Wicked After Dark: 20 Steamy Paranormal Tales of Dragons, Vampires, Werewolves, Shifters, Witches, Angels, Demons, Fey, and More

by Mina Carter

  We paid the cover charge and stopped at the bar to get a couple drinks on our way to the dance floor. I asked for a fruity blended drink. It was something that didn’t have a high alcohol content but would give me something cool to drink for a little while as we would be finding a table so that we could sit and scope out who all had showed up for a bit before moving out on to the dance floor. I wanted to get a feel for the attitude of the place before I got involved in it.

  It was about nine thirty when they cranked up the music to get everyone dancing. Don’t get me wrong, it was already loud just not nightclub loud. When they turned it up I began to feel as though I had been jammed inside one of the speakers. I could feel the music vibrate through me and at times I felt deafened by the beat of the drums, but I was determined to ignore it and enjoy the night with Izzy. The music hadn’t been turned loud for more than a song or two when I finished my drink. I set the empty glass on the table for the waitress to pick up on her next round and I moved out onto the dance floor.

  The floor was already crowded, most people were dancing without partners or just as often in pairs or groups of friends, but there were only a few couples, at least so far, but it was still early. As I danced my way toward the middle of the dance floor I watched the people around me while I moved to the beat of the music that made me feel like my entire body was moving on its own. I could smell the strong odor of alcohol, the scent of sweaty bodies as they moved in the tight space, and the even stronger aromas of the colognes and perfumes that people surrounding me were wearing. I blocked it out and focused on the music and moving my body to the rhythm.

  I was almost completely absorbed in the song and my dancing when it started. I heard *Geez, I can’t stand him, I can’t wait till I can escape this night from hell and go home!* as if someone had whispered it into my ear. I turned, looking to see if someone had snuck up behind me and whispered in my ear, and that’s when I realized, it couldn’t be someone speaking to me, it had been whispered, not yelled, and there was no way a whisper would be heard in here, not with the music this loud. Even speaking normally was impossible to hear in here. It had to have been inside my head, but that wasn’t possible.

  I’d almost decided that I must have imagined it when another voice echoed through my head *I’m going to find the hottest guy here and take him home, I’ll make that sorry ass pay for sleeping with that skanky whore!* I knew this couldn’t be something as easy to explain as my hearing improving. It was almost as though I was hearing people’s thoughts, but I wondered how that could be possible. Unable to come to a definitive conclusion that made sense to me, I did my best to ignore the phenomenon and went on with my dancing.

  A few minutes later I jumped several inches when Izzy came up behind me and tapped my shoulder to get my attention. I turned and smiled at her realizing she was just letting me know she was joining me on the floor and she started dancing to the blasting music beside me. We danced together for a few songs and then we sat down at another empty table to catch our breath for a few minutes. We caught the attention of a passing waitress and ordered ourselves new drinks. We shouted back and forth for a few minutes but soon gave up and made only occasional comments to each other about the people around us and how some of them were dressed or acting.

  I left the money for my drink and tip with Izzy and made a quick trip to the ladies room. While I was washing my hands and checking my make up in the mirror it happened again. I heard a quiet voice in my head just as I had several times today. *What on earth is he thinking? I can’t believe he just said that to me!* I was no longer surprised by the occasional bits that ran through my head, and I didn’t even bother to look around me. Besides, it could have been any one of several women checking their reflections in the bathroom mirrors, I didn’t want to try to figure it out. I quickly dried my hands and went back out to join Izzy.

  When I got back to our table I found that our drinks had arrived, I picked mine up off the table and took a sip as I sat down beside her.

  “Did I miss anything good?” I shouted to her as I leaned back in the padded bench seat and rested the hand holding my glass on my thigh.

