“Where are we going?” I whispered to Milo.
“To a party, where only a select few have entered. Are you nervous?” he asked with a mischievous smile.
“Should I be?” I said masking my nerves.
But then I understood why.
The corridor led into a massive underground cave with arched stone pillars where a full house of equal amounts of humans and angels mingled. Some of the human men were dressed in fancy tuxes and wore masks to hide their identity, but I could tell they were old enough to be my dad. We were standing in the middle of a large room with large vintage love seats—all occupied by busy couples. An enormous gold chandelier that provided ambient light hung right in the middle. A large bar stood to the farthest wall where servers poured drinks and placed them on their trays. Although the lights were dim, I could see many of the girls wore horned animal masks, devil ears, and many were dressed as demons in tiny little dresses, others wore only lingerie. The few brave ones walked around topless.
I almost gasped as my eyes widened. I’d landed someplace foreign where clothing was optional.
“They’re naked,” I shrieked.
“It’s only skin,” Eli laughed taking off to the bar.
The temperature inside my body rose way above one hundred degrees. What was up with this party? Was there a minimum to no clothing policy on the invitation? It seemed the deeper I went into the angels world, the less clothing the girls wore. I grew up in a conservative home where nudity was shameful. To this day, I wasn’t allowed to wear a two piece bikini because of the wrong attention I might attract. ‘It’s better to be modest than leave little to the imagination,’ my mother would always tell Priscilla and me. Now I was in the middle of a big fat Playboy party with slow, seductive music playing in the background arousing the guests even more. I just hope they don’t break out into an orgy.
“After a while it becomes normal,” Milo whispered into my ear.
“You call this normal?” I asked glancing around through my lashes trying not to stare. “And what’s up with the horned animal heads?”
“Zane takes Dante’s Inferno a little too seriously,” Milo answered.
“Zane?” I asked. He was probably the Hugh Hefner of the party.
“Zane is our leader,” Lee said through a red lollipop in his mouth. I looked at Lee and Trent who had barely spoken a word to me since I met them. Lee wore a black jacket with subtle red sequins that shined under the chandelier, and Trent wore a black long-sleeve with a Ouija board picture on the front. They never seemed interested in me or in any other girls or boys, they always looked at me like I was some kind of parasite.
Eli came back holding a black tray full of shot glasses.
“Let the bad choices begin,” he said handing a shot to each of us. I took mine, hesitant, I didn’t want to drink, but for some strange reason, I had an innate desire to fit in to show these guys I could hang even though I knew I was such a wimp. Eli raised the shot glass, the rest of us followed. “Cheers!”
Glasses clinked and we all shot back the amber liquid. It burned going down my throat, it took me a while to recover.
Eli snapped his fingers at one of the servers who was wearing a loincloth to cover her private parts. Her tan body was covered in glitter, and her face was caked with pounds of shimmering pastel make-up. “Bring me another round of these, and uh”—he pointed at me—“what’s your poison?”
“No poison. Just water,” I replied then immediately realized my mistake. They all looked at me like I was a nun who’d just entered a convent. Eli raised an inquisitive eyebrow at me.
“A beer?” I asked unsure still reeling from the shot I’d taken. The few parties I’d gone to in my life only had cheap beer and wine coolers, so my knowledge in the alcohol department was lacking.
“Cranberry vodka for m’lady,” Eli told the waitress.
No one said anything as we took our seats at one of the VIP style lounges. I noticed there were dark corridors that led in every direction and wondered what was hiding behind the closed doors. Before I knew it, the server was back with more drinks. I took a deep breath. If I kept this up I was afraid I’d end up blacking out before the night was over.
“You don’t have to drink if you don’t want to,” Milo whispered out of earshot.
I should have nodded in agreement, but instead, I stupidly said, “I can handle it.”
