Free Guardian Awakening (The Guardians Series) by Michaela Rhua Page A

her eyes and blinked them several times before they adjusted enough to read the time—8:30 p.m. She wasn’t due at work until 10:00 p.m. but would be there until 3:00 a.m. She was taking a few days off after tonight, just to recharge her batteries. Her usual waking routine kicked in; tossing the duvet aside, she swung her legs over the edge and padded to the bathroom. Twenty minutes later Romy was dressed and in her kitchen, munching on toast while listening to the evening news on the radio. Looking at her watch, she realized time was running away, so she drank the remains of her coffee and made her way to the door, grabbing her keys on the way out. She could easily take a taxi to the club, but she preferred to walk. It helped focus her mind on what she had to do. On the way home, her walk helped her to forget what she had done.
    Frank was on the door as usual and let her in with a curt nod. He wasn’t one for conversation while on duty but did his job well. There were occasions when he did his job with too much gusto, like when he threw over-excited customers out of the club.
    The interior of the club was dark red, with spotlights illuminating the walkway into the main bar. Instead of heading into the bar area, she cut right and walked through a set of doors straight into the staff area, where two of the girls were getting changed to go for a well-earned break.
    Jo was just putting her coat on when she noticed Romy walk in.
    “Hey, Romy, stag party just rolled in, be careful out there,” she hollered over. Jo was blonde and blue eyed. She was the eldest of the girls and had a steel backbone when it came to unruly customers.
    “Yeah, they already seemed loaded,” DeeDee informed her. She had been at the club a little longer than Romy and had immediately struck up a close friendship with Jo. The two now seemed inseparable. DeeDee put on her coat and headed out with Jo.
    “Thanks, girls, enjoy your break.” Romy waved at them as they left the room. She went to her locker area and began to get her performance clothes ready. Tonight she needed the black leather basque with the red lace covering her breasts. The matching panties and her thigh-length boots with four-inch steel heels would complete the on-stage image. In this outfit she felt in control and could handle anything when she got up on stage. Cherie arrived, late and obviously flustered, while Romy, who had plaited her hair high up on her head, was applying her makeup.
    “Hey, come on, hurry up, boss man’s going to have your neck,” Romy urged as she finished by putting on her leather gloves.
    “Yeah, I know, but had a problem with the system...” Cherie continued to talk about the intricacies of running the call center computers and how she fixed the problem that no one else could. Most of the girls worked two jobs to make ends meet. No one had chosen to do what they did at the club as a career, but they had all ended up there somehow.
    “Okay, Cher, I’m on...” Romy headed toward the door. “Jo and DeeDee said we have a lively bunch out there.” She walked through the dimly lit corridor that led to the stage; even from there she could hear cheers and hoots.
    Romy closed her eyes; in her mind she fast-forwarded to the time she would be coming off the stage. Her introduction music began to play, and she breathed out slowly, opened her eyes, and her alter ego was there, dangerous and wild. She stepped out onto the stage and threw herself into her routine.
    As her gyrating hips tantalized the crowd, she slipped the tips of her fingers into her panties, eyes closed in make-believe ecstasy. Romy became aware of an energy scrutinizing her from the dark recesses of the club. The power felt familiar, dark and brooding. She felt a gaze piercing her. The combination of sizzling energy and knowing she was the center of attention ignited the fire deep within her. Something that had not happened before. The heat built up in her body; every sense awoke and came