Total pages in book: 163
Estimated words: 154735 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 774(@200wpm)___ 619(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154735 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 774(@200wpm)___ 619(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
They were all fake, however, just silk petals and plastic stems. She had investigated them during that fateful night, and had been disappointed that they were but an illusion.
Meanwhile, encouraged by the electronic rhythm, humans were pec-to-breast on the dance floor, moving to the waving music that was unlike anything that had been produced during her time. Among the density of bodies, she searched for Nate, his height and broad shoulders a combination that should have been easy to spot, and she was aware that there were vampires interspersed with the other species, her kind unnoticed by the men and women, but instantly recognized among those who were like her.
No Nate, however.
“Come on, we need to go down the bar,” Shuli announced as he drew her forth.
All kinds of patrons were crowded up to the counter, bunching in mini-groups of two and three, the ones in pairs looking into each other’s eyes as they waited for drinks that were pink, green, and yellow. There was such a chaos to the environment, with all the people milling about, a charged air of anticipation buzzing along with the strange treble notes and thunderous bass percussions piped in from overhead. When she had first come that night, she had wondered how such noise would facilitate greeting and socialization. But then she had realized that the deafening volume required the men and women to lean into each other to hear and be heard.
And that was the point.
At the far end, where money was exchanged for the drinks, Shuli shook his head. “He’s got to be here. He hasn’t been to any other clubs really, and none of the hard-core ones are his vibe. Wait while I check the bathroom. And don’t leave if you find him.”
Shuli urged her over to the start of a hallway, and as she resumed her scanning, he strode into the dim chute and disappeared through a door.
Crossing her arms, she felt within her a restlessness rooted in her regrets. Unable to stay where she was, she processed down the hall a little—and was promptly interrupted by a pair of women emerging from the females’ bathroom in a collective giggle and whiff of mingled perfume.
“Oh, sorry—”
“ ’Scuse us—”
Tripping and recovering their balance by turns, they collaborated their way back to the dance floor.
Rahvyn looked to the door Shuli had pushed through, but knew she could not breach its barrier.
“—my ex. That’s who—”
“Ah, fuck, you’re a pussy-whipped fool—”
“You don’t know what she’s like.”
“No, I remember all the reasons you broke up with her.”
As the pair of male voices registered, she glanced back toward the club proper. Two vampires were coming toward her, and they were dressed… well, like Shuli, in pastel silk shirts and thin-legged slacks. They did a double take when they noticed her, but nodded as they passed. Acknowledging them with a dip of the head, she watched them continue all the way down to a solid steel door with a glowing red EXIT sign above it. There was a brief flash of light as the portal was opened, and in the glow, one of the males took out what appeared to be a small pipe. Then things closed, the illumination cutting off—
A woman came out of the males’ room, and stopped in the process of pushing her breasts back into place under a tight pink bodice. Her blond-streaked hair was tangled, and after adjusting her upper body, she attended to her tresses, her hands shoving the waves around in a similar fashion.
Her perfume registered first, fruity and overpowering. But under it… there was a scent that was instantly recognizable—
Nate didn’t so much exit the males’ room as he was pushed through the door by Shuli, and his stumble in the hall was something he didn’t right with any alacrity. He just let the momentum take him where it did, the opposite wall of the corridor halting him.
There was lipstick around his mouth and his hair was tousled. Unlike the woman, he didn’t bother fixing either. His cologne was… gin, she believed it was.
“—don’t know what you’re bitched about,” he was saying as he shoved himself around. “This is what you always want me to do. Come out and drink. Get fucked. Bust my cherry—”
Nate broke off the tirade as he saw her. Then he glared at Shuli. “Fuck you.”
With an abrupt coordination, Nate marched off in the direction of the red EXIT sign—and Rahvyn didn’t need any urging to follow him.
“Nate,” she called out. “Wait!”
As he punched his way free of the club, there was that flash of light again, and Rahvyn caught the door as it started to close. Absently, she noted there was a red and white sign on the panel: “Emergency Use Only—Alarm Will Sound.”
There was no ringing to be heard against the backdrop of the dimmed music. Then again, there was enough of a warning screaming in her head so she could cover it on her own.