The Possession of Anna Drake

11 - Feel The Beat

“Get in the car, Liz,” Anna demanded as I paced back and forth.

“I don’t know if I can do this. My chest feels so tight.” I placed my hand to my sternum and tried to take a deep breath.

I was scared to death! I didn’t want to make a fool of myself.

“It’s not like we are going to a mortal bar. We are going to a place with like-minded friends. I mean, really, Liz. What could go wrong?” Anna laughed as I finally gained the courage to grab the doorknob and crawl into the passenger seat.

“These are your friends,” I corrected her as she slid in behind the wheel.

“We don’t know them yet. This place could be a total bust.” Anna winked as she started the car and pulled out of the driveway.

The roads around Evergreen Falls are not straight by any means. They twist and turn in the most unusual ways. My mother said it was to help shield the city from those meaning to do it harm. Personally, I felt like whoever mapped out the highways system was a sadistic asshat. One hour turned into two, yet we had not found the location of the secret club.

We navigated the back roads of Evergreen Falls until I was sure home was a hundred miles away. All the while, Anna kept looking for any sign of this magical club.

“It’s around here somewhere. I can feel it.” She kept saying.

So far, we had seen more cows than people. It was almost time to give up hope on this club’s existence.

“Maybe we should go home. I’m sure some popcorn and a movie would be fun.” I gulped down my anxiety. I was perfectly fine with us ending the search and heading back to her place for the evening.

Anna took a deep breath and smacked the steering wheel.

“I don’t want to do popcorn and a movie, Liz. We have been trapped inside our homes for eight years. Do you realize how long that is in witch terms? We should be ruling the coven, not cowering to your mother and her twisted rules.”

“I don’t think they are so twisted. She means well.” I mumbled.

I am not the captain of my mother’s fan club. I found her to be a complete fake. People thought she was perfect. She was the High Priestess, she ran an exemplary school, and she had given birth to the only electrokinetic child in the state. To everyone on the outside, she was flawless.

Anna saw her as she was, but it did frighten me the comment she had made. How could the two of us rule the coven when it followed the old laws. We were teenagers, and there had never been a teenage High Priestess. There were rules, tests, life-altering choices. What was Anna expecting to happen?

“Maybe we should turn around,” I mentioned. “No club is worth this much anxiety.”

I should have remained silent. As if on some magical queue, we came across a field packed with cars.

“This has to be it,” she giggled with excitement.

My heart dropped into my stomach, and all the swirling butterfly feelings began to take control. I knew it was fear. What made me think I was ready for this?

The bass from the music began to vibrate through my body, and a low hum settled in my fingers. I could feel the energy radiating from the building. There were others like us out there, and that, to be honest, scared me even more than the club itself.

“You sure about this?” I squeaked.

“Never been more sure e in my life,” she answered with a squeal.

“Do you even know what pill it is they make you take?” I raised an eyebrow.

I had never taken drugs before.

I knew Anna had experimented a few times with some of the guys she had met online, but I couldn’t even pull myself to take a drag from one of my mother’s cigarettes. I had never even mustered up the courage to take my first drink. The idea wasn’t appealing to me, but it was a way of life to Anna. She was the risk-taker; even with that ankle bracelet on, she experienced more during our sentencing than I did. Nobody looked at her and saw a murderer. They saw a young woman who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I was the murderer, not Anna.

“There’s a first time for everything, Liz,” Anna replied with an eye roll.

“I’m not so sure it’s a good idea,” I muttered.

An image of Nadia’s dead body flashed through my brain. The last thing I wanted to do was cause harm to another person. I had enough blood on my hands.

“We are going to be fine.” Anna placed her hand on my knee and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

“Are you sure?” I muttered with a slight stutter.

“You look great. Let’s do this,” Anna parked the car and opened the driver’s side door.

I admit, I hesitated for a moment before conjuring up the courage to exit the vehicle. I didn’t feel right like something was going to happen, and I wouldn’t be able to stop it. It wasn’t until we hit the line that I realized my stomach was turning, and my legs were shaking. This club was scaring the crap out of me.

“You all right?” Anna asked as she reached out and took my hand.

“Yeah, just nervous.” I lied. I couldn’t tell her I was scared. I wasn’t going to let her go into this place alone.

“We got here just in time. The line isn’t that long,” Anna said with enthusiasm.

I could tell she wasn’t feeling the same sense of danger as I was. That alone made me even more uncomfortable. If she wasn’t feeling anything, it meant whatever danger that lurked beyond the front door was coming for me. I swallowed the lump which had formed in my throat and took a deep breath. I had to face whatever it was head-on.

