Chapter 8: Stranger At The Club - Mei

Once Lacey finishes Evalyn’s hair we’re finally ready to leave. We all split up into two cars. Amelia, Marcus, Vitali, and Eric get into Marcus’ truck and Chris, myself, Tyson, and Evalyn climb into Chris’ gold SUV with black chrome rims. It used to be black and silver, but he changed the colours to represent me.

I know it seems silly – especially since I don’t drive – but he said he just wanted to incorporate me more into his life. He looked so nervous and embarrassed when he showed me – It was adorable. I loved the gesture and honestly, I think it looks really cool.

I lost track of how long we were driving, I was busy just enjoying the scenery and the conversations, so before I knew it we were parked, jumping out and heading towards the club. We were parked around the corner and could hear the music before we even got out of the car – that’s advanced hearing for you. As we make our way toward the entrance I can feel the nerves starting to creep up on me. I’d managed to have them under control until now.

'You don’t have to do this. We can just turn around and go home and enjoy an evening together,' Chris reassures me through our link as he brings us to a stop. I look up at him and once again his face is full of concern. I hate how much I make him worry. I don’t want him always having to worry about me, but with our bond, he always knows when something is wrong, and I feel bad for that sometimes.

I shake my head, 'I’m nervous, but I want to do this. I want to live a little like everyone else.'

He nods, 'Okay, but the moment it’s too much for you give me the signal and we’re heading home to binge-watch stuff on the TV,' he says firmly.

I smile and reach up to place my lips on his. His arms wrap around me, and he lifts me off the ground with ease making me squeal against his lips. He doesn’t put me down or stop kissing me as he walks us to the entrance. I wrap my arms around his neck and bask in his excitement and his love that I can feel through our bond, letting it calm me. Our lips continue to move in perfect synchronicity, his kisses possessing and comforting me at the same time.

I can tell when we have stepped inside, and he slowly parts his lips from mine and sets me on my feet making me pout.

“We can pick up where we left off, at home,” he says with a gorgeous smile as he caresses my cheek. I smile happily at him, suddenly eager to get back home. I sometimes wonder if Chris has the gift of healing because his kisses sure are magical.

“Let’s go find somewhere to sit,” says Amelia to our group. Even though the music is blaring, she doesn’t have to yell, we can hear her just fine. I finally take the opportunity to take in the location and my jaw nearly drops to the floor.

Is this what a club looks like? I’ve never seen anything like it!

The space is enormous and illuminated with neon pinks and blues. To the left of the door is a bar with a lot of people lined up for drinks. The walls are painted black and mirrors with silver borders are spaced out on the walls around the club. There is a staircase to the right of the entrance that leads to a second floor, but I can’t see what’s up there.

People are everywhere – especially in the centre of the club. The dancefloor is a square space lower than the rest of the floor; you descend three steps that are illuminated with white lights that make up the dancefloor border and then the dancefloor itself also lights up. The lights under the floor match the beat of the music and against the far wall is a small semi-circular stage and a DJ booth. There are so many things to look at and take in that my eyes can’t stay in just one place.

I feel Chris wrap his arm around me and tug me with him as we join the others at one of the seating areas. Vitali and Eric are seated on one of the many plush silver lounges found around the room, as are Marcus and Amelia. Chris and I sit on a couple of silver ottomans opposite Vitali and Eric with the drinks table between us. I look around to see Tyson and Evalyn have already disappeared somewhere onto the dancefloor.

“How are you liking the club scene so far?” Asks Eric.

I smile and look around, “It’s very loud, but I like how colourful it is. Though the smell is…” I trail off trying to think of the right words.

“Disgusting,” laughs Vitali. “You can say it. The downside of coming here when you have a supernatural nose, you can smell the body sweat and various other scents that I will not taint your delicate ears with,” he says while patting my knee.

He doesn’t have to say it. I can smell the sex and many other bodily fluids and the intermingling of so much perfume and cologne. It’s extremely unpleasant, how do they stand it?

