Page 13 of Solar Bound
Solar turned back to the window, allowing the conversation to end. His interest in Dani's fire manipulation was more than mere research. There was something about her energy signature that resonated with his own in a way he hadn't anticipated. And tonight, he would observe her performance, perhaps even attempt the private lesson she had mentioned.
For mission objectives, of course. Nothing more.
Behind him, Eclipse and Lunar had moved to their respective areas of the suite, each claiming their territory as naturally as they would have on Zorveya.
Some patterns, it seemed, were universal.
Chapter
Five
By nine o'clock, The Crash Zone was packed. Friday night after a UFO sighting was prime time for Duskrock's particular brand of tourism. The bar hummed with excited chatter, the ceiling's half-hearted alien decorations, metallic streamers, and hanging cardboard flying saucers catching the colored lights as they swept across the room.
Dani sat in the small back room that served as both storage and her preparation space, applying the final touches to her makeup. For performances, she painted her face with swirls of red and gold that caught the firelight and enhanced her expressions. It was part of the persona. Dani Ember. Fire dancer. Untouchable and mesmerizing.
Different from Danielle Evans, the girl who'd run away from foster care at sixteen. Different from the Dani who'd bounced between cities and jobs, always looking for somewhere that felt like belonging.
"Fifteen minutes," Mike called through the door. "We've got a line out front."
"I'll be ready," she replied, smudging the gold paint along her cheekbone.
Her fire tools were prepped, wicks freshly trimmed, and ready for fuel. The poi, weighted balls at the end of chains that she would spin in mesmerizing patterns of flame, sat beside her fire fans and staff. Each tool had its own personality, its own rhythm in her hands. Tonight, she'd use all of them.
The crowd would be entertained. She desperately needed the tips.
A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. "Someone asking for you," Mike said, poking his head in. "Golden boy. Got a weird name. Says you invited him."
Dani's heart skipped. "Solar?"
"That's the one. Want me to send him back?"
She hesitated, checking the time. "No. Tell him I'll see him after the show. He can have the table near the stage."
Mike raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. "You got it, firegirl. I'll tell you mystery date no pre-show nookie."
"Don't say nookie. You're a grown man."
"Ten minutes."
When he left, Dani stared at her reflection, unsure why her pulse had quickened. Solar was just another guy. Probably just another passing interest. Duskrock was full of travelers, people who came and went with the seasonal shifts in tourism.
And yet there had been something in his eyes. Something ancient and knowing that didn't match his awkward words. A tremor of anticipation worked through her.
"Stop being horny. Focus," she told her reflection. "The fire demands it."
She pushed thoughts of Solar aside and began her final preparations, rolling her shoulders and neck to release tension. Fire had no patience for distraction. Every movement had to be precise, deliberate. One mistake could mean burns or worse.
When Mike's voice boomed over the sound system announcing her, Dani was ready. She stepped out into the main room, walked purposefully to the center of her performance space, and took a deep breath.
The crowd fell silent. The lights dimmed. And there, at the table closest to the stage, sat Solar. He wasn't watching her. Instead, he stared transfixed at the unlit fire poi in her hands.
Dani smiled. Time to show him what real fire manipulation looked like.
Her background music started to play. With practiced motions, she dipped the wicks in fuel, shook off the excess, and struck a match. The first touch of flame to wick was always magical, that initial flare, the gentle whoosh as fire came to life in her hands.
The crowd gasped appreciatively, but Dani wasn't performing for them. For the first time in years, she found herself performing for an audience of one.
Solar's eyes widened as the flames caught and grew, his face illuminated in the firelight. And as Dani began to move, spinning the poi in ever more complex patterns, she saw something in his expression shift from curiosity to recognition.
