A Queen Among Snakes: Chapter Sixteen - Mei

I feel Chris wrap his arm around me and tug me with him as we join the others at one of the seating areas. Vitali and Eric are seated on one of the many plush silver lounges found around the room, as are Marcus and Amelia. Chris and I sit on a couple of silver ottomans opposite Vitali and Eric with the drinks table between us. I look around to see Tyson and Evalyn have already disappeared somewhere onto the dancefloor.

“How are you liking the club scene so far?” Asks Eric.

I smile and look around, “It’s very loud, but I like how colourful it is. Though the smell is…” I trail off trying to think of the right words.

“Disgusting,” laughs Vitali. “You can say it. The downside of coming here when you have a supernatural nose, you can smell the body sweat and various other scents that I will not taint your delicate ears with,” he says while patting my knee.

He doesn’t have to say it. I can smell the sex and many other bodily fluids and the intermingling of so much perfume and cologne. It’s extremely unpleasant, how do they stand it?

“Just focus on me,” Chris says, kissing my cheek. Now that I can easily do. I smile and lean into him and breathe in his heavenly aroma, letting it shield me from the unpleasant scents in the room.

“I’m going to go get us some drinks, what does everyone want?” Marcus asks.

“Dry martini, please,” says Eric as he leans into Vitali.

“Gin and tonic,” says Vitali.

“Sea Breeze for me, thanks,” says Chris.

“Long Island iced tea please, babe,” says Amelia.

Marcus gives me a sweet smile, “Mei, would you like anything?”

“Oh, um, just sparkling water, please.”

“As you wish,” he nods with a smile. He gives Amelia a swift kiss on the cheek and then goes off to get the drinks. Just as he walks off Vitali pulls a flask out of his leather jacket, opens it, takes a swig then passes it to Eric and Amelia. He then offers it to Chris who shakes his head.

“Not when I’m driving,” Chris tells him.

Vitali rolls his eyes, “You’re a wolf, one sip won’t impair you.”

“No, none of the drinks from the bar will impair me, but Tezus is another story and I’m not taking risks, especially not with Mei in the car,” he says and from his tone, he won’t budge.

“You make it sound like one sip is going to cause you a car accident,” he sniggers.

“Vitali, drop it. He doesn’t want any, end of discussion,” Amelia says in a hard voice. Chris mouths ‘thank you’ to her and she smiles back.

“Maybe someone could teach me to drive,” I suggest to everyone.

“You want to learn? How come?” Amelia asks curiously, but with a bright smile.

“I don’t particularly want to drink,” I tell them. Pack members getting drunk at Albus Mons usually resulted in me blacking out in a pool of my own blood. Safe to say it put me off alcohol permanently. Chris knows this. “And Chris shouldn’t have to miss out for my benefit. If I learn to drive then he can enjoy himself,” I chirp, proud of my idea.

“Could you be any sweeter?” Eric gushes making me blush.

“Love, I don’t need alcohol to enjoy myself, but if you want to learn to drive I’ll gladly teach you,” Chris says happily.

“I think I would still like to learn,” I tell him as I feel excitement bubbling inside me. Knowing how to drive means I could take myself anywhere, whenever I wanted. Such a simple freedom that so many take for granted.

“Consider it done,” he says echoing my excitement.

As the night goes on I find myself having a wonderful time. I even got on the dancefloor and danced with everyone. I danced with Amelia and Evalyn, I danced with the guys and I, of course, danced with Chris.

Dancing with Chris was like we were in our own little bubble and nothing and no one else existed. It was perfect. However, I couldn’t shake this uncomfortable feeling of being watched. I would periodically glance around to see if I could spot anyone looking in my direction, but there was nothing, yet the feeling never went away. In fact, it got stronger as the night went on.

Eventually, while we were seated back at the lounges the feeling of being watched came over me again, only much more intense and I could feel a slight vibration coming from across the room. It was different to the kind of vibration I feel around Chris. Chris’ vibration also comes with a tugging sensation, this vibration doesn’t. It’s a bit weaker and has a completely different rhythm. I look behind me and through the crowd, across the room, I lock onto a pair of rich brown eyes.

Sure enough, there is a man on the other side of the room staring at me, and even though I’ve seen him he doesn’t look away. He looks about 5’9”, with jet black hair that is styled with gel; has cool, beige skin, defined cheekbones, and wisps of black hair above his lip and on his chin. He has Asian features and if I had to guess, I’d say he was Chinese – like me. He’s wearing a pin-stripe black suit with matching black slacks, shiny black shoes, and a crisp white shirt with three buttons undone. He looks expensive and is projecting wealth and power, but something about the way he’s looking at me has me wanting to shed my skin – not that I actually can.

