Page 17

SEVENTEEN

Ashley

Angels had turned out to be a lot more fun than I expected. I’d even finally warmed up to Lily. Turned out, the ridiculous act she put on was only for the benefit of our patrons and Matthew, she wasn’t nearly as insufferable as I’d first thought.

She’d continued to show me the ropes at work, and all the various opportunities. She absolutely was not kidding about the amount of money to be made. Already I was bringing home more than I’d ever made at Ipomoea and I could easily see how Kayla survived only working per diem.

It was a great gig.

That being said, it didn’t take me long to realize that at least half of our clients weren’t human. I was having a short mental breakdown in the employee bathroom when Lily found me after I’d witnessed what Matthew termed an “incident” that ended with a demon being decapitated. While that was bad, what was even worse was the head stayed speaking after being separated. Brief chaos had descended, along with many pairs of fangs and suddenly glowing eyes.

“Kayla told me it was all theater but it's not,” I gasped, as she rubbed my head. She was using the toilet as a chair while I’d managed to wedge myself in the corner between it and the wall. “I’m having a nervous breakdown.” I was well aware I was being overly dramatic.

Lily shushed me and then said, “Stop playing around. You’d have run out of the building screaming if you’d never come across them before. Look at you—you're on the floor behind a toilet. Get up.”

She was losing patience. “You really think they couldn’t get you if you hid behind a toilet?”

I wanted to laugh at my ridiculousness but she had a good point. The problem was, why the hell couldn’t I get away from these people? It was like I had some kind of homing beacon implanted under my skin or something.

Grabbing her outstretched hand, I picked myself up. “How do you do it and why does no one else know? Kayla thinks everything’s cool, but these people drink blood .”

She stood up and yanked the skirt of her dress down. “Well, you eat dead animal carcasses and drink fluids reserved for babies.”

“That’s not the same.”

“Oh, no?”

I huffed. “When’s the last time you saw anyone walk up to a cow grazing in a field and just go and tear a chunk out of it? Cows just mind their own business; give people something to look at while they drive along. You can’t compare them to vampires, they don’t eat each other, or rip heads off.”

The edge of my mouth tilted, picturing bucolic fields. Vampires and whatever the hell was on the other side of the bathroom door did not mind their own business. They stalked you and put leashes on you and bit your boob.

Lily shook her head. “ That’s not the same.”

“How so?” I ran my hands down my face, wiping away a couple errant tears and lamely attempting to fix my makeup.

“You’re confusing me,” she protested. “They do eat each other. That’s what milk is.”

“You think you’re confused,” I said. Lily just didn’t get it. This was not normal life. “How do you do it?” I asked again.

Her brows furrowed. “Do what? I don’t drink milk, but I have drunk blood.” I gave her a look and she groaned. “I’m not complaining about the money. Plus, Matthew protects us. He wouldn’t let anything happen to me, just like he told you. Just pretend they’re normal cuz they basically are, if you think about it. They have hopes and dreams, too.”

“Hopes and dreams to tear my heart right out of my chest,” I muttered.

Lily rolled her eyes. “Most of them aren’t like that.” She applied a candy pink gloss to her lips while I stared at her.

“Great—that’s comforting.”

Shoving the tube down the front of her shirt, she said, “You’re being dramatic.”

“I kinda feel like I’m not. Okay, yeah, I am.” I dropped my arms to my sides. “You don’t know what I’ve been through.”

Her lips thinned. “And I’m sure you’re not allowed to tell me; I’ve been at this long enough to know how it works.”

My curiosity piqued, I asked, “How long have you?” It didn’t seem like a career with much longevity built in.

“About fifty years,” she replied, arranging her cornsilk ringlets.

I grabbed the edge of the sink. “Fifty? You’re lying.”

“Get a sponsor and you’ll never age, too. Matthew helps a lot of women.” She had my full attention.

“He rescued me. Pulled me out of the depths of hell and set me up with a gorgeous apartment, credit cards he paid for. He even bought me a car. I can’t tell you who my sponsor is but he’s a good man. They can’t go around biting people and he doesn’t care much for the bagged stuff, so he comes by once a week, and I feed him. He’s honestly pretty great. Doesn’t care what I do as long as I give him a vein when he needs it.”

“Wow,” I replied, stunned. It really didn’t seem like a bad gig with those kinds of perks. If you didn’t mind literally sticking your neck out.

“The only rule is I can’t let anyone else feed from me. That’s it. Just one rule.”

We moved to the door, her hand on the latch. “Do you have to sleep with him?”

She giggled. “Oh, no. We’re not each other’s type. It's a simple blood transaction.”

Was that all Micha had really wanted from me? For me to be kept as a blood slave? He’d referred to me as a pet and a slave multiple times. It didn’t sound like Lily was a slave, though, and her sponsor seemed far kinder than my psychopathic ex-employer.

There was also the fact he’d forced me to go down on him, coupled with the other fact that he’d touch me at every opportunity. He sent mixed signals and I didn’t know what to think. My life had become very confusing over the past year, between Della and my experience at Ipomoea. Now, there was this whole, new scene and all the information and opportunities it entailed.

