighter next to him as the muscles on his neck strained with effort. His free hand landed on my hip and held me in place. I made a dissatisfied sound in my throat, which only made Coal chuckle.

“It’s going to end way too soon if you keep doing that.” He slid his hand up my chest, and his ember followed his movements. Tiny tendrils shot out from its main body to caress my nipples. I gasped at the sensation. It didn’t hurt, but the heat almost burned in such a delicious way. 

The worried look appeared in Coal’s eyes again, but before he could ask, I said, “Still green. In fact, do more of that. I want it all.”

My words seemed to reassure him, and he didn’t seem as tense as before. The ember split into two. I could tell that Coal was trying hard to loosen his control as the flames hovered close enough to my skin that I felt the heat they emitted.

I arched my back, wanting to get a bit closer to the warmth. The fire called to my body, and my skin tingled under their presence. They were a part of Coal, and it felt so right having them here as part of this moment.

The ember moved, and Coal pressed his lips on the area where the flame had been. His lips felt almost cool compared to the heat that was just there, causing me to shiver.

Right at that moment, he canted his hips, giving me one hard thrust in. I cried out at the assault. My nerves were already heightened from the external sensation of his flames, that I wasn’t prepared for how having him move inside of me would feel.

It didn’t matter how much I wanted this to last, I knew it was impossible. I was already too worked up that just the slightest touch could tip me over. And right on cue, one of the small embers moved from my stomach, up my chest to kiss the base of my neck. It made full contact, unlike when it barely caressed my nipples. The pleasant burn was enough to do me in.

“Green! Green! Green!” I screamed as I writhed under Coal’s hold. My orgasm overtook all my senses until I was seeing white, with his flames dancing in the air before my eyes.

Seconds later, something very hot spurted inside of me. The heat had me groaning as my exhausted dick twitched again and leaked out more cum.

Coal fell on top of me as he used his elbows to hold himself up so that he wasn’t crushing me. He was panting hard from his own release. I was glad to see that his fire still floated in the air around us, still a part of the moment. I was also very thankful for Coal’s special fireproof bedding or else this entire night could have turned out entirely different.

“That was out of this world,” Coal said, pressing a soft kiss at the base of my neck exactly at the same spot as his flame had. They were one and the same, and I loved that he didn’t hold himself back in front of me.

I hugged him close. ”We’re totally doing that again,” I said with a laugh. He tucked me in his arms and held me tight. His flames burned hotter as they danced in the air besides us in silent laughter.

TWENTY-ONE

RHETT

The week went by in a dreamlike manner. Every day was filled with joy with Coal by my side. And although we haven’t said those three words yet, I knew he loved me from every single one of his actions. He was always so caring and attentive toward me, and every time he looked at me, the love shone so brightly that he didn’t need to say them for me to know.

I was getting used to the work and was able to get almost everything done in time to have breakfast with Coal and our friends. Drake and Eli were chatting with their heads close together. Brighton was animatedly telling Seven about a new act he’d created and wanted to perform next weekend.

Conall was sitting on one side of me, grumbling about how he was living the roommate-less life again. The smirk he shot Coal and me told me that he was mostly teasing, but I did feel bad for leaving him all alone again, but not enough to leave the cozy home Coal and I had created in his RV.

We’d never discussed it, but I’d moved him with him the night we connected our bodies completely for the first time. I didn’t want to leave the comforts that I found with Coal, and he seemed reluctant to part with me as well, so it worked out for the best. Conall had complained about losing his roommate so soon the entire time I was there to pack my sole suitcase, but he was supportive of my decision to chase my happiness.

As the days passed, I became even more settled at the circus. I turned to Coal, who was sitting on my other side and holding my hand while he ate. He shot me his bright smile when he saw that I was looking at him. Surrounded by the man I’d fallen deeply in love with and all my new friends, I knew that I was home.

By the time I’d been here a week, I’d met everyone who’d traveled with the circus. So when I saw the tall man built like a brick wall walk into the tent, I was curious to know who the stranger was. He looked around for a second, then walked straight to our table. “I’m back, boss. Thanks for covering for me while I was gone.”

Our ringmaster stood when he saw the man and gave him an enthusiastic handshake. “Welcome back, Rok. I hope you had a good vacation.”

