Burn baby burn.
Chapter 2.
Jack and I set up the flower stall at the farmer's market, families were already moving around, interested in what we had in stock. We were selling the blooms which had been picked, but unsold, or undelivered. Sometimes our florists had a sudden change in their orders and it then affected us, with a lot of stock left in the cool room.
The evening market was a great way to avoid wastage of blooms. Jack usually did a roaring trade, as the prices were cheap, and our flowers were so unusual. I loved that we grew a lot of the hardy Australian and South African plants, which were perfect for the Texas heat and sandy soil. Our lilies were favourites, which nearly everybody loved.
It seemed Jack had a lot of ladies who adored him apart from our blooms, and had gotten to know him as our stall had become a regular feature at the market. A few ladies came, bringing coffee and cake for him to keep his strength up. Another came and gave him a new hat, and still another kind lady had even made him a pair of hand-knitted socks!
I giggled and shook my head, at their antics, fussing over him.
Jack sure was popular!
Jack it seems, was quite the catch. He was as good humoured and friendly as ever, with each gentle lady suitor. I wondered if he ever wanted to take any of these ladies home, or start a relationship with them? It seemed obvious to me, that the ladies looked all a little starved of quality male companionship and Jack was a good man.
He must feel like I did; we both kept out private life, private. Uncomfortable talking about anything other than work or the weather. Neither of us were looking for love, we both seemed to be continually trying to protect ourselves for all the hurt and pain we'd been through.
As the sun started setting, the crowds started getting more excited and small kids were running around, eating hotdogs and cotton candy. Some little kids had their faces painted like, kittens, pandas and butterflies, and others were painted with skeletons, and as long-fanged vampires. (Ha!)
I looked over to my friends who had set a space for performing; they were singing and playing the drums. I went behind the flower stall and pulled off my big, long coat, put on my mask and grabbed my sturdy, canvas bag.
I took a deep breath and went over to the performance area with the fast-paced drummers and smiled. I pulled my gear out and settled down on the grass, to wait for them to finish. One of the drummers had promised me to give me some accompanying rhythms, with which to twirl my fire to.
As their last song came to an end, I stood up and lit my first fire stick. I started off really slow. It didn't take too long, when I started swirling and throwing my first fire stick around, to attract quite a crowd of males. Boys and men, who had been looking bored, came over and watched, seemingly entranced.
Men and fire!
They were like moths drawn to a naked flame. There was something primal and magnetic about men being attracted to fire.
My drumming friend stepped up the rhythm, getting faster and more complex. I lit up my second stick, setting a more exciting pace to match. I threw the two sticks higher in the air and caught them, I juggled and twirled them, I spun and rolled around, as I flipped and slung around them through the air.
I was getting a lot of gasps and applause as my performance went on. I extinguished one torch and motioned to the crowd to stand back.
I took a deep slow breath in and out, as the crowd of people moved back.
I was ready to do this!
I was great at this!
My drummer started a new rhythm and built it.
I took a small mouthful of the fluid in and blew it out, lighting it in a smallish plume, going a few feet diagonally into the night air, and lighting up the crowd's faces in the dark. Some mothers grabbed their kids in response and pulled them closer, for safety and at the shock of seeing an exciting bare flame.
There were a lot of cheers and claps.
I took some more fluid in my mouth and blew another flame that was bigger than the first.
I received even more clapping and cheers, and the drumming got louder, building up to my 'grand finale'.
I shivered slightly, and caught a sense...of something familiar...goose bumps rose on my arms...the hair stood up on the back of my neck.
VAMP!
Somewhere in the crowd I could feel it. Watching. Waiting. Fascinated and curious.
The drumming bought me back to the crowd in front of me, and I knew I had to focus and finish the act.
I calmed my breathing, and focused.
I was going to make this flame a really spectacular one, I had no second chances to make this count!
I closed my eyes and took a big mouthful of the lighter fluid and sent a fine, hard spray shooting from my mouth, it shot out a long way and caught alight with the torch in my hand.
It was the furthest I'd sent a flame ever! I chuckled loudly.
Looking over to where I felt the vamp, I caught a glimpse of his eyes, light up in excitement, smiling back at me, clapping and whistling loudly with the rest of the crowd.
