Dark Temptations Volume I: A Collection of short stories Read online

  Contents

  Preface

  Her Freaks

  The Oasis

  Circus Saves Christmas

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Epilogue

  Under The Stars

  The Wild Boys

  A Wild Ride

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Mother Hen

  ONE NIGHT ONLY

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  About the Authors

  Dark Temptations (Volume One, Short Stories)

  This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to places, events or real people are entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2019 K.A. Knight & Erin O’Kane, all rights reserved.

  Written by K.A Knight & Erin O’Kane

  Edited By Jess from Elemental Editing and Proofreading, & Kaila Duff

  Formatted by Kaila Duff of Duffette Literary Services

  Erin, thanks for making me write all the dirty scenes.

  To coffee, without you, this book would not be possible.

  On a serious note, thank you to everyone who supported us in writing this book.

  Preface

  Please note:

  Circus Saves Christmas was previously published as a bonus novella and One Night Only was featured in Valentines Between The Sheets.

  Her Freaks

  The Oasis

  Set days after the end of Circus Save Me

  Rhea

  The gentle swaying of the caravan has most of us drifting off to sleep under the heat of the midday sun, but not me. My eyes are trained on Nixon, watching the soft rise and fall of his chest as he dozes against the fabric wall of the caravan. It’s been four days since Esme and Rodger were killed, and we found that Nixon wasn’t dead like we believed him to be. I almost can’t believe we found him. It feels like a dream, and I’m unable to take my eyes off him in case I was right and I wake up, only to find that he was dead. Jesse and some of the other crew are in the caravan with us, resting before we reach our next destination. I thought it was too soon to put on a show again after our recent losses, especially with Nixon and Fluffy still healing, but Alcide was firm.

  “This is all we know, Rhea. It will help everyone if we can just move on, business as usual.”

  His words float through my head as I remember the fight. The joy and fear I felt over Nixon being alive, the gut-wrenching guilt that we had left him behind, and then the pain of Esme’s death. Sure, Esme and I never got on, she betrayed us, but in the end she put her family first and paid the ultimate price. Some of the crew hadn’t wanted to have a funeral for her, but Alcide had insisted. It wasn’t much, we didn’t even have coffins for her or Rodger’s bodies, but we couldn’t just leave them. We left soon after burying them, not wanting to risk being attacked by more hunters, especially when we are still weak and recovering from the fight.

  The caravan jolts and my eyes flick to Jessie, the youngest of my guys, and I feel a soft smile spread across my lips as I watch him sleep, but it’s not long until my eyes flick back to Nixon. I have been more protective of everyone since the fight, which I guess is to be expected, but more so with Nix. A building sense of panic rises in me if I am away from him for long, my overactive imagination telling me that something bad has happened to him again. I feel the now familiar tightness of a panic attack coming over me, and I start trying to calm my breathing like Rex taught me.

  I’m not there, that is the past, I am in the present, Nixon is here, and everyone is safe.

  I repeat the mantra, breathing in through my nose and releasing the breath through my mouth, feeling the panic recede. Movement catches my eye and when I follow it, I see Nixon watching me, his dark, intense eyes locked on me.

  Nixon is my silent, gentle giant. Many people are afraid of him, only seeing his large exterior, not getting to know the sweet person that he really is. Everyone thinks that Nixon’s power is his strength, but he knows things, things that no one should know. Thanks to his past he doesn’t talk much, but when he does, you would be foolish not to listen, and right now, he is looking at me like he knows exactly what’s on my mind.

  Opening his arms, he gestures towards me and I fall into his embrace, not realising how much I needed this until he offered it. Settling in his lap with his large arms around me feels like home, his woodsy scent wrapping around me and calming that little piece of me that still feels like this is all a dream.

  “You okay?” His voice is deep and sends a little thrill through me whenever I hear it. I turn my face up to meet his knowing gaze and smile at him.

  “I am now.” His expression softens at my words, his hand rubbing gentle circles against my back. A feeling of contentment runs through me and I lean my head against his chest. “Things have just been so crazy lately, it all feels like a dream. I know we had to move on quickly to make sure no one else was after us, but I would have liked to spend some more time with you…” My words trail off, exhaustion settling over me now that I feel safe, and I can feel my eyelids drooping, the gentle rocking of the caravan making me sleepy.

  “Sleep, Rhea.” Nixon’s soft words are the last thing I hear before I fall asleep in his arms.

  The first thing I realise before I’ve even opened my eyes is that we have stopped moving, and as I peel them open, I see I’m alone in the caravan. Sitting up with a frown, I rub my hands against my face to help wake me up. My back is stiff and I groan as I stand, stretching my body like a cat. That thought reminds me, I must check on Fluffy to see how he’s doing. The big cat is still recovering from the wounds he sustained protecting us. Some people say our animals are just that, but they are wrong. All of the creatures in the circus are special, the intelligence in their eyes is obvious to see, and they were changed just as much by the radiation from the war as we have been.

