We strolled over to the guarded club entrance. Joe produced a crimson card branding a strange insignia from her pocket waving it in a lazy fashion to the bouncers as they slapped glowing bands around our wrist allowing us through.

At first the mediocre impression of a couple of dudes for security had me thinking this place wasn't all that top notch.

Boy was I wrong.

Men in black with monotonous features littered the stairs and seemingly everywhere before the partying area. They were rather annoying with those identical questions and random approach. Even Joey scowled when she reached in and pulled the card from her pocket for what seemed like the fiftieth time.

And on entering, the atmosphere changed, as though I'd just stepped in between two realms. Hell and heaven. Here or probably not, call it what you may, I didn't have a clue. It just hadn't felt anything of this life.

Time itself seemed to stagnate, Joe stiffened beside me too. A few beats passed before the music started acting like my second heart again.

Where are we anyway?

The building had that ancient castle finish where flickering flames danced from sconces on bare brick walls.

Looking around I found silhouettes strewn over banisters and unreadable stares fixed agape over each of the club's three levels.

Did places like this still exist?

I shivered and rubbed closer into Joey. I hate that she took me places where I felt impossible in my own skin.

A glittering spheroid rotated at the center of the dance platforms.  A rhythm of African drums and Hispanic instruments echoed the places very core, giving off a compelling effect of the itch to move too, and practically everyone was.

People were everywhere, if you wanted to call them that. But humane behavior was far from anything I'd have seen that night.

A sound in the midst of a growl and satisfied moan rumbled somewhere to my rear. It was that kind of noise that wasn't exactly dangerous, but still scared the shit out of you not knowing where it came from.

This in fact scared the shit out of me.

I spun in time to feel liquids lightly splash my cheek seeing a shadow that resembled a the Beast. Or was it just a guy? I stumbled back, rubbing my temples as Joe took the lead.

It's just my eyes adjusting.

"Good to see You Joe, Who's your Friend ?"

I hear the last word slur out with a suggestive hint, but I had enough to resolve already.

"Lamar you handsome thing, I thought you don't really do Fridays?" She puts fingers up and does that quote thing.

"You don't actually listen to me do you?"

She throws her head back in a joyful roar and he grinned, all I saw was teeth and dimples. Good teeth too. The guy looked like Adam lambert with a tan, and all the more gorgeous if that was possible. He had the same jet black hair except carrying gentler features with eyes you needed to stare upon simply to determine its correct shade.

This I spied it all from around Joe's shoulder.

"Oh this is Žatrell Moore. I know she's beautiful , but don't stare, this is my lifeline." I glare at Joe as she pushes me forward for formalities.

"I can tell by scent alone, I'm Lamar, welcome to The Malignance, It's not often we have your type in here."

My type?

He lifts his arm, our hands gripping in a touch so very light, it was barely there at all, I looked up, eyebrows rising.

"You're drooling."

Clearly I wasn't cut from the fabric that allowed for sensible social interaction.

"Oh am I?" sheepishly he used his other hand to touch his face, unsure as though it wasn't a part of his own body.

He wiped his lips with the back of his sleeves and shrugged, then spun on Joey. "Oh well I'll see you on the floor honeybuns," he gestured to an area in the distance.

"Jack'll get you some drinks, it's my treat." He winked at me, "Nice meeting you cupcake."
He pinched my cheek and moved on with blasé charm like that couldn't have been the latest most embarrassing moment of his life.

"I think that guy drooled on me."

Joey chuckles, taking my arm.
We advanced inward to a what I presumed was the bar. The location was so swathed with... figures that beams of light stuck out. Was that wings?

I didn't have any rum yet for the night and already I felt like a hallucinating Jack Sparrow marooned in my own visions. I should have worn my glasses, I didn't trust my eyesight
at all tonight. Pretty soon I'd be  seeing Posedian dating Ariel or some Mermaid from Peter Pan.

Joe pats the bell on the counter.

"I think he thinks you're gorgeous."

"I know right? So do I!" I pompously flip my Hair and gaze up at her with a devious smirk

She shook her head. "You are too dreadful!"'

"Joey! What brings mate? First drink on the house!"

"Nah you're too late, Lamar's already having us on the house, dos margaritas de limón."

"Sí con un driblar de vodka?"

"Aye Emidio tu puede hacer un doble mío!"

Since when does she speak Spanish?!

Sighing hopped on a stool and turned away to spare my eyes from the refulgent bar lights. It hit me then what the hell was wrong with this fine place. There were basically no excess luminosities, enough not to bump into your buddy on the way out but that was it.

Heck the freaking underworld should have been brighter than this.

The air inside was hot, purring with alcohol, sweat and something else my nose offered no suggestions to.

As I had said before, today I wasn't truly in the party hard, stay up all night, get down and boggy. I haven't felt that way in months. Tonight I only feel like watching.

