Blood Throne

chapter one

Melanie

Everything ceases to exist; all the souls around me, the constant elbows and hands that nudge me, and the sticky residue on the dance floor from the spilled drinks of dancers. If they are there, I don't pay any mind to them because it feels as though I don't reside on this plane of existence at all, like I'm somewhere else entirely—maybe in the cosmos. I can feel the heavy, trance-like music reverberating through my body like waves of the ocean crashing into me, ruthless and incessantly. The slow and hypnotic beats act as a god, and I submit to her when she commands me to lift my arms into the air along with the dancers around me.

We're merely blind worshippers, following without a thought.

All that matters to me at this moment is the music; we are the only two inside this club—no one else exists. The other dancers melt away with the vocals of the singer, and they disappear into thin air as the guitar drones on.

I move my body side to side, my hips having their own mind and fluidity. My hair clings to my bare back which is slick with a thin film of sweat. My eyes open to slits and I stare in awe at the lights above as they flick on and off in an array of colors, matching the drums that pound in my rib cage.

"This music is killer!" My twin sister, Isabel, calls over the deafening sound, her voice almost inaudible. I can only make out her words by reading her lips which are a deep shade of maroon. I flash a knowing smile in return. Although this club is definitely not Isabel and her friend Gabby's vibe with the goth-like décor and dark wave music, I knew they would appreciate it, nonetheless. They'd probably much prefer a stereotypical dance club with hip-hop music playing, but I told them that if I was going to go out tonight and leave the comfort of my apartment and Chinese takeout, we would have to go to Nocturnal.

I am instantly sucked back to my empty state of mind, losing myself once again as I dance away everything inside my mind to Burn Witch Burn by The 69 Eyes. The quick and steady thump, thump, thump of my heart beating inside my eardrum is almost in tune with the beat of the song and puts me into a hypnotic state.

I don't want to leave. Ever.

"I'm getting thirsty." Gabby's voice abruptly brings me back to reality, causing me to open my eyes again and adjust to the darkness. "Want to go sit down and have a couple of drinks?" Gabby jabs a French-tip clad thumb to the bar behind her that is littered with people too drunk to dance. Women hang off men who know they are going to get laid tonight, and friends laugh and giggle with their hands gripping their drinks as if they might slip from their fingertips.

I frown and my body stops swaying with consideration. I weigh my options; leaving the dance floor is the last thing I want to do, but I watch as Isabel nods and follows Gabby through the crowd and disappears into the waves of people.

I gnaw on my lower lip and contemplate dancing alone, not having any desire to leave my solitude. Deep in consideration, I glance around at the people around me and notice some men with eyeliner smeared beneath their drunken eyes—and probably some nasty intentions—sizing me up like their meal for the night. I scowl their way and without a choice, push my way through the dancing bodies and follow behind my friends, catching glimpses of Isabel and Gabby's bobbing heads weaving through the crowd. I push and squeeze through the dancers, my arms rubbing on sweaty body parts and my back getting jabbed with elbows.

Two drunk girls break through the crowd and nearly trample me. One spills her drink over my heels, and she looks at her friend before they share hyena laughs as they dart through an opening in the crowd, neglecting to apologize.

"Bitches," I mutter to myself, the music drowning out my snide comment.

"Excuse me." I hear a male's voice clearly despite the music. As if the club dropped to negative temperatures, the hair on my neck rises and goosebumps prickle down my arms. I turn briefly to catch a glimpse of a tall man with dark slicked back hair pushing past me. His chest bumps into my shoulder and the solid mass of him nearly knocks me off my feet. For only a breath, his silver eyes catch mine and I feel the air leave my lungs, making me stop in my tracks.