The Awakening/C13 The Chaos
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The Awakening/C13 The Chaos
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C13 The Chaos

The drive to New York City is bursting with laughter and belting out songs on the radio at the top of their lungs. However, things quieted as they drive through Manhattan as the girls stare all about them in awe. Buildings Sera has to press her face on the glass to see and so many people wandering back and forth.

Then she notices steam spiral out of grates on the sidewalk. Trash piled so high they look like buildings themselves. She is starting to think New York City isn't all it's cracked up to be until the car finally drives into Times Square, which is lit up with probably more lights than her entire town could ever hope to power. The billboards flash and draw her eyes in. A yellow M&M waves to her as they pass and all too suddenly, the streets dim again. All Sera can do is stare. Amanda is of course, un-phased.

"Small town girls in the big city, watch out New York." Amanda hums to herself to the same tune as the song on the radio. She weaves the car through a few more turns. How she is veering in and out of lanes while avoiding the million pedestrians, Sera will never understand. The GPS keeps blaring directions and Amanda obeys every single one, even from the wrong lane. Ignoring the gasps escaping Sera and the obscene gestures she's receiving from other drivers, her best friend continues cutting people off like it was in her DNA. It's like she belongs here. Sera steals a look at her closest gal pal. Drop dead gorgeous with a what-the-hell attitude. It's a shame she was born a small town girl, when everything about her screams tough-skinned-city-chick.

Finally, the black sedan pulls up to an industrial neighborhood and miraculously, finds a spot a few feet from the brick single floor building with Chaos scribbled in green graffiti. Splotches of paint splatter around it in assorted colors.

"Are you sure this is it?" Sera turns to her friend. There's no windows, no line out front—nothing to indicate that this is indeed a nightclub.

"Yup, looks like the website."

"Oh." She finally climbs out of the car glancing about with concern. Because, websites are never wrong. Uneasiness settles in her stomach, something inside of her is telling her things are too easy.

She ignores her sudden unrest; this is going to be good night she reminds herself.

The bouncer gives their ID's a passing glance before allowing them entry.

Definitely too easy.

With one last glance behind her, Sera turns to the black curtain and passes through. On the other side, the club comes into view. The ambiance holds true to its name—Chaos. The whole place reeks of sweat and booze. Music thrums through the speakers above cascading down onto the dancers as they gyrate against one another. The opposite side of the club is where the huge bar lies, with mismatched stools and a bar lit up from the inside with a black light. The bottles lining the wall are also lit up from underneath, highlighting the premium bottles in ranging color scheme. Amanda begins weaseling her way to the bar.

"Are we late?" Sera screams into her ear to be heard over the music.

"Just in time." Amanda is still facing away, but Sera can still hear her with precision. Amanda continues to squeeze through two guys before turning back, "Oh, excuse me." With a push, Sera moves her forward.

They finally reach the bar swarming with patrons striving for a drink. "Is that paint?" Sera studies the brick wall beside them.

"And graffiti. Chaotic isn't it?" She shoots Sera a wink. "Ben says this place is all the rage since it opened a few months ago."

"A few months ago," Sera repeats. "You would think they'd be able to afford a mop," she mutters, picking her heel up from the sticky floor a few times.

"You don't get out much, Ser-, just live in the moment tonight, promise?"

Her big brown eyes explore Sera's. "Promise," she finally answers. Live in the moment. That's Amanda's way of saying leave your panties at home. The song changes and Sera's eyes dart to the DJ booth on a raised platform protected by a wall covered in graffiti. By the time she turns around again, Amanda has snuck over to two stools by the bar as a couple escapes to the dance floor. Amanda pats the smaller stool beside her.

"Why do I get the small one?"

"Because these babies." She wiggles and her new push up bra is pushed to the brink, "are the only thing getting us drinks tonight."

"You are ridiculous." Sera hides a laugh and takes another glance around. Maybe it's her first time in the big city, but her anxiety has risen. Amanda has already turned her attention to that phone of hers. No doubt texting Hot Guy #150, if Sera wasn't 'living in the moment' she would shove that piece of plastic...

"Hey, Doll." Sera glances up to the bartender's green eyes gazing at her. The bar behind him is currently green, causing an eerie feeling to creep into her. "What can I get-cha, Doll?"

Amanda finally looks up." Two Redbull vodkas please."

"Redbull?" Sera interrupts.

"Live in the moment," she taunts, eyes wide.

"Oh, double trouble. For a second there I thought this siren was alone."

