Unnaturals (9 page)

`What's wrong?' Mason walked in, naked, towelling his head.

`Knock, knock. It's us. You two decent?' Wilson's voice came from the far end of the patio.

`Coming!' Ruth slipped the shoes on. Mason had stopped moving, his eyes on the dress. `Mason, put some pants on. Sally's here. Remember?'

Ruth went out onto the patio, leaving Mason staring. `Hi, Sally. You look great.'

`Wow, Mrs D.' Sally stepped up onto the patio. `You've pulled the bling out tonight. Awesome shoes.'

`Thanks.' Ruth avoided Wilson's eyes. He knew the dress too. `Are you going to the seafood buffet tonight?'

`Yeah, Wilson booked us a table out on the deck.' Sally hugged her, whispering, `You look awesome, Ruth.'

`So do you.' Ruth hugged her back.

`Is Dad here?'

`Inside getting dressed.'

`Hi, Sally.' Mason stuck his head out of the doorway beside Ruth. `Um, I can't find any shirts.'

`Men.' She rolled her eyes at Sally. `I'll get you one.'

`It's okay, Mr D. It's only Wilson who is funny about the clothing thing.'

Ruth nearly snorted at Wilson's expression. She glanced at Mason, who at least had jeans on. `Go and say hi. I'll find you a shirt.' Ruth poked him as she went inside.

`Yes, dear,' he drawled, eyeing Sally. `Hello again, Sally.'

Ruth watched from inside.

Sally beamed as she let Wilson go, then her eyes drifted to Mason's scars. `Hi, Mr D.'

`Mason will be fine, thanks.' He stood, hands behind his back, and Ruth nearly threw a shoe at him. He was doing it — being intimidating without knowing it.

`Okay,
Mason
,' Sally said and, without hesitation, wrapped her arms around him. `I'm happy to see you again. You probably don't remember me that much but you were very nice to me last time we were here.'

An almost comical surprise touched his face. He hesitated, then put his arms around her.

Ruth found his shirt and joined them. Sally was smiling in Mason's hug and he held her like she was made of glass. Ruth touched him and nodded. He half-smiled. She patted him on the shoulder. `See, a shirt. There's a suitcase full of them.'

Sally let him go and Ruth caught the look on Wilson's face. `Are you going to say hi to your mum or stand there all night?'

`Hi Mum.' He stepped over and looked at his feet, then took Sally's hand. `You look great.' He glanced up with an eyebrow raised. Mason snorted and pulled his shirt on.

`Good god, Wil. Mrs D is hot.'

`Yes, she is indeed, Sally,' Mason said putting his hand on Ruth's bare back. `Lucky we're having dinner with some, ah, friends tonight.' He bumped Ruth with his hip. `Otherwise, we'd be on a double date.'

`Oh god,' Wilson groaned, closing his eyes.

`Stop moaning, will you?' Sally pushed him. `We'll have to do that while we're here. Have some time with your parents. Maybe dinner tomorrow night?'

`Sounds like a plan.' Mason grinned at her.

`Try and stay out of trouble tonight, will you?' Wilson muttered, eyeing Ruth. `Come on, Sal, let's eat.'

`See you!' Sally waved.

`Bye Sal.' Ruth waved back as Mason slipped his hand down further and squeezed.

`So you packed that dress for me, then?'

`Look.' Ruth turned and he rolled her into his chest, arms around her. `When I packed, it just went in. I know Sacha gave it to me, and I know what it does.'

`Uh-huh.' He let her go. `She did have a great sense for style. The dress is made for you, but tonight it will get you into trouble. It screams sex.'

`Maybe.' Ruth smiled as his eyes roamed over her. `Maybe not.' The tight shirt he wore made her heart thump. She loved him in black jeans and a tight shirt.

`What about shoes? I gather you packed them too.'

`Of course.' She went to the wardrobe and dug out a pair of shoes. When she stood up she stopped at Mason's expression.

`If you do that tonight anywhere, make sure you roll the hem down again.' He winked. Ruth felt it, the cool breeze on her. She tossed him his boots as her ears warmed.

`I forgot it did that.' She pulled the hem back down, suddenly excited.

Mason pulled his boots on. `Tonight is going to be hard for me, but I will do my best, Ruth. And if you and she…'

Her excitement died but she saw him push his fear aside.

`I felt what Gaia wants us to do. But it's not me. You're different, Ruth, and I have always accepted that. But there's a lot we don't know about the sisters or their family yet.'

`You didn't see them how I saw them, Mason. They're scared as well.'

`All I am saying is, be aware Ruth. Trust your instincts. If you feel threatened, react.'

`What if I feel safe and desired?' She did. The thought of Nikki's touch made goosebumps rise up. Mason's nose flared as he pulled in a deep breath. He knew.

`I trust you. If you feel it's right then I accept that. But we stick together tonight, even if you do—'

`Okay, let's not over-think this, sweetie.' Ruth sat on his lap and he sighed, half-smiling. `If there's a fight, you'll be there. If Nikki throws herself at me, you'll be there. If there's dancing—'

`You're on your own.' He picked her up and Ruth hung on. The look in his eyes, one she hadn't seen for a long time, warned her what was about to happen.

`Don't you dare put me over your shoulder!' She held him tightly as he poked his tongue out at her. `Mason!'

`Well, you have a choice.' He held her tight against his chest, looking outside. `I can't have you wandering through the resort dressed like that. What will the Joneses think? Wilson's already given you the
look
. So, either I wrap you in a sheet and lug you around over my shoulder—'

`Mason, don't you dare!'

His eyes blackened. `Or we move so fast no one can see us.'

`Oh.' Ruth bit her lip as he walked outside. `Can you do that without, um,
him
coming?'

`Oh yes.' He put her down. `Take off your shoes. Don't want to lose them, do we?' She slipped them off and held them. Mason scooped her up in his arms again and blood pounded in her ears.

He laughed. `I thought this would excite you.'

`Go,' she whispered as her breath caught. The world blurred and Mason's body hummed against hers. `Holy shit.'

He stopped. The ocean lay before them. Waves rolled onto the beach. Muffled music thumped behind her.

`Amazing.' Ruth wet her lips. The sensation of him running so fast and the wild buzz of the speed had her heart pounding. `Nothing touched me. No trees or bugs.'

`No, they won't while I hold you.' He looked out over the ocean. `Nothing will ever hurt you while I hold you, Ruth. Nothing.'

`I know that.' She touched his face. `You're hot.' She touched his neck. `Flushed as well. I thought you could control all that when you're like this.'

`Yeah.' He put her down onto the footpath and Ruth slipped her shoes on, pulling the hem down automatically. `Blame it on the dress.'

`Very funny.' She watched as his eyes faded back to Mason's. `You're nervous again.'

`Nope, not me.'

He grabbed her hand and they headed for the source of the music. Ruth kept up, excited. Mason was too, but he was trying to hide it.

Ruth went first down the concrete stairs, towards the nightclub doors. Mason hesitated and Ruth stopped. He had never been so indecisive. `Relax, honey.' Ