The vampires were actually terrified. The big, bad mobsters whimpered and held each other, unsure of what was going on. When they realized that the sunlight didn’t burn their skin, and that the animals weren’t real, they got excited. They started pointing out the different animals and whispering to each other, clapping when the lion roared or the elephants started trumpeting.
Salvatore Bianchi looked hideously greedy as he stared at Kallie below. I’d been watching him this whole time, and he’d appeared bored during Marcus’ act, but he was definitely excited when Kallie showed off what she could do. He knew that kind of illusion power could be useful to him.
He’d never touch Kallie. Not so long as I was breathing.
Kallie made the illusion fade so we were back under the big top again, then slid off the elephant’s back. All of her elephants turned into purple sparks that dazzled upward, and she gave a performative curtsy. The applause for her act was even louder than Marcus’ dive.
“And now, the Amazing Alistair will perform one of his incredible card tricks!” Ivy announced, and Kallie ran out of the arena.
Alistair stepped into the ring and began shuffling cards. “Pick a card, any card! You, sir. How about you? Take a card, and I will guess what it is with myamazingmind-reading abilities!”
“BOO!” the crowd yelled, giving him a collective thumbs-down. Clearly, this wasn’t impressive enough for them.
“Who are you booing at?” Alistair demanded, whirling on one of the nearest vampires. “You want a show, I’ll give you a show!”
Alistair tossed his deck of cards aside, and they rained down around him. He lifted his hands, and two vampires stood to faceeach other. He’d gotten into their heads and was puppeteering them around, like he had when he killed Professor Mazur. The vampires both threw a punch, and they socked each other in the nose at the same time. A thunderousboomsounded through the tent as their marble-like skin connected.
The other vampires roared in laughter. He was getting a rise out of the crowd, that was for certain.
“IS MY ACT BORING NOW?!” Alistair raged.
Ivy quickly rushed in front of him, before he could get us into any real trouble. “And that’s it for the Amazing Alistair!”
Alistair grumbled and stomped out of the ring. “Boring, my ass. I’ll show youboring.” His puppeteering magic fell flat, and the vampires who’d punched each other sat back down, holding their noses. Danny and Chancey hurried to set up the next act.
Ivy’s gave a flourish of their hand. “Now, undoubtedly, the best part of any circus— or the worst, depending on who you’re talking to— the motherfucking clowns!”
The spotlight centered on Oberi as he entered the big top in his husky form. I couldn’t resist giving a wide smile and a little squeal. Oberi looked so lovable. We’d fitted a red nose onto him and painted his face to look like a clown. He had a big polka-dot bow attached to his collar and a multi-colored skirt. I seriously couldn’t handle the cuteness.
Oberi pushed a baby carriage into the center of the arena, and Rishi popped his head out. Rishi wore a jester’s hat with jingly bells and a ruffled collar with pom-poms attached. I honestly couldn’t tell who was more endearing.
The crowdawedat how cute they were. Well, what do you know. Even vampiric mobsters had a soft spot for adorable animals.
Even so, I saw Ivy shiver. They’d made it very fucking clear before we started planning this circus that theyhatedclowns. We’d insisted no circus was complete without them, and Ivyhad compromised by putting the animal companions in clown costumes, but they’d certainly complained about it all the way.
“Watch, laugh, and applaud as our…ugh…clowns perform ploys for your amusement,” Ivy grumbled.
The band switched up the music to a comedic tune. Rishi hopped onto Oberi’s back and rode him like a horse as Oberi raced up and down a seesaw and through a tunnel. Oberi climbed into a tiny toddler bike, his front legs hanging off the handlebars, and pedaled with his back paws while Rishi stood on his head and meowed. The crowd laughed along, enjoying the games. When he got to the other side of the arena, Oberi got off the bike and jumped on a trampoline. Rishi followed him, giving yowls as the husky bounced him high into the air.
This is quite fun. I enjoy the circus life,Oberi said as he catapulted Rishi across the arena. Rishi landed on a separate trampoline and started bouncing back and forth between the two.
Maybe when the war’s done, we’ll take the act on the road,Charlie replied sarcastically on the ground.
Oh, wouldn’t that be a delight!Oberi said, thinking he was serious. He and Rishi balanced on balls and rolled them carefully to a high platform in the middle of the arena. Rishi climbed up the ladder that was on the platform, then jumped through a hoop Oberi held at the bottom.
As Oberi and Rishi kept the crowd busy, I surveyed the audience. The underbosses, along with the rest of the mobsters, still seemed fully enthralled in the circus. I noticed Salvatore had ducked out for a moment— concerning— but he came back to his seat and watched Rishi perform his tricks with a raised lip of disgust. Guess he wasn’t a fan of clowns, either. Below, Marcus moved different platforms and stands for Oberi and Rishi to use, but his brow was furrowed in concentration.
“Marcus, how’s it going?” I whispered into my earpiece.
“I’ve scanned about half of them,” he hushed back. “I’ve got some of what we need, but you need to buy me more time.”
The circus still had a few more acts. I hoped Marcus could finish up before then.
Oberi and Rishi finished off their act elaborately. Rishi scaled across the tightrope upside down, clinging to it and scampering across before dropping and allowing Oberi to catch him. Oberi jumped up, and Rishi landed perfectly on his back. Oberi’s tail wagged a mile a minute as he and Rishi took their bows.
You’re up, pidge,Charlie said.
Salvatore was starting to look impatient, and we couldn’t have that. I needed to make sure his eyes were on me. Otherwise, there was a possibility he’d figure out what Marcus was doing, and I wasn’t going to let that happen.
