Then we’re in the rave.
I immediately wish I was higher. Like, higher-than-Vicodin kind of high. The music is loud and everyone is dancing with the happiest, most intense expressions on their faces. It makes me jealous of their drugs. Then again, if I had a moment alone with Max again... Fuck, we don’t even have to be alone. I’ll fucking maul him right here, in front of everyone.
Hey girl, calm your tits.
But though the voice inside my head means well, it’s a little too quiet.
Max squeezes my hand, keeping me close to him, as we make our way through the crowd. I don’t know how on earth we’re supposed to find the two demons in here. I mean, everyone’s eyes are so dilated that they look demonic anyway, and all the vibes are going in all directions. Plus, we never even got a look at them. I guess the only thing we have to go by is Max’s eyes, if they ever get flames in them. And I think if I have to stare into his eyes all night, waiting for that, I’m going to end up making out with him again.
“Now what?” I say to him when we come to stop by the bar, giving us a broader view of the crowd. Since everyone here is high as fuck and therefore not drinking, there’s not much of a crowd in this area.
“I don’t know,” he says, scanning the crowd. “I reckon it’s pretty much impossible to pin them down.”
“But didn’t you say they’d find us eventually? You’ve got a tracker on you or something.”
He glances at me. “So then, we wait here and see if they show up?”
“I don’t see you coming up with any ideas.”
He gives me a crooked grin. “Alright. We’ll do that.”
“Okay, good, because I’m having a drink,” I tell him, turning around to face the bartender whose been watching us this whole time. “Hi. Beer, please.” I look at Max, even though he’s scanning the crowd. “Better make it two. If he doesn’t have it, I will.”
The bartender gives me two beers and I slap down a twenty that barely covers them. Max looks back at me, shakes his head. “Those both for you?”
“Actually, one is for you.” I hold it out for him, but he doesn’t bite.
“You have it,” he says, and goes back to looking around.
Okay, so I know I’m still kind of high and about to be drunk, but I don’t really understand how he could just kiss me like that and pretend it never happened. I mean, it did happen. This is going to stick with me for a long time. Kisses like that happen once in a lifetime, he can’t possibly pretend it was just for show, just a distraction.
Then he looks back at me. “You okay? I’m just going to go check on something.”
“Don’t you dare go far,” I warn.
“I won’t.”
He walks off into the crowd. He’s by far the tallest person here, so at least he’s easy to spot as he cuts through the crowd.
I keep my eyes glued to his head, peeling off one label and finishing the beer before I do the same to the other. Eventually I drift away from the bar until I lose sight of Max.
Fuck. Just my luck I’m going to end up cornered by those demons and with my brain just open for them to look at, they’re going to know it’s me.
“Hey sugar.”
I jump, startled, and see some skeezy looking guy in a sweat-soaked white tank top, man bun, and grizzly beard in need of some conditioner.
“Sugar?” I repeat.
He moves closer to me, making me back up against a fence post.
Holy shit.
Demon.
Right?
I narrow my eyes at him. “Do I know you?”
“You’re going to,” he says, a malicious glint running through his overly dilated eyes. “You’re here all alone. I’ve been watching you.”
“Uh huh.”
“Think you need a man to show you the ropes.”
“The ropes of what, exactly?”
He moves closer to me, the movement making me realize I can’t escape easily. “Nowhere to go, sugar. You’re trapped with me.”
He grins at me and while his teeth aren’t shark’s teeth, they are sharp and misshapen.
“Are you a demon?” I ask him.
He jerks his head back and frowns. “Demon?”
“I take that as a no,” I say. Then I wind up and clock him right in the face, my fist connecting with his jaw, and that extra boost of energy from me is just the chef’s kiss. He goes stumbling back a few feet until he’s on the ground.
He cries out in pathetic pain, holding his jaw. Some people around us gasp or laugh and then go back to dancing.
I turn around and see Max standing right behind me, brows raised, looking impressed.
“You were just going to stand there?” I say to him.
“I knew you could handle yourself,” he says, adding a smile.
I cross my arms. “Not the jealous type, then.”
He shrugs with one shoulder. “If you had been into him, it would be a different story.” He nods toward the exit. “Honestly, I think we should leave. The chances of finding them here isn’t great, and the chances of you punching some other dick in the face is.”
I nod and follow him out of the concert, grabbing the back of his shirt as he leads me out of the crowd and the music and the drugs and back onto the dirt road leading back to the car.
The further away we get from it, the more the music fades, the more it seems like a crazy idea in the first place.
“Sorry I dragged you to a rave,” I tell him.
“Would you believe me if I said I had fun?” he asks.
I bite my lip. “Oh yeah? Which part?”
He stares at my mouth for a moment, long enough for me to know which part.
“So, what do we do about the demons?” I ask him as we walk. “They’re in the crowd there, probably high on E.”
“We just have to let them go.
