Adrenaline

Chapter 17

***
Killer Queen ~ Queen
***

The light scuffle of footsteps becomes quicker behind me, Seth appearing at my side within seconds, unable to take his eyes from the large black doors. The amount of time I'd spent in the confines of these walls brought back a comfortable feeling of familiarity, I don't make a habit of finding a home in places that don't belong to me; however again, Dravens place is the exception. Me and Alec, we'd done well here in the worst way.

Forcing my eyes onto the usual bouncer Manny, the nickname had originated from Emily as she consistently referred to him as a 'mannequin', typically unmoving, yet when he did, it was unexpected and terrifying.

"Ah, Miss. Rose; a pleasure." Nudging the door open with a large foot, noise floods the quiet sidewalk, a dull repetitive beat and the occasional shriek of excitement making the dark, velvet interior seem marginally more intense. Seth straightens beside me, mentally preparing for everything, anything, his posture a dead giveaway that he doesn't belong.

"How you doing, Manny?" Turning to smile at the bouncer, I grab Seth's arm absently as he moves forward, attempting to scope out whatever mess he's willingly getting himself into. Very aware of his eyes on me, probably narrowed and frowning, I keep my gaze on Manny. Seth doesn't want to go in there alone, they feed from hot naivety and without distraction, they'd eat him alive.

In replacement of an answer, Manny nods simply, presumably letting me know he's good before holding the door open fully, his attention firmly on six newcomers, probably inexperienced frat boys, scrambling to climb out of a old, beat-up Jeep.

"You know the drill, Manny. If you need some help getting rid of the trash just shout." A smile graces his features for no longer than a second before the rowdy group behind us brings back his ex-military persona.

The club has barely changed, the deep purple glow illuminating every surface with minimum exposure. Draven's club was an escape, a gap in reality where you can be whatever, whoever, wherever you want to be. It was a place unknown to authority, stereotypes and hidden from the laws suffocating the world just outside. It's a volt of secrets and lies, but when that's the entire premise they become less harmful, less hurtful. Here, lie the outcasts and they are the happiest they've ever been.

"Athena!" Hunters voice somehow cuts over the music, his large frame barely a silhouette next to the changing rooms and Dravens office.

God, I hope she's not here.

Painting on a smile, I head in Hunters direction, briefly noticing Seth slowly relax as he acclimatises, the bright clothes and abundance of gold furniture becoming increasingly dull the longer you look.

Hunter draws both me and Alec into a hug and it takes a certain amount of self-restraint not to pull away. I don't do hugs. There's just too much left unsaid, and I can't help but feel they're a waste of time, nothing but a fake safety net.

"Who's that?" Tilting his chin in Seth's direction, Hunter - oblivious to any obvious repercussions - runs his eyes from Seth's head to his toes without reservation or any subtlety.

"Seth. He's a friend." Alec can't hide the smile on his face, a large hand still on Hunters shoulder, a subtle hint that he hasn't quite gotten over this place.
Like I said: we did the worst things well here. We made our money. We met... them.

"Okay, Seth the Friend, you can go in but I doubt Draven will be pleased. You could always stay out here with me, il mio calore."

"I'm going in." Seth's response takes no longer than a second, a warning hand resting on my back as if daring me to argue. Usually, this would be a prime source of entertainment but right now there are bigger issues with a time constriction. Sometimes you have to choose your battles.