Wolves on the Prowl in town - Deadlier Than The Male – Exclusive for Steemit

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They stayed at the bar until closing time and when everyone else had been cleared out, the two doormen, still embarrassed, plucked up courage to ask them all to leave. Darius opened his wallet and took out two twenties; he gave each doorman one and said: “Don’t worry lads; they’ll not be reporting you.” Then the group left.

“Where are you going clubbing?” Darius asked outside.

“The SlaughterHouse just up here, Red works there.” Luke said.

“That was exactly where I was going to invite you.” Darius said and they set off up the hill.

As they approached, they saw the length of the queue and would have been dismayed if they had had to queue to get in. As they walked up to the front, Darius’s jacket was caught hold of and he paused to talk to a couple. Red recognised them at once; they were the ones she had argued with a few weeks before. The couple detached themselves from the queue and followed Darius and Anna. Luke and Red were in front, with the rest of Darius’s party in between.

At the front of the queue, Dale greeted Red and Luke and then he saw the number of people that were with them. “I’m sorry, guys; I can’t let that lot in with you. I can get you two in, sure, but there must be a dozen there.”

Darius appeared at Luke’s side and Dale’s attitude changed. “Why didn’t you say you were with Darius, how many in your party tonight?”

“There’s thirteen plus Luke and Red.” Darius said, walking in. Then he paused and returned to Dale. “But the two Humes at the back are not to be given entry to the VIP lounge.”

Dale nodded and allowed them all in without paying. Red stood with Luke at Dale’s side for a minute and asked if the Porsche was ok? After reassurances that it was fine, they went inside. Darius was waiting for them as they got to the bar.

“Not here, come upstairs to the VIP lounge.” He said.

They followed him up the stairs to the next room which was much the same as the first but with different music, then up another set of stairs to a room which had undergone a total refurbishment and Red had never seen in any use other than as a filthy storeroom.

The room looked larger than it had because walls had been knocked through. That, combined with the décor, made a world of difference. Chrome, glass and natural wood, combined with leather upholstery added the touch of luxury and style to the ambience.

Where the front wall had been, opposite the bar was now glass and the view of the upper dance floor was amazing with the subdued lighting behind them, their Wolf eyes could see the whole meat-market below.

“It’s a mirror on the other side, one-way glass. It’s also fortified, strengthened so nothing can come through from below.” Darius said.

“They’ve done this in the few weeks I’ve been off?” Red asked amazed.

“Well obviously the organising has been taking place, but the work, as you see it, yes, it took less than a month from start to finish.” Darius explained.

“How do you know so much? You’ve not bought the club have you?” Luke asked.

“No, of course I haven’t.” Darius smiled. “I paid for half the work, the club owners paid for the other half and I am now a member with certain – ah – privileges. That is to say, no one is allowed up here without my permission at certain times and certain activities are ignored. We clean up our own mess and take care of our own bar-bills. They make a profit and I have somewhere to party in an exclusive setting.”

The room had seventy five to a hundred people in it and from Red’s calculations, half were Wolf. There were areas where a semblance of privacy could be maintained, in booths with high leather cushioned sides and there were also high stand-to tables dotted about. Chic Elegance exuded from the patrons and it was obvious that the Humes were all handpicked for their looks.

“The Booths are reserved; we allow a certain amount of drug-taking amongst the Humes, because we’ve found it flavours the meat in more individual and fashionable ways than scaring them.” Darius went on.

“You mean you kill here too?” Luke was in awe.

“Of course we do. That’s the whole purpose. There are also more enterprises ongoing in this room, some that you can see and others that you can only dream about, Luke.”

Dennis appeared and Darius beckoned him over. “How’s it going, nice and quiet?” Darius asked.

Dennis gave Darius a look which spoke of foreseen troubles and nodded his head, “Yes, nice and smooth so far, but it’s early yet.”

“Can I have a word, Dennis?” Red asked. They moved away from the others and Red said: “I don’t think I’ll be back, I can’t possibly work here now that this is open.”

“I never took you to have ethics about killing Humes, Red.” Dennis said; he seemed to be disappointed.

“Ethics, I can’t even spell it.” Red winked.

