Page 2 of Chaos Carnival (Cirque de Sanguine #2)

Chapter One: Broken Sanctuary

Tess

The sulfur in the air reeked of Ivan's magic—darker now, more potent. My legs gave out as I knelt beside Maverick, the cold floor of Empire Decay Ink biting into my knees. The shop I'd just reclaimed as my own, turned back into a nightmare in seconds. Static electricity sparked between us as I steadied him, tiny blue arcs jumping from his skin to mine.

A hysterical laugh bubbled up in my throat.

One month.

I'd had less than one fucking month of supposed freedom after escaping Ivan's control, after surviving the Devil's Delirium, after becoming whatever I was now. Some kind of hybrid creature, because Maverick had to force his power into me, claiming me as his mate. Trading one man's control for another's. Now, the mate bond thrummed between us, an unwanted tether that made my skin crawl, even as it called to something deep inside me. At least Ivan had been honest about his intentions to own me.

And now he was back, stronger than ever, threatening to put me in a jar like some twisted genie. The acrid fumes curled through the air, carrying the echoes of his maniacal laughter. My hands trembled as they hovered over Maverick's shoulders, remembering how Ivan's magical barrier had sent him flying.

Outside, the midnight sky pressed against the shop windows, darkness making the ghostly blue wisps seem to glow brighter. Even with three ancient seraphim in the room—Maverick, Stone, and Lux—Ivan had waltzed in here, untouchable. My stomach churned at the thought of what that meant. Blue tendrils danced in front of my eyes, and I blinked hard, trying to focus. The familiar smell of ink and antiseptic after Lux's tattoo fought with the lingering sulfur. Somewhere in the back of my mind, a voice whispered that I should be terrified. But something else rose up instead—rage, bright and burning. I wasn't his “cum rag” anymore. I wasn't alone anymore. And I was done being afraid.

I stared at the empty space where Ivan had been, the pungent stench burning my nostrils. Smoke drifted through the air like phantoms. My hands trembled as I helped Maverick sit up, his skin still crackling with residual energy.

Stone and Lux rushed over, their footsteps echoing in the sudden quiet of the shop. Only the heavy sound of our breathing and the faint sizzle of static. I wiped my face with the back of my hand, the silence shattered by an unexpected British drawl.

“Well, that was quite the electrifying performance. Though I must say, the special effects were a touch overdone.”

My head snapped toward Oscar's crystal skull, perched on the shelf between vintage spell books and dried herbs. Three pairs of eyes followed my startled gaze.

“Did that... skull just speak?” Maverick's eyebrows shot up.

“With perfect diction, I might add.” Oscar's crystalline surface caught the light. “Since we're doing introductions, I'm Oscar. The ghost of criticism past, one might say.”

Stone stepped forward, his tactical mind already assessing. “You've been able to talk this whole time?”

“My dear boy, I've been chattering away for ages. Miss Tess here has been my sole audience, though I must say she's been a rather captive one.”

“Is that… Oscar Wilde ?” asked Lux.

I nodded at him and crossed my arms. “Oscar, you've never wanted anyone else to know about you before.”

“My sweet witch, when a man starts throwing lightning bolts in one's general vicinity, one tends to reassess one's position on remaining decorative.” He sparkled with what I swore was amusement. “Besides, the game has clearly evolved from chess to something more akin to Russian roulette, and I've never been one to stay silent during life's more interesting moments.”

Lux leaned against the counter, a smile playing at his lips. “A talking crystal skull containing Oscar Wilde's consciousness. Now I've seen everything.”

Oscar's tone dripped with theatrical sympathy. “Oh darling, if that's everything you've seen, you've been living a desperately dull exist–”

“Ahh…” A sharp pain exploded behind my eyes, doubling me over. The room tilted sideways as images crashed through my mind.

Addie in our apartment.

The purple throw pillows scattered across the floor.

The scent of her lavender hand cream mixed with copper and fear.

My stomach heaved. Cold sweat broke out on my skin as another flash hit. Ivan's hands crackled with that blue electricity, reaching for her throat. Her favorite mug shattered on our kitchen floor. Coffee spread like dark blood over the tiles.

“Tess?” Maverick's voice came from far away, sounding underwater and distorted.

I couldn't breathe.

Couldn't think.

The vision slammed into me again.

Addie backing away. Her hands raised in defense. Ivan's laughter echoing off our apartment walls.

“She's going into shock,” Stone's voice cut through the fog.

My legs gave out, but I caught myself on the counter. The cool surface anchored me back to reality for a split second, long enough to realize what was happening.

Addie. She was home alone.

