Artifice - Man x Man - Book Six

Chapter 12

Walking through the darkroom, music hums in the background, it's different from anything I've ever heard. High pitched and deep at the same time, thumping like a heartbeat, much like the club in Hungary louder. 

The people surrounding us don't dawn their masks, I opt to remove mine as I flush at their revealing clothes. Leather-clad bodies with hardly a scrap of modesty left.

 A slender female passes us, only wearing colored tabs over her nipples. I grab Tonic's arm, "What is this place?"

"I come here to unwind. It's like a pub." Unwind? 

He smirks at the face I make; I imagine he does a lot of unwinding considering the patrons. "Man has needs. It's been a while, anyway. The owner is a good person; she's on our side." 

Ever since the introduction of females to my life, I find that things have gotten much more difficult. Life was simpler when a male, lycan hoard, surrounded me. Men were easy; women were smart. "Jealous?" 

I pull my lips into a thin line. What an odd question.

"Why would I be jealous?"

Does he forget that I'm happily involved with his father? Maybe he doesn't care. Tonic shrugs casually as I follow him through the masses.

 I'm racked with the fear that there isn't a structure that could keep my warlord from searching for me, yet, he seemed so sure of my capability yesterday. Wrapping my arms around myself, rubbing my biceps to warm up, It bothers me, just slightly, to think that he is lounging back and enjoying his grandchildren while assuming that I am just fine.

I can't even ask Artifice what he's doing, not with the block he put on his person. I note that even with the noise of the music, it's quieter the further down we go. The lights flicker and flash, throwing colors on the shapes of gyrating bodies. "Cutie." A woman drags her hand down my back, pinching my bottom. 

I jump, wheeling around to get away from her. 

She winks, "What's up, Tonic? Cute friend." Her slender form is only covered by a netting-like material, that barely smushes her breasts together.

"Thanks. I think I'll keep him." He puts his arm around me, only to grunt as I thump him harshly in the ribs with my elbow. "Where's the boss?"

"Soli? She's up top; someone took out a pipe. Big mess going on around here." Her accent is strange; Tonic tells me everyone in New York talks that way. 

I find it almost hard to understand her as he guides me away, and we climb a set of wood stairs. It seems so silly to be excited about wood, and I slow, tracing my hands over the railing as I try and envision what type of tree it came from. 

How could one miss trees so badly? 

"Did she say someone took out a pipe?" 

He nods.

"Don't know who that was." The sarcasm drips from his voice. It takes all my political training to keep a straight face, I would have to gift him an 'I told you so', later. 

We enter the large room, the heavy doors slamming behind us. I could groan as I looked around the dimly lit room, clad with the mass of people lounging around in various states of discussion.

I know this too well; it's the rebellion all over again.

My gaze turns sour as I lock in on him, and I grab his collar, yanking him down to my level. "Tonic. I swear to whatever god spat you out, if you are in the bloody Mafia, I will drag you back out to that crater and throw you in myself. What the fuck is going on?"