  Glancing down at my outfit, I ensure that everything is in place before stepping out of the caravan. My loose dress matches my hair—bright red at the top, and shifting to orange then yellow. Back in Cinders, this would have been considered a luxury, but here in the circus, it’s considered simple compared to our stage clothing, and the loose style allows me to move freely, keeping me cool on the road.

  Shielding my eyes against the bright sun, I look around to see where we have stopped. We seem to be in a small town, but there is a difference here and I can’t quite put my finger on it. Turning in a circle, I look around me, trying to work it out. We are just inside the gates of the town, although the town wall only comes up to my hip, so the gates are only decorative. The houses are small and built in the same style as all of the buildings in this part of the world—white walls and straw roofs, with narrow alleys in between the houses, leading to a bustling marketplace. That’s when I realise it’s quiet here, and I can only hear the distant sounds of the market and the laughter of playing children. Looking around, I can’t see a single beggar, and people walking past us have smiles on their faces.

  A shadow falls over me and I can’t help but grin, knowing only one person who can completely block out the sun. Turning, my smile widens as Nixon takes a step closer towards me. For such a big guy he is silent on his feet, but even he can’t defy the sun.

  “Where are the others?” I ask, as I step int
o his open arms, breathing in his masculine scent, and feeling it settle something deep within me.

  “Alcide is talking to the mayor.” His reply makes me look up with a raised eyebrow. If Alcide is talking to the people in charge of the town, then that means only one thing.

  “Are we setting up here?” I guess I shouldn’t be so surprised, but this will be our first show since the attack and we don’t usually stop at places this small. We will occasionally stop between some of the smaller towns and settlements, inviting all of them rather than visiting the smaller places individually. The only time we usually stop somewhere like this is for supplies. Looking around us again, I can’t say I’m disappointed that we might be doing a show here. Nixon just shrugs as I turn my gaze back to him, but a small smile pulls at his lips as he watches me. Something runs through me that I haven’t felt since the attack—hope.

  It will take Alcide a few hours to agree with the people in charge and get a space sorted out for us to perform. Nerves run through me, the show won’t be the same without Esme, not to mention Nixon and Fluffy won’t be performing, but I’m excited for things to get back to normal. Sure, there is nothing normal about my little traveling family and this is all quite new, but I know we will continue to grow stronger together.

  “Rhea!” The shout comes from behind Nixon, and I try to step away to see who is calling but he won’t let go of me, so I poke my head around his side to find a scowling Blain. “Stop messing around, I have something to show you.” His words are harsh, but I can see he is fighting a smile.

  Sharing a grin with Nixon, I let him take my hand and lead me over to the corner of the building where Blain is waiting for us. When we reach him, Blain gestures towards a large open space at the edge of the town where some of our tents are being set up.

  “Looks like we are staying here for a few days,” I comment as I look around, before frowning as I see some people I don’t recognise erecting one of the larger tents.

  “Yeah, Alcide convinced the people that live here to help us set up.”

  “He paid them?” Surprise colours my voice as I turn to Blain.

  “Of course, he always makes sure to pay those who need it most,” he responds, not looking at me while he talks, his gaze trained on some kids who are running around our newly formed campsite. I guess I shouldn’t be so surprised, since Alcide has always been generous and makes sure the towns we perform in benefit from having us around. We watch in silence for a moment, the three of us enjoying being in each other’s company, not needing words to express how we feel.

  Just then, two children around the age of eight come running out of one of the tents, giggling as they throw something between them, something that looks suspiciously like throwing daggers. Cursing, Blain runs towards them, shouting at them as he chases the kids who gleefully run away.

  Clutching my stomach as laughter overtakes me, I watch as he gets more and more frustrated as the kids evade him, his empty threats filling the air. “I guess we should help,” I say between bouts laughter, but Nixon shakes his head, pulling gently on my hand.

  “No. Follow me,” is all he says before he walks away, leading me by our linked hands.

  “But...shouldn’t we…” I trail off, realising I’m more interested in where Nix is taking me. I don’t get much time alone with any of the guys individually, but since we nearly lost Nixon, I crave time with him. I feel vaguely guilty about leaving the others to establish our camp, but I know that they have it handled, especially with the townsfolk helping.

  We walk along the edge of the town, the buildings getting more rundown as we go, the grass and trees overgrown and taking over the space. There is something beautiful about it, nature taking back what belongs to it after we destroyed most of the Earth with our technology and greed, the constant need for more. I wonder why the townsfolk have let this part of the town fall into disrepair, but find it only endears them to me more. Following the town wall, I see they have worked with nature, not against it, building the wall around trees rather than simply cutting them down. We don’t talk, Nixon simply leads me through the town in silence. We have never been here before, yet he seems to know where he is going.