“Thank you, I did, but it’s nice to finally be back at home,” the man said with an easy smile. Everyone else at the table stood and gave Rok hugs and welcome back pats.

I stood as well, but I wasn’t really sure what to do considering I’d never seen the man before. Coal gave him a brief pat on the shoulder. Although he was more confident in himself now, he still wasn’t comfortable touching anyone else besides me, and maybe he would never be fully okay with it, and that was fine. He was learning to be comfortable with himself, and that was all that really mattered.

He turned to me before introducing us, “Rok, meet our new chef, Rhett.”

“Don’t forget to mention that he’s your lover as well,” Conall piped in beside us. I shot him a glare, to which he only giggled. Coal gave me a shy smile before taking my hand and pulling me next to him.

“He’s right. Rhett and I are together,” Coal said with confidence. He had his back straight and chest puffed out like being with me was a point of pride for him.

I smiled as I held my hand out to the gigantic man. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Rok studied me for a second. His nostrils flared as he took in a deep breath. His expression morphed into a huge smile as he took my hand in both of his and shook it.

“It’s great to meet you! I’ve heard that your cooking is even better than our old chef’s. Don’t tell her I said that, of course,” he quickly added behind his hand in a mock whisper and a smirk.

I chuckled at his statement. “Well I don’t know about that, but I’m glad everyone is enjoying my food,” I said with my own chest puffed up. I loved getting complimented on my food.

Rok turned to Coal with a raised brow and big smile. ”You found yourself a half-dwarf lover? What a perfect match! Dwarves are known to have great affinity with fire since their kind has worked with it since the age of time.”

I froze. The tent seemed to have fallen silent as my friends’ heads turned to stare at me. I chuckled again. This time, it came out as awkward and forced. “What are you talking about? I’m human. Always have been and always will be.”

The man who’d silenced the entire tent looked at me like I was the one who’d lost my mind. “No? You’re definitely half-dwarf. It’s faint, but I can still smell dwarven blood in you.”

My mouth hung open in shock. Coal squeezed my hand, breaking me out of the daze of thoughts that Rok’s words have evoked. Coal stared at me with his blue eyes filled with worry, and I nodded to him to convey that I was okay.

“Are you sure you’re not mistaken?” I turned back to Rok and asked.

His nostrils flared again, taking another sniff of me, I presumed, then shook his head with finality.

“Nope, there’s no doubt about it. You’re half-dwarf. There was so much bad blood between our species that we orcs inherited the ability to sniff one out from miles away.” He paused, thought for a second, then held both hands out in front of him and shook them. “Of course, I don’t have any problems with dwarves. That’s a centuries-old feud that has nothing to do with me.”

He sounded so sure of himself that I didn’t think he was lying. If what he said was true, then everything I grew up learning was a lie. Finding out that most of my new friends were non-humans was one thing, but learning the same about myself was world-shattering, to say the least.

“Did you know about this?” I turned to the ringmaster and asked.

Seven played with the rim of the top hat that was tucked under his arm before meeting my gaze with a smile. “I had an inkling that you were one of us. I was called to you because I sensed you were lost like so many of us were before. That’s why I placed an ad in the newspaper.”

It took a few seconds for me to process his words, but when I did, my eyes were so wide they almost popped out of my head. “Wait, you mean you placed an ad in the newspaper for me?”

He shot me a knowing smile and said, “Why else? It certainly wasn’t for the humans. Most humans don’t have the capacity to accept things that are different from them, and we can’t risk that. Only those who can be trusted are invited into our family.”

“If you had your suspicions, why didn’t you say anything to me?” I asked. I knew he didn’t owe me anything, but it would have been nice to know something so fundamental about myself.

Seven got a mysterious look in his eyes as he stared in the air past me. “It wasn’t my place to. There is a way to these things.”

It sounded like he was referring to more than the question I’d asked him, but I didn’t push any further. I chalked it up as yet another mystery of our ringmaster. Coal had told me that even after knowing him for years and considering him as one of his best friends, Seven was still a mystery to him as well.

“I feel like I said something I shouldn’t have,” Rok spoke up as he looked between me and the others. The large man looked so panicked as he basically shuffled in place with worry.

