Tainted Love

Destiny

Chapter 16

It took nothing for Damion and I to slip out of the ballroom, off the boat and into his red Mazda Miata convertible. I didn't need Ryan to babysit me. Plus, I knew if I needed help I could always call Caleb and in a very last resort maybe Chamuel... Somehow. I looked over to Damion who gave me mischievous smile as he peeled out of the parking lot and on to the main road. Between everyone's driving I was getting used to going a bare minimum of a hundred miles an hour.

"So where to first?" I shouted over the roar of the engine and whipping winds.

"Where is the fun if I just tell you?"

"Fine, surprise me". And surprise me he did. I knew St Louis, even though I stayed in suburbia. I knew the city, I knew which parts to avoid and which parts were good. And as soon as I started to see a lot of abandoned houses, liquor stores and strip clubs I knew this was bad. "Why are we going across the river?"

"For Destiny".

Damion was purposely being aloof. But things started to make sense as we pulled up to a hole in the wall drive bar right across from the train tracks. And bright neon pink the establishment was called Glitter's. Damion parked in a handy capable spot. And I could hear blaring music pouring out of the building. "Where are we?"

"You have to go in to see", He said taking off his dinner jacket and rolling up his sleeves. Damion got out of the car and came around to open up my door.

Nervously, I made my way into the bar, my heart beating a little faster as I approached the entrance. The pulsating music seemed even louder up close, and the vibrant lights cast an otherworldly glow on everything around me. As I stepped up to the entrance, the bouncer's stern gaze fixed on me, and I felt a mixture of anxiety and determination.

I tried to smooth talk my way through, offering a nervous smile as I fumbled for my ID. "Hey there, just looking for a good time tonight," I stammered, hoping my attempt at charm would be enough to get me in. The bouncer remained unyielding, his expression unwavering.

Just as I felt the knot of tension in my stomach tighten, I noticed Damion stepping up beside me. His presence alone seemed to shift the energy around us. With a calm confidence, he engaged the bouncer in conversation, his words carrying a subtle power of persuasion. I watched in awe as the bouncer's demeanor softened, his expression changing from stern to accommodating.

Before I knew it, we were being granted entry. The doors swung open, and I followed Damion inside, feeling a mix of gratitude and curiosity. But as the doors closed behind us, my eyes widened and my heart skipped a beat.

This was not just a bar. This was a strip club, and it was unlike anything I had ever experienced. The music blasted even louder, the bass reverberating through the floor, as a spotlight illuminated a stage at the center of the room. My gaze was drawn to a beautiful woman, her movements both graceful and mesmerizing as she danced in basically string. The crowd's reactions were raw and uninhibited, their cheers and shouts merging into a chorus of excitement.

The lights flickered and shifted in sync with the music, casting fleeting shadows that danced across the walls. I stood there, a mix of astonishment and uncertainty swirling within me. The atmosphere was charged with a palpable energy, a collision of sensations that left me momentarily speechless.

Damion leaned in close, his voice barely audible over the din of the crowd and the music. "There's your first true Fallen, met Destiny".

I tore my gaze away from Damion and looked back toward the stage, where  Destiny continued to dance with a captivating allure. Her movements were a blend of grace and sensuality, a mesmerizing display that seemed to draw everyone's attention. The spotlight caressed her form, highlighting every curve, every silky black string of hair and contour of her face, as if she were the center of the universe for that fleeting moment.