Chapter 23

                                    

                                          
"Come home."
Avalon didn't want to right now. He couldn't stay hiding at a stranger's house forever even if Daniel didn't kick him. If anything, the man didn't seem to mind too much that he had a deer hybrid curled on his sofa watching daytime TV. The lamb allowed a circus member to stay in his apartment and didn't protest a longer stay. Busy doing his schoolwork, Daniel checked from time to time if he needed anything to drink and made him some soup for lunch but left him to it. Madame would be pleased. 
"Ava, I know you can hear me," Nikolai rumbled through the wall. "It's time."
Daniel wouldn't, couldn't hear, but Avalon's ears could. A knock on the wall had his ears flinching. Was it a rap of the wolf's knuckles on the plasterboard as a warning? Or Nikolai was getting tired of his behaviour. His stomach cramped at the idea of facing a pack member right now. He turned the TV up. Daniel looked confused but didn't say anything. He stretched and cracked some of the bones in his back before hunching back and continuing with his assignment. Avalon should have asked what I was about, it would have been polite too, but words weren't coming easily right now. 
A low growl sent shivers down Avalon's spine. Maybe that was a little on the nose? "We don't have time for this, Avalon. Showtime is in a few hours, and we have people stalking the fence line again. We need everyone on-site. We'll keep Ivailo away from you, I promise. Now come home."
The TV made it harder to hear but didn't deafen Nikolai out completely.   
He should go home. Nikolai kept his word pretty solid; The pack would keep Ivailo away from him. That's what he wanted, right? TO never see the wolf again and rebuild some of the dignity he'd lost from being his partner. The herd would never trust him again for partnering with a predator. Prey hid from predators. What he was doing was in his nature. Madame couldn't complain about that, not when it would be painfully apparent that Avalon planned to return. Avalon wasn't Terrence. 
"Not that I'm kicking you out, but do you have anything you need to do tonight?" Daniel asked, leaning back on his chair, making it creak uncomfortably. His eyes flicked from Avalon to the window. The music hadn't started yet but the air buzzed as the time grew closer. They'd be opening the grounds soon to let people with younger children explore and enjoy some of the food on offer. 
Mika might be a little annoyed with him. Strike that, Mika was going to be furious with him. Ivailo was his fellow assistant, and this would impact their ability to work side by side in the same space. Mika liked Ivailo. He'd been training him on some of the more critical roles in the kitchen. Avalon was going to lose his spot in the kitchen, was he? He'd worked hard to be on the kitchen rota, working extra hard to endear himself to Mika despite falling for a pred. This was his final year guaranteed on the circuit. From now on, he had to prove his place on it. 
"Nothing important. I don't... I'm not a performer. I help in the kitchens," Avalon ducked his head. 
"Fine, come home on your own time. If you're not home by midnight, carriages turning back into pumpkins will be the least of your worries!" Nikolai left, finally. 
The threat, was a real threat, but Avalon wasn't scared. Nikolai would have him whipped for failing to obey orders concerning the compound's security. Avalon didn't remember how many that entailed, but it wasn't the worst penalty. Plus, it wouldn't come to pass. He'd go home during the performance when Ivalio would be busy cooking up a feast for the after-party. Avalon buried his face in his knees. The soup weighed heavy on his stomach; he didn't need dinner. 
Where was he going to sleep tonight? His van would smell of Ivailio, and he didn't want that. 
He needed to ask someone to bunk in their van. Maybe he could ask one of the rams? Toby would have if he didn't have two young girls in his van. He was protective of his flock. Mika burned hot and long when angry. Asking him for a favour wouldn't work, and he'd be lectured for most of the night even if Mika let him stay. Many of the others would sneer at him for asking or make some comment about him crawling back to his own. Doug wouldn't. The dude was a touch too chill for politics like that. He might cop a feel, but he wouldn't judge.