Ash's nerves were not so dead that he could not feel the rhythmic beat from the bass the DJ was spreading throughout the club. He stood, as usual, upstairs in the VIP section and leaned over the half wall to watch the clubbers below. Human bodies swayed from side to side or up and down as the beats flowed through them. But they held no interest for Ash.
There was only one mortal that had caught his attention, the girl that had been here three times in the past week. She always did the same thing, entered the club, made her way to the bar and ordered herself a drink then went to the dance floor and stood in the corner between the wall and one of the high-backed booths.
She had just wandered in and was making her way to her position on the dance floor. Ash watched as she stood and gently swirled her alcoholic beverage around in its glass. She never seemed to actually drink it, just played with it. It seemed like such a waste to Ash, the Asp Hole wasn't exactly cheap and neither were the drinks. Based on the beautiful dresses she wore Ash figured she probably had the funds to afford buying expensive drinks and waste them. What she did with her money was no concern of his.
He watched as her delicate frame gently swayed to the beat of the music. She never actually danced, just kind of felt the music and moved slightly to the rhythm. Something about her always caught Ash's eye. Perhaps it was because she was the only person in the club that wasn't networking, trying to boost their social status. Or maybe it was that she was always alone and seemed to be waiting for something or someone. Maybe it was the fact that she seemed so real in a town of phonies and posers. It could also be that she was the most beautiful woman he had seen since his embrace.
He figured it was probably a little of everything that caught his attention. As smooth as silk Ash strode down the stairs, leaving the VIP section and walking out on to the dance floor he had just been watching. He had to act quickly, he knew the young woman's routine by now and knew that once she set her, still full, glass down on the back of the booth beside her she would make her way out of the club.
She had just put it down.
"May I have this dance?" The question bubbled its way out of Ash's mouth before he could even think about asking it. The woman looked up slightly at Ash with a pleasantly surprised expression on her face.
"You may." She smiled not revealing her teeth and Ash returned the same toothless grin. She held her hand out to him and he took it, leading her away from the wall. The beat was fast and loud, Ash gestured with his hand in a downwards swirling motion, his finger pointed at the floor and the DJ eased into a slower song.
"What's your name?" He asked as the woman turned her back to him and leaned against him, he placed his hands on her hips as they began to slowly rotate. He moved his body to match hers.
"Jess." She replied looking over her shoulder at him through her long eyelashes.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Jess. I'm-"
"Ash Rivers." She finished for him. "There isn't a soul in Hollywood that doesn't know who you are." Her tone was playful but it made him a little sad. His life had ended just as soon as it began, however no one else knew that it ended. He was technically supposed to stay out of the public's eye but he couldn't. He had lived for the fame, parties and attention...
The woman chuckled and looked at the floor. "Do you think I'm a gold-digger, just after your money and fame? Remember," she looked at him again from under her eyelashes. "You're the one that asked me to dance." Ash shook his head and tried to wipe the miserable expression that was undoubtedly on his face, off.
"No, I don't think that. Actually, I've noticed that you come in here often and you never dance." He grabbed her hand and gently spun her around so that she was facing him. Her arms instinctively wrapped around his neck and he could smell and hear the blood in her veins. He slightly turned his head towards her wrist and inhaled. The scent was intoxicating. He closed his eyes and focused on not turning into a blood drinking beast like Isaac had made him.
"I don't really like to dance." She replied and he focused on her voice and her body that moved with his. He knew that she could feel how cold his dead body was, but she didn't show any signs of discomfort as she moved closer so that their bodies were pressed against each other.
"Really? Then why come to a club?" He couldn't believe that she didn't like to dance, it seemed like second nature to her. "Were you looking for someone?"
"Aren't we all?" She replied in a quiet voice that Ash wasn't he'd be able to hear without his vampiric hearing. She wasn't looking at him, instead she watched the DJ, still moving to the beat.
Suddenly she raised her head and looked at Ash very seriously. "What time is it?" Her dancing halted and Ash released her as her arms uncoiled themselves from around his neck. He looked across the room and her gaze followed. He knew that she would not be able to see what he was seeing as he spotted a man wearing a watch, he was all the way at the front of the club.
"11:53" Ash told her. Her brown eyes widened slightly in an alarmed look.
"I have to go, I'm going to be late for work." She started to leave but then thought about something and stopped. She looked back at Ash and smiled before giving him a peck on the cheek. "Thank you for the dance." Then she hurried out of the club. Ash stood where she had left him and his hand found its way to his cheek. Her lips had been soft and warm. The first real human touch since he'd been embraced. It had felt... good. Reassuring almost, reassuring that he wasn't a complete monster; that the world he used to love was still there.
The corners of his mouth twitched upwards as he grabbed the drink that Jess had never sipped from and walked it to the bar. He handed it to the bartender and told him to "dump it." Then retreated to the safety of his VIP section where he thought about the one woman that might be able to change his bleak outlook on his new un-life. But he was getting ahead of himself; after all, it was just one dance.