Caspian

Xavier and I walked together to the entrance of the club and I nodded at the bouncer. He let us both in without another word and we walked into the loud strip club. There was money all over the floor and crowded, sweaty bodies packed together and I smiled.

This was my scene. I preferred to be in the party zone more than anywhere else. It's where I used to escape when shit was going on at my house. It was unhealthy but it was where I felt at peace the most. That's one of the reasons I got into the business.

"I need a drink," Xavier complained from beside me. Unlike me, he got irritated by it. He was fine with occasional clubbing but after our weeks on Earth and daily visits to multiple clubs, he'd grown to despise almost every single thing about it.

This was something that Syn and I definitely needed to start doing again because I was sure Xavier was going to explode. "Nick, give the strongest shit you have."

The quiet bartender nodded and I took a seat next to Xavier. "Do you know when Cleo gets off?" He asked.

I glanced at my watched and shrugged. "It's Saturday, so twelve."

"It's ten, Cas," he said lowly.

"I know." I gave him a large grin and he rolled his eyes as he picked up the drink Nick passed him. I laid a hand on his thigh before leaning into his ear and chuckling.

"You're mad at me?"

"No," he mumbled. Lie.

I flicked my tongue across the skin under his ear and smiled when he shivered. "I'm sorry, I'll make it up to you."

"How so?" He smirked as he raised a brow at me.
I moved my hand lower and squeezed his length between his jeans and he smiled as he sipped his drink.

"However you want," I said.

"Hmm," he said as he slapped my hand away. "Cleo is at work. I wouldn't want her to be dancing and sporadically coming out of nowhere."

I burst out into laughter and he smiled larger. "That would be quite the sight."

"You know Cleo wouldn't even try to hide it," he said. "She'll scream in the middle of the floor."

My laugh became even louder at the joke until I started coughing. Xavier then in turn let out loud bellows of laughter at my sudden demise. I got myself under control and our laughter died down as I wiped my eyes.

"No, we wouldn't want that," I whispered.

"Where is she?" Xavier asked as he looked around. I sat up on the high chair and looked around the large crowded space but just like him, I had no luck.

The lights in the club suddenly dimmed and the music changed. We looked towards the biggest runway in the club where a spotlight was directed and I smiled as Cleo slowly walked down it with a large fur coat hiding her body.

"Oh shit," Xavier whispered as he slowly set his drink down.

The crowd began screaming as she leaned against the pole and winked at someone. To the best of the music, she slowly slid down the pole, and when the beat dropped, she opened her coat along with her legs.

My mouth dropped as we all got a peek of the golden ensemble she was wearing underneath and removed the coat and threw it into the crowd. She gracefully wrapped her leg around the pole and spun around and I watched in awe.

I glanced towards Xavier who seemed mesmerized as well and I hit him on the chest. "Pick up your mouth, you're drooling."

"Go fuck yourself," he muttered as he kept his eyes on the stage.

Cash was being thrown left and right as Cleo danced but suddenly, there was another item. I had to squint to perfectly see the red roses being thrown on the stage and I was taken aback.

Xavier however, seemed beyond pissed beside me as his jaw clenched and he gripped the liquor glass. "Who the fuck are they?"

"I don't know."

He looked to be getting more visibly angry as the roses flew to the stage and hit Cleo and I shook my head. I thought I was the jealous and protective one in the relationship but Xavier was even worse. At least I was no longer the one that got yelled at when I was being "too possessive".

"I wouldn't..." I started but trailed off when Xavier got off the stool and walked into the crowd. "Worry about it..."

I downed the rest of his drink before following after him. I pushed through the crowd and went in his direction to see him stand in front of a group of men with bags of roses.

"Hey," Xavier said as he grabbed the collar of one of the men and lifted him from the floor. "That's our girl up there and if I see you throw another rose instead of cash, I'll bash your head in."

I turned to Cleo whose eyes widened when she saw the commotion and I shot her an apologetic look. I didn't know if she was pissed or excited to see us until she beamed down at us. She cheerfully moved towards us but in her high heels, slipped on the roses and came falling off the stage.

I sped and caught her before she could fall to the floor and she smiled up at me as I heard her heart pound. "Hi," she whispered with a grin.

"Hello, love. Get back to work, don't mind us."

I helped her get back on the stage and the crowd cheered as she continued her dance. I slid the roses within reach off the stage and Xavier came to help me. I looked up to see Cleo somehow upside down on the stage and I laughed as her eyes widened when they landed on Xavier.

I nudged him to look in her direction and he shot her a wink that made her grin. Deciding to stop distracting her, we walked back to the bar and watched the show from afar.

When she finished, another stripper took to the stage and she barreled through the crowd to get to us. We opened our arms and she hugged both of us as she started crying. "I missed you," she sobbed into our hug.

"We missed you too," Xavier said as he kissed her head.

She pulled away from us with a big smile and wiped away her tears. "What are you guys doing here? I thought you'd be back in two weeks."

"We wanted to surprise you," I said. "Queen told me you haven't been feeling the best."

"I was just sad because you both weren't here," she said softly.

"Well, we're here now," Xavier said comfortingly as he cupped her cheek. "We're going to take you to dinner if you're off."

"I don't want dinner," she said as she looked between us. "I want sex. A lot of it."

"You realize all the vampires in this club probably heard you, right?" I questioned.

"Let them listen," she said. "You're all some nosy bitches if you can hear my voice."

Xavier and I laughed together and I shook my head. "Can you get off early right now?"

"I'll go ask my boss real quick." She turned around and scurried away and I was left with Xavier who wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

A drunk man stumbled in front of us and smiled lazily. "You know Cleo.." he slurred.

"Yes," Xavier said slowly. "Do you?"

"She let me hit her butt," he said as he held up five fingers. "Three times. And she kiss me here." He pointed to a glossy lipstick stain that was painted on his cheek and Xavier and I glanced at one another.

"Very expensive," he said. "Worth it."

At his drunken tales, I grabbed him by the collar and pulled him towards me. "Shut the fuck up. I don't want to hear her name out of your mouth again!"

The man looked terrified as he took a glimpse of my fangs and he nodded quickly. I let him go and he dropped to the floor with a loud thud. He slowly got up and I looked towards Cleo when she was walking towards us. Her steps slowed when she saw the drunk man near us and her reaction gave me all the answers I needed.

He may have been drunk, but he was telling the truth.

꧁꧂

Author's Note
😃

Ughhh Cas, Xavier...go easy on my pregnant baby😭
It's about to go down, huh?
Lmk your thoughts ✨