"She'll never be alone," Amanda informs him, reaching over to grab Sera's hand in hers.

"I see." He turns shooting Sera a sly smile before swinging around to reach for the cans of energy drink behind him.

"Are you trying to cramp my style?" Sera asks. Amanda knows very well Sera is hopeless at flirting.

"I'm saving you. Bartenders are players."

"You sound like you know from experience."

"Unfortunately." By the time the bartender turns back around, Amanda has her credit card out. "First round is on me, Doll."

She turns to scan the crowd and sip her drink. Sera does the same. With one last smile in her direction, the bartender turns to help someone else. The light from the strobe lights reflect off his eyes, and for a fleeting second, Sera thinks she saw his eye blink—sideways. She blinks, hard, a few times, but he has retreated to the other side of the bar. Curiosity causes her to study him for a few more seconds. He pulls out his phone from a back pocket. His fingers fly across the touch screen. Damn, he's a fast texter. In one swift motion, his phone is back in his pocket and two drinks are in his hand.

"Hey there, can I buy you a drink?" a brown-eyed stranger intersecting Sera's line of vision asks. His baby blue collared shirt is stark against his tanned skin.

Automatically, Sera turns to Amanda who is still typing away on her phone.

"Sorry, I have one." She lifts her cup to emphasis her point.

"What's your name?" he shouts into her ear. Sera flinches. She could have heard him from two feet away.

"Sera."

"Sarah?" He leans his ear closer to her mouth.

"No, Sera with an E!" she tries again.

"Yeah, Yeah, Sarah. I'm Jon. Nice to meet you." He extends his hand out to shake hers. As much as Sera hates it when people get her name wrong, she doesn't see the point in correcting him. Sera places her hand in his.

"Nice to meet you."

"Who is your friend, Sera?" Amanda becomes suddenly interested in the handsome guy next to her.

"This is Jon. Jon—this is Amanda." After introductions, he returns his attention to Sera, whispering more questions into her ear.

Amanda pats Sera on the back. They exchange a glance that tells her all she needs to know. Amanda scoots off the stool, heading for the door to meet someone. Sera watches her friend's retreating back reluctantly. There's nothing wrong with Jon, he's actually super cute, but flirting always makes her uncomfortable. He's asking her something else.

"What?"

"I said—"

Someone comes up on the other side, "Hey Angel." A blond haired, blue-eyed Adonis slips next to her. His arm wraps itself around her shoulders. Her eyes stare down at it before looking up to meet his cocky gaze, completely awed at his forwardness. Awe is probably the wrong term—she's more like disgusted.

From a small town, you don't tend to encounter these problems. A guy knows if you catch him acting inappropriately, everyone will know about it by breakfast the next day. Good luck to him getting a date ever again. Sera's definitely not used to this kind of attention.

"Hi." The rudeness is implied as she picks his hand up between two fingers and moves it off her.

"What are you drinking, Red? Let me get you a new one." His confidence never waivers. Who does this guy think he is? He waves and in one second, the green-eyed bartender stands in front our strange trio.

"I have a drink." Dismissively, Sera turns back to Jon. Jon's appears shocked as well. Apparently, even this is not a city thing.

The blond beside Sera takes the drink between her hands and throws it back with one gulp, slamming it down on the counter.

"Not anymore, Red." He smirks before turning to the bartender, "Two of the specials." The cocky stranger and the green-eyed bartender exchange a creepy laugh.

"What the—"

"Hey, bro, Sarah and I were talking here."

"So, Red, what brings you here?" His eyes focus on her, completely ignoring Jon like he's not even on his level.

"Stop calling me that."

His fingers twirl around the tips of Sera's red hair. "I mean, I'm not complaining, but you're a little far from home."

"How do you know?" He never responds. His head slides from side to side like a cobra ready to strike his prey. The green-eyed bartender places two strange fizzy drinks before them and shoots her that weird wink again.

Don't Drink That.

A strange fizzy green drink? Sera wouldn't drink the concoction if you paid her. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to tell they are laced with something. "No thanks. I may be from far away, but I'm not an idiot," she responds, pushing the drink to the side.

Jon tenses beside her. Sera gets the feeling this obnoxious guy isn't a guy to mess with. From the blackness of his pupils, to the way his fists clench itching for a fight. She turns to say something to Jon, something to get him out of the line of fire.

"Sera here, was drinking with me." Jon is pushing between the blond and Sera—wrong move. Even she can see that.

