Chapter 4 - Red Flags
1660 Words
Aurora D'Angelo / Isla Smith
Melody led us to what she claimed was the heart of Blackwood's nightlife.
On the outside, it looked dingy.
On the inside, the lights, lasers, loud music, drinks with questionable colors, and bodies dancing drew us in.
The place was packed. “This is… fun!” Arline smiled, and I nodded.
I loved how she was, slowly, opening up to this experience.
“Shall we hit the dance floor?” I said, and Sage beamed.
“Come on, first, let's get hammered; that way if some wandering hands reach us, we won't mind…” I laughed nervously.
I never thought about it.
We were in a cramped space.
Drunk people.
No security.
For my hopelessly inexperienced brain, the thought suddenly became... problematic.
We held hands, and Melody opened up a way towards the bar.
“This corner,” she said,
Finally, a little room to breathe.
“What can I get you, ladies, tonight?” the bartender asked.
Sage looked at the man offering drinks and gave him a once-over.
She was openly flirting with him.
I'd never been inside a human bar before, but I assumed bartenders flirted with customers for better tips.
“We want tequila shots…” she ordered.
“Eight.” Our bartender’s eyebrows raised, and she gave him a sweet smile.
Naturally, being supernatural, we would need a whole lot more alcohol to achieve the purpose.
“So, has anyone met their mate yet?” Sage asked.
“I don't think we should use that word here…” I muttered,
“That´s a complete giveaway,” Arline said, and Sage sighed.
“Well, your significant other?” She corrected.
Much better.
Also, it was a very human way of describing the whole ´mate´ situation.
“Not yet.”
“Me neither… wouldn´t it suck if it was a plain human?” Sage bit her lip.
“Although I would not mind having some fun… I mean, get a boy toy…” she was wilder than I expected.
“I want to save myself for my ma… significant other,” I said.
Melody gasped.
“No f*****g way.”
“What is the purpose of coming here, if not having fun?” Melody looked at me.
“Human males are horny as hell,” Sage smirked.
“They can make a good practice round,” Melody winked.
“I don't know, I haven´t thought about it,” I didn't want to explain further.
My parents were fated mates.
I had witnessed the blessing that comes with the bond.
Throughout my life, I had hoped to experience the same thing.
“I lost my v-card in senior year prom…” Arline blushed.
“Well, my kind is known for females to have high libidos, so I lost mine at 16,” Melody said, and I smiled.
I never thought that being a virgin would make me a novelty.
“15 for me… a water dragon… hot as hell… it was steamy,” Sage said.
We all laughed.
The joke told itself.
“Isla?” they looked at me,
“No comments,” I said, and they started pushing.
“Come on!...” Sage pressed.
I shook my head.
Silence.
Then, the realization crossed their faces.
“Oh…” Sage whispered.
I lowered my gaze.
I laughed it off, hoping no one else had heard.
Judging by the looks on my friends' faces, I wasn't nearly that lucky.
“Cheers!” Sage passed around a round of tequila shots.
We gulped down the burning liquid.
“So, you are a virgin,” Melody smirked.
Busted.
“I said I was not one to kiss and tell…” I tried to avoid admitting to them that I was an inexperienced virgin.
“Oh! You totally are!” Arline blurted.
The shy werebear flipped the switch on me.
“I hate you,” I mumbled, and they pulled me in a group hug.
“There is nothing wrong with it…” Melody smiled.
The way these girls accepted me, without prejudices, was refreshing.
My heart felt full.
This was exactly what I needed.
Friends.
“I just… never found the right guy.”
Unfortunately, I had been under surveillance 24/7.
“Well, good thing you came here…” Sage gave me a mischievous look.
“We can find you a guy to get laid.” As soon as the words left her lips, I shook my head.
The truth was that I was not ready.
“Not tonight.”
“Let her be…” Arline said, and Sage lifted her hands in surrender.
“She will get there when she is ready,” Arline pointed out.
I gave her a relieved smile.
“Let's get another round of shots, and we can hit the dance floor,” Melody suggested.
Sage lifted her hand, ordering another tray of shots.
