Strings Of Fate

Chapter 9

It was pitch black. The wall of height behind him vanished, letting a cold draft run down his spine. Terrence shivered. He was confused for a moment, looking around in the dark, not sure where he was. Not his own room or living room for sure. A clock to the side declared it was 2:59 in bold red digits. Someone was sleeping in front of him. Then the scent of Marquez hit him and the memories of the previous evening returned. 

It was Sanvish with him. Marquez was not. There was a sobbing sound. Terrence twisted. Danny. Marquez's hushed, calming tones came through the open door. Comforting his friend from the words used. He went to get up, but Sanvish's hand stopped him. Bright eyes looked at him through the gloom. 

"No," Sanvish murmured, voice quiet to match the stillness of the hour. "Your friend had a nightmare. Nothing bad is happening."

"Sure," Terrence shivered but stayed in place. This was not good at all. Daniel was vulnerable and in Marquez's grip. None of that was a good thing. It would only make it so much more likely that they were luring Daniel into the web.  

Sanvish's arm curled around him and pulled him to a furred chest, the low rumbling of Sanvish not as comforting as Marquez but a reassurance nonetheless. This wasn't out of spite. Madame and the circus thought they loved him and wanted him to come home. Their love burned out everything else in the world. 

"It's too late to keep him from us anyway," Sanvish said, the words stabbing in Terrence's stomach. "The magic snarled him. He's a match for us. It's not a bad thing. When you leave, he won't have anyone else, will he?" 

"He has a life," Terrence growled, but he didn't pull away from Sanvish. "And I'm not leaving."

"So does everyone. Doesn't mean that it's a good one or one that makes them happy." There was a challenge to those words. One that was safe to fight against Sanvish, but if Marquez uttered those words, Terrence would shatter into pieces. Sanvish didn't know him. He didn't know how unhappy he had become at the circus and how he'd longed to escape. Marquez did. Marquez would see through any lie he tried to utter about this life being better. Right now, it wasn't. It had been so many good though. 

"I told you. You can't judge my life based on what you saw. Coping has been hard."

"Grief can sink the strongest soul. Family helps, and you have been left alone to fester for far too long," Sanvish countered, more dagger punching into Terrence's gut. 

Terrence swallowed, curling against him. The circus would use it against him. He knew it. Any tactic was acceptable if it did the trick. He was as hurting and vulnerable as any new soul they were courting. Worse yet, he knew what they were offering. The safety and support that was circus despite all its flaws, traps and in-house drama. None of them would let him sink into the mud. Even as a predator type, the moment the herd collective knew about his flat, he'd be seeing them on every corner ensuring they took care of him. And then there was Sanvish and Marquez. 

"I worked so hard to build this."

"Too hard to give it up without a fight," Sanvish sighed, the action moving some of Terrence's hair. "You know the risks of fighting." He cuddled closer and Terrence closed his eyes.