Traffic was terrible, but then it always was on opening day at the Fair. Parking had gotten so bad that people were renting space on their front lawns at exorbitant rates. The fairgrounds had been packed during the day, but now that the sun had gone down the number of people pouring in had tripled. The entire area was lit up with brightly colored lights enticing people to come in and ride the rides, play the games and see the attractions with blue ribbon winners, animals, and late-night concerts. Wandering through the crowds was a woman wearing a backpack and watching each face that passed by her nervously. She was trying to blend in with the multitudes of people and go unnoticed as she moved with the rest of the throng. Normally she didn’t mind someone whistling at her or making cat-calls, but tonight, this woman was on edge and certain that every shadow and voice was going to be him, or one of his acolytes.

While trying to stay close to the moving horde of people, a child suddenly dashed in front of her causing her to stumble and land on her knees. For a moment she just crouched there thinking to herself, what am I doing? I should be leaving town, not strolling through a carnival. She had intended to head straight for the airport and get out of town, but when she noticed a car following her, she was forced to change her plans. Now she just wanted to disappear. Why not? it was something she was good at and she had done it thousands of times before. Unfortunately, this time was not the same.

This was a very different and, strangely, a more precarious situation. She was being pursued by a powerful man who had become fixated on her and believed that she was destined to be his mate. Normally she could have handled it, but that was before everything changed for her. Never had she felt so vulnerable and for the first time, she was suspicious of everyone. Looking at the faces that laughed and passed by her, she couldn’t help but wonder just how many of them would gladly point her out for less than the price of a ride ticket.

Following the crowd, she started walking down the Midway, her ears filled with the sound of barkers looking for a ‘mark’. Their words were all the same. ‘Step right up and play the game’ or ‘Hey little lady how would you like to win a stuffed animal’. Pausing before a game of ‘milk bottles’, she was immediately approached and assured that the game was a guaranteed winner and wouldn’t the pretty lady like to win a plush monkey holding a banana. The barker offered her a bright yellow tennis ball with promises that it was easy to knock over the bottles.

“No thank you,” she politely declined. She knew the racket and was not in a mood to partake. The balloon dart throw, ring toss, and ball bounce were notorious for being rigged and yet people still fell for the con just as they had for centuries. There had been versions of such games in Ancient Babylon, Sumeria, and Persia, yet humanity still laid it’s money down and took a chance.

Continuing down the line of games, her eyes constantly watched everything and everyone around her. She had to keep moving. As long as she stayed among the crowds and kept on the move then there was a chance she would be safe. Perhaps she should have hidden herself behind a hat and sunglasses, but she had tried that before and was quickly found. The sound of carnies shouting ‘hey baby’, ‘little lady’, ‘beautiful’ and ‘sweetheart’ only brought to mind the long-reaching grasp of her stalker. She fully expected him to be around every corner, his dark ferret eyes watching her every move. Even if he wasn’t, she knew he had people doing it for him. People of his wealth and position don’t perform unsavory tasks themselves unless they are forced to. Usually, they prefer to hire others to do the dirty work.

Passing the Roll-A-Ball Racing game, her sharp ears heard someone whisper her name ‘Lilith’. Instantly she slipped between two of the booths and emerged outside of a traveling sideshow. Posters lined the outside of the tent boasting acts such as a sword swallower, two-headed cow, blockhead and snake charmer. These were classic acts that had been around since before P. T. Barnum opened his museum. She must have seen such shows a dozen times before, but one poster was new to her. It showed a picture of a demon with horns and a forked tongue that was supposedly exorcised from a young girl and now kept in a cage. Under the picture, it advertised the chance to see and hear the howling demon along with a warning to never touch the cage or attempt to speak to the creature as he would try to possess you too. It was a hoax of course, but Lilith was still curious about the claim.

“Step right up and see the howling demon known as Legion. He attempted to corrupt the soul of an innocent young girl and was exorcised by a holy man and trapped within a prison made of holy iron. Would you like a ticket miss?” the barker asked.

