Chapter Fifty-Four
There's You and Me
Mr. Tall came up with the perfect way for Juliet to practice her newfound ability. Since they'd learned she could focus on a thought or theme to access specific memories, she'd been practicing on members of the Cirque with their permission. Happy or peaceful focus would allow Juliet to stay mostly in control of the memory- she no longer passed out when she entered them. Thinking 'family dinner' with Truska had brought about a beautiful memory of her and Darren and others of the cirque sharing dinner and laughing at stories. Juliet had asked Truska about it but when the woman had tried to explain, Juliet had stopped her, remembering that she couldn't understand Truska's language. Going through her memories, Juliet had no problem understanding what she said, but once out of them it was no use.
"I don't understand…" Juliet groaned over wine with her grandfather. "I live the moments, why can't I understand her language?"
Mr. Tall frowned. "Language isn't as simple as a memory of a specific event. You would have to live through every moment of Truska learning to speak, I'm sure."
Juliet refilled her glass. "But I can access the memories whenever I want. It's like they're a part of me once I've seen and been through them. But I just know- somehow- that even if I relived her first words I just wouldn't know the language."
"I do not have all the answers, my dear." Mr. Tall chuckled.
"Of course not." Juliet remarked, rolling her eyes. "That would make things way too easy."
"In any case, you have become more adept at focusing your ability. I would like to offer you a place in the Cirque." Mr. Tall looked at Juliet proudly and she brightened.
"Really? My own act?"
"No."
Her smile faltered. "Okay, what then?"
That was how Juliet came to inhabit a booth outside of the Cirque's showroom. 'Medium and Psychic Readings' is what it said, arcing across the gold-painted wood in scrolling letters. The idea: she reads a person's memory and pretended to speak with a relative that was deceased. Juliet wasn't fond of the idea of seeking out 'family funerals' in a person's head, but she couldn't turn down Mr. Tall. He was right, it would be great practice for her.
It was her first night working her booth, and Juliet was nervous. She was standing beside it awkwardly looking it over, from the filigree on the gold lettering to the velvet curtains that hung in front of it. It was set up just like a Gypsy's booth, complete with rich colors and smoky incense. Juliet matched the look, thanks to Truska's amazing sewing skills, she was in a long, billowing skirt of black, a flimsy, linen off-the shoulder blouse in deep purple, and two scarves. One green one wrapped around her waist, keeping the blouse tight upon her upper body (working wonders for her breasts) and one black, gold embroidered one on her head. Truska came up to her and clapped excitedly, seeing her in her complete outfit for the first time.
Juliet smiled, feeling like she was a debutante, and twirled. The skirt swayed around her and Truska nodded appreciatively. She said something in her language and beckoned Juliet over to her. From her bag she produced some jewelry, bright gold metal, flashy and gorgeous. It was one long strand of gold disks, over ten feet long.
"Oh no," Juliet said, waving her arms in emphasis. "I don't need that, please don't-"
Truska didn't hesitate, she wrapped the metal around Juliet's waist, forcing her into a spin to wind the long chain around her, then looped it around her shoulders and finally wrapping it twice around her neck.
Juliet felt so confined in the outfit now, decked to the nines in gold.
"Is this real?" Juliet asked, pointing to the metal now upon her body and causing a cacophony of jingling in the process.
Truska nodded enthusiastically.
"You'll get it back-" Juliet began.
Truska waved her arms now. 'NO.' she was saying. 'It's yours!'
Juliet sighed, mentally making a note that Truska was very generous. She hugged the woman, and Truska returned the embrace with warmth and happiness. "Thank you Truska. For the outfit and everything."
Truska smiled and nodded and said brokenly "you beautiful girl"
"I agree." Said a deep voice, clearing his throat beside them.
The women ended their embrace and Juliet turned to see Mika, his face unreadable. He was dressed in for his performance. "Not so bad yourself, Mika. I really like the cape, it makes you more Dracula-y."
