“We should get back inside before your lady friends start to think you’ve abandoned them.” With a warm hand, he steered me towards the door.
I didn’t miss the way he scanned the area before turning his back to it. He seemed more alert and wary than usual. I didn’t sense anything when I mentally searched the night around us.
The moment we stepped inside, my senses had to readjust to the volume and the many smells. I winced against the onslaught. All of my senses were heightened after our power play outside. It was a little unbearable.
Before we reached the end of the staff hall, I paused near the ladies room, gesturing for Arys to go on without me. I needed a personal moment to refresh and check on my appearance. I also had a wound that oozed two matching drops of blood.
Thank goodness it was Halloween. With all the fake blood in the building tonight, no one would notice a splash of the authentic stuff. But, the wound looked incredibly real.
I’d worn enough to know. I used my hair to hide it as I ducked into the washroom.
It was pretty busy inside. The majority of the stalls were taken, and four girls crowded the mirror. Shit. I recognized one of them right away.
Amanda caught sight of me reflected in the mirror behind her. She was studiously trying to fix fake eyelashes.
“Hey Alexa!” She called over the noisy din of chattering women. “Great costume.
Are you having a good time?”
I smiled at her, but my focus was on grabbing an empty stall and escaping conversation. “Yeah, it’s really pumping out there. How are you? I love the Cleopatra look. Very hot.”
I rushed by before she could stop me, slamming the door of the stall behind me. I willed them all to leave. I didn’t want to come out and get roped into a conversation with Amanda.
The girl is a total sweetheart, but ever since I’d slaughtered her abusive boyfriend, she had developed a strange fascination with me. She didn’t know exactly what I was, but she’d seen enough with her own eyes to know it wasn’t human.
I closed my eyes and counted to ten, thinking hard. When I reopened them, the washroom was quiet. Incredible.
When I came back out, no one was there. I couldn’t believe the projected power of my influence had driven them out.
I wasted no time in wetting some paper towel and wiping up the bloodstains on my neck. After washing my hands, I arranged my hair so that the bite couldn’t be seen. It was sore but pleasurable in the raw pain.
There would be no hiding it from Jez or Kylarai. They would smell the fresh wound right away. My face was especially pale, and I pinched my cheeks in an attempt to bring some color back. After a few minor make-up touch ups, I went to brave the teasing and ridicule of my friends.
It took me a minute to pick them out of the mass of people. The crowd had increased in size since I’d gone outside. I could sense Shaz, but he was nowhere to be seen.
Jez’ golden hair stood out on the dance floor where she danced with a couple of girls dressed as naughty angels. Surprisingly, Kylarai was dancing with them. Julian and Zak were still shooting pool across the room. Didn’t they have anything better to do?
I made my way towards Jez and Ky, shaking my head no when a waitress intercepted me. By the time I reached them, they had taken a seat at a nearby table. Jez’ expression was knowing and amused, but Ky looked astonished. I pulled out the chair across from them and sat down, a silly smile on my face.
Kylarai gave me a more pointed, raised eyebrow look. “I’d ask where you were, but I already know.” She smiled and winked before sipping from some ice water.
“What can I say?” I shrugged, trying for casual. “I couldn’t resist.”
“And, so you shouldn’t.” Jez leaned over to nudge me; an approving smile revealed tiny fangs beneath her ruby red lips.
“Where did Arys go? He took off out of here in a hurry.” Ky looked curious, and I frowned in response.
“He just left?”
“Yeah, right before you showed up. Weren’t you with him?”
“I was. I went to the ladies room.” If I thought about Arys hard enough, I could still feel his presence in the vicinity.
A strange sensation began to unravel as I grew suspicious. Where was Arys and what was he up to? He had been acting a little sketchy since he arrived. Something told me I wasn’t paying enough attention. The intensified power running through me was trying to come to the forefront of my mind, trying to make me aware of something.
“Speaking of the ladies room,” Ky interrupted my thoughts. “Is it insanely busy?”
“Not when I left.”
“Good. I’ll be right back.” She grabbed her purse from the tabletop and got up from her chair. She was soon just a green figure among the rest of the crowd.
I scanned the crowd but saw no sign of Arys. I could still feel him when I concentrated, but that didn’t tell me much.
I pushed my chair back with a loud scrape. “I think I’m going to go hunt down Arys.