‘Why the masks?’
‘Cause this is a place where we’re supposed to be able to let loose. A lot of Grigori are positioned in the military or within the government and don’t want their identities to be common knowledge. Some are the Rogue. Others just like to come here and not have to be who they are in their normal work. This is strictly off-duty. Let’s get a drink. Morgan and Max said they’d meet us at the bar.’
‘We don’t have ID,’ I said, following in starry-eyed amazement. This place would make Dapper salivate.
‘Doesn’t matter,’ Zoe threw an arm over my shoulder. ‘They don’t check ID. Half the Grigori here look like they’re underage and are definitely not. It takes too much time and an all-Grigori club has its own laws,’ Zoe had to yell over the music.
‘Nice,’ I said, my smile growing as the bass beats of the music reverberated through the floor and all around me. The vibe was incredible and I found myself laughing as Spence passed me the first of what would become many drinks. Looking around, I realised for the first time since arriving in New York that no one was watching me. No one knew who I was and no one cared to find out.
Okay, just because a person is Grigori. Just because that means they are warriors that fight to protect humanity’s right to free will and existence – does not mean they are responsibly recreational.
My eyes bugged out at some of the things I saw. Once let off the leash, Grigori partied hard. I could understand why. Some of them would have been hundreds of years old, constantly caught up in the battle against exiles. I guess they figured that if they couldn’t completely let go when among their own people, then when could they?
Once I’d managed to sneak off the dance floor – which took a major effort as Morgan, once she’d realised it was me behind the gold mask, refused to let me leave her sight – I set off to explore. The music was a line-up of retro dance at its best, with a few tracks tossed in that I’d never heard before but would now be forever hunting down online.
As I made my way up the spiral stairs, and along the balconies, I surveyed the cave-like rooms in the walls. Each was lit with either burning candles or chandeliers and each seemed to serve its own purpose. Some were for winding down with pillow-loaded sofas, some were for group get-togethers with tavern-style tables, others – I discovered after some investigation – were behind invisible sound-barrier curtains, and on the other side… a completely different theme and style of music. Ascension catered for all generations. The rockabilly room was like a time warp – and totally amazing.
Taking all of this in, I was halfway up the tower, just beyond the casino rooms, when I started to feel him. If I hadn’t indulged in so many of the mint-delicious, alcohol-fuelled drinks Zoe and Spence had kept handing me, I would have felt him sooner.
What’s he doing here?
I tapped a masked Grigori on the shoulder. She turned away from her conversation to look at me. She was wearing a tasselled red dress and had come out of the high-rollers room – one thing older Grigori were not short of was money.
‘Sorry, but do you know what’s up in the top rooms?’ I asked.
She winked. ‘Private parties, if you know what I mean, hon.’
I swallowed the lump in my throat. ‘Got it.’ I nodded, my smile fading. ‘Thanks.’ I moved back a few steps, or maybe stumbled, leaning over the railing and looking down at the dance floor.
Think.
If I knew Lincoln was here, it was only a matter of time before he felt me too.
Breathe. Think.
Maybe he was just hanging out with people from the Academy. Maybe they’d been hunting.
But why the private rooms?
The woman had made it clear the rooms were used for the kind of thing that would only break my heart to see. Not to mention my soul.
I had no claim on him.
Damn. I feel sick.
Lincoln had said himself; things with us hadn’t exactly helped him in the action department. What had I really expected? That he’d just wait forever? At best, if I charged up there, I was going to look like some kind of crazy stalker.
The room started to spin. I needed to make a decision. Up or down?
Down, down, down!
I started walking faster, even as I felt the spike in Lincoln’s power. He knew I was near and now he was moving, too.
Move, move!
I made it back to the dance floor and pushed through the people to find Spence and Zoe towards the back. Morgan and Max were nowhere in sight. I pulled Spence close.
‘Can you put us under a glamour?’ I asked, looking around frantically. ‘Lincoln’s here and we’re about to be busted.’
He was getting close. I could feel his agitation.