WE MADE IT DOWN TO the venue in no time at all. Ash paid the cover charge and I handed over my ticket. I passed my coat over to the guy just inside the doors and hoped I’d get it back at the end of the night.
Strictly Take-Out was already playing when we walked in, and I forgot my purpose for a moment. I had been waiting for this show for months, and now that I was here, all I wanted to do was listen to music and dance. They were my favorite band, and every time I saw them live, they seemed better and better. Plus, over the years, Madison and I had become friends with them. I looked forward to hanging out with them after the show.
“This is your favorite song, isn’t it?” Ash shouted at me.
I turned to him, surprised. “How did you know?”
“I pay attention, Z.” He shrugged. “Let’s dance.”
I hesitated. “We came here for Madison.”
“Come on, it’s one song,” he said, walking backward toward the crowd dancing in front of the stage. “Besides, Madison is probably in there somewhere, so dancing would only be helpful to our cause.”
I felt myself beginning to give in, and Ash seized his chance, taking my hand and dragging me into the crowd. I let myself be pulled in, feeling the beat of my favorite song flow through me. I wanted to dance. I wanted to dance so badly even if it had to be with him.
He stopped when we’d made our way to the stage. He took my shaking arms and wrapped them around his neck. His hands came to rest on my waist and he pulled me closer, right up against him, every part of us touching.
“We’re too close,” I shouted, swallowing hard.
Ash leaned down, the cocky grin in place. “Don’t be nervous, Zoey,” he whispered in my ear, causing me to shiver a little. He started off slow, his hips moving against mine, picking up speed to match the song. He was an amazing dancer and my hands were too tight around his neck. Overwhelming warmth was spreading through my body. My hands loosened and traveled down his shoulders to his arms. I knew I’d come here for a reason, but I couldn’t remember what it was. I couldn’t think of anything except the feel of his body against mine and the pulse of the music.
“What would your girlfriend think of you dancing with me?” I said, breathless, when the song ended.
He hadn’t let me go. His arm was wrapped tightly around my waist, and his other hand was on my thigh right below the hemline of my dress, pushing it upwards. “I don’t have a girlfriend.” I gave him an exasperated look, trying to ignore the fact that my hands were still gripping his arms tightly.
“I don’t,” he repeated, “not anymore.”
I suddenly felt uneasy about the serious expression on his face. Ash almost never looked like this, and it only made him look that much better. I started to pull away.
Ash’s hand shot up, and his fingers wrapped around the back of my neck, holding me in place. “Now, where do you think you’re going, Zoey?” he said, a small smile on his face.
He was leaning down to me, and all I could think was that he was going to kiss me and that I wanted him to. I didn’t care that he was Ash Matthews or that I hated him or that he made my life miserable. He was inches away from me and incredibly sexy. He was an incredible dancer, and it had been a long time since a boy had kissed me. My heart was beating wildly in my chest, matching the beat of the song, and he was only a whisper away.
Then a scream rang out above the music.
And I knew exactly who it belonged to.
Madison.
I pulled away from Ash, my eyes wide. “Madison.”
The band had stopped playing, and everyone was looking around in confusion. I started to push my way through, shoving people, Ash at my heels.
I found Madison by the entrance of the restrooms. She was sobbing, her hand pressed against her mouth, lipstick smeared across her lips and mascara running down her round cheeks. She was wearing a white lace dress, and she almost seemed to glow in the darkness of the club, surrounded by so many people dressed in black. A dark substance was spread across the front of her dress and I realized quickly that it was blood. She looked like an angel, a beautiful tiny avenging angel. I reached out to her at the same moment that she vomited blood all over the floor.
Ash yanked me back as blood splattered all over the floor. People behind us were starting to move quickly toward the door. I reached out for Madison, yanking her to her feet, careful not to touch any of the blood.
“Z, I don’t think…” Ash said.
I glared at him. “It’s Maddie, Ash.” Her skin was burning hot to the touch, and I spotted a few sores on the back of her neck. “Mad, how long have you been sick? Maddie?”
She whimpered, bloody fingers pressed to her stomach, leaving red fingerprints on the white fabric. “Zoey, I don’t feel good…”