“Been looking for you, Party Girl,” Warren said with a sly smile and a drunken slur in his voice.
Whirling around, I jumped back and stared nervously at his gloves, imagining gray fingers underneath the leather. I backed away, holding out the point of the car key.
“Don’t call me that.” I tried to sound tough, but my voice came out like a squeak.
“Hey, I’m just being friendly.” He towered over me like a brawny mountain, and even though Sharayah was a tall girl, I felt as small and defenseless as a mouse.
“I’m kind of busy right now,” I added with a gesture to the open trunk.
“Too busy to hear your friend’s message?”
“Which friend?” I asked warily.
“The one with weird hair.”
“You mean Mauve?” I asked.
“Yeah.” He nodded. “She asked me to find and bring you to her.”
“Thanks, but you can tell her I’ll wait here for her like we planned.”
“Plans change.” He leaned forward against the car, smiling in a way that gave me chills. “Relationships change, too. Like even if there is some other guy, I can’t ignore this vibe growing between us.”
“What vibe?” I asked, a little scared. “I told you I have a boyfriend.”
“Lucky guy. You’re looking really fine.”
“I’m a soggy mess,” I said as pushed back my wet hair and zipped up the windbreaker.
“I like your natural look.”
But I didn’t like the unnatural look he was giving me — like he could see right through my windbreaker. Or was he something more? When he stared at me, was he seeing an otherworldly glow that was invisible to normal humans? Take off your gloves, I wanted to say. If I could see his hands, I’d know if he was a Dark Lifer. Since suspicions weren’t proof, I had to find out for sure before I tried to alert the Dark Disposal Team.
The street that seemed chaotic a moment ago was now eerily quiet — empty crosswalks with no pedestrians, and only a few passing cars.
“Come on,” he said, reaching out for me.
I jumped back and shook my head. “I’d rather wait here.”
“But Pink Hair specifically asked me to bring you.”
“Tell Mauve I have other things to do,” I told him hastily. “I’ll catch up with her later.”
“And miss the party?” He folded his arms across his chest, frowning at me.
“What party?”
“What’d ya think I’m here for? Mauve asked me to bring you too. Don’t make them wait, okay? Come on.”
“Is Sadie there, too?”
“Who?” He scrunched his forehead as if he’d forgotten flirting with Sadie. “Oh, yeah,” he said with a nod. “She’s there, too.”
I leaned against the car, reluctant to go anywhere with him. “I thought Mauve and Alonzo were headed for a sushi restaurant.”
“No one told me about that, but I guess they changed their minds. Ask them yourself.” His shrug drew my gaze to his beefy shoulders and muscular arms. Underneath his gloves I knew his hands would be strong, too. “It’s gonna be one hell of a party. You don’t want to miss out.”
Actually, I did, but Sharayah wouldn’t refuse so I couldn’t either. I nodded reluctantly as I slammed the trunk.
When he reached for my hand, I pretended not to notice and turned away. I held tight to the car keys, the sharpest key still between my fingers, as I walked away from the car, resting my hand and the keys in my jacket pocket. I felt his gaze keenly on me. I resented his attitude toward Sadie — acting like he didn’t even remember being with her in the car for over an hour. Dark Lifer or not, he creeped me out and I wasn’t going to get near him.
I expected him to go to the crowded beach where I’d sunned earlier, but he veered away from the ocean onto a paved walking path.
“Isn’t the party at the beach?” I asked.
“No, even better. It’s in a private room.”
The path curved, leading away from the hustle and the voices drifting on beach breezes toward an area of small buildings. As afternoon dimmed to early evening, the burnished-gold sun sunk below the horizon and the wind whipped stronger, swirling sand and bits of trash across the path. In an opening between buildings, I could see distant fierce waves crashing against the beach. In a short time, we’d traveled very far away from spring break action.
“Where exactly are we going?” I asked uneasily.
“I told you — a party.”
