The Black Moon

Chapter 3

Camila threw off her clothing, not caring where they landed, or that buttons burst from her blouse, bouncing off the highly-polished wood floor of her bedroom. She left a trail of anger and damaged clothing behind as she made her way into the bathroom. She turned the water as hot as she could stand it, letting it run over her head and shoulders, moaning quietly under its spray. She'd never felt so dirty in all her life, as she did at that moment. She knew it was just in her mind, but she swore the fingers of her right hand burned from their activities, not thirty minutes before. Childishly, she washed it by itself, twice.

Camila was trying to get her emotions under control, but the tears that she'd tried to push down so hard earlier, came anyway. The encounter had scared her, but mainly because she was shocked at herself, losing control as she had. Granted, Lauren had taunted her unmercifully, but that was no excuse. She prided herself on her ability to remain calm and cool, a must in the world of high-priced business.

Lauren had hurt her tonight with her forked tongue and accusing eyes. She hadn't even given Camila a chance to speak to her, to apologize. Obviously, she had hurt the raven-haired with her innocent actions, and she had wanted nothing more than for them to sit and talk about it like the adults she had thought they were.

Camila sighed heavily, a shroud of melancholy falling over her.

***

It was cold, but that was okay because the flame was hot. A little too hot. The dark figure moved easily between the buildings, masked by the cover of a cold night. He muffled the sound of the breaking window by using his elbow, covered in the thick padding of a heavy, winter jacket. Task finished, he lobbed his fiery little gift inside, then ran like hell.

***

Lauren pulled on her jacket, feeling her car keys in the right pocket, her keys in the left. "You ready?" she asked Bobby, who would walk her out to her car.

"Yeah."

Together they headed toward one of the side doors, which would lead to a winding staircase, taking them down the final two stories to the ground level. The club was still opened, though it was beginning to thin. Lauren had had enough for one night and desperately wanted to go home. She hadn't had a single customer tonight, which was incredibly unusual, but she was more than okay with that. Oh, well, she had the one. She could still feel the burn of Camila's money wadded up in her pocket. She fully intended to return it to the brunette. She wanted nothing more from her.

"Tough night?" Bobby asked as they rounded the first set of stairs, taking the couple steps on the landing that would lead to the second set. The normally vibrant raven-haired had been quiet and drawn, and after the brunette had left, she'd been downright prickly.

"Yeah," she said, tossing a smile at the bartender. "Sorry, Bobby. Just got some shit going on, you know?"

Bobby was about to ask about the gorgeous brunette, but stopped, holding desperately onto the railing, just behind Lauren. The world seemed to shimmy underneath them, bringing them both down- hard- onto the cement stairs.

"Jesus!" Bobby yelled. "We don't get earthquakes in fucking Colorado!"

The words were no sooner out of his mouth before a distant BOOM! arose, the stairs groaning loudly as they shook again.

Lauren looked around, eyes huge as she tried to figure out what was happening. The lights blinked once, twice, then were gone, both yelling out in surprise and fear.

"What was-"

Lauren was thrown, crying out as her back hit something sharp. The world seemed to have fallen out from under her all of the sudden, and she was thrown wildly, landing hard on something rather soft. After a moment, when nothing else moved, she tried to look around but could see nothing.