“So why can’t you work here?”

“Because I would rather party here than work.” Red grinned, showing her elongated teeth.

Dennis gave a rare burst of laughter and they both rejoined Luke and Darius.

Just then, Dennis pressed his earpiece and listened. “Darius, I’m afraid we have a problem.” He said. “Your Hume guests have been caught with an amount of Cocaine – again. They’re waiting for you in your office; they’re expecting you to sort it out.”

“Have the police been called yet?” Darius asked.

“Not yet, they waited for my say-so.”

“I’ll deal with it Dennis, thank you. There’ll be no need for police; can you get a Wolf in there with them please?”

“Dale was the one that caught them, luckily.”

“Good. I’ll be down directly.” Darius said.

Darius began to follow Dennis, but then thought better of it and came back to the group. “Let them wait a little while, I’m getting tired of those two, they’re snorting half of what they’re selling and I suspect they’ve also been trying the other merchandise too, even though I told them it will do them no good.”

His entourage laughed with him and Red frowned as the thought flitted across her mind at that point was that these Wolves were sycophants and she had never seen the like.

Red went across to the large window again to watch the gyrating bodies below but more as an excuse to get away from his toadying followers.

She was soon entranced by the rhythm of everyone below. ‘People watching’ was always a favourite pastime of hers and she was observing for quite a while. When she did turn back to the room, she saw Anna talking to Luke in a very tactile manner, her fingers touching him whenever she spoke. Luke was enjoying the attention; Darius was nowhere to be seen.

Red smiled to herself; either Anna was going to refuse her offer of representation at the hearing, in which case she’d have to find another to represent her, or she was going to accept. If she did accept, then she would be surprised when she realised that she and Red would be bosom buddies for a while, with no Luke and no Darius around.

As Red watched, Anna held her glass to Luke’s lips, encouraging him to try her drink, he didn’t want to at first, but yielded to Anna’s persistence and tasted it. Red walked towards them as he savoured the cocktail, licking the last flavour from his lips. Her arm was taken as she moved towards them; she turned around and saw Darius. Red looked down at her arm where he held it and he let go, putting both hands up in surrender.

“Don’t take offence Hazel, I mean Red. I know all about Anna’s making, I also realise why he did it, you do know that Luke made Anna don’t you?” Darius said.

“Yes, I know all about it Darius, I also know why he made her and to be honest, I suppose I should be flattered, she’s quite stunning isn’t she?”

“Yes, she was already one of my entourage before Luke made her. We used to party in Nottingham, but none of the club owners there were as amenable to us as this one is. We have quite a set-up, don’t you agree?”

“Yes, it’s excellent Darius and if any Wolf had the enterprise to do this, it had to be you, but why has it taken you so long to come over to England with the concept?”

“Oh you know; I’ve been busy with other aspects of the entertainments business, too busy to give my undivided attention to such a project. But now I have, it’s all worked well. If I had only given half my attention, it wouldn’t have come out so good. Anyway, that’s not why I’ve come over to you, come and watch the floorshow. The two PITAs are going to have a lesson in business.”

Red looked at him with a slight frown, waiting for him to elaborate.

“PITA – or Pain In The Arse. The two that Dale caught dealing, they know not to do that downstairs, they’re only allowed to deal up here, when I say, otherwise they go to a different venue.” Darius explained.

They arrived at the booth where the dealers had ensconced themselves. Darius waited for a little while, some of the Humes were buying and he didn’t wish to scare them off, after all they were guests, it would be rude. When there seemed to be a lull in the transactions, he made his way forward.

“Have you used any merchandise tonight Maun, either of you?” He asked.

“Hi Boss. No, I’ve not used any and I don’t think she has either.” He nodded across the table where his girlfriend was relaxing.

“Hasn’t she? In that case, find out what it is she’s drinking and get me a pint of that, it looks to be very potent if it can reduce her to that state.”

“She’s been drinking, that’s all Boss. You know she can’t handle her booze.” Maun said.

“Do you mind if I test her?” Darius said, taking something out of his pocket.

“Er, well actually...” Maun began.

