Part 9
"So where are we going?" Erica asked, following Dathan down the quiet dark streets.
"We're going to a club," he told her. "It's called the Black Rose, it's only a few blocks from here."
Erica nodded, wishing she'd warn a warmer jacket. It was still hot, but a chill was running over her, making her flesh break out in goosebumps.
Something about Dathan's attitude and manor was beginning to disturb her. She had pretended not to notice the car watching her house. She remembered Trinia's warning to be careful.
It wasn't like Dathan had actually *done* anything to her. He'd only been nice, questioning her a little *too* much, maybe, but she had thought nothing of it.
She hated herself for not being able to make much conversation. He must be tired of her silence. "Are you okay?" he asked, as if reading her thoughts. "You've gone kind of quiet."
Erica could feel heat flushing up her cheeks. She found herself glad it was dark and he wouldn't be able to see her. "Sorry, back home I was kind of a loner," she admitted. "I'm not really used to talking to people."
"Oh. Well, we're here now. We'll get you talking to some people."
Erica managed a polite smile. The "club" didn't exactly much of a club. It was an old house, large and dark. A window downstairs was lit briefly as she and Dathan walked up the path. Glancing around she could see the windows in the basement flashing reds, blues and purples.
The door creaked open barely enough for her and Dathan to get inside. Erica was almost suspicious. "What, is this supposed to be a secret or something?" She smiled slightly.
Dathan didn't smile back. "Yes, actually. It's private. Members only. You can't tell *anyone* you were here." He reached out lifting her chin, forcing her to meet his stunning green eyes. "Do I make myself clear?" Even in the gloom Erica could see his expression was deadly serious.
"Yes, I won't tell anyone," she said carefully.
Dathan nodded and looked her hand leading her down a flight of stairs. Erica glanced back up, shuddering as she thought she saw a gleam of eyes in the darkness.
Pounding dance music filled her ears she Dathan opened another door and led her through. She found herself extremely glad he hadn't asked her to meet him here.
The place was poorly lit, she could hardly see a thing through the twisted dark lights of the dance floor. Dark figures surrounded her on either side. She found herself almost clinging to Dathan.
Dathan was leading her to a table where a single candle burned in the centre. "You remember Caleb and Ridge."
Erica recalled them from school that afternoon. She hadn't seen the girls with them before. "That's Li, and that's Aida."
Erica began to wonder if any of Dathan's friends had normal names. Then again, they didn't appear to be normal people, or what *she* perceived to be "normal people."
Her nerves were singing. She had no idea of what to talk about with these people. They were all looking at her, Li and Aida frowning slightly.
"Where's Scarlet?" Li asked finally.
"Don't know," Dathan answered carelessly.
"You broke up?" Ridge asked hopefully.
Dathan's eyes flashed. "Hardly."
Ridge sighed. "Damn."
Caleb poked him. "As if you stood a chance!"
"Like you would!"
"This conversation is totally pointless because *neither* of you stand a chance with Scarlet," Dathan snapped.
"Spoil sport," Ridge muttered.
"Didn't you ever learn to *share*?" Molochi added.
Their choice of conversation made Erica even more uncomfortable. One thing everyone she'd met today had managed to talk about had been the same thing - Scarlet Blackthorn.
So what part did Erica have to play in this? All her excitement and admiration for Dathan had dwindled dramatically. She found herself hoping his friends wouldn't want to take her on board. She only had to get through one date. She could survive until the end of the night.
Or at least she thought she could.
* * *
"So where are we going?" Erica asked, following Dathan down the quiet dark streets.
"We're going to a club," he told her. "It's called the Black Rose, it's only a few blocks from here."
Erica nodded, wishing she'd warn a warmer jacket. It was still hot, but a chill was running over her, making her flesh break out in goosebumps.
Something about Dathan's attitude and manor was beginning to disturb her. She had pretended not to notice the car watching her house. She remembered Trinia's warning to be careful.
It wasn't like Dathan had actually *done* anything to her. He'd only been nice, questioning her a little *too* much, maybe, but she had thought nothing of it.
She hated herself for not being able to make much conversation. He must be tired of her silence. "Are you okay?" he asked, as if reading her thoughts. "You've gone kind of quiet."
Erica could feel heat flushing up her cheeks. She found herself glad it was dark and he wouldn't be able to see her. "Sorry, back home I was kind of a loner," she admitted. "I'm not really used to talking to people."
"Oh. Well, we're here now. We'll get you talking to some people."
Erica managed a polite smile. The "club" didn't exactly much of a club. It was an old house, large and dark. A window downstairs was lit briefly as she and Dathan walked up the path. Glancing around she could see the windows in the basement flashing reds, blues and purples.
The door creaked open barely enough for her and Dathan to get inside. Erica was almost suspicious. "What, is this supposed to be a secret or something?" She smiled slightly.
Dathan didn't smile back. "Yes, actually. It's private. Members only. You can't tell *anyone* you were here." He reached out lifting her chin, forcing her to meet his stunning green eyes. "Do I make myself clear?" Even in the gloom Erica could see his expression was deadly serious.
"Yes, I won't tell anyone," she said carefully.
Dathan nodded and looked her hand leading her down a flight of stairs. Erica glanced back up, shuddering as she thought she saw a gleam of eyes in the darkness.
Pounding dance music filled her ears she Dathan opened another door and led her through. She found herself extremely glad he hadn't asked her to meet him here.
The place was poorly lit, she could hardly see a thing through the twisted dark lights of the dance floor. Dark figures surrounded her on either side. She found herself almost clinging to Dathan.
Dathan was leading her to a table where a single candle burned in the centre. "You remember Caleb and Ridge."
Erica recalled them from school that afternoon. She hadn't seen the girls with them before. "That's Li, and that's Aida."
Erica began to wonder if any of Dathan's friends had normal names. Then again, they didn't appear to be normal people, or what *she* perceived to be "normal people."
Her nerves were singing. She had no idea of what to talk about with these people. They were all looking at her, Li and Aida frowning slightly.
"Where's Scarlet?" Li asked finally.
"Don't know," Dathan answered carelessly.
"You broke up?" Ridge asked hopefully.
Dathan's eyes flashed. "Hardly."
Ridge sighed. "Damn."
Caleb poked him. "As if you stood a chance!"
"Like you would!"
"This conversation is totally pointless because *neither* of you stand a chance with Scarlet," Dathan snapped.
"Spoil sport," Ridge muttered.
"Didn't you ever learn to *share*?" Molochi added.
Their choice of conversation made Erica even more uncomfortable. One thing everyone she'd met today had managed to talk about had been the same thing - Scarlet Blackthorn.
So what part did Erica have to play in this? All her excitement and admiration for Dathan had dwindled dramatically. She found herself hoping his friends wouldn't want to take her on board. She only had to get through one date. She could survive until the end of the night.
Or at least she thought she could.
* * *