A ticket to see Legion? I’ve known him for years for free, she thought to herself. It was impossible that a dullard, such as this man, could have captured any demon as cunning as Legion. As improbable as it was, she couldn’t dismiss the possibility. The dicey situation she was in was proof enough that even the most unlikely things could happen. If he was in there then she could free him and he, in turn, would help her. This idea gave her a small measure of hope.

Yes, all demons knew her and bowed to her. To not show her proper respect would only lead to pain and torment because this woman was not simply named Lilith, she was the Lilith or Lilit, līlītu depending on the culture. She was the original bad girl and seductress and knew more about the demonic and celestial world and its denizens then anyone walking through the fair would have guessed. Under normal circumstances, she was physically powerful and could wield many potent talismans to get whatever she desired. To the creatures of Hell and the underworld, she was queen or goddess and they would always show her the utmost respect or pay the price. Those of the heavenly world did not necessarily have a high opinion of her but would admit that she was a force to be reckoned with and at least give the lady her due.

Buying a ticket, she sauntered into the tent determined to find this supposed caged demon and it didn’t take long. The sound of mournful howling met her ears and in a darkened corner sat a black iron box that had been riveted together and decorated with any number of holy symbols. The only opening to the cage was a small barred window that occasionally had a claw-like hand reaching out of it. The exhibit was roped off to prevent anyone from getting too close and peering inside with so much as a cell phone light. All around were signs warning visitors not to talk to the demon or believe anything he said.

Staring at the twisted and clawed hand, Lilith spoke in a strange forgotten language then waited. As expected, nothing happened. There was no reaction from the creature at all. Any true demon hearing these words would have answered, but the only response was a continuation of the same performance she had been witnessing. She laughed to herself as she left the tent, and then leaned over to a man listening intently to the barker and whispered that the demon was nothing but a paid actor in a box. Hearing this the man immediately announced that it was all a fraud stirring up the crowd. The barker tried to calm the people down and assure them that it was all real.

Lili smiled, content to hide in the angry mob, but all too soon the carny closed up and the crowd began to disperse. Before she managed to move on, a familiar face suddenly appeared near one of the cotton candy stands and snapped a picture of her with his phone. Immediately Lili began to run and push through the crowds of people and up the stairs of a nearby funhouse. The man running it stopped her before she could enter and asked for a ticket. She started to explain that she didn’t have one but soon found that it was going to be unnecessary. He took one look at her with her long black hair and piercing green eyes and smiled flirtatiously. His gaze moved downwards taking in every luscious curve of her body.

“You don’t need a ticket,” he told her, licking his lips and staring at her ass as she went in. Ignoring the carny she hurried through the spinning tunnel then moved around the corner passing through the barrels into the next area where she ran bodily into someone just inside the space. Instantly she jumped back expecting to see the very person she wanted to escape, but to her relief, it wasn’t. Instead, she found herself looking into the striking face of a man with large soft blue eyes.

“I’m so sorry. I was trying to elude someone and the carny was nice enough to let me inside without a ticket and . . . and . . . well, I guess I should have been watching where I was going,” she apologized.

“It’s okay. No harm was done,” the gentleman assured her with a kind smile. Seeing the way his powder blue eyes looked at her, Lili surmised that he was undoubtedly attracted to her, all men were and she wasn’t entirely wrong. The man did find her beautiful. She was certainly the kind of woman you couldn’t help but notice yet knew was completely out of your league.

Perhaps it was the way she wore her cut-off jean short shorts that showed just the right amount of leg to be alluring or her white sleeveless button-down crop top that was open just enough to make you wish you could see more. Even the belt around her was intriguing. It didn’t go through any of the pant loops, but was simply coiled three times around her waist and dangling from it was a diamond-shaped piece of metal that he could only assume was decorative. Her voice was the most interesting of all. Her words were clear and yet she spoke with an accent that was not exactly identifiable. It seemed to be a mix of many dialects. The only thing that seemed odd about her was the backpack she was wearing. “They let you in with a backpack?”

