Muse (Fragile Web 3)

Muse (Fragile Web 3)
Mychael Black
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2025 Mychael Black

Treya Fischer glanced at her cell phone and finally put it on silent. It kept ringing, but at least she couldn’t hear it. No doubt she’d get a string of texts once her mother gave up trying to call. She sighed and got out of the car. Her folks had never approved of her lifestyle, her friends’ lifestyles, their music, or her career choice. It didn’t matter that Fragile Web was growing in popularity and demand around the city. It didn’t matter that she made more than enough money to live comfortably without having to ask her parents for a single dime. She’d never be the perfect daughter they wanted. Her sister filled that spot quite well.

The door opened, and she smiled. The guys hovered, fiercely protective as always, but now they had two more who’d joined the “shelter Treya from the world” cause. Not that she disliked it. Their form of sheltering was nothing like her parents’. The guys loved her for who she was, what she could do. They didn’t try to change her or make her fit into a mold.

“You okay?” Michael asked as she headed toward him. He took the case with her favorite mic and held open the door for her. The rest of her usual equipment stayed in the rehearsal loft until shows.

“Yeah,” she said with a sigh, holding up her phone and showing the missed call notification.

Michael grimaced. “I’m sorry. Anything I can do?”

Treya shrugged, and Michael shut the door. She led the way back toward the rehearsal room. “Not really. It’s probably the same old song and dance she’s been doing for years. ‘You’re better than this. You could be an opera star.’ Blah, blah, blah.”

Michael opened up the door leading into their soundproofed rehearsal space. “You are a star. Hell, Fragile Web wouldn’t be what it is without you.”

She smiled and rose up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “Thank you. You guys are just as important, you know.”

“Honey, you could walk out onto a stage in a burlap sack and sing the phonebook, and the audience would be eating out of the palm of your hand,” Scott said from the table where he was changing strings on his guitar.

Treya laughed and took her mic case from Michael. “I think you’re all biased, but thanks.”

“Maybe,” Sam said from behind his drumkit, “but we’re right.”

Treya started to reply, but two men stepped into the room. She felt herself blush when they both smiled at her. David Garrison had officially joined the band as their new keyboardist, and his partner Ryan Parrish was now one of their two roadies. Sam’s partner Cole had swooped in to help in that capacity as well.

“My dear muse,” David said, “you are magnificent just as you are. Never let anyone -- not even your parents -- tell you otherwise.”

Treya bit the corner of her lower lip and had to look away from the vampire’s knowing gaze. The attraction between herself, David, and Ryan was no secret, but they’d yet to act on it. Treya had no idea where to start anyway. She’d never been with two people before -- and definitely not with a vampire.

Scott finished and took his place at his amp. Michael strapped on his bass and turned on his own amplifier. Sam did a couple of test kicks to make sure his pedal was in the right position. As Treya took out her beloved Sennheiser MD 441, the exact model Stevie Nicks used, she watched David get his own keyboard situated on its stand right above Treya’s Korg Kronos. She couldn’t believe they’d lucked out in finding him. Not that anything was bad with Sam’s singing, but David just added a bit of sultry oomph that meshed well with Treya. Of course, she was probably a bit biased.

David smiled at her, and a shiver ran throughout her entire body.

Okay, definitely biased.

“Did you guys hear about the scout?” Scott asked them all.

Treya turned to him. “No…”

Scott nodded and plugged in his guitar. “Black Nebula Records has been poking around the area, even hitting some shows.”

“Seriously?” Sam asked.

“Yep. Can you imagine…?”

Treya blew out a breath. “That would be… oh, my God. Beyond amazing. What are the chances of someone seeing us live?”

Scott shrugged. “There’s no telling.”

“Even more reason to really tighten things up,” Treya said. She switched on the PA system. “Let’s get to it then!”