Chapter 5: Fangs

Ginger POV

The first thing Ginger noticed when they entered the VIP section was that the smell and thumping sound were stronger. Her mate was definitely in this area.

The second thing was that something felt off about the space. She just couldn’t place what it was.

“Sit,” the man commanded while gesturing to a red couch. “I’ll get us some drinks.”

They sat.

“Why does he keep using that weird voice with the uncomfortable eye contact?” Ylana whispered to Ginger once the man was at the bar.

“I don’t know,” Ginger said, shifting in her seat. “Does it feel weird in here?”

Ylana crossed her legs and scooted closer to Ginger. “Yeah. The air sort of feels heavier.”

“Use some magic to figure out what’s going on,” Ginger suggested.

Ylana rolled her eyes. “I need to concentrate to look into the future. It’s too loud in here and I’m too drunk.”

Ginger resisted the urge to call her useless. She knew it wasn’t Ylana’s fault. But some future sight would’ve been helpful.

Beneath the winter smell of her mate, Ginger could smell weed. Looking around, it appeared that a lot of people were high – and not just from weed. She saw two women snorting something off one of the bar tables.

The man came back with some drinks. He set them on the little table in front of their couch.

“I’m Hunter,” he told them. “If you need anything, come find me. I’ll be talking to my brother for a moment.”

Ginger watched Hunter walk over to the guy she saw leaning on the balcony. The guy was settled in a corner on the far side of the room.

“We’re not going to drink those, right?” Ylana asked, catching Ginger’s attention again.

“Definitely not,” Ginger agreed.

Ylana grabbed Ginger’s hand. “Look at these people.”

Ginger did. The more she observed, the more she noticed how doped up many of them appeared. Maybe by choice . . . but maybe not as well. Some people looked zoned out when talking with others.

What worried Ginger most, however, was the people who weren’t acting high. Some prowled around the space sizing up the other guests. A few spoke with the bartenders, received small packages, and went back downstairs.

“I’ve got a bad feeling,” Ylana confessed.

Ginger focused on making her breath even. “Yeah. Me too.”

She was beginning to think it was a good idea to abandon her search for her mate. If he was up here, he was likely either drugged out regularly or one of the creeps. She didn’t want her mate to be like that. It was so disappointing.

Why did she have to get pegged with a mate who was problematic?

“Look at that woman,” Ylana hissed.

Ginger watched the dark-haired vixen pass by with three men trailing her. The men all looked dazed while the woman strutted with confidence. She led the trio of males to a red door marked ‘Employees Only.’

“What could be behind that door?” Ginger wondered.

“Nothing good,” Ylana said, her forehead creased with worry.

Ginger whipped some sweat off her own forehead. “Should we call the police?”

Ylana shook her head. “Pretty much all the cops in this part of the city are getting paid off by the mafia. My dad entertained cops all the time.”

Ginger muddled through her memories. She didn’t care much about the mafia-related things Harkin and Rowan were involved in, but sometimes it got brought up when discussing the pack.

“Your dad controlled a lot of territory here, didn’t he?” she asked Ylana.

Ylana scowled. “Maybe? You know he didn’t include me in any of that.”

“Right,” Ginger said as she gripped Ylana’s hand tighter. “But I heard my dad say yours has lost a lot of territory these past few years.”

Ylana tilted her head. “Do you think a new family is taking control with this club as their front?”

Ginger shrugged. “I mean, drugs are obviously being passed around here. That backroom could be where they’re cooking.”

Ylana stared at the red door. “I’m more afraid that there’s human trafficking going on.”

Ginger swore. Ylana had a point. Drugging someone gave a person control. They could take the drugged person anywhere with little to no resistance.

“We have to do something.” Ginger couldn’t let this go on. She may have been the daughter of a mafia boss, but Harkin never trafficked people and didn’t deal with hard drugs.

“How?” Ylana demanded.

“I don’t know,” Ginger cried quietly. “I could claw some throats open.”

Ylana shook her head. “I don’t . . .” She broke off with a gasp.

“What?” Ginger looked over her right shoulder. All she saw was a man and woman caught up in an embrace against the wall close to where they sat. The man’s face was buried in the woman’s neck.

Nothing was out of the ordinary. That is . . . until the man pulled back.

Ginger could feel bile coming up her throat. The man’s mouth was covered in a red liquid. The woman had two puncture marks on her neck. There was only one thing the red liquid could be in Ginger’s mind – Blood.

The room began to spin. Ginger quickly put her head between her knees.

What kind of sick place had they stepped into?

Ylana started smacking Ginger’s back. “He’s coming back over!”

Ginger sat up straight and was relieved to see the room stay still. She saw Hunter making his way toward them.

“Is everything all right?” he asked when he stopped in front of them.

Ylana started rubbing Ginger’s back. “Not really. My friend here is feeling sick. Too many drinks.” Her laugh was almost believable. “We should probably be heading out.”

Ginger nodded. She could’ve kissed Ylana; such a clever out for them.

She took her phone out of her clutch bag and texted Fred to pull the car up to the club.

Ylana stood and pulled Ginger up with her. “So, we’re going to go.”

Hunter grabbed Ylana’s elbow. “Well, I’m one of the owners here. I can show you a way out that’s quicker than heading back downstairs.”

“There’s no need for that,” Ginger squeaked.

Hunter stared into her eyes and used that weird voice. “You’re not going to panic. Follow me.” He did the same to Ylana.

Ylana looked as bewildered as Ginger felt. They let Hunter guide them. But as soon as they were in front of the red door, both women pulled back.

Hunter looked perplexed but kept his hold on Ylana’s elbow. “Come with me,” he said with more force.

Ginger watched anger flare in Ylana’s eyes. Her death glare was directed at Hunter. She smelled burning flesh. When she watched Hunter release Ylana’s elbow, she saw that his entire hand was on fire. He hissed like a cat and flashed his teeth.

Ginger didn’t have much time to register what was so out of place with his smile. Ylana had flung the red door open with her mind and pulled Ginger through it.

“You have to guide us,” Ylana yelled. “I need to focus on keeping the door closed and preventing anyone from following us.”

“Got it.” Ginger took the lead and pushed back the tarp that was in front of them.

She froze when she saw what was behind the tarp.

It looked like a medical setup. People lounged in beds with IVs in their arms. Bags of blood were filling up by their sides.

Five other people with gloved hands were staring at her and Ylana in shock. After a moment, they all bared their teeth and hissed. They tried lunging, but all were stopped by an invisible wall.

“Go!” Ylana croaked out.

Ginger’s brain started working again. She saw an exit sign and bolted for it. It led them to a staircase.

“Hop onto my back.” Ginger knew that her carrying Ylana would still allow them to move faster than if Ylana was left to run on her own.

Ylana did as she was told, and Ginger carried her down the stairs, out another door, and into an alleyway. With Ylana still on her back, she ran to the street and almost sobbed when she saw Fred in the town car.

Ginger dashed to the car, threw open the door and shoved Ylana inside. She quickly followed suit and shut the door behind her.

“Drive, Fred!” Ylana cried. “Quickly! We’ll explain when we get home!”

The women sat in silence for a few moments, breathing heavily.

“So, um, that was blood,” Ylana said.

Ginger nodded. “Sure was.”

“And those people had fangs,” Ylana went on.

“Yup.” Ginger knew her eyes hadn’t betrayed her.

Ylana turned her head to face Ginger. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

Ginger looked at Ylana. “If you’re thinking vampires, then yes, I’m thinking what you’re thinking.”

Ylana heaved out a breath. “What. The. Hell.”