[Mystic Caravan Mystery 04.0] Freaky Games Read online

  Freaky Games

  A Mystic Caravan Mystery Book Four

  Amanda M. Lee

  WinchesterShaw Publications

  Copyright © 2017 by Amanda M. Lee

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  1. One

  2. Two

  3. Three

  4. Four

  5. Five

  6. Six

  7. Seven

  8. Eight

  9. Nine

  10. Ten

  11. Eleven

  12. Twelve

  13. Thirteen

  14. Fourteen

  15. Fifteen

  16. Sixteen

  17. Seventeen

  18. Eighteen

  19. Nineteen

  20. Twenty

  21. Twenty-One

  22. Twenty-Two

  23. Twenty-Three

  24. Twenty-Four

  25. Twenty-Five

  26. Twenty-Six

  27. Twenty-Seven

  28. Twenty-Eight

  29. Twenty-Nine

  30. Thirty

  Mailing List

  About the Author

  Books by Amanda M. Lee

  1

  One

  “I’m ready to put the sin back in Sin City!”

  My best friend Luke Bishop bellowed out the words as he secured the patio furniture we shared into the back of his truck, raised his work glove-covered hands in the air and pumped his fists as he hopped from the back of the vehicle and landed with a grunt on the ground.

  Kade Denton, my new boyfriend, arched an eyebrow as he watched Luke cavort. He was busy with his own bout of packing, so he couldn’t spare much effort to engage in mindless interaction. “If I didn’t know you better, I’d think you’re happy to see the showgirls,” he teased, his eyes flashing as he secured a rope around some picnic tables in the back of his truck, which was parked behind Luke’s vehicle.

  “Ha, ha,” Luke intoned, rolling his eyes as he glanced skyward, as if praying to a deity to swoop in and save him from Kade’s condescension. “You’re such a funny guy. I see why you like him, Poet. He’s a regular comedian.”

  That’s me, by the way, Poet Parker. I’m second in command at the Mystic Caravan Circus, the entity we were moving from Idaho to Nevada, and first in the line of fire when it comes to personality clashes between workers. I’m Romani by birth if not practice and a full-time psychic extraordinaire. That essentially means I can read minds, change my appearance, control the actions of others when necessary and occasionally act as moderator between my best friend and boyfriend. Yeah, the boyfriend part is new. I can’t stop saying the word in my head … and then I blush like an embarrassed teenager and giggle. It’s sickening. I can’t explain it.

  “He makes me laugh all of the time,” I argued, avoiding eye contact with Kade to head off the inevitable blushing.

  “Mostly when he’s naked, right?” Luke tugged off his work gloves and ran a hand through his blond hair. “I’m sure that’s a hilarious sight.”

  Kade scorched Luke with a dark look before slamming the tailgate … loudly. “Tell your buddy I’m going to pop him in the face if he doesn’t watch his mouth,” Kade ordered.

  “Tell your bed buddy that I came first and I’m more important,” Luke shot back.

  I didn’t tell either of them anything. I was too exhausted to break up yet another fight between them. In truth, I was sick of the sniping. Luke wasn’t wrong. He came first, and we’d been best friends since Maxwell “Max” Anderson caught me picking pockets in a suburb of Detroit and offered me a job with his traveling circus. At the time, Luke was new to the game, too, and the fact that he could shift into a wolf made him a hot commodity on the circus circuit. I’d always been different, capable of doing things I couldn’t explain. Mystic Caravan Circus taught me I wasn’t unique or alone in my abilities. Luke refused to leave me alone until I agreed to be his best friend. We’ve been inseparable ever since.

  Kade, on the other hand, was a recent circus recruit. He’s head of security, ridiculously buff, loyal and charming. He boasts a smile that makes me go weak in the knees. I’m not kidding. I’m not proud of how girly I’ve become either, for the record. He does something to me. Not that. Get your mind out of the gutter.

  Anyway, Kade took a step back when he found out I’d been keeping a secret regarding his paternity. Max is Kade’s father (it’s a whole big thing) and he wasn’t happy when he found out I knew and hadn’t told him. We spent some time apart, but we’re back on track. I thought that meant things would get easier. The sniping with Luke essentially makes things worse, though.

  “Do you guys always have to bicker?” I asked, annoyed.

  Kade shrugged, seemingly unbothered by my tone. “It’s what keeps moving days from getting boring.” Mystic Caravan was heading toward the outskirts of Las Vegas, which Luke was unbelievably excited about. I, on the other hand, prefer much more rural destinations. The idea of being so close to a big city makes me nervous.

  “I think you should focus on me because I’m never boring,” I teased.

  Kade’s grin was full of potential mischief when he slipped an arm around my waist and gave me a quick kiss. “That’s true. I’m looking forward to not being boring with you tonight.”

  “Oh, geez.” Luke tapped his foot on the ground and returned his eyes to the sky, his expression overflowing with disgust. “You guys make me want to puke so hard.”

