Page 12 of Hunger & Harmony

Just as I swallow the last one down, my work phone rings.

“Yes, Lorelai?”

“Grab Selene a drink on the way to the meeting.”

“Roger that.”

“Hurry up, we’re starting early.”

The line goes dead, and I notice I should still have ten minutes left of my break. Oh well. Better than accounting classes.

After saying goodbye to Jamie, I hurry to the elevators. I grab a Type A pouch on the way and make it to the rehearsal studio as fast as humanly possible.

Lorelai wasn’t kidding. I tiptoe straight into an active meeting, catching multiple glares and one fanged grin from Ezren as I deliver Selene her drink. All I’m focused on is avoiding Niko’s eyes and fading into the back of the room.

There are at least a dozen people here I don’t recognize. I can’t even get my previous spot on the couch. The back wall will have to do.

“We’re one sunset away from opening night,” Selene says as she pokes the straw into her pouch. “We’ve only toured twice, and the last was years ago.”

“We’re rusty,” Ezren snickers.

“This is our weaker spot,” she says, tossing him a look before she continues. “I’m not worried about the grueling schedule. It’s that this is our first time touring without glamours.”

“Seven stops across Aurea all know that vampires are coming,” Niko says, his velvet-smoke voice tingling in my ears. “Of course, we’ll be traveling by bus to avoid the chaos of airports.”

I sneak a glance at him. Unlike yesterday, this outfit is modest. How a fitted black shirt and gray jeans are even more enticing is beyond me. His hair is pushed back by a headband, too, and he looks so casual, I can almost believe he’s just a normal rockstar.

What am I thinking? Not only is he the furthest thing from normal, he literally is the frontman of a rock band. My least favorite!

The discussion fades into the background as I watch him. I can’t help it, acting no better than a schoolgirl staring at her first crush. Should I be paying attention? Taking notes? I can’t remember to care as I take mental screenshots of his perfectly broad shoulders filling out the t-shirt, and the quiet authority in his burgundy eyes.

He frowns a lot. Not once have I seen him smile. The strange tension from yesterday is gone; his demeanor is still intense but relaxed. It’s like I’m not even here. Was last night just a dream, then?

My eyes trace his body, shifting my focus to the sole tattoo etched onto his wiry forearm. I can’t tell what it is, but only having one is nothing compared to Ezren and Selene. I stuff down my wondering if he has tattoos elsewhere.

A single note rings through the room and snaps me back to my senses.

“Sancte Noctis is the final stop,” Niko says, as Cass and another crew member gear the band up. The crimson guitar settles into Niko’s hands effortlessly, and a mic is positioned in front of him.

I go through my mental files to remember what Sancte Noctis is. Only vague mentions of a veiled city run by vampires comes to mind.

“Don’t think for a moment the Court won’t politicize it.”

“The Midnight Court watches His Majesty closely,” Selene says, voice low. “While this matter shouldn’t, it does involve anyone working for Arteria. If you fear the road ahead, mortal or not, now is your last chance to bow out.”

I suppress a shiver and glance around at all the strangers with clenched fists and determined expressions. Am I the only one who doesn’t understand? Should I think twice about my new job position?

That would defeat the purpose of everything I’ve done. Even Viola. I’m not tucking my tail and running back to my parents. This is my one shot, and I even dropped out for this opportunity. If I give up, who knows when I’ll next be allowed on my own. It’s do or die . . .

Just hopefully not literally.

“Everyone in agreement?” Selene looks us each in the eye. “Good. Let’s run through some verses.”

Lights dim. Voices hush. Before my brain can catch up, the first note drips from his throat like red wine.

Husky, evocative, but soft, Niko’s voice curls through the room like an unrelenting spell. Even his bandmates go still as he starts.

Hands kept behind my back,