Seven Minutes 'til Midnight by Sunniva Dee

Author:Sunniva Dee [Dee, Sunniva]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-08-11T16:00:00+00:00

Existential crisis. You know what that is? Me, I’ve rubbed against it my whole life. When I first came to the U.S., I became a regular jeans-and-t-shirt girl to blend in. From the outside, no one could see my slumbering crazy, at least not until the Drago Fuoc took over.

But I guess something good came out of chasing Emil too. I went back to our long skirts and medieval-style bodice tops—to our flair of jewelry and makeup—to get Emil’s attention. In hindsight, I see how it also brought me back to me.

As I walk down the hallway toward Emil’s open dressing-room door, I think that I can’t change again. Yes, I’ve thought about it, especially after the humiliation in Boston, but if I’ve lost my job and my anonymity, I still have who I am.

I am Aishe. I’m fire-born, and I’m a Gypsy.

I’ll never blend into the masses.

If my flair broadcasts my personality, I’d rather hide in hotel rooms than in plain sight encumbered by clothes and hair that aren’t me.

“Twelve minutes!” Troll calls and stomps off to one of his emergencies.

I’m on the threshold of Emil and Zoe’s party room when I see Troy in my peripheral. Slick with sweat and with drumsticks in one hand, he simmers behind his dreadlocks. When he registers me, his mouth lifts with ivory confidence.

Elias is here. Waris is. Emil has thrown “Zoay” over his shoulder, and she’s kicking the air, scream-laughing for him to put her down.

Nadia and Bo enter, inspiration radiating off Bo after his private jam session next door. The room glows with anticipation. I try not to look at Troy, who’s right behind me while I pull a Coke out of the ice chest.

His scent of fresh sweat, manly, alive, and full of promise, mixes with his spices. He should stay away from me, not stand so close that I can hear the subtle tick of his drumstick against his thigh.

I home in on my soda. Tip fizzy liquid into a paper cup. I do it with all the concentration I can muster while Troy murmurs quips with Elias. He makes Waris giggle.

I wonder how it feels to giggle with him and only see humor. Then, I realize it’s what it used to be for me too. I used to be on tour with my friend, never experiencing anything but companionship. Or did I? No. No, all my crazy love back then was for Emil.

The room is big. Troy doesn’t have to stand right behind me, but he always does. I chat a little with Bo and Nadia, my whole back to him so I don’t get tempted into checking if he’s put on a shirt.

“One minute!” Troll rumbles his order to the guys. “Let’s get going.”

I wave as Nadia and Bo walk back the way they came. I hear their embrace at the door, but I don’t turn. I’m too busy with my soda to look.

The love he murmurs into her hair, how she tells him to “go get ’em.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.