The Family Secret (Draft)

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The bass rumbled through the floor of the club, the lights were changing every half a second, and the whole dancefloor was crouded and I was surrounded by people. One of the closest packed to me, dancing as with me as she could, was Sienna. I was a step back behind her, and a bit to her left. As soon as the crowd moved, I did too and had my hands on her waist. We danced like this often, catching every Inkaiven and Ghests eyes that found us.

She, a tall blonde busty vampress with all the right curves in all the right places and legs that went on for what felt like miles. Her beauty was usually more than enough to get the attention of whomever she wanted, but her outfit choices were always a great help. Tonight it was a knee high black leather dress with slits up the side to high thigh, and a pair of boots to match.

Speaking of matching, I was also in all black, and my crop top was made of leather. My jeans were ripped at the knee, and my combat boots were made to match. Both of us had a neon color ribbon braided into our hair, mine red and hers orange. She had buzzed down my sides and I had helped her braid the ribbon into the side braid on her head. We had three male vampires grinding on us before the next song began.

Drinks would be on them, and Sienna and I would get absolutely twisted in the safest club in town, (Insert bar name here) on the night I’d finally been able to walk into work fully as myself. I’d been given the OK to go and get Genautoed by a Cyber, and I had finally healed from the augment. It felt like shedding an old skin, I wasn’t HER anymore, I was—

“Ellis! Shot of Bourbon?” Paal asked, pouring me a double already as Sienna, the guys, and I got within earshot of the bar.

“Ooo, me too Paal!” She said, sitting herself at the seat he was standing at. He was an Orc with a set of large horns, shaggy grey hair, a beard to match, big black eyes, and green skin. Sienna was mad for him, but he told her he likes to take things slow. Sienna very much enjoys flirting with him and making him blush. The five of us hung with Paal for a few songs, and I was honestly enjoying talking to this one.. He was gorgeous, with big honey eyes and shaggy blond hair. He introduced himself as AJ, and we got along well.

Half way thru the night, our boss joined us at the bar. Our boss was an Insentaur, half Human half Insect. He had deep Preying Mantis in his veins, which gave him the bottom half of the mantis. His human half was thin, but strong, with short cut brunet hair, big green eyes to match his abdomen, and a pair of tall, thin antenna. Paal already poured him a drink and was sliding it his way as he walked up to the bar. He stood beside me, throwing an arm around me. He swigged back his drink and smiled.

“My boy! How was your healing process? Did Zarya hook you up with what I recommended?” He chuckled, looking to my chest.

“No, Alistair, I didn’t get horns to replace my nipples.” I chuckled, taking a swig of the fruit smoothie fuck-me-up that AJ had ordered me. 

“Aww, that’s too bad. Anyway, one of my buddies, owns a Inkaiven only club down. He’s the one that stops by Saturdays, he loves your bartending showmanship and wants you to pick one of the bouncers to join you for a weekend working at his other club. He’s got some V.I.P.’s coming and wants someone with talent. Now I know you’ve turned down other events like this one, but he’s paying handsomely, he’s encouraging you to bring any bouncer and one friend, and the day that the V.I.P.’s leave, you can take the next day and relax at the club. All expenses paid.” He gulped down the shot and let out a content sigh. The man enjoyed his whiskey.

“So I can take Sienna and Topher,” Strongest bouncer we had. Part Jumper, part Regen, he could teleport around you and heal from almost anything. He’s the strong silent type, but he liked me. Said I reminded him of his youngest cousin. “go to this club, work a couple shifts impressing V.I.P.’s, be completely safe, party when they’re gone, and get paid for it all, with everything I buy there and and the room comped? You really think I’m gonna say no?”

“That’s the party spirit! I’ll let him know, you go get yourselves packed and I’ll drive you three to the airport tomorrow evening.”

“Airport?” Sienna asked, poking her head out from between the guys.

“Yes,  you’ll be heading to Lange for this one. Enjoy the rest of the night and I’ll inform Toph that you’ve chosen him for this one!” Alistair slapped me on the back, the way a proud father would of his son, and with his six legs he quickly went to the front, looking for Toph. AJ had been talking to Paal, and had gotten me another drink.

“So, you’re heading out for the weekend? Will I get to see you when you come back?” He purred in my ear. I couldn’t help but smirk and kiss him quickly.

“You behave yourself while I’m away and maybe you can take me on a date. But tonight,” I slid my business card, the ones Alistair had made for all of his staff after their 30 days, into his shirt pocket, “You’ll just have to text me while I’m getting ready to fly.”

I went to turn and grab Sienna but he gently took my cheek in his hand and turned me back toward him. He gave me a sweet kiss,  then let me go. As I grabbed Sienna’s hand to lead her off, I glanced back at AJ. He tapped his pocket and winked. I blushed and hurried us out as quick as possible into the fresh night air…

“Dante, grab me another ale?” Jensen asked as I stood to grab my smokes from inside.

“Gotcha.” I replied, sliding back the door.

Since Elise had gone missing, I’d moved Jensen into my two bedroom. We grieved together in our own special kind of way, drinking and smoking on our weekends and busting ass at our jobs during the day. That’s how it started. Then when I actually started selling books and was making decent money, I saved up enough to get myself a house at the end of town, just far enough away to have bonfires and loud parties but close enough to take a bus or bike to town. We didn’t bother anyone, and no one bothered us.

He’d eventually gotten into one of the Tracker positions under Uncle Maxus, and was guarding one of the under construction Blood Banks near home every other weekend. He saved up and recently bought us both a HiBik, a type of hover bike that went up to 100 mph and 50 feet off the ground. They were incredibly fun, and we’d just come off a day of riding them all around Sance, gliding up and down the highways and taking in the sun.

I grabbed my smokes, grabbed us both an ale, and headed back out. Unfortunatly, he wasn’t reclining by the fire once I got back outside. He was pacing back and forth, typing rapidly on the keyboard that projected from his watch. I pulled a smoke for us both and tossed him his. He caught it without missing a beat, and as he lit it the projected display went from keyboard to a picture of my uncle. He quickly pressed the accept and he popped up as a chest up projection.

“I need you on this, he’s the last person who’s said to have contact. Go talk to him and figure out what he knows.” Uncle Maxus growled, pinching above his nose in frustration.

“I’ll head out in the morning, I’ve got to pack.”

“Don’t let me down, son.” He replied, hanging up. Jensen was silent for a moment before he lit his and sat back down in his chair. I sat next to him and popped both beers, handing him his. I liit mine too, reclined, and we sat in silence for a bit.

“So, what’d Uncle say?” I asked, looking over at him. He took a drag from his smoke, rigid inn his seat, his back to me.

“He’s found someone that overheard some guy claiming he knew Elise. He’s a bartender out in Kloke, but he’s doing a V.I.P. event in Lange this weekend. Maxus was invited to go, but he heard about this guy and wants me to go and ask why the hell he’s claiming she’s dead.” He took a deep swig from his beer and stared into the fire. I felt my heart sink at his words, and it felt like I was being choked. When I sat up I could see the look of guilt in his gold eyes, and I pulled myself together as quickly as Icould.

“Ya know, we don’t have to think about it until you head out tomorrow, we can get smasshed and play video games. Pretend we didn’t hear that.” I offered. A smile touched his face just enough to show one of his fangs. 

“That sounds like the best idea you’ve had all night.” We tapped our bottles together in solidarity nd cranked the music, a song by a newly popular siren about heart break blasting thru the speakers.