I laughed and gave him a pat on the arm. “It’s fine. I’m an orphan so I never knew who my parents were. I guess it’s nice to know a bit of my genetic history.”

A sad smile formed on Rok’s face at my words, and his warm hand landed on my shoulder for a tight squeeze. “I’m sorry to hear that, but you have us now. You’re not an orphan anymore, not when you’re surrounded by family,” he said with a sweeping hand toward everyone in the tent.

I looked around at the laughing faces of people happily eating my food, to my friends who stood beside me with wide smiles, and to the man who made me feel more at home than any place I’d ever existed in before. These people were my family now, and they were the best family I could ask for.

Rok left soon after to make himself a plate and settle in with his friends for breakfast. We returned to our own meal. My friends chatted around me, but I didn’t really engage in the conversation and stared at my food instead.

“Is everything okay?” Coal asked, taking my hand again in his. He liked holding my hand whenever, not that I was complaining. I loved being connected to him. And I didn’t know if he did it on purpose or not but through our connected hands, I could feel the gentle tingle of heat from his source fire.

“Yeah, I think I’m just in shock. That’s a lot to learn about myself, and so unexpectedly too.” I played with Coal’s finger and let the familiar tingles flow from his skin to mine.

“I’m half-dwarf. I guess it finally makes sense why I’m so short,” I said with a chuckle. In fact, a lot of things made sense now. Like the fact that my facial hair grew like weeds overtaking a lawn even though I shaved it every morning. Or why heat never bothered me. Working in the kitchen and with fire had always been comforting. It was in my blood.

It also made sense why I’d never felt like I fit in my town. I’d thought it was because I was gay and there was no place for someone like that in the small town, but maybe it was because a part of me always knew I was different from them. Being different wasn’t a bad thing, that was proven after spending time with everyone at Black Cat Circus. Everyone here was unique in their own way, and it was what made them special.

When I thought like that, the news of my genetic history was easier to accept. I was still me, and finding out this piece of information didn’t change that.

Coal was silent next to me. His palm was out as he let me play with his fingers, but his silence had me worried. Did he mind?

“Do you still like me even after finding out I’m not human?” I worked up the courage to ask, because even if I was okay with this, it would be devastating if he wasn’t.

“You didn’t care what I was, so why would I?” Coal said with a shrug. He turned completely to face me and used his other hand to cup my cheek. I automatically leaned into his palm. “I didn’t fall in love with you because you were human. I fell in love with you because you’re you.”

My mouth hung open again as my heart worked double time inside of my chest. It shouldn’t have been shocking, really, with the way Coal acted toward me, but this was the first time he’d said those words out loud, and after already being blindsided by Rok, Coal’s declaration was a huge shock to my heart.

“You love me?” I gasped out. The fire dancing in his blue eyes told me all I needed to know. He rubbed his thumb over the area under my eye and pressed a soft kiss to my forehead.

“Was there any doubt about that? Every part of me belongs to you, remember? And that includes my heart,” he said when he’d pulled back. He looked at me like I was the only thing he saw.

“I love you too,” I said and crushed our lips together so forcefully that I knocked our foreheads together. I ignored the pain and pressed harder to taste the warmth that I craved. Coal was not at all who I expected to fall in love with. He exceeded every fantasy that I could have dreamed of.

Loud squeaking came from my side as Conall clapped and bounced in his seat. “Aww, you two are so cute! Your love is so beautiful!” he said with shining eyes. In the short time that I’d known him, I’d learned that he was a hopeless romantic, and the biggest cheerleader of all things love.

I pulled back just enough from Coal so that our foreheads were still connected. We laughed as our friends teased us about how mushy we were. I loved how easily they had accepted us together, and even the fact that I wasn’t as human as I’d believed.

Rok had been right. I wasn’t the orphaned boy from some backwards name town anymore. I’d found where I belonged, right beside this man who made my heart dance along with his beautiful fire in our amazing circus of a family.

There wasn’t anywhere else I’d rather be.

TWENTY-TWO

COAL

While Rhett went to cook more food for any late stragglers that came for breakfast, I waited at the table with our friends. We’d finished eating and Conall had left to find his parents, but Drake, Eli, Brighton, and Seven stayed behind chatting.