This was one crazy vamp! He should have been scared and unnerved at the way I shot fire around. Instead, he was laughing and enjoying the scene, just like the rest of the crowd.
Crazy-assed vamp!
The crowd cheered, clapped and stomped on the ground.
I extinguished my sticks and bowed. Thanking the crowd and the drummer, who had done a sterling job. I watched the crowd surge towards my hat, and fill it with coins and the occasional note, smiling back at me and thanking me for the performance.
Some teenager boys wanted to find out more about how to perform fire breathing, but I told them it was too dangerous to try at home, and seriously warned them against doing it.
I hoped they would listen to me warn them about how dangerous it was, but being teenage boys, full of bravado, they would most likely try to do it on their own anyway. I told them that they should find a good training course, or a fire performance workshop, as they could easily end up poisoning themselves, or end up being badly burnt.
I went over to my hat on the ground and thanked the stragglers who were still putting money in it.
Wow! I had made quite a bit tonight. I shared some money with my drumming friend. We arranged to catch up and maybe work together at the next evening farmer's market. I collected my gear and fluid, putting everything back in my bag, except the sticks which were still too hot to handle, except by their grips.
I was still kneeling on the ground, zipping up the heavy, canvas bag, it was a little stuck and I needed to get out of here before I was approached...
"That was nice work there Miss. I wanted to put some money towards your collection." A fifty dollar bill landed at my knees in the dirt... wow... a rich and generous vampire, who knew they existed? My brain snarled at me sarcastically, as I looked at his money lying there, next to me and huffed.
I saw some great, big, combat boots and knew who it was straight away. My skin prickled and my heart raced.
Should I pretend that I was clueless and that I'd never even met a vampire before? Act like he was just another person in the crowd?
"Thanks, you are very generous!" I muttered quietly, finally picking up his money, and trying carefully, not to meet his eyes.
I pulled harder at my canvas bag's zipper it was stuck... perfect timing, the stupid, damn thing! I gave it a final big yank and it moved. I breathed a sigh in relief and stood up, gathering my sticks.
He was still standing there, watching me intently.
"Thank you for the money, I've got to be going." I said quickly, jumping up.
Jack was waiting, and the market had already started to wind down.
"Wait, what's your name?" His sooth, deep voice asked me.
"I haven't thought of one yet! I'm kind of freelancing... err...performing for a while." I mumbled ...what a stupid thing to say...damn vamps! Always messing with my mind!
It wouldn't take him long to find out my name, half the crowd at the market knew who I was, and he just needed to listen-in when I spoke to Jack. I turned to walk away from him, back to Jack.
"I'll see you around then, Miss Mystery." he called out, making me shiver again, stupid mister sexy voice!
I felt his eyes on me, as I moved away. I wished I had my coat back on. I felt so exposed, wearing such a small, leather outfit.
I huffed and walked even faster.
Oh God! Please, please let him be just a harmless traveler, not attached to Victoria, and not trying to kill me!
Please, please, please, please, let me never see another vamp!
I just want to live a quiet, peaceful life.
"Looks like you had quite a crowd there Honey Bee!" Jack chuckled.
"Mmm," I answered. "Let's get packed up and go home. Looks like you had plenty of fans yourself Mister smoothie! Now I know why you just love coming here every week. All of those women knitting you socks and making you cake!"
"It's a pity I can only wear one sock at a time." he laughed.
"Maybe you should show them your peg leg Jack. I'm sure it would impress them!" I laughed and emptied out the remaining plastic buckets and stacked them inside each other. We packed up the trestle table and fold out chairs.
"Looks like you sold out! It was a good night all round!"
"The last bunch I gave away to old Mavis, she always gives me a nice hug."
"Yeah, Mavis has your number Jack! I reckon you've got a soft spot for all those old grannies!"
We chuckled tiredly and drove off in the work truck.
I hope to god, I wasn't followed home to the flower farm by that strange vamp.
I would just have to keep as safe as I could, my lighter fluid at the ready, my body in the sun as much as possible, and always hanging in a group.
I hoped he didn't have any vamp friends, or knew Victoria. I hope he was just passing through. I hoped he didn't tell anyone about me.
I hoped he would soon be distracted by someone, or something else and I just would fall off his radar.