“What can I say, I’m very persuasive.”

“Obviously,” he agreed. His face showed little emotion, but she could see a twinkle of mischief in his eyes. “The carny made me pay for my ticket.”

“Perhaps you should have shown more leg,” she teased.

“No offense, but . . . I have my doubts that it was your leg he was admiring,” he answered with a slight smile that brightened his already handsome face and made the lines around his mouth appear even through his well trimmed blond beard.

“You’re probably right,” she laughed. “I’m Lilith Eden,” she held out her hand to shake his, but before he could a group of teenagers entered that part of the funhouse, laughing and momentarily interrupting their conversation before moving on and leaving the pair once more alone.

“Elijah, er, Eli Asher,” he answered, finally shaking hands with her before he slipped them into his pockets. Lilith rather liked the way this man looked. He was tall and well-built, although perhaps not quite sculpted and chiseled. Something in his bearing told her that this man could be strong and forceful when he had to be, yet he also possessed a gentleness that was quite attractive. She noticed something else about him too. He had a faint aura that she couldn’t quite figure out. Lili was familiar with the ambiance that came from a soul that had accepted and was filled with the Holy Spirit, and that was certainly there, but this was something else and it confused her.

“I’m surprised to see a man like you out here alone,” she commented.

“I’m not. My friends and I are just hanging out until the concert starts at the Grandstand. They’re waiting for me outside . . . at least I hope they are since they made it in and out before I did thanks to a couple of Junior high kids jumping in front of me in line,” he explained, then ran his hands through his thick, blond hair. She suspected that this was a natural habit of his, given that his locks already had that slightly disheveled look. “How about you? Normally a woman like you would not be wandering around the fair all by herself either.” At this question, her brow furrowed slightly and she carefully began to look about her.

“Well . . . I’m not exactly here for the fun or deep-fried food,” she explained fidgeting with a very large jewel-encrusted copper signet ring on her finger that looked badly tarnished. There was no reason to tell him more. She didn’t know him and trust just wasn’t her thing. Instead, she tried to seem casual and relaxed, but her eyes were constantly scanning the space around her and the way she tightly hugged herself was anything but laid-back.

“Uh . . . are you okay?” he asked, noting how she held herself as though she were trying to put up a barrier between her and the world. He also could see how she nervously looked around as though something or someone was waiting to get her. He knew it wasn’t any of his business, but he couldn’t help feeling concerned over a woman obviously in distress. “Do you need help?”

For a moment a part of Lilith wanted to tell him . . . or anybody really, but she couldn’t. Besides, he would never believe the whole story anyway. He seemed nice, but she couldn’t be sure it wasn’t a facade. Over centuries she had known plenty of people who could play the part of a caring friend, while secretly stabbing you in the back. Hell was full of them.

“I need . . . I need to get moving. Anyways, I’m sure your friends are probably wondering why it’s taking you so long to escape the funhouse,” she chuckled slightly, but it was far from an easy laugh. For a moment she started to say something, but the sound of an object hitting the metal walkway made her jump and look around nervously.

Suddenly afraid, she gave a quick bye, then Lilith darted from the attraction and went back out to the Midway. Seeing a large group of people walking towards the Gravitron she seized the opportunity to slip in among them and disappear. At the same time, Eli emerged from the exit to the teasing laughter and good-natured ribbing of his friends. One was quick to say that only Eli could get lost in a children’s attraction that small. He started to explain that he had run into an incredible looking woman, but none of them were buying the excuse and instead made jokes about his invisible date.

Not interested in the rides, Lilith kept walking down the path until she came to a ticket booth where she bought about twenty tickets. If she needed to duck into another ride she wanted to be prepared, she couldn’t always be certain that a carny would let her in free of charge. She also stopped at one of the concession stands and bought herself a bottle of water. The cold liquid felt good on her lips and throat. The Midwest was known for its sweltering summers and although she knew there were far worse areas, it was hard to think of them with sweat dripping down your back.