We were sitting in the same position as we had been the morning our old chef retired. I remembered feeling nothing but unease at all the changes that were happening around me. First Drake falling in love, then our chef leaving and being replaced by a new one. I had no idea what was waiting for me.

I was so afraid of change, of becoming someone who was devoured by my flames, but I came out the other side burning brighter than ever. Change wasn’t the bad thing I’d made it out to be in my mind. It was necessary for growth and for good things to come into our lives. If things had stayed the same, I never would have met Rhett, and that thought was more terrifying than my fear of my flames ever was.

“I have something for you,” Bri said as he scooted closer to me, but never touching me. The sweet boy liked giving out gifts randomly. Perhaps it was an instinctive thing for him, because it reminded me of those birds who left behind gifts when you fed them.

“This is in celebration of you falling in love. I’m so happy for you!” He reached into the back pocket of the baby blue pants he wore today and pulled out something. It was a small, cartoonish looking stuffed figure of a chef holding a flapping chicken upside down by its leg.

“Look, it’s you and Rhett!” he said pointing to the chef and chicken in question. I blinked at him before busting out in laughter. Brighton knew what a Vermilion Bird was, so this had to be his twisted sense of humor.

“If I’m the chicken, does that mean Rhett’s going to pluck all my feathers and eat me?” I asked once the laughter calmed.

“For sure. He’s going to get you naked and gobble you straight down,” Brighton said with a wag of his eyebrow. I didn’t have any feathers, but to a bird shifter like Bri, their feathers were basically their clothes. Theoretically, his logic was sound.

“Thanks, I love it.” I smiled and gave him a quick bump with my shoulder. Rhett was going to be so amused when he saw the doll. I was right when I showed him later that day in our RV.

Today was a rest day before we moved on to our next location, so everyone was resting or out doing whatever they wanted. And when there was free time, there was nothing I wanted more than to spend it alone with Rhett.

He took hold of the doll and studied it as I told him what Brighton had said about gobbling me up. Rhett looked up at me with a devious glint in his eyes. He placed the doll carefully on the couch before stepping close to me and pulling me down for a kiss.

“Bri wasn’t wrong. That’s exactly what I intend to do now, and for the rest of our lives,” he said breathlessly. I was instantly on him, touching him everywhere as I pulled our clothes off.

We quickly moved to our bed, and Rhett had me on my back as he straddled my legs.

My cock was already standing up hard and tall for him, and a dribble of precum slipped out of the head when he gave me a slow stroke and squeezed my base. He lubed me up and quickly lifted his hips to sit on my dick. Rhett was still so stretched from our lovemaking this morning that I slipped in easily.

We both moaned when he was fully seated. My fingers dug into his thighs as I tried to control my fire. Over the past week, Rhett had worked to help me gain confidence in my control, but it wasn’t easy to erase all the doubts.

“Let go,” he whispered as he leaned down to give me a sweet kiss.

“Traffic lights?” I asked, and he nodded.

“You won’t hurt me, Coal. Trust in yourself like how I trust you,” he said as he started rocking his hips in a way that drove me mad. I wanted to always be the man that he saw. Strong. Brave. A fighter. I wouldn’t let him or myself down.

My gaze never left him as he moved above me in a sensual dance. Slowly, I relinquished the strict control over my core. My fire quickly slipped through my skin and excitedly bounced in the air, eager to see Rhett again.

With his encouragement, I let go more, and unlocked even more of the chains that bound my core until every single last one of them was torn down. There was a tiny part of me that waited for the worst to happen, but Rhett’s gentle touch grounded me and brought me back to myself.

Rhett turned to face the ember. His hips didn’t stop as he stretched his hand out to it. I nervously watched as my fire happily teased his palm. Rhett must have known how anxious I was whenever the fire touched him because he turned to me. “Green. With you, it’s always green,” he said with a smile.

Rhett was right. I would never hurt him and neither would my fire. He called to every part of me, even my fire. We loved him as fiercely as we burned, and nothing would change that.

I relaxed under him and thrusted my hips up and hard inside of him. Rhett tilted his head back as he let out a sexy moan. My fire kissed the back of his hand and traveled the length of his arm, leaving barely there caresses that only served to work Rhett up more. His moans came out louder as the small ember moved to his neck and down his body to where his thigh connected with mine.

