Chapter 14 #2
Vanessa found herself lost in Chicago. It hadn’t been the grand welcome back she had envisioned after more than a decade away from the city. Most of the women she associated with either left the city too or drifted to a very different lifestyle than the one she’d chosen.
“You know, I used to work at Gwendolyn’s,” Vanessa said with a bit of swagger as she stepped into the kitchen. “It’s how we met.”
“Oh, I remember.” Milo smirked, recalling the case he and Diaz had, the one that led to the burlesque club, the dance Vanessa didn’t even pause when the boys broke out into a fight with the warlock they chased down.
Diaz and Milo shared a look, their thoughts twisting together into the same recollection.
It was always interesting when minds did that.
Most people didn’t even realize when they shared a look, a fleeting second or two, their thoughts actually synced together, even unknowingly.
The two basked in the memory of the battle and the burlesque show that they shockingly didn’t interrupt.
Vanessa’s graceful moves and unflinching attitude during the battle piqued Diaz’s interest, and he vowed not to leave Chicago without at least one night out with the beautiful dancer.
“Milo and Millie were adorable,” Vanessa said, recalling the pair profusely apologizing to her after her performance.
“Millie?” Milo raised his brows. “That rolls off the tongue nicely.”
“A lot about me rolls off the tongue nicely,” Diaz chuckled.
“Plus, he’s only Emiliano when I’m angry,” Vanessa said with a surly tone and a swagger in her step as she carried over a tray of drinks.
We chatted for about thirty minutes before the babysitter arrived, then prepared to head out.
Milo poked his head in Diego’s room, where the boys were rummaging through every single toy the kid had.
“We’re heading out, buddy.”
“Okay,” Ben said, not looking back.
“If you need us, let us know.”
“Have fun.”
“You too.” Milo lingered at the door, waiting for acknowledgement.
Ben finally turned around, a little giggly. “Bye.”
Milo smiled, nodding as he closed the door. “He’s totally gonna miss us.”
“He’ll be a total disaster without us,” I said with a deadpan expression.
“Absolutely, not.” Milo’s brow crinkled. “Ben’s quite independent. He’ll be completely fine.”
“You’re such an overprotective daddy.”
“Oh, hush.” Milo nudged my shoulder.
I grinned the entire drive downtown, high on Milo’s anxious parent thoughts. Admittedly, I occasionally became insufferable with the whole parenting thing, too. It was a lot of work, and Ben had so much to process. I couldn’t help but be proud of us. All three of us.
Once we got to Gwendolyn’s Guns & Gals, Cassidy greeted our arrival with a stern scowl and a hand on her hip.
“I’ll assume there won’t be any outbursts this time around?” she asked, eyes locked onto Diaz.
“As long as nothing nefarious is going on in these parts, little miss.” Diaz tipped his hat and grinned.
Cassidy gave a fake smile. “Everything’s above board here.”
“That’s a stretch,” I muttered.
Milo nudged me. “Oh, be nice. We’re trying to have a fun night out, right?”
“Fine.” I rolled my eyes.
“I do hope you all enjoy yourselves.” Cassidy ushered us to a VIP table and had complimentary cocktails brought out before any of us had a chance to open a menu.
The lights dimmed, bringing a hush to the conversations around the club.
When the spotlight hit a large, feathered fan, the burlesque show began.
Music kicked in, slow and alluring, and the dancer revealed her long legs first, delicately kicking them outside the cover of her feathered fan.
Gloved fingers danced against the fans’ edge, and when she snatched the handle, the feathers were engulfed in flames.
Applause and cheers kicked in, and the music moved more quickly.
As the dancer revealed herself, it became clear that the only clothing to her outfit were the heels on her feet and the gloves on her hands.
Though one could barely tell based on the flow of her flames that kept her completely covered.
Milo’s eyes lit up, enthralled by the dance, by the other woman accompanying her with a wave of water to hide her own blurry body.
Our whole table was locked onto the show.
Hell, the entire audience became rapt. I supposed it was entertaining.
When the fire and water clashed, the dancers had only the smoke to cover themselves, which they did so with delicate casting of telekinesis.
By the end of the show, the most anyone had seen was their stomachs, thighs, and a bit of cleavage. The choreography was quite spectacular, how they intertwined their magics in such an elegant performance.
Each show that followed became somehow more spectacular, with even more exotic magics from the bestial witch with a tiger familiar accompanying her to the dancer who transformed into a thousand rose petals, flying from table to table, and offering a discreet show before returning to the stage.
Okay. Maybe Cassidy Gardner knew how to entertain people. Whatever. She picked good talent. She was still awful.
“So,” Milo steered the table conversation as the set wrapped up. “What exactly got you working in burlesque?”
“Cassidy’s exhausting,” Vanessa said with a wince from the sharp bite of her cocktail. “But she pays her girls better than anyone else and actually looks out for us. It was honestly the only way I could afford the psychic cleanses for years.”
“Psychic cleanses?” I quirked a brow.
“I have a rough branch, so I get the excess energy cleared out every few months or so.”
“Wow.” I sipped my drink. “What’s your branch exactly?”
“Oh, it’s a nightmare,” Vanessa replied with a playful wave and a coy smile.
Based on the fleeting surface thoughts she quickly buried, she meant that quite literally.
Some type of nightmarish psychic energy that latched onto the minds of those nearby and drowned them in horrors of her making.
My guess was that she could never afford to attend an academy and thus never got adequate training in how to control her branch.
Those who couldn’t control magical outbursts usually ended up having enchantment charms locked on them, preventing any and all magical use.