At this point, I was getting tired of not knowing where we were going. And since Aryan was supposed to be on my side, I figured I'd ask him.
"And we're going where?" I kept pace with him this time, not trailing behind.
"Somewhere where we are able to talk," he said helpfully, and I debated just stopping right there and making him explain everything. But I just shook my head and kept walking, understanding the rest of the explanation. We were going somewhere that no one would overhear us. Which meant we weren't safe to talk now.
It wasn't quite night, but it was getting there. A few cars and people were out, enjoying the last heat of the day. I glanced over at him every once in a while, trying not to be scared. I think it was fair to say that at this point I knew less about him than I did about Brie. But he wasn't hiding anything, not really. He was working under the twins, probably because they scared him. So that was one thing we had in common. We continued on until we were just out of the shady part of town, which interestingly enough gave way to a particularly nice part of town. Funny how things like that worked out. He turned off the main streets fairly early, after passing a few storefronts and, ironically, at least three churches. As we went on I could see a line of people, all short skirts and dress shirts. I frowned over at Aryan, because of course that was where we were going.
The large, bulky man standing at the head of the line was easy to see even from far away. He was wearing a suit and sunglasses, and he was probably one of the most intimidating people I'd seen. Which, by extension, meant he was the bouncer. The pieces were starting to fit into place.
"Nightclub?" I asked, because I was pretty sure this was the place I was ending up tonight. The sign, splayed across the four storey building everyone was outside, announced it was called Alpha. Somehow I was only mildly surprised.
"A supernatural one," he confirmed. I didn't need to look at the assembled people in order to be able to figure that out. At this point it was just kind of a given we wouldn't be interacting with humans.
"Will that be a problem for me getting in?" I asked, and he just shook his head.
"Humans are perfectly welcome. Well, at their own risk." I looked down at myself, suddenly realizing it wouldn't exactly be easy getting in. The cloths I'd stolen from Brie earlier were hardly clubbing material, similar black shorts with a thin and flowy top. I was severely under dressed, to say the least. And the whole "at their own risk" thing wasn't helping my nerves. We eventually reached the line and the bouncer, and Aryan barely even slowed down before walking right past. And, funnily enough, it worked. He walked up to the door before he noticed that I hadn't followed.
"Are you coming?" he asked, and I nodded, following quickly. I shot a glance over at the collective of people, who were looking on fairly enviously.
"Technically this place won't open for another hour," he offered as explanation. "But I know the owners, so we should be okay." I shrugged it off and followed him, because I didn't really have any other choice. But I did feel like showing him up.
"Friends with the werewolves?" I asked casually, smiling to myself when I saw the look he shot me.
"Don't look so smug," he laughed, and I found myself laughing a bit too. Against every instinct I should have had, I actually found myself liking Aryan.
It was a nightclub, that was for sure. The room we walked into was huge and wide-open, stretching three storeys upwards and completely empty from the dance floor to the highest ceiling. Balconies hung over the sides, and a huge screen and DJ table dominated the front of the room. To our right was a giant staircase leading upwards, and to the left was a long and extremely well-stocked bar. Everything was black and gold, with the occasional neon of lights from the dance floor. There was a girl busying herself behind the counter, and she looked up and smiled as soon as we walked in.
"Aryan!" She called in welcome, and he waved a hand in greeting before steering me firmly towards the stairs. I frowned, not really sure why he was avoiding her. But that wasn't a question to be asking right now. We ascended the stairs, past the three levels of balconies and then up one more. The top of the staircase wasn't an open room like I expected, but a closed door with another ridiculously large guard. I hesitated but again Aryan didn't, completely at ease and walking past. I didn't hesitate to follow him this time.
It was a dimly lit room, full of couches and tables. It was sleek black and violet, with the lights all running across the edges of the room or coming from the lamps on the low tables. He sank into one of the couches, and I sat opposite, not quite relaxing as much. While I had made up my mind that he wasn't completely horrible, we were still alone on the fourth floor of a building most people couldn't get in to. It was enough to make any sane person wary.
"Where am I starting?" he asked, and I smiled a little. Over his shoulder I could see a bar, mirroring the one downstairs, and wondered just how drunk I would end up getting tonight. After all, alcohol is the best way to forget about your problems.
"You and the twins?" I suggested. "Because I get the feeling everything isn't too helpful." He nodded in response.
"Yes, the demonic twins. Veros and Lykkah, although I'd be dead for saying that anywhere else." I frowned. Vincent and Lynn, Veros and Lykkah. I could see why they'd said the names were "close".
"And why can you say it here?" I asked, because even though it would derail the conversation I wanted to know everything.
"This place is protected. Witches, demons, vampires, anything and everything passes through here at some point. So, to keep the peace, most powers get muted as soon as you walk through the door. I couldn't tell you any specifics other than that- that's the entire point. No one wants to try anything because they don't know what they can get away with." I nodded in understanding.