“Would you like to change your mind? The question I am asking you is this: Has she been taking any of my gear? You can ask her if you like but if you still insist that she’s not been taking my gear then I’ll cut her and see for myself. If you decide to tell me she has been taking my gear, I’ll still cut her, but I won’t cut you. You have fifteen seconds to think.”

It didn’t take him fifteen seconds, he blurted out: “Yeah, she’s been taking your gear Boss. Fuck it! It’s about time I cut her loose anyway, she’s holding me back, you said so yourself.”

Darius stood back long enough for Red to see for sure that it was the two she had fought with a few weeks ago downstairs. Darius turned to Red and asked: “Do you want to try this one? She’s clean, no AIDS or Hep, I have my workers regularly checked.”

“What’s she on?” Red directed the question to the boyfriend rather than Darius.

“Hey, I know you!” He said, beginning to stand. Darius pushed him down with a heavy hand upon his shoulder.

“Answer the lady.” He said.

“But Boss.”

“I said answer her.”

“OK Boss, she’s on Charlie, that’s all she’s had.”

“Tell her what she’s on Maun or I cut you too.”

“Fuck! Fuck! All right. She’s taken some Adren too.”

“And what did it do to her?” Darius asked, with curiosity rather than anger.

“It was like Speed I suppose, she only took a little bit ‘cos she was feeling tired before we came out and she’s never taken any before, honest Boss!”

Darius lifted her face towards him and said: “If she hasn’t taken any before, how did she know that it would help when she was tired?”

“I…”

“Quit lying to me.” He looked at her face closer, studying the skin texture. “Maybe she hasn’t taken much Adren, but she’s tried Pit!”

“Well if she has, I know nothing about it Boss! I swear. I don’t know anything about her trying any of them!”

“Forget it Maun. She’s done for now. Even a tiny amount of Adren, Pit or Roid fucks a Hume up. She’s no chance of joining us now. I hope you haven’t tried any.”

Darius’s accusation hit a raw nerve with Maun and he was vehement in his answer: “I’ve never touched any of it Boss! You can trust me.”

“We’ll see.” Darius said, then he took the scalpel-sharp knife from his pocket again, turned the handle to reveal the blade and cut the woman’s neck, just under her ear. He held a glass under the flow and when it was full, put his thumb over the cut and handed the glass to Red. She took a sip, ever mindful of Maun’s eyes on her all the time.

“Cocaine?” She asked.

“Yes, my own brand of course. That’s what it tastes like when it’s in the bloodstream.” Darius nodded.

Source

Red passed the glass to Luke who also sipped from it, and then he passed the glass to Anna who drained it and held it to Darius to fill again.

“Cocaine has little effect on us though, Darius, unless I’ve been misled?” Red said.

“True, but the flavour is exquisite don’t you think?” He filled the glass again and passed it to Anna who held it out to another Wolf.

“What about the other one, Darius? Are we going to taste him too?” Luke asked with a greedy look in his eye.

“No Boss! Please don’t let them!” Maun said, clutching at Darius’s jacket sleeve.

“Are you going to be completely trustworthy from now? If you’re not, then I’ll let them have you here and now and no blades.”

“Jesus! I swear it! I’ll never take from you, Boss! That bitch stole from you without me knowing most of the time!” Maun denounced his lover with disturbing ease.

Red bristled at the word ‘bitch’ but Maun didn’t notice he was too busy trying to save his skin.

“Red, would you like the dubious honour of finishing this worthless Hume?”

“Thank you Darius, but first, I would like to offer you a drink, you’ve not had any yet.” She smiled as she moved Darius’s thumb from the vein and filled the glass again. She put her own thumb on the wound and handed Darius the glass.

“Just to put your mind at rest Red, I realise old habits die hard.” Darius said then drained the glass.

“Old habits are not the only thing to die hard, Darius, you know that.” Red smiled to hide the menace in her voice.

Then she bent forward and bit through the almost dead woman’s throat, Red was the only one to hear the death rattle. Red stood and offered the kill to Luke and Darius. Darius allowed Luke to go first and waited until Luke stood upright before taking his share. Anna was allowed her turn, but she couldn’t change to Wolf without the effects of the moon yet so she had to manage with Hume teeth which made the feeding a messy affair.

