Chapter 1 - Another Way Out
She groaned and rearranged her messenger bag on her shoulder.
Yup, she was lost. Again. The directions had been so easy! Three lefts, two rights, a straight hall, last door on the left, then two more rights and another left. Or had it been two lefts, three right, the straight hall way, first door on the right and then two more lefts and one last right? She really should have written them down.
"Deliver this package, Emmy," she mocked her friend's voice, "It'll be easy, Emmy, a quick in and out, no problem at all. Yeah, right."
Sure, getting in had been the easy part. Show security her pass, follow the signs and little directions to the drop off and then leave. Simple as that. Until she had to leave. She groaned and once again cursed her horrible sense of direction.
That was the last favor she ever did a favor Maciyia again. She barked a quiet laugh, "Yeah right, the last until she begs me to do just one little easy thing for her," she huffed, "Again."
She saw a sign hanging from the ceiling and had to push her copper bangs back to read it. Pushing her bangs back blocked her view and she didn't see the guy walking out in front of her until they had collided.
"I am so sorry!" she gushed as she gathered the things that had fallen from her bag, "I was trying to read a sign and I wasnt' watching where I was going. It doesn't help that I was lost too, and I'm just so sorry. I didn't -"
She stopped talking when she looked up at the person she had knocked over and was struck speechless. In his hand he held a golden mask that had dropped when they had fallen and she couldn't help but stare. He's eyes. They were a stunning green-grey combination that held her gaze. He was so handsome! Messy, shortish dark brown hair, straight nose with a septum piercing, strong jaw with a day's worth of stubble. He was wearing a black, long sleeved shirt with black suspenders attached to a pair of warn jeans, and a hoodie with the hood popped up over his head.
"I, uh," Emmy stuttered as she stared dumbfounded up at the very attractive man standing in front of her, "Um, uh, I, uh."
"Are you okay?" he asked as he stood, holding out his hand, "You didn't hurt anything did you?"
Emmy blushed darkly and thought she'd swoon from his voice alone, "I'm fine," she tried to say strongly but it came out weak and shaky, "Just a little out of sorts is all. I lost my way trying to leave and I have a horrid sense of direction."
He smiled and chuckled and Emmy's stomach did flips, this guy was too hot for his own good, "Well, I'll help you find you're way," he said still holding out his hand, "Do you need help up?"
"Oh!" she shook her head and made play that she was looking around to make sure she had picked everything to hide her ever-present blush, "Yes, thank you."
Of course he was just helping her out, she chided herself, he was probably a stage hand and would get fired if anyone were back here. He wasn't interested in her in the least, that was made evident by the lack of attention he paid her.
Then why does he keep holding your hand, a thought tingled at the back of her mind.
It was obvious, she scolded the thought, he doesn't want her getting lost again if she's not paying attention, that's all.
She frowned inwardly, besides, someone this attractive never noticed girls like her. She was too plain for his level of hotness, with her too curvy body, her too curly copper hair, and zero coordination. Nope, he'd never notice her even on a good day.
"My name is Daniel, by the way," he introduced himself looking back at her.
"My name's Emmy," she replied automatically, "It's nice to meet you, Daniel."
"You can call me Danny," he smiled at her and her heart jumped, "Everyone does."
"Danny," she nodded in assent, "You can just call me Emmy."
He chuckled and nodded his head, "Emmy," he said and she loved the way her name sounded on his lips, "It's nice to meet you. What were you doing back here?"
"Oh," she shook her head, "A friend asked me to deliver a package for her because she had a date or something as stupid and couldn't do it."
"Well, that's really nice of you to do," Danny said and stopped outside a hall and peeked around the corner, "Okay, be really careful and make sure no one sees us."
Emmy nodded her head even though he couldn't see her and Danny dashed across the open hall, dragging her along. She almost tripped but kept her balance with the help of Danny. He stopped and peeked back. With a sigh he turned his blue-grey-silver eyes back to her, smiling broadly, "That was close," he whispered.
"What was it?" Emmy asked in a whisper going to lean past him.
He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back against the wall, pressed firmly to his chest where she inhaled deeply, both from being startled and how wonderfully he smelt, "It's the band's security," he whispered in her ear making goose-flesh raise on her neck from the heat of it, "They can't see you with me."
Yup, she was right, if they got caught, he would get fired because of her. She nodded her head, making her pony-tail dance around and tickle Danny's neck, "Look, I don't want to get you fired or anything," she said and pulled back from him, "I'll find my own way out and you can just pretend you never met me. I'll get 'escorted' out and your job will be safe."
"Fired?" Danny looked down at her with a look of amused confusion until a light dawned behind his eyes, like he had just realized something and he laughed, "Trust me, you won't get me fired. Let's just make sure you don't get kicked out."
He took her hand once again and started speed walking down the hall and Emmy struggled to keep up.
She slowly became aware of a roaring sound, "What is that?" she questioned Danny.
"It's the fans," he said almost affectionately, "The band just got done performing and all the fans around crowded around outside waiting to see them."
"Man," Emmy breathed, "Being famous has to get tiring for them."
Danny looked over her shoulder like she was crazy, "Why would you say that?" he asked and then jerked her into a door, closing it gently and darkness surrounded them.
For a moment, panic gripped her and she stopped breathing, what was he doing?
"Security is coming down the hall," he leaned in and whispered in her ear softly as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, "Dont' move or they'll hear us in here. Why are you shaking?"
