by Jackie May
“Get off me.”
I try to break free again, and this time, thankfully, he lets me go with a sigh. “All right, all right, relax.” He rolls his eyes at Parker in the rearview mirror. “Apparently we need to get the virgin a little looser before she’s ready for me. What do you think, should we hit up Club Noir?”
Parker frowns. “That’s a bit rough for her. Let’s go someplace better. Perhaps Vortex?”
“Too many rich white people,” Xavier says. He smirks at Parker. “No offense.”
Parker ignores the jab. Apparently he’s a rich white guy, not that I couldn’t have guessed by the car and the clothes. “What about Motown?” he asks.
Xavier thinks about it and nods. “Yeah, that could work.”
My head starts spinning with ideas. If he plans to take me to a club before dragging me back to his dorm room or some cheap motel, I might have a chance to escape. Especially if I can get him drunk. But I have to get him to let his guard down first, which means playing along a little. Hopefully I can do that without getting sick. “Are we really going dancing?” I ask. “I’ve never been to a club before.”
Xavier grins at me. “It’s your night, birthday girl. You like dancing?”
“I love dancing.”
Batting my eyelashes at him might be a bit much, but he falls for it enough that he slides a possessive arm around me again. He looks down at me through hooded eyes and speaks in a low, husky voice. “You never told me you like to dance.”
The lustful thoughts I’m picking up from him are enough to drown me. Swallowing back my revulsion, I force another smile and shrug. “You’ve never asked. I’m not very good at it, though.”
“I doubt that.” Xavier shivers and graces me with a vision of the two of us grinding on a crowded dance floor. His hands are holding me in places that shouldn’t be touched in public. “Motown, it is,” he rasps, “and step on it.”
“Actually…” An idea pops into my head that I can’t ignore. I wait until I have his full attention before finishing my sentence. “If you’re going to take me to my first club, I want to go to Underworld.”
Xavier’s jaw falls slack, and Parker glances sharply at me in the rearview mirror.
“Underworld?” Xavier hoots in amusement. “Girl, you’ve got a lot more spunk than I gave you credit for.” He smiles at me again, but this time it’s patronizing. “Baby, you are way too sweet for a place like Underworld. Hell, I’m way too sweet for that club.”
“It’s not so bad,” I insist. “A guy who comes into the garage I work at goes there all the time. He says it’s intense.”
“Nora, Underworld is dangerous. Crazy shit happens there. Unexplainable shit. They say it’s cursed.”
“Rumors.” I roll my eyes, faking a confidence I don’t feel. I don’t doubt the place is cursed, considering the creatures that run it and have their fun within its walls. Neither of the guys in this car knows what kind of true monsters frequent that nightmarish place. They believe humans are the only intelligent beings in this world. They believe we’re the most dangerous things out there. They’re wrong. I learned that for myself when I was only six. Since then, my awareness had grown thanks to the message boards and people like SorcererX.
X told me that Underworld is the central hub for the supernatural community in Detroit. Humans stupid enough to go there usually end up being some monster’s prey. With my gift, I’ll have a chance at getting out unscathed, but Xavier won’t. At least, that’s what I’m hoping for. Maybe it’s a cruel fate, but it’s no worse than the plans he has for me. “Are you scared, Xavier?” I taunt, hoping he won’t be able to refuse.
Parker finally speaks up. “Aren’t you?”
He pins me with an intense look that I can’t decipher. I don’t like the way he’s staring. I’ve made him suspicious, and it’s never good to have someone curious about me. There’s too much I can’t explain. Too much I can’t hide. I try to look impassive as I lift a shoulder and let it drop. “Not really.” Glancing at Xavier, I mutter under my breath, “Underworld is no more dangerous than my present company.”
In the rearview mirror, Parker’s eyes narrow and slide from me to Xavier for a brief moment, as if he heard exactly what I said and understands my meaning. He eventually returns his focus back to the road.
Xavier shakes his head. “All right, fine, but I’ll have to call a friend to help us get in.”