  Reaching the edge of the town boundary, I think we are going to stop, turn around, and head back to the others, but I frown as Nix climbs over the small wall, holding his hand out to help me over. Pausing, I bite down on my lip as anxiety wars within me, clawing at my stomach like it’s trying to rip its way out of me. Being separated from the guys has become difficult, and every time we are apart, images flash through my mind of what could have been, of Nixon’s cold, dead body next to the others.

  “Rhea.” The sound of Nixon’s voice penetrates my panic and I open my eyes that I hadn’t realised had been shut. Running my gaze over him, I can see that he is okay. Sure, he is scarred from the attack, but we all were in one way or another. Taking a deep breath, I reach out to take his hand before climbing over the wall, so I am standing next to him. Throwing him a shaky smile, I run my free hand through my hair.

  “Okay, where are you taking me to?” But of course, he doesn’t reply, he simply chuckles in response, his deep voice rumbling through me as he leads me forwards. I marvel at the all trees, plants, and… green! Most of our world was turned to barren wasteland and desert, so I’ve never seen anything like this. Perhaps the world is healing itself after all this time.

  I’m not sure how long we walk for, long enough for the sounds of the town to fade behind us, but when I turn around, I can still clearly see the town, the trees, and tall grasses around us, making it seem like we have travelled farther. Ahead of us, I see a cluster of trees and beyond something glitters, catching my attention.

  “What is that?” I query, my voice soft, something about this place makes me hesitant to disturb the tranquillity of it. We continue forward, with Nixon guiding me over the large, gnarled tree roots, which stick out of the ground. Stepping around the tree blocking my view, I gasp at what I see.

  Water. A crystal clear pool of glittering water sits within the centre of a grove of trees, their tall branches forming a canopy, filtering the flickering sunlight. Wild flowers grow among the tall grass, which tickles against my bare legs, and the colours are bright and such a contrast to the dreary landscape we have been travelling through the past few days. Dropping Nixon’s hand, I take a few steps forward, savouring the feeling of peace that runs through me here.

  “It’s called an oasis.” Nix’s quiet voice calls out, and I slowly spin around to face him, sure that my eyes are wide.

  “I’ve never seen anything like it.” My awed, whispered words bring a small smile to his lips as he holds out his hand towards me. “How did you know it was here?” I take his hand, following him as he guides me over to a fallen log lying against the edge of the glistening pool. Sitting down on the log, Nixon just shrugs at my question as he pulls off his shirt, laying it on the wood for me to sit on. I take a seat next to him and watch as he pulls his shoes off, before dangling his feet in the clear water.

  “I just knew.”

  I don’t question how he could know about this hidden place that he has never visited before, I simply nod and lean against his side, smiling as he wraps his arm around me, pulling me closer.

  We spend the rest of the afternoon together like that. We don’t talk, we don’t need to, we simply enjoy being in each other’s company. I hadn’t realised how much I needed this. After everything that has happened in the last few weeks, gaining a family I didn’t know I needed, and nearly losing them due to the hatred of small-minded people, I just wanted to take a step back. I have gained so much from these guys, not only a new life, but hope and an autonomy to my own body that I hadn’t realised was possible. I’m not an object for others to own, I am Rhea the Immortal, performer of Alcide’s Circus and lover to five men.

  I guess that’s what happens when you run away with the freaks.

  Circus Saves Christmas

  Chapter One

  “Fu
cking hell, Harpy, why are we in this dump?” Blain grumbles, brushing a cobweb out of his way with a grimace. He ducks under a low branch, eyeing the building warily, and follows me into the large open room. I grin at him, excitement filling me as I turn to check out where we are. We just arrived in a new town after travelling for a while, and had decided to take a walk to scout the area when I spotted a massive wooden door covered in overgrown plants. I have always been inquisitive, but had learned the hard way to suppress my curiosity. In this world, women are only wanted for two things—manual labour and, well, I think you can guess the other. However, since my welcome into the circus and the discovery of my new family, my curious nature has started to reveal itself again.

  Before Blain can stop me, I decide to check out the old building. I didn’t expect the door to open, never mind lead into what looks like the remains of a pre-war museum. The entrance is badly damaged, with the desk and archaic tills on their sides, covered in a layer of dirt. One of the floor-to-ceiling windows is cracked and yellowed. Forgotten, like this treasure. It’s obvious, from the thick layer of dust that covers every surface, that no one has been in here for years. A thick film of dirt covers the vinyl floor, so profuse I can’t tell its original colour. Natural light filters in through the windows, as the old lights uselessly sway above us from high ceilings. The building itself is only one floor and appears to be longer than it is tall. I barely suppress my grin at the idea of searching this place, although I can’t say that Blain seems all that pleased to be here. Posters cover one wall, and bits of paper lay scattered carelessly on the floor. Ducking around a corner, I head farther into the museum until I reach a short hallway, which ends in two double doors. Grinning, I speed across the cracked tiles, my boots loud against the floor and leaving clear imprints in the dirt. A low beam, which looks like it used to be part of the ceiling, partially blocks the door, but I manage to get under it without ducking.