"Right okay, the twins." I finally settled backwards, a little giddy despite myself. Here, for the first time, were my answers.
"They are demons, obviously. I came across them a few centuries ago- don't look so shocked," he broke off, and I nodded in apology. It was very, very strange to hear him talk about entire centuries like they were only a few weeks ago. "As I was saying, this "war" has been brewing for quite a while, and we've only reached the tipping point now. They... forcibly enlisted my help to their side." I winced in sympathy, not entirely sure what they'd done but sure it hadn't been fun.
"Obviously I want nothing to do with them. What they want is a dictatorship, one group controlling every other one. Which is a bad idea for obvious reasons." I nodded. It wasn't hard to see why those two being in charge of anything wouldn't end well.
"And you're still their flying monkey," I muttered, and watched him flinch. Filter, I scolded myself. There should be a filter between your mouth and your words.
"Yes, I suppose I am," he said quietly. I shifted awkwardly, because I wanted to apologize but the fact that he'd agreed meant I couldn't now. The silence stretched on.
"Then what's this place?" I asked, trying to steer the conversation back on track. "Or, maybe more importantly, why are you suddenly being so nice to me?"
"Fair questions," he said, laughing a little. "Like everyone has been saying, things need to change. But everyone's first instinct is to install one person on the throne to rule over everyone. The twins want themselves, your reaper friend wants the old leaders to come back."
"And you don't," I finished for him. He nodded.
"What we've hoping to do- and I can say that, because this is by no means my plan- is to have each race in control of themselves. Leave the demons to their hierarchies and the witches to their Supremes." I found myself nodding along, because that made a lot of sense. To my human mind, at least, which didn't really mean much.
"So you're tricking the twins so they don't think you're planning anything." It wasn't that hard to put the pieces together, but it felt good to understand something. "And this is the part where you explain that's why you killed five girls the same night as me." It had popped into my head while I was talking, the figure Brie had told me before we'd tried to kill him. My eyes narrowed instinctively, and I cursed myself for forgetting who this guy was. It was just too easy, to listen to him talk and forget anything wrong he'd done. I sat up straighter.
And then he shook his head.
"Cammie, I did no such thing," his voice was low, and it didn't escape me how his tone slipped into something more formal. It seemed to be a common trait among immortals, slipping back into their original styles of speech when they didn't have the capacity to hide it.
"Oh, so I was lied to? I just died because of someone else?" I scoffed.
"Cammie, listen to me," he pleaded, and I stopped. Because a vampire really shouldn't be justifying himself to a girl he'd killed. I huffed and crossed my arms, but stayed silent.
"I don't kill, Cammie. Not anymore." I actually laughed a little at that.
"Oh, right, of course, you're one of the nice vampires. I'm not actually that stupid you know." He was shaking his head as I was talking.
"I'm not trying to tell you I'm the good guy. Do you really think I would drain five whole people in one night? That seems a little excessive, don't you think?" And, okay, he had a point.
"How am I supposed to know? And you didn't seem to have any problem killing me!" I yelled, and was just about to sit up when something clicked.
"The twins think you're a serial killer don't they?" I asked quietly. The outside of the house, the house that had windows that could reflect information and send it to two people who evidently had a lot on him.
"I had no choice, Cammie. They would have killed you and then me. I thought I was giving you the better option." I sank backwards, squeezing my eyes shut.
"You understand how hard this all is to just accept, right? First I think you're the root of all evil, then she's the good guy, then she might be evil and you have a pretty damn good plan." I sighed, shaking my head. "And I'm just kind of here."
"You are taking it exceedingly well," he said gently, and I looked up.
"You hide all the time, don't you?" I asked, and he smiled. It wasn't totally convincing.
"I've used a fake name since the Victorian era," he confirmed, and I grimaced.
"How could you ever hide like that. I honestly can't even imag- wait." I sat up, grinning. "Aryan Gray."
"Yes..." he said uncertainly, and I burst out laughing.
"You named yourself after an Oscar Wilde character and no one noticed?" I asked, and after he'd caught on he laughed too.
"You are honestly the first," he answered. I shook my head at him.
"Of course I am. We should get a drink," I said, completely changing the topic. He didn't seem to mind. Aryan followed me over to the bar, and I only realized after I got there I had literally no idea what I was doing. When I went to tell him, that, though, something else came out.
"You don't have to hide, you know," I said, and it fell more than a little awkwardly. "Um, I mean, it's okay if you- I've seen Brie like, well..." I sighed. "Just- never mind. I'm being dumb." I laughed it off, but he was looking at me intently. And then he broke into a smile.
"Thank you, Cammie," he said, and I smiled when he did. "Thank you very much."