Page 10 of Night's Fall
So of course, this wouldn’t be easy.
“You all right?”Catlainquired.
“Do not walk back through the tube,” the bot ordered. “Forwardonly, into the club.”
“Just go,”Iwhispered toCatla. “I’vegot this.”
Cat scanned my face.Then, wearing a worried expression, she glanced over my shoulder atGayle.
“Go.Let’sget her a drink,”Gayleurged.
Cat nodded, and with one last study of me, she turned and moved through the tube.
I stepped into it and slowly did the same, that feather-flutter coming back, and getting stronger.
I loved it and hated it becauseImissed it with all that was me, butIknew it wasn’t back.Itwas just panic and an illusion.
ByLilith, this was torture.
The flush had also returned to my skin, and by the timeImade the end of the tube,Ifelt short of breath.
Right.
What was wrong with me?
I was stronger than this, surely.
Yes,Iwas.
I squared my shoulders.
The club lay before me, andIwanted to take it in, but instinctively,Istepped aside soGaylilielcould join us, and my eyes went directly to a half-circle booth, the one dead center of a line of them that covered the back wall.
The lighting was dim, butInoted five people sitting in that booth.Theones around the edges of the group were illuminated (two females, two males).Butthe being at the back,Icould only make out he was male (not to mention the well-cut suit on his obviously well-honed body), butIcouldn’t make out his face.Hewas obscured by shadow.
I strained to see him,Ijust couldn’t.
However,Icould make out the fact that his head was turned in my direction, andIcould swear he was looking at me.
Actually, it felt like we’d locked eyes, and he couldn’t only see me, he could seeinsideme.
That was when every inch of my body started tingling.
By the gods,Iwas totally losing it.
I had to pull myself together.
With effortIwrenched my attention from that booth in order to scan the club.
This section of theP&Bcouldn’t be more different than the loud, lively, energetic vibe of thePinkRoom.
InPink, there was always a crush of people.Therewas a dance floor that was constantly heaving.Themusic was deafening and physical, thumping into your skin with each beat.Drinkswere expensive and mostly came in lurid colors and deadly concoctions.
Here, the music was a vague, sensual throb.Everythingwas black.Theelegant but comfortable furniture that made up the many seating areas in the center space, like it was one gigantic living room; the bar stools that lined the bar; even the shelves of booze and mirrors behind the bottles of liquor.Small, onyx-shaded lamp drones hovered over tables and above thoroughfares, genius in their placement and illumination.Justenough to see, not enough to expose.
Most every seat was filled, the hum of conversation subdued, as if the entirety of the company was talking in whispers, but it wasn’t crowded.
It was elegant, refined, minimal yet sumptuous.
