I shivered and pulled my coat closer to my chest. Wearing this short of a dress surely was not a good idea for this time of the year, but I had finally turned eighteen. I could finally go to the place that had alluded me for so long. The place my parents had met, the place my cousin, Jeremiah, had mercilessly taunted me of: Josephine's (or Club Dead if you were in with the shape shifters). I had waited nearly all my life to experience this place. Now I know that sounds bad, a girl just turned eighteen and going to a club, but it wasn't like that. To me, it's a place to meet people like me, shape shifters. These kinds of people are harder to meet then one might think. They're everywhere, but still rather secretive. Even though they came "out of the woods" as must humans were calling it now, we still don't go around announcing it to everyone. That can make life a lot harder.
Well, I'm kinda getting ahead of myself. I'm Marilee Jones, shape shifter. Well technically a were-leopard. A snow leopard to be exact. There aren't many of us left. We don't even have a pack. It gets really lonely. The only ones left in my family are me, Jeremiah, and Aunt Libby. But we manage just fine by ourselves.
Usually Jeremiah would have taken me out, (I don't have a car of my own yet) but he's out with his new girlfriend, a were-panther named Casey. So I get to go alone. There wasn't a line yet, so I assumed it might be a slow night. Inside was a different story.
The club was beyond crowded. Shifters, weres, vamps, and even a few scattered humans were packed what should have been beyond limit into this environment. I had to squeeze between many males that paid a little too much attention to me.
I finally got to the bar and ordered a coke, no alcohol for me, of course. I surveyed the crowd for potential dance partners. As if reading my mind, a young guy a few years older than me slid next to me and asked me to dance to the upbeat song.
I learned a little about him while we danced. Well, first of all, he was gorgeous. The typical tall, dark, and handsome type. His name was Mark and he was 24. He said he was part of the local werewolf gang, I didn't hear the name.
Our bodies were pressed close together, moving in sync to the pounding music. I was starting to like him, until his hand slid a little too low for my tastes. I excused myself from his grasp and hurried back to the bar.
Quickly catching up to me, Mark said, "Hey, wait, please! I'm really sorry. I just got ahead of myself. Can you really blame me? You are gorgeous."
He had that stupid puppy dog face. Dang. I gotta forgive him.
"Alright," I said, you are forgiven." He smiled widely.
"I'm gonna get you a drink. Whatever you want. Pick anything."
"Coke," I told the listening bartender. Mark gave the man a ten and got a drink for himself too.
Not long later, we were laughing and having a grand time again. We danced mostly, until I was too exhausted to dance anymore. My words were starting to slur together now. Funny, I don't remember having a drink. Maybe I had and couldn't remember. No. I would remember. That must mean…Oh, crap. He did not seriously put something in my drink. And oh, god, does my head feel woozy!
"Did you pu-pu-put some-something in my drink?" I asked. He just smiled and grabbed my arm. He started to pull me toward a door at the back of the club. I tried to pull away, but I couldn't do much. I could barely feel my body now. I felt like I had just had the happy gas at the dentist, like I was floating on clouds. My vision was failing now and I wondered if Mark was going to kill me. I really hoped not because if he did, Jeremiah would be really pissed. Somewhere far away, I could hear yelling. Then I blacked out.
