Crimson Luna

Chapter Two

I held my breath as the doors flung open to reveal a tall man. His wide-set gray eyes flicked back and forth between us before recognition hit him.

“Rebekah! Yo, I didn’t think you would show up! Hey guys, check this out! The stripper is here!” He called out behind his shoulder. His head whipped back to us, and his black, shaggy hair swung slowly back towards his face. He flicked it out of his eyes and then perused the outfits we were wearing.

“You going to let us in Connell?” Bekah sassed. I eyed Connell; he looked to be nothing more than some frat boy. Red polo shirt hanging over dark blue jeans. I glanced down to find he was wearing simple black boots.

“Sure thing, sugar.” Connell sneered as he stepped to the side to allow us entry. I stepped forward into what appeared to be a foyer. The smooth white tiled floor with swirls of gold stretched to the giant staircase leading to what I assumed to be the second level of the house. I turned my eyes up to find a crystal chandelier hanging from the low ceiling. The lights twinkled as the crystals swung with the breeze. We followed Connell through a series of hallways and empty rooms until he reached a section at the back of the house. We stood in a sunroom that overlooked the well-manicured back lawn. From my vantage point, I eyed the glistening pool, and several people already milled about, drinks in hand. To the left of the pool, raised up on a platform, I found a DJ getting set up for the night. To the right of the pool was a cozy-looking bar with several plush velvet stools lining the bar. I hummed in approval. This might be a fun night after all. Bekah nudged me in the shoulder and pointed to the opposite side of the pool where a large platform was erected. It looked like a stage; upon closer look, I could see the sleek metal poles that were spaced throughout the stage, the stripper area. I gently squeezed Bekah’s arm to let her know that I would stay close to her. Beyond the stripper area, the house seemed to be surrounded by a forest, a wall of trees that eerily made a cocoon around the home. For a moment, I felt a sense of dread.

“Nolan, Austin!” Connell called out to some guys, and I watched as they trotted towards us. One guy was very noticeably short; he had thin blond hair that was spiked with gel, but as he got closer, I realized it might have been grease. I shuddered as I took in his pale face that was full of acne, but he looked to still be young. The other guy was the opposite of the first; he was actually very handsome. I eyed him up and down with his brown hair buzzed short to his oval-shaped face. His brown, close-set eyes returned my gaze. He gave me a small smile and held his hand out to me.

“I’m Austin.” Oh, I could listen to that deep, sensual voice forever. Bekah nudged me hard, and I yelped, feeling the heat that rushed to my cheeks.

“Oh sorry! I’m Kassidy.” I returned his smile with my own and shook his hand. The sound of a throat clearing startled me, breaking my intense stare-down with Austin. I looked over to find the short man sticking his hand out.

“I’m Nolan.” His nasally voice was like nails on a chalkboard. I tried not to flinch as I shook his hand, quickly releasing it and awkwardly wondering what to do next.

“I’m going to get set up with the rest of the girls,” Bekah announced. The men cheered as she walked away, leaving me behind with them. While they watched Bekah saunter off, I snuck away towards the bar. I’d just sat down on a stool when I felt someone come up behind me. I tensed, ready to bolt if needed.

“Give this beauty whatever she wants.” Austin’s voice ordered the woman behind the bar. She scrunched her face at me, waiting for me to order.

“I’ll take a Cosmo, please,” I said. I turned as Austin took the seat to my left. He really was handsome, maybe I wouldn’t regret coming to the party after all. We chatted easily as we waited for the server to bring my drink. Once she slid it across the bar to me, I stood and ambled over to the beach chairs situated around the pool. I lay back and relaxed as the DJ began to play some hip-hop. My foot tapped to the rhythm, and it wasn't long before the entire backyard was flooded with people. I noticed with unease that the majority were men. That didn't seem right, but I brushed it off as I went for another drink. By the time I made it to the stripper’s stage, I was starting to feel buzzed, and I quickly found Bekah, twirling her way around the pole, her blond hair flowing along with her. I cheered and hollered at her, and Bekah looked down and laughed, giving me the middle finger. Twenty minutes and several songs later, Bekah found me and gave me a small pinch.

“Having fun, Kass?” Bekah’s eyes were glued to my face, waiting for a reaction.

“Yes,” I sighed. “You will, Bekah, I’m having loads of fun. It’s not so bad having some eye candy around either.” I declared boldly, and then immediately blushed. No more drinks for me.

“I’m so glad you’re having fun, babe; I’ll be right back, I'm going to tell the guys that I’m taking a break for a bit. And then you and I can go for a dip in the pool.” Bekah’s brows waggled, and I barked out a laugh. I watched Bekah turn and head in the direction of the guys who greeted us. I had been drinking far too much, swaying on my feet, but I stared as Bekah waved her arms around, smiling and chatting with Connell and Austin, when I noticed Nolan stalking towards Bekah, close enough to drop something into her drink. My smile faltered. What the hell? I started to push my way through the crowd, yelling for Bekah, trying and failing to get her attention as she brought the cup to her lips and tipped the rest of the contents into her mouth. I hadn’t noticed Austin maneuvering his way around the crowd until it was too late.

“You weren’t supposed to see that.” Austin sneered. I jerked back and tried to run from the danger I now felt in the pit of my stomach. But I was too drunk; I felt his arm slide around my waist as he pulled me tightly against him. I slammed my head back, hoping to hit his chest hard enough for him to let me go. He grunted, but he clutched me tighter as he dug into his pockets with his free hand. My eyes widened with panic as he pulled out a syringe, dangling it in front of my face before he plunged the needle into my neck. I gasped from the pain and tried harder to pull away from him, even clawing at the arm holding me in place. My movements became sluggish, and the last thing I saw before I lost my vision was Austin’s face. He was grinning.