"Percy...Who are these people? What is going on?"

  Percy offers his master a knowing grin. The stage has been set. Showtime.

  Percy puts on his most innocent face and moves to stand behind Jasmine, staring down at the deceased husky. He revels in the knowledge that it was his ingenious magic, and fearsome skill, which ended the magnificent creature's life. While he is nowhere close to the master's level of skill, he is slowly gaining experience with each test they perform. There are many things the master refuses to teach him. Those are things he will have to learn on his own. And learn them, he will.

  "Master...These young people claim--," Percy begins.

  Gerald climbs to his feet and impolitely brushes Percy aside. The placid faced clown seethes deep down inside, wanting to dismember Gerald piece by piece and very slowly.

  "Hey. Excuse me, Ma'am. We seriously need a phone. As you can see, our dog...Daisy...Was attacked and killed back on the trail. We think it was a mountain lion. Everyone...Including you...Is in serious danger. We have a car, but it's about two miles up the trail. We need to call somebody..."

  A thought occurs to Gerald and he glances around the circus tent, observing everything. The symbol on the big cat's medallion. That same odd symbol is plastered on nearly every surface of this tent. Even the color is the same. The same damn shade of purple. He'd suspected the violent creature was some kind of escaped exotic pet. Now, he is sure of it. These people are the ones responsible. That would explain the clown's strange attitude and behavior. It might also explain where the woman in purple had been when they arrived. She was searching for the beast.

  "Look, Ma'am...We'll just go."

  "Gerald...We can't! What about that cougar? What about Daisy's body? I can't drag it anymore. We need to call the police...Or animal control...Or somebody."

  Gerald kneels down again and does his best to whisper in Jasmine's ear. However, Percy hears every word. And so does the ringmaster.

  "Hon, we need to go. That big cat...I saw a collar on it. The collar had a symbol that looked like runes or something. The same symbol on that tent flap over there. I think it was their cat. It broke loose, or got out, and now they're trying to cover it up."

  "But, Gerald--," Jasmine protests.

  Gerald silences Jasmine's protest with a brief kiss, staring deep into her eyes as he draws away. He keeps his voice low and cups one side of her face.

  "Trust me, Jasmine. We need to go. We'll leave Daisy here and go for the car. Trust me."

  "Okay," Jasmine whispers.

  Gerald helps Jasmine to her feet and straightens her clothes. He affects his most upbeat persona, looking from the ringmaster to Percy.

  "Well...We don't exactly need medical attention anymore. Do you mind if we leave Daisy here...While we go for animal control? My wife's phone is in my car. We just thought you might have one. I can see you don't...So..."

  The ringmaster has not spoken a word since her initial inquiry as to their identities. She stares at Gerald with a blank expression. With a sigh, the ringmaster taps her cane on the ground. The front and back flaps of the tent seal shut, purple light glowing around the edges of what were once openings.

  Jasmine's eyes widen and she gazes back at Percy, who managed to get in closer without her noticing. The ringmaster hurls a bolt of purple energy from the tip of her cane and sends Gerald flying backwards. Gerald slams into one of the natural wood benches, toppling it over with the force of his impact.

  At the same instant, Percy steps forward and grips Jasmine around the throat and waist. Overwhelmed by shock, Jasmine issues a short gasp. She is unable to do more than that as Percy's arm tightens around her throat. Jasmine's eyes bulge and she grips Percy's offending arm with her slender hands. She dares not struggle, out of fear he may snap her neck.

  Paralyzed by fear, Jasmine watches as the pretty woman in purple raises her black cane. Gerald's limp body seems to levitate, floating weightlessly above the benches. A purple glow surrounds Gerald's form as he hangs in the air. What is this, magic?

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  The woman in purple turns to face Jasmine and Percy. A crafty smile draws up the corners of her painted lips. She walks seductively in their direction, using her cane to guide Gerald's floating form through the air. When she gets close enough to Jasmine, the ringmaster uses a polished finger of her other hand to trace the outline of the younger woman's face.

  "Well, what do we have here?" the ringmaster exclaims, examining Jasmine from head to toe. "It would seem that by bringing you here...I may be doing you a favor."

  "Doing me a favor? What do you mean? You brought us here? So it was your mountain lion? That was your animal that killed Daisy?"

