Ash and Fire

Chapter 1*

Lydia joined in as Tabitha grabbed onto her hands. Raising their hands in the air, Lydia let everything fly out of her mind from the last few weeks, letting her body take control and sway to the rhythm of the song she couldn’t comprehend the words to anymore. They were there to let go and—maybe, have a little fun. The latter was more difficult as no one had caught her eye since she entered the establishment. She couldn’t say she was particularly picky with men; she knew she had a type that couldn’t be put into words. They either caught her eye or they didn’t.

Her friend already had her eye on two people. She knew Tabitha didn’t need any help scoring either one. She was like the flame drawing in moths whenever they went out.

“Let’s get some more drinks, Lyd,” Tabitha slurred, grabbing her hand and pulling her to the bar.

Lydia didn’t object, laughing at her friend. They stumbled to the bar, mumbling apologies as they tilted into other people. She knew Tabitha’s intentions to get more drinks into her system before approaching either one. It wasn’t as if Tabitha needed the confidence boost. They ordered more shots, downing the first ones quickly; the effects hitting her fast. Tabitha got a glint in her eyes when she turned to stare at her.

“I’m going for both tonight, girl!”

Lydia covered her mouth with the back of her hand, bursting into laughter. She shook her head and gave Tabitha a curved smirk, encouraging her to go for it. She scanned the floor for the fifth time that night, disappointment blooming in her chest. There were some cute men there, but none that made her stomach twist into knots with an unquenchable desire.

Lydia downed her other shots, the liquid burning her throat when she swallowed. She grabbed her other drink, washed down the burn, and set it on the counter again. The loud music fueled the buzz that entered her system, her hips swaying to the rhythm while she steadied herself with one hand against the cool wooden bar top. The neon lights danced across the room in a ray of movements synchronizing with the bodies that swarmed the dance floor. The scent of sweat and alcohol wafted through the area, but no one cared. They were free in those moments of bliss.

“I’m off to score. You better text me when you get home, or I’ll hunt you down!”

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” Lydia shouted back over the music, her words slurring.

Tabitha snorted before shouting back, “And what’s that?! Last I knew, you liked to try everything!”

Lydia shrugged with a smirk, giving her friend a sly look before Tabitha first sauntered to the blonde woman. She ordered another drink, hoping that someone would show up she could go home with, or she would wind up home alone with a less mind-blowing orgasm than she could conjure in her mind.

The need to go to the bathroom hit her in her haziness. Slowly, she went to the bathroom with her drink, knowing never to set her glass down and leave it. Finding an empty stall, she emptied her bladder before leaving, her drink still in one hand. She stared at her glass in front of the smudged fingerprint mirror. She would at least enjoy the rest of it if she weren’t going to get satisfaction anywhere else.

The thump of music dulled as she made her way to the door. She didn’t think twice about the tempo change as she swung the door open, quickly covering her eyes as brightness invaded them. The room went quiet, except for the hushed whispers that she could barely make out the words of as they echoed off the high ceiling.

Lydia blinked a few times, trying to eliminate the haze in her eyes. She settled for squinting at the blurry figures in bright colors. She stepped further away from the door she walked out of, trying to get a clearer image of what mess her mind conjured for her. All she wanted was a night out with her best friend and someone that might blow her mind away for a night, not for her reason to take one for the team and give her weird fantasies.