The party was exactly what I would have expected. We walked into a house and were met with the sound of a dozen different conversations, and distantly, the thrum of music. Everyone held bottles of beer or cups full of cheap mixed drinks. I watched a girl trip and stagger in her stilettos on one end of the room, while on the other end a college-aged guy kept up a slurred conversation with an uninterested girl.
But the most amazing phenomenon was that the alcohol brought out people’s otherness. It was strange that I hadn’t noticed it until now, but everyone had a slight shimmer to his or her form. The more intoxicated they were, the more prominent their otherness was.
A wereleopard woman had the trademark leopard spots along her exposed arms, and her feline face was superimposed on top of her human one. And another girl who must’ve been a fairy had her glittering wings unfurled.
“Dance floor!” Oliver squealed. I swear he had a radar for these things. He grabbed my hand and pulled, dragging me along with him.
I tried to make a grab for Leanne, but she stayed out of reach. “Nuh uh. I’m not dancing without first checking out the bar scene.” She reached for Paul’s hand and pulled him in the opposite direction.
The dance floor was in one of the house’s larger rooms. Right as we entered, a nearly palpable wall of humidity assaulted us. I suppressed a shudder, knowing so many hot dancing bodies caused it. Almost immediately I began to sweat.
Techno music pounded, and I watched as shifting forms danced and glittered. I began to dance with Oliver, feeling incredibly awkward and uncomfortable. I tried to ignore the overpowering smell of sweat, body odor, alcohol, and urine. Hands snaked around my waist. I turned to find a guy behind me leering and gyrating. I pushed him away.
The humidity was making me dizzy, but I kept dancing alongside Oliver, determined that I just needed to loosen up.
A man stumbled past Oliver and me. I watched as he clutched the wall before vomiting. The smell of it quickly overwhelmed my highly sensitive nose. And just like that, it was all too much.
I pushed through the crowd and left the room, Oliver calling out behind me. The air in the hallway was less humid, but no more refreshing.
“Gabrielle!” Leanne called from down the hall.
I came over to her. “I need to get the hell out of here.”
“Agreed.” She grabbed my hand. “They’re all out of booze. How can they be out of booze? The night’s barely begun!” I looked around the room at the very sloshed guests. The night was almost over for them.
We told the guys we were leaving and walked back to the dorms together. Leanne began telling me about the “loser” selkie—whatever that was—that tried to hit on her. “He was just looking for a good time, and I’m not that kind of woman.” She flung her hair to the side. “I mean his home is in the sea! As if he’s looking to ‘get into a relationship.’ Pssh, like I’m going to believe that.”
Our dorm came into view. As we got closer, I felt a familiar rush of energy, and a figure slowly came into focus.
Andre leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching me.
Leanne looked from one of us to the other. “Uh, I’ll see you upstairs,” she said to me. I watched her walk away.
“I heard you had a date.” Andre’s eyes roved over my itsy bitsy dress and heels.
“Is that why you’re here?” I eyed him over. He wasn’t showing any emotion.
He shook his head. “I was gone for a few days and I just got back.” So that was why I hadn’t seen him until now. “I wanted to see how you were doing. However, it sounds as though things are going just great for you,” he finished.
Was he … jealous?
I narrowed my eyes. “Frankly Andre, that’s none of your business.”
“Everything my subjects do is my business.”
“Excuse me?” I said it quietly, but I was pissed.
He ran a shaky hand through his hair, a sure sign he was agitated. “Gabrielle—” He paused long enough that I wasn’t sure he had anything more to say. His nostrils flared, and if I hadn’t known any better, I’d say he looked pained as he spoke. “I’m sorry.” He looked off at the ocean.
I furrowed my eyebrows. This Andre was nervous, and—dare I say it—vulnerable. I wasn’t sure I liked it.
“I’m not sure what we have,” I said, “but I wouldn’t expect you to exclusively date me at this point.” It hurt to admit this last part. The idea of Andre with another woman … the mere thought was devastating.
I blew out a long breath. “Listen, if it makes you feel any better, the date was awful.” Then again, Andre’s and mine was also awful, so I wasn’t sure that was comforting.
My words snapped him out of his thoughts. “I do not need to feel better.” He looked insulted. “And enough of this.” He straightened up. “I didn’t just come here to check on you. We have training, and tonight I am going to teach you the laws of being a vampire.”
***