Free Thicker Than Water by Carla Jablonski Page A

Chambord,” Hecate said, licking her purple-outlined lips. “What—did you think it was the blood of virgins or something?”
    â€œNah,” Aaron said. He picked up the martini glass, spilling a little as he brought it to his mouth. “I don’t think you’d find any of those here.”
    Hecate laughed. “You got that right.”
    Carol held back her long hair and bent over her glass. She took a dainty sip without lifting it up. She cocked her head. “Not bad,” she decided.
    Kia ran a finger along the stem of the glass, trying to sense if the DJ was still looking at her. She glanced up through her thick bangs. Nope, he was gone again.
    She sipped the bloodbath. She was relieved to see that Carol looked a little more comfortable and had started chatting with Hecate.
    Kia turned and leaned against the bar so she could watch the scene in front of her. A striking burgundy-haired woman dressed completely in white stood out in high relief against the ocean of black. She was having an earnest conversation with two extremely overweight women, both wearing skimpy leather outfits. Two men approached them, and they actually seemed just as interested in the heavy women as the thin one. Interesting. The woman in white eventually excused herself and the men and the heavy leather-clad women headed for the dance floor.
    Two bare-chested men in leather pants strolled by, their bodies covered in vivid tattoos. One man’s entire back was tattooed with the image of a vampire biting the neck of a naked woman. They eyed Kia and her friends, nodded at Hecate, and kept walking.
    â€œNipple piercing has to hurt,” Aaron said as he watched the men vanish into the crowd.
    A woman in a vinyl jumpsuit and a mask standing beside Aaron let out a sharp laugh. “Maybe that’s the point,” she said with a sly grin. “Got a problem with pain?”
    â€œWell, actually, yes,” Aaron said, taking a step closer to Carol. “I’m against it.”
    The woman picked up her drink—a strange green concoction—and drank it all in one gulp.
    A man in his late twenties approached the woman. “Hey, Queenie, haven’t seen you in a while.”
    â€œI haven’t wanted to be seen,” the woman responded coldly, then walked away.
    The guy shrugged and slid an arm around Hecate. “Want to get happy?”
    Hecate shook him off. “Not with you, thanks. They don’t either,” she added, indicating Kia, Carol, and Aaron.
    The guy smiled, and Kia realized his eyes were out of focus. “I get that. Cool.” He shambled away again.
    â€œI don’t know if you guys drop or sniff or whatever, but never get anything from that creep,” Hecate said.
    â€œIt’s pretty late,” Carol said. “We should be getting back.”
    â€œYou sure?” Hecate replied. “The party kicks into gear around now.”
    Kia scanned the room. It was more crowded—she hadn’t thought that was possible. People had spread up onto the stage and were dancing there. The feeling in the club had become even more charged, more intense. Kia felt herself revving up with it as if she’d plugged into a special battery pack.
    â€œCome on,” Carol urged. “We have a long way to go to get home.”
    â€œYeah, plus we’re going to be useless tomorrow as it is,” Aaron added.
    Kia knew they were right: that subway ride wasn’t going to be pretty. And there was school in the morning. “Okay,” she said with a sigh. “But I need to hit the ladies’ room first.”
    Carol shuddered. “I don’t even want to think what that experience might be like. We’ll wait right here.”
    Hecate pointed Kia toward the bathrooms and headed over to a group of kids wearing lots of metal jewelry. They looked closer to high school age. “Thanks for the invite,” Kia called to Hecate. Hecate nodded and grinned and