on the stairs, then hoisted the old sash, glad that he wouldn’t
have to break the window to get in. Once inside he lowered the sash
again and moved out of the line of sight.
Two steps in, it hit him. The scent he’d been
looking for. It permeated the place. A smoky mixture of musky
perfume, heather and clove. He didn’t need to take anything that
belonged to Elena to remember it and he didn’t need to give the
scent to anyone else.
What he needed was to figure out how to tell
Erica that he knew exactly what had happened to her sister.
* * * *
Déjà vu struck Erica as she took her place in
line outside of The Underside. The back entrance was another
unpainted steel fire door manned by a bouncer who could have been
the twin brother to Frank from After Dark. This one looked less
friendly, though. He scowled at the women and men lined up outside
and rather than gesturing the unacceptable candidates out of line,
he waited until they approached him and literally shoved them
aside.
He seemed to get off on it. The smirk on his
doughy face grew wider each time he refused someone entry.
Erica’s fear and annoyance peaked as she
neared her turn. If he threw her aside, how would she get in? She
thought about calling Max and telling him about Elena’s phone call
but she knew he’d make her leave. Worse than considering that he’d
leave her out of the rescue mission, was the thought of admitting
she lied to him. She lied in the throes of passion and made a
promise to him that she didn’t intend to keep. What did that make
her? Certainly not worthy of the adoration he’d shown her this
afternoon. Certainly not worthy of his trust.
She shook the doubts aside and moved up to
close the gap that had opened between her and the person ahead of
her in line. She still had time to walk away and call Max for help.
What if he needed time to formulate a plan? She couldn’t let Elena
down by not being here.
Erica jerked her head up when the bouncer
called, “Next! You in black!” He laughed at his own joke. Everyone
in line wore black and each outfit was darker than the last.
Erica stood out because she was the only
blonde in sight and that worried her. Inside, she wouldn’t be able
to melt into the crowd, and she wouldn’t be able to avoid a body
search tonight.
Just like After Dark, the man checked her for
needle marks, asked if she smoked or snorted and he also squeezed
her ass. She forced a smile as she shoved her inside and pretended
it didn’t make her want to rip his head off.
The gauntlet tonight was worse than at After
Dark, but at least the music was better. Four men lined the back
room and each one of them searched everyone who came through, male
and female alike. Erica noted that quite a few men had been
admitted and none of them seemed to be bothered by the intimate
body search. Of course they had fewer places to hide contraband
than women did.
Erica bit her lip and held her breath as each
of the four security guards took his turn. The first one lifted her
skirt and patted down her legs from crotch to ankle. He actually
ran his fingers inside the leg of her panties and leered at her
before he motioned her to move on. The second one looked down the
front of her blouse but nothing she had made an impression on him.
He motioned her on to the third who also lifted her skirt. This one
sniffed her hair and she shuddered. That was almost as bad as
having the first guard’s fingers in her underwear.
The fourth one patted her hips and her
breasts. He pushed her collar open and stamped a fluorescent
butterfly on her chest, then let her pass into the club. She
figured the brand meant no one would chase her down later and
insist she hadn’t been properly felt up ... searched. She had proof
that she’d passed the security inspection.
The Underside had an odd vibe to it, and a
strange smell. It took Erica a few minutes to place the sharp,
smoky scent. Cloves. Small plates of incense burned everywhere,
making the
have to break the window to get in. Once inside he lowered the sash
again and moved out of the line of sight.
Two steps in, it hit him. The scent he’d been
looking for. It permeated the place. A smoky mixture of musky
perfume, heather and clove. He didn’t need to take anything that
belonged to Elena to remember it and he didn’t need to give the
scent to anyone else.
What he needed was to figure out how to tell
Erica that he knew exactly what had happened to her sister.
* * * *
Déjà vu struck Erica as she took her place in
line outside of The Underside. The back entrance was another
unpainted steel fire door manned by a bouncer who could have been
the twin brother to Frank from After Dark. This one looked less
friendly, though. He scowled at the women and men lined up outside
and rather than gesturing the unacceptable candidates out of line,
he waited until they approached him and literally shoved them
aside.
He seemed to get off on it. The smirk on his
doughy face grew wider each time he refused someone entry.
Erica’s fear and annoyance peaked as she
neared her turn. If he threw her aside, how would she get in? She
thought about calling Max and telling him about Elena’s phone call
but she knew he’d make her leave. Worse than considering that he’d
leave her out of the rescue mission, was the thought of admitting
she lied to him. She lied in the throes of passion and made a
promise to him that she didn’t intend to keep. What did that make
her? Certainly not worthy of the adoration he’d shown her this
afternoon. Certainly not worthy of his trust.
She shook the doubts aside and moved up to
close the gap that had opened between her and the person ahead of
her in line. She still had time to walk away and call Max for help.
What if he needed time to formulate a plan? She couldn’t let Elena
down by not being here.
Erica jerked her head up when the bouncer
called, “Next! You in black!” He laughed at his own joke. Everyone
in line wore black and each outfit was darker than the last.
Erica stood out because she was the only
blonde in sight and that worried her. Inside, she wouldn’t be able
to melt into the crowd, and she wouldn’t be able to avoid a body
search tonight.
Just like After Dark, the man checked her for
needle marks, asked if she smoked or snorted and he also squeezed
her ass. She forced a smile as she shoved her inside and pretended
it didn’t make her want to rip his head off.
The gauntlet tonight was worse than at After
Dark, but at least the music was better. Four men lined the back
room and each one of them searched everyone who came through, male
and female alike. Erica noted that quite a few men had been
admitted and none of them seemed to be bothered by the intimate
body search. Of course they had fewer places to hide contraband
than women did.
Erica bit her lip and held her breath as each
of the four security guards took his turn. The first one lifted her
skirt and patted down her legs from crotch to ankle. He actually
ran his fingers inside the leg of her panties and leered at her
before he motioned her to move on. The second one looked down the
front of her blouse but nothing she had made an impression on him.
He motioned her on to the third who also lifted her skirt. This one
sniffed her hair and she shuddered. That was almost as bad as
having the first guard’s fingers in her underwear.
The fourth one patted her hips and her
breasts. He pushed her collar open and stamped a fluorescent
butterfly on her chest, then let her pass into the club. She
figured the brand meant no one would chase her down later and
insist she hadn’t been properly felt up ... searched. She had proof
that she’d passed the security inspection.
The Underside had an odd vibe to it, and a
strange smell. It took Erica a few minutes to place the sharp,
smoky scent. Cloves. Small plates of incense burned everywhere,
making the
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