I put my palm against the door, blocking her from opening it. “This is gonna sound weird but did your sponsor ever visit you in your dreams?”

Her smile turned down. “Oh, I’ve heard of that. It's more a demon trait. I stick to the vamps; I don’t mess around with demons. They’re tricky.”

Hmm. “So, you’ve never woken up to find yourself awake in a dream?”

“Well, this life has been a dream,” a grin spread across her face, “take advantage of it and don’t go wandering in your sleep.”

I really was going to step outside that door and shake my ass in front of monsters after what I’d just seen. This was as real as it got but I couldn’t stay away, no matter how shocking or gory the scene was.

Andy is going to kill me . I’d been too blind to see all the hints he’d dropped, all the warnings over the years. No wonder he’d warned me about working here. But he was dating Kayla so, what gives? He was probably just being overprotective again.

Maybe I should’ve gone to look for that Sara chick and taken the million dollars instead of injecting myself into this lifestyle. Andy would’ve known exactly what to do, given his relationship with Vincent. He worked with him, and Vincent knew Alexander. The dots began to connect in my head.

Goosebumps broke out over my skin. There was no way that man Alexander wasn’t one of these people. I wasn’t sure how I knew, but I was now as certain as I was that the sun rose every morning.

I was surrounded.

Despite death lurking around every corner, or the suggestion thereof, I liked this job. It didn’t feel like work. I got to wear pretty clothes and sort of just dance around. Occasionally I was paid to merely sit around and look pretty. Nod and smile, pretend to be enraptured with whoever exchanged their money for my time. Definitely not a bad gig.

So, to mix things up a bit and keep it exciting, I’d started giving private dances as time marched on. With all the cameras and the huge bouncers, I was safe.

My eyes fully opened, I started to notice the little intricacies that separated the supernatural beings from simple humans such as myself.

The vampires, demons, and angels all had slight differences. Vampires were the easiest to spot, unsurprisingly, with their extra fine clothing, manners, and dripping wealth. They had a massive aura of privilege, and usually, an entourage.

Demons were just as spectacularly good looking but a little rougher around the edges. In some ways they came across as warriors, with an extra spring in their step, ready should anyone make an unwanted move against them. They also seemed a bit more street-smart and blended in with the humans easier than the vampires did.

Neither group appeared to lack for funds but as I quickly found out, not all demons qualified to grace the club with their presence. There was a distinct and mostly invisible hierarchy.

The angels themselves were a whole, other breed. They did their best to come across as elite beings dedicated to the betterment of all other creatures but they were incredibly manipulative and no less vindicative than the demons or vampires, with a nearly equal taste for blood.

One marked difference was the chill in the air around an angel. It wasn’t that noticeable at first but as I became acclimated, I began to pick up on their elitist attitudes. There was the slight upturning of their noses, lack of facing others head-on, and cliquish behavior. Matthew was clearly one of them, with his detached demeanor.

As I became more accepted among the other employees, gossip began to reach my ears. One piece of hearsay that gave me pause was the story of how someone had once stolen blood from our workplace’s owner. The theft didn’t take place in the club, it’d happened a while ago somewhere distant, but I couldn’t help but wonder if he knew he’d hired someone who’d been let go from elsewhere for burglary. I didn’t let myself become too comfortable, just in case.

Turning to face Lily before we parted ways, I thanked her. “Hey, I appreciate the assist. Sorry you had to find me next to a toilet,” I laughed.

“It's a lot to wrap your mind around at first. Even if it's not your first,” she said, gently. “I can tell you’ve had some run-ins before, but I won’t push you, you can share when you’re ready if you feel the need.”

“Thank you,” I said, returning her smile.

After I got changed into something appropriate for twirling around a stripper pole, I punched my personal code into the key paid, letting myself into the room and settling on a chair. All I had on was a thong—nothing else, per the request of the patron. If half the people I worked with weren’t practically naked all the time, I would’ve been more uncomfortable but as it was, next to no clothing was normal.

I had zero idea how to use a pole since I’d never learned but I figured I would do what I could to try and make it look sexy, even if I was just using it as a prop. It couldn’t be that hard to whirl around.

Next, I started the sound system up, playing the dark, electronic music he’d entered on his wish list. He’d also asked for a brunette with long curly hair, so I was physically perfect to fulfill his order.

A server brought in a carafe of wine and a platter of meats and cheeses, setting them on a table, again meeting the patron’s specifications. The list of requests he’d made wasn’t very long.

“Don’t forget help will be right outside the door,” the server reminded me, winking.

“Thank you.” There were cameras everywhere, but I still fought my nerves every time I did this. It hadn’t been many, at this point as this was only the third time.

The door opened again, and a tall demon walked in. He’d requested I remain completely silent for the duration of our visit, so I didn’t say a word when he greeted me and just gave him a small smile.

“Hello, pet,” he said. I tried to hide my wince at the familiar term.