  “Right back at you.” Kade tucked a strand of my long dark hair behind an ear and then reluctantly turned his full attention on Luke. “What’s your deal, man? You seem excitable … er, well, more excitable than usual. Why are you so excited for Vegas? I mean … I know it’s not the showgirls.”

  “Your wit astounds me.” Luke gave me a look that said “can you believe this guy” before sucking in a breath to steady himself. “I know that’s a joke about me being gay. I don’t care what you think about that, by the way. I’m comfortable in my own skin.”

  “I happen to be fine with you being gay,” Kade supplied. “It makes the fact that I find you in bed with my girlfriend once or twice a week tolerable.”

  I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. The times Kade returned to my trailer after walking the perimeter of the circus grounds to find Luke in my bed as we watched bad television and gossiped hadn’t exactly offered comfortable interaction. He hadn’t blown up, however, so I considered that a win.

  “I guess I never considered that from your perspective,” Luke mused. “As for showgirls, by the way, I love them.”

  “Really?” Kade cocked a dubious eyebrow. “I’d think you preferred those Cirque du Soleil guys. I have to think they’re more entertaining, at least from your perspective.”

  “I am not a cliché.”

  “Of course.” Kade slid his eyes to me, amused. “You’re definitely not a cliché.”

  “I saw that look.” Luke pushed between Kade and me, making sure I couldn’t see anything other than his face as he blocked me from eye contact with my new boyfriend. “He’s bugging me. I insist you make him stop bugging me.”

  I bit back a sigh as I forced myself to remain calm. Luke and Kade got along fifty percent of the time and were at each other’s throats the other fifty percent. I could never tell how things would go until I watched them interact for a few minutes. Today’s match had the potential to be a big
one if I wasn’t careful. Moving days are always tense, because so much work is involved.

  “I think we can arrange a timeout between you guys,” I offered, forcing a smile. “You’ll be in different vehicles for the drive to Vegas. That’s hours of time apart.”

  I hoped the reminder that we would be on the road in five minutes would brighten Luke’s mood. But I forgot the second part of that equation. “That’s good.” Luke’s smile untwisted my insides. “You’re riding with me, right?”

  “I’m sorry … what?” I wasn’t expecting that, and I couldn’t immediately answer because that wasn’t my initial inclination. I risked a glance at Kade and found his unreadable gaze on me. “Um … .”

  “Yeah, Poet,” Kade pressed. “Who are you riding with?”

  Ugh. Now they’re coming at me from both sides. Before Kade came along I always rode with Luke. He enjoys talking regardless of whether or not I devote my full attention to listening. I’m something of an introvert when I want to be, so I’m fine letting Luke hold up both ends of the conversation.

  On the flip side, Kade is perfectly fine driving long stretches without speaking at all. There’s comfort in the quiet, which I find baffling. I’ve never had it, so I still find time to marvel over it.

  “Oh, well … .” I wasn’t sure how to answer. I hate when my best friend and boyfriend put me on the spot.

  “You suck.” Luke gave me a disgusted look as he shook his head. “You’re going to ride with your love muffin. We both know it. Why are you even pretending otherwise?”

  “Luke, don’t take it personally.”

  “Personally?” Luke’s eyebrows flew up his forehead. “Why would I take it personally? I was your best friend before this, and now you prefer his company to mine. That’s not personal at all.”

  “That’s not true,” I protested, my stomach twisting. “You know I love you.”

  “Not enough to ride with me.”

  Kade scowled as he moved closer. “Don’t pressure her to choose. That’s not fair.”

  “I’m not pressuring her because there is no choice,” Luke countered. “I was here first.”

  “Oh, geez.” Kade pinched the bridge of his nose. “Fine. Ride with Luke.”

  I glanced at him, unsure. “Really?”

  “Really.” Kade forced a smile that didn’t make it all the way to his eyes. “I’m fine with it.”

  I shot him a relieved smile. “Okay. I … thank you.”

  Luke watched the exchange with annoyance. “Oh, good grief. You two should definitely ride together, because I don’t want to deal with the inevitable pouting if you don’t. I’ll entertain myself with thoughts of Vegas … which is bound to be more stimulating than Poet’s sad eyes should I part the two of you.”

  Kade pursed his lips, amused. “Well, that’s very magnanimous of you. No one can say you’re not a true humanitarian. Thank you. I’m forever in your debt.”

  Luke narrowed his eyes, realization that he’d been played washing over him. “You planned that. I know you did.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Kade shot back, grinning. “I’m sure you’ll tell us over dinner when we hit Vegas, though.”

  Luke flicked his eyes to me. “I won’t forget this.”

  “I’ll bake your favorite cookies to make it up to you,” I offered, hoping that would be enough to broker a few days’ peace. The constant worry about an imminent fight between the two was starting to grate.

  “Sold.” Luke’s smile was so big it almost swallowed his entire face. “Things are definitely looking up.”

  Kade’s smile seemed to echo the sentiment. “I couldn’t agree more.”

  “SO WHAT’S Luke’s deal with Vegas?”

