Page 113 of Galaxy Circus Act One

“No, I want everyone you come in contact with to smell you and see that you are mine.” There’s a stubborn set to his jaw, and I don’t think I’m going to be able to convince him otherwise.

“Can you at least make it so they can’t see it?” I request, and he waves his hand again.

“Done. I have protected your grandpas’ fragile sensibilities. Though I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t have cared. It is a common thing for alien species to mark their partners and lovers with their seed.”

“Yeah, well, okay, but I don’t really want them knowing what I’ve been doing up here, you know, in their office. Also please hide the bite mark from human eyes,” I deadpan, and he rolls his eyes before getting to his feet, his naked body distracting me for a second.

“It has already been done. Lila, you worry too much.” He kisses me hard before clothing himself and leading me out of the office by my hand. “I am looking forward to drying you after every performance,” he announces as he pushes me into the elevator. It’s only then that I realize he hasn’t been shrouded in his mist. In fact, I haven’t seen him shrouded since we came to Earth together.

“How come you’re not all misty?” I ask him, waving my hand at his body as he leans nonchalantly against the wall.

“You are my intimate, you don’t hide yourself from your soulmate,” he states casually, but my heart skips a beat in pleasure at hearing him call me hissoulmate.

“But what about the other night at dinner? You weren’t shrouded then either.”

“They are my friends and also family now, I’ve never hidden myself from them.” I hear someone talking farther down the corridor, and the mist suddenly forms and he winks. “But we wouldn’t want anyone else to get the wrong idea.”

The doors close, and I hear him chuckle quietly as he floats in the direction of the voice. I’m sure he’s going to give some poor backstage worker a fright.

I head back to my seat and place my butt on it just as the house lights go down again and William is lit up. The arena isnow a leafy jungle landscape. William’s outfit has changed from ringmaster to big game hunter, and he carries a big rifle.

“Who’s ready to go on a safari?” he asks, wearing binoculars around his neck and ridiculous, poofy khaki safari pants on his legs.

“I amnotwearing that,” I tell my grandads. My tone leaves no room for argument.

“Oh! Look who’s back. What took you so long?” Eric asks, his eyes twinkling mercilessly.

“Nothing, just took Xavier a little while to get me dry,” I lie, not even bothering to look him in the eye, knowing I won’t be able to hide my guilt. I hope Xavier went back and cleaned the sofa.

“Liar,” he whispers as John pats my leg.

“Don’t worry, we will find you something suitable to wear. Now quiet, the both of you, this is my favorite part.”

“Does anyone know what we’re hunting?” William asks the crowd, and I hear a little voice pipe up.

“Bears?”

William shakes his head. “Nope, bigger.”

“Elephants!”another little boy shouts, and William shakes his head again.

“No, even bigger.”

“What’s bigger than an elephant?

“There isn’t anything bigger than an elephant!”

“The only thing bigger than an elephant is a whale.”

“Please stand back while we erect the barriers once more,” William commands, and the crowd quickly does as he says.

This time they go up a lot farther and it’s a double barrier—first the glass and then power lines on the inside, creating an electrical fence.

“Please refrain from touching the glass. It should be safe, but we wouldn’t want to risk it.”

The crowd sounds confused, and it’s then when giant, loud footsteps start to shake the arena. The large door on one end slides up, and in lumbers Viggy.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the tyrannosaurus rex.” The crowd surges to their feet in a wave of panic, but Fiona is sitting on Viggy’s back. She is miked up and dressed in an outfit somewhat similar to William’s, but more feminine. “Okay, I’d wear that,” I tell the brothers, my eyes locked on the sight in front of me. I’ve seen him before, but it really is incredible to be so close to an extinct animal.