  The ringmaster shoots Percy a conspiratorial glance, her smile widening. Percy temporarily removes his arm from around Jasmine's throat, in order to place his hand firmly under her chin, index finger and thumb pressed into her soft flesh.

  "You could say that," the ringmaster chuckles.

  "Why would you not warn people? Why don't you call the--"

  The ringmaster slaps Jasmine across the face, taking the words from the young woman's lips. Jasmine gazes at the ringmaster in fear, before letting her eyes roam to Gerald--who is still floating several feet above the floor.

  The ringmaster uses her free hand to turn Jasmine's face forward again. Her green eyes lock on the younger woman's moist brown ones. Already this weakling is close to tears. She will cry many tears if the test turns out as expected.

  "I'm afraid you have stumbled into something much worse than a lost mountain lion, my dear. You will now become a part of my act. You and your husband are going to play a game. One, I think...You especially...May find very interesting."

  Percy's hand tightens around Jasmine's throat and she whimpers, tears streaming down both cheeks.

  "Please. I don't understand any of this. I don't even know what's going on. My husband...He isn't moving. What have you done to him?"

  The ringmaster raises her hand as if to slap Jasmine again. Jasmine winces and cringes away. This movement causes Percy to tighten his hand more. Jasmine tenses, trying to draw in sacred breath. The sound of her inhale sets off something in Percy and he almost spaces out. His hand loosens on Jasmine's neck and she exhales heavily.

  Percy quickly regains his composure, focusing on what his master is saying with great intensity. The ringmaster does not slap Jasmine. She lowers her hand and cups the woman's face with a sly smile.

  "It will be better if you listen and don't ask so many questions. I will explain to you the rules of the game. You must agree to abide by them. Win the game....You and your husband are free to go. Lose...And one or both of you must remain with me and Percy. Although, if I were you...I would choose--. Well, who knows? You might still have many years of your life yet to live. Your energy is not so depleted as to suggest a sudden death. Even so, I can offer you an extension. If you choose to stay."

  "My energy is not so depleted? What are you talking about?" Jasmine inquires in a panicked voice.

  "You are dying, my dear. Slowly. But dying just the same. Do you not feel it, a lessening of your energy? Does every day not seem like a struggle? Does your mind not feel muddy and unclear? You are dying. Play the game. Win or lose...I can help to restore you."

  Jasmine's lips tremble and she becomes aware that Percy's hand no longer grips her throat as tightly. He is staring at his master with narrowed eyes. This was obviously not part of the original plan.

  Percy's heart leaps in his chest. Another member of their troupe? A woman? A possible vessel for Alice? Is this what the master has planned? Whatever the master has planned, he will work his own plan. He will have his Alice again. He will make this Jasmine love him. He will bind her to him with spells and pleasure. And in the midst of their pleasure, he will transfer the essence of his lost love. First, he will need to convince the master to reveal where she is.

  Percy splays out his fingers, their tips gently caressing the flesh of Jasmine's throat. He can feel the tiny transfer of energy as it enters Jasmine's body. What little energy he was able to siphon from the master, during their brief romp, he offers some of that same energy to Jasmine. She will need it.

  The ringmaster continues to grin slyly, watching Percy's subtle change and the trickle of energy which he allows to flow into Jasmine. The silly fool. Whatever spell he can do, she can surely undo.

  "The rules are simple," the ringmaster says, dropping her cane and subsequently Gerald's motionless body.

  Gerald drops to the tent floor with a hard thud. His head strikes the ground and lolls to the side. He is still out cold. Jasmine raises a hand to her mouth to stifle a sob.

  "When your husband awakens...He will be asked to find a coin. A very special coin. It will be hidden amongst a mountain of others. This coin will be so special, that if he doesn't find it...He will never see you again. And that is because...You will be the coin, Jasmine."

  Percy releases Jasmine and takes a step back. Jasmine stands in the same spot, rubbing her neck. She peers at the ringmaster in bewilderment.

  "I will be the coin? Huh? I don't understand."

  "You will," the ringmaster laughs.

  The ringmaster taps her cane four times and the ground beneath Jasmine opens up. Jasmine issues a frightened cry and reaches out as if to grab Percy's ankle. He takes another step back, watching her fall through darkened space.

  Jasmine's body does a half turn midair. She glimpses a pinpoint of bright light, drawing closer and closer. As she falls, a strange sensation ripples throughout her entire body. And then, nothing.

  To be continued..........