Night Moves

by Kristen Strassel

  “Bless you, Trixie.” I had to be careful not to get bubbles in my glass. I’d sunk into the tub so only my neck and head weren’t submerged. “Why do you have to take your shirt off to sneeze?”

  “They like to see the rise and fall of my chest when I do it. It’s not about boobs at all.”

  “Right.” I couldn’t wrap my head around any of what she was saying. I polished off my champagne faster than I intended.

  “Look it up on the internet. And you’ll probably see me.” She tipped her head in almost a curtsey. “Seriously Mel, it’s the easiest money I’ve ever made, it’s fun, and it lets me do what I want. Maybe I could bring you to a shoot sometime.”

  I opened my mouth to protest, but then realized I shouldn’t close off any options right now. If the police didn’t catch up with me, I couldn’t expect to live off of Ryder’s good graces forever. And between murder and job abandonment, I wasn’t a very good candidate for hire anywhere.

  The next time Erin refilled our glasses, she brought the bottle over to the hot tub. Conversation turned to more normal, tame subjects, like people from high school and what had been happening at home. We spent just as much time laughing as we did talking. It was the best night I’d had in a long, long time.

  I totally lost track of time. Besides, what did it really matter? All I knew was my skin was totally pruny from the water.

  “What the hell are you two doing?” Drake shattered our easy going, booze-soaked evening by scolding us. I didn’t hear him walk in. He was even like this with Erin? What a ray of sunshine.

  “We’re taking a tubby. You should join us.” Erin disregarded his tone, and splashed some water in his direction.

  Drake’s eyes seared through me, like I was less than human. Like he was one to talk. “Why is she here? I didn’t say you could have a party while I was gone.”

  Erin rolled her eyes. “We’re just having girls’ night.”

  “I’ll go.” I started to get up, but then realized my clothes were out of reach, near the bed. I froze in a crouch, still covered by bubbles. The last thing I wanted to do was walk around naked in front of Drake. He hadn’t taken his eyes off of me, so asking him to move or even hand me a towel seemed totally out of the question.

  “No. You came for the party, you’ll stay for the party, Melanie.” He used my name like an insult.

  Drake was out of his natural damn mind if he thought I was going to join them in a threesome. Not because I was a prude, but because I hated every fiber of his being. He’d be lucky if I didn’t snap his thing off.

  Finally, he looked back at Erin, who was pouting slightly. He didn’t look much happier with her. He didn’t say another word, he simply crooked his finger and recrossed his arms.

  “Yes, sir,” she said quietly, and rose out of the tub. My chin fell into the suds. I couldn’t believe this. She walked over and stood before him, with her head bowed and her fingers knotted together behind her back.

  Drake tipped her chin up. “Did I say you could have a guest?”

  “No, sir.”

  “Take my belt off.”

  Silently, she undid his belt, slid it out from the loops, and held it up to him like it was on a silver platter.

  “You can’t be serious!” I had to say something. This was unreal.

  “Shut up! Unless you want your friend to be punished more.”

  What the hell was I going to do? My heart was pounding in my chest. He was going to whip her with his belt, and she was going to let him. She’d already turned around, bent over, reaching for her toes. Suds slid down her wet skin. My eyes darted back and forth between the two of them. When Erin caught my eye, she smiled brightly at me.

  She was enjoying this.

  I leaned my head back against the edge of the tub and closed my eyes. I counted ten slaps of the leather against her skin. Erin didn’t make a sound.

  When the thrashing of the leather stopped, the gentle gurgle of the hot tub sounded obscene. I wasn’t ready to open my eyes yet. I’d rather just not know what was going on.

  “Tell your friend to open her eyes,” Drake instructed Erin quietly. I squeezed them together tighter, as if somehow that would erase his words.

  “Yes, sir,” she said just as quietly. “Melanie, watch me, please.”

  Reluctantly I picked my head up and opened my eyes. I felt dizzy from the steam and the champagne. And I felt humiliated for Erin, even if she didn’t for herself.

