Awry

73

The first night of the Avalon Fair was everything it promised to be. Colored twinkle lights lit up the square and stands advertising muffins and cider and pies and soups were all over the park.

A Ferris wheel was set up in the center of the park and a large, colorful carousel twirled about beside the park’s large, white gazebo.

And, if Gabriel wasn’t mistaken, there was a petting zoo off to the side full of goats, llamas, pigs and sheep. Pony rides were available beside a dunk tank in the park and jugglers everywhere were tossing pins, balls, and fire through the air.

Live music came from a band set up in the middle of Main Street and people everywhere walked around with treats and hot cups.

It was chaos. Colorful chaos, but chaos nonetheless. And it was the perfect place to get stabbed by a member of the living dead.

Whose idea was this again?

Heather was merrily passing out to-go cups of Millhouse coffee at her booth, wearing a black apron over her pink dress and an extra-friendly smile while Gabriel stood beside the stand and watched.

When there was a break in the long line of coffee patrons, Heather turned her fake smile to the Gabriel and walked over to him, her vanilla perfume sliding into his nostrils.

“Really, Gabriel? It’s a fair. Go ride a pony or something. Don’t just loiter.”

Usually, Heather was quite a bit shorter than Gabriel. But with her tall shoes on, her eyes were level with his mouth.

“I’m not going to ride a pony.” Gabriel glanced around. “My job is to make sure you don’t have any Ashman run-ins, so forgive me if I loiter.”

She filled a cup and thrust it toward Gabriel. “Then at the very least pretend to be enjoying yourself so the customers don’t think our coffee makes people pouty.”

Scarlet looked around the town square carefully. “I don’t see Laura anywhere.” She stood with Nate and Tristan beside the tall Ferris wheel, just a few yards away from Heather and Gabriel.

The fair was well underway and everyone in the town was there to celebrate. Laughing, dancing, and throwing darts at balloons in order to win giant, stuffed animals that looked like toy store rejects.

Scarlet wasn’t crazy about her town’s community events. But at least no one was trying to kiss her at this one.

Nate exhaled. “Well, we need to find her so we can detain her.”

Tristan shrugged. “Or maybe kill her.”

Scarlet’s eyes went wide and Nate glared at Tristan. “We’re not going to kill her, Tristan. We will detain her. And take away her little flower so she can’t make anymore Ashmen.”

Tristan looked around the park and muttered, “And maybe kill her.”

“Ooh!” Nate’s eyes lit up as an old lady wheeled a cart past them. “Cotton Candy!” He stepped away from them to purchase his treat.

Left alone beneath the colorful lights and happy noises, Scarlet and Tristan didn’t make eye contact. Scarlet absently felt for him, sensing his nervousness and alertness. He was ready for a fight.

She glanced at him and found his face turned to the side, looking out over the festivities. Running her eyes down his profile, Scarlet wondered who he’d been in her last life, when they were kissing. Who had she been?

He turned his head and their eyes met. She didn’t shy away from him or pretend not to be searching his face. Instead, she stared more intently. Hoping to find a bit of herself in his green eyes.

“You weren’t surprised earlier.” Scarlet lifted her chin to keep her face on his.

“What do you mean?”

“When I threw that knife into the Ashman’s head, you weren’t surprised. You didn’t question how I was able to do that.” She softened her voice. “Why not?”

His voice was quiet. “Because I don’t question you.”

Scarlet raised a brow. “Even when I run a blade through an Ashman’s head?”

He smiled. “Especially when you run a blade through an Ashman’s head.”

Scarlet’s heart tightened at the sight of his dimples. He was devastating.

For a moment, she felt his heart and her heart echo against one another in her chest. In perfect harmony, they pounded together, like two drums in a dark night, beating a rhythm into the sky. Strong…healthy.

Deadly.

Sadness invaded her lungs. She was killing Tristan. Every heartbeat, every beautiful pulse, was one step closer to losing him.

“Hi, Gabriel,” came a perky voice.

Scarlet and Tristan turned to see Kristy Stevens walking up to them. Kristy glanced at Scarlet, then turned her eyes back to Tristan—clearly assuming he was Gabriel. “I didn’t know you were going to be here tonight.” Kristy gave him a flirty smile. “We could have come together.”

Scarlet stared at Kristy and felt the sudden need to strangle her.

Tristan looked at Kristy with narrowed eyes. “I don’t think so.”

Kristy tilted her head and looked at Tristan sweetly. “No?”

Scarlet wished she still had the butcher knife on hand.

Tristan stayed calm. Collected. “Nope.”

Kristy shrugged. “Whatever. See you around.” She turned away without looking at Scarlet.

Scarlet’s heart was on fire. She would kill Kristy. She would hunt her down and grab her by her hair and throw her to the ground and—

“Scar,” Tristan spoke softly as he looked at her with an amused expression. “Relax.”

Scarlet shot her gaze—which had been focused on the back of Kristy’s stupid blond head—to Tristan. “I don’t like her.”

“I can tell.” Tristan smiled and his dimples made him look like a little boy.

Scarlet exhaled through her nose as she looked back at Kristy. “She’s such a flirt.”

Tristan tucked his lips in. “You don’t like her flirting with me?”

Scarlet looked at him and answered honestly. “No.”

Tristan nodded and looked away. “Kristy is a just girl, Scar.”

“So?”

Looking back at her, Tristan leaned in close and lowered his voice. “She’s not you.”

Scarlet stared at him for moment, feeling his heart pound in sync with her own as his lips were only inches from her face. Being so close to him was confusing. And dangerous.

But, oh, so alluring….

“Do I need to put you guys in giant, plastic bubbles so you don’t touch each other?” Nate walked back up to them with a mountain of cotton candy in his hand.

Scarlet and Tristan immediately stepped away from one another.

Nate stood in between them and began eating his treat. “Fairs are the best,” he said through a mouthful of blue sugar.

Scarlet shifted her weight. “I think I’m going to hang out with Gabriel and Heather for a while. Let me know if you see Laura.” She didn’t look back at Tristan as she made her way over to the coffee stand.

But she could feel Tristan watching her. And she liked it.