Growing up in such a controlled environment, real friendships had always been rare. My world had been limited to cousins and family friends. I loved them, but there were things you simply couldn't tell your family. Tonight, for the first time, it felt like I had something different.
The bartender set the tray, and Sage paid.
“Thanks,” he said when she left a hefty tip.
She smiled, openly flirting with the guy.
Sage clearly had no intention of leaving without making the bartender blush.
She was uninhibited and gorgeous.
It was natural for her to attract the gazes of most guys in this place.
“To a new year!” Melody lifted the shot, and we toasted.
“To new adventures and friendship!” Sage took the second round, and we cheered, downing the eight shots in no time.
We laughed. “Let's dance!” Arline said.
When we turned around to move, we were stopped by a waiter holding a tray full of colorful drinks.
He smiled.
“Ladies…” he said, and Sage looked at him with a weird expression.
“Compliments from the gentlemen in the VIP area,” he said, pointing at a balcony, where four male silhouettes stood.
Sage looked at me, and I shook my head.
Melody did the same, and it was Arline who spoke…
“Tell the gentlemen up there…
No thanks,” she said.
Arline didn’t hesitate.
We held hands and walked away to the dance floor.
The waiter blinked.
Clearly, no one had ever rejected The Kings before.
When we reached the dance floor, the upbeat music made us forget about the waiter episode.
We let go.
Laughed.
Joked.
And from time to time, we shooed away drunk guys.
A group of girls danced nearby.
After the fourth shoulder bump, I turned.
"Is there a problem?"
One of the girls looked me up and down.
"Depends. Are you the idiots who refused The Kings?"
“We don't care,” Arline tucked me behind her.
“You are so stupid!”
“You refused the drinks The Kings sent.” The girl was angry.
“You can't be that naive, or are you that confident?”
My roommate didn’t give a s**t.
Arline laughed.
"I'll go with confidence.”
“Definitely.”
She turned on her heel, and we followed suit.
A club was a place where young people went to have fun.
What the f**k was all that drama?
“The Kings?” I mumbled.
Arline shrugged.
“Whatever, babes… who the f**k sends radioactive-looking drinks to girls… that is moronic!” Arline sighed, and we all burst out laughing.
“Let's get another drink,” Sage led the group.
“Mel, let's go…” I dragged the petite blonde along.
“That was weird,” I said, and Arline nodded.
“The Kings…” Sage swallowed.
“What kind of morons name themselves that?” Arline rolled her eyes.
Warm breath brushed against my ear.
I froze.
“Then, how do you suggest you call us?” A deep baritone brushed against my ear.
My heart slammed against my ribs.
Sweat dampened my palms.
For one impossible second, everything else disappeared.
“I…” I paused.
“I don't know.”
My back stiffened.
I took a deep inhale, trying to control my hammering heart.
“I have no idea what your name is.” I slowly turned around.
Before me was a man.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, with sharp features and warm hazel eyes.
Handsome didn't quite cover it.
I gulped down.
This was… Unexpected.
“Ashton Varnat,” he extended his hand.
The confidence with which he introduced himself suggested he expected everyone to know who he was.
“Isla… Smith…” I said but didn't dare shake his hand.
His eyes found mine.
Inevitably.
“Isla… that is a beautiful name…” he mumbled.
“Thanks…”
“Now, care to explain why you reject the drinks we sent your way?” His voice was soft.
Great. Even his voice had to be unfairly attractive. That certainly wasn't helping my decision to dislike him.
I was fairly certain I was making my inexperience painfully obvious.
I looked at my friends.
Arline smirked.
Sage nodded, encouraging me to speak up.
“Because they came with a red flag next to the straw.” I finally answered.
“A red flag?” he mumbled.
I nodded.
“And in case the message was not clear.” I took a deep breath.
He smelled amazing.
Focus.
I straightened my shoulders.
“We are not interested,” I said with finality.
I silently nodded; my friends exchanged a glance.
We all turned around and walked away.
Infuriating.
Every instinct told me to leave. Unfortunately, none of them explained why I couldn't stop looking at him.
I had never been angrier in my whole life.
My entire body trembled.
I refused to question why.
A king.
The thing I had run away from my entire life.
Ironic.
- Writer