“But there’s nothing out this way.” I gestured to the blocky warehouse buildings surrounding us.
“The best parties take place behind closed doors after the sun goes down. We’ll have music, piles of food and booze. It’s just past that tall building.”
“I don’t hear any voices. You sure this is the right way?” I asked, frowning.
“Party central here we are,” he said as we reached a squat building called Pedal Power. It was crowded with bicycles built for one and for two, and canvas-covered surreys for larger groups. The sign on the door read closed.
“A bike rental shop?” I questioned.
“There’s more room inside than it looks from the outside,” he assured me as he moved toward the door.
“I don’t hear any music.” I hung back, reluctant to go in.
“You will once we get inside.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out some keys. Stepping toward the door, he fit a key into a lock and jiggled. The door opened with a creak. “Follow me.”
Instinct said to turn around and run the other direction. But what kind of adventurous attitude was that? Definitely not how wild Sharayah would behave. And I was here to have fun, right? Not act sensible and boring. Besides, I was in a strange city with only Mauve and Sadie for support, and getting separated from them could be disastrous. Given my infamously bad sense of direction, if I tried to find my way back to the crappo condo solo, I’d probably end up in another state.
So even though the sensible Amber-voice in my head screamed in protest, I followed Warren. We entered a dark, cave-like room with a rough cement floor and dank musty odor.
“Where is everyone?” I bit my lower lip.
“In the back.”
“This building didn’t look that big.” I was getting a bad feeling. “Weird place for a party.”
“Depends on the kind of party.”
“What do you mean?” I asked as he closed the door, shutting out sound and light. “Why is it so dark?”
He didn’t answer. I heard the shuffle of his feet, then the click of a light switch. The room burst with yellowy light from a hanging bulb. Score a point for my intuition, but subtract a hundred points for my stupidity. There was no party, no one else — only a dank warehouse with bikes stacked against the walls.
“Warren, you’re an ass!” I wheeled on him, spitting fury. “I am so out of here.”
I moved toward the door but he moved quicker, sidestepping to block my way like a muscular wall.
“Don’t rush off,” he said in this lazy, amused tone like he thought we were more than friends. “We can have our own private party here without any interruptions.”
“I do not want to party with you. I cannot believe you pulled this! Are you insane?”
“Come on, babe, play nice.” Grabbing my arm, he yanked me toward his chest. “I’ve been talking to some buddies and heard a lot about you.”
“You don’t know anything about me — and you’re a liar! Mauve and Alonzo never planned to come here.”
“So what? We’re here and that’s all that matters. I knew you just needed to get away from everyone so we could get to know each other better. I know what you really want.”
“What I want is to get the hell away from you!” I choked out as I tried to shake off his grip. But his arms were steel and his grip like handcuffs.
“Don’t be that way.”
“I’ll be whatever way it takes to get the hell away from you!” I was so angry I couldn’t think straight. With a fierce yank, I broke free of his grip, kicking hard and striking his knee.
“Ouch!” He grabbed his knee, jumping in pain. “Why’d you go and do that?”
“I meant to kick higher.”
“You little bi—” he swore as he lunged for me. I scrambled toward the door, but before I could grab the knob he grabbed me, his grip much rougher. “You’re not going anywhere until we have some fun.”
“Back off,” I cried, wincing as his gloved fingers squeezed my arm. More than ever I was sure he was a Dark Lifer, and I had to get out of here before he took off his gloves.
“You know you like this.”
“No way! Even if I was interested in you — which I’m totally not — I already have a boyfriend.”
“He’s not here.” He pulled me closer and I kicked and squirmed. “I am.”
“Get away from me!” I screamed.
“You’re starting to piss me off.” He grabbed a handful of my hair, jerking hard so my face was close to his. “I’m not asking for anything you haven’t done before,” he added in a softer, cajoling voice. “You wouldn’t want me to think you’re being a tease, would you?”
“I don’t care what you think. If you don’t open that door immediately, I’m going to press charges.”
