She probably owed him a little bit more than smart conversation
and clever flirting. But he wasn't Nick.
Nick wanted her to attend this family lunch
he'd invited her to. What was it? A nephew's Christening, or something? Now,
that was getting serious.
And Jarek, of course, just messed up all of
that...
The slam of the bathroom door hitting the
wall broke into her thoughts. Em got to her feet. The sound of slightly drunken
giggles and the scuff of stumbling high heels emerged from the other side of
the doorway.
"Oops!" came Jennifer's voice, overly loud. Em went to help her friend before she walked
into something pointy.
And then there was Jennifer, Em reminded
herself, and the vodka. Gotta work on that too.
"Emilia, daaarling ,
you're back!" This evening Alina had squeezed her voluptuous frame into a
metallic silver satin sheath dress with a split up one leg that revealed rather
an off-putting amount of thigh. A black feather boa was draped around her
shoulders and a ludicrously large tiara perched on her black beehived hair. The razor sharp retort that Em historically
delivered whenever she met Alina died in her mouth as she surveyed the woman's
outrageous outfit. Alina was just so different like this. Em doubted her father
would even want her back.
"And who have you brought us, my
dear?" Alina continued, eyeing Jennifer hungrily.
Jennifer had finally convinced Em to bring
her along to the club, against Em's better judgement. It was late in the
evening and Em was there to try to find Alina's live-in drug dealer, not that
she was going to tell Alina that. She'd told Jennifer she could get her in, but
she was on business. As soon as she was done, she'd be going. After that
Jennifer had better behave herself.
"Yes, mom," Jennifer had said,
rolling her eyes, and Em had felt slightly guilty.
"This is Jennifer. A friend of
mine," said Em.
Alina shook the end of her boa playfully
under Jennifer's chin. "And isn't she an angel. Where did you get
her?" she said.
Jennifer looked pleased, and slightly
bemused, but Alina threw an arm over her shoulder and squeezed her tightly.
"Any friend of Emilia's is welcome here, my dear. May I steal her, Emilia?
Let me give you the VIP tour, Jennifer. I'm sure you'll just adore my little
place."
Jennifer had time to flash Em an
I-owe-you-one smile before Alina swept her away to the bar and into the milling
throng of the club.
Em flashed a tendril of dark energy into Alina's mind. She's mine, Alina. Don't you dare do
anything to her.
In the distance, Alina waved a hand airily in Em's
direction and the thought came back to her: Keep
your knickers on, Emilia. I'm just having some fun.
Em sighed and turned to survey the club. The
burlesque show had already finished, the music was loud, and the patronage were concentrating on their poisons of choice. The
tables and chairs had been cleared away and the dance floor was full, grinding.
Em let her energy flow loosely across the
crowd. She was going to search the room her own way. Soul-searching, she called
it. Every soul was different, and most carried the marks and scars of their
owner's lives. This drug dealer, she was only assuming it was Will, would feel
different. Drug dealers always did. There were others in the general populace -
doctors, butchers, lawyers, plumbers - who had some
darkened corners on their souls, but they were just corners. In the soul of a drug
dealer that darkness was a blackness that soaked through and through. They made
their living from twisting the spirits of mortals, from buying slavery and
addiction with bittersweet honey, and from hiding in the shadows. That left a
mark on the soul that stood out like a beacon.
All the same, a room with this many bodies
made the task a little more difficult, and Em was both annoyed and intrigued to
find her headache had returned when she had entered the club. She wandered
through the crowd, allowing her mind to ripple over every existence in the
room.
and clever flirting. But he wasn't Nick.
Nick wanted her to attend this family lunch
he'd invited her to. What was it? A nephew's Christening, or something? Now,
that was getting serious.
And Jarek, of course, just messed up all of
that...
The slam of the bathroom door hitting the
wall broke into her thoughts. Em got to her feet. The sound of slightly drunken
giggles and the scuff of stumbling high heels emerged from the other side of
the doorway.
"Oops!" came Jennifer's voice, overly loud. Em went to help her friend before she walked
into something pointy.
And then there was Jennifer, Em reminded
herself, and the vodka. Gotta work on that too.
"Emilia, daaarling ,
you're back!" This evening Alina had squeezed her voluptuous frame into a
metallic silver satin sheath dress with a split up one leg that revealed rather
an off-putting amount of thigh. A black feather boa was draped around her
shoulders and a ludicrously large tiara perched on her black beehived hair. The razor sharp retort that Em historically
delivered whenever she met Alina died in her mouth as she surveyed the woman's
outrageous outfit. Alina was just so different like this. Em doubted her father
would even want her back.
"And who have you brought us, my
dear?" Alina continued, eyeing Jennifer hungrily.
Jennifer had finally convinced Em to bring
her along to the club, against Em's better judgement. It was late in the
evening and Em was there to try to find Alina's live-in drug dealer, not that
she was going to tell Alina that. She'd told Jennifer she could get her in, but
she was on business. As soon as she was done, she'd be going. After that
Jennifer had better behave herself.
"Yes, mom," Jennifer had said,
rolling her eyes, and Em had felt slightly guilty.
"This is Jennifer. A friend of
mine," said Em.
Alina shook the end of her boa playfully
under Jennifer's chin. "And isn't she an angel. Where did you get
her?" she said.
Jennifer looked pleased, and slightly
bemused, but Alina threw an arm over her shoulder and squeezed her tightly.
"Any friend of Emilia's is welcome here, my dear. May I steal her, Emilia?
Let me give you the VIP tour, Jennifer. I'm sure you'll just adore my little
place."
Jennifer had time to flash Em an
I-owe-you-one smile before Alina swept her away to the bar and into the milling
throng of the club.
Em flashed a tendril of dark energy into Alina's mind. She's mine, Alina. Don't you dare do
anything to her.
In the distance, Alina waved a hand airily in Em's
direction and the thought came back to her: Keep
your knickers on, Emilia. I'm just having some fun.
Em sighed and turned to survey the club. The
burlesque show had already finished, the music was loud, and the patronage were concentrating on their poisons of choice. The
tables and chairs had been cleared away and the dance floor was full, grinding.
Em let her energy flow loosely across the
crowd. She was going to search the room her own way. Soul-searching, she called
it. Every soul was different, and most carried the marks and scars of their
owner's lives. This drug dealer, she was only assuming it was Will, would feel
different. Drug dealers always did. There were others in the general populace -
doctors, butchers, lawyers, plumbers - who had some
darkened corners on their souls, but they were just corners. In the soul of a drug
dealer that darkness was a blackness that soaked through and through. They made
their living from twisting the spirits of mortals, from buying slavery and
addiction with bittersweet honey, and from hiding in the shadows. That left a
mark on the soul that stood out like a beacon.
All the same, a room with this many bodies
made the task a little more difficult, and Em was both annoyed and intrigued to
find her headache had returned when she had entered the club. She wandered
through the crowd, allowing her mind to ripple over every existence in the
room.
Similar Books
