2. Chapter 2
Lookingoutatthe street, it’s so quiet outside. It’s almost eerie, but as we get closer to downtown, I see more and more people. Most of them are in clubwear, ready for a night out full of debauchery, among other things. The Uber slows and pulls up next to the busy curb. We’re right outside the club, and there’s a long line wrapping around the building already. Thanking the driver, I get out and adjust the hem of my dress. Hopefully, I didn’t flash anyone my lacy panties as I got out.
Adding a tip and rating for my journey, I text Ginny to let her know I’m here. I look around, trying to spot her in the crowd of people, but I can’t see her. There are just too many people. Someone passes by me, a hand slipping across my back as they pass. Another shiver races down my spine and I whip my head around. My hair falls in front of my face as I try to see who exactly caused the sensation, but they are lost in the crowd.
”Demi! Demi, over here!” A familiar voice shouts out to me. I turn in its direction and spot Ginny. She’s waving frantically from within the line.
Rushing over to her, I throw my arms around her across the roped-off line. I’m enveloped by her familiar honeysuckle perfume, and I let out a deep breath, the goosebumps that erupted on my flesh slowly subsiding.
”What took you so long? I saved you a space.” She unhooks the rope and drags me through before re-hooking it. There are a few grumbles from the people behind us in the line, but she just smiles at them as she wraps her hand around mine and pulls me close.
”I have no idea what you mean.” Glancing at my phone, I check the time. ”It only took me twenty minutes to get here.”
”Exactly, that’s twenty minutes of birthday drinking time.” She lets out a laugh and I can’t help but join in with her.
Now I’m closer to my friend, I feel safe. I don’t know what is wrong with me tonight. Maybe working long hours is finally taking its toll and I’m getting jittery from the lack of sleep. Thinking about the night I found my parents hasn’t helped in the slightest and I feel like I’m ready to jump out of my own skin at any moment.
The line slowly moves closer and closer to the door. There is a huge sign above it. ‘Dark Desires’ is written in red, and there’s what looks like blood dripping down from below the first and last letters. Interesting name. I can feel the thump of the bass in the music through the soles of my feet. A couple of people ahead of us get turned away, but I can’t work out why. The group looks ready to start a fight with the bouncer, but a quick flash of his fangs has them holding their hands up and retreating away from the door.
Shit, there’s a vampire working the door. Where the hell has Ginny brought me?
I look over at my friend, but she doesn’t seem phased by what just happened. She’s bouncing on her feet, excited for the night ahead. I’m just not feeling it. My anxiety is shooting through the roof. First, the sense of being watched, then shadows on my street, and now the vampire bouncer is making it so much worse. I lean closer to Ginny.
”What the hell is this place, Gin? The bouncer is a freaking vampire.” I glance back over at him, and he grins at me. Shit, he heard me. Of course he did. He’s a vampire with enhanced hearing.
”Yep, I heard the club is owned by vampires, too. Come on, Demi. It’ll be fun!” She wraps her arm around my shoulder and pulls me close.
Ginny knows my parents died, but like many others, she thinks it was a home invasion. I never told her I suspected it was something more. She probably wouldn’t have believed me, anyway; she’s pro supernatural. I blame all the romance books she’s been reading about them over the years. The authors romanticize them and don’t tell the truth about the blood-thirsty monsters they really are.
When we finally reach the front of the line, I’m ready to bolt, but Ginny keeps a firm grip on my hand and won’t let go. The bouncer raises an eyebrow as he opens the door for us; I look back at him and he gives me a small nod. Another shiver runs down my spine, but this time it isn’t fear. With Ginny still holding onto my hand, the door shuts and submerges us into utter darkness. The music is much louder now we’re inside.
Another door opens a few feet ahead of us. The light which floods in temporarily blinds me. I throw my hand in front of my eyes, trying toblink away the spots now dancing in my vision. When we emerge through the door, we’re inside the club. Strobe lights are flashing, and the temperature spikes, as we’re instantly surrounded by dancing bodies.
Ginny drags me through the throng of people until we hit the bar. It’s at least three people deep, everyone clamoring to get a drink. As soon as we are there, the crowd seems to close around us, and my heart rate spikes again. This is not what I class as fun at all. Considering the number of people, it doesn’t take long before we are in front of the bar. I look up and down its length, spotting a sign to one side.