As good as the bottled water was, it was a poor substitute for real food. Lili had been too preoccupied to eat anything all day and now she was surrounded by the smell of cotton candy, popcorn, funnel cakes, hot dogs, hamburgers, and ice cream. It was all enticing, and she could no longer ignore the rumblings of her stomach. Stopping at a stand, she bought a box of popcorn and dug into it in a less than lady-like fashion. Unfortunately, she had only taken a couple of hurried bites when her sharp eyes caught sight of a familiar face watching her then slip behind one of the food stands selling deep-fried Twinkies. It was only a split second, but long enough to send a pang of fear through her. Quickly she ducked into the exhibition hall where the exhibits were on display and tried to hide in the crowd.

Doing her best to blend in, she followed the throng into the first half of the building. Here arts and crafts that people submitted for judging were on display for public viewing along with their prize ribbons. There were quilts, photography, drawings, paintings, woodwork, cake decorating and so much more. She marveled at the level of skill the entries showed. Many would have made a professional artist or craftsman proud. She had never possessed any talent for sewing or cooking, but she had a great appreciation for those who did. Her expertise was in more intimate matters and she could wield desire with just as much artistry as Da Vinci had with his paintbrush. Unfortunately, hers was not a talent that could be showcased at the fair.

Not every submission could be called a display of skill, however. Turning a corner the woman noticed a large painting with a label that read ‘self-portrait’. She readily applauded anyone who dared to put themselves out there and have their works judged. Unfortunately, she couldn’t quite figure out what it was she was looking at. Until she saw the label she had assumed it was a painting of a potato that someone had spilled paint on, but then she also wasn’t convinced it was right-side-up either.

Continuing to crunch on her popcorn, Lili followed the crowd to the other side of the exhibition hall where they had all the demonstrations and items for sale. This area held little interest for her because the booths were generally all the same. The latest and greatest in Pots and pans, kids’ books, beauty products, jewelry, seasonings and flavorings, and the ever-popular hot tubs. She never quite understood the phenomenon of selling spas at a fair. Were there really that many people clamoring to order one while enjoying greasy food and riding attractions until you puke?

Leaving the exhibition hall she threw the popcorn container and empty water bottle away then stopped before one of the better gimmicks at the fair. A radio station had set up a stage for karaoke and for five bucks you could sing a song and receive a recording of your performance. On stage was one of the regulars that came out whenever the fair was in town. She had seen him a couple of times at one of the local bars and he was always good. Known simply as ‘Echo’, he had a strong, powerful voice and would belt out almost any type of song if someone would pony up the five dollars. Sometimes he would choose songs that really showcased his abilities and sometimes he would pick a tune simply for the amusement of singing something out of character for himself. All of it he sang very well. Echo was always a hit and people were only too happy to pay for a song. She was about to seat herself on one of the hay bales and listen to the music, but the feeling of shadows watching her made her change her mind and move on.

Turning towards the swinging pirate ship, she noticed that same face watching her. She didn’t know his name but recognized the pale, clammy complexion and empty eyes surrounded by dark circles. Yes, he was working for her stalker and taking notes on everything she did. Instantly she took off running, pushing people out of the way and slipping through unauthorized areas where ropes and equipment were set up to fasten down and run the rides. It was dangerous for the public to be in these areas, but Lilith reasoned that it was more dangerous for that obsessed bastard to find her.

Once on the other side, she continued running until she came to a haunted house attraction. She pushed through the line and handed the carny a couple of hastily torn tickets then slid into the seat next to a gentleman. To her surprise it was Eli. He was equally stunned and was about to say something when her lips covered his, silencing him. Her arms wrapped around his strong body pressing herself against him and carefully making sure that his body blocked hers. Her fingers wound in his hair and her tongue explored his mouth as the car rumbled and bounced its way inside the ‘haunted house’. Once inside and safe from public view, Lilith finally let him go.

“Um, was that an accident too?”

“Yes . . . No . . . both I guess. I’m still just as sorry though,” she answered. “I’ll leave you alone as soon as the ride is over.”