"Not anymore, bro," the blond emphasizes the sarcasm, not yet losing his cool. He's creepily calculated, and she can't shake his eyes no matter where her eyes turn. When Jon dives in-between them, Sera takes advantage by sneaking away. She continues to press through the crowd trying to become anonymous with the random gyrating bodies. Her eyes scan the people she passes; Amanda isn't one of them. Fighting the burning curiosity, she weaves her way to the glowing sign for the restrooms.

A dark, creepy hallway opens up before her. For once, the girl's restroom doesn't have a line. Actually, the hall is completely void of people; even the music is a distant beat, almost like she has entered a bubble of some kind. Her hand reaches out and grabs hold of the restroom door. She begins to lower the handle when something pushes her against the door, forcing their way inside with her.

The door clicks shut behind her, and she whips around to see the aggressive blond leaning against the door.

Get Out of There.

Her eyes are dark, nervously glancing around, inspecting her surroundings. No other doors, no window, in this three-stalled grey-tiled bathroom. His eyes finally meet hers, and she hides a gasp. They flash full of desire and determination.

"You left me with your boyfriend, Red." He sounds disappointed, like she had somehow let him down. He approaches her slowly, a lion stalking its prey.

"He's not my boyfriend."

As her anxiety rises, so does her lack of sense. Her stomach twists inside of her as he grows closer and closer.

"Oh good, then you won't mind that I bruised up his pretty face."

A slick smile spreads its way across his perfect face. Under the light, he's no longer as attractive as she had thought. It's almost as if he's wearing someone else's skin. His skin is taunt, pale, and wrinkled around his throat.

If this guy could beat up a grown man, what could he do to her? With every approaching step he takes, Sera takes one step backward until finally she is out of room and is pressed up against the hard cold tiled wall.

"I don't know why I'm so attracted to you." He licks his lips as his neck does that cobra motion again. "There's something about you. I want to kiss you and kill you at the same time."

"I guess it's my aura." The sarcasm sneaks out of her before she can help it.

"Yes, your aura," he comments with another lick across his lips. Only then does she notice his tongue appears forked. His long, thin fingers reach for her. Sera flinches as he brushes her hair over her shoulder. Leaning in closer, he does something she doesn't expect—he smells her.

"You even smell delicious."

Completely freaked out, she finally has enough sense to push him off. "The feeling is not mutual." She only succeeds in pushing him a few centimeters, but she comes to realize it was a bad idea when his blue eyes begin to darken. The hairs on her arm stands at attention. His pupils expand—too much. Sera can swear his entire eye turns black and soulless before she forces herself to glance away. Over his shoulder, her eyes lock with her reflection in the mirror. Surprisingly, her mirror image doesn't look scared. Disgusted, but not afraid. That tells her all she needs to know.

"I will have you, Red, whether you like it or not." His eyes meet hers once again. They have returned to blue, almost like he had to collect himself. "But, I promise you'll like it." His smile is sly as he insinuates God-knows-what.

"See, aggressive guys aren't really my thing." She has to bite her lip to shut herself up.

"Well, Angels aren't really my thing, but I'm willing to try anything once." What is with his nicknames? His finger lightly traces a path down her shoulder. Sera's eyes fly immediately to his touch, something about it repulses her.

"No means NO, pal!" Her anger flares and she clenches her fists against his rock hard chest in an attempt to keep some space between them.

"I don't think you understand, Red, I'm no Angel, and I take what I want." He pushes her hard against the wall. His blue eyes meet hers once, and a toothy grin spreads across his lips before he leans in and starts kissing her neck. Those long fingers of his begin winding their way down her curves.

Sera squirms under his touch. "Stop!" she screams repeatedly, but he doesn't even acknowledge her. Her anger rises; frustration pushed to the maximum level as she struggles to hold back the rising tears. In a last ditch effort, she gathers all the strength that she can muster, and with one swift motion, she pushes him.

Sera blinks. She has to blink again to focus on the sight before her. The cocky blond stranger hangs unconscious, slumped over the sink which has broken in two at the impact. The mirror above shattered all over him and the floor. Water even seems to be spraying out from the broken pipes making its way to her patent leather boots. Did I do that? She stares at the crater his body has created in the cracked tile. Her cell phone chimes to life. Sera snaps back to reality realizing she is just standing there staring at the man's wide-mouthed. She needs to get out of here before he wakes up. She spins on her heels and dashes out of the room only to run smack into Jack.