We stood in line for about thirty minutes before reaching the front door. The bouncer handed us some forms and a shiny blue pill. Anna downed hers with no issue, but I took a good three minutes looking at mine until the bouncer whispered, “If you don’t take it, you don’t enter.” I quickly downed the pill, opened my mouth to show it wasn’t hidden in my cheek, and entered the building.

At first, I felt nothing; I was chastising myself for thinking something terrible would happen. Then the music’s pounding, and the smell of sweat and perfume began to take me over. Anna led me to the middle of the dance floor, and without thinking, I began to sway to the deafening techno. My arms moved above my head; then, my hips began to sway.

The music took me over, thumping with my heartbeat, causing my head to swim with visions and colors. The electric current in my body took me further, buzzing through my veins as Anna’s hands crept up my hip and slid over my left breast, causing a thrill to surge through my body.

“Isn’t this amazing.” She mouthed at me.

The sensation of the track, the swirling of the colors, the feel of her hands on my body sent me into a sensory overload. I could feel the sparks beginning to tingle in the tips of my fingers as Anna pulled me closer, her face now inches from mine.

Her eyes sparkled and shined indescribably. Her fingers began to trace the curvatures of my bond structure, and I instinctively followed her queues. It was just as exhilarating to touch as it was to be touched, and those sensations multiplied beyond a reasonable explanation. I was yearning for her in a sense I had never had before.

I looked around the dance floor, noticing others in the same closeness. Some wrapped deeper into one another, while some were still on the verge of exploration. It was intriguing what the music was doing. Anna’s touch became lighter and more sensual as I turned to catch her eyes. When her lips met mine, my whole world exploded, and the electric current from my fingers found a pulsating release.

With each hit of the bass, Anna’s kisses were far more intense, and even though I was under the influence of the blue pill mixed with the magic of the music, her hungry urges were overpowering mine. She pressed harder, pulled me closer, shoved her tongue into my mouth, and moaned with each kiss. I was still accepting, but fear crept in.

What was happening? How was this club taking her over? What was going on? Why was she tugging at the zipper of my skirt?

Her excitement overpowered mine, and while my body widely wanted to let her do as she wished, my brain was clear enough to make eye contact with the first person not on the dance floor.

I’m pretty sure he read my emotional outcry as he and his friend ascended the dance floor. He pulled me in one direction, and his friend pulled Anna another. It was natural for her. She had no qualms transferring her lips from mine to his while they danced. I dropped my hands to my side, took a deep breath, and allowed my knight in shining eyeliner to lead me from the dance floor.

He was handsome, maybe two years older than me. He had short black hair and dazzling blue eyes outlined with black eyeliner. Still, under the influence of the blue pill, I found myself marveling at the intricacy of the black lines. It made his blue eyes glisten, and it was sucking me in.

“You ok?” he asked as his hands moved my face from left to right.

I had no idea what he was looking for, but he seemed pleased not to find it.

“Yeah, that was intense.” I laughed.

I had no idea what had happened, and the sensuality of my dance with Anna seemed to disappear. I knew what had happened, but the excitement my body had felt was no longer there. Instead, it was focusing on what was directly in front of me.

“You want a drink?” he asked, pointing toward a vacated bar.

Everyone was on the floor wrapped in the arms of someone else. Even Anna had somehow managed to forget about me in the change of partners.

“I’m good. Want to dance?” I asked him with a giggle.

He nodded and allowed me to pull him back onto the floor.

Flashing! Everything was flashing. The music was loud, sending shockwaves through my body. The room spun and swayed, changing colors from various blues to reds. My new partner remained at a distance, watching over the floor as if he was the bouncer. I tried to pull him close to me, but he would only go so far before taking a step backward. I wanted him to touch me the way Anna had, and the high of the fever to consume him began to eat at me. He only allowed me to go so far before stepping back again.

“I think you need to cool down,” he whispered in my ear as he grabbed my hands and led me from the club.

By the time I came down from the high, we were sitting on the hood of the car staring at the stars. The memories of what had transpired began to come back. I couldn’t make sense of them.

I kept glimpsing flashes of demons dancing around us. Blood and smoke were the only smells that remained. None of it was making any sense. I could still feel the electricity rolling through me, and the urge to touch someone was present. I wanted to do things for those demons, and the idea of how far I had gone to do it pulled me down to earth with a loud thud.

“Did you have fun?” the blue-eyed man asked me.

The way he looked at me was not admiration but concern.

“I wish I could remember,” I muttered in response.

“That’s the perk of this place. You never remember what happens inside the club. Think of it as a one-night stand without the need to sneak away. Tomorrow morning you will have very little knowledge of what happened tonight between you and your friend. The flashing memories you have right now will be replaced with something completely different. It’s what keeps customers coming back.” He gave me a cautious smile. “I’m Jordan.”

“Liz,” I replied softly.

“It’s nice to meet you. I’m not sure if I asked your name inside or not.” He winked.

Was he just as lost as I was about what had happened? I remembered enough, but it felt more dreamlike.

“It’s nice to meet you,” I repeated.

I rubbed my eyes, and suddenly Anna was there with Jordan’s friend. I was even more confused. A moment earlier, it had been just him and me. Now the twosome had become a foursome.

“You two are witches?” he asked, looking between Anna and me.

Anna still believed humans wanted to cut off our heads and burn us in fires.

“Who’s asking?” Anna demanded with a growl.

“Everyone here is a witch or warlock,” Jordan replied as he raised his hands in surrender.

“How do you know?” she asked. Anna was seconds from skinning Jordan alive.

And I’m the one everyone is afraid of.

“The blue pill you took when you entered. If you were human, it wouldn’t have worked, and the bouncer would have kicked you out,” he replied. “Did nobody tell you girls about that?”

“No,” I muttered.

“It’s a fail-safe to keep humans out. It increases the dopamine in our brains that allows us to react. It’s a safe space to let go.” Jordan mentioned with a sigh. “I guess we need to be more forthcoming with the admission.”

“Or put it on a sign. You must have this much magic to enter,” Anna teased.

I leaned back and looked up at the stars. I should have felt at ease to be with someone of power, but I was highly uncomfortable. I didn’t particularly appreciate how my happiness on the dance floor was replaced with horrible images.

“You ok?” Jordan asked.

“Yeah,” I lied.

“I can get you another bottle of water if you need it. Sometimes it takes a bit for the pill to pass through the body.” He placed his hand on my forehead and made a twisted expression.

I had no idea what he was feeling around for, but it did not please him, whatever the reason.

“She’s good,” Anna broke into the conversation and placed her head on my chest. “This is Liz Dupree, don’t you know anything?”

Anna winked before biting my breast and putting her attention back on Jordan’s friend. It wasn’t a welcomed interruption, but it did seem to soften the mood between Jordan and me.

“What coven are you with?” he asked.

“Evergreen Falls, “Anna answered on my behalf. “You?”

“North Wood,” Jordan replied, his eyes never leaving my face.

“No s**t?” Anna exclaimed as she pushed her way back into the conversation. “Your High Priest is super yummy.”

I nearly died of embarrassment. I had never met the High Priest of the North Wood coven, but I had heard he was pretty attractive. So much so, he must have gotten Anna’s attention.

Jordan’s face flushed white for a moment before he was able to reclaim his composure.

“We’ve heard of your High Priestess as well. I wouldn’t say she’s yummy, but she’s adequately attractive.” Jordan said with slight hesitation.

“Yeah, if you drain the two bottles of wine from her bloodstream,” Anna retorted with a snort.

“Now is not the time, Anna,” I growled.

When you are in the presence of the members of another coven, you are to be respectful and not speak ill of your people. There is a reason for this, but Anna seemed to have forgotten coven etiquette.

“I’m merely stating the obvious. You know her best.” Anna mumbled.

“What does that mean?” Jordan asked.

“Not something I want to talk about,” I replied.

“Fair enough. What’s your gift?”

“Liz is electrokinetic,” Anna answered for me again.

“Anna,” I grumbled.

“What?”

“I can answer my own damn questions. You pay attention to the hunk in front of you and leave me to mine.” I should have put more thought into it. Maybe have thought of them telepathically so she could hear them, but no, I came out and said it.

“Hunk, huh?” Jordan laughed.

I was mortified! If I could have died on the hood of the car, I would have. I lacked confidence, and the last guy I had any interest in had walked away from me because of his brother. I had no social skills with men. Apparently, I had no filter as well.

“Can I get a redo?” I asked softly, trying to hide the last ounce of dignity.

“How about breakfast?” Jordan replied with a grin.

“Food!” Anna perked up.

“Yes, food.” He announced. “There is a diner about ten miles up the road which serves the best waffles and pancakes.”

“We’re in,” Anna declared.

“Good. Liz, you can ride with me, and Anna can drive Sam.” Jordan winked as my heart began to pound in my chest.

My first date had been a bust. I didn’t know what I was supposed to do in a car with a boy! I glanced over at Anna for guidance, but her face had found Sam’s again, and I was invisible.

“You two go ahead. We will be right behind you,” Anna mentioned as she rolled off the hood and pulled Sam into the cab of the vehicle.

“We better go,” I suggested as I grabbed Jordan’s awaiting hand and pulled him away from the car.