Chapter Seven

Rome

When Dez and I arrived, the line to get into Animals swung across the front of the parking lot along the walkway beside the club. The lot was so full we had to park toward the back.

"I knew it would be like this," I said.

"Yeah, and it's not even dark yet. Good thing we got here early."

I made a face.

"Hey, Rome. Don't be like that. It's better than staying home," he said. "It won't kill us to wait in a little line."

What could be better? I'd left my couch and Netflix to stand in a long, not little line. "Sure."

Dez was happy when he found a spot and pulled in. He always had a positive outlook on everything. It was good for me to be around him.

Together, we walked across the big lot and to the end of the long line. People of all kinds were queued up. All ages, all walks of life, and wearing everything from mini-shorts to three-piece suits. The immediate vibe was excitement. The air felt charged.

I heard someone ahead of us mention the club opened at six thirty. That made me feel a bit better. No one had gotten in yet. Still…we were at the very end. There had to be hundreds of people ahead of us.

My dragon was alert, paying attention to everything around us. Most of the time, unless there was any hint of a pen or meat, he paid no attention to my comings and goings in the outside world.

Tonight, he sniffed the breeze making me more aware of all the mixed scents. Spicy colognes. Human sweat. And something sweet I didn't recognize. Alluring. My stomach growled, though I wasn't actually hungry.

I breathed in, filling my lungs.

I turned to Dez. "Do you smell that?"

"What? Hot pavement?"

"No. It's really nice, like sweet. Yummy but not food."

Dez shrugged. "I smell my own deodorant. And exhaust from the cars. Look, the lot's almost filled up."

People had already formed a line behind us. This place was going to be full to capacity. We stood a chance of not even getting in, but I didn't voice that to Dez.

With every minute, my dragon grew increasingly restless. He made what felt like turns in my mind. I called them turns for lack of any better way to describe it. It made me a little dizzy. This sort of behavior came with the sensation of feeling trapped. Like a caged animal. It usually meant I needed to shift. It was controllable but unfair to him. He should be able to fly more than I had been allowing.

Secrets here. Like treasure.

He rarely voiced more complex things to me. Everything was based on emotion for him. He trembled. What was he sensing?

I tried to tune in, but the laughing, yelling crowd was loud and distracting. Still, I paid closer attention. I started looking at people ahead of and behind us. Were there other dragon shifters here? There could be. Was it anyone we knew?

Like treasure and pleasure.

What do you mean?I silently spoke back.

Looking. Searching. Hunting.

I closed my eyes, trying to focus.

"You okay?" Dez asked.

"Yeah. Fine." I opened my eyes and smiled.

Just then, a shout came from the front of the line. "Doors opening!"

The crowd hooted and applauded.

It took a long time, but finally the line began to move for those of us near the back. There were a few fights as people joined friends ahead of others and argued about it.

It took about fifteen minutes before we reached the corner of the building near the front. The line was slowing down again. I could see security conferring with bouncers. An attractive older woman with flowing beaded skirts and long hair came out and scanned the line. It looked like maybe she was counting.

We continued to move. My dragon stilled inside me, sniffing the air again, stiffening his countenance and causing my muscles to clench.

Run. Fly. Break through.

He wanted to break from the line and cut in front of all the people to force himself inside. That, I would never allow. I projected calm and peace.

I had turned away from Dez, hands in my pockets, trying to deal with the combination of feelings and when I turned back, strangers stood in front of me.

"Hey!" I waved my hand. "I'm with that guy."

I pointed to Dez, who turned.

"Rome, what are you doing back there?"

"These people stepped in front of me." I didn't use the word "cut," trying to be polite.

"We were here all along." It was a guy in a brimmed black hat who outright lied to me.

"But that's my friend."

Dez said, "He's with me!"

The group who'd cut in front of me all shook their heads, not budging. I had names for those sorts. But I kept my mouth shut.

By then, Dez was next in line. I saw him speak to the bouncer and gesture. The bouncer looked at the group in front of me, who all earnestly said they were next. Then he shrugged as he looked directly at me.

"Don't worry. You can get in with the next group in about ten minutes. You can find your friend inside."

"It's okay, Dez. I don't want to make trouble," I shouted.

Dez called out, "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. I'll find you."

The bouncer let Dez in, and the club doors closed. Now the big guy stood outside, arms crossed.

My dragon began spinning again, eager and frustrated. He wanted in. Getting left behind had him tense and angry.

Treasure and pleasure. We want. Go. Go inside.

This was frustrating for me as well. I should never have come. I had made it so close, and now Dez was in and the doors were closed.

The woman with the beaded skirts was still outside. She walked up to the bouncer and began to talk with him. I couldn't hear what was being said, but it looked serious.

"Hello, handsome," said a voice beside me.

I turned. A stranger stood before me dressed all in white linen with a shine to his hair and a scent to his skin that spoke of wealth. He smiled.

"Do I know you?" I asked.

"No. But my name is Kire. And I would love to offer you five hundred for your spot in line. To be fair to the rest of the people waiting, that would mean you would go back to the end again."

"What? No. I've been waiting almost half an hour. People already cut in front of me, and my friend got in without me."

"Five hundred in cash. I've got it right here." He reached into this pocket and took out a roll of hundreds wrapped in a blue rubber band.

I thought about how much meat I could buy my dragon with that. It would certainly make him happier. But right now, he was distracted, still spinning inside me and wanting into the club.

"I think I'll pass." My voice sounded weak.

"You sure?" I could smell the money as he waved it front of me.

I let out a huge breath, wavering. "Well—I really could use it." Hell, I hadn't wanted to come here in the first place.

"Here it is. All yours."

I reached out, my hand shaking a bit. "All right. The space is yours." What did it matter anyway?

"Hey," the people behind me protested as the rich guy stood in front of me.

"Don't worry," I said, stuffing the money in my pocket. "I'm going to the end of the line."

No. Go. Go inside. Now.

"Sorry, hun," I said under my breath. "We'll eventually get there. But hey, we can go shopping for steaks tomorrow. How's that?"

No. Inside. Now. Puhlease!

That inner voice sounded desperate and forlorn. It sent reverberations of loss through my entire body. Again, that sweet scent, like something from paradise itself, swirled around me as I made the long walk to the far end of the building where the line looked endless.

Wrong direction. Let me out so I can find it.

My dragon had never been this adamant before. What was I missing?