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Dawson’s grin returned. Mira gritted her teeth, marched through the gates, and entered the club.
25
Red lights illuminated the dancing crowd in the old cave. Above them, cages with scantily clad women floated through the air. The room smelled of jasmine and alcohol, the expensive kind she couldn’t normally afford.
Men nestled on black velvet couches throughout the club, and tables glittered with massive bottles of reserve Goldwine and other high-end bottles in ice buckets. One man poured Goldwine straight from the bottle into the mouth of the woman on his lap.
“You could have warned me,” Mira yelled over the music to Dawson.
“I did.”
“You didn’t say anything about the signature.”
He shrugged. “Would it have made a difference?”
No, but she could have mentally prepared herself for it. Clearly, Dawson had wanted to see her shocked reaction.
Potions and powders of every variety were everywhere. One man snorted a line of lavender-colored powder from a mirror, and when he leaned back, his pupils huge, he glowed in different shades of purple.
Nobody saw. Nobody cared about Mira’s stupid scar. But she felt it gather strength in the dark. Her skin burned. The beat of the music seemed to only intensify it.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
The scar felt too hot. Mira headed to the bar, pretending she wanted a drink, when all she really wanted was to place her arm, scar side down, on the marble counter.
Thump.
Thump.
Thu—
The second her skin touched the cool surface she felt instant relief. She inhaled deeply.
Dawson motioned for the barman. “A glass of reserve Goldwine for her and Genieve neat for me.”
Hands in his pockets, he stood with perfect posture, shoulders back, his pale neck exposed as his eyes watched her carefully, cataloging her every move.
“What is that gold coin for?” she asked, but he evidently couldn’t hear her over the loud music and leaned in closer. When she repeated the question, he placed the coin on the counter.
“There will be an auction. The club started as an auction house of illegal Dark Magic artifacts.”
“Ah, that’s why you have a membership.”
“It wasn’t the only reason. After the war, I was a regular. Anything to make me forget, even just for a few moments. Anything to take the edge off. Potions. Alcohol. Sex.”
She tried her hardest not to imagine what he had been up to during his previous visits.
“When does the auction begin?”
“Once the coin starts glowing.”
“And we don’t know what’s up for grabs tonight?”
Their drinks arrived and he swirled the amber liquid in his glass before taking a sip. “No.”