Mika frowned, shifting uncomfortably in the mentioned cape. "That's what the people want." He stated. "Are you ready to open your booth?" he asked, glancing at the velvet curtains that would lead to the colorful, smoky, pillow-lined room where Juliet would perform her 'medium' activities.
"Yeah. I'm really excited to lie to people." Juliet scowled.
"I apologize." Mika said. She shook her head. Truska was looking between them keenly.
"If it helps out, why not? At least I can practice my 'craft'." Juliet winked. "Besides, maybe some people will just want me to read their palms. I've done that before."
Mika raised his eyebrows. "Really?" he asked crossing his arms.
"Yeah, but I never trained in it. I'm fairly certain I get everything wrong every time." She laughed. Truska placed a hand on her shoulder. "Oh shit you guys have to go. We need to get ready." Truska nodded, and Mika as well.
"Good luck tonight." He said, exiting towards the stage, this time in an old factory. Truska followed suit, waving back at Juliet.
"Yeah, break a leg." Juliet called after them. Once they were out of sight she sighed. "How can I be nervous about this?" she mumbled to herself. "I was calmer heading into the bowels of a mountain to fight Vampaneze."
Juliet threw her hands in the air in frustration and ducked under the velvet curtains into the room. There were large pillows and fluffy throws in various deep and inviting colors lining the floor and corners of the wooden space. The only light came from under the curtains and two candles surrounding a crystal ball (Juliet groaned loudly when she saw it) on the small, short table in the center of the room. She sat behind the table, facing the entrance.
'And now we wait.'
The night passed uneventfully, Juliet had received a few patrons, all of which wanted her to 'read their futures' and not talk to their dead relatives. She was grateful for that, but when a woman remarked that her last psychic had said something completely different she had to think on her feet.
"I practice a special kind of palmistry." She said calmly. "The focus is more personal." The woman had brightened instantly and let Juliet continue her work.
When she walked out of her booth, stretching out her legs and arms, she locked eyes with a familiar face. A tall man dressed in black leather pants, a deep red shirt, black duster and combat boots. He had white hair, something Juliet didn't recognize, but the charismatic smile that crossed his face when he saw her made her pause and very nearly smile in return.
"No way." The man called. "Jewel?"
Juliet blinked multiple times, knowing that the use of that name meant she was encountering someone she knew as s hunter. Someone from the darker times in her life. She tried to put a name to the face, reaching for those memories. "Steve?" she said. He jogged over to her.
"I can't believe it! What are you doing here?" he moved to embrace her, and Juliet returned it as memories of the man flooded her.
"Change of occupation." She said. Steve laughed heartily. "What about you?"
"I came here on a lead about their 'Dracula' act being a real Vampire." His eyes set like stone and Juliet internally froze, remembering again that the man was a hunter.
"And?" she asked breathily, immediately worried for Mika. "How's that lead panning out?" The more words she spoke to the man the more her persona began to change, slowly morphing back to who she was before Vampire Mountain. She did it out of necessity, but also it happened instinctively.
Steve shrugged. "Well if you're here then I guess that answers it. I was suspicious but a leech wouldn't make it past you." He smiled again. "Right?"
Juliet smiled as well. "Right." She softened immediately. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Mika emerge from the 'backstage'. He had divested himself of his cape and wore only the black slacks and shiny shirt. He saw her glittering eyes and began walking toward her. "Hey, what are you doing now?" she asked hastily.
"Taking you to dinner." He replied, holding his arm out to her. Juliet's face warmed and she snorted out a laugh.
"You read my mind." She accepted his arm and allowed him to lead her away. Mika called out.
"Juliet?" he said, jogging to catch up with them. She mentally cursed as Steve stopped.
"Juliet? Is that your real name? You never let us call you that." He turned to see who was approaching and stiffened when Mika walked up.
The Vampire Prince stood a full head taller than Steve and the two men exchanged wary looks, Mika certainly taking in Steve's strange appearance. "Who is your friend?" Mika finally said after the two had appraised each other. The Prince stood taller, as if wanting to intimidate. Steve simply smirked.
"Mika this is Steve Leopard. Steve this is Mika." Juliet said, finding no other answer to give.