“Just focus on me,” Chris says, kissing my cheek. Now that I can easily do. I smile and lean into him and breathe in his heavenly aroma, letting it shield me from the unpleasant scents in the room.

“I’m going to go get us some drinks, what does everyone want?” Marcus asks.

“Dry martini, please,” says Eric as he leans into Vitali.

“Gin and tonic,” says Vitali.

“Sea Breeze for me, thanks,” says Chris.

“Long Island iced tea please, babe,” says Amelia.

Marcus gives me a sweet smile, “Mei, would you like anything?”

“Oh, um, just sparkling water, please.”

“As you wish,” he nods with a smile. He gives Amelia a swift kiss on the cheek and then goes off to get the drinks. Just as he walks off Vitali pulls a flask out of his leather jacket, opens it, takes a swig then passes it to Eric and Amelia. He then offers it to Chris who shakes his head.

“Not when I’m driving,” Chris tells him.

Vitali rolls his eyes, “You’re a wolf, one sip won’t impair you.”

“No, none of the drinks from the bar will impair me, but Tezus is another story and I’m not taking risks, especially not with Mei in the car,” he says and from his tone, he won’t budge.

“You make it sound like one sip is going to cause you a car accident,” he sniggers.

“Vitali, drop it. He doesn’t want any, end of discussion,” Amelia says in a hard voice. Chris mouths ‘thank you’ to her and she smiles back.

“Maybe someone could teach me to drive,” I suggest to everyone.

“You want to learn? How come?” Amelia asks curiously, but with a bright smile.

“I don’t particularly want to drink,” I tell them. Pack members getting drunk at Albus Mons usually resulted in me blacking out in a pool of my own blood. Safe to say it put me off alcohol permanently. Chris knows this. “And Chris shouldn’t have to miss out for my benefit. If I learn to drive then he can enjoy himself,” I chirp, proud of my idea.

“Could you be any sweeter?” Eric gushes making me blush.

“Love, I don’t need alcohol to enjoy myself, but if you want to learn to drive I’ll gladly teach you,” Chris says happily.

“I think I would still like to learn,” I tell him as I feel excitement bubbling inside me. Knowing how to drive means I could take myself anywhere, whenever I wanted. Such a simple freedom that so many take for granted.

“Consider it done,” he says echoing my excitement.

As the night goes on I find myself having a wonderful time. I even got on the dancefloor and danced with everyone. I danced with Amelia and Evalyn, I danced with the guys and I, of course, danced with Chris.

Dancing with Chris was like we were in our own little bubble and nothing and no one else existed. It was perfect. However, I couldn’t shake this uncomfortable feeling of being watched. I would periodically glance around to see if I could spot anyone looking in my direction, but there was nothing, yet the feeling never went away. In fact, it got stronger as the night went on.

Eventually, while we were seated back at the lounges the feeling of being watched came over me again, only much more intense and I could feel a slight vibration coming from across the room. It was different to the kind of vibration I feel around Chris. Chris’ vibration also comes with a tugging sensation, this vibration doesn’t. It’s a bit weaker and has a completely different rhythm. I look behind me and through the crowd, across the room, I lock onto a pair of rich brown eyes.

Sure enough, there is a man on the other side of the room staring at me, and even though I’ve seen him he doesn’t look away. He looks about 5’9”, with jet black hair that is styled with gel; has cool, beige skin, defined cheekbones and wisps of black hair above his lip and on his chin. He has Asian features and if I had to guess, I’d say he was Chinese – like me. He’s wearing a pin-stripe black suit with matching black slacks, shiny black shoes, and a crisp white shirt with three buttons undone. He looks expensive and is projecting wealth and power, but something about the way he’s looking at me has me wanting to shed my skin – not that I actually can.

I can vaguely hear someone speaking to me, but I can’t seem to turn away from the stranger’s eyes. There’s something about him I can’t put my finger on.

“Mei? Is everything alright?” Asks Amelia.

