Nyx didn't know what she would expect. She had seen a couple of the acts but she had no idea what she'd see in this circus act.
It was her first show experience after all.
For Evra, it's been awhile since he was on this side of the stage.
Once the lights dimmed and the sound of trumpets echoed, causing Nyx to wince at the loud sound before Mr. Tall stepped out on the makeshift stage.
After the sounds stopped, he began the introduction of the Cirque. Giving a speech Nyx would hear repeatedly for years to come. Right now, she watched the stage with pure curiosity, wondering what would happen first. Her wonder didn't last long however.
Two pretty stagehands were pushing a very familiar cage. Sounds of the Wolfman's howls and snarls echoed as loud as Nyx's heart was pounding against her chest. Hands gripping the handles of the seat so tight the wood splintered but she didn't move.
Nyx was whimpering and trembling as her earlier encounter with the terrifying creature was still fresh on her mind. She raised her hands up and covered her ears and squeezed her eyes shut. In some sort of attempt to block the Wolfman.
Evra sees her acting like this before he taps her shoulder. "Hey, it's okay, he's not going to hurt anyone." He said, hopefully what he said was true. "Watch this."
Even though Nyx would prefer to pretend that the Wolfman didn't even exist, she slowly opened her eyes just as one of the ladies was spinning this weird object in front of him and he fell into a trance that caused him to be quiet.
"The Wolfman will not be able to hurt you as long as we control him." One of them said as they opened the cage door. "But a loud sound could wake him up and then he would be deadly."
They lead the tranced Wolfman out.
Nyx hugged her legs against her chest as the ladies led the monster through the aisles. Saying that the audience may touch him as long as they don't break the trance and was gentle.
"As long as there is no sudden noise, the Wolfman is a danger to no one." Evra said in his attempt to ease her as the Wolfman was led in their direction.
The closer he got, the more her heart raced. Her red eye became irritated again, causing her to rub it. Feeling something in her trying to come out as a result.
Evra reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay," he whispered to her in assurance.
Nyx felt her heart stop for a moment when she watched the Wolfman walk to them. Holding in her breath but he walked past them and didn't break out of his trance.
She finally was able to relax once the ladies put the Wolfman back in his cage and was rolled away.
The rest of the show went without any trouble. Nyx couldn't help but be amazed and looked starstruck watching everyone shine on stage. Though she saw what some of the members could do the other day, she was glued to the stage.
She saw how the others were enjoying the show, laughing, cheering, screams of fright before turning into delight. Nyx was loving all of it. Even Mr. Tall did a performance himself and she loved it.
She was falling deeply in love with the mysterious world of the Cirque Du Freak.
However, that would be up to the test when one of the last acts came on stage.
Mr. Tall gets on to announce the next performer.
"Ladies and gentlemen, our next act is another unique and perplexing one." Mr. Tall announced as the next act came on stage.
Nyx began to hear her heartbeat race even faster when she saw the red cladded vampire coming out with a small cage in tow. Seeing the bright and colorful spider inside of it.
"It can also be quite dangerous, so I ask that you do not clap until you are told it is safe. Mr. Crepsley and his performing spider, Madam Octa! " The tall man announced before disappearing offstage.
"It's okay." Evra whispered to Nyx, knowing that she looked really tense.
He knew if she would see Mr. Crepsley acts on stage, maybe it would be a start for her to trust him, or at least be somewhat interested.
Nyx glanced at him before looking back at the stage, having missed some of what the vampire said during his speech.
"Madam Octa is truly an incredible spider. She is both poisonous and intelligent." Larten said before he took a key out and unlocked the cage. "Come on out."
Then the colorful spider came crawling out. It was a relief that she was not injured when being chunked across the tent. The spider stood at the small table, awaiting commands as a stagehand led a goat on a leash onto the stage..
When the vampire pulled a tin flute out of his sleeve, Nyx tilted her head curiously at it.
She watched him put the flute between his lips and began to play on it.
Just simple notes of music and Madam Octa suddenly lunged at the goat's face, piercing her fangs deeply into it. With a startled baah from the goat, it dropped to its side.
Nyx let out a startled gasp. At first she thought it was dead but she could see its belly moving. Seeing that it was alive still.
"This flute here is how I control Madam Octa." He then said, holding the flute out momentarily for all of them to see.
"She and I have worked together for many years, but she is not my pet." Larten explained. Going over the same routine he has developed over the years as a spider performer. "If I did not have this flute, my life would be in danger. The goat is merely paralyzed. I have trained Madam Octa not to kill outright with her first bite, but the goat will die in the end after all. So we shall finish it quickly. "
He puts the flute back in his mouth and plays a few notes.
Madam Octa follows the command and bite the goat once more.
And it took no time at all for the goat to cease to live. The spider then crawled off of the body and faced the crowd.
A part of Nyx felt bad that the goat died, but she guessed it was better than having the spider hurt others.
Larten then moved to showing off having Madam Octa performing various tricks using his flute, having her lifting various pens and toothpicks like weights, and seeing her push a ball around. Just showing what she could do.
Though Nyx was still unsure about the vampire, she couldn't help but also be fixated at his performance. Liking the tricks Madam Octa was doing, though the notes were simple, she liked hearing Larten play the flute.
She recognized the sounds she heard that brought her back here to the cirque.
Then, she watched the adult vampire having the spider crawl up his arm. The stagehand that pulled the goat in had a flute of her own and began to play. Though she wasn't as skilled as him and it did hurt Nyx's ears but it worked all the same.
Madam Octa crawled up to Larten's face and began spinning her web, dangling from his chin.
Nyx gasped, not thinking that he was actually going to do it.
And he did.
Larten opened his mouth and swung Madam Octa as the stagehand played to distract the spider. The spider landed in the vampire's mouth and quickly spun a web.
And for some reason, Nyx finds it funny and covers her mouth as she begins giggling at this rather frightening event.
She drops down and he ends up chewing the webs and swallowing it as he puts her back in the cage and locking it up.
"Delicious! Nothing tastier. Fresh spiderwebs are a treat where I come from!"
And the crowd began applauding after that.
Nyx ended up clapping her hands as well.
Evra was grinning from ear to ear to see Nyx enjoying herself after all of this.
After the show, Evra led Nyx to the back of the tent where the performers went after the show for a small party they were having.
Nyx still stayed close to Evra, she felt a whole lot lighter than she has felt in a really long time. She nearly forgot what it was like to not be scared nor had any sort of joyous fun since she was turned decades ago.
Mr. Tall then soon came up to the two. "Well, I hope that you enjoyed yourself tonight, my dear?" He asked Nyx.
She nodded her head and smiled brightly.
"Besides the Wolfman, Nyx pretty much had a blast. She couldn't turn away from the stage. " Evra said in pride.
Nyx nodded in agreement.
"Splendid." Mr. Tall said, glad to hear it.
The two soon went to grab plates for them to dine on before the child vampire noticed that one of the performers wasn't at the little get-together.
She gazed at the other members but didn't find him.
Nyx turned to see that Evra was talking to Greta Teeth. Seeing for a split moment that he was a little preoccupied.
Wondering where the adult vampire went, Nyx wandered away from Evra for a moment with a plate of food in her hands.
She momentarily stepped outside, taking in the chilled air hitting her lungs. Noting that winter would come early.
Nyx grazed her surroundings before she caught glimpse of the vampire walking away from the main tent.
Gulping softly, she followed him.
Larten stopped walking when he heard footsteps behind him and turned to see Nyx approaching him.
"Yes?" He asked her.
Nyx thought of what her actions might be. She didn't know what she was going to do at first. She still was hesitant around him.
However, she knew if she was to stay in the circus, she might as well make some sort of amends.
Though she doesn't know much about Larten, one thing she knows most certainly: he was not her sire.
She quietly approached him and then held the plate of food she had made, originally for herself, and held it out for him as an offering.
Larten was confused and honestly a little surprised that she would make such a bold move after her incident with the Wolfman. He had thought that Nyx wouldn't want anything to do with his for a while.
He did wish that she would verbally communicate but he could see what she was trying to do.
Instead of denying her, he gently grabs the plate from her. "Thank you Nyx. This is very kind of you." He said.
Nyx's pale cheeks then blushed when he complimented her. Life in her eyes seemed to come back. She turned her face away and her feet shuffled in place.
"Nyx? Nyx, where are you?" Evra's voice then called out for her after seeing that she wandered off.
"You best be heading back to the others." Larten said to the child. Motioning back to the main tent.
Nyx nodded, face still red from the compliment before she ended up flitting back to Evra. Colliding into him with such force she knocked him down and she landed on top of him. Causing the others who saw laugh and helped them up.
Larten couldn't help but chuckle seeing her go. Still amazed that the half vampire was flitting, years ahead of her time.
There may be hope for her after all.