"Mika? No last name?" Steve said mockingly, his grip on Juliet's arm tightened and she felt suddenly unsure if she should have said anything.
"Just like me, he prefers his privacy." She stated, locking eyes with Mika and willing him to play along.
"How do you two know each other?" Mika asked. Juliet moved to answer but Steve cut her off.
"We're old hunting buddies."
The emphasis was clear and Mika fought not to stiffen or attack. Steve seemed pleased with Mika's silence. Juliet couldn't stop herself, she groaned and rolled her eyes.
"Don't play that card Steve, he knows what it means." She said. Steve looked at her inquisitively. "He's a hunter too." Mika glanced at Juliet jaw clenched, she again gave him a stern look.
"Well!" Steve remarked. "Why didn't you say so? It's rare to meet someone not in the local club."
"I prefer to work alone." Mika stated, crossing his arms in a dominant stance.
"How'd you come to play Dracula?" Steve chuckled. "Admire the prey?"
Juliet was silently screaming at the exchange. Mika was being tolerant, but she knew that if Steve kept joking he would stop being 'friendly'. "Guys, why don't we have this conversation with some food?" she threw out. "I'm starving. Long night. Isn't there a diner around here?"
Steve looked back to Juliet and began smiling charmingly. "You bet there is! A quiet one too. We can talk shop there." He glanced back at Mika. "Wanna come, man?"
Mika looked at Juliet. She was trying to convey to him that no, he should not come, but he would not allow her to go gallivanting off with one of the people who had enabled her to become crazed. "I am famished." He said.
The walk to the diner was silent and terrifying for Juliet. She had hoped that the diner would be full of people, but as they entered and took their seat in a large round booth far in the back corner of the establishment, she noted a total of two other people plus four workers inside.
"See? Nice and quiet." Steve said, settling in with his arms stretched out on the back of the booth seat. Juliet was in between him and Mika, the latter of which's face was set stone cold.
The waitress came up to take their orders. "Coffee, bacon and eggs." Steve said, smiling broadly at the middle-aged woman. She nodded, face blank.
"Water," Mika began, looking over the plastic menu positioned under the plexi-glass table top. "And what is the manager's special?" He asked.
"Today is beef stew." The waitress said.
"That will be fine." He replied, bringing his eyes back to glare across the table.
"And you hun?" the waitress said, waiting patiently.
"I'll have some hot tea, and…" Juliet said. "Do you have anything deep-fried?" she asked, craving something greasy and delicious but also hoping it would delay the waitress returning to their table.
"We got fries, pickles, shrimp, chicken, steak-"
"Can I just get a platter of all of that?" Juliet said.
"There's no platter." The woman replied.
"That's okay. Just like… all of that, please." Juliet nodded and the woman shrugged before walking away.
"Wow, Jewel. I don't think I've ever seen you order food. You're normally all business." Steve commented, looking at her appreciatively. "Look at you with an appetite!"
Juliet tried to belie how nervous she was to be in her current situation. This man had known her when she was a murder-crazed psychopath. How would that Jewel act?
She shrugged. Steve seemed to accept that and moved on to Mika. "So how do you two know each other? Through hunting?"
"Something like that." Mika stated. Juliet remained silent, trying not to continuously glance between them.
"Oh… I think I get it." Steve said slyly. "Ex boyfriend, eh Jewel? Weird having two of us in one place, huh?"
Mika's jaw and fists both clenched. Juliet inwardly growled. 'And it comes out.' She thought. "Weird? Maybe. If either of you had actually been my boyfriends." She remarked.
Steve feigned injury, putting his hand over his heart. "Damn, Jewel. That hurts. All those months together mean nothing to you?"
Mika looked at Juliet questioningly. "Yes Jewel. All those months?" he sounded irritated and amused at the same time, something Juliet was not accustomed to, and it grated on her. Did he not understand the precarious predicament they were in?
