The Madman of the Woods | ONC 2024 Shortlist | Vampire Romantasy | Supernatural

10 The Red Den

As Lailoken pulled Josie onto the dance floor and they made their way through the crowd, she quickly scanned her surroundings, feeling vulnerable without her weapons. She had doubted they would have let her into the club if she'd come armed, so she'd left them in the van, but the bouncers didn't even pat her down. Looking around at the clubgoers, she wished she had tried to sneak something in.

Werewolves were easy to spot. Being hairy in itself wasn't unique, humans could be too, but they always came with their packmates, and four hairy and muscular males dancing together certainly stood out—as did their females.

Vampires were easy to recognize too, especially the old ones. There were quite a lot of twenty-year-old-appearing clubgoers with prominent gray streaks in their hair. One female vamp had gathered her silver hair into a bun. Her friend seemed to have tried to color hers blonde, but Josie could still tell what she was. It was in her intense eyes and sharp features that were common among their species.

Josie was sure that there were more supernaturals around, though some were harder for her to tell apart. The normies appeared to be ignorant of who danced among them, but the overall vibe of the club was special, a little bit gothic and fairy-tale-like, but also modern. Normies dressed the part, trying to be as cool as the supernaturals, but never quite reaching the level.

Lailoken brought her to the middle of the dance floor and took a moment to see how everyone else moved to the trance techno beat, then he closed his eyes and started to invent a dance of his own. He was in his element, and not just because he was in a vampire dance club. He wasn't joking when he said he loved dancing, but Josie didn't expect him to be that good. As the strobe lights flashed around him, his perfectly timed, long, and graceful moves were strong and confident, as if fueled by a feral intensity that fed on music. Though his silky robes didn't fit the vibe of everyone else in the club who dressed in tight leather and sheer fabrics, and his dance moves were unlike anything she'd ever seen, it all somehow fit in. He could adapt to anything, she realized.

She imagined him throughout history, emerging from a deep sleep, discovering the new world, and making himself at home over and over again. He was the ultimate nomad, with no emotional ties or possessions. He let the wind carry him throughout space and time. Every time in history was his time.

Though he was lost in the music, he made eye contact with her, unnerving her with the intensity, and then he danced just for her. The other people seemed to disappear, and all she saw was him in his pure magnificence, beautiful, deadly, and so sexy, she was ready to jump his bones right there.

As if sensing her thoughts, he pulled her closer to him, and they moved together. It felt passionate, primal, and intimate even though they both had more clothes on than the rest of the club and had done nothing sexual to each other. How was he doing that?

As the dance brought him closer, and she felt his breath on her neck, her pulse sped up, anticipating his fangs. She didn't want to get bitten, but she wanted him there. In some twisted way she didn't understand, she wanted him to crave her blood. And damn, she wanted to get him alone. She'd had enough of the fully clothed foreplay. When she made eye contact with him again, his sly smirk grew, revealing the tips of his fangs. He knew exactly what he was doing to her. He knew what power he held over her desire but did nothing to satisfy it.

What the fuck was she going to do? Assuming she gave in, what then? He was a vampire, a wild beast with no regard for human life. She had no future with him, and she had a feeling that one crazy night wouldn't be enough for her. If he was as passionate in bed as he was on the dance floor, she was done for. She couldn't be a hunter and a vampire's lover at the same time.

When the song ended and a new one began, she yelled over the noise, "I need a drink."

She weaved between the sweaty, gyrating bodies and made her way to the bar. He came up behind her, grinning and so elated, he struggled to hide his fangs.