Page 6 of Feral

I added some eyeliner, a preference that got me a lot of shit from the guys back home, but I don’t give a fuck. I like eyeliner and nail polish. I may not have a lot of direction yet, but at least I’ve moved away from the small minds back home. The last thing I intended to do was find a nice girl to settle down with and get a boring desk job. I don’t know what I want to do yet, but I know it’s not that.

I may be launching a little later than most, but I don’t subscribe to anyone’s timeline but my own. I watched enough of my college friends turn into miserable schmucks to feel just fine about my life choices. All I need is to find my footing and put down some roots, and maybe New Onyx is the place to do that.

I glance around as I get away from the busy area and turn down a quieter street. My feet seem to be guiding me on their own, tugging me towards what looks like a wooded area, but as I get closer, I see the outline of a building.

Nice. It’s the image on the card. I follow a cobblestone path that I couldn’t see at all a minute ago, but the lighting out here is dim. After a minute, I reach a big iron gate that’s already open, so I pass through, entering a parking lot filled with cars. Subtle bass music reaches me beyond the massive doors, drawing a smile to my face. I don’t know how I know, but this is the place I’ve been looking for all night.

Two men stand in front of large wooden doors, eyeing me up and down as I approach. They don’t look like your typical bouncers. Both of them are on the smaller side and seem pretty harmless, but maybe this is the kind of place where force isn’t necessary.

“Hi. I was given a card.” I hand it over to the first man, a tall but lanky guy with dark hair and piercing eyes, and a haircut that takes me back to my emo years.

He looks it over and smiles. “Welcome to Lair. Head to the bar when you get inside and ask for the house cocktail and they’ll take care of you.”

“Thanks.”

“Enjoy,” says the other man, a petite blond who seems to be holding in a giggle.

Smiling, I nod as I pass and go through the double doors. Inside, I’m taken aback for a second. The lighting is very dim, making it hard to see details, but there’s a dance floor with writhing bodies, and various chairs and booths around the room are filled with people.

The interior decor matches the outside, giving the place a Gothic mansion feel, which makes sense with the name Lair. Deep red and black velvet furniture create comfortable sitting areas with chandeliers dotting the ceiling. The music isn’t anything I’ve heard before, but it vibrates through me and instantly makes me feel relaxed.

I search the area, finding the bar, and head in that direction, becoming aware as I do that there are a lot more men here than women. Oh. Is this a gay bar? I guess I should have asked. Or the woman who gave me the card should have. Unless it’s not and I’m just assuming. Or maybe I give off gay vibes. I definitely did in Ohio. Well, it’s fine. I can have fun anywhere, and I’m not some homophobic asshole who gets his balls riled up over someone thinking I might be gay.

The deeper I get into the club, the more aware I become of the attention on me, as if I can feel people watching me. I don’t feel like I’m out of place or dressed weird, so why are people looking at me?

I make it to the bar and lean against it, exhaling slowly while I wait for the bartender to notice me. When he does, he tilts his head before wiping his hands on a bar towel and sauntering over. He’s tall and has a thick head of silver hair, a silver beard, and piercing blue eyes that I swear see straight through me.

“What can I get you?” he asks.

“They said to ask for the house cocktail.”

He nods. “New here?”

“Yeah. Some woman handed me a card.”

“Jade. She goes out looking for the adventurous ones in the city.”

Jade. At least I didn’t imagine her. “This place looks cool. Is it, um…” I glance at the two men making out next to me. “Is it a gay club?”

The bartender chuckles. “Not expressly. It’s a whatever-you-like club. You can do anything or anyone that pleases you here.” He leans across the bar. “It’s only for the most open-minded among us.”

“I am.” I nod with confidence. “Very.”

“You wouldn’t be here if you weren’t. One house cocktail coming right up.”

He turns away from me and I check out the club now that my eyes have adjusted. Right away, what the bartender meant becomes very obvious. There are women with women, men with women, groups of people, and men with men, in various encounters from dancing to what just might be actual sex.

The dance floor has three cages on the back edge, slightly lifted, with the dancers inside putting on a show that captivates lots of admirers. A man jumps on one of the cages, clinging to the bars and dancing with the man inside. The dancer teases him, rubbing his ass between them and drawing applause from the crowd. Hell yeah. This place is perfect.

“Here you go.”

Turning to face the bartender again, I take the bright pink drink. “What do I owe you?”

“First one is always free. Have fun.”

“Cool. Thanks.”

I take a sip of the drink, noting how sweet it is, but tasty. After standing at the bar for a few minutes, I decide to take the plunge and head into the mix of people. I move through the crowd, and it’s an experience like no other. The air is thick and heated, but pleasant, almost as if the lust is palpable and passing over me as I walk. Wild.

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