Chapter 8

Nadia ran to the cab. The rain was coming down in sheets. Bonnie had dropped her off at home shortly after the movie was over. She and Bonnie shared a pot of coffee before she left. Once Bonnie had gone, Nadia began preparations for a night out.

She climbed into the grimy yellow cab and shook water from her arms. "Where ya headin' again missy?" The old man behind the wheel turned to face her. He looked like an antique.

"Do you know where Club Rage is?" She patted her face dry with a kleenex that he had handed her.

His bushy grey eybrows arched. "That's in Banesville. You sure ya want to spend that kind of money to get there? It's an hour's drive, almost out of my range."

She straightened out one of her silver rings and nodded, "I promise I'll pay you. I'll just get a ride on my way back, so you won't have to wait for me."

The old man sighed and pulled away from the curb. "You know, you'd be a whole lot prettier without all that goop on yer face. Don't see why ya want to go to that awful place. The people to go there just aren't right. Got a few screws loose or somethin'."

Nadia held back a chuckle. Some people just didn't understand how nice it was to become another person. It did seem though, that you had to look to find those who did understand what that meant. Finding those people in Fells Church was impossible. She had to go on the internet to find the nearest rave club. There she would find people who liked the nightlife. It was around an hour's drive, but it was worth it for a bit of fun every now and then.

The rest of the long drive was spent in silence. The old man's gray eyes would occasionally wander up to the rear view mirror and thoughtfully glance at her. His gnarled hands gripped the wheel as he drove. He seemed like the type that everyone wanted as a grandfather. He was old, a bit flaky, but had the greatest of intentions. Nadia didn't know her grandfather. She didn't know much about her life either, but she was learning.

Once they finally got to the club and she climbed out of the cab. The driver took his payment and asked if she was sure she wanted to be there. She simply laughed and nodded. She walked through the parking lot and joined the line of people waiting to get in the club.

She wore a burgandy silk shirt with flowing puffed sleeves. The black leather corsette squeezed her and pushed her breasts up, so they demanded attention from the deep square-cut neck line. Her black leather skirt ended mid-thigh. The knee high black leather boots didn't impede her grace even by an ounce. Her legs were wrapped in fishnet stalkings. Along with her silver rose locket she wore a spiked collar and snake-like earrings dangled from her ears. She donned several silver rings and on her left index finger a silver finger cuff. On her right wrist was a spiked bracelet to match her collar and several chain bracelets and bangles were on her left wrist. A silver boot chain was on the ankle of her right boot. Her ebony hair was twisted into a spikey bun and pinned with two wolf headed hair pins. Her makeup was smokey and wispy, giving her an eerie appearance. Her lipstick was a burgandy that matched her shirt. In a nutshell, she fit in with the crowd perfectly.

When she finally reached the door, she handed the bouncer a twenty for the entrance fee. He took her money, checked her ID, stamped her hand, and let her pass through. The man looked like the steryotypical bouncer too. He was the three B's: big, burly, and bald. He looked like he could have been a wrestler at some point in his life.

Once inside she was surrounded by pounding music from giant speakers that were hung on the walls. Strobe lights flashed everywhere. Black lights lurked all over the ceiling. A fog machine filled the dance floor with a grey haze. The dance floor was packed with people. There were very few available seats at the bar and all the booths were jammed with people. Most everyone there was dressed out of the ordinary.

She squeezed into an empty spot at the bar and ordered a beer. After a minute or two she was tipping back a cold beer and watching the crowd. She was a lurker. She often came to places like this alone just to watch the people. She just felt comfortable being in the background sometimes. She learned a lot about people just by watching them. It was fun actually, watching people be who they truly were rather than a librarian, executive, or even a bag boy. They were all butterflies and she could watch them climb from their daytime crysalyses. It was rather amazing actually.

A slender man in head-to-toe black nudged her left shoulder. "Want to buy some candy?" His grin was filled with impossibly white teeth. He reminded her of the wolf from Little Red Riding Hood. His grey eyes shifted a bit, "Well?"

"What flavor?"

"I've got the happy train baby, but if you have other tastes I am sure I can find you a hook."

She had never tried XTC and figured it was worth a try. She was one for experimentation. She had tried many drugs, but they were mostly the small timers, like pot. "What's the fee?"

His glossy eyes gave her the once over, "For a pretty bird like you the first one is on me. After that fifty cent will get you one go."

