Almost in unison, the three of them clutched their stomachs. Their brows all pinched in a familiar way, one that said trouble was on the horizon. The music stopped, and as it always was in places like this when the loud song was over, the silence deafened for a moment. But another song didn’t immediately come on, so when the one who called Beth a fatass farted, it was like an echo, ricocheting across the club.
Her friends stared at her in shock, but then one of them doubled over and moaned. Suddenly, as my gaze shifted to the people behind them, I realized that everyone was looking in this direction. Their gazes focused on the girls in front of us as the three of them and their butts started sounding like trumpets. Little honks, and big, flapping claps of ass cheeks, and not in the sexy dancer way either. These were high-pitched whines. Combine that with the moans that were coming from them? They were a cacophony of noise.
As though they couldn’t stand the horror on everyone's faces any longer, the girls ran toward what I assumed was a bathroom, or who knows? Maybe it was just a closet. It seemed like they would go anywhere so long as it got them out of the spotlight.
I really hoped it was a bathroom for the sake of the cleaning crew. The one that had called us old had a distinctive brown trail running down the inside and back of her legs as she waddled through the doorway. The sour notes that had been on the air were finally cut off as the door closed behind them.
The moment it did, everyone around us burst out laughing. The few people that were closest to us had tears running down their faces as they doubled over with laughter. I couldn't help but wonder if the tears were actually from the laughter or from the smell that was still lingering in the air.
I stared at them all, shock brimming within me. Had I done that?
Before I could ask Beth, the music finally came back with a blaring beat, drowning out their next words. The pause had been much too long. No DJ would ever allow something like that, so either someone was screwing up or this was a playlist with no one manning it, or worse, I'd caused the music to pause as well so that the girls could be sufficiently mortified by their gastric distress.
A moment later, before we could step away, the girls came out of the bathroom. One of them had toilet paper clinging to the bottom of her high heels like a bride’s train. They quickly pushed past us toward the door we’d all just come in, and I couldn’t wipe the grin off my face.
They glared at us as they passed, and I didn’t really need to hear their words. I knew what was going on.
“What did you do?” Beth yelled in my ear.
I leaned over and put my mouth next to her ear as I yelled back, "I have no idea! How did you get us in?"
She moved back over and put her mouth next to my head, but she didn’t yell. “Magic,” her voice whispered in my ear, as if we were in a silent room. Chills erupted over my skin and a shiver zinged down my spine.
Grinning, I shook my head at her. “You’re amazing!” I shouted.
Beth either heard me or got my meaning, because she smiled and grabbed my hand as she started working her way through the crowd toward the bar. The whole thing was shocking, and hilarious, but I still wasn’t sure why we were here. Despite the vampires at the door, this place seemed to be full of humans. Not vampires. Or shifters.
I tugged on Beth’s arm and leaned close. “Nothing about this place seems out of the ordinary,” I yelled in her ear, careful about exactly what I said since I didn’t really know for sure these were all humans.
Her voice whispered in my ear again, even though she was nowhere near close enough for me to hear her, yet hear her I did. “Looks can be deceiving." She tossed me a wink before adding, "This is just the front. We have to go downstairs for the real fun.”
Oh, boy. I wasn't sure I was ready for therealfun.
Downstairs.
15
Emma
Beth pulled me into a quiet corner, and I stared out at the room packed with people. Different colored lights flashed overhead and the bass was so strong it seemed to shake the ground. I tried to remember if clubs were the same when I used to go to them in college, but everything seemed brighter and louder now.
But also not like a vampire den.
“So what’s the plan?” I asked, frowning as I continued scanning the room.
“We go downstairs, ask about your brother, and hopefully explain that this has all been a big misunderstanding and get him back,” she said, like it was the simplest thing in the world.
“Do you think it’ll be so easy?” I didn’t know a thing about vampires.
She lifted a brow. “Not a chance. But the thing is, supernaturals aren’t just bloodthirsty monsters. We have codes. If the vampires just completely disregard a witch’s request, they risk pissing us all off, and we’re a powerful group. But they’re not just going to give him up. There’s probably going to be a price, so we need to be ready for that.”
A price? I took a deep breath. Whatever it was, I’d find a way to pay it.
“Okay.” I released my breath.
“Ready to take on a room full of arrogant vampires?” she asked, studying me.
No, I was not. “I need a little courage first,” I admitted. “The liquid kind.”