  “Nah, nothing worth mentioning,” she replied, her eyes still on the crowd in front of us. Half the reason we go out is the fun of people watching. It gives us something to talk about for weeks, with what some people will do while drinking and dancing. As I watched the crowd become more flamboyant as they became more intoxicated, I noticed that I wasn’t feeling any of the usual effects from the alcohol. Generally by now I would be at least a little fuzzy, not drunk, but not sober either. But I wasn’t feeling any of it. It was as if I were drinking water.

  It took me a little bit longer than Izzy to finish this round, and she motioned to me that she was going to head out on to the dance floor when she set her empty drink down. I nodded my understanding as she moved into the crowd of bodies in the middle of the room. The crowd was much larger now than it had been when we arrived and the group on the dance floor was now about half couples and half singles or groups of dancers.

  I finished my second drink and set my glass down on the table, moving to join Izzy on the dance floor. I was walking out on the dance floor when one of the women already on the floor bumped into me, as she hit me I heard another voice in my head, *Shake it, Baby! Maybe I can talk this hottie into going home with me tonight!* I didn’t know if it was the woman who bumped into me and I didn’t care anymore, between the voices in my head and the music beating through my body I wasn’t sure how much longer I could take it.

  I danced a few more songs with Izzy and motioned her to a somewhat quiet section of the bar.

  “Iz, I just can’t take anymore. I’m sorry to do this to you but I’ve got a massive headache and the music’s only making it worse. I’ve got to get out of here.”

  “Do you want to go somewhere else?”

  “No, you stay, enjoy yourself. Tell me what I miss. I just want to get home and go to bed. Hopefully this will fade before morning.”

  “I’m sorry you’re not feeling good, but I understand. Go, get some rest. Call me when you can and we’ll get together.”

  “I’ll call soon, I promise,” I said, giving her a hug.

  I wound my way out of the club and out to the parking lot to find my car. I always park directly under a light, so that it’s harder for someone to sneak up on me but tonight I found that as I walked out into the dark night that I could see almost as clearly as if it were daylight. I sat behind the wheel for a moment, dropping my head backward until it hit the headrest of the seat as I reveled in the near silence. I could still hear the music from the club, but it was faint and muffled instead of beating its way through my body.

  I realized later that it was a good thing that my headlights are automatic, because I might have forgotten to turn them on for the drive home, the night just didn’t seem as dark to me as it normally did.

  Once I was back at my apartment I took an over-the-counter pain killer, showered again because I couldn’t stand the feeling of my makeup and hair products while I slept, and crawled into bed to try to relax enough to get the pounding headache to go away.

  Chapter 4

  IT WAS ALMOST noon when the phone rang Sunday morning. I looked at the screen as I picked up my PCD, checking to see who was calling. The picture and the name on the screen told me it was Brandon. I wished for a moment I could stay mad at him, but I’d never been able to manage it for very long. I touched the button to answer the call.

  “Hello?” I asked, lifting the small device to my ear.

  “Hey, Nickie, how’re you doing?”

  “Pretty good, all things considered. I have the occasional moment of thinking I’ve dreamed it all, but I really know better. There are some things I just can’t deny, even to myself…” I heard him laugh on the other end of the line, and I continued. “And it certainly doesn’t help things that there’s no trace of the bite left.”

  “Really? Already? No scars, nothing?” He sounded sur
prised.

  “Nothing at all, they were gone by bedtime that night.”

  “Wow. Does the Anikitos know?”

  “Yeah. I told him when I talked to him yesterday. You know, the way you calling him the Anikitos is really bizarre. He’s always just been Bill to me.”

  “You’ll get used to it. Most of the pack calls him either Sir or Anikitos, only a few people have permission to call him by name.”

  “I guess it makes sense, it’s just really weird.”

  “I’m certain it won’t be the weirdest thing you’ll encounter now that you know about us,.” he said with a laugh.

  “I’m sure that’s true, but let’s not rush things. Let me get used to what I have on my plate now, before you throw the even weirder at me.” I laughed back. “And I’m just going to say it, I’m not happy that you kept it from me, but I understand why, so you get a pass on this one. But no more big secrets. Got it?”