  She was down on her knees in front of him, her ass red, but skin unbroken from her lashing, with her head tilted up to look at him. He looked down at her and nodded. She fished his cock out of his pants and began to give him head.

  “I am not watching this.” I didn’t care about that I was naked anymore. Drake’s eyes were closed, head tipped back, enjoying Erin’s services. I rose up out of the bubbles, snatched my clothes off of the floor, and marched into the bathroom to get dressed.

  I slammed the door behind me for good measure. God, I hope she bit it off. I sat down on the toilet seat, dripping wet and totally flabbergasted. I burst into tears.

  What was Erin thinking? This just wasn’t right. I wouldn’t care about the whole dominant/submissive thing if Drake ever treated her with a modicum of respect. Then I would know it was just a game. But instead he thought she was something to be used and thrown away. Trash.

  Finally, I found the energy to towel myself dry and pull my clothes back on. I threw the used towels on the floor, the only rebellion I could think of. I took a deep breath before I opened the bathroom door.

  Drake’s back was to me, his pants down to his knees. All I could see of Erin’s body was her feet in the air, held in place above Drake’s shoulders. He slammed against her repeatedly. Erin moaned softly in rhythm.

  If he still cared about having me in the audience, he was even crazier than I thought. I tiptoed to the door, making my escape.

  Once I reached the hallway, I ran all the way back to Ryder and Josiah’s room. They were both lying in their beds, watching a movie. A comedy, judging from their laughter.

  I threw myself into Ryder’s lap and dissolved into tears all over again.

  “She’s addicted to the blood, babe.” Ryder stroked my hair, trying to calm me down. “That’s all she cares about. She’ll do whatever he wants so he’ll let her have it.”

  “Have you told her about the blood yet?” Josiah asked.

  “Not completely,” Ryder answered.

  I lifted my head up. “Erin told me.” I sounded so tired. I rolled back up on my heels so I knelt on the bed. I wiped my cheeks and raked my fingers through the damp ends of my hair. I must’ve looked like a nightmare. I hadn’t even bothered to look at myself in Drake’s bathroom. “That it’s pretty much otherworldly to drink a vampire’s blood as a human.”

  “Honestly, I don’t know. I just know how it is for me, now. I never did it as a human, and Shannon didn’t want anything to do with it.” Ryder seemed a little embarrassed. “I’ve seen what’s happened with the other girls, especially with Erin, and I didn’t want to try it with anyone I didn’t want to stick around.”

  “Erin’s nuts, dude.” Josiah piped in. I glared at him. “Sorry, but she is, to put up with Drake’s shit. But the blood is pretty spiritual. I’d think it feels the same for the chicks as it does for us.”

  “How did you guys become vampires? I mean, I know it’s some deal with the devil between Drake and Talis, but like technically, how did it happen?” Nothing else could shock me tonight, so I might as well ask all the big money questions.

  Ryder looked away from me again, his face dark. The look of shame on his face broke my heart. My brows furrowed, I looked over to Josiah for answers.

  He took the bait. “It wasn’t romantic at all. We played a show in Vegas, at the Double Down or some horrible little dive, and the Mistress met up with us backstage. Said she was throwing a big party in our honor at the Alta Vista Hotel. The tour had been going badly, playing to empty clubs, shitty reviews on the
new songs, so anyone wanting to shower attention on us was music to our ears. We were all over that party. Of course, we didn’t know Drake had set us up.”

  “We got locked in a room, they drugged the booze we think, and when we woke up days later, welcome to the afterlife.” Ryder finished the story, his words clipped. “We have no idea what happened.”

  “No explanation, no nothing?” I couldn’t hide my disbelief.

  “Not even a thank you,” Ryder answered.

  “In fact, Drake expected us to thank him,” Josiah added, “for giving us the gift of eternal fame and him the gift of eternal fortune.”

  “What an unbelievable bastard. No wonder you’re so angry.” I looked back and forth between the two men. Neither had anything else to say. “Why doesn’t anyone ever tell Drake no?”

  Josiah looked a little uncomfortable, then smiled, as if he was looking for Ryder’s approval. “There’re some plans brewing,” Ryder finally said.