"It's really dark in here," she whispered back, unintentionally leaning into Danny's strong body, she could feel the heat coming off of him in waves and it soothed her.
"Well, they should pass by shortly," Danny assured her, "But while we wait, why dont' you explain what you meant."
"About the fame comment?" she questioned.
"Yeah," he answered softly, "Why do you think it would get tiring?"
"Well, think about it," she explained gently, "They are always moving, always on a schedule. They're followed by the press everywhere they go, so they have no privacy to speck of. They will constantly have to worry about girls only wanting them for their fame and money. I mean, how much freedom do they have, really?"
"What if they like the attention?" Danny countered.
"If they say that," Emmy said with a half-smile, she like the dark, it was making her brave, "Then they are lying to themselves."
They heard foot steps and voices approaching and Emmy held Danny tighter to her. Please, don't let them get caught, she begged the universe, just let them get out of this without anyone knowing about it.
"You can let go now," Danny whispered into the silence, "They're gone."
Emmy realized she was clutching Danny's torso and had her head buried in his neck, shaking badly, "Sorry," she apologized.
"I'm not," he said with his arms still around her shoulders, "You know, Emmy, I've never met a girl as honest and real as you, ya know."
"Really?" Emmy replied in real surprise.
"Yeah," Danny said, "Most chicks only come to me because of my looks or my position, so they'll say anything I want to hear to get what they want, but not you. I like that."
Emmy was thankful for the darkness as it hid the blush that bloomed across her face again, "Thanks, I think," she mumbled as she nervously bit at her lip.
"Okay," Danny said letting a breath out, "If I do something, do you promise not to hit me or get mad or anything?"
"It depends," she started and was silenced by when Danny's lips came down on hers, sending a shock wave of heat and electricity through her body. She was so shocked that she didn't respond for three seconds and then she melted against his rock hard chest, kissing him back as best she could.
Her head was spinning. This hot guy was kissing her! She wanted to squeal and jump for joy but she didn't want to break the kiss that summoned up a fire deep in her belly, making her hands come up of their own accord and wrap around Danny's neck, tangling her fingers in his hair. His hand ran down her back and gripped her hips hard, almost painfully, making her moan into his kiss. He reached a hand up and held her face, biting her bottom lip gently making her moan again and kiss back more passionately. She felt him tug at her pony-tail and then her abounding curls cascaded down her back and he ran fingers through them, grabbing a handful of her hair and pulling her too him, as if she could get any closer.
More foot steps sounded outside, with hurried voices following them, headed the same direction as before and Danny pulled back from his kiss and held her to him, as they waited for the steps to recede.
"It's safe now," Danny whispered but now it sounded different, husky, "We can go."
He sounded as if he didn't want to, like he was caught between options.
"We should," Emmy responded breathlessly, "Before we get caught and you get in trouble. This little pass thingy only gives me so much wiggle room."
Danny groaned, holding her tighter to him and she felt something hard press against her hip and she blushed, gasping lightly.
Danny chuckled lightly, "Sorry about that," he said, but he didn't really sound so sorry.
"It's okay," she said breathlessly, "But we should go."
Danny sighed and opened the door, blinding them for a moment, and ushered her out, "This way," he said and headed the way the guards had come from, "It's the quickest way out."
She went to answer when her phone went off, playing the intro to "Lion".
"Sorry!" she hissed pulling her phone out and answering it, "Not now, Mark!" she hissed in her phone, "Whatever it is I don't care right now. I'm busy and in deep shit. Call me later!"
She closed phone and put it to silent, "A friend," she said in answer to Danny's questioning look.
"You like Hollywood Undead?" he asked as he started them off again, taking a left.
"I love them," she answered simply, "I mean, I wish I could be a hardcore fan, ya know, go to their concerts and stuff, but I don't ever have the time or money, so I'm stuck just listening to the music Mark downloads on my phone."
"So you don't even know what they look like?" he asked like he didnt' believe her, "You listen to their music, you're a fan of them, and you don't know what the look like?"
"Not a clue," Emmy admitted, "I know, I don't seem like a good fan at all, do I? I should at least know that much, right? But nope! Hell! I don't really know any of their names, aside from the ones they say in the songs, like Charlie Scene, Da Kurlzz, and Funny Man. I just love their music. That's about all that matters to me."
Danny stopped and turned to her, giving her a look like he couldn't believe she were real, and leaned in to give her a hard, fast kiss, "I still can't believe it," he said when he pulled back and started them off again.
"Um, I'm confused," she confessed as she walked along with him.
"Let's just get you out of here first," Danny said as he took a right and she saw a door that said exit.
Emmy's stomach dropped, she didn't want to leave, not now.
"Here we are," Danny said hurriedly, "This will take you out into the parking lot, there will be security, but this thingy," he laughed as he used her word and flipped the pass that hung just below her breast, where his finger grazed the underside of them, causing her breath to hitch, "Will get you past them easily, just tell them you got turned around and they'll show you where to go with no fuss."
"Thank you, Danny," Emmy said softly looking down at the floor, holding her bag to her stomach, now becoming aware of herself, she felt like such an idiot!
"Emmy," Danny tilted her head up and she looked into his eyes, those eyes that refused to let go of her attention, "I meant what I said. Here," he took her phone and typed in it, "I'm taking a chance, but here."
He slipped her phone back into her pocket and then leaned in and kissed her hard one last time before running off and out of her site.