MERCS
Watching Effa tonight was electrifying. It was difficult to concentrate on my job, but I knew I had to stop watching the little blonde bombshell who was dressed to kill in a short, tight as fuck purple leather dress, high heeled thigh high platform boots, and of all things, a fucking glittery pink lightning bolt painted on her face. Which for some reason seemed to make her even more attractive.
I don’t get how someone so odd, and the opposite of me can have my cock twitching the way she does. I’m here for a job and I fucking out-did myself tonight. The crowd loved the show, and I know I pulled off some of the most effective stage lighting effects ever seen. Tonight’s show was great, and with Luminous giving me free reign to do whatever I want, I’m happy that together we can make their shows the best in the world.
But right now, they have gone off to their after party, the one Effa wanted me to go to, while I’m left here to unwind and pack up. I climb down from the rafters, taking some cable with me as Jay and Tank wait for me at the bottom.
“That was epic, Mercs. Your ideas are fresh, bro. I love what you’ve done with the show,” Tank cheers, his muscles practically bulging from his shirt. The Islander native looks nastier than he actually is, being more of a puppy dog in real life. He kind of seems more like he should belong on the security team rather than the crew. But hey, I’m happy to have him around to help with the heavy lifting. I jump from the last rung of the ladder to the floor and smile, feeling like I’ve accomplished something tonight.
“Thanks, man, appreciate that. But it was a team effort—”
“Ahh… bullshit. This was your vision. This was your baby, and you nailed it. Take the credit, Mercs.” He slaps my shoulder giving it a tight squeeze, as he looks to Jay and tilts his head over to the other crew who are beginning to pile the gear up like the mess I found it in this morning. “Time to tell them the news,” Tank advises.
I smile wide knowing this is where I step up and make my authority heard. Taking a deep breath, I walk with Tank and Jay over to the crew and let out a loud whistle. Everyone stops, turning to look at me. Seems I’m somewhat liked at the moment, but that will probably change about now.
“Right... I know Dennis didn’t care much for order. I know Luminous aren’t very structured and don’t give a rat’s ass about, well… anything other than performing. But here, right now, shit’s gonna change. The way you found everything stacked up when you came in today… that’s how every show is going to start and end. In structure… in order. No more chaos. No more broken lighting and equipment. No more shit lying around for people to trip over. Things are going to be taken care of. I know it will add additional time on the breakdown and startup of each venue, but this is how it’s normally done. This is how it will be done with me in charge, and this is how I expect a Luminous gig to run from now on. You got me?” I demand, my voice strong, stern, full of vigor.
Everyone looks around at each other, and I expect an uproar of abuse and a tirade of unpleasantries to be thrown my way, but instead everyone nods and slow smiles creep onto their faces.
“It’s about time someone came in here and made this place function the way it’s supposed to. Dennis had us running like shit. I’m glad we have someone to keep us in line and make this thing run smoother,” one of the young guys, Benny, calls out.
I glance to Tank who grins at me with a slight nod. “Right then, let’s get this packed up the way we need to before tomorrow’s gig, then we can all get the hell out of here.”
“Yes, after party, here we come. You’re coming, right, Mercs?” Benny asks.
I shake my head. “Nah, probably not. I’ll just settle in and focus on tomorrow. Maybe next time.”
Everyone looks at me like they’re in utter shock, like I’ve offended them or something. I glance to Tank, and he chuckles, slightly gripping my shoulder the way he does.
“Your loss, man. Luminous after parties are… well, they’re pretty fucking epic. Those chicks know how to party. Don’t let the fact that they’re girls trick you. They’re rockers through and through.”
Nodding, I don’t like the way that makes me feel. Thinking about Effa—that tiny innocent looking woman—and what she could get up to. I guess even though she looks innocent maybe she really is just a hardcore rocker after all. I’m not sure what my affliction is with her. I can’t shake her from my thoughts. But one thing I know for sure, I don’t want that innocent looking woman in that cute as fuck giraffe onesie to shift from my mind. So, if going to an after party and seeing her being a true rocker is going to spoil that image of her for me, then I’m definitely not going. I want to keep my thoughts of her as they are, just for a little longer. I’m probably being a fucking dickhead, but I don’t care. I like the Effa I met, not the hardcore rocker everyone seems to be talking about.
“Right, enough chatting, let’s get this shit done,” I call out, clapping my hands together once. Everyone nods, breaking off and getting back to work. The night air is hot, and the backstage area is still slightly hazy from the smoke machines and the aftereffects of the concert.
Music drones over the speakers, and I wonder briefly what Effa’s up to, but I have work to do. So I turn and head off toward the back of the stage.