No blood from the vein unless prior consent is given.
What the fuck?
I expected there to be vampires in a club they owned, but I wasn’t expecting them to be allowed to drink from the source. The thought of it creeps me out. I really need to try and monitor my drinking tonight. I don”t want to end up as a snack for someone of the fanged variety.
A bartender appears on the other side of thebar. His eyes are black orbs that stare at me as he waits for Ginny to give him our order. Ginny leans across the bar to tell him what we want, but the music is so loud I can’t hear what she’s saying. My focus isn’t really on her though, it stays on the bartender. He’s tall, probably over 6ft in height, with dark hair. I can’t quite tell if it’s black or dark brown in the dimly lit club, but it’s short on the sides and long on top. His hair is styled perfectly into a bouffant, and I have the sudden urge to run my fingers through it to mess it up.
His black shirt is tight across the expanse of his chest, the top few buttons are undone, showing off golden skin and black swirling lines. His sleeves are rolled up to the elbows, and there is more black ink adorning his forearms. As he turns to get our drinks, I can see the tightness of his jeans across his ass, and my thighs clench together. He turns back with several shots in his hands, his eyes connect with mine, and his nostrils flare. A ring of red appears around the black orbs.
I swallow hard as it hits me that he”s a vampire.
It”s a vampire club, Demi. There”s going to be more vampires working here than just the bouncer.
I roll my shoulders back and attempt to stand tall. Ginny turns to me and holds out her hand. I remember the fact she said that shots were on me. Reaching into my purse, I pull two twenties and hand them to her.
The bartender drops the shots on the counter and takes the money from her, his eyes only leaving mine as he turns his back to us again and moves to the cash register. He”s back a few seconds later with the change, but instead of handing it to Ginny, he holds it out to me. Tentatively, I reach out my hand and he drops it into my open palm. His fingers trace across the skin of my hand as he does and a bolt of electricity runs up my arm, making me clench my thighs again.
I quickly snatch my hand back, shaking it out slightly to disperse the weird feeling. I put the change back in my purse and grab a shot from the counter, downing it in one before slamming the glass back down. Ginny grabs a few of the shots and I grab what”s left. She tilts her head to one side, motioning for me to follow her. Staying behind her, I risk one last look over my shoulder at the bartender and he smiles, a hint of fang showing. It should creep me out, but instead, I”m finding it sexy.
For fuck’s sake, Demi. Get your mind out of the gutter. You do not find vampires hot!
Weaving through the crowd, we finally make it to an area where there are fewer people and some empty booths. The dark red leather seats are half circles, with round tables in the middle. Sliding in, I shrug off my jacket as I deposit the shot glasses on the table and spot another sign on the wall.
Please refrain from draining other patrons, body disposal is expensive.
My mouth drops open as I take in the sign.
It has to be a joke, right?
”Demi, this is so amazing.” Ginny all but shouts down my ear, wanting to be heard over the music.
She grabs a glass and downs it. I can only nod weakly in reply. Picking up another drink, I”m going to need all the Dutch courage I can muster to not bolt. I throw the shot back and wince as the alcohol burns down my throat. We”ve only been here twenty minutes and I already want to leave. We usually go to human-run bars, and this place is making me nervous. I don”t want to think about how many vampires are in this bar right now.
There are still a few human-only places, or at least, places that vampires tend not to lurk. The hospital, for example. With their own abilities to heal, there is absolutely no need for them to be there. Whilst vampires may run the hospital at the very top, just like every other business, they still have humans running the everyday things.
Leaning back in my seat, I drink the last of my shots and line the glasses up on the table. The alcohol doesn”t take long to work its way into my system and I”m finally loosening up. Ginny is bouncing to the music next to me, and I sway along with the beat. The anxiety that was wracking my body slowly dissipates. I nudge Ginny and point to the dance floor; she gives me a nod and we shuffle out of the booth, leaving our jackets on the seat.
Taking her hand in mine, we move back through the crowd till we reach the dance floor. The music changes to something with a faster tempo and I shake my hips to it. Running my fingers through my hair and down the sides of my body, Ginny dances with me, and I spin her around and pull her closer.
