Succubus Revealed by Richelle Mead Page B

and try his hand at the blackjack table. Once he left the theatre, though, Phoebe leaned over to me conspiratorially and whispered, “Here’s a wager for you. How much do you want to bet he comes back with a glow?”
    I laughed and whispered back, “I won’t take that bet. Are you sure you haven’t worked with him before?” Admittedly, an incubus looking to get laid wasn’t that far of a stretch, but I liked how adeptly Phoebe was able to pick up on my old friend’s personality quirks.
    “Nah,” she said with a smile. “I’ve just known his type.”
    Other dancers began trickling in. Phoebe introduced us as they arrived, and most were friendly and excited to have someone new in the group. They weren’t yet at their full number needed for the show, so everyone was anxious for that to happen. I brought them one step closer, though it surprised me they were still short. From my experiences, there were always groups of girls lined up to try to make it in show business. Phoebe confirmed as much.
    “Oh, yeah, tons have tried out. And you should have seen them at the beginning, when they first did the open casting. Matthias is just really selective, that’s all. Cornelia—the head choreographer—is just as bad.”
    “And yet he took me on a five-minute audition,” I pointed out.
    Phoebe grinned. “Sweetie, he just knows talent when he sees it. Besides, he’s in charge of this gig. If he says you’re in, you’re in.”
    Matthias wasn’t the only one running the show, of course. Along with the dancers came other management and staff, like the aforementioned Cornelia. Everyone had a part to play. The rehearsal was fast-paced and aggressive—but also lots of fun. Phoebe hadn’t been joking. The other dancers were good—really good. It had been a very long time since I’d danced with any sort of group, even longer since I was with one of such caliber. I was used to being the standout at anything dance related, and it was a surprise—a good one—to find myself surrounded by so many equals. I had to work to keep up with them on the first day, and even if I didn’t walk out as an instant star, I left confident that I’d held my own.
    Before I could go, one of the show’s costumers asked to take my measurements backstage. Phoebe told me she’d go hunt down Bastien and meet me at the casino’s central bar. The seamstress appeared with her tape measure, and I made a mental note of my height for future shape-shifting. Matthias came by, carrying his notes, and paused when he saw us.
    “You did really well today,” he told me. “It’s like you’ve been with us from the first day.”
    “Hardly,” I said. “I’ve still got a lot to learn. Especially in the fourth song. The steps are deceptively simple . . . but there’s a certain attitude you’ve got to hold to pull them off. No, maybe not attitude. Grace? Vibe? I can’t explain it, but the simplicity’s what makes it so genius. It seems like such a basic pattern, but how it’s executed is what truly brings out the beauty.” I was thinking aloud, just sort of rambling, and realized that I sounded kind of ridiculous. “Sorry. That probably doesn’t make any sense.”
    “No, no.” Matthias stared at me wonderingly. “That’s exactly it. That’s how I intended it. I was inspired by watching classical ballet, how all the moves are amplified by the emotion put into the routines. Cornelia said it was crazy to try to think that deep for a show like this, but it just felt right.”
    “It’s beautiful,” I said honestly. “I can absolutely see where you were going with it. Reminds me of something from La Bayadère. ”
    “You know La Bayadère? ” he asked, wide-eyed.
    “Of course,” I said. “It’s a classic. Who doesn’t?”
    “You’d be surprised.”
    I realized then that the seamstress had left, having achieved her goal. Matthias was still regarding me in amazement. Now that they weren’t focused on the clipboard, I was able to see