Page 11 of The Book Reader
His back is covered in a sheen of sweat, the liquid running over a full tattoo of vines with roses, twisting around a heart. It’s black and moves like black smoke, surrounding his body in darkness. Huge muscles move under his skin with each hit of the hammer, his shoulders broad and strong.
Bang.
He hits for the last time, then falls to his knees with a thud so hard I swear the ground shakes under my feet.
Lifting his hand, I watch as he places something on the top of what I can now see is gravestone. “I’m so fucking sorry.” His voice is choked with tears; the sounds hit my chest like I’ve had all the air sucked out of me. I’m hit with a grief so strong; tears prick behind my eyes as I fight the whirling pain around my heart.
Stepping closer, my hand slowly reaches out to touch his back. Just inches before I connect with him, his body starts to fade so slowlyuntil there is nothing left.
He leaves me standing in front of the grave, a black Rose placed on top of it. I step forward, and my foot dings into something hard.
My eyes flick down. Staring back at me is a bottle of Black with a Dragon Crest curling around its neck,
I lower to pick it up when loud music starts echoing in my ears.
Frowning, my vision blurs. The lake pans out, stretching wide, the scene in front of me twists, making my stomach roll, before blackness swallows me again.
Blinking,my world fazes back to reality, I stare blankly at Kat. “What?”
She frowns, her voice full of concern. “Are you okay? You blacked out for a while then, where did you go?”
My mouth gapes open while my brain tries to work out what to say. I have no idea what just happened. That was like a vision.
Something I’ve not had in a very long time.
“I… er… was feeling a little sick, is all, I’m fine now, I think I just need to eat something, I’ll be….” My voice trails off when I notice a heavy weight pulling my hand down, my eyes lower, the bottle of Black is still firmly in my hand, the dragon and rose crest staring up at me.
Who was that man?
“Do you need me to cover for you?” Kat asks when I stop speaking.
Blinking, my eyes flick up to her, and I force a smile on my face. I know she would be more than happy to but going home right now scares me for some reason and the distraction of the club will keep my mind from wondering on what I can feel deep in my gut.
“No, you go home, enjoy your night off.” My smile wobbles a little, but she sighs, knowing not to argue. Instead, she grins back before bouncing over to me and hugging me. She grabs her stuff. “Boss, you’re pretty as hell. You should have a man on your arm, one to walk you home every night.”
“Night, Kat. Oh, and try not to terrorize anyone tonight.” I change the subject, not wanting to talk about it anymore.
She laughs and winks at me. “Now, where’s the fun in that?” I watch her walk over to where her latest “date” waits for her. Kat can be a perilous woman when she wants to be. I just hope he survives the night.
Thursday is typically a quiet night for the club. This evening though it seems like every daemon, witch and warlock has decided to stop by for a drink, a dance and a fight. Manny had to break up two burls. I used a glamor spell my Aunt May taught me on a woman who thought that hitting on a man with horns, with his wife sitting right next to him, was a good idea.
She is now sitting in the corner of the club, looking at a candle that she thinks is the most beautiful thing she has ever seen.
I’ve not had time to have a break yet, but I managed to watch Lucy dance—God, that girl can move. I’ve told her so many times that she doesn’t need to dance, that we have enough girls, but she insists, says it gives her a little time out. Who am I to question that?
Glancing at the clock I give Grace, one of the girls that works behind the bar, a nod to let her know I’m leaving. Picking up a bottle of water, I walk out from behind the bar and head towards the backstage door. At the end of the corridor, I knock on Lucy’s door before pushing it open. “Hey, chic,” I say, as I step inside.
She looks up at me and smiles before sighing. “Hey.”
Lucy has got to be the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen; she’s the same age as me, mid-twenties, with white-blonde hair that falls long down her back, she has these bright blue eyes that remind me of the sky on a hot summer’s day, and a smile that makes you want to smile right back. But tonight, that smile is missing.
“You okay?” I ask as I place the water on her desk and move to sit down on the chair opposite her. Lucy leans back in her own chair and closes her eyes before she speaks.
“Honestly? No. We’re overbooked this week for the VIP rooms. I’ve had one girl give me her notice, and Mekhi, who is supposed to DJ tomorrow night. Has called in sick.”
I hold my hand up to stop her. The ridiculousness of Mekhi calling in sick makes my lips twitch with laughter. “Hold on a second. Mekhi called in sick? He knows we live with him, right? He can’t call in sick.”
Lucy shrugs her shoulders as she raises an eyebrow. We both have our respective responsibilities that we look after for the club—Lucy oversees security, VIP, and the books for the mainclub. At the same time, I manage the bar, the dancers, the DJs, and the bar's books. Together, we have it all covered.