Juliet shrugged again. Steve laughed. "Well I guess it makes sense. We didn't really talk, did we? Just a lot of fu-"
"Oh look coffee." Juliet said, loud enough to cut Steve off. She knew she sounded awkward and crazy, but the way Mika was looking at her… The waitress set coffee and cream in front of her and Steve, and a plastic tumbler of ice water before Mika.
"Food's gonna take a while. Hope that's okay." She said.
"It's fine." Juliet said. "Thank you."
As the waitress walked away Mika narrowed his gaze on Steve. This man had slept with Juliet. He stopped himself from thinking 'his' Juliet, knowing that the woman was free to do as she pleased regardless of his feelings. But Mika couldn't help but feel like Steve had taken advantage of Juliet's impaired judgement when she was a Hunter.
A silence set in between the three, and Juliet eagerly stirred sugar into her coffee. Her jewelry was jangling in time with the dinging of the spoon in the mug. Mika and Steve both eyed her warily.
"You've fucked both of us, haven't you?" Steve said suddenly.
"Sure have." She said, quick and without emotion. Juliet didn't hesitate, knowing if she did it would seem suspicious in front of the Hunter.
Steve laughed heartily and Mika just frowned. "Damn, you get around." Steve commented.
"Sure do." Juliet said, feeling no shame in the fact that it was true, only that the man meant it as a slight towards her.
"So tell me, who's better?"
"Steve. Stop." She said sharply.
Steve winced. "Oh, man, that's not an answer though." He chuckled. "But you did say my name so-"
"You don't want an answer you want to pick a fight." Juliet snapped. "And you won't be picking a fight over me." 'Not while I'm in the room, at least.' Juliet thought, sighing inwardly.
Steve sucked in air through his teeth, creating a sharp whistle. "Damn, Jewel. You haven't changed. Just as full of yourself as the day you left with old Gary." He locked eyes with her, his gaze smoldering her even as she tried desperately to avoid it. "I guess that's what I always liked about you…" He trailed off and stopped to consider. "What happened with that, by the way?"
"With what?" she ground out. Mika remained silent, watching as she drank the scalding hot coffee to keep from speaking.
"You and Gary and finding the vampire's mountain." Steve stated. "You're here but nobody's heard from Gary."
"That would be because Gary's dead." She shrugged.
"Damn," Steve shook his head. "What happened? The leeches find you?"
"Nope." She sighed, leaning back against the hard plastic of the booth. "Even worse. There was no mountain. Gary was crazy. We walked in circles for weeks till he just dropped dead. Exhaustion, being fucking old, I don't know."
Mika watched the exchange, not having touched his water. Steve looked genuinely interested in what Juliet said, he tucked a stray lock of white hair behind his ear and said "Well still, damn. Gary was a good hunter."
"Gary was a crazy, misogynist pig." Juliet snapped. "He tricked me into going with him because he thought I was just as crazy as him. When he dropped I just fucking left. I quit."
Steve considered her. "You quit the Hunt?" he asked.
"There was nothing left in it for me." She sighed. "There was no mountain full of Vampires."
"What about that fucking leech that used you?" Steve snapped, Mika's eyes set intensely on his face. Steve's eyes were blazing, wide and tinged with an emotion familiar to him. "You still wanna find him, right?"
Juliet shrugged. "He's probably already dead."
"You don't know that." Steve hissed.
Juliet rolled her eyes, crouched over her coffee again, trying not to show her face. "You're right, I don't. But I'm not wasting any more of my life trying to track him down. It's not worth it."
"Is that why you 'changed occupations'?" Steve's words dripped with malice. "Because you couldn't find the mountain? There are still leeches that need to be put down!"
Juliet set her eyes on him. "I don't know what you want to hear from me Steve. I just can't do it anymore. There's still people like you out there. I know you'll keep the rest of us safe."
Steve leaned back, looking at her warily. "You were one of the best." He said.
"I still am. I'm just not actively seeking marks." She shrugged. "If I find a bad egg, believe me, I'll crack it."
Steve sneered, baring his teeth in disgust. "Lazy, Jewel. You'd rather spend time at that freak show doing… what exactly? Giving belly dances?" he gestured to her outfit. "How'd you end up there anyhow? And what about this guy?" he pointed to Mika. "He not hunting either?"