It returned to my body for a brief second before dancing in the air around us like a warm hug. Every time I had sex with Rhett, I felt connected with him in the most intimate way, but when I let my fire out during the act, it was an explosion of emotions. Our souls danced together in a way that shouldn’t have been possible but was as real as this moment now.

Rhett rocked harder, and I angled my hips to hit that perfect spot inside of him. He became antsy the way he did when release was close. I wanted to see him come apart, come alive for me, so I grabbed his leaking dick and gave one last hard thrust up.

His screams were almost deafening as he shot all over my hand. His sparkling green eyes stayed on me through his orgasm, locking our souls together, and bringing me to my own release.

Rhett collapsed on top of me. His head rested in the nook of my neck as he breathed in deeply. I hugged him tight against my chest. It always amazed me how perfectly he fit in my arms. It was like this was exactly where he was meant to be.

Unlike the previous times after sex where I would slowly start relocking the chains around my core, this time I left it completely free. My fire floated beside us, calming down, and almost in a lazy manner. It also seemed drained from the intense orgasm.

I chuckled at that thought. How I ever thought these flames that seemed to be so full of emotion were scary, I couldn’t remember. It was hard to see them as myself when I’d fought against it most of my life, but I was done rejecting it. I was at peace with myself.

I was exactly the man Rhett thought I was. With Rhett by my side, I knew that I was capable of anything. The world might have rejected us, but we carved a place for ourselves within it. We didn’t need everyone to accept us. It was enough to have that one person who made you feel special, loved, and cared for. And for me, that was Rhett.

Pressing my nose into his soft hair, I whispered, ”I love you.” Ever since the first time I’d told him those words, it was like the dam had broken, and I couldn’t keep the words out of my mouth. I wanted to tell Rhett I loved him every chance I got.

Rhett pulled back and steadied himself on his elbows. His eyes were filled with so much emotion, so much love that I felt it caress my skin like a warm embrace.

“I love you too. I didn’t know what to expect joining the circus, but I know now that I’m exactly where I should be. I was led here to meet you,” Rhett said before leaning down for a kiss.

When our lips met, everything in the world was perfect. Nothing existed but him, me, and my fire that burned hotter than I’d ever felt it before, and yet I still survived. And I would continue to dominate the fire inside of me for the sake of Rhett’s and my future. Compared to that, fighting something like a little flame didn’t seem scary at all.

Rhett snuggled back against me. His arms wrapped around my middle, claiming me, owning me, and I happily basked in his warmth. In a short amount of time, Rhett had come to mean the world to me. I didn’t expect him, but was so fucking thankful that fate had brought him to me.

He was my love.

My home.

My everything.

EPILOGUE

RHETT

Three months later

Traveling with Coal and the circus was even better than I’d imagined. I knew that Kither Springs was very limited compared to the rest of the world, but I hadn’t known the extent of it until I had explored it for myself.

The other parts of California were like a completely different world from the town I was from. People were so open, so accepting of those who were different that I was almost shocked the first time I saw a woman wearing nothing but her bra and a tutu in one of the downtown areas we’d visited. She looked fantastic, but the locals in my town would have shamed her for showing so much skin in such a public space. Sure, some of the circus performers showed skin during the show, but that was kinda expected in the circus.

It wasn’t just the culture shock of the different cities but also the beauty of the world that amazed me. During our rest days, Coal would take me out to explore. We’d visit the nearest town sometimes, but we’d mostly find places in nature to visit. Coal didn’t feel very comfortable in crowded areas, and I was happy as long as I was with him.

It was nice being out in nature and seeing the beauty that the world had to offer us. We’d hiked small mountains, swam in natural pools, and watched the sun descend over an ocean of golden fields.

I was learning and growing every single day, changing into someone who was more than just a small town boy. And honestly, I was having the time of my life while doing so. However, my thoughts kept turning back to the small town I’d lived in for most of my life and to a certain someone.

Hector had checked in with me often through text and we’d video call every so often as well, but I still hadn’t told him about Coal. I wasn’t ashamed to be with Coal and I wanted nothing more than to puff out my chest and show the world that he was mine, but it was a bit more complicated than that.

