Chapter 33
"Hey, Kem, it's been two days now... Please call me back when you get this," I murmured, leaving another message. "I'm getting worried." I whispered the last part to myself as I ended the call and stepped into the waiting taxi, its horn still echoing in the early morning silence.
To my surprise, it was my regular driver, Julian, behind the wheel—the same driver who'd taken Kem home a few nights ago. Maybe he could give me some answers.
"Julian, have you seen Kem these past couple of days?" I asked. He glanced at me, his brow furrowing.
"Who's that?"
"Kemesha," I clarified. "Tall, curvy... works at Redlust, the night club where vampires and humans mingle."
Recognition flickered across his face. "Oh, right. Kemesha. I don't think I've seen her in almost a year. Could be less, but it's been a while. I thought she moved out?"
"That's... odd," I murmured, more to myself than to him.
We didn't always use Julian's service, but I saw him at least three times a week, if not more.
He was popular among the girls, often going out of his way to make sure we all got home safe.
Not seeing Kem was practically unheard of—and far from reassuring.
"She hasn't moved away," I said softly. "We've been living together all this time, and she's been going to work. Are you sure you haven't seen her? Not even catching another cab or standing on the curb?"
Julian shook his head. "I haven't seen her."
The car slowed to a stop by the curb. I was already late for my shift, but if I went to Kem's club to look for her, I'd be even later. Wade and Jager would have to find someone else to cover for me tonight. I pushed down a pang of jealousy, imagining the tips another girl would collect in my place.
"Aren't you getting out?" Julian's voice cut through my thoughts.
I was torn, debating whether something had happened to Kem or if she'd simply been caught up at work.
It wasn't unusual for either of us to lose track of time on the job, but this felt different.
There hadn't been any tension between us, and we'd always called each other to ease each other's minds.
"Take me to her club," I finally said.
"Sure thing," he replied.
Redlust Night Club had risen in popularity after Cloney banned humans from the scene.
Only girls like us—and those willing to offer their blood—frequented the place.
It had quickly become the go-to spot for mingling humans and vampires, establishing a more balanced dynamic than my workplace.
Unlike the toxic environment I endured, Kem rarely faced any issues there.
At Kem's club, the number one rule was that humans and vampires had to get along, even if they had to fake it. But with so many clubs catering exclusively to humans or vampires, I doubted anyone who came here had to pretend.
"Could you wait for me?" I asked Julian. "I'll pay the extra fare."
"No problem. Just check if she's inside," he replied.
All clubs were similar: neon lights pulling you in like a moth to a flame, long lines, grumpy bouncers pushing people back. Redlust was no exception.
I approached the bouncer, who gave me a quick once-over before waving me in, probably mistaking me for one of the staff.
Inside, humans and vampires mingled seamlessly, pale and flushed faces blending on the dance floor.
I felt a twinge of envy watching them, each person—whether working the pole, serving drinks, or offering lap dances—seemed genuinely happy.
I made my way to the back, finding two girls in the dressing room. They looked at me with curious frowns.
"New girl?" asked one with bright blue hair.
I shook my head. "I'm looking for someone," I said.
"Who?" the other girl, touching up her makeup, asked.
"Kem. Or Kemesha?" I clarified. The two girls exchanged a look.
"Kem—the curvy one?" the blue-haired girl asked.
"I suppose," I replied, thinking of the curvy Kem I knew and assuming it was her club name.
The two girls exchanged amused glances, soft chuckles escaping them and deepening my suspicion. "Sorry to break it to you, but we haven't seen Kem in about nine months," the blue-haired girl said with a smirk.
"Maybe even longer," added her friend.
"Nine months?" I repeated in disbelief.
"Yeah, nine months," she confirmed. "Last we saw, she was with some vampire guy—rich, owned businesses. You know how it is."
I shook my head. "No, I don't know how it is."
"It's not uncommon. Vampires fall for a lot of the girls here. This place is practically a dating hotspot for vamps and humans," she explained.
"Could you describe this guy? I doubt Kem would be seeing a vampire," I scoffed.
"Oh, everyone finds their vamp match here. Kem could be married, with kids by now, living her best life. Forget her. She's not coming back—trust me, I wouldn't if I found a vampire to take care of me," the other girl said with a dreamy sigh.
"Describe the guy," I insisted, my patience thinning.
"Tall, wealthy, black hair, and handsome," the blue-haired girl said, shrugging.
"Anything else?" I pressed.
She laughed. "All vamps look the same, hon. They share the same traits—red eyes, wealth, that pale, eternally youthful look."
I sighed in frustration, refusing to believe Kem would just run off with some guy. "Maybe talk to the boss," one of the girls suggested. "He might remember the last time he saw her. Girls don't stay here long—those who do are usually looking to find themselves a vamp."
Leaning against the wall, I held the phone to my ear, reaching Kem's voicemail again.
"Hey, I know you're mad at me," I murmured, exhaling a shaky sigh.
"I went to your work, and you weren't there.
.. you haven't been there for a year.
A year?" The boss confirmed he hadn't seen her in ages.
"Maybe you forgot to tell me you switched clubs or.
.." My voice wavered, frustration bringing tears to the surface.
"Just, please, call me back. Okay. Bye." I ended the call, my mind swirling.
Kem wouldn't just forget to tell me about a new job. We're best friends—no, we're family. We hide nothing from each other. Yet, I couldn't shake the feeling she'd been keeping something from me. What guy were those girls talking about? She would've told me if she were involved with someone.
But falling in love, getting married, having kids—that wasn't in the cards for us. Not for Kem and me. We had a plan.
"You're late," Ethan growled.
"Not now," I mumbled, eyes fixed on the black floor.
"You're late," he pressed again.
"I don't work for you."
"Maybe not, but it takes five girls to serve—not four. So get to the bar and start serving. Wade and Jager asked for you specifically, and you know that, so stop playing dumb."
"Go to hell," I snapped, feeling the heavy burden of concern for Kem pressing down on me. She still hadn't returned my calls, and the silence was maddening.
"Just one of these days..." Ethan's voice trailed off, his tone dripping with menace.
"One of these days what?" I challenged.
"I'm going to suck you dry. You think Wade and Jager will always be so interested in you? They'll find another snow bunny soon enough."
I laughed, hoping he didn't notice the flash of doubt on my face. "Like I care."
But my mind wasn't on Ethan. I was still worrying about Kem, hoping she hadn't actually run off with one of those vamps. Maybe she was just visiting her parents and needed a little space.