"He's just a friend. He got me the job when I needed to leave the Hunt." Juliet was reaching for explanations now. 'I don't know why I thought this would work out' she sighed internally. 'This could get bad.'
"You retired too, big guy?" Steve asked, glaring at Mika who had remained silent.
"No." Mika said.
Juliet blinked, still hunched over her coffee. 'Oh shit, where is he going with this?'
"Really?" Steve asked.
"I hunt a particular type of Vampire." Mika said. "Purple skinned drainers."
Steve's eyes lit up when Mika spoke. "Really?" he said again. "Why are you in the freak show then?"
"Travel expenses are too high."
Silence hung over them again. Steve began laughing. Juliet looked up warily and then the waitress arrived with their food. A variable smorgasbord of deep-fried items was placed before her.
"Let me know if you need anything else." The waitress said before walking away again.
Steve shook his head, taking a piece of bacon and biting into it. "You two are something else. A retired hunter and a specialist traveling with a freak show." He laughed again. "What a story. What a pair! You two still boning?"
Juliet rolled her eyes. "No." she snapped. "And stop asking. My sexual activities are nobody's business but mine."
"Hey," Steve put his hands up defensively. "I used to be up in that business. And the business was very good. I'm just looking out for you."
"Well stop." She growled.
"Yeah alright. Eat your food, Jewel. Stop snapping at me." He was smiling, but Juliet was still wary. His questions had gotten serious enough to warrant suspicion.
Thankfully the rest of their meal went by in relative silence. Juliet devoured her entire fried-food selection, from the chicken fried steak smothered with gravy to the chicken tenders, popcorn shrimp and full basket of fries. She did it for two reasons- because she was hungry, and to prevent Steve from asking more prying questions.
Outside of the diner Mika stood back under a street lamp, watching as Juliet and Steve said their goodbyes. Juliet didn't want to embrace the man, but he grabbed her and pulled her into his arms regardless of what she wanted.
"It was good to see you again. You know it's been years, right? Call me every once in a while let me know you're alive." Steve held her head against his chest and Juliet couldn't help but soften at the concern in his words.
"I think I still know one of your numbers." She mumbled.
Steve chuckled. "Well I still have three phones. I can give you each number, if you want."
"No. It's fine. I'll call you sometime." She said, giving him a small smile. She waved him off. "Go, now. You've got a bigger job than me. You're keeping people safe."
Steve smiled. "Maybe I'll look you up again. We can relive some old times." His wink made her internally groan.
"No." she said, turning to leave. Steve hollered after her.
"You could at least consider it!"
Mika fell into step with Juliet as they walked back to the Cirque. Before he could say a word she turned her head to him and said "I have made some terrible decisions in my life and he was one of them, can we just leave it at that?"
Mika closed his mouth and nodded and they continued to walk in silence. He wanted to remain quiet but couldn't help his curiosity. "Who is better?" he asked, a smile curving his full lips.
Juliet didn't hide her groan this time. "You really want me to answer that question? Men!"
"I'm only kidding, Juliet." Mika said with a chuckle. "But," his face grew serious. "Do you remember all your time as a Hunter, now?"
Juliet frowned. "Yes and no… I remember what I did, like the hunts that I went on. People I really have to think about. I took me a full minute to recognize him. I mean, his hair wasn't always white… but everything else was the same." She shook her head, jingling. "It came to me after a while though. Thank the gods that coulda been hella awkward."
"It wasn't?" Mika remarked.
Juliet laughed. "Okaaaay. More awkward." She admit. "But it was kinda nice to see him. He was the only hunter… ah 'within my age' so to speak. He was always kind to me. Probably because he wanted to bang… which we did so …"
"That man has feelings for you."
"Oh, really? I hadn't noticed." She twirled a strand of hair around her finger, smiling.
"It would be wise if we avoided him in the future." Mika said, ignoring Juliet's sarcasm.
"This future or the next? Time travel and all…." She muttered. "But yeah, I agree." Juliet continued walking, but Mika had stopped. "What?" she called back to him.
