Page 41 of Desert King

“I’m soglad you talked me into this.”

Downtown has been transformed. Sure, the cute shops and white stucco buildings with wrought iron gate sand flower boxes were always charming, but now it glows. Large-bulb string lights hang from one side of the Main Street, connecting to others on the opposite side. There are no cars. The streets are closed to traffic as couples mill about in ball gowns, masks and men look intriguing in tuxedos and masks.

I could be anyone tonight.

Excitement races through me. Maybe, I could even meet someone. Tarak and the Royal Bastards put the word out that I was a leper and not one decent looking man within a hundred miles will even look me in the face.

I went to Albuquerque to buy furniture and hung out in a few bars there. But after meeting men like Tarak and Edge, no one could compare. But by the looks of so many tall men in tux’s anything could be possible tonight.

I don’t think they’re Bastards either. They’re all clean shaven. Not a beard in sight.

“Let’s get wine!”

“I’m more of a beer kind of girl.” But I follow her to one of the many open bars. A stage is set up near us and a live band plays a mixture of classic songs and newerpopularones.

“Dance with me darlin’.”

Jenny giggles as a blonde-haired man wearing a tux and a cowboy hat whisks her into his arms and into the crowd.

She looks like a million bucks tonight. Her deep blue gown hugs her curves and her platinum wig is styled in long loose waves down to her ass.

No one could guess her identity or mine for that matter.

She put me in a pale pink gown after making me endure a full-body spray tan. She added clip in extensions to my hair, making it fuller before curling it into long waves half-pinned up behind my mask.

My mask is made of feathers and rhinestones. What’s annoying is the fake lashes she glued to mine are so long they keep brushing against the mask. But I don’t dare take it off.

I move away from the bar area just people watching while holding my beer in one hand like a lifeline. I reach in my clutch to find my phone wanting to capture tonight. An incoming text interrupts me.

Looking good tonight, mouse. I came to collect. Did you think I’d just let it go?

He’s here. He could be anyone. But Edge’s eyes will give him away. Unless his mask covers his whole face…

What will he collect? Do I dare wait and find out? My chin lifts. I’m not the runaway anymore. Let him come at me.

I text back:

What do you want?

He replies:Your blood.

???

Antibodies doll. Real ones.

Never. I won’t let anyone steal what my body made to protect me.

The music picks up and I’m pushed around in the crowd. Bodies brush me as they pass. Mostly everyone is drunk. Part of me wants him to find me. While the other, just wants to get away. Jenny filled me in on the Bloody Scorpions. Edge has gone over to the dark side since Mandy’s death. Nothing is too far for him. Even arms dealing, trafficking, and stealing vaccines meant for medical workers. Apparently, he stole them for his Club and had a vaccination party. I was stupid to keep the truck, but all my money’s gone on my new home. Nobody gives anyone anything for free. And what did I do? I accepted a gift tied with too many strings to count.

Ducking my head, I try to slip away. I round a corner and press my back to the stucco wall. No one followed me. I keep going through the small alleyway between buildings, finding myself in a small courtyard park. Benches are placed beneath trees full of more twinkling lights and in the middle a small bridge arches over a manmade pond. I creep closer. Every day, I discover tiny beautiful places like this one.

Sighing, I sway to the melancholy of the ballad drifting through the air. Close my eyes and wish for impossible things.

“Let me guess you’re not a people person either?”

“You scared me. I didn’t even see you there.”

“My apologies.” He tips his head, drawling like a southern gentleman.

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