Page 47 of Encore
“Maybe you could start that trend because this is amazing,” Nyx said.
“Maybe I should. Being an agent is dangerous, even if I’m mostly behind a desk now. I still go in the field when needed. I never thought about it until Beyla came into my life. I sat down and seriously thought about how dangerous this job was when Beyla was dead set on following me into the bureau. I don’t want to lose her, and I don’t want to die after what happened to her parents.”
“Marsden offered me a job here at the company. You know I don’t like quitting anything I start, but ballet is what I’m supposed to be doing. He didn’t tell mehowor where the body was, but Marsden admitted killing Derek for what he did to me. He said he would have done it even if I wasn’t important to this curse after seeing me broken in that park. So, I had to go through a bit of a journey to get there, but I’m going to be a ballet dancer.”
“New York City is the perfect scene to open up a new restaurant with dragon food. People would flock to try it. I know a few dragons here. I think they’d be receptive to the idea,” Nyx said.
Was Nyx already hinting at Kaine moving to New York to be closer to her? I wasn’t even mad about that. He’d be closer to me. Kaine just grunted.
“It’s certainly an idea. The dragon community back home is quite uptight. I was just ranting, but it’s not a half-bad idea.”
“I think it’s a great idea if you’re ready to retire from the bureau. You love cooking, and you’re great at it. It would be amazing to have you closer,” I said.
“I’ll think on it,” Kaine said. “And since the twins are here with all their husbands, I can ask if they are planning any more drama that requires an inside man at the Paranormal Investigation Bureau because I don’t trust their shenanigans with just anyone. It’s an idea, though.”
“I don’t think they planned everything that happened before and wouldn’t know if it was going to happen again,” I pointed out.
“Horse shit. They are both married to gods. They’llknow.”
“So, ask them and decide. It would be great to have you closer.”
“I will. I’m going to head out. You all need to get ready for your show. Nyx, are we still on for drinks after the performance?”
“Fuck yes.”
Nyx had told me about Kaine, but she hadn’t said a thing to Arden and Bevan. Arden and Nyx were best friends before I got here, and Nyx and Bevan were close. As soon as the door closed behind Kaine, Bevan was demanding details. I knew Bevan saw the same chemistry I did, and then Kaine dropped they had a date.
“Shut up, Bevan. It’s new.Someof us want a little privacy. The four of you get a little gross talking about how into Beyla you are. Get off my ass. I’m allowed to keep my secrets.”
“Yes, you are, but now that I’ve met him, I approve,” Arden said.
“Shut up, Arden,” Nyx growled, storming off to her bedroom.
She was blushing, though. I was stanning those two even harder now.
Chapter42
Beyla
Ihad the dressing room for the prima ballerina, but I was happily sharing it with Bevan. Bevan had been on this stage before in front of this audience, but never as a lead. We were collectively losing our shit together like little, baby ballet dancers.
When our hair and makeup were done, we wrapped our bodies in knit and sweats and went out on stage to warm up with the rest of the cast. It was pretty amazing how friendly everyone had gotten now that the Toxic Triplets were gone. I’d gotten to know most of the other dancers in the company now, and they were pretty great.
We were laughing and talking as we warmed up. Then, when the time came for us to disappear and get our costumes on, everyone was yellingmerdeat each other before the show. You never wanted to say good luck before any show, but you didn’t want to tell a dancer to break a leg either because that could really happen. So, dancers saidmerde.
I screamed it at my guys and flung myself at them for hugs before we all disappeared into our dressing rooms. Bevan and I went into ours and started changing. Even if Bevan and I weren’t dating, I wouldn’t have had a problem changing in front of him. Sometimes, costume changes had to happen too fast to get to your dressing room. There was an entire team of people stripping your costume off, and it happened where it needed to happen. Sometimes, the boys saw your bits. Shit happened in ballet.
Bevan’s costume was much more ornate than mine. I wasn’t in a tutu just yet. I was in the flowing dress of a Mexican village girl, and they dressed Bevan and my guys as warriors. Marsden really knocked these costume designs out of the park.
They called for our places, and I could hear the prelude being played. There was no orchestra in the pit for this ballet. A few strings players were visible to the audience toward the front of the stage out of the way of the dancers.
It said quite a lot about Marsden’s composition skills that he could convey all the emotions of this ballet while still giving it a Mexican twist on so few instruments. I had my doubts about it at first, but now that I’d heard it, the score was hauntingly beautiful and exciting at the same time.
Marsden still kept Nyx in most of her corps’ roles at the beginning of the ballet, so we got to share the stage as villagers at the beginning of the ballet. We took our places in the dim light.
My heart was pounding in my chest, but I wasn’t scared. Any stage fright I might have had, I got over when I was a child. No, this was pure adrenaline. Some people did drugs, and others chased that runner’s high. Ballet dancers abused our bodies for this feeling right here.
We spent decades training. There were additional months learning the choreography, getting fitted for costumes, and drumming up publicity. All for this moment.