I frown at the thought that Xavier knows someone who could get us into Underworld. He even sounds like he’s been there before. Humans can’t get into Underworld on their own very easily—I was banking on my gifts to help us get in. I don’t like that Xavier hangs out with monsters who could grant him access to Underworld, whether he knows what they are or not.
Xavier misinterprets my frown to be confusion. “They’re really selective about who can enter,” he explains. “Without a regular with us, we’re not nearly pierced, tatted, or scarred enough to get in. Not to mention, you aren’t dressed slutty enough.”
“I can get us in.” Parker’s low voice is confident.
“For real?” Xavier asks. “I knew I liked you. Are you a regular there? Or a VIP?”
Parker ignores Xavier and meets my gaze. “If you’re absolutely certain you want to go there. Xavier isn’t wrong about Underworld’s reputation. It is dangerous.”
I’m curious how Parker knows this. He seems to have firsthand experience with the place—which in itself is frightening—but since it’s what I want, I don’t press the matter. The thought of going there scares the hell out of me; no one knows exactly how dangerous that place is better than I do. I don’t want to have anything to do with underworlders, but the enemy of my enemy is my ally, so I steel my resolve and meet Parker’s solemn eyes with determination. “Yes. I’m sure I want to go there.”
He holds his stare a moment longer and then nods. “You’re the birthday girl.”
Underworld is exactly the type of club you’d expect it to be, judging by its name. Deep in the bowels of Detroit, it feels like a gateway from one world to another. It’s dark, dangerous, and magical. Though most humans can’t recognize it for what it is, they feel its power and instinctively shy away. The lucky ones, anyway. The outside of the club matches the abandoned warehouses that surround it. You’d never know it was here if not for the pounding bass and crowd of punk and goth partiers standing alongside of the building, waiting to get in.
Once we arrive, Xavier and I head for the back of the line, but Parker shakes his head and walks straight toward the bouncer. The way the people in line watch us as we bypass them makes me shiver. I can’t tell what they are without touching them, but I can guess at a few. Some are curious, others are annoyed, and some smile pleasantly at us. Those are the ones who frighten me the most. It’s the friendly ones that you really need to watch out for.
Guarding the front door is a man nearly seven and a half feet tall and at least half as wide. If I had to guess, I’d say he’s a troll, but I don’t care to get close enough to find out. His head is so bald the moonlight shines off of it. He has piercings in his ears, nose, and eyebrows, and he’s playing with a stud in his tongue as we walk up. “Parker,” he greets in a low, rumbling voice as he extends an arm the size of a tree trunk. “Back so soon? I thought you’d be busy with—”
“Oh, I am,” Parker says, cutting the man off as he shakes his hand. His eyes flick briefly to Xavier and me before he smiles at the bouncer again. “You know me. Always busy with something.”
The bouncer’s gaze roams over Xavier and me, and he nods slowly. “I gotcha.” He looks back at Parker. “Well, don’t work all night. Make sure you blow off a little steam while you’re here.”
“I will.”
I don’t like this. Something’s going on. Parker’s obviously a regular here, and he’s too interested in Xavier and me. That can only mean one thing. Parker isn’t human, and whatever he is, it’s something powerful enough to be a VIP at Underworld. Maybe I’ve been wrong all along. Maybe my premonition is
n’t a warning against Xavier. Maybe my real problem is Parker.
Parker and the bouncer fall into a whispered conversation. The words humans, suspects, and her idea startle me from my thoughts. I look up to see both Parker and the bouncer watching me with curiosity, suspicion even. I don’t know what I’d be a suspect for, but this whole situation makes me sick to my stomach. What has Xavier dragged me into, and did I make it worse by coming here? It would be just my luck.
I know better than to admit I’m aware of their world or show any fear. Pulling my shoulders back, I meet Parker’s gaze with not just confidence, but attitude. Underworlders respect arrogance. “Is there a problem, Parker? I thought you said you could get us in.”
The bouncer’s pierced brows climb up his huge, shiny forehead, and his mouth quirks up on one side into a crooked smile. “I don’t like trouble in my club, little lady. You’re not looking to start any, are you?”
I match his smirk. “Define trouble.”
