"Back at that intersection. We were, uh, supposed to pick up another passenger."
The driver sounded confused. "Sorry, I'm not aware of another person. My app says there's only one passenger to pick up, and that's you."
My heart sank as deep as the ocean before it started racing.
Anxiety: activate.
"Maybe there's a mistake with the app," I said, my voice rising in pitch.
"Sorry, sir. The passengers have to be declared for safety reasons. I'm not allowed to deviate from the route that much."
I sank in the leather seat, wishing it would swallow me whole.
Wait. Leather? Only higher-priced rides had cars this nice. Since I didn't even have the app, Spencer was the one who arranged the ride. He must've picked a fancy car.
It suddenly hit me. Did Spencer set this up on purpose?
Frantic, I grabbed my phone and texted him in a flurry. My fingers were slick with sweat and I kept making typos.
Me: spenrcr???????
Me: whats oging on? where are you?
I held my breath as it indicated he was typing back.
Spencer: im doing this for your own good, scotty
Spencer: cmon, ur a big boy. u dont need me to hold ur hand
Spencer: just enjoy the ride...both the car and the club :P
A wave of finality hit me. He really wasn't coming, was he? I was being thrown to the wolves all by myself.
Embarrassment flooded me, making my whole face turn red. I hoped the driver couldn't see me, although I was certain the feeling was palpable. Part of me thought about asking the driver to turn around and take me back home, but the idea of actually doing that was mortifying. I'd rather just finish this trip and call a new cab than explain why I suddenly wanted to be dropped off..
Or... I could stop being a baby and just go through with it. Spencer wasn't wrong. I was 28 years old, not a whiny child. I was perfectly capable of going to a club on my own and having fun without my friend for moral support.
And Ididlike vampires.
I took a deep breath, fast-forwarded through all my hours of therapy in my head, and decided not to chicken out. I was going to this weird vampire club if it killed me, dammit.
* * *
By the timethe car pulled up to the address, the sky was painted a deep, dark blue. Twilight stars glittered above the Gothic spires of the venue. Unlike the nondescript, dingy hole-in-the-wall clubs I'd seen in movies, the venue was a Victorian-era castle. It was intimidating yet beautiful.
I wondered how the owners were able to afford rent. Hell, maybe people with vampire kinks were loaded.
"You sure this is the place?" the driver asked.
After my mini-anxiety attack in the car, it didn't surprise me that he was concerned.
I put on my most confident face. "I'm sure. Thanks again."
He nodded and drove off, leaving me truly alone outside the castle.
I blew out a breath. "Here we go..."
A long gravel pathway led up to the front doors, flanked on either side by wrought iron lampposts that glowed with warm light, illuminating the dancing moths it attracted. I swallowed the lump in my throat. I felt a bit like a moth right now, too—fragile and unable to resist the call of the castle.