Before joining the circus, Hector was the only person who was like family to me. He was the only one who gave a damn about the weird little orphaned kid and had brought me under his metaphorical wing—or at least I didn’t think he had wings. Now that I was living amongst magical creatures, I couldn’t know for certain unless I asked.

Hector was someone important to me, and I didn’t know what I’d do if he rejected me because of my sexuality. And the fear of rejection was the very reason I’d never worked up the nerve to tell him.

The problem was that I didn’t want to keep Coal a secret from Hector. Coal and I had talked about having a future together. I wasn’t sure if we’d ever get married since it wasn’t really a thing in Coal’s world, and honestly, marriage wasn’t all that important to me—a legal paper wasn’t going to make our love any more real than it already was—but we both knew this was it. We were so obviously meant for each other.

Hector and I had scheduled another video call for tonight, and my stomach was rolling as it got closer to the scheduled time. I fiddled with my phone, staring at the clock as the seconds ticked by. He was going to call any minute now, and I didn’t want to have to go through another catch-up session and not tell him about the biggest, most important change in my life.

Coal placed his hand over mine, stopping my twitchy movements. “It’s going to be okay. You don’t have to tell him if you’re not ready,” he said.

I loved how patient Coal was with me. He never pushed me and always supported my decisions. I leaned in for a sweet kiss. “No, I’m going to tell him.” He was willing to wait, but I wasn’t. Not anymore. I didn’t want to hide Coal from anyone.

The buzzing phone had me jumping in my seat and almost knocking it over. Thankfully, Coal grabbed it before it fell to the floor. He placed it in my hand, and I sucked in a deep breath before turning to him. “Ready or not,” I said more to myself than him.

“You can do this,” Coal said, encouraging me. I smiled back at him and nodded. If Hector had a problem with me being with a man, then that was on him. I couldn’t change who I was. But at least I knew that whatever the outcome would be, Coal would be by my side through it all.

Angling the phone so that the camera would only capture me in its frame, I pressed the accept button. “Hey, Hector. How’s it going?” I said once the screen lit up.

Hector looked the same with his facial expressions that were forever frozen in a grouchy frown. If I hadn’t known what a giant teddy bear he was, I would have been very intimidated.

“Hey, kid. Same ol’, same ol’. How have you been?” Hector put on his reading glasses and pulled the phone closer to him. He’d told me before that he wore the glasses to see me better through the tiny screen.

“Everything’s great! We just settled into the new location today. It’s a bit hotter here, but the area is a lot more populated than back home,” I said, even though that place didn’t really feel like home anymore. My home was with Coal here at the circus.

“But actually, there is something I want to tell you,” I said and paused as I shot a covert glance at Coal. His warm hand on my thigh gave me courage to continue. “I met someone.”

I watched Hector’s expression turn from shock into delight. I prayed that his smile didn’t disappear after I confessed who that someone was.

“Oh, wow. This is a bit unexpected, but I’m happy for you. Who is she?” Of course he would think the person was a woman. Why wouldn’t he when I’d never given him a hint that I was into men.

“Actually, it’s a man,” I blurted out. Better to rip off the Band-Aid, right?

“Oh,” was all Hector replied. His smile had turned into shock, then into his usual scowl. This time, I couldn’t tell if it was a good scowl or bad.

“Say something,” I said. I wasn’t above begging if it meant I could get him to accept me for loving a man.

He thought for a second, studying me, before saying, “Does he make you happy?”

“Yes, the happiest. He makes me feel like I finally belong,” I replied honestly. I prayed that all his following questions were also this simple.

“Then that’s all that matters,” he said with a huge smile.

My mouth hung open. I was glad that he was accepting this, but I wasn’t expecting him to accept it so easily. “That’s all?”

“What? Were you expecting some kind of lecture or something?” Hector said as a small smirk appeared on his face.

“Well, no, but I thought you’d have some reservations about me being with a man. It’s not normal,” I said, almost gritting out those words. It was a phrase I’d heard a lot in my hometown. It wasn’t hard to imagine what the folks in Kither Springs would have thought about my sexuality. I didn’t give a fuck what they considered normal or not, but I sure as hell cared about Hector’s opinion.