The bouncer’s smile grows into a wide grin, and he folds his watermelon biceps in front of his chest. “Feisty little brunettes with not enough sense of self-preservation.”
I grin. I can’t help myself. “We’re good, then,” I assure him, “because I’m all about self-preservation.”
The bouncer shakes his head, chuckling, and nods to Xavier. “And him?”
I shrug. “A harmless frat boy looking for a good time who doesn’t have enough brains to know he needs any self-preservation.”
At that, the bouncer throws his head back and laughs. The sound is so bellowing it shakes the walls of the club. Definitely a troll. “You’ve found yourself a winner, Parker. Just make sure you keep an eye on her. She’s trouble, all right.”
When he pulls the rope back to let me pass, I wink at him and stride through. Xavier enters behind me. I turn around just in time to catch Xavier glare at the bouncer. “She’s not with Parker, she’s mine.”
The troll could snap Xavier in half with his pinky finger, but he can also see that Xavier isn’t worth the time and effort. He raises a questioning brow at me. When I roll my eyes, he laughs again.
Parker is last to pass the bouncer. As he does, the troll clasps his big, meaty hand on Parker’s shoulder. I have to strain to hear their conversation, but I’m fairly certain the troll says, “You sure about that one? I like her.”
Parker’s response is too low to make out, but he smiles and pats the bouncer’s arm reassuringly. I’m not sure if I feel safer or more worried to have Parker’s attention. I need to find out what he is so I can figure out how to ditch him, but when I hang back to wait for him, Xavier slips his arm around my waist and pulls me into the club.
When we walk through the door, I feel the slight tingle of magic, as if we’ve passed through a glamour or a protection ward. Xavier doesn’t notice a thing. Most humans wouldn’t. I think I feel the magic because of my gift, but it could just be that I know it exists, so I’m more tuned in.
I don’t know a lot about magic other than what it feels like. There’s a lot of info online, but I never know what information I can really trust, and aside from SorcererX, I don’t make a habit of befriending people who could give me facts. I think X might be an actual sorcerer, but he’s always been very vague on the details when I ask him about magic. Sorcerers don’t like giving up their secrets.
Inside, the club is very posh. There are several different rooms, with different types of music playing. My guess is they cater to different species of underworlders and their unique tastes for pleasure. I’m curious, but not enough to want to stick around here any longer than necessary, so when Xavier drags me straight into the largest dance hall, I don’t argue.
The walls are black, and the furniture scattered around the edges of the dance floor is plush and bloodred. There’s a stage set up in the front for the DJ, and there are dancing cages on either side. At least, I hope they’re used for dancing. The bar lines the entire back wall, and since it’s early yet, that’s where the majority of the crowd is gathered. The dance floor is still pretty open.
Scanning the dim room, I quickly find what I’m looking for. A woman sits at the bar, staring out at the crowd on the dance floor as a lion would watch a herd of gazelles. Her slinky dress shows off more curves than a Victoria’s Secret model. She has flawless porcelain skin, long, sleek hair that’s dark as night, and eyes just as black. She’s beautiful—too beautiful to be human—and she’s on the prowl.
Xavier’s eyes find the same woman, and he gulps. This is going to be too easy. I don’t feel bad for what I’m about to do. Even if that creature does take interest in him, he’ll probably still survive. The monsters here aren’t stupid. There are rumors, but if there were too many actual human disappearances, the club would garner too much attention. Rule number one in the underworld is: Don’t let the humans know you exist. Underworlders are nothing if not cautious and discreet.
Xavier blinks himself back from his stupor and smiles at me. His fingers dig into my hip. “I didn’t expect this from you, Nora. You’re full of surprises.”
His fantasies have changed since my conversation with the bouncer. They’ve gone in a much more dominatrix direction. He no longer thinks of me as a victim, but is excited at the possibility that I might play rough with him. He’s revolting, but now that I’m in the presence of real danger, my fear of him seems almost silly. I twist out of his grip and give him a coy smile. “Of course I’m surprising. You don’t know anything about me.”
His eyes flash eagerly—he’s excited that I’m playing along. “Dance with me.”
