“Not now,” Joshua all but yelled in her ear. She could barely hear him above the din of the music and the crowd.
It was hard to move as the mass of writhing bodies on the dance floor undulated to the rhythmic beat of the music. Drums pounded, a saxophone wailed and two guitars spilled their electric notes around the room. There were tables around the edges of the floor and they were all occupied.
Alex’s eyes widened as she saw one couple openly fondling one another. The woman’s blouse was wide open, her breasts spilling out into the man’s hand. The woman had her hand buried down the front of her partner’s pants.
She gasped when she saw another couple fucking against the back wall. The man’s back was to her, but it was obvious that his pants were open and he was pounding into his partner whose skirt was shoved up around her waist. Her bare thighs were wrapped around his waist as he thrust against the woman, oblivious to the people around them.
“Ignore it.” She jumped as Joshua slung his arm around her shoulder and guided her onto the dance floor.
Ignore it. There was no way she was going to be able to forget the fact that there were people all around them having sex. The more her eyes became accustomed to the flashing lights the more she saw.
One woman was kneeling beneath a table, a man’s cock sliding in and out of her mouth as she sucked. Another woman was topless, her mouth open on a silent scream as two men lapped at her nipples. There was a booth in the corner that was a mass of limbs and body parts. She wasn’t sure she really wanted to know what was going on over there.
Alex had never been a voyeur, but there was something almost mesmerizing about watching all these bodies intertwined, not caring if anyone else watched as they took part in the most basic of human acts.
Even on the dance floor, hands slid over bare flesh. People were in various stages of undress, touching themselves and others around them as they danced. One man was jerking himself off to the beat of the music while two women watched, their hands sliding over his bare chest. Another woman was totally naked, sandwiched between two men who had their fingers up her ass and her slit and their tongues wrapped around her nipples. Colored lights flickered wildly over the crowd, making the scene even more surreal.
Joshua pulled her to a halt and twirled her around so that she was facing him. “Ignore it,” he repeated, as he placed his hands on her ass and pulled her closer.
Oh God. Her pelvis met his and she almost moaned as the hard bulge in the front of his jeans rubbed against her mound. There was no denying that the scene around her had aroused her senses and fired the gnawing need within her.
“That’s it,” he crooned in her ear. “They don’t exist. It’s only you and me.” Joshua began to move to the music, his hips swaying. Alex caught the rhythm and began to move with him. Their hips swiveled and ground together, mimicking the sex act as they came together again and again.
One of his hands slid up her back and around to the front, cupping her breast through her sweatshirt. Joshua surrounded her, his heat and strength wrapped around her like a blanket.
Alex licked her lips and rotated her hips, grinding her sex against him. Even through the layers of clothing it was a delicious sensation. Her clit was swollen and each stroke against him made it throb even harder. Her panties were soaked and all she wanted was to get closer to Joshua.
A bead of sweat slipped down her back. All around them people danced and moved, intruding on their space, stealing all the air. Alex felt breathless. Lightheaded. “Joshua.” His name sounded more like a moan. His dark eyes narrowed as he lowered his head toward her. His lips got closer. Almost touching.
Joshua emitted a low growl and his head jerked to the left. Alex followed his gaze and saw a large hand touching his shoulder. He released her immediately, whirling around to meet the threat, a low growl rising from deep in his chest.
The bouncer raised his hands in a gesture of peace and yelled over the crowd. “Relax, man. Damek will see you now.” He pointed toward the bar area.
Joshua nodded, grabbed her hand and tugged her through the crowd. Now that the moment had passed, Alex’s cheeks got hot with embarrassment. What had come over her? There was something about this place that seemed to shove aside all her natural inhibitions. She’d have made love to Joshua on the dance floor if he’d wanted. And she wouldn’t have cared that all those people around them would have been able to watch.
As if he knew where he was going, Joshua led her past the bar and down a short corridor. The closer they got, the tenser she became. There was something here. Something dangerous.
“Let me do the talking.”
She could have told Joshua he didn’t need to worry about her saying anything. She still wasn’t sure who or what they were meeting.
The door at the end of the hallway opened as they neared it. A chill went down Alex’s spine in spite of the heat. Something powerful. Something—she wasn’t quite sure if it was evil or not, but it was close—waited for them.
“Come in.” The deep voice was pleasant, but she wasn’t fooled for one moment. Her instincts screamed at her to turn and run in the other direction. Whoever this Damek character was, he was not someone to trifle with. It took every ounce of strength she possessed to walk into the office with Joshua.
“Damek,” Joshua greeted the man seated behind the desk.
“Striker.” The man was seated almost totally in shadow, but he stood as they entered. The door shut solidly behind them. Alex glanced over her shoulder. There was no one there.
She turned back to the man behind the desk. A dim light now shone on him and Alex realized this was no man. But what was he? If she were guessing, she’d say this was a vampire. His eyes were black, magnetic. It was incredibly hard, almost impossible, to look away. His skin was pale, but he wasn’t unhandsome. On the contrary, there was something compelling about him.
“And who is your lovely companion?”
She didn’t wait for Joshua to answer. “Alex,” she replied. “Alexandra Riley.”
The corner of one side of his mouth twitched and he gave her a short nod. “Welcome to Inhibitions.”
She jerked back as he said the name of the club. It was aptly named because a person seemed to shed all inhibitions here. Her eyes narrowed as she studied Damek. Was he powerful enough to put some sort of spell on the club? Maybe he was a wizard or something. Did wizards even exist? At this point, she couldn’t discount any possibilities.
“I need a vehicle.” Joshua got straight to business. Alex was glad. The quicker they got out of this place, the better. She was beginning to get a headache.
“So I understand.” He indicated the chairs in front of him. “Please sit.”
Alex felt compelled to sit, as if someone was whispering in her ear telling her she wanted to sit. It was disconcerting to say the least. She shook her head. “Thank you, but I’ll stand.”
Damek stared at her. She stared back. A slow smile spread across his face. “She is worthy of you, my friend,” he said to Joshua.
Joshua just glared at the other man, but she sensed her actions had pleased him somehow. “Thank you.”
“Ah, you’re in a hurry. A pity you won’t stay longer. It might be entertaining.” Damek slanted a glance her way. “I was enjoying the performance on the dance floor.”
Heat suffused her face as she realized he’d been watching her rub herself all over Joshua. Seen her grind her breasts against Joshua’s chest, her mound against Joshua’s erection.
A low growl of warning rumbled up from deep inside Joshua’s chest. “Tread carefully, my friend. This is James LeVeau’s daughter you’re talking to.”