  “Oooh?” I shifted, lying across the bed, my hands propping up my chin.

  Girls’ night turned into Gossip Night with the Boys. My mind went back to Erin. I’m sure she was having a hell of a time right now, but just the memory of the sound of the belt cracking against her skin still made my stomach turn.

  Ryder started. “Well, we’re booking recording space to put together an album—”

  “Ryder’s solo album,” Josiah interjected.

  My eyes got wide and Ryder smiled, relaxing before he continued. “I’ve been in touch with our old manager, and he’s putting together press and a small tour for next year. We’ll be on a break from Soul Divider, so it’s the right time.”

  I clapped my hands together in excitement. Ryder’s voice blew Drake’s away. I always hoped someday this would happen. “This is like, the best news ever.”

  “Really?” Ryder looked genuinely surprised.

  “Yes! And not because I want you to stick it to Drake. Because I want you to be happy. And I want the world to realize how talented you are.”

  “Come here.” Ryder pulled my body over to his, kissing me passionately.

  “You know what?” Josiah said a little too loudly. “I’m going to go see what Tommy and Adam are up to. Give you two some alone time.”

  If he said anything else, I certainly didn’t hear him.

  I needed to feel Ryder, now. I ran my hands up under his shirt as my lips worked down to his neck. I licked along the strong line of his carotid artery, imagining what it would be like to sink in and drink his essence.

  Ryder placed his hands on my shoulders, gently pushing me away. I gasped as the shock waves rolled through me.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  He shook his head, looking down. “You’re curious about the blood, aren’t you?”

  “Of course I am.” Not that I wanted to trade my self-respect for sexual gratification, but damn, I wanted to know what this was all about. “Aren’t you?”

  “It never ends well, Melanie.” Ryder sighed. “Look at your friend. She’s making a fool of herself, hoping to get a couple of sips of blood. That poor girl from the other night is dead. I’ve seen this happen over and over again since we became vampires. I like you just the way you are.”

  “So you don’t trust me?” I pouted.

  “Are you proud of every single thing you’ve done when you’ve been drunk?” he asked.

  “I’m not an addict.” I got up off the bed, defensive. Once I was up I realized I really didn’t have any place to go, so I paced back and forth. “I just want to see what it’s like.”

  This was ridiculous. I shouldn’t be begging anyone to have sex with me, no matter what kind it was. Either they wanted me, or they didn’t. Heart, body, soul. And blood.

  “It’s not that easy,” Ryder said.

  I rolled my eyes. “I let you sink your fangs into my damn thigh! You don’t think I was scared? You’re a vampire. You could have killed me. But I trusted you. And it was fabulous. You can’t do the same for me? Maybe we aren’t on the same page, Ryder.”

  He raked his fingers roughly through his hair, frustrated. “I’m scared, all right? Happy now? I don’t want to fuck things up between us. Being what I am has fucked up everything for me so far. I can’t lose anyone else, Melanie.”

  I stopped pacing and glared at him. I wanted to be angry at him, but he just looked so sad. I sighed. “Ryder, there is nothing you can do about what you are. You need to stop being angry about it and accept it.”

  “I know.”

  “Well, I think it’s time you start. Come on, let’s have some fun tonight.”

  He smiled, much to my relief. “You’re not so bad, you know that?”

  I smiled back. “I know. So what do you want to do?”

  “Let’s check out Tommy’s party. Then take it from there.”

  I wanted to scream. I didn’t want to go to some stupid party full of drunken, pathetic, Midwestern groupies. I wanted Ryder’s blood. We had a whole room to ourselves. “Okay.” I forced myself to smile. “But next time, I get to pick out something fun.”

  Thomas’s party spilled out into the hallway. The door was wide open, with bodies huddled along the wall leading to the room. Music pulsed loudly and smoke clouded overhead.

  Ryder pulled me through the crowd by the hand. It was hard to walk without stumbling over someone. We made it all the way to the table, which had become a makeshift bar. Ryder poured two glasses of whatever it was and handed me one of them.