Hector shrugged. “Who decides what’s normal? If we all do things that are out of the norm, then that will become the new normal. And honestly, I could care less what parts your partner has. All I care about is that they treat you right and make you happy, because that’s what you deserve, kid.”

Tears blurred my vision of the man who had accepted me even when I wasn’t considered normal for our town. I tried telling myself that it wouldn’t matter if he rejected this part of me, but in reality, it mattered a shit fuck ton. Now that he accepted me having a boyfriend, I didn’t have to worry about the possibility of losing him from my life.

Sniffling, I wiped the tear that escaped and shot him a million watt smile. “Would you like to meet him?” I asked.

“You mean he’s there now?” Hector replied. His eyes widened comically behind his glasses.

I turned the phone a little so that Coal was also in the frame. He gave a small wave to the screen. “It’s nice to meet you. Rhett has told me so much about you. I’m Coal.”

Hector narrowed his eyes, probably studying Coal. I didn’t blame him. When Coal wasn’t smiling, he had a resting bitch face that was almost as grumpy as Hector’s.

“And I know nothing about you. I assumed you heard what I told Rhett? You better treat him right, you hear? I’ll be watching,” Hector said. He used his threatening tone, the one he reserved for the drunks who’d wandered into the diner in the middle of the night.

Coal sat straight up as he answered seriously, “I will. There’s nothing more important to me than Rhett, and I plan to treasure him for the rest of my life.”

Hector stared him down, and I could see Coal fidgeting under his gaze. I chuckled, which only made Coal turn to me with a small pout.

“Good. I hope to meet you the next time the circus is in town. It’ll be nice to see you again too, kid,” Hector said, his voice softening. I read between the lines to all the words he wasn’t saying.

“I miss you too,” I said, and he broke out in a toothy smile. “We’ll definitely make sure to visit you the next time we’re in town. You and Coal can really get to know each other then, isn’t that right?” I said.

The thought of the two most important men in my life meeting had me giddy with excitement. Then the image of these two stoic men awkwardly staring at each other, trying to make conversation appeared in my mind, and I burst out in laughter.

They both looked at me like I’d lost my mind. Seeing their almost identical expressions had me laughing even harder. I’d always heard that people tended to fall in love with someone who resembled their parents. And while it was very disturbing to think of falling in love with someone like Hector when I’d considered him someone like a father, I couldn’t deny that he and Coal shared some similarities. They were both the silent, scary looking, broody types, but they had hearts of gold.

As they watched me with concern apparent in their gazes, I was struck with how freaking lucky I was to have them both of them caring for me and having my back. They played very different roles to me—one a father figure and the other the love of my life—but they were both very important.

With them cheering me on, I could take on whatever the future threw my way, because I knew that they would always be there for me.

We chatted with Hector for a bit longer before hanging up. I placed the phone on the table and climbed onto Coal’s lap. “I love you,” I whispered against his lips.

The brilliant smile that was becoming more common these days lit up his face. Small embers suddenly appeared in the air around. Coal didn’t hold back his fire anymore when we were alone, and I fucking loved it.

“I love you too,” he kissed me, and everything slotted in place.

I knew without a single doubt that this was exactly where I was meant to be.

I was home.

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Want more of Drake, Brighton, and Seven? Experience their HEAs in the Black Cat Circus Series!

If you want to see Hector get his second chance at love, join my newsletter to be the first to find out when his book releases! Sign up here or scan the QR Code below.

LETTER FROM RYE

Thank you so much for picking up The Firedancer. This is my first paranormal romance book, and I hope I was able to do it justice. I love that I was able to share a bit about the mythical creatures I heard stories about growing up.

Coal and Rhett were so fun to write, so I hope enjoyed their love story! If you did, please consider leaving a review. It really helps authors out. I can’t wait to see you in the next book! <3

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ALSO BY RYE COX

Corio Heights Series:

The New Neighbor

The Flirty Neighbor

The Forever Neighbor

The Hideaway Neighbor

The Cocky Neighbor

Doves of Destiny Series:

The Holiday Disaster

The Holiday Boyfriend

Standalones:

The Firedancer

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rye is an M/M Romance author who is a romantic at heart. She believes that love conquers all, and that's why her stories are guaranteed to always have an HEA. When she's not writing, she escapes to the world of books or daydreams about becoming a future cat lady.

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