  “If you say so,” he acknowledged, then changed the subject. “Have you noticed any other signs that you’re adjusting?”

  “Yeah, I keep picking up odd scents,” I replied, accepting the change of subject. “Sometimes they’re really strong, sometimes they’re just something really out of place. I’ve started noticing that everyone has a unique scent, one that no matter what they have done, what scent they might wear, they always have the unique scent as well.”

  “Yes, everyone has their own personal scent, and eventually, with practice and repetition, you’ll learn to catalog and sort the different scents and then you’ll just automatically know whose scent it is whenever you smell them.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind. While we’re talking about senses, what about hearing? Oh my word! I sometimes wonder if it’s going to make me crazy being able to hear what they’re saying in the next apartment or the one on the other side of that, even the one below me. When I first noticed it I thought I was imagining it, but Bill told me I probably wasn’t.”

  “Probably not, but you’ll get used to it. It’ll take some practice but you’ll learn to tune out or focus on something you don’t mind hearing. You might want to consider finding a different place, something not in a shared building.”

  “I don’t want to do that if I can help it. I love this place, and I don’t want to give it up if I don’t have to. Plus, it would raise a lot of questions with my family and most of my friends if I suddenly move with no reason.”

  “You have a point.”

  “So, I’ll do what I can to learn to ignore it and continue with my life. It’s just been odd. There have even a few times that I would swear I was hearing not only what people were saying but what they were thinking too, but I know that’s impossible.”

  “Actually, it’s not. It’s entirely possible that you’re telepathic. You need to let the Anikitos or the Alekto know about this the next time you talk to one of them, and they’ll have someone teach you to shield, that will help you keep from hearing random thoughts.”

  “I’ll be sure to say something about it. What I’m really having a hard time with is sleeping with all the noise. I’m just not used to being able to hear people in the courtyard from my bed.”

  “I used to turn on the radio, it helped to drown out some of the extra noise, but you have to keep it very, very quiet, or it’ll be distracting too. Or you can put an old fashioned clock in your room, if you can find one. One of the old wind up ones, and at bed time you focus on the ticking, you just concentrate on hearing that and only that. Actually, any kind of white noise will probably work, a fan, an ocean waves or similar recording set to play all night. You have a lot more noise to learn to ignore than most do, living in that building where most just have their families to deal with, but the principles are the same. I’m sure it’ll help that you’re on the top floor and not on the bottom or middle.”

  “I’ll have to try one of those, thanks for the ideas. I swear I’ve tossed and turned all night long, both nights. Every creak and groan every step on the stairs outside woke me. Between that and the headache from the music last night, I’m ripped. I’ve had almost no rest since Friday.”

  “Music? Wait a minute, what did you do last night?” He was suddenly suspicious.

  “I went out dancing with Izzy.”

  “You went to a night club within 48 hours of your first change?” His voice was clearly astonished. “And you didn’t leave with your ears bleeding?”

  “No, but by the time I called it a night I had a massive headache. Sometimes the music sounded almost normal, but sometimes it was like I was inside the drum, inside the music and it was tearing me apart.”

  “I’ll bet! Didn’t the Anikitos tell you that your hearing would be sensitive?”

  “Well, yeah, not in those words, but he told me my hearing would improve. But it never occurred to me that the night club would affect me like that. Plus, Izzy and I have been planning on going out for a couple of months and one or the other of us just hasn’t been able to make it. I just couldn’t cancel on her again.”

  “And Nickie, being Nickie, will do whatever she pleases.”

  “Well, that too,” I said, grinning, even though I knew he couldn’t see it.

  “Did he warn you about your strength?”

  “No, not until I called him yesterday morning, having already had an encounter with it.”

  “What did you break?”

  “What makes you so sure I broke something?”

  “Number one, I know you, remember? Number two, been there done that.”

