Ivory Armor

Chapter 1: The Begining of the End

The deafening bass thrumped in time to my quickened heartbeat. The strobe catching my eye enough to wonder if tonight, it was finally going to leave me partially blinded but I couldn't stop moving. My body working on autopilot. Working hard and fast to serve the greedy creatures in front of me. The underground didn't discriminate in its clientele nor did it like to stay within the realm of socially appropriate. That being quite evident when my vision spotted the fae dancer openly having a three-way with two wolves on a podium to my far right.

I made a face and moved back to my task quickly. Ronnie was probably the only regular I enjoyed the company of, he stood just to the side of me while I worked to get his drinks out quickly, chatting up some vamp queens. Not literal queens, of course, the kind that think they're the shit to be because they currently sit at the top of the totem pole. And if I knew Ronnie, by morning they would be taken down a peg or two.

"Effy! Get me three more Johnnie Blue's!" I shot him a salute, sliding the last three glasses down the bar towards him. Ronnie sent me a wink, before throwing over his credit card.

The total round cost more than four weeks wages, but whatever. He made me look good.

Then, before I could serve the next guy, a drunk platinum blonde elbowed her way to the front of the line, trying to wave money in my face. Her hair was nearly the same silver as mine. Nearly. It was currently sticking out in all kinds of directions and the smeared lipstick on the bottom of her mouth had me picturing her hugging the toilet bowl moments before heading here.

She shot me a drink order and I tried not to grimace, knowing I'd already be upsetting someone.

"Hey! What happened to your face?" I stilled mid-pour. My eyes shooting towards the drunk girl's hazy ones. The metal that wrapped around each finger slowly curled into a fist.

My heckling regulars paused. Mouths hanging open, and from the corner of my eye, I could see Ronnie trying to make his way to the girl quickly. The girl's expression changed slowly from intrigue to horror.

Ronnie reached her and grabbed her arm sharply, causing a slurred 'hey!' to fall from her lips. Whatever he said to her must've been pretty awful because she was gone in a second with Ronnie offering to pay for the drink.

A low static popped in my ear before a familiar voice filled it. "She's not worth it Effy. But you know who is? Angelica. She's disappeared again and I'm so in the mood for you to give her another ass beating!". The corners of my lips tugged at Mika's voice.

Focusing back on the bar I waved Ronnie off and handed him the drink anyways. He grinned like a 12-year-old kid then skipped, and I mean skipped, back to his adoring fans.

I started the motions again, pressing the piece in my ear as I went. "Sounds like a plan. Any ideas where she's gone to this time?"

I could see Mika's smile down the line, her washed out pink hair bouncing around the bar like it was a trampoline.

"No idea! Probably another smoke break. Hey, Angelica! If you can hear this you better get your skinny ass back here before Effy kicks it halfway to Europe", Mika yelled down the channel making me wince. The girl had a mouth on her.

"As long as she's back before these super VIP guests arrive I don't give a shit," I huffed out wiping the sweat from my brow onto my jacket. Talking this much always gave me a jaw ache, especially in winter when the cold made the metal stiff.

"Oops, too late!" was the squeaky reply I received. My silver covered hand slipping on the glassware and dropping it as the last crackle of radio static popped out of my eardrum. The glass bounced off the counter and straight onto the floor. The contents, however, were apparently now an integrated part of tonight's outfit. Taking my jacket off wasn't an option. I get angry where people openly stare, and the ultra mini knit halter I was wearing underneath wasn't even close enough to be considered a decent, let alone a 'uniform'.