Dorian grunts. “Can be. People go a little crazy, especially when we’re on tour. I guess they’re going extra nuts because we’re not here for long.”
“At least it wasn’t a rainstorm this time.”
He wraps his arms around me tight, despite us both being sweaty messes. “This was supposed to be cute and romantic. To make up for everything that’s come before today.”
“Dorian—”
I don’t get to finish the sentence because there’s someone else at the end of the alley. Watching us. Taking photos with their phone out.
It’s a young girl who calls out, “Hey, it’s Dorian! Can I have your autograph?”
“No you fucking cannot,” Dorian mumbles, shifting our bodies so he’s shielding me from view. “How the hell are they finding us wherever we go?”
I let out a sigh. “We should get back to the arena, anyway,” I say. Then, going up on my tiptoes, I grab his face so I can pull him down into another kiss.
“This was a perfect date. Before the fans descended, anyway.” I pepper kisses to his lips, his cheeks, his jaw. “And I had an amazing time with you.”
He frowns down at me. “You’re not just saying that?”
“Definitely not. This was fun. Informative. Interesting. And I got to spend time with you.”
His beam hits me in the gut and makes it hard to breathe, especially when he pulls off his shades and stares down at me with something like wonder in his expression.
“Fuck, you’re sweet.” He presses his lips to mine. “And I’m lucky as hell.”
“Don’t you forget it, sugarplum. Now, we should get back. We’ve got a gig to prepare for.”
Chapter 30
Sin
It’s finally here.
Gig time.
The air is electric as the audience filters in. Right now, I’m not even influencing them. This is all their own anticipation and excitement.
Just for tonight, all that matters is the music and the way it makes them feel.
I stand in the lighting booth, my eyes focused on the stage as seventy drone-like machines take to the air.
The stage darkens, and there’s a chorus of screams from the crowd. Then a slow, heady drumbeat fills the air. I strain my eyes, trying to make Cal out on the stage, but it’s so dark he’s totally invisible.
Then a spotlight darts across the stage, flashing over Cal’s face, and the crowd let out a roar. The light sweeps in a jagged trail to the other side of the stage, teasing the audience. It then retraces the same route, this time landing on Iri’s face, resulting in another set of deafening cheers and whistles.
It’s a slow buildup, and the audience seems to fucking love it.
I do too. I’m sweating already and my heart is pounding as I clutch the control panel in front of me.
The light follows another darted pattern across the stage, revealing Dorian. And then the full stage lights flip on as Micah appears in front of the microphone.
I don’t know about the audience, but I have to hold myself back from screaming in excitement.
My first creations are at work before the first note hits. The air fills with what look like thousands of lotus flowers, which slowly cascade down from the sky, causing the crowd to go insane. When the flowers reach them, they dissolve, dosing them with ten seconds of sheer bliss.
I count to ten, and the first song kicks off with no introduction from the band. It’s fast and heavy and I can feel the sound of it right down to my bones.
The band is all now visible and they look insanely good.
