Crimson Groves by Ashley Robertson

My mind was blank with fear. There was nothing else I could do, except cry.
    Then everything happened so fast. The door flew open and I could barely see the dark-skinned security guard that had allowed us back to this room. Bronx froze, grabbed his neck, and started gagging, like he was choking or his throat was caving in. As he held his neck, his body started to float up against the wall. Slowly. Then his head bumped into the ceiling. He remained frozen there, gagging and dry heaving. I looked over at the guard and boy did he look pissed. “You—come here,” he demanded in a firm tone.
    Without saying a word, I got up and walked over to him.
    “I want you to stand in the hallway, right there.” He pointed his finger to the spot. “Do not move until I get there!”
    I still couldn’t speak. I just nodded my head and walked out into the hall. The door slammed shut behind me. That guard had special powers. Overwhelming powers. He’d overpowered Bronx. He’d saved me from being raped. I felt my body shaking as I replayed what just happened in my mind. Was he an Enforcer? But if so, why would he be working here at a nightclub? Watching Bronx overpowered was encouraging—maybe he would help me? I could ask him. Couldn’t hurt to ask, right?
    The door opened. The guard came out, face hard and stiff, saying “don’t mess with me” with his eyes. I swallowed hard, my questions sticking in my throat. “Come with me.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me down the hall. He stopped just before the hall ended, a different security guard now blocking the doorway. “That kinda crap ain’t allowed in here! That guy’s gonna have to cool off before he can come out of that room. You’re gonna need to go wait for him in the lounge. I’ll have another security guard show you where to sit.”
    I couldn’t speak so I just stared at him and nodded, letting him know I understood. He then handed me off to the other security guard. This one was much smaller, about five ten, slender, his long brown hair pulled back in a ponytail. He sported the same black-on-black attire that all other security wore.
    He pulled me by the arm across the lounge and sat me down in a blue velvet love seat. No one sat on the other side, thankfully. “Just stay here until your boyfriend cools down, maybe an hour or so.” His voice was sharp and very unfriendly.
    My throat loosened. I shrugged my shoulders. “He’s not my boyfriend. Do you realize what you guys just saved me from? I need help. Please. Can you help me?”
    “Just shut up!” He swung around and marched away.
    What kind of crap happened in those back rooms? Did they really think Bronx and I were just extremely aggressive lovers that beat each other and screamed at the top of their lungs? Were vampires like that when they were sexual? We did have animal instincts and super-human powers, so perhaps that was how some of them acted. I couldn’t stop thinking about what would’ve happened if those security guards didn’t come in. Even though they were both assholes, which was probably part of their job description, I was still grateful to them. I just wished they’d let me leave before Bronx came out. Not that I knew where to go, but anywhere was better than being with him.
    Feeling like crap, and wondering if I looked it too, I started combing my fingers through my hair. When I finished, a cocktail waitress made her way over to me. “Can I get you anything, honey?” she asked in a bubbly Southern accent. Her chestnut hair bobbed on her shoulders, full of curls. She wore a black mini skirt with a matching black top.
    “Yes. I’ll have two kettle club sodas. Make those doubles, please.”
    “No problem, darling.” She turned around and started making her way to the bar, stopping to check on a few other customers.
    I looked down at my lap, heavy in thought about everything that had happened, and worried sick about when Bronx would be released from the back room. That was when I smelled