3. Three
Three
T he limo ride to Insomnia is a loud affair. My siblings are known to go a little crazy, and tonight is no exception. Insomnia is the biggest club I own, spanning several floors. Maybe you can guess from the name that it operates until the sun rises. It’s been a few months since I have visited, mainly because Insomnia attracts hordes of humans.
The champagne is flowing and I’m happy to acquiesce. If I’m to survive tonight, I will need liquid courage. We all topped up on Red before we left the house. Red is how we refer to blood. Lucille is in fine form. Sadly, she left her husband at home to babysit. Trent is a lovely man, with whom I get along rather well. It baffles me as to why he finds Lucille attractive. Not physically, but emotionally. Her character is… well, I think he deserves better, but once again, it’s not my choice or theirs. They mated, and that’s that. He turns a blind eye to her revolving door of human bedmates. Trent loves Lucille and their son Benjamin. For him, that’s enough .
Lucas turned twenty-one last month, so this is his first official outing. I’d prefer to celebrate that than my birthday. He looks overly excited, which makes me smile. Lucas is a kind soul. I might be closest to Marcus, but Lucas is the one I think will resemble me, personality wise. He reads and writes. More often than not, when I call him, he is in his library. Lucas has yet to find a mate, but he has nearly a decade. I’m not worried.
Maybe I should be worried by the amount of alcohol he is consuming at an alarmingly fast rate. “Will you stop worrying?” Marcus laughs. “Tonight is about fun. Lucas will be fine, and so will you if you just let go a little.”
“He’s going to be ill if he doesn’t slow down.”
“So what? That’s his choice. Amelia, please try to enjoy tonight.”
“Easier said than done, Marcus, especially when you all start throwing me to the wolves.”
“Throwing you to the wolves?” Aliah laughs. “Amelia, women are not wolves.”
“Some bite.” I wink, causing everyone to laugh.
“Well, maybe that’s what you need. Anyway, yes, of course, we are going to be on the prowl, but I promise, the most important thing for all of us tonight is that you enjoy yourself and celebrate your birthday.”
“Fine, let’s party.” A loud cheer echoes through the limo. I can’t help but laugh. I love my family, even when they infuriate me.
The driver comes to a stop outside Insomnia. There is a line around the corner which makes me happy. Usually when I stop by my clubs and bars, I park around the back and discreetly enter that way. Not tonight, though. Oh, no, the Loch family have arrived in style.
I see patrons straining to get a look at the people in the obnoxiously large and flashy limousine. Our family is well known among humans. We have our hands in many things. I’m sure to them we are just entitled assholes. They aren’t privy to the centuries of work it took my parents to get us where we are today.
Lance the door man greets us enthusiastically. I like to think I treat the staff well. I know them all by name and I am aware of their personal lives. The majority of people who work in my clubs and bars are vampires. There are a few humans, too. I leave the managers to do the hiring and firing, unless I feel the need to intervene.
The club is thumping and I’m certain it’s almost to capacity. We deposit ourselves in the VIP section. There are bottles of champagne in metal buckets on the tables. Lucille is already opening one. She’s going to be trouble tonight; I can feel it.
In the distance, I see Claire, the club manager, making her way over. She is tall and slim with raven colored hair, similar to mine. Hers falls in waves though, whereas mine is pin straight. We’ve known each other for years, and when I opened Insomnia, she was the only option to run the place, in my eyes.
“Happy birthday, boss,” Claire laughs, pulling me in for an embrace.
“Thanks. How is everything?”
“Perfect. The club is the number one place to be.”
“Excellent. Any issues?”
“Amelia, it’s your night out, not a work meeting. ”
“I’m just asking.” I’m not just asking. I was hoping Claire could distract me from the sudden nervous energy that has sprung up in my stomach.
“Okay, I’ll give you a quick rundown. I fired Todd and hired Erin.”
“Todd, he was a recent hire. What happened?”
“Caught him banging a patron in the storeroom.”
“You did well.” All employees know that engaging in sexual activity with a patron is off limits. “And this Erin?”
“She’s twenty-seven, has worked in bars and clubs since college. Her cocktails are excellent, and she is a hard worker.”
“Sounds like the perfect replacement.”
“Now, back to the party,” Claire laughs. “I’ll get some more drinks sent over.”
Half of my siblings are on the dance floor, making some questionable moves. I forget sometimes that Laurence and Marcus are closing in on forty (as far as humans are concerned, anyway). The aging process may stop at thirty, but it can take a little time, which gives us some leeway. After that, we rely on humanity’s vanity. In fact, humans make it too easy sometimes. Half of Hollywood strives to remain ageless. Plus, filters. That was one of our better inventions. You’re welcome.
Even though they have stopped aging, it seems their characters are still hurtling towards middle age. Lucille has already latched on to some poor human. I hope he has health insurance. Lucas is still sitting in the booth, looking a little green.
“Drink this,” I say, pushing over a bottle of water. He takes it and sips it gingerly. He is going to feel like death in the morning. I swallow down my champagne and decide to hit the dance floor. I might as well enjoy myself.