As the rest took their shots, so did I. This time the shot went down a little smoother, but now I was getting even dizzier. Milo smiled and sat back defeated. He stared at me blankly like he no longer recognized me. Hell, I didn’t recognize myself. I was trying to keep up with his lifestyle, trying to fit in his world, but I was failing miserably. I was making a fool of myself, but after two shots I no longer cared.
Sticking my hands back into my pockets, I felt the camera. I’d forgotten about my mission. I excused myself to the ladies room.
“Here, take another before you go,” Eli said. This guy was really trying to get me drunk. Cracking a half smile to hide my torment, I swallowed the shot of liquid courage in one gulp then wandered towards one of the corridors. Once I was at a safe distance, I glanced back and found Milo and Eli in a heated argument. I wondered what they were fighting about?
Stumbling down the hallway, I hid inside one of the rooms. The walls were covered in a luxurious red damask embossed wallpaper, a French Provincial sleigh bed took up most of the room. The bedspread was made of a shiny material, probably silk. I laid on the bed belly down to ease off the dizziness. Rubbing my face into the cold sheets. I concluded they were definitely silk. My body buzzed with the rhythm of my heartbeat. I’d only been here for a few minutes, and I was already drunk out of my mind. I sat up taking the camera out of my pocket and pushed the shutter release button, a bright flash of light blinded me.
“Damn it!” I said out loud. I flipped through the dials looking for the flash button when I started to see double. I kept pushing the wrong buttons until I finally located the lightning bolt and turned off the flash. But the alcohol had impaired my bodily functions and apparently my fear of getting caught. I gripped the nightstand to keep my balance, took pictures of the room, then slowly crept out opening the door to a different room.
“Priscilla?” I whispered.
The room was dark, I didn’t bother to turn the light on. As I opened another door, I was welcomed with the sound of lips smacking, and a ‘get the hell out of here!’
“Sorry!” I said.
I sneaked a peek into the next room afraid I might find another couple, but saw Eli and Dylan. They were arguing also. Wild with curiosity, I stood there with one ear to the door trying to make out what they were fighting about.
“What you did is unforgivable. You knew how I felt,” Eli told Dylan. “But you went behind my back and did it anyway!”
“I had to. She was driving a wedge between us,” Dylan exclaimed. “I love you.” Dylan grabbed Eli by the face and smacked him with a passionate kiss. My eyes widened. They’re lovers? Eli abruptly pulled away.
“You’re incapable of love,” I quickly flinched and turned my back when Eli walked toward the door. He strode right by me without noticing I was there. When I turned back around, I ran into Dylan who eyed me with suspicion.
“Sorry—er—I was looking for the bath—”
“Always looking for the bathroom,” he cut me off. Dylan leaned back against the wall. He was dressed in his signature douche-wear; unbuttoned floral Hawaiian-T that exposed his ripped abs, black skinny jeans. “Always snooping around, listening in on conversations.”
He lit a cigarette, inhaled, then blew the smoke in my face. I coughed. My voice caught in my throat as I searched for a different excuse.
“I—I was actually looking for a place to lay down. Eli gave me waaaaay too many shots.” I chuckled.
“Rooms are for members only,” he said in a nonchalant tone. He took another drag from his cigarette.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to intrude.�
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“If you’d like to become a member,” he said flicking the cigarette to the carpeted floor then ground it with his leather boot. “I can help you with that.”
I backed into the wall grossed out by Dylan. Was he hitting on me? He stepped closer, then tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. His touch made my skin crawl.
“You like to watch, don’t you?” My gut twisted with anxiety. He knew. He knew I was inside the bathroom stall next to his at Stone Mountain.
Dylan inhaled sharply. “You…smell…familiar.”
“I should get back to Milo,” I said slipping out of his grip.
I stumbled back to the main room, squeezing my way through semi-naked girls and tuxedoed men and angels until I found our table and sat down. I took a moment to replay what just happened. Dylan was a pig who needed to be exposed. But how could I tell Dawn when she was head-over-heels for him?