  Kade waited until we were on the road to ask the obvious question.

  I leaned back in the passenger seat, the wind from the partially open window blowing my hair, and shrugged. “He loves the spectacle of Vegas.”

  “Meaning?”

  “Meaning he likes all of the glitz and glamour,” I replied. “We won’t technically be in Vegas. We’ll be on the outskirts, but that’s close enough for him to pay a few visits to town.”

  “I honestly wouldn’t think that Vegas would be a place for family-friendly fun like the circus,” Kade noted. “I was surprised when I saw it on the itinerary.”

  “Actually, Vegas is one of our busier stops exactly because of that. The circus allows for quiet fun compared to what the casinos offer, so it’s a big draw.”

  “I guess I never considered that.” Kade rubbed his jaw before sliding his hand across the console and linking his fingers with mine. “I would’ve been fine if you wanted to ride with Luke, by the way. I know that’s going to happen from time to time.”

  “You do?”

  “He’s your best friend. And it’s not fair for me to take up all of your time.”

  “I kind of like you taking up all of my time over the past two weeks,” I admitted, flicking my eyes to the window so he wouldn’t see my overt embarrassment. “It’s been nice.”

  “It has been nice,” Kade conceded. “That doesn’t mean Luke isn’t important to you. I get it. I’m fine with it.”

  I believed him. Kade was ridiculously easygoing most of the time. He had a bit of a freakout when he first learned that Mystic Caravan was more than just a circus, going positively apoplectic when he realized we were closet monster hunters as well. That’s actually our main job – hunting dangerous monsters, that is – and our performance tasks work in tandem with our hunting chores.

  Kade isn’t magical – at least that I’ve been able to ascertain – but he embraced our paranormal leanings relatively quickly once he found out the truth. He struggled with the knowledge that Max was his father, mostly because he believed Max to be a friend of his late father the entire time he was growing up, but he was doing his best to accept his new reality. The fact that Max is a powerful mage means that Kade could very well have some magical abilities, too. I’ve wisely opted to keep that conversation in the back of my mind for the time being. Kade’s absorbed a lot in a short amount of time. Adding to his burden somehow seems unfair.

  “I love Luke.” I licked my lips as I decided how to proceed. “He’s always been there for me. That won’t change. I’ll always love him. That doesn’t mean I can’t ride with you.”

  “I want you to ride with me. Once we get to the location the next twenty-four hours will be nonstop work. I like that we have this reprieve to spend time together. That doesn’t mean I want you to neglect Luke. We can … share … you.”

  I balked. “Do you think I’m neglecting Luke?”

  Kade’s smile was rueful. “I love that you picked that part of what I said to focus on.” He chuckled. “I don’t think you’re neglecting Luke. I do think he enjoys making you believe it because then you do favors for him … like making cookies and watching bad television late into the night.”

  “I don’t mind baking him cookies.”

  “I know you don’t.” Kade squeezed my hand, offering me quiet reassurance. “We’re still figuring this out and working together to see how three lives are going to mesh with one another. It’s not going to happen overnight. I’m okay with it.”

  He said the words, but I couldn’t help but be wary. “The good news is that Luke is going to be so excited about being close to Vegas that he really won’t be a problem this week.”

  “He’s not a problem any other week.”

  Now it was my turn to be dubious, and I was fairly certain my expression said just that, because Kade broke out in raucous chuckles.

  “Okay, he’s not that much of a problem any other week,” Kade conceded. “I get it. You two are close. I actually appreciate the fact that you’re rarely alone when you go on adventures – mostly because those adventures often get you into life-threatening trouble – and I’m happy you two spend so much time together.”

  I wanted to believe him, but … . “Still, you guys kind of snark at one anot
her a lot.”

  “We do,” Kade confirmed. “Have you ever considered that’s simply the way we communicate?”

  “I … what do you mean?”

  “That’s how guys interact,” Kade replied. “We’re boisterous and we posture a lot. It’s not a bad thing. It simply … is what it is.”

  “Huh.” I pondered the statement. “Is this like when guys take off their shirts and flex so they can see who has the biggest muscles?”

  Kade tilted his head to the side, considering. “Kind of. I guess. I’m not sure I like the analogy, though.”

  “Is that because you want to have the bigger muscles?”

  Kade snorted. “Honey, I do have the biggest muscles.”

  I matched him smirk for smirk. “I’ll tell Luke you said that and see if he agrees.”

  “I’m looking forward to it.” Kade leaned back in his seat, seemingly sensing the need for serious conversation regarding Luke and the time we needed to spend together had passed. “So, tell me about the setup in Vegas. What’s important to know?”

  And just like that we had another serious topic to tackle. “It’s funny that you ask … .”

  2

  Two

  “Huh.”

  Kade didn’t look impressed as he studied the area that would be our home for the next week, his gaze busy as it bounced from location to location.

  I fought to contain my amusement. “Not what you were expecting?”

  “No,” Kade replied hurriedly, shaking his head. “It’s … fine.”