  “Just a glass, I managed to cut myself while I was at it, but it healed in just a couple of minutes so it was no big deal. Oh, and the doorknob to my bathroom no longer locks. Apparently they break when they get twisted too hard.” Brandon was laughing too hard on the other end of the line to answer. “It really isn’t that funny...”

  “Actually you’ve done less damage so far than a lot of the first timers do.”

  “Oh?”

  “Yeah, I mean, just think about it a second. Most first timers are teenagers and have the hormones and tempers that are so common at that age.”

  “Oh dear, I can imagine. I remember how much of a terror I was at that age, without the extra strength to ‘aid’ things along. So, just how much damage did you do?”

  “Let’s see, I broke the glass out of Mom’s back door... twice. I knocked my bedroom door off the hinges. I had this thing for slamming doors. It’s really amazing how not having a bedroom door for a couple weeks will cure you of something like that,” he said, sarcasm all but dripping from his voice.

  It was my turn to do the laughing and Brandon, unable to help himself, joined in.

  “Anyway,” he said, still gasping for breath. “You’re doing pretty well. How about next weekend we go for a run? This time both of us can go on four legs.”

  “Um, I don’t know…”

  “Do you have other plans?”

  “Well, no, not really.” I didn’t have to lie to Brandon, I could just tell him I didn’t want to go, but that wasn’t the case, I did want to, I was just nervous about shifting again.

  “So, why wouldn’t we?”

  “Well, um.” He must have heard something in my voice.

  “Nickie, have you shifted since we were out on Friday?” He suddenly wanted to know.

  “No, why would I?”

  “You’re afraid to shift again aren’t you?” I knew by his voice he was sure in his conclusion.

  “Not afraid exactly…” I trailed off, after a moment’s hesitation I blurted it out. “But what if I can’t do it on purpose? What if it was just a freak thing and I can’t do it again. Or even worse, what if I can make it to wolf and not back to human again?”

  I heard him take a deep breath and let it out slowly, looking for the right words before he spoke again.

  “Nickie, if you’re strong enough to shift back to human with the instructions I gave you and no other help, then you’re perfectly strong enough to shift on your own, any time you want.”
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  “I can’t shift alone, at least not at first. I need a spotter, someone who can call for help if I can’t shift back.”

  “Ok, I guess I can understand that. What time do you have to be to your parents this evening?”

  “No later than six. Why?”

  “I’ll be there in fifteen minutes. That’ll give us more than five hours for you into shift to your wolf, and back again, and even get the Anikitos or Harmonia to come help you shift back if you need it, before you have to be at your parents.”

  “Are you sure we should do this today? We can’t wait?”

  “Yes, we need to do it today. No waiting. The sooner the better, the longer you wait the harder it’ll be to convince you can do it.”

  “I guess… “

  “Good, now, pull a couple of the steaks from the freezer, I know you have some. I’ll be there soon.”

  “Ok, I guess I’ll see you then.” I set down my already disconnected PCD onto the table.

  Not knowing what else to do, I did as Brandon had asked and I pulled a couple of steaks from the freezer and dropped them into a bowl of warm water to thaw while I waited for him to arrive. It wasn’t long and when his knock sounded on the door I jumped. I was so lost in thought that I missed hearing his footsteps coming up the stairs.

  I knew it was Brandon at the door before I opened it to find him standing there, patiently waiting to be let inside. I motioned him inside and turning, I watched him as he stepped inside and closed the door behind him.

  “Are you ready for this?” he asked.

  “I’m not sure,” I said nervously. “But it can’t hurt. I’ve got no excuses now and I think I’ll be better off to do it now than to continue to put it off. So, what’s the first thing we need to do?”

  “Well,” he said slowly, trying to keep from upsetting me, “You have two choices, you can either change into something you don’t mind being destroyed or you can do what the rest of us do, and just take off your clothes first. Because, just like your clothes the other day on the trail, when you shift whatever clothing you’re wearing are destroyed.”