My body moved before my brain could catch up. I shoved past Lux, knocking over a display of crystals. The bell above the shop door rang as I burst onto the street, the cold night air hitting my face like a slap. Neon signs from nearby businesses buzzed and flickered, each pulse of light syncopated with my racing heartbeat as I sprinted toward our apartment six blocks away.

Behind me, voices called my name through the gloom.

I didn't stop. Couldn't stop.

Every cell in my body shrieked to move faster.

My lungs burned as I charged past the few startled pedestrians still out at this hour. Streetlights blurred into streaks of gold as I ran.

The visions kept coming, each one worse than the last. Addie's face contorted in pain. Ivan's eyes glowing with malicious glee. The walls of our home crackling with brutal energy.

I pushed on, beyond my limits.

My muscles screamed in protest as my feet pounded against concrete, each stride sending shockwaves through my legs. But I couldn't slow down. The protection charm I'd crafted for Addie years ago wasn't enough anymore. Not against what Ivan had become.

The world blurred past in streaks of neon and streetlight. My chest burned. Sweat trickled down my spine despite the autumn night air. I'd kept her safe, hidden her from him for so long, but now—

A hand caught my arm, yanking me to a stop.

As I spun around, my vision spiraled and darkened. Ivan's cruel smile superimposed over everything else. Addie's terrified face flashed through my mind again, her scream echoing in my ears.

“Get away from her!” My fist connected with flesh and bone. A grunt of pain followed the satisfying crunch, but it wasn't Ivan's voice.

The present moment snapped back into focus for a split second, reality crashing back like a bucket of ice water. Maverick stood before me, blood trickling from his nose and staining his full lips crimson, gleaming black in the dim light. His eyes weren't filled with malice, but concern for me and what I was feeling. Those familiar dark depths watched me with the kind of warmth that Ivan had never shown in all the years I’d known him. Guilt carved through my gut as I realized what I'd done in my panicked haze. I’d hurt him.

But then another vision slammed into me. Addie backing away from Ivan, her protection charm flickering weakly against his power, casting dying amber light across her face.

“Addie!” I lunged forward, trying to reach her.

Maverick embraced me tightly, pinning my arms down. My muscles flared, ready to strike, but before I could unleash, we dissolved into darkness.

Wind howled in my ears and my stomach lurched as reality bent and contorted around us, the night itself seeming to swallow us whole.

But where was—

“Addie?” My voice cracked.

Maverick and I stood outside my apartment complex, my heart thundering against my ribs.

It was wrong. Everything was wrong.

The door was nothing but shards, splintered wood and twisted metal scattered across the hallway like confetti from hell. Obliterated. Darkness spilled out bleaker than ice, an unnatural void that seemed to swallow what little light remained in the corridor.

The cavity of the apartment was spookily quiet. Addie always had the television on. Always. But silence bore down on my eardrums, the scent of ozone and burnt coffee drifting through the doorway.

I stepped through the splinters, my heart hammering.

Magazines scorched and scattered across the floor and chunks of Addie's favorite mug crunched under my boots. The living room looked like a war zone. A table lay in pieces.

My hands shook as I picked up a purple throw pillow, now slashed open, stuffing spilling from its wound. The protection charm I'd sewn inside gone.

“Tess.” Maverick's fingers brushed my shoulder. “We'll find her.”

A choked sound escaped my throat. The room spun as panic clawed up my chest. My knees buckled, but Maverick caught me before I hit the ground.

“Monstre.” He framed my face with his palms, forcing my eyes to meet his. “Focus. Room by room, okay?”

I nodded, swallowing hard. The hallway came first. We checked each nook, every corner. The bathroom door creaked as Maverick pushed it open.

Empty.

My bedroom looked ransacked, but no sign of Addie or Ivan.

A thump echoed from the back of the apartment. The kitchen.

My spine stiffened.

Movement. Muffled, but definitely human.

Maverick took my hand, squeezing once as we crept toward the sound at the end of the hall. The shadows appeared to writhe and shift, playing tricks with my vision. Any of them could hide Ivan's tall frame.

A light flickered. Static electricity made the hair on my arms stand up. Another thwack, louder this time.

My fingers tightened around Maverick's as we approached.

The harsh kitchen bulb sputtered and died, replaced by an eerie sapphire glow that seemed to pulse with each beat of my heart. Reality bent and twisted. Dishes lifted from the counters, spinning in lazy circles like a demented mobile. The refrigerator hummed at an impossible pitch, its metal surface crawling with ribbons of blue lightning.

And there, in the center of it all, was my best friend.