"Juliet I must speak honestly." He said. She turned back to him and he walked a few steps up to her. "I have feelings for you."
Juliet sighed, she was afraid of this. Mika meeting one of her ex-lovers had caused the shift she'd been hoping to avoid. 'Well this was bound to happen eventually.' She said. 'We are supposed to spend another four years together…'
"Mika, please-"
"I know I have hurt you and I can never make up for that." He said, cutting her off. "But I want you to know that I will always protect you."
"Mika you don't need to protect me I-"
"Regardless of our history, you have deigned to call me your friend these past few months, and I am very grateful. But I cannot help how I feel."
"Mika!" Juliet shouted, knocking the Vampire Prince out of his reverie. "If you keep cutting me off you can say goodbye to this friendship!" she snapped. Mika nodded. "I know you have feelings for me. I saw your memories."
Mika's eyes widened. "Yes, of our past." He said, slightly confused.
"And of when you went back to the manor." She said, avoiding his gaze. "I know about the letter you wrote. I know what happened when you saw the rubble. I felt… what you felt."
He ran a gloved hand over his mouth. "Then surely-"
Now Juliet cut him off. "You know why I can't say I feel the same way. Too much history. Too many 'what ifs'. But I don't want to belittle your feelings. Mika I get it, but it can't… I can't…." she trailed off, her blue eyes looked up into his pleading with him.
Mika didn't want her words. He'd finally worked up the courage to speak of his heart and she still couldn't accept him. She still hadn't forgiven him. "I understand." He said. Juliet nodded and turned, but Mika caught her hand and gently stopped her. "But I don't accept it." He said, bringing her body close to his.
"Mika-" she began.
"I apologize. But I have to cut you off. I have to make you understand." He said, his eyes intense and his grip on her hand loosening, moving it to her face where he used his thumb to stroke her smooth skin. He placed his other hand on her hip. Juliet didn't fight him. She knew what was coming, but she couldn't stop it. Didn't want to. "Let me convince you." He whispered. Juliet nodded demurely, her eyes captured by the fierceness in his.
Mika's lips descended on hers with a gentle intensity that made her gasp. The last time this man had kissed her she'd been a naïve young woman, untouched by another. She hadn't known the difference between a good kiss and a bad kiss. Now she was grown, experienced. Now she could say without a doubt one way or another.
Damn Mika ver Leth was and amazing kisser.
His lips were soft with and with just the right amount of force he caressed hers, seeking acceptance and reciprocation. It was the kind of kiss that asked a question 'Will you be mine?', and Juliet didn't know how to answer. She wanted to push him away, but the warm hands on her hips held her close to Mika's solid frame, reminding her of how well their bodies joined together. Juliet melted at the memories, allowing her body to respond. Her lips eagerly accepted his, sighing and granting him access to her mouth where his clever tongue began its dangerous dance with hers. Mika groaned the moment their tongues touched, and the sound shocked her out of the kiss. She pushed against him, and he didn't fight her, simply letting her back away.
"Stop. This isn't happening. I'm not going down this road. Dammit Mika! We sleep in the same room." She gasped.
Mika's eyes were dark. "I know."
"Are you hoping that will help your cause?" she snapped.
"I am." He stated.
Juliet growled in irritation at the smug look on the Prince's face. "By the gods, Mika are you serious right now?"
"If you go to sleep tonight thinking of me, I will die happy."
Juliet didn't know how to respond. Or rather, she knew exactly how she wanted to respond, but there weren't enough expletives in the multitude of languages she knew to compensate for how angry and turned on she was. She ground her teeth. "Mika ver Leth, I swear if I wake up to you in my bed I will murder you."
Mika leveled his gaze on her with an even, easy smirk. "You tempt me, Juliet. But the only way I will be in bed with you is when you invite me there yourself."
Juliet, teeth clenched, turned on her heel and stormed away. Mika watched, slowly meandering after her. One hand in his pocket, and the other over his mouth, reliving the feeling of Juliet's body, receptive and wanting against his.