A dim blue bulb reflected off the disco ball making it a little easier to catch glimpses of the entertaining dirties people were doing.

In the crook of a wall, my eyes found two men I thought were relatively pretty, a burnt mountain of a man and the other so pale, I almost expected steam to seep through the gaps of their zealous lip locking session. The fairer one had the lead and from his angle I could tell there was a lot of tongue action involved. Yet why were their ears so pointy?

Was this a masquerade party ?

Opposite them half disappearing in the break of a corridor, a couple interacted oblivious to the world like it all was a large bedchamber. A woman's torso bucked against the wall, head flipping as she did. The other pecked at her neck at a sensual and steady pace, inhibiting her motions of escape.

This woman's arm was artfully hidden beneath an evening gown that somewhat seem to hover? They wore their red hair down and the tangled mass appeared to glitter as it flamed, engulfing their features although I already understood the passion fueled their fire. She moved just enough to catch a glimpse of her face. I blinked and they were gone.

Nope.
No, I did not just see some whiskers.

"How do you like the place so far?" I flinch as Joe sits beside me, passing along a glass that appeared to shift hues from green blue and yellow as it moved.

I glanced around looking at the remaining love couples, the blurred bodies on the dance floor and zoning into to the holistic purr of everything,

"It's quite feisty."

"isn't it great? I found it a few days later we ... after the... us, you know." Joe stumbled over the words; I could tell even now she had troubles coming to terms with it.

"Yeah, I wondered how you've never took me before." I encourage her.

"I'm still wondering if that was a good idea. Anyway this place is always buzzing, like a mini Times Square. Funny not too many a lot know of it." She takes a few sips and I watch as the green liquid leaves blue stains on her lips.

I take shallow sips of my own drink. Tangy flavors explode on my tongue.

"This is good."

A slow passing creature wafts on pasts us, features unrecognizable in the darkness but visible just enough to jog a memory. Joe perked up, all senses alert as her eyes followed the vapor like figure.

"I think that was Celine." It was my turn to give her the funny looks now.

"How do you know?" But Joe was off the stool, attentions so distant it appeared she didn't hear me.

"What could she be doing here?" It wasn't often that she spoke like she was voicing her mental thoughts out loud.

"I'm going to say hi, it's been a while. Are you coming?"

My expression probably wasn't far from an opened mouth and a wide eyed gape.

"I would never, how dare you ask?" She did a double take on me and the figure not wanting to lose its sight.

"Oh I see, I'd be back soon enjoy yourself."

With that halfhearted remark she scurries on, soon subdued by the mass of beings.

And I thought men were bitches.

Well this wasn't exactly the plan. Scowling I take a swig of my sour drink as the taste grew continuously to match my mood. I huff and go for another gulp which I instantly regret, clenching the bridge of my nose I suffered a terrible case of brain freeze.

"Oh good I thought she'd never leave." I look up to find the brawny Bartender, in a black shirt which his muscles appeared molded to. Now he was an order I'd like to take away.

"Hmm and why would you say that Romeo?"

Emidio grinned and rubs a soft tissue into my palm jerking his head to an upper level. He ducks out from below the counter and takes my arm in his, what a lucky gal I am, we walk to a base of winding staircase all the while I get the chance to fondle his biceps. He didn't even flex.

"Up you go my vanilla chica."

I take the steps two at a time in my wedge heels. Here the bouncer flashing a VIP pin like a sheriffs badge lets me in with a sick grin on his face. I'm disgusted and I walk right pass him. He rolls his eyes like the least I could've done was wink or something.

This was in fact the only section in this place that looked like a club, plush velvet couches with tables that held no room for more ice or trays. As I approach this table all cautionary reason returned.

Who is this? Is it a stalker? How will Joey find me if I'm kidnapped?

I could have slapped myself for not even reading the note.

Renewed interest took me on my feet across.

My sweetheart in...

OMG,

The exchange Jock, that dark skinned God with the smooth stare and alluring accent. Even then he was a masterpiece, but he wasn't a boy anymore.

He was a man, beautifully bloomed with a mesmeric voice and a crown full of dark tresses taking over his head in a tidal wave that curled in the darkness he sat in. Warm sand colored eyes met the oceanic glare that was his putting a possessive chill through me. His eyes literally glowed, and his uncanny presence resonated unlike the passive individual I knew him as.
He wasn't the same.

"Mine?"

In a couple seconds total our gazes super zoomed till our noses somewhat touched and my back was lowly arched with his protective arms behind me.

"Ammon what, have you lost it? Let me up!" I laugh as loudly as one could without drawing too much attention.

My ribs started to ache as I was held in a pose that would appear as if we had just finished the tango.

He ran the tip of his nose along my neck. I shudder as his lips met my jawline.

He inhaled and breathes out the word in my ear like a sigh of contentment.

"Mine."

I don't think I could have been in a more pleasingly awkward position.

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