Lounging in front of me, there was a man with one girl on each arm, one was kissing his neck, her leg over his lap, while the other was making out with him.
Wait…this was not my table.
“You look out of place,” the man said. “Who are you here with?” he asked.
Examining the man closer, he looked dapper in a nice shirt and black slacks that made his bright green eyes pop. His wrist was adorned with an expensive watch, his hair tied into a man bun that accentuated his jawline and high cheekbones. He was definitely an angel. And he was very handsome too.
“Milo,” I said clearing my throat. He suddenly took more interested in me than in the girls who were accompanying him. And by the nasty glares they gave me, they weren’t too happy.
“You must be Alexis,” the man said his eyes full of interest.
Surprised he knew my name, I nodded. His face sparked recognition in my brain, I’d seen him before, but I couldn’t place him.
“I’m Zane,” he said extending a hand to greet mine. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” He kissed my hand not taking his eyes off me. The suave personality matched the exterior.
“Same here.” This was Milo’s leader and—the older man I saw Savannah with.
With a snap of his fingers, Zane called over a server. “Bring a bottle of my personal sangria.”
“You don’t have to do that,” I said. “I’ve already had too much to drink.”
“But I insist. Only the best for my guests.”
The server came back with a black champagne bottle with no label. Zane took a long zip, drinking in the liquid as if it tasted of the sweetest nectar. When he finished, he offered me the bottle. The girls kept an expectant and watchful eye on my every move almost daring me to take the bottle. I took it, feeling the heaviness in my hand. I chugged away without another word. The lush sangria felt refreshing going down my throat compared to the shots I’d taken earlier. It tasted sweet but left a coppery aftertaste.
“That’s a good girl,” Zane said with a wicked smile.
Milo was at our table in no time. He respectively greeted Zane, bowing his head, like a dog obeying his master. “Zane.”
“Ah, Milo”—Zane motioned for him to sit down—“have a drink with us. I was just introducing myself to Alexis.”
The waitress poured a drink to Milo from Zane’s private stash. But Milo didn’t touch it.
“Tell me,” Zane continued. “How old are you, Alexis?”
I looked at Milo, searching for the right answer in his eyes. But he was looking away distracted by his thoughts. Milo’s breathing was heavy, his jaw clenched—he was upset, but he remained calm then his lip curled to a half-smile. And just like that, the tension on his face vanished.
Shaking with nerves and afraid I’d get kicked out for being underage, I lied. “Eighteen.”
Zane gave me a polite nod. “And your parents let you go out with Milo?”
I shot Milo a look of embarrassment, but his head was low, still refusing to look at me. “We’re just friends.”
“I hope not for long.” Zane raised an eyebrow. “Do you like him?”
I looked down at my hands, then my lip raised upward a little at the thought. I hoped Milo hadn’t noticed. But Zane did. When my eyes met Zane’s, he looked ecstatic like I’d answered his question with the right answer.
“She’s ready,” Zane told Milo. “You two should dance, enjoy yourselves.”
With a nod, Milo took my hand and swept me off to the dance floor. But he still refused to look at me. What did Zane mean? What was I ready for? The thought quickly zipped away as a sudden dizziness took over. My senses became alerted, more heightened. Milo’s touch sent pleasurable waves all over, aching for more. There was an exhilarating rush that spread down my body leaving a tingling sensation behind. My mind was spinning with intense pleasure and joy. It felt like I was immersed in a wonderland of a fantastic dream.
“What’s happening to me, Milo?”
But what he said to me was a blur. The ceiling pulsated alive with firelights, swimming all over me. Closing my eyes, I began to move with the slow, hypnotic music. Milo wrapped his strong arms around my waist as our bodies inched closer together. Whatever this was, felt better than anything I’d ever experienced before. Better than the high from the other night.
