14. Calli

14

CALLI

C alli watched as Dru stood with a look on his face that held weight as he turned to leave. She wanted to run after him, but they were still in the middle of their set. When their eyes had connected moments ago, she felt the entire world fall away. Maybe that was part of the siren magic Bridget spoke of; she was still so confused about what was happening.

She had left the island many years ago. She lived there with her three sisters until she was eighteen; then she left and had only been back a handful of times. It wasn't that she didn't love her sisters. She loved her sisters more than she could say. It wasn't even because she didn't like the island. It had been a great place to grow up. She loved the ocean. She loved her sisters.But there was something inside her that never felt like she truly belonged.

Then, she found the fair circuit. She joined her first band and started touring. This life was easier for her. It kept that feeling of not belonging at bay. It gave her a sense of belonging because she made friends here at the fairs, and that feeling of never truly being at home didn't bother her as much because she didn't really have a home. She had been told she had a traveler's soul more times than she could say, but something inside her was shifting. She wanted a home. She wanted to belong. And as Dru left her sight, she fought every urge she had ever felt to go get him and bring him back to her. There was something about this whole thing he was not telling her, and she didn't know what it was.

"Calli," Michael whispered harshly behind her.

She looked back at him, and he nodded his head toward the crowd. It was then she realized her mic was down by her side and she had stopped singing.

"Right," she said with a small shake of her head. "Sorry."

She managed somehow to pull it together and get through their set.

After the crowd had left, Michael walked over to her with a concerned look pinching his brow. "Are you okay, Calli?"

"Yeah, why?" she asked, trying to put her carefree nature back into her voice, but she was feeling anything but carefree.

"You just seem off today."

"Yeah... I'm going to go take a walk."

"Do you want company?" he asked, his brow still tight with concern.

"No, I'm good. I'm just going to go get some fresh air."

She was going to look for Dru, but she didn't tell him that. The need to be close to him was something she had never experienced or had any way to explain. She just knew she needed him.

She was walking down the main drag looking for him. He couldn't be that hard to find. He was huge and would be the best-dressed one here. That thought made her smile. Yesterday, she thought he had an impeccable costume...but perhaps he was just in clothes. That thought made her smile.

Then, she saw him, sitting underneath a tree, eating a giant turkey leg. She shamelessly ran to him.

"Hi!" God, she felt like an idiot. She had just run over to this man like a schoolgirl, but she couldn't seem to help herself.

He moved to stand, but before he could, she plopped down on the grass next to him.

"Hello," he said with a slight nod of his head.

"My set just finished. I was wondering where you went."

He looked down at the ground. It was like there was something right beneath the surface she couldn't quite grasp, something he wasn't telling her. Maybe that was still just the surprise of learning magic was real.

"What is it?" she asked.

"It is nothing. You sang very well. Have you ever had one of these? The woman told me it's called a funnel cake," he said, picking up the plate next to him mounded with fried dough and powdered sugar.

"Ummm...yes, I have. And they’re a personal favorite," she said as she ripped a small piece of the dough and popped it into her mouth.

He did the same, ripping himself off a piece before popping it into his mouth leaving his lips covered in powdered sugar. Calli cocked an eyebrow and went in for a kiss, allowing her tongue to trace his lips, licking off the sugary goodness. A low rumble from deep in his chest vibrated her hand resting there as he deepened the kiss.

After another moment of mind-shattering kissing, Callie pulled back and looked up at him. "I'm glad you ended up here, but I guess I'm still not clear on why."

"I told you, the magic has been leaving our land. I’m here to try and bring it back."

"I don't understand," she said, ripping off a piece of the dough. "How could visiting here help bring back the magic to your people?"

Dru tensed next to her and would not meet her eye.

"What is it?" she asked, trying not to be suspicious. He had appeared out of nowhere, and while she did feel a ridiculous pull to him and was unnaturally comfortable around him, she could tell there was still something he wasn't telling her.

"There ye two are," said a friendly Scottish brogue.

Dru stood quickly, powdered sugar falling from him like snow. "Bridget," he answered quickly with a nod. "If you'll excuse me."

And just like that, he walked into the crowd, leaving Bridget and Calli with puzzled expressions covering their faces.

"What on earth was that about?" Bridget asked, sounding amused.

"I don't know," answered Calli, only she seemed less than amused. "Why do I still feel like there is something I don't know? Why is he here?"

Bridget turned to her. "I'm afraid it is not my place to share, but I’ll find out what's going on with the big lunk."

And as quickly as she had come, she was gone.

"Calli, we go again in fifteen minutes," she heard Michael call from the tent.

"Coming," she answered, heading over to their stage.

"What's up with that guy? Is he why you were late this morning?" he asked as he wagged his eyebrows.

Calli walked past him, shaking her head.