Synergy

Chapter Fifteen

The coven members who were going clubbing filed out the front door of the mansion.

Malcolm's words of caution were not forgotten, but they'd safely pushed the words to the back of their minds as they waited for the cars to pull up. The group decided to use the two black limos in the mansion's garage. The limos were only used on special occasion, and this seemed as good an excuse as any to use them.

Enrique slipped over to the limo when the chauffeur opened the door.

Liking to be considerate of those who served others, Enrique winked at the chauffeur, "Thanks, hunny."

Enrique slid into the car, his sequin skirt rattled on the leather seat. He scooted all the way to the end of the long limo seat, "It's been so fucking long since I've been to a club!" his voice was charged with excitement, "and this chica is ready to dance. her. ass. off!"

Equinox smiled as he slid in after Enrique. He was followed by Yuka and Loren.

Enrique turned to Equinox, "How 'bout you, Equinox?" Enrique asked while he took out a compact and powered his nose, "You ready to dance those tight vampire cheeks off?"

Equinox grinned, "Maybe."

Enrique slapped Equinox's arm, "Oooo, all brood and mystery, you are."

"Yes, he's quite full of mystery." Bay was sliding in the seat opposite Equinox. He made it a point to catch the vampire's eyes. Equinox met Bay's cheeky, penetrating gaze. He wasn't sure what to make of Bay's comment, but he know it was loaded.

Equinox broke the eye contact by looking down to his lap, he then pretended to check his black nail enamel for chips.

Enrique looked back and forth between the two men, catching some kind of subtext.

He let it go, "Oh, look, the radio's back here. Must be something Malcolm fixed up." Enrique started to mess with the radio as Azuma, the last to enter the limo, shut the door behind him after he took his seat.

And they were off.

Enrique scanned the radio skipping song after song until he found one he liked. He left it on DMX's Party Up (Up in Here).

Over the pumping rap music, Azuma struck up a conversation with Alyssa and Bay who were seated next to each other. Dalir, who'd squeezed his petite frame between Yuka and Equinox at the last minute, joined Azuma and Alyssa's conversation to correct a vacation story he felt Alyssa was getting wrong.

Yuka and Loren talked intimately between each other in a hushed voice Equinox translated as love talk.

Enrique bounced in his seat to the rap music and talked at the top of his lungs, even though Equinox was the only person he was conversing with.

Enrique chatted ninety miles an hour about a book he'd read dealing with safe-words and different styles of bondage foreplay. Equinox's eyebrows were raised in perpetual amusement as he nodded and listened to Enrique wax poetic about different fibers of rope and the sensations they sparked.

In the midst of this exegesis, Equinox let his eyes roam over to Bay. Bay's smile was spread wide while he laughed at the faux argument between Dalir and Alyssa. They playfully fought about which of them a certain Floridian cabana boy was flirting with on their vacation.

Alyssa grinned, "Maybe he was like you, and he was flirting with both of us." she conjectured.

Dalir held Alyssa by the forearm. Shaking her, he screeched through laughter, "No, no, no--it was me, bish! He was right up gay as the day is long!"

In the middle of his bursts of laughter, Bay noticed Equinox's fixed gaze. Bay flicked his glance at Equinox once, twice. He chewed his lip, now only half listening to Dalir's rant.

Equinox realized he was caught staring. He tore his attention back to Enrique, who had never stopped his book critique.

Bay didn't look away from Equinox, instead he admired him. Equinox's two braids peeked out of his dark waves, caressing his cheek. His black shirt, unbuttoned almost to his abs, contrasted with his vampiric skin, a silver Goddess amulet swung and teased in the shirt's opening. Black jeans and buckled biker boots completed the edgy, emo look Equinox always gave off. But there was something else to Equinox.

As much as Noxy hated to acknowledge it, the vampire had a laid-back, mysterious sophistication about him . . .and it drove Bay mad.

Enrique was still going on about his kinky book, when Bay looked over at the excited warlock with a grin, "This book. Do you own it?"

Enrique snapped his fingers with a laugh, "You better believe it."

Bay's eyes ran up and down Equinox's body, warm and intense. Even in the dim, night light of the limo Equinox felt Bay's eyes on him.

"It may come in handy sometime." Bay replied.

Equinox's face remained still and calm, but his heart quickened, his palms sweat. Was Bay being wry or flirting? The confused gaze on Enrique's face zooming back and forth between the quiet vampire and the blushing warlock hinted he was wondering the same thing.

Bay still grinned at Equinox in the dim-lit limo. It seemed Bay wasn't even completely sure why he'd said what he did.

Equinox shifted in his seat, not because he needed to become more comfortable. No, he shifted so no one would notice just how much Equinox's body hoped Bay's rogue comment was a flirt sent in his direction.

Equinox didn't need to worry too much. All the other passengers in the limo were distracted with by own conversations to notice whatever the fuck was going on between Bay and Equinox.

All but Enrique.

Equinox's mind searched for a subject changer. Finally, Equinox blurted abruptly, "What club are we going to?"

Enrique relaxed his back into the plush leather seat, "I've no fuckin' clue, doll."

Bay only shrugged, turning to stare out the window. He placed his chin in his palm and watched the city lights flash by as they drove.

A wave of guilt washed over Equinox. He didn't know why , but he was afraid he'd hurt Bay's feelings.