“Then I better make this worth the trouble. Come on, baby.” He chuckled, his breath smelling like hot beer. “I knew you were into me when we first met. I could tell from the way you kept staring at me. But you didn’t want to upset your girlfriend, which I can respect. Sadie is okay, but she talks too much. I prefer the quiet, spunky type — like you.”
“Well, I don’t prefer you. Back off!” I aimed a kick that would have scored right where he’d hurt the most, but he blocked me.
“So you like to play rough? Me too.”
“You think this is playing? Can’t you see I am totally not into you? I don’t care what you’ve heard, I’m not like that and I have no intention of doing anything with you.”
“Don’t be such a tease.” He pressed his face close to mine and I struggled, but couldn’t get out of his grip.
Grammy, I thought frantically. Where are you when I need you? I can’t handle this on my own. Please send help!
But there was no whisper from the other side, only the disgusting breath of Warren pressing his face close to mine. I turned my head, squirming, kicking and screaming. I flashed back to my dream of Gabe attacking Sharayah by the ocean. I wasn’t far from the ocean now, and although not on the edge of a cliff, I was trapped with someone dangerous. Instead of a memory, had that dream been a warning? I should have known better than to go anywhere with Warren.
His gloves dug into my flesh, burning, the red dragon design blurring through my tears. What would happen when he took off his gloves? I didn’t have a chance against Warren’s brute strength. He’d suck my energy and soul until there was nothing left.
“No!” I sobbed as his lips crushed down on my own. Squirming, I grabbed the keys in my pocket and lashed out at him.
“Bitch!” He twisted my arm painfully as he reached up to touch his now-bleeding cheek. “That wasn’t part of the deal. Try that again and I really will hurt you.”
He came at me once more and I screamed as shrill and loud as I could. But he didn’t back off, pressing his face against mine, his lips crushing, stealing my breath so I couldn’t breathe. I was suffocating, alive. My head floated, pain and fear making me dizzy. Still, I kept kicking, struggling—
Then the door crashed open and someone shouted, “Let her go!”
“This is a private party — get the hell out!” Warren’s cruel grip dug into my wrists.
“I said to let her go.” The voice was deep, masculine with a hint of an English lilt.
Torn between fear and relief, I continued to cling to the keys clutched in my hand.
“I’m so scared.” Warren snorted like it was a big joke.
“You should be” was the reply.
“You want to take me on?” Warren laughed darkly. “I’d like to see you try.”
“No.” The English lilt dropped to a growl. “I guarantee you — you would not like it.”
Then my rescuer stepped forward into the artificial yellow light of the cavernous room: a tanned young man with full lips, thick black brows, and a blue cap with an anchor emblem over a mid-length, dark-blond ponytail. He wasn’t exactly handsome, but he had an indefinable charisma. He moved slowly, a sea of calmness despite the turbulence ahead.
Warren shifted, his grip on me loosening, and I took my chance and flung myself away from him with so much force that I stumbled against the wheel of a surrey. Something sharp poked my leg and I cried out with pain. Tears filled my eyes as I collapsed on the hard concrete.
“Who the hell are you?” Warren demanded.
“Someone who’s going to smash your face if you don’t stop abusing your girlfriend.”
“I’m not his anything!” I yelled out.
“I rather guessed that.” The stranger’s pale eyes narrowed with a focused intensity.
“Screw you,” Warren snapped. “Butt out — this doesn’t concern you.”
“It does now.” The words were spoken lightly, but the stranger’s gaze was serious.
Warren snorted. “You’re an idiot if you think you can take me. I got at least fifty pounds on you and more muscles than you’ll ever have.”
“That you do. But muscles aren’t everything.”
“Yeah, right. Like I’m scared. What can a skinny dude like you do to me?”
“This,” the stranger said in a low, menacing tone.
Then he whipped out a knife, snapping open a blade that flashed blood-red in the dim light, and lunged to stab Warren.