Strings Of Fate

Chapter 4

This close, he could feel the heat of the tiger against his side. Marquez was taller than him. He was taller than most people. It was a strange feeling for Terrence who was tallish but still a good head underneath the mountain of a hybrid. Daniel was shorter than him and the old man had been too. He was used to being the tall one in a room. Incense and wood oils rolled off the tiger alongside his natural scent. A wave of homesickness crashed into him. Followed by a burst of hysteria. He wouldn't have to feel homesick for the circus soon. He bit his lip, not wanting to burst into laughter and break down before the tragedy occurred. That was how he'd forgotten Marquez being complicated. There were far more memories of the man being an older brother to him than whatever the man had hoped their relationship to develop into. 

As they reached the doors, the atmosphere changed. A gust of wind blew against them and Terrence winced. He went to push on the door, but Marquez spun him back against the wooden wall of the ticket booth. His legs banged against the wood and he winced, the world spinning for a moment. A furred forearm pinned him in place as the tiger growled at him, studying him with a level of intensity that was nightmarish.  

"Dude?" Struggling at the grip, a low growl froze Terrence as his hands tugged at the fur. "The hell? Let go!"

"Be quiet for a moment," Marquez ordered, not softening the words at all. That was the voice used for the man's underlings, who were moments away from crossing the line of his patience. The tiger leaned close, taking a deep sniff of Terrance. The action ruffled his hair. 

Terrance almost expected the man to figure it out there and then. He didn't struggle. His heart was pounding so loud he was sure Marquez could hear it, but no doubt the tiger would assume it was a human's reaction from being pinned from a hybrid. There was a tense moment but only a frustrated growl come from the tiger as he released Terrance. He had to dig his heels in the ground to stop from slipping down the wall. Should have fled there and then. Well, maybe he would have made it or far more likely Marquez would have chased after him for no reason beyond his animal side demanding it. That would have caused a scene and a half.

"You smell familiar. Have we met before?" Marquez asked, his tone dangerous, promising danger if lied to. The best lies were half-truths.

"I've been to this circus many times," Was a part of it in fact and slept next to you for almost twelve years. "We have met in as much as I've met any hybrid here. Briefly and without exchanging names." The last comment was possibly a little dangerous. It wasn't so much that they hadn't exchanged names as it was the circus had given him a brand new one to suit his new life. "I hope I'm not whoever I remind you off based on that reaction."

 Marquez growled but didn't hit him. Terrance knew he would have got a nip in the past for being disrespectful. To do such a thing to an audience member would endanger the circus. The tiger gave him another look over, but there was nothing to see. Terrance's face was human and Marquez knew it other. 

He squared his shoulders and shifted to move away. 

An orange blur punched the wall before he could move in the wrong direction. The wood giving in and splintering around the muscular forearm. "You'd better return to your seat now." Or else unspoken but heavily implied. The growling hadn't stopped either. Marquez was one wrong move away from exploding at Terrence, innocent bystander or not. 

Terrance nodded, before letting the pull of the circus pull him back to the stage. He walked down the stairs and slid back beside Daniel, who looked at him questioningly. He had been gone a while.

"I was unwell. Can we go home after Madame X?"

"Of course," Daniel frowned, cuddling close and rubbing circles on his back. "Are you sure you don't want to head off now?"

Before Terrence could make some comment about not being allowed to, the music introducing Madame X came on. Everyone's attention focused on the stage as smoke and flames circled around it with a flare. Fire and colour exploded in the centre of the ring, and she appeared in the centre. Everyone gasped as she made a hand movement and it all disappeared again. The arena fell pitch black before flames once again appeared, lighting her movements as she smiled at them all.

"Welcome one and all to my show," Her voice was smooth. This was no normal woman and everyone could tell that, even if it was only on a subconscious level. Her voice was pulling people in now, drawing attention until no one would notice anything beyond her. She was a mixture of black and red. Her ball gown dress was immaculate and gave her an almost regal air compared to the outfits of the rest of the performers. Her eyes were wide and green, a stark contrast to the other colours she was wearing. "It pleases me greatly that so many of you would give up your time to come here tonight."

That soft calming tone, it was almost the same one which had lulled him to her all those years ago. It was how she controlled people. How she got them to admit their hopes and dreams and darkest fears. A flutter of her eyelashes and dash of kindness and people walked willingly into her control. Terrence had. 

She was the queen of the circus, when she was a she. Terrence was a little confused because the man he'd seen looked like what they would appear like in male form. Unless it was and something else was going on? It got confusing sometimes. It was all a part of the act, the image they liked to portray as mysterious and unpredictable. To an extent they were. They were careful, patient and clever. They knew when to strike and hurt and when to soothe and calm. They knew how to control people. He had no doubt she had ordered Marquez out to make sure he didn't get away. The tiger was too high on the ladder to be reduced to snooping duty. They were playing games. It was always a game for them. 

"As you can tell, unlike the others who perform, I am neither an acrobat nor a hybrid. Which asks the question, just who am I?"

There was a murmur of agreement in the crowd, but despite the lack of impressive tricks, every eye glued to her as she moved over the sand. Everything about this woman intrigued people. The audience would leave believing this had been the best part of the show.

"I am an oracle. I know the secrets of everyone. I know the past, present and future of a person's life." She looked around the room, almost daring someone to say anything against her. She began picking random people and spilling what their pasts were, what their current lives were, and what they should expect in the future. Their souls unknowingly captured in the process, threads of fates being wound and cut. They would have days to live, possibly less depending on their next moves. Only, it wasn't like they knew what had happened? It was hard to fight against something when people were unaware of its existence. 

Her eyes were searching. Until finally they locked on to him. She smiled, a little too cat-like for his imagination. Marquez was her favourite for a reason. 

"Our little runaway," she beamed. "It is a pleasure to see you safe, my sweetling." When he didn't react, she pouted, waving her fingers in a distinct way. Invisible strings hooked around his shoulders. Terrence tried not to panic. He should never have come here. "Don't be shy, come show yourself. Stand."

He stood, the magic forcing him up. One of the hybrids working the lights shone a beam into his eyes, making him wince. He shielded them but that did nothing to hide him from the person who owned his soul. 

"There you are, Terrence."