Page 113 of Hard Rock Tease

The moment was interrupted by loud voices shouting outside the bus. The rest of the band members had arrived.

I did blush, then. I turned around in my seat and tugged my skirt down to the tops of my knees. What had gotten into me? I was here for work, not to play the desperate groupie. I didn’t want Jayce to think I was throwing myself at him, eager to spend the night with a rock star.

In the back of my mind, though, I couldn’t help a small persistent thought. From the look in Jayce’s eyes, I had no doubt he would be willing to indulge me.

Chapter Four

Darkness enveloped the concert hall. The only light in the packed room came from lighters and glow sticks in the hands of each fan. The crowd chanted the band’s name over and over, calling out for the men they adored from afar, waving their arms in time with the shouts.

“Fe-ral Si-lence! Fe-ral Si-lence!”

Interspersed, in the few quiet moments between chants, individual names could be heard in the screams.

“Jayce is my god!”

“I love you, Kell!”

“Ren, have my babies!”

“Marry me, Morris!”

Some fans held up glowing neon signs on poster board.

Feral Silence StoleMy Heart

I Would Sell My Soul For Feral Silence

I Love Feral Silence More Than Chocolate

Ahazeof dry ice began rolling over the stage floor, spilling onto the first few rows. The thick fog brought with it an almost supernatural atmosphere, a combination of tension and excitement. Squeals sounded from dozens of throats. They knew something was about to happen.

A dim spotlight burst forth from the ceiling, falling onto the back of the stage. It lit up Morris and his drum set, face still hidden in shadow. His sturdy shoulders were still as a statue, drumsticks held loosely in his hands, hovering over the drums. The screams ignited even louder. The chanting started up again.

“Fe-ral Si-lence!! Fe-ral Si-lence!!”

The chanting went on for several long minutes until the fans could no longer keep in sync. The screaming slowly dissolved into low murmurs and random shouts.

Another light fell upon the stage, lighting up Ren to the right, bass guitar hanging loosely from its strap across his shoulder. He kept his head down, long, glossy black hair falling over his face, hiding him from view.

The fans went crazy again, yelling out his name, stretching their hands as if they could reach out and touch him.

Ren’s fitted black suit made him look as lean and tall as ever, the shadow cast by his body almost eerily slender. The details of his suit were cloaked in shadow, but any true fan knew it would be adorned with intricate buttons, a brass pocket watch, and a skinny tie.

After screaming their hearts out, the noise from the fans died down again. They had caught on quickly, shushing each other and telling their friends to stop yelling. Eventually, the audience was as quiet as an audience of that size could be. Even the one-off shouts had stopped. Low, quiet breaths were almost audible in the silent hall.

A third light appeared, trapping Jayce in a glowing halo. His face was half-turned away from the audience, keeping his side profile in darkness. His hands gripped the pure white guitar, dark, lithe fingers resting loosely on the strings. Jayce’s eyes glimmered, narrow and fierce, ready to ensnare the audience. One corner of his mouth tilted slightly upward, fighting back a smirk.

The fans went crazy. A few started a chant of “Jayce, Jayce, Jayce!” that seemed to go on forever. Girls sobbed in the front row, tears streaming down pink cheeks. They covered their mouths with both hands as if they couldn’t believe their eyes.

The chanting slowed down, the audience waiting with bated breath. The whole room was awash in anticipation, the tension almost visible in the air. Every so often the crowd’s volume would rise in pitch, only to quiet down again, a roiling wave of voices.

At long last, the fourth and final spotlight hit center stage, lighting up Kell with his microphone stand, messy blond hair falling over his forehead. Kell’s usual ripped jeans and sneakers gave him a casual edge that belied the fire they knew burned inside him.

The lead singer stared out at the audience, flashing a manic grin. The fans went wild. He leaned forward into the microphone. The screaming turned even louder. He brought a hand up to caress the stand. Voices reached a hysterical pitch. Kell let out a pleased laugh, blowing a puff of air into the microphone. He seemed to enjoy making them wait, making them beg. He surveyed the audience from left to right as they screamed and screamed until their throats and lungs gave out. He put a hand to his eyes, shielding them from the bright lights, getting a better look at the fans gathered before him.

Finally, he spoke. “You guys ready?”

“Yes!!” came the thundering reply.