Page 29 of Spies without a Face
“No demons.” Cassandra laughed and shook her head.
I fiddled with the radio en route and squirmed in the passenger seat.
“You’re nervous,” Cassandra declared.
“I am,” I admitted.
“Why?”
“I’m out of practice.” I tapped one finger on my palm. “I might be the oldest one there.” I tapped another. “No one will be interested in an old witch.”
“Forties isn’t old.” Cassandra scoffed with an easygoing grin.
“That’s easy for a thirty-something to say,” I said.
Once we arrived at the venue off the highway and parked near the nondescript black brick building, Cassandra and I walked into the club. We’d been here before for girls’ night out and other small get togethers, but this was different.
The sense of being spied on jolted me, and I snapped my head around. Eyes stared at me from the dark shadows at the edge of the parking lot, and I gasped.
“What is it?” Cassandra asked.
“There.” I pointed to where I’d seen the eyes, but they were gone. “Something is out there.”
Cassandra followed where I gestured. “What?”
“I don’t know.” I pursed my lips, trying to formulate what I saw, which didn’t resemble anything I could concretely describe. “It was eyes. That’s all I could see. But they’re gone.”
“Should we investigate?”
I stared out into the darkness again. Nothing was there. Was I losing it? Or was this merely a side effect of my anxiety of coming here tonight?
“Let’s do a quick check.”
We walked through the parking lot. “Do you sense anything?”
“No.” Cassandra stared into the darkness with a serious expression. “Could it have been a raccoon. Or an owl?”
Something felt odd, but it wasn’t definitive. “Yes, it must have been something like that.” What was wrong with me? Just nerves again? Well, I wasn’t crazy about coming here tonight and could be looking for an excuse to avoid it. “Let’s go inside.”
We walked over to the entrance. Once I stepped inside, I turned back over my shoulder.
No eyes. No one was staring. I attempted to shake off the unease and walked into the club.
Ratt’s “Round and Round” played as we entered the club. The Danger Zone was designed in dark tones with skulls and a dungeon vibe, its ambiance like an 80s metal video. The scent of fruity cocktails and beer was strong. Various round tables were set up in the center of the floor, each with a number on top of it. Red and purple lights highlighted the bar, and several people milled about it. I gauged the ages. They appeared to range from late twenties to early fifties. At least, I wasn’t the old lady of the group. Since this was supernatural night, age didn’t matter as much as it did for humans. After all, many could be immortal.
Gianna was talking to a few people. When she spotted us, she strode over. She wore an electric blue and white sailor-type dress. It fit her snug down to her hips and then flared out.
I’d chosen a modest black dress myself, but it had some silver designs embroidered into it. Cassandra wore brighter colors with a dark pink top and silver skirt. We both wore strappy sandals, which brought us close but not reaching Gianna’s height.
“Hey ladies, I’m so glad you both made it!” Gianna clasped her hands together. “Come on, let’s get you a drink before we get started. Kylie made something special for the evening.” After Kylie poured us each a drink from glasses behind the bar, I accepted a glass with red liquid.
I arched a brow. “This isn’t some type of love potion, is it?” I teased.
“No,” she dismissed with a friendly wave. “The red is cranberry juice. Don’t worry.” She raised her glass. “And of course, I am incredibly careful of drinks being tampered with. Not only am I a club owner, but I experienced the joys of a tampered beverage.”
She had indeed. Gianna had been bespelled to age rapidly after a siren had put something into her drink. That was one of the instances that had made me think of Marius.
I glanced around the club with a sudden worry he could be here. No sight of him. I sniffed the drink and glanced inside for any signs it could have been tampered with. Kylie had it behind the bar, but you could never be too careful. I caught notes of cranberry and vodka. No indication of magic.