I can vaguely hear someone speaking to me, but I can’t seem to turn away from the stranger’s eyes. There’s something about him I can’t put my finger on.

“Mei? Is everything alright?” Asks Amelia.

“Huh?” I ask finally pulling my eyes away from the man to look at a concerned Amelia sitting up in Marcus’ lap. “Oh. Yes, I am fine, I just…” I trail off glancing back to where the man was, but he’s no longer there. “There was a man over there looking at me,” I quietly say. Both Amelia and Marcus are up on their feet, their eyes scanning around the club. Even Vitali and Eric are looking around on alert, but unable to see anything suspicious. “I swear he was there. He… there was something familiar about him,” I whisper, still not really sure what I even mean by that. How do you describe a foreign feeling?

“It’s okay, we believe you. If you see him again you let us know straight away, got it?” Amelia tells me. I give her a fierce nod. Thankfully Chris returns with drinks, but he knows something is wrong.

“Is everything okay? What happened?” He asks in a rush, sitting down beside me, putting the drinks on the table. There I go worrying him again.

“Mei said there was someone across the room watching her. We didn’t get a look at the guy, but he seems gone now,” Amelia tells him. I almost wish she hadn’t. A growl rumbles in his chest as he pulls me close, his eyes darting around searching for a threat; his body becoming tense.

I sigh. “Chris, I’m okay, nothing happened,” I reassure him, placing my hand against his cheek.

“Some low-life was looking at what isn’t his and making you uncomfortable, that’s not okay,” he says forcefully. I can feel the anger he and Axel are feeling.

“I say we find him and rip his head off,” Axel growls in my mind. Always wanting to rip people’s heads off.

“And if he’s human?” I argue.

“Then it’ll teach him to keep his eyes to himself,” he says nonchalantly.

“Axel, you know you can’t do that,” I carefully remind him.

He sighs, “A wolf can dream, my Sweet One. Are you okay?” He asks softly.

I’ve seen this wolf rip into people and wolves with no mercy, but for me, he’s the sweetest, most gentle beast ever created. I feel very lucky.

“I promise I’m fine. I’ve told you; you and Chris worry too much,” I lightly chide.

Chris snorts, “And we keep telling you there is nothing you can do about that. Even if you were Goddess Morrtemis herself, we would still worry about you, Mei. You’re everything to us, the thought of anything happening to you, or me losing you, terrifies me. I couldn’t cope if something like that were to happen. I understand how Kylie felt because I would end up the same way,” he says adamantly making me gasp.

I fiercely shake my head, “Don’t say that.”

“It’s the truth, xingan baobei. My life is nothing without you,” he says as he presses his forehead to mine.

My throat constricts and my heart clenches. I don’t want to think of a world that doesn’t have Chris in it. Chris is what makes my life worth living, he makes the world brighter just by being in it. A world without him is too sad for me to think about. I wrap my arms tight around his neck burying my face in his neck, taking in deep lungfuls of his scent to soothe the aching in my chest.

“I don’t want to think of a world you don’t exist in. I can’t,” I choke holding back a sob.

He tightens his arms around me and yet it’s not tight enough. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll never leave you and you better not leave me either,” he warns.

I furiously shake my head, “Never, ever, ever!” I exclaim.

“Good,” he says capturing my lips in a kiss, but this kiss is different. It’s fiercer and knocks me senseless. His fingers find their way into my hair as he holds my head in place; his lips expressing all his love, his fear, and his desire while he growls against my lips making me shiver. He’s never kissed me like this before, but I want more of it. I want to drown in it. I hold myself tighter to him, returning his kiss as I let it consume my senses. Time and space slip away and all I want is him.

Our lips break apart as we gasp for air; my head spinning deliciously.

“Well, I guess I can cross ‘watch my brother have a fierce make-out session’ off my bucket list,” I hear Evalyn say making my cheeks heat up.

“Why was watching your brother make out with someone on your bucket list?” Asks Eric in a confused voice.

“It’s just an expression,” she retorts, and I can almost hear her rolling her eyes.

“I’m pretty sure it’s not an expression of any kind,” Vitali laughs.

They slip into their usual bickering, but I can’t take my eyes off Chris. His hazel-green eyes twinkle under the neon lights and his smile speaks to my soul. We’re lost in our own world and as much as I’m loving it, I really can’t wait to get home now.