As The Crow Flies

7. Booze, Sex, and Rock'N'Roll

Nora was bombarded by a smokey haze upon entering the building. The smells of alcohol, cigarettes, weed, and sweat filled her nose as Chibs led her past other party-goers. Girls in varying degrees of undress walked amongst the leather-clad men.

In passing, she saw three kuttes that differed from the one the Happy and the others wore. All still had the reaper on the back with the club name, but the location at the bottom changed. Whereas Happy's said 'California', the others' read 'Washington', 'Nevada', and 'Oregon'. Nora hadn't realized just how big a club it was until that moment.

The short entry hallway opened into a large L-shaped room. To her right was a large bar made of mahogany nestled into the corner. To her left was a pool table and a seating area, both crowded by fifteen or so people. Nora turned her head farther to the left to see a few desks along the cinderblock wall, and there in the middle of the space was a shiny stripper pole on a raised platform.

It wasn't the presence of the pole itself that made Nora give out a loud guffaw, but who was on it. If she had expected anyone in the room to be up there it would have been one of the women who were loitering around drinking their hearts away. Instead, it was the redhead whom Nora had spoken to hours before, Kip.

The prospect looked to be lit out of his mind attempting to dance in front of the group of fellow club members wearing only his kutte and a pair of women's lace panties. The brunette turned back towards the man at her side. "What the hell?" She asked, trying to stifle her laughter.

The Scot smiled. "Seems like my brothers started the fun early tonight." Nora shook her head in amusement. Not ten minutes into the party and she was already having a good time.

Chibs' hand returned to her shoulder and he started ushering her farther into the room. The double doors next to the pool table opened as they reached it. Happy and two other men exited the darker room. One was the older, grey-haired guy that she had seen at the diner on Monday, while the other was much older, in his late sixties at least, with an oxygen tank swinging at his side.

Happy looked her up and down as he stalked the few steps separating them. She swallowed hard, her nerves from earlier returning with vengeance. He wrapped his arm around her waist and squeezed it as he leaned down to talk in her ear over the roar of the crowd around them. "Glad you made it." She grinned shyly.

Nora then turned her attention toward the other three men. Chibs had a shocked smile, the oldest one had a look of disinterest, and the Hell Boy look-alike had a look of reserved curiosity and suspicion. She had a feeling that he wasn't pleased with her presence.

"Nora, this is Piney, one of the First 9." She shook his hand. Happy had briefly mentioned one day about the nine people who started the club. "You've met Chibs already." She shook the Scot's hand anyway, him snorting in amusement. "And this is the President of the mother charter, Clay." Unlike Piney and Chibs who only held her hand for a customary amount of time, Clay held on for much longer. His dull grey-blue eyes boring into hers.

His gaze was unnerving and she wanted to look away, but couldn't. It felt like she was staring into the eyes of the Ghost Rider - like he could see everything about her.

Happy's hand squeezed again and her trance broke. She involuntarily shivered and forced a smile back onto her face. "It's nice to meet you all. Happy has told me all about ya'll."

That was the wrong thing to say. Clay's stare turned to ice as he glared at her. "What do you know about us, Nora?" His hand moved towards his back

A panicked look came across her. "Nothing! It's just a saying. I was trying to be nice." Nora backed up further into Happy's arm, his hand gripping her waist.