"Oh how sweet of you," she smiled and he shook her hand, palming a pill to her.

"That's why they call me Candy Man baby." He handed her her beer and waited for her to take the pill. "Well little bird, I am going to see if anyone else has a sweet tooth. If you need anything else just ask for the Candy Man."

She nodded as she downed the rest of her beer. Within minutes she could feel the pill taking effect. She felt all giddy. She floor seemed to tilt a bit, but it wasn't like when she had too much to drink. She giggled at nothing in particular. Upon seeing that she was getting a bit loopy the bar tender shook his head and laughed. "You met Candy Man?"

She giggled with a nod, "Da."

"You don't look like you're having much fun. Why don't you go dance. You'll have a blast out there," he nodded toward the crowded dance floor.

She nodded with a giggle and pushed away from the bar and wandered onto the dance floor. She squeezed into the crowd with ease and began dancing with everyone. Her dance really had no form but went with the wild music. The pounding music seemed to flow through her very being. The colors surrounded her like a rainbow colored cloud.

*** *** ***

Damon had been sitting in a booth with some girl, possibly dinner, when he saw her. It was Bonnie's new little friend. She was dancing with all the other sheep on the floor. His handsome lips tickled with a smile as an idea crept into his dark thoughts. 'That would teach Bonnie. I am not what she thinks I am.' His smile turned into a sneer as he stood from the booth with cat-like grace. He turned to see the brunette was attempting to follow him. Coldly, he pushed her back down in her seat. "I'm done with you mousey."

Of course his dinner wasn't too happy. Her brown eyes narrowed into a hateful glare and her mousey little nose scrunched up as if she had smelled something foul. "Ass," she snarled through her thin lips. His smile was quick to shadow his features as she angrily strightened her blue velvet top. "Am I not good enough for a quick screw?!" Her cheeks were red with fury. She had no idea what was in store for her before he had spotted a new girl to prey upon. If she had known, she would have thanked her lucky stars.

"You just don't realize just how lucky you truly are." Without another word he began walking to the dance floor. He floated through the crowd like a shadow. They all danced around him as if he weren't there at all. The loud and pounding music simply faded into the back of his thoughts. His main focus was Bonnie's friend. She was his target and everyone around them was oblivious. It was as if he was a dream. It was so perfect. He could feed in broad sight and no one would be the wiser. Feeding had never been so easy in his entire vampiric existance. He was like a child in Playland.

His dark eyes narrowed as he closed in on her. She turned to face him, all the while, she continued to dance. Her eyes were so dialated that they looked like dark pools within her eyes. It was all too obvious that she was under the influence of a drug of some form or another. She willingly let him put his arms around her. He was almost surprised when she in turn put her arms around his shoulders, almost. Her giggle sounded slightly like chiming bells. He leaned in close and he could smell her vanilla perfume. Even deeper still, he could smeel the hot blood that flowed through her veins and arteries. The thick coppery smell made his jaw ache with anticipation. His lips barely brushed against her skin as he began to open his mouth wider.

His fangs didn't even have the chance to scratch her delicate flesh when all the overhead lights blasted on with an accusing glare. It was like the lights had been watching him all along. A woman's screams peirced the suddenly silent air. The crowd murmured with confusion and Damon looked in the direction of the screams. His eyes narrowed, quite snake-like. "Wouldn't you know it, such bad timing," his voice was an almost inaudible hiss. She giggled again when he pulled away from her. He laughed when he saw that the girl was completely unaware that something was very wrong. The fact that she was flying so high on whatever she had taken that she was still dancing was very funny to him. To make things funnier there were only two other people in the same state of mind. 'Simple drug test, cut the music and see who still dances.'

He faded away into the crowd, like a shadow again. He pushed his way towards the screams. When he finally reached the back of the club the paramedics had just arrived. Police were just begining to question the club patrons. A girl, who was more than obviously hysterical, was wrapped in a blanket. She was being guided outside by a female police officer and a paramedic. What appeared to be a body was propped in a booth with a sheet draped over it. Damon smiled as a crime scene investigator was taking photos and the police were still questioning people. 'Ironic, one little body can turn a fun house into a circus. What fun.'

Bonnie's little buddy would just have to wait. Last thing he wanted to do was waste a perfectly good night with the cops. He let the shadows creep over him and pull him in. He was gone before anyone even knew he was there. In and out, no questions asked. Fade in, fade out. That was Damon's choice way to operate.