Page 62 of Twisted
“What do you look for?”
I get to my feet and roll my neck.“Strange deaths, certain signs, and I’m pretty good at locating demonic energy.”
“Oh, that reminds me!I reached out to my friend and she’s working on getting something together for you.”
“Really?Thank you so much.”Letting out a heavy sigh, I roll my neck.“You said the boys have business?”
She nods and then narrows her eyes.“Xavier didn’t tell you?”
“No.I, uh, haven’t seen him since last night.”The dinner lasted several hours, and I thought it went well despite the werewolves seeming to grow increasingly against a vampire-witch union.I could sense their apprehension, worried that the two kinds teaming up would make it damn near impossible to take down the Malus Family if it ever came to it.
When Xavier asked if I had any bad feelings on anything, I played it off, not wanting to be the one responsible for starting a war between vampires and werewolves based on a feeling.I still don’t know if he would have listened when I tried to explain that while they might have felt that way, it doesn’t mean they’d act on it at all.You can be completely annoyed by something or someone and not do anything about it.
A few moments pass before she speaks again, and while I can't understand what she’s feeling, it’s pretty obvious she’s dying to say something.“I don’t always know what they’re up to.And I don’t want to.All I want to know is what we are wearing and when should we leave to get blowouts?”
“As soon as the sun sets?”
Mabel jumps up and down.“Yes!I’ll go make some calls.You probably don’t have going-out clothes.We can shop, too!”
I smile, telling myself there’s nothing wrong with trying to enjoy the life I’ve been thrust into.“Yeah.That sounds fun.”
* * *
“All right, my little May Bells,”Mabel says to the livestream.“It’s about to get loud so I’m going to end the live here, but I’ll take you with me all night!Just follow my stories!”She blows a kiss to the camera and I wave goodbye before she ends the stream.She really is a natural and gained several thousand new followers just since yesterday.
The bouncer, knowing who we are, lets us bypass the line out the door and we go right into the nightclub.The place is packed already, alive with people dancing and partying.It’s 1990s night here tonight, and both Mabel and I are dressed inBuffy the Vampire Hunterinspired outfits, which she kept laughing about given the fact that she’s a vampire and I’m a hunter.The irony wasn’t lost on me, and I feel very comfortable in tight vegan leather pants, combat boots, and a black crop top.If only I could have strapped a couple of knives to my thigh, I would really feel at home.
We have a table reserved for us, and Mabel gets drinks for us right away.We’re up on the second floor, seated at a table that overlooks the dance floor from a balcony.
“Can you drink half of this?”she asks me, extending her vodka tonic my way.“I just want to hold it so it looks like I’ve been drinking it.”
“Yeah,” I say as her words sink in.I know she didn’t want to become a vampire, and now she wants to hold the drink so it looks like she’s human.I don’t drink often, so chugging half this cocktail hits me only moments later.
Mabel and I are having fun when a familiar feeling hits me.
“Hey,” I say to her and take another drink.“You said you wanted to hunt demons, right?”
“Yeah.I did say that.Are there demons here?”
“Yep.”I point, following where the dark energy is coming from.Anyone else would see a cocktail waitress carrying a bottle to a table.But I can see the darkness in her eyes.“The waitress and the two girls at the table behind her.”
“Ohhh, what kind of demons?”
I let my eyes fall closed for a moment, getting a better read on the energy.“Succubus.”
“Sex demons.Good place for it,” she chides and motions to people grinding on each other on the dance floor.“This place has a very sexy vibe.”
“That it does.”I watch the waitress give the bottle to a group of younger guys.They ask who sent it and she points to the girls at the table and they wave and giggle.The guys, who already seem a bit drunk, high-five each other, thinking they just scored and are going to get lucky tonight.
Little do they know, that’s exactly what these demons want.The guys head over and the two girls stand up, pointing to the back of the club.There are private rooms back there, meant to be reserved for parties or private events.
“This is going to be fun,” I say, finishing my drink and setting the glass down.Mabel takes my hand and leads me through the club, weaving our way around people.Right as we’re going down the stairs, I sense another wave of familiar energy.
But this time, it stops me in my tracks.
“Wren, what’s wrong?”Mabel asks, giving my hand a little tug.My face has gone white, and she follows my gaze to the people I’m staring at, who are also rooted to the spot.
Vivian and Marco Russo.
