VESTIGE ↬ D. HALE [3]

01 ; cheap drinks

01 ↬ CHEAP DRINKS

Elise wound her way through the nightclub, the pulsing beat of the music thrumming in her eardrums as she pushed past the crowd of writhing, grinding dancers and made her way to the bar. She motioned for the bartender and waited for him to bring her a drink before turning her face back to the crowd. She leaned her back against the countertop as she skimmed her eyes over the crowd.

It wasn't the first time she'd had a drink, but it was the first time she'd ordered a drink at a bar. It was surprisingly easier than she'd expected: she'd asked for the cheapest drink and he'd brought it to her.

Elise was mostly glad that the bartender had spoken English well enough to understand her request. They certainly didn't teach how to order a beer in her high school Spanish class.

She lifted the bottle to her lips and let the bitter liquid wash over her tongue. It wasn't the best, but it helped her blend in. And I definitely deserve it.

She and her brother had scoured the loft in search of any clue to Derek's absence. They'd produced only a single bullet casing with a skull engraved in the side. Elise had recognized it as the Calavera's, the hunters that had taken Derek and Peter the last time. Then, she and the pack had traveled all the way down to Mexico, tracking the Calavera's movement until they found the most opportune time to strike.

Of course, Elise thought, It had to be a nightclub.

Her eyes stalled their movement when they landed on the dark brown eyes watching her from across the room. She offered a slight nod toward Malia and Kira, the latter of whom was being towed onto the dancefloor by the tall werecoyote.

Malia had found the pack only days after the Nogitsune had been defeated, seeking help controlling her shift. When she'd heard that they were going to Mexico, she insisted that the come along. Elise's eyes shifted from the lively teens to the outline of her brother tucked away in the corner of the club. Her eyes continued to scan the patrons until they locked onto a pale form standing perfectly still near the exit.

The second she looked, Elise regretted it. She snapped her eyes away from the woman, aiming them at the beer-stained ground. She took another sip of her drink.

Since the day of the Oni, her sightings of the faceless woman had grown more common. They were happening almost every day now, and even when she didn't see her, Elise could feel the woman's presence. Her powers had grown even more unstable, too. She would send dishes flying across the room if the moved her hands too quickly while talking or she'd make the furniture rattle when anger surged upward in her stomach.

It'll be better when he's back, Elise assured herself.

When Derek had revealed that she was his anchor, she couldn't have imagined how it would feel to have that taken away. To have the person that grounds you in peril. Now, though, she understood. In a way, Derek was her anchor. If she drifted too far away, he pulled her back into reality. Now, it took everything she had to claw her way back to the ground. Every second, she felt herself slip a little.

But he was close, she could feel it. It was distorted and blurry, but she could feel the energy radiating from him. So close, but where?

Elise was deep in thought, but she still noticed when a man moved to stand next to her at the bar. From the corner of her eye, she spotted the pistol strapped to his belt. Elise lifted her eyes, locking her gaze with Kira's. Behind her, she saw that Scott's spot was empty. He'd already gone to secure an exit. Elise noticed that a handful of people in the swaying crowd around Kira and Malia weren't dancing to the music.

Elise and Kira shared a knowing look as Malia leaned into Kira's ear and whispered something.

That was Elise's cue.

She casually set her drink down on the table and tilted her head toward the man that had taken a spot next to her. "So," she said, a daunting smirk snaking across her lips. "Come here often?"

He looked up just as Elise grabbed a fistful of his hair and slammed his head into the bar.

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So, I know this chapter was really short, but it was mostly to fill you in on any events that happened between 3B and 4. I'm so excited to introduce you guys to all of the new characters I have in store! Also, thank you guys for so patiently waiting for this chapter. I kinda finished Control just as school started so I had to get back into the groove of that along with a lot of other things. I also wanted to have a few chapters prewritten in case something happened to stop me from writing for a few weeks but I don't think that's going to happen and I really wanted to get something out for you guys. But, without further ado, I present Vestige!Words: 880

Feedback is most appreciated <3