What happened next came in short dazed fragments—I was walking through one of the corridors, holding on to Milo’s hand who led the way. Where was he taking me? I didn’t care. Euphoria swept over my body. I’d entered his world, it was wickedly fascinating. I’d eaten the forbidden fruit, and I was addicted. I knew my life would never be the same after this. Slowly, my mind began to slip away into the unknown.
CHAPTER
19
A sliver of light filtered through the door as I struggled to open my eyes. The loud pounding inside my head radiated throughout my skull making it impossible to move. I rubbed my fingers over my temples to ease the tension. The sour remnants of alcohol covered my tongue, my throat still dry and raw from lack of hydration. I slid off the bed feeling the empty pang of nausea inside my stomach, and the desperate need for water. My whole body ached.
Underneath my fingers, I felt the soft silk sheets. I reached for the lamp sitting on the nightstand and found myself inside the bedroom I’d entered the night before.
But I was alone—wrapped in a towel completely naked.
My brain struggled to remember how I got to this point as I shuffled through my memories. How did I get here? Did I—oh no! I jumped out of bed searching for my clothes and found them neatly folded on a chair with a toothbrush on top. Putting them on in a hurry, I washed my face then brushed my teeth in the bathroom inside the room. Using my hand as a comb, I tried to smooth out the knots out of my hair. By the looks of the frizz, I’d taken a shower the night before.
One look in the mirror had my mind spinning. Quick short fragments played back inside my head from the previous night: Milo slowly guided me here…we kissed in this room, hungry and passionate. Then clothes slowly came off one by one. He laid me on the bed then…nothing. Nothing.
Shaking my head in regret, I covered my face in anguish. What did I do? I came here on a mission to find my sister Priscilla, and I failed. Tears threatened to pour out of me any moment, my lip trembled in pure shame. I had to find Milo, I needed answers.
I walked down the corridor with my hands anxiously shaking at my side. My mind continued to wander over the worst possible scenarios, but I had to push my thoughts aside. Semi-nude sleeping bodies laid all over the large room floor, on the VIP couches, on each other. The sound of clinking glasses coming from the bar caught my attention. Milo was standing behind the bar shirtless in a pair of gray joggers that hung so low I could see the upper v-cut of his abs. The sight of him only reinforced my suspicion something happened last night, but it also made my stomach flutter.
“Good morning,” he said his voice smooth and in a good mood. “Coffee?”
“Water, lots of water.”
I surveyed the room trying my best not to stumble over anyone as I walked over
to the bar. I sat on a stool trying to muster up the courage to ask him about last night.
“So,” I began, tapping my fingers on the counter. “What happened last night?”
After a few seconds of painful silence, Milo said, “things got a little…”—he eyed me seductively—“out of control.”
I knew it. I covered my face to hide my shame.
“Did you see me—did we...?” I stammered unable to get the words out.
A mischievous smile crossed his lips, and his dark eyes twinkled with playfulness.
“Oh my God.” I covered my face again this time petrified.
I heard Milo chuckle. When I removed my hands from my face, I found Milo shaking his head as he poured water from the soda gun into a glass with salt on the rim. He was messing me with. I playfully threw a balled napkin at him turning my face away trying my best not to smile. I let out a huge sigh of relief.
“I like the girls I’m with conscious—”
“Of the pleasure you’re inflicting,” I finished. The memory of our first meeting at Eve’s Paradise nightclub flashed back. “I remember.”
There was a brief awkward silence that fell over us as I watched Milo squeeze fresh lime into the cup.
“How did I end up naked?” I finally grew the balls to ask.
“You had a sudden urge to shower after you vomited all over the toilet.” I cringed as he recounted the details. “You fell asleep after.”
“I feel like crap,” I complained.
“Here,” he said sliding the drink. “This will help you.”
“What is it?” I asked examining the contents.
“It’s a hangover drink.”
“Does it have alcohol?”
He chuckled. “It’s soda water with lime.”
THE TRAGIC + DIVINE Page 18