Dancing with him is the last thing I plan to do tonight. Shaking my head, I point to the open space at the bar next to the seductive underworlder. “Drinks first.”
Xavier grins, but when he grabs my hand and starts to lead us to the bar, Parker steps in the way, a slight frown on his face. “You don’t strike me as much of a drinker.”
He’s right. I don’t drink. Ever. Especially not in a place where I could be served faerie drinks. Again, I don’t know facts, but there’s a lot of speculation about the effects of faerie drinks on humans, and none of it’s good. That’s enough to sell me off the stuff forever.
I keep my face impassive, though I’m impressed Parker can read me so easily. I’m curious as to why he’s trying to stop me from having a drink. If he’s the danger I’m supposed to be looking out for, I would think he’d want me impaired. Still, I need to get to the bar. “I told you, I’m self-conscious about my dancing. I need alcohol.”
He starts to argue, but the suspicious look I give him keeps him quiet. He may know I’m up to something, but he is, too, and he doesn’t want me to figure out whatever secret he’s hiding. He steps aside, sweeping a hand out from me to the bar as if to say Go ahead. The look on his face is much closer to It’s your funeral.
I lead the way, heading straight for the woman I noticed before. She’s still there. Her attention is focused on a couple out on the dance floor that could use a lesson in PDA etiquette.
As I reach the bar, I roll my ankle and stumble slightly into the woman. I grab her arm to brace myself. She turns to me with a glare, but I’ve already accomplished my goal. Her thoughts fill me. She’s angry. She was skimming energy from the lusty couple, and I’ve interrupted her feeding. “I’m so sorry,” I say, letting my hand rest on her arm so I can continue to gauge her thoughts.
I know what she is, and she’s more perfect than I expected. I figured her to be one of the fey, but she’s a succubus, a demonic creature that feeds off of lust. She lures her prey to bed and sucks their life force from them while they’re in the throes of passion.
“That was so clumsy of me,” I gush. “I guess I’m a bit nervous to be here—obviously, this isn’t my normal scene—but I couldn’t let my friend down. He insisted we party tonight.” I drop my voice into a whisper and giggle as I add, “He can get pretty wild.”
She thinks I’m a vapid human, but I’ve piqued her interest with the mention of my fr
iend. A human male unspoken for by another underworlder. That’s rare for this club. She hadn’t come here tonight to hunt, but this is too good an opportunity to pass up. Plus, she thinks it would serve me right for being so annoying.
The woman looks Xavier over, and a brief smile flicks across her face. “Is that so?” Her hand falls gently to Xavier’s forearm, and her voice becomes a purr. “I can get pretty wild myself.” Slipping her finger from Xavier’s arm over to his chest, she drags it up and down his abdomen. Xavier shivers beneath her touch. The woman’s pupils swell in response. “I have a private room here in the club. Would you like to join me there?”
“I…” Xavier blinks and shakes his head. He meets my eyes, frowning in confusion. “I came here for Nora. I…we…”
The woman pulls his gaze back with a finger under his chin. She leans in close to him and takes a deep breath. “Nora can come with us,” she purrs. “I don’t mind parties of three.”
Xavier is gone now, lost to her seductive allure. He nods his head, unable to take his eyes from her. She grins victoriously. As she stands up from her stool and takes Xavier’s hand, she smiles at me. “Shall we, lovely Nora?”
I flash her a big, fake smile and step back so that I’m out of her reach. “Oh, you guys go ahead. I’m more of a one-on-one kind of girl. I’d spoil your fun.”
The succubus cocks her head to the side. The way she’s watching me, I’m afraid she’s figured out what I’m doing. After a moment, she lets the suspicion pass. “Suit yourself.” Her eyes slide to Parker. “And you, Parker? Care to join us? You know you’re always welcome.”
I’m not surprised that the succubus knows Parker, and I don’t wait around to hear his answer. As soon as his attention turns from me to the woman, I slip away as quickly and quietly as I can. I hurry past the bar and out the club entrance. My new friend, the troll bouncer, sees me before I can completely escape. “Leaving so soon, Trouble?”
I smirk and lift a shoulder into a shrug. “No offense, but it’s a little too tame in there for me.”