It’s an eerie feeling. The crowd is gone. The lights are completely out. An entire stadium empty and no one here but you and the janitors who at the moment are nowhere to be seen. It’s a stark contrast from the blaring electricity of the Luminous concert opposed to the harsh silence of the dark stadium. Nothing but the thumping of your own heartbeat to drown out the stillness.
As I lay back on the sofa in the crew room, I wonder how the after party is going.
How wild is it getting?
Are the girls out of control?
Is Effa getting it on with some guy in the VIP section?
I don’t want to think about that as I open my cell scrolling through the pictures of me with Kiera and Gran back home in Ligonier. Standing on the rickety old porch, the white latticework framing the picture, as I smile looking at Kiera. She appears so strong standing in her cheerleading outfit—that was before her world crashed and cancer took over.
Swallowing hard, I shake my head as I grab my berry water. Mental note—I need to buy some fucking beer. I miss home, but even being here in an empty stadium on my own, I like living this life. The life on the road, the life with a band, being free to experience the wide-open world, not the confines of a small town. It’s liberating. But I do wish Kiera could be here with me, because she would love this.
Being a big brother when your mom dies of cancer and your sister’s only eleven, and your dad skipped out on the family years earlier, meant I had to step up. I had to be Kiera’s guardian. Sure, we had Gran, but I was pretty much Kiera’s mom and dad from then on, and I would do anything for her.
Gran helped with the bills, paying what she could—Kiera’s schooling and such. She also helped me find my way through the courses I needed to become a lighting tech so I could bring some money in for the family—for the three of us. It’s hard being away from them though, all things considered.
Ligonier is a small town where gossip is a daily formality, and unfortunately for a while there, I was the talk of the town. It was never my intention to be the main focus, I never wanted to be in the spotlight, so when I found my childhood sweetheart, Lilah, in the backseat of my car with my best friend, Johnny, in a very compromising position—yeah, my life and my relationship were the talk of the fucking town. So leaving Ligonier, when I was offered a job with The Living Dead and going on tour full time, was an easy decision for me even though it meant leaving Kiera behind.
I’m going to like being on this tour with Luminous. It’s a long one, four months, and by then I should hopefully have a good start toward Kiera’s procedure.
EFFA
The VIP area is buzzing with life and activity. The dancefloor packed with our groupies, crew and a few stragglers we let in because we’re nice like that. The party’s in full swing, the bass of the heavy rock music thumping so loudly the walls are shaking with every beat. I can’t hear myself think as I take another long drink of my vodka and cranberry juice. The bitter hit making me smile as it slides down my throat cooling my dry gullet.
My head is still a little spaced out from the hit of weed in the Hummer on the ride over, but I’m evening out more now as I sit in the booth, people watching. This is what I love to do. Sure the party scene is fun, and I love to get in on the action, but people watching is a hobby of mine too. I like to sit and see how people interact with each other. Who’s hanging out with who? See if I can figure out what’s happening around me. I don’t really like surprises, and I like to try and keep a grip on everything that’s happening in my circle of people. And these are my people.
Casey is doing her usual, wasting her night on the groupies and roadies. She really is a wild child as she bends over snorting a line off the bare chest of one of our groupies. His name is Sebastian, and we picked him up on our last tour of Denmark. He’s stayed on as one of our groupies ever since. The thing about our groupies is they’re all male.
You’d think we’d have some females, but we don’t really have a use for them if you catch my drift. If you think of male rock bands and what the female groupies are there for? Well, yeah, male groupies are the same thing. They’re here for the love of the music, our music, for the love of us as women, and we love them right back for the service they can provide for us on the road.
Some might call that slutty, but hey if male rockers can do it, why the fuck can’t chicks?
Don’t be sexist.
None of us are in relationships. We’re young, healthy women, with raging hormones and we have needs, so our groupies fill those needs. Don’t judge. At least we’re always safe about it. And it’s not like we don’t know the men we’re having sex with. We know these guys, we know them all well, and so we’re safe and looked after, and that’s all that matters. It works for us, and sure, it might be frowned upon by some, sure we might seem like sluts, but it’s better than sleeping with strangers and doing the walk of shame in every city.
That’s how I see it anyway.
Casey pulls back up abruptly and almost trips over, as she wipes her nose falling back into her seat while Benny leans over and kisses her forcefully. All the while, Sebastian lays on the table still half naked covered in cocaine. Shaking my head, I let out a bemused chuckle as Tank walks into the room and I open my eyes wider as I search for that someone who might be next to him. If Tank is here, that means the lighting crew is finished, and maybe Mercs will be here too. Tank walks up to Andi as she sits at the bar looking forlorn, and he plops down next to her to carry on a conversation.