“Clean yourself up!” Darius snapped at her.

Humiliated, Anna went into the toilets to wash the blood from her face. Red followed her.

“That was bad manners I must say.” Anna said to Red.

“He’s always like that, always has been, as long as I can remember.” Red explained.

“No, not Darius’s manners, I mean yours!” Anna snapped.

“Me? He offered the kill to me and it would have been bad manners to refuse.”

“You took the glands though. It’s customary to leave the glands for Darius, he’s the Alpha Male here, and he gets the prize. We’re only allowed the glands of our own kills when we’re alone.”

“The Alpha Male?” Red asked.

“It’s self-explanatory. He’s the elder and stronger so he’s naturally the Alpha.”

“And what happens when he comes in contact with an older Wolf?”

“I don’t think there are any.” Anna said.

“So what about this Lycaeon, surely he must be older?”

“I don’t know, I’ve only ever heard Darius talking to him on the phone, I’ve never met him.”

“Well, you live and learn don’t you? I’ll remember that about the glands next time, I’ll apologise to Darius shall I?” Red said in innocence.

“No! Don’t do that, Darius will know I’ve told you off. I don’t think he’d like me telling you what to do. He seems to like you.”

“Yeah, well we go way back.” Red said with a wink.

When they emerged from the washroom, with Anna all clean again, the body of Maun’s girlfriend was gone. Red whispered to Anna about it and she said: “Oh some whelp will have taken care of it. That’s what they’re here for.”

“Whelp?” Red asked.

“Yes, you know; a new wolf that is not as high up as we are.” Anna said with an arrogant flick of her hand.

“Oh, I see.” Red said.

“To say you knew Darius before I did, you don’t seem to know how this works, Red.” Anna said.

“No, I don’t, I must have missed some valuable lessons; I don’t suppose you’d teach me would you? I’d like to fit in.”

“Yeah of course, we’re mates now aren’t we?” Anna said, taking Red’s arm.

“Yeah, we’re inseparable.” Red said under her breath.

They stayed in the club, drinking and chatting, Red watching or talking with Anna. Luke and Darius were laughing over old times and old kills; everyone except Red was concentrating on the task of getting drunk or high.

At two am the slow dance came on, courtesy of the DJ and Anna sprang up, wobbled a little, which made some of the entourage snigger, then she grabbed Luke’s arm, pulled him out of his seat and started dancing with him. Red watched, not jealous but admiring him, knowing Luke was hers and had been forever, secure in the knowledge that even if he strayed, he’d be back, he always was.

Darius put his hand over hers and squeezed it; she looked at him, met his stare and forced a smile.

“Those two seem to be hitting it off together.” He said.

“Don’t they just?” Red said.

“You don’t seem jealous, is it over with you and Luke?” Darius said with perhaps a trace of hope in his voice.

Source

“Yes and no, I suppose. I’m not jealous because I grew out of that wasteful emotion centuries ago, I found it eats at your soul and serves no purpose whatsoever. It’s not over between us because as you see and have seen, we keep getting back, even centuries later, like this time. We’re just right for each other but only at specific times.” Red said.

“So you’re a free agent?”

“We both are. I know he made Anna, I also know he must have slept with her, so what? She’s gorgeous and I can’t blame him for sleeping with a gorgeous Wolf - or Hume for that matter.”

Darius nodded his agreement. “So your philosophy is the same is it?” He squeezed her hand again and his other hand brushed the top of her thigh under the table, she didn’t flinch from his touch, but she wanted to. Instead she carried on smiling at him.

“That depends, have you figured out the meaning of ‘selfish’ yet? If I recall, the last time you tried it with me, sex was more like ‘four seconds’ than ‘foreplay’.” She said laughing, hiding her hatred well.

He laughed too: “Yeah the sex was great - for me - and I know that my technique was shit, but I have improved, ask Anna.”

“Oh I will, you can be sure of that.” Red smiled.

If you enjoyed this story, please consider voting for me in these awards. I’ve been nominated in two categories – Best Undiscovered Author and Best Original Fiction

https://steemit.com/steemfest/@burnin/vote-for-the-golden-steem-awards-ballots-are-open