He pulled his leather dress shoes off and kicked them to the side before laying his long frame on the bed. The chair I sat in was tucked in the corner with a full view of the attractive man as he unbuttoned his shirt and slid his pants down slightly.

Once comfortable, he pulled out one of the largest dicks I’d ever seen, spit on it, and began stroking himself. If I didn’t focus on his cock, I would be able to do this and keep the memories of Micha at bay.

He used one hand to beckon me with his fingers. “Dance for me.”

Letting the music compel me, I stood up and began moving in time to the gyrating beat, running my hands up and down my body. Since he had a thing for my style of hair, I used it, letting the length spin around and cover my face as I moved.

His mouth opened slightly as he increased the speed of his hands. “Come closer,” he said, right as I grabbed the pole. “Come to the side of the bed.”

As gracefully as I could, I did as directed, my heart thumping at the unexpected change in plan.

“You’re a sexy little thing. May I?”

I gave him a little nod, holding my breath, and his hand reached for me. Softly, he brushed my curls away from my neck, his lips separating again as they angled toward my skin. I heard an intake of air and then he laughed, low and dark, before shaking his head.

The atmosphere suddenly changed as an ominous storm of oppression descended on the room. At first, I was worried about the man I’d been dancing for, my instincts kicking in. The moment I realized it had nothing to do with him, the lights flickered, and a bulb shattered. The man snatched me, tugging me out of the way as my hands went to cover my head.

“What the fuck,” the demon muttered. “Who did you piss off?”

He stood and fixed his pants after the room returned to normal. He refastened his belt while I watched, wondering what the heck just happened.

“What? No one. What are you talking about?” I said. I hadn’t ticked anyone off in quite some time and everyone here seemed to like me. There was no one to piss off that I was aware of.

“You’re damaged goods,” he grumbled, straightening his tie.

“Excuse me?” I wrapped a towel around me I snagged from a pile by the bed. I didn’t expect an answer; there was nothing for him to say.

The demon grabbed his wallet, flicked it open, and threw a handful of bills on the comforter. “When you get yourself straightened out, we’ll resume. You’re a beautiful girl and I’d like to continue some time.”

Sometimes it was difficult to remember my job depended on my being sweet, kind, and accommodating. We were all actors here. It’d be rude to tell him I had nothing to fix.

“Thank you, have a good evening,” was all I said. As if I didn’t exist, he ignored my words and left the room without another glance.

“Hey you,” Kayla came into my line of sight as I closed up the suite.

“Hey,” I replied, turning to push the panel button that would indict the room was ready for cleaning. I typed a request for new light bulbs into the conversation box on the screen and hit send before a tiny red indicator signaled there was an issue with the studio.

She beckoned me, saying, “C’mon, we need you in the main room.”

Following her, I adjusted the straps of the dress I’d thrown back on after my client left. Kayla noticed my fidgeting and said, “Nice, where’d you get that?”

“Holdover from my rave days.” I grinned at her. The black dress was tight but stretchy, making it one of my favored choices.

Her face lit up. “Every once in a while, I heard Matthew holds a rave here. I’d love that. Can you imagine? With how handsy our patrons are?”

“Oh my God, Andy would kill you.”

She looked mock horrified. “What, it's for work.”

Shaking my head and laughing, I replied, “Your funeral.”

Things had appeared to start getting serious between the two and they were no longer merely fuck buddies. Kayla was turning into a fixture at our apartment and Andy was known to have a jealous streak. “Just keep it down when he tries to murder your ass; I need my beauty sleep.”

“Anyway,” she glanced at me quickly, “there’s a specific personal request for you.”

“Me? Who is it?” Kayla picked up her step as we traveled down the hallway full of dancers behind glass panels.

“Newcomer, he’s a newcomer. He’s pretty, you’ll like him. He wants you to sit with him and keep him company.”

More easy money. “Got it.”

We entered the room and I scanned the floor, assessing the mood and atmosphere. Everything was normal and no one seemed disturbed by what had to have been an electrical surge affecting the lighting. This was a good thing.

Watching this particular crowd get upset was an unnerving experience. Of course, it was “pop up” entertainment, should anyone ask, but the mess and aftermath were something I didn’t want to experience again. Blood was always shed and furniture, bottles, and bones broken. The occasional head rolled.

OSHA would love this place.

Kayla gave me a little wave as she wandered off toward the bar after pointing me in the direction of a booth. Whoever was waiting for me to join them was outside my line of sight. Whenever I was specially selected, it was always a very attractive man, and only once was it a woman.

The lady had expected the typical thing from me, my companionship for the evening. She was human and hadn’t wanted to sit alone while scoping out the venue to decide whether she wanted to work here. Whatever verdict she’d come to, she hadn’t divulged, but I never saw her again.

A scene change was being set up on stage as I approached the booth where my next assignment waited for me. I almost tripped over my own feet when a handsome blond turned to me and gave me a small smile.

“Ashley,” Samuel greeted me. “We meet again.”