Chapter 1

 Storm

Seven years later

The music out here in the woods was blaring out of the speakers that had been set up earlier in the day, and the pounding of the beat of the bass was enough to make my ears ring. The air around me was thick and heavy, with the stench of alcohol, sweat, cigarette smoke and pot, which was mixing in with the smells of sex, lust and arousal which were also thick in the open air. Lost in my own little world, I moved my body seductively to the beat of the music.

My body was drawing the attention of every horny male around me. I was dressed in a pair of black leather pants which fit me like a second skin. I had matched the pants with a silver sequined long sleeved crop top, and a pair of rhinestone platform silver high heels. Not the wisest of choices for being out in the woods… but… oh well. My clothes may not have been showing any skin, but they were tight, and they certainly didn’t leave much to the imagination. As I danced, I looked around at the girls around me. They were dressed in skimpy skirts and tops which showed plenty of skin. My friend Kat called these types of clothes, “easy access” clothing. Kat was around here somewhere dressed in one of those outfits.

 I had pulled my hair up tonight. It was in a high ponytail. I was glad of my choice, because it was hotter out here then I had thought it would be. Though, I shouldn’t have been surprised. We were out in the woods in the middle of summer, and the only light we had out here was from several fires which had been lit. It had taken ages for the piles of brush and branches to be stacked up and lit, and the fires had been burning for hours now. The heat emanating from each of them was intense, and the guys were making sure they were kept well stocked with branches. My fit and well-muscled, body was drawing the eyes of the men around me as I danced. They were clamouring for my attention, drawn to me, just like moths to a flame. The scars which tattooed my skin, were covered by my clothing, allowing me the opportunity to at least pretend to be normal while I was out having fun.

As I danced, moving my body seductively to the beat of the music, I tried to keep a safe distance from the other people who were dancing. Although my outfit made me look sexy as hell, I was not wanting to deal with any drunk and sex-crazed men who had wandering hands. While I will admit that I was proud of my toned physique, and I worked hard to stay in top shape, I was only looking to have some fun tonight, and by fun, I didn’t mean looking for a casual hook up.

 Like a lot of young women, I had a problem with males pushing up on me and gyrating on me while I tried to dance. So, I kept away from the groups of people dancing to the music. In my little space, I moved my hips around to the beat of the music, just like a Latin belly dancer. I was just letting loose and having a good time. Tonight, I had decided that I was going to try to dance and drink away my problems like an ordinary teenager. I just wanted to forget everything that was going on in my screwed-up life right now and live for the moment. So tonight, I had come here to the bonfire party to let loose and forget.

I continued to move my hips to the beat of the music, and as I did, a few guys made their way over to me, getting closer than I would like. One man grabbed from behind me by the hips, pulling me up against him. As he pushed up against me, I felt the evidence of his arousal pressing into me. Ripping his hands away from me, and pushing away from him, I threw the guy who had grabbed me a hard glare, before I quickly turned away from the group of men and made my way over to the bar. As I walked away, they called out to me, calling me unflattering names, but I didn’t care. They were losers, and I had no time for them.

Hastily making my way around the crowd of bodies that were still dancing; and doing my best to avoid the hands of sleazy guys who were trying to grope me as I made my way past them, I quickly approached one of the makeshift bars, which, like all the other makeshift bars that had been set up out here tonight, had been set up where they would get the best light from the bonfires. I decided I had had enough of dancing for the time being, and I needed a drink or three to help improve my mood, which had been soured by the sleazy handsy guy I had just had to deal with. Truth be told, I shouldn’t even be here. I was only seventeen, and if Winter knew I was here, she would freak out.

While I was standing at the makeshift bar, I wiped the sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand. It didn’t take long for the bartender to see me and come over to take my order.

“Two shots of tequila and a bourbon neat, please?” I shouted, making sure that the bartender could hear me over the loud pounding music.

The bartender nodded in acknowledgement and began getting my drinks. As I stood and waited for my drinks, my attention was drawn to a guy who was standing on the other side of the bar. He was partially obscured by shadows thrown from the bar structure and the trees surrounding us. He was watching me, and he wasn’t even trying to hide the fact that he was staring at me. I had never seen him before. I was certain he wasn’t a member of my pack. So, he shouldn’t even be here. Plus, the way he was watching me was incredibly unnerving.

 I will admit he was an extremely attractive guy from a physical standpoint, but then again, so were a lot of serial killers from what I had read. From the arrogant smirk on his face, I could tell that he knew just how good looking he was. From where I stood, he appeared to be about six foot four. He had tanned skin, and it appeared as though he spent a substantial amount of time outdoors; his physique was like that of a Greek God. His hair was as black as the ace of spades, and his eyes were a brilliant shade of green.

 As the bartender placed my drinks in front of me, I watched as my admirer slowly made his way around the bar towards me. I quickly knocked back the two shots of tequila and reached for my glass of bourbon. As I took a mouthful of bourbon, the guy from the other side of the bar approached me.

Giving me a smile that I am sure he had practiced a lot in front of the mirror, he said in a teasing voice, “So, you’re the one who has been getting my friends all hot and bothered on the dancefloor tonight?”

“If they think they are getting into my pants tonight, then they are mistaken. I don’t hook up,” I replied, not sparing him a glance. I tossed back the rest of my bourbon in one gulp before setting my now empty glass back on the bar.

He smiled at my response and said, “I should warn you; they don’t like to be played with. At least, not the way you have been playing with them. If you keep it up, you could get hurt.”

“Are your friends the sleazy guys on the dance floor? The one’s who think it is totally okay for them to manhandle a girl. And if so, by hurt, do you mean that they are the type of guys to rape a girl to get their rocks off?” I asked. 

“They have a skinful now since they have been drinking all afternoon. So, I am sure they are acting sleazy right now as you so eloquently put it. And to answer your question, any man is capable of physically taking a woman when he has been pushed too far,” he replied, raising an eyebrow at me, clearly amused by how I was talking about his friends.

“Are you fucking kidding me? My guess would be that the only reason you would be so dismissive about rape and physical assault, is because you’re the type to do it,” I snapped, glaring at him. I honestly couldn’t believe what he had just said. It was disgusting to say the least. Still glaring at him, I asked, “Do I know you?”

 “No, but we can change that, I’m Asher, and you are?” he asked, holding his hand out to me.

“Not interested, I don’t associate with rapists,” I replied, ignoring his outstretched hand, and making my way away from the bar.