Thankfully, I wore a light black bodysuit. The swarm of bodies is making the temperature soar. I weave my way through the crowd, trying to reach my brothers. I see the looks of want from more than a few men and women as I pass. None of them pique my interest. I can smell they are human.
My body reacts instantly to the bass. I move and let the music run through me. Now and then I feel a brave soul try their luck by dancing close to my back. I move away without interacting. I know I come across as a cold bitch, but I don’t want to spend all night explaining why I don’t welcome their advances.
Sweat is dripping down my forehead. I’ve been dancing nonstop for a while. My brothers are still in the dad dancing zone, so I head to the bar. The crowd is three deep, even with three bartenders.
Being the owner has its advantages, like slipping behind the bar to serve myself. I’m just bending down to one of the under-counter fridges when I feel a presence behind me. I catch their scent, which momentarily makes me freeze. It’s not a scent I have encountered before. It’s sweet like cherries. Not the usual smell of either a vampire or human.
Before I can stand up to see who the mystery person is, they bark at me. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
I stand up straight and turn around. The woman looks incensed, her eyes are shimmering with anger. “I’m getting a drink,” I reply calmly.
“I can see that. Surely you aren’t stupid enough to think you can just nip back here and help yourself. What kind of bars do you usually go to? ”
My amusement must show on my face because she visibly reacts by straightening herself to her maximum height. Which isn’t terribly impressive, if I’m honest. I’d say she hits five-foot-four, maximum. And yet, even though I tower over her, she still postures. I want to laugh. This woman clearly has no idea who I am. “I rarely go to bars,” I answer. She looks confused.
“Maybe that explains this then,” she says, waving her hand between me and the fridge. I take a moment to look at her fully. She’s dressed in the bar’s signature black shirt and trousers. Her hair is tied into a high ponytail. The golden hues shine under the many strobe lights. Her eyes are piercing blue. And, without sounding too lecherous, her tits are amazing. Even hidden underneath the shirt, I can tell she has a pair of tantalizing assets.
“I’m not sure why you’re getting so upset,” I say casually. Cracking open the water bottle and taking a sip. Fire burns in her eyes.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” she explodes. Her outburst turns me on. “You don’t work here, dumbass. You can’t just saunter back here and help yourself.”
I don’t think I’ve ever been called a dumbass to my face before. It’s quite refreshing, and funny. I then remember the conversation I had with Claire. The firecracker in front of me must be the new hire, Erin. I smile at her before stepping past and making my way back to the VIP area. I can feel her eyes burning holes in the back of my head.
“What was that about?” Aliah asks. I turn to look back at the bar and sure enough, Erin is still standing ramrod straight, shooting daggers at me. I chuckle and turn away.
“That’s the new bartender.”
“You looked like you were arguing. ”
“Nope, she just wanted to know why I was back there grabbing water.”
“Why would she want to know that?”
“Because she has absolutely no idea who I am.”
“Oh shit, what did she say when you told her? Fuck, I bet she was mortified,” Aliah laughs.
“I didn’t tell her,” I grin.
“Oh, you’re mean.”
“Well, she didn’t ask, so…”
We’re interrupted by a white piece of paper being slammed onto the table. Looking up, I see Erin, who is standing there scowling. I look at the item she nearly put through the table. It’s a bill for the water. I can’t help the laugh that I release. Reaching into my purse, I pull out a fifty-dollar bill and hand it over. “Keep the change,” I say. Her scowl deepens as does my laugh. She storms away and I lose sight of her.
“You are so mean,” Aliah cackles. That was the first genuine bit of fun I’ve had with a woman in a long time. I don’t have long to mull over what occurred because Dana arrives. She’s wearing a dress that could be classed as a belt and I know it’s for my benefit.
“There you are. Come on, let’s dance.”
We head back into the fray. Our bodies meld together, and I know for certain I will take her to bed tonight, or to the table, possibly on the couch. Wherever we decide, it’s going to be fun. Dana is adventurous, and she’s not afraid to ask for what she desires.
Even though we are surrounded by hundreds of people, I am still acutely aware of Erin. It’s like I can feel her presence, which is strange. Without looking, I can pinpoint her. The memory of her scent clouds my mind. Such a sweet and inviting smell. But that’s not what I’m thinking about. I’m wondering why I have never come across someone with that scent. Vampires and humans all have the same underlying scent that distinguishes us. It doesn’t matter which perfume or cologne is worn; the scent of a species is always the same. But not Erin.
I’m pulled out of my fog by Dana cupping me. She’s tired of dancing and wants to take the party elsewhere. I have a penthouse apartment above the club, which will suffice. Grabbing her hand, I lead her to the back of the dancefloor. A panel conceals a set of stairs. It’s bio locked, so only I have access.
We head upstairs, but before I lose sight of the room, I shoot one last look over at the bar. Erin is busy serving. She’s graceful and efficient. My heart stutters, and then Erin looks up. Our eyes meet and I see the look of confusion on her face. I wink and pull the panel closed.
For now, I need to put Erin to the back of my mind. Dana is ready to help me celebrate my birthday and I need what she’s offering.