  I intended to down it all at once, but it was stronger than anything I’d ever drank before. The liquid seared my throat on the way down.

  “What the hell is this?” I had to shout to be heard.

  “Venom.” Ryder winced as he drank his. “Isn’t it awful?”

  “Then why are we drinking it?”

  “It’s the official drink of the undead. And you wanted me to embrace the new me,” he shouted back at me, smiling as he polished off his Venom. He poured himself another. I grimaced as he topped off my drink as well. I braced myself to keep drinking.

  A wrestling match was in progress on one of the beds. Two girls in their underwear rolled around, tangled in the sheets, shrieking with laughter. An enraptured audience surrounded the bed and cheered them on. One of the girls managed to pin the other down on the mattress, and the crowd counted her out.

  Once the excitement of the match was over, the onlookers spread out throughout the room, looking for the next thrill. Several of them bumped into me as they passed. Nausea rolled through my body as I swayed, and I had to grab on to Ryder to keep my balance. This Venom stuff made a statement.

  Ryder took me holding on his arm as an invitation. He wrapped his arms around me, swaying me gently back and forth, enough to make the room spin in unimaginable directions. His lips met mine, his tongue beginning to explore the inside of my mouth.

  I gagged. I couldn’t help it. The Venom had no business in my body. My mouth watered in that sickly way as the bile churned in my belly.

  “I need air.” I had to force the words out. I didn’t wait for his reaction before I started to fumble through the room, pushing past anybody that came in my way.

  The hallway carpet swirled violently ahead of me, like a cheesy funhouse mirror. I couldn’t tell where I was in relation to our room. I held on to the wall, willing myself not to get sick before I made it outside.

  I barely got out the door before I let go. My insides rushed out of me, assaulting the sidewalk and the flower pot by the door. I sunk to my knees, unable to fight the inevitable. My stomach lurched upward repeatedly, even after it was empty.

  Tears ran down my cheeks from stress and humiliation. Several partygoers had walked by, gasping at my display. The residue of stomach acid burned my mouth. My whole body shook with hollowness.

  “Come on, let me help you get cleaned up.” I didn’t know the voice, but she sounded friendly enough as she lead me back to my feet gently by the arm. I wobbled, and she had to steady me with her free hand.
I heard some murmuring in the background but I couldn’t register who or what it was.

  “Thank you.” I said, rubbing my hands hard on my face trying to regain my bearings. The parking lot continued to spin, but less violently than before. I turned to see who came to my rescue, and was surprised to find Catelyn, the super fan, holding me up, her friends flanking us.

  “Venom?” Catelyn asked without judgment. I nodded. “It’s a beast, huh? Our room is right around the corner. Come wash your face and get something to drink.”

  I didn’t have the energy to ask questions or protest. I let Catelyn lead me back to her room. She brought me straight into the bathroom, and closed the door from behind, giving me some privacy.

  I looked like hell. My hair had already been fuzzy from the hot tub, and my makeup was melted. It ran down my face in rivulets. My skin was blotchy from the trauma of getting sick. Dark circles framed my tired eyes. Too many things had happened tonight.

  After washing my face and gargling with someone’s mouthwash, I headed back out to thank the girls. I hoped to make a quick exit.

  “Feeling better?” One of the other girls asked. I didn’t know if I’d been introduced her yet. I had no idea what her name was.

  “Yeah. Just tired. Thanks again.” Man, was I tired, now that I thought about it. I just wanted to fall into bed and sleep like the dead. I’d come to the right place, considering my roommates.

  “Melanie, wait.” Catelyn stopped me as I turned to leave. “Can you get us into the party?”

  I should have known that no good deed went unpaid. I tried not to roll my eyes at her. “I don’t know. I mean, can’t you just walk in?” I wasn’t in the mood for this right now. I couldn’t care less who was partying down the hall. I just needed to lie down.

  “Is your last name Vaughn?” She asked, crossing her arms and looking smug.

  Crap. “Yeah. Why?”

  “You know, people are looking for you. Have you watched the news? They think you killed those people.”