"Sera!" Jack's happiness is evident all across his face. "I was looking all over for you. You weren't picking up your phone." He pulls the phone from his ear and puts it in his pocket.

"Sorry, I was in the bathroom." Her head nods behind her; Jack notices the tension around her as she tosses her weight from side to side glancing at everything and anything but Jack's curious eyes.

"Sera, are you okay?"

"Yea, I'm fine." Her eyes continue to avoid his. She needs to get him away from this door. She definitely doesn't want to be around when that guy wakes up.

"I don't believe you."

Damn it, Jack. He reaches around her and opens the bathroom door before she can stop him. "No, Jack!" Sera's hands reach for him, but he's already snuck inside. Her hands run through her hair searching for excuses, "I can explain..."

"There's nothing in here. I don't get it. You look like you saw a ghost or something."

Speechless and unbelieving, she pushes around him and peers behind the bathroom door. The blond creep has vanished. The sink and wall is completely untouched. The floor is spotless—well as spotless as a nightclub bathroom can get. What the hell is going on? Sera wanders back out into the hallway and stares at the faces before her. The hallway is buzzing with activity, the music is blaring again. Her eyes scan the area around her, her body automatically on the defensive expecting retaliation.

"Sera?" Jack pops up in front of her, his face ruffled in concern and confusion.

"I need to find Amanda."

He nods, linking her hand in his before guiding her through the crowd to the glowing bar. As they continue forward, Sera can't help but study the faces of the people they pass. She has a feeling the blond isn't going to let her go that easy.

Amanda's slender back comes into view, sitting in front of the bar. Beside her sits a man with a baseball cap on. Her body relaxes, finally. Sera slips into the small stool beside her friend and Jack stands by her other side. For some reason, Sera feels safer with Jack beside her.

"Hey girl!" Amanda slurs smacking her on the back. "I was wondering where you went." Her eyes wander over to Jack. "Hey, sexy Jack," she says and grabs his hand.

"Hi Amanda." He hides a smile before slipping his hand out of hers and wrapping it around Sera's waist. "How are you?"

"Drunk!" she responds, giggling. "Where is your drink, Sera? You need to catch up!" she teases, tapping her finger against her empty glass. She could certainly go for a drink right about now. Jack leans forward and places an order with a bartender. Sera glances up and down the bar, the green-eyed bartender has disappeared. The new bartender places two drinks on the bar, and Jack leans over to hand her his credit card.

"Don't worry about it, I still owe you a dinner remember?"

With a smile, she sips her drink and tries to get her mind to relax. As the minutes pass by, she realizes she's getting more anxious—the opposite of what was supposed to happen.

Two hours later, she's still hasn't moved from the same stool. Amanda has left her to dirty dance on the floor with the baseball-cap hunk. Sera watches Amanda twirl around to face him and wrap her arms around his neck to pull him into a drunken kiss. The encounter makes her wonder why she isn't drunk at all.

"Want another one?" Jack asks her like he can read her thoughts. She meets his gaze; his eyes are slightly hazy. She has to be the only person not inebriated in his bar. Jack has been ordering shots and drinks for the past two hours. She's pretty sure they must have exceeded his credit card limit by now. So, she shakes her head in the negative. There's no point, apparently being immune to alcohol is another strange addition to the onslaught of other symptoms.

Jack is once again drunkenly talking about how pretty Sera looks tonight, but she allows her mind to wander. Her eyes gaze out across the club. Everything appears clear even with the lights dancing over people's faces. Every shape, every crease in their face, and even the sweat beading along their brow as they bump and grind on the dance floor is crystal clear. Through the sea of faces, something catches her eye. As the crowd parts, she can spot those piercing, blue eyes that make her knees weak every night. His chestnut hair glistens when the strobe lights hit his face. It's him! Sera stumbles to her feet. Her amazing eyesight can just barely make out that he's wearing all black making those eyes of his a major statement. She scrambles out of her stool and leaves a still blabbing Jack at the bar while she heads for the dance floor. If this is the man she's dreamed about for weeks, she has to meet him.

As she makes her way through the crowd, she loses sight of him. She ducks, pushes, and elbows her way to the center where she saw him last. Only when she gets there, she's standing there alone. Well, as alone as one could be in the center of a busy dance floor. She spins around trying to catch one last glimpse of him. Where had he gone? Did she imagine this, too? Sera suddenly wants to go home. This is no longer fun. Maybe, it never was, she can't help but think as she pries Amanda from the baseball cap stranger and heads out of the club.

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