No Mercs.
Taking in a deep breath, I look over to Kristy, who’s in a booth with one of the groupies, getting a little hot and heavy. I’m sure they will be taking it to the bathroom soon, or if she’s really in the mood for a wild night, back to the hotel for an all-nighter. In another booth, Luke and Alana are looking deep in conversation. They talk a lot. They discuss our PR. So they spend more time together than the rest of us. Alana’s not that big of a partier, so she tends to spend the after parties with Luke talking shop.
They’re boring.
My stomach sinks when I scope the entire room—there’s definitely no sign of Mercs. He obviously isn’t coming. So I stand up and walk over to Andi and Tank by the bar.
“…so… I said… you’re a fucking reptile and she told me to get fucked,” Tank yells making Andi laugh as I approach.
“No wonder, Tank, that’s the worst comeback in history, you idiot,” Andi replies rolling her eyes. I sit down next to Andi catching Tank’s attention.
“Oh, hey Effa, I was telling Andi before how great the show was tonight,” Tank states.
“Absolutely. It was good to have Mercs on board. He made it perfect…” I pause for a second. “Is he coming tonight?” I ask finding the right way to work him in without it seeming too obvious.
He shakes his head and takes a sip of his beer before answering, “Nah. Guy seems… private. He wanted to stay at the stadium. Not even sure he’s staying at the same hotel as us, to be honest. Wouldn’t be surprised if he was crashing on the sofa, he seems the type.”
I let out a small huff. “Wow! I wonder why he would do that?”
He shrugs. “People are a mysterious beast, Effa. I mean check you out, you’re a freak,” he teases, his bright smile laced with sarcasm.
Andi punches him in the arm making him grin wider.
With a giggle, I smile, “Thank you so much. I appreciate the compliment.”
He snorts out a laugh while shaking his head. “See, only a freak would take that as a compliment. But, that’s why we love you…” he smirks, “… because of your freakery. We need to loosen Mercs up. Have him come to the after parties and get him to at least sleep at the hotels. He needs to be one of us.”
Nodding, I purse my lips. “He will be. Leave it to me. I have a way of making people love us.”
“You sure do. Right, I need another beer and to let loose. Andi, my love, you wanna party with me tonight?” Tank asks, and I chuckle.
“Wow! You’re such a romantic, Tank. How could a girl refuse?” Andi chuckles as I stand up, down the rest of my drink, place the empty back on the bar, and walk off to find Raoul our head of security.
He’s waiting by the top of the stairs, as I should have guessed, along with his second in charge, Cooper. Dressed in their all-black attire, cross-armed and stern faces, I smirk hating that they can’t join in on the fun. I feel for them.
Walking up to Raoul, his onyx eyes look me over as his eyebrows crease even further than normal. His stern face always hard and tense. For a grumpy man, he sure is good looking with his defined, stubble-covered jaw and thick black hair. The French national is a walking sex magnet with those muscular arms, and I’m sure he has a rocking body beneath that security suit he always wears. But alas, he’s one of the crew none of us have ever had the pleasure of bedding. He takes his job a little too seriously, but that’s a good thing because we’ve never had any incidences since he’s been on board. He’s terrific at his job, and we wouldn’t trust anyone else with our safety. That’s why I’m heading to him now.
He looks at me and raises his brow like he’s curious as to why I’m approaching him. So I spit it out straight away. “Raoul, would you take me back to the stadium? I’m sure Cooper and the others can watch everyone, right?” I ask and Raoul tenses his shoulders and looks to Cooper.
“Effa, you know I’ll take you anywhere you want to go. But leaving everyone with only six security makes me uneasy.”
Slumping my shoulders, I nod. “Can you call in more? I really need to go back there tonight, Raoul.”
He groans looking to Cooper who grins at me. He’s not as dramatic as Raoul.
“Raoul, go. I got this. And if I need backup I know who to call. You’re always talking about putting more trust in me, well, here’s your chance. Let me prove I can take on an after party on my own. You take care of the most important part of Luminous and I’ll take care of everyone else,” Cooper pleads my case. I squirm a little at his words, as I’m not entirely comfortable when people say I’m the most important part of the band. Yes, I’m the lead singer and I write the songs, but it’s a group effort. If one part of the band fails the whole band fails, not just me. But I know a lot of people think the way Cooper does, and it irks me.
“Okay fine, but the minute you need me—”
“I’ll call,” Cooper interrupts Raoul.
Raoul looks to me, letting out a heavy sigh. “Are you ready to go?”
Bobbing up on my toes, I nod. “Yep.”