I feel sudden heat against my back as a body presses up againstme. Their warmth engulfs me as I shimmy my body up and down theirs. Hands land on my hips and pull me closer until my back is to their front from head to toe. My alcohol-addled brain doesn’t even seem to care whether they”re human or vampire but being surrounded by so many witnesses helps ease my usual anxieties. Reaching back my hand, I run it up the side of their face, and tangle my fingers in their hair. From what I can feel, it runs past their ears with a slight wave. One of their hands creeps itself up the side of my body, around the outer curve of my breast, and up the inside of my bare arm, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake.
My ass brushes against their crotch, and I can feel their obvious arousal as they rub against me. I clench my thighs again. Turning, I close my eyes and wrap them around my dance partner”s neck. Inhaling deeply, I can smell damp pine. The smell draws me in, and I lean in closer.
His nose brushes up against the column of my neck, and his lips brush just below it. I don”t know what has come over me, but I can feel the dampness between my legs. His arousal now presses against my stomach, twitching against me as I let the music take over. His hands move down my back to the swell of my ass, pulling me hard against him. I lift my arms above my head and lace my fingers together as I sway within his arms.
The current song ends and the heat encasing me disappears. I open my eyes, but whoever I was dancing with is gone as quickly as he appeared. My eyes dart around, trying to spot where my dancing partner went, but the surrounding people are dancing with others and I don”t feel like any of them are him. Turning back to Ginny, I see she”s dancing away with her tongue thrust down some random guy”s throat.
Shaking my head, I head back to the bar. I feel eyes burning into my back, but when I glance over my shoulder, I can”t see anyone looking in my direction. My skin prickles for a few seconds before the sensation disappears just as fast.
Shrugging my shoulders, I continue my journey to the bar. It”s another fight to get to the front, but once I”m there, I glance around to see if the vampire bartender from earlier is around. My shoulders slump when I realize he”s no longer behind the bar.
Why are you even looking for him, Demi? He”s a vampire.
A tall blonde comes over to serve me instead. She”s wearing a corset that pushes her breasts up almost to her chin.
”What can I get you?” She shouts over the music, leaning over the bar as she does. Her cleavage nearly pops out of her top.
”Rum and Coke, no ice and a Peach Schnapps and lemonade.” I”ve had enough shots at this point, and I”m not letting Ginny have any more either. I don”t want to have to carry her home.
The blonde nods and turns her back to me to make the drinks. Once they”re done, she places them down on the bar and I pass her a twenty. When she”s back with my change, I throw a few ones into the tip jar and grab the drinks.
The table is still empty, and our jackets are still on the seats when I get back to it. Dropping down onto the spongy leather, I place the glasses on the table before taking a sip of my rum and Coke. I look out towards the dance floor to see if Ginny is still there, but I can”t see her over the crowd of people between the seating and the dance floor.
My eyes move to the booth next to where I”m sitting. There”s a guy with his back to me and a woman sitting on his lap, her head buried in his neck. I can”t quite see her face through the curtain of hair covering it, but I can see her body gyrating to the music. Her head stays close to his neck and her hands run through his hair.
With a thump of the bass, she lifts her head and looks straight at me. Her eyes are ringed with red, and her lips are covered in blood. A small trickle runs down the side of her mouth and down her chin. As she watches me, she licks her lips. A finger raises to her chin and wipes up the trail. She opens her mouth, and I can see her blood-stained fangs, as she sucks her finger in and licks the blood away.
I swallow hard. I can”t seem to pull my eyes away from the scene in front of me. Tilting the guy”s head to the side, she licks up the column of his neck, keeping those red-rimmed eyes on mine. A shiver runs down my spine, and I grip the glass in my hand tighter, almost to the point I think I”m going to shatter the glass.
Finally, she pulls her eyes away from mine as she leans into the guy for a kiss. I”m still looking their way when someone obscures my view. Pulling my gaze away, I realize it”s Ginny. Grabbing her glass, she mouths a thank you and downs it in one. I take a few more sips of my drink. I still can”t believe we”re in a vampire club and I thought the signs were a joke. After what I just witnessed, I guess not.