Page 9 of Backstage at the Freak Show
“Hi! How are you?” I plastered a smile on my face and sat in the chair next to him, holding my hand out. “I’m Colt, one of the groomsmen. Thanks for coming.”
He leveled his odd-eyed gaze at me, keeping his face neutral as he slowly extended a massive hand to accept mine.
“Taqqiq,” he replied in a deep tone that was warmer than I expected. “Most call me Tak.”
I nodded, turning over the unusual name in my mind. “Where you from, Tak?”
“Alaska,” he replied with a hint of a smirk. “The great frozen north.”
“Yeah? The South is pretty different from where you’re from, huh?” I tugged at my collar. “I’ve lived here my whole life and still can’t get used to this heat. At least it’s not the middle of summer anymore.”
“I’m used to a wide range of temperatures,” Tak chuckled politely.
Confusion swirled inside me. I didn’t get a dangerous vibe from this guy at all. The girls moved to a different place for more photos, with Miriam still sending us nervous glances between her poses and smiles. But Tak’s eyes didn’t linger on her, nor on anyone. He was acting like any wedding guest who came alone.
“Are there many shaman in Alaska?” I asked. “Or shifters?” I silently wondered if he would reveal his shift without me asking directly.
“Shaman? There used to be, generations ago.” His voice carried a hint of sadness and longing. “My people had one of the highest populations of shaman before settlers moved in and annexed Alaska to the United States, second only to the native tribes in the lower forty-eight. They slowly stopped passing on their gifts so as to not be persecuted.” Tak tilted his head toward me. “I’m sure you know the general history.”
“I do a little,” I said. “From what my ah, girlfriend told me.”
“You’re a lucky man, Colt,” Tak smiled as he looked over the outdoor ceremony area, eyes pausing on Miriam for a brief moment before moving on. More people began taking their seats as the time drew near. “As are the four men marrying their shaman today. It’s a blessed day.”
“You do know one of the grooms is a human?” I asked, closely gauging his reaction.
“I could smell him, yes,” Tak remarked casually before turning to look at me with those odd eyes. “We call humans like him anarviqin my language.”
“What does that mean?”
He stroked his jaw as he thought. “Loosely, it means fortunate one. He is extremely fortunate to have been chosen as a shaman’s consort, but it’s not all about that. It can also mean blessed in a way. He was born differently than other humans, to live so seamlessly among shifters without prejudice. A higher power gave him this ability, so he is also blessed.” Tak gave me an odd look. “Do you not support a shaman choosing a fellow human to marry as well as shifters?”
“No!” I barked out a laugh. “Not at all, I love Connor. He’s like a brother to me. I like him more than my own brother sometimes, honestly.”
“Ah,” Tak nodded at the archway where the grooms began gathering. “The pale wolf is your brother, correct?”
“One of them, yes.” We watched as Raz stepped up close behind Hunter, resting his head on my brother’s shoulder as the photographer snapped photos. Hunter looked back at the dragon shifter and murmured something before giving Raz a quick kiss as the camera clicked away.
“That is also rare to find,” Tak chuckled good-naturedly. “Grooms finding love between each other. I’ve never seen a harem work so well together.”
“Colt!” Hunter yelled at me while waving his arm for me to come over. I almost forgot I had to be in pictures too. Gabe was already there, scowling away.
“It was nice talking to you,” I clapped Tak on the shoulder as I rose from my chair. “We’ll see you at the reception?”
“You will,” the large man nodded. “I look forward to it.”
I walked up the aisle to the five, no six, men in matching tuxes waiting for me. Mel’s little brother Joey clung shyly to Connor’s leg.
“Well?” Gabe wasted no time in whispering harshly under his breath. “What did you find out?”
“Not much,” I muttered before smiling at my reflection in the camera lens. “He seems like a nice guy, actually.”
“Aniceguy?! Fucking shit, Colt…”
“He has no problem with Connor, or any human that gets along with shifters, it seems.”
“That’s comforting,” Connor muttered.
The photographer motioned for me, Hunter, and Gabe to pose for a photo, so we moved to the side and stood as instructed.
