The bargain was even starting to mess with her.On the first day of the tour, the heels of her thigh-high boots snapped off.Within a week, her hair was going brittle and frizzy from the hard water at hotels’ and venues’ showers, and she was somehow losing clothes.She had to keep sifting back to Hell to get new ones or borrowing something from one of the guys.And when she could find her outfits, they were all wrinkled or stained or had mysterious holes.
The tour bus was always too cold—not that the guys noticed—no matter how often she adjusted the air conditioning.She considered sifting to Hell to sleep, but it’d be too complicated to lie about where she was to the band, and she couldn’t use her demon magic to keep her warm because every spare drop was funneled between her and Remi’s shadow soul, her thinking being that maybe it would help solidify the connection.She woke up shivering on her bunk bed most nights.
Despite the pesky personal issues and the constant vigilance of trying to prevent disaster, she didn’t hate managing Tilted Haze.She didn’t even hate living on a cramped tour bus with four smelly human guys.
In fact, a vitality ran through her each day that was addicting.Every new challenge frustrated and thrilled her in equal measure.She also took immense pleasure in messing with Remi.He just made it so easy.
Like when she complained about her missing clothes or her broken heels, Liam and Ollie consoled her, and West even bought her a new pair of boots.
Oh,thatpissed Remi off so much.It was glorious.She delighted in his misery.
Still, messing with him would be more fun if she wasn’t keeping the tour from falling apart by a thread.She had to do something to fix it soon.She just didn’t know what.
“Three sets of stage lights broke in the cargo truck,” a roadie said as they sprinted up to her.Skye turned on her heel, rerouting her destination from the back office.
“Skye, none of the credit card machines are working, but the internet isn’t down or anything.It’s like a software malfunction,” her merch girl Amanda said.
Skye rubbed a hand over her forehead, wondering how many wrinkles she’d get after this tour was over.
If you don’t fix this shit, your lack of wings will be a bigger deal than a few wrinkles.
“Alright.”She pointed to the roadie.“Tell Steve that he needs to use the house lights.It’s not ideal, but doors don’t open for another three hours.He has time to get new transitions set up.”
The roadie nodded and dashed away.
Skye turned and waved a hand so Amanda would follow her to the back office.
“I spoke to the venue manager about the problem,” Amanda said.“He offered to let his people run the table.”
Skye scoffed.“No fucking way.”The venue would take a forty percent cut, and there was no telling if they’d actually be truthful about what they earned that night.The merch table was one of the only opportunities bands had to make a profit without middle managers getting their grubby hands on it.
Skye searched the office area, the cabinets, the drawers, and then finally found a metal box.“We’re going old school.Cash box for the night.Get a sign that says ten percent off if they use cash.”
Amanda nodded.“There’s an ATM outside too.”
Skye worried her lip.That was good, but if everyone hustled to the ATM, it would be a clusterfuck.“I’ll set up accounts for every peer-to-peer cash transfer app too.”
Amanda gave her a thumbs-up and sprinted off.Skye was fortunate that the bargain breaking down had really weeded out all the shitty crew members on the first week of the tour.
Skye tapped on her tablet and started checking their email while walking toward the stage to make sure nothing else had broken in the cargo trucks.
A burst of flames sizzled behind her before she left.
“Hi, sweetie,” Zara said, kissing her temple.“How’s working for a living treating you?”
Skye rolled her eyes and marched out of the office.Zara easily kept up with her.“It’s fine.”
“Have you fucked that pretty singer yet?”Zara teased.
“No,” Skye said.“I told you it’s not like that, and I have bigger problems to deal with.”
“Such as?”
“The lights are broken, the credit card machines have a software issue, my hair feels like straw, and the fucking bargain is still deteriorating, so I better figure out how to sew up the wing holes in my clothes since I won’t have any fucking wings to go through them.”
Zara curled her lip.“You could just use magic to sew the—oh.Right.You couldn’t.”
Skye made a frustrated noise in the back of her throat.The stage layout was off.Everything was out of place.It was a mess.Like a drunken buffoon did it.
