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I took one last look in the mirror, and damn if I wasn’t impressed Each of the cabaret’s daimons had a personality or theme, and her costumes and colors reflected it Bea was a dainty shepherdess, Charline was an Egyptian queen, Mel was a butterfly And noas marked in every way as exactly what I was: a blood drinker The deep-red jacket, short but billowing black skirts, red lipstick, kohl-lined eyes, and red-lacquered claould stand out even aht daimons

With a deep breath, I opened the door and hurried down the hallway, down the stairs, and past the niche in the brick where Vale had kissedto, I trailed the points ofthe bricks, a little hitch in le in ? God, I hoped so

I pulled the veil from my small top hat down over my face The double layer of black lace hid my features, but still I hurried before anyone bothered to ask who I was and what I was doing The first act was in progress, the audience war of feet on boards--the very boards that had shuddered underneath me when I fell The cabaret hadn’t paused for even a one on, and neither Madame Sylvie nor Mademoiselle Charline had been up to check on me, that I knew of If it hadn’t suited my purposes so well, I would have been insulted Crimy hair back with a concerned look on his sharp eyebrows and threatening to kill ard to a scruffy little orphan like land anye, I wrapped my hands around the rope ladder and cli down, lest someone see my face The first act ended, and I hurried faster as the daiirls ran behind the curtain Halfway up, I checked to see that Mel and Bea were in their places Mel gave led silently into her hand, each where she was supposed to be, waiting to play her part in the plan that would either make me or break me

The catwalk swayed as I hurried past the place where Liiven ht her hoop and settled ht I’d come to Paradis I’d never used a hoop before, but my body knew exactly what to do It felt sturdy, cold, and sure beneath my bare hands The second I found my mark, the anxiety melted into the sahts ca had become part of me, the place where I knew ht I would steal the goddamn show

The audience went quiet, and the curtains parted with the whisper of velvet on wood The hoop treht hit o with one hand and swung back into a dra one leg in a perfect point, I let s and a high-heeled red boot The croent ed to coax the orchestra into producing "The Infernal Galop," and I went through a series of contortions on the hoop, writhing around it as Limone had but withShe had slithered around theAt just the rightdown, a move I’d never practiced but which I knew I could stick

I hung froe The hoop began to descend, right on cue, and I willed Bea’s hands to speed up, to ensure that I hit the ground exactly when I wanted to On a whiot the hoop spinning, letting ot an appreciative howl from the crowd Thank heavens for Blue’s blooot into place, hands on ht moment, and I threw back irl in the Paris of Sang to dance the can-can

The first tiasped and whispered Then again and again, and they roared They fucking roared! I kicked high, kicked in circles, and even did that little leg-shake thing that made my skirts fall all the way back to show the lacy blooe took to their feet and surged forward, claan kicking the top hats off their heads to laughs of disbelief and the hot growls of universal lust Francs and roses rained at e and found Mel and Bea watchinghed and rushed onstage, linking arular body allowed Bea was beside her in seconds More and e, and Mel thrummed with joy For a daimon, this sort of response had to be like an ice creae, and other dai line as they learned quickly how to do my bastard version of the can-can I briefly wondered what they wore under their skirts and whether they were truly giving the audience a show, but it had been their choice to joinwas drawing to a close when the first of the e The curtain fell early to cut him off as the orchestra fu to crawl under the weighted velvet curtain and Charline darting back and forth with her whip and cane, trying to smack them away The ht grabbed the push broo dangerously over his shoulder The dai, and I was filled with the power of the stage, with the knowledge that I’d started a coerous behind the curtain, but it felt good, and no oneinto e and shoved

"What is this farce?" she growled, her face hot, bright red under flaking flesh-colored paint

"It’s not a farce It’s a dance I call it the can-can"

"How dare you! I take you in off the street, and you drive away one of ivable"

I sed rin, tried to look contrite I failed As I licked ed on Madame Sylvie’s jacket

"Madame!"

"Away, boy This is business"

"But madame This note is from the duke"