Outside I find myself in the back of the car park beside several large bins. I sit down on the curb and suck on the lollipop. Minutes pass by, I would have enjoyed counting them but the idea comes too late to begin. The count wouldn’t have been accurate and that would have gotten to me.
I don’t know how long I’ve been sitting there motionless before I decide it’s probably time to head back inside. The door I came through has been shut. I try the handle and breathe a sigh of relief when it turns. Inside I walk straight into the red haired girl and the handsome blond man from the VIP section. They’re with some other black haired guy and standing beside an open door leading into what looks like a manager’s office.
“Why honey, we have to stop meeting like this,” the red haired girl says harshly. Her emerald eyes are startling up this close and in the better lighting.
“Sorry I – I was just getting some air,” I say, gesturing toward the fire exit.
“This part of the club is off limits,” says the black haired man, “and trespassers will be prosecuted – I mean, punished,” he continues with a laugh, unnecessarily cruel, and now I remember why I haven’t left my apartment in so long. Hell is other people.
“I didn’t know. This is my first time here.” I tell him.
“Makes no matter to us,” he says and takes a step toward me.
I glance at the blond man, he’s standing the furthest back, silent, and staring at me without emotion.
“What’s your name little girl?” asks the black haired one.
“Why do you want to know?” I ask, and subconsciously tell him to fuck right off with the little girl comment. What a creep. My eyes surreptitiously glance from left to right, searching for an escape route.
“I like to get to know my prey,” he answers.
“Huh? What the fuck are you talking about?” I ask, becoming both angry and confused.
“Leave her Lucas,” says the red head, bored.
“I’d oblige you Delilah,” he says, snapping his head back to her, too fast almost. “But this one is far too intriguing,” and then he runs a finger down my cheek. “Look at those eyes, so blue, such –what is it that I see, ah yes, pain.”
I flinch back at his accuracy.
“But what kind of pain I wonder?” He asks in a pondering voice. “I would guess – rejection
, loss?”
Correct again, but I don’t say anything.
“Ha! I knew it, spot on as always,” he beams triumphantly.
“Can I go?” I ask, looking at the red head and then at the blond man.
“No you can’t,” says the black haired man whose name I now know is Lucas. “Now darling, tell me your name and where you live.”
His eyes are golden and inviting and beautiful, but behind that I sense danger. He stares at me for a long and intense moment. “Tell me,” he demands.
I take a deep breath and then answer. “No way.”
All of a sudden the red head gasps and the blond man’s eyes widen. My interviewer appears pissed off.
“What did you just say?” he asks in a level voice.
“I said no way am I telling you my name or where I live, I don’t even know you.”
“How….” begins the red head, but doesn’t finish.
“Some of them can be strong willed enough to resist,” says the blond man, speaking up for the first time. His voice is even lovelier that the red head’s, with a vaguely American accent. Then he continues, “But usually they have to be aware of what we’re doing, it’s odd that this one can resist and seemingly not know.”
Then he looks at me, really looks at me properly and smiles. I have no clue what the hell they’re talking about, but it is giving me a distinct case of the shivers.
“Interesting,” says Lucas. He smiles at me too, and when he does I see fangs, really good ones as well.