“Huh?” I ask finally pulling my eyes away from the man to look at a concerned Amelia sitting up in Marcus’ lap. “Oh. Yes, I am fine, I just…” I trail off glancing back to where the man was, but he’s no longer there. “There was a man over there looking at me,” I quietly say. Both Amelia and Marcus are up on their feet, their eyes scanning around the club. Even Vitali and Eric are looking around on alert, but unable to see anything suspicious. “I swear he was there. He… there was something familiar about him,” I whisper, still not really sure what I even mean by that. How do you describe a foreign feeling?

“It’s okay, we believe you. If you see him again you let us know straight away, got it?” Amelia tells me. I give her a fierce nod. Thankfully Chris returns with drinks, but he knows something is wrong.

“Is everything okay? What happened?” He asks in a rush, sitting down beside me, putting the drinks on the table. There I go worrying him again.

“Mei said there was someone across the room watching her. We didn’t get a look at the guy, but he seems gone now,” Amelia tells him. I almost wish she hadn’t. A growl rumbles in his chest as he pulls me close, his eyes darting around searching for a threat; his body becoming tense.

I sigh. “Chris, I’m okay, nothing happened,” I reassure him, placing my hand against his cheek.

“Some low-life was looking at what isn’t his and making you uncomfortable, that’s not okay,” he says forcefully. I can feel the anger he and Axel are feeling.

'I say we find him and rip his head off,' Axel growls in my mind. Always wanting to rip people’s heads off.

'And if he’s human?' I argue.

'Then it’ll teach him to keep his eyes to himself,' he says nonchalantly.

'Axel, you know you can’t do that,' I carefully remind him.

He sighs, 'A wolf can dream, my Sweet One. Are you okay?' He asks softly.

I’ve seen this wolf rip into people and wolves with no mercy, but for me, he’s the sweetest, most gentle beast ever created. I feel very lucky.

'I promise I’m fine. I’ve told you; you and Chris worry too much,' I lightly chide.

Chris snorts, “And we keep telling you there is nothing you can do about that. Even if you were Goddess Morrtemis herself, we would still worry about you, Mei. You’re everything to us, the thought of anything happening to you, or me losing you, terrifies me. I couldn’t cope if something like that were to happen. I understand how Kylie felt because I would end up the same way,” he says adamantly making me gasp.

I fiercely shake my head, “Don’t say that.”

“It’s the truth, xingan baobei. My life is nothing without you,” he says as he presses his forehead to mine.

My throat constricts and my heart clenches. I don’t want to think of a world that doesn’t have Chris in it. Chris is what makes my life worth living, he makes the world brighter just by being in it. A world without him is too sad for me to think about. I wrap my arms tight around his neck burying my face in his neck, taking in deep lungfuls of his scent to soothe the aching in my chest.

“I don’t want to think of a world you don’t exist in. I can’t,” I choke holding back a sob.

He tightens his arms around me and yet it’s not tight enough. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll never leave you and you better not leave me either,” he warns.

I furiously shake my head, “Never, ever, ever!” I exclaim.

“Good,” he says capturing my lips in a kiss, but this kiss is different. It’s fiercer and knocks me senseless. His fingers find their way into my hair as he holds my head in place; his lips expressing all his love, his fear, and his desire while he growls against my lips making me shiver. He’s never kissed me like this before, but I want more of it. I want to drown in it. I hold myself tighter to him, returning his kiss as I let it consume my senses.

Time and space slip away and all I want is him.

Our lips break apart as we gasp for air; my head spinning deliciously.

“Well, I guess I can cross ‘watch my brother have a fierce make-out session’ off my bucket list,” I hear Evalyn say making my cheeks heat up.

“Why was watching your brother make out with someone ON your bucket list?” Asks Eric in a confused voice.

“It’s just an expression,” she retorts, and I can almost hear her rolling her eyes.

“I’m pretty sure it’s not an expression of any kind,” Vitali laughs.

They slip into their usual bickering, but I can’t take my eyes off Chris. His hazel-green eyes twinkle under the neon lights and his smile speaks to my soul. We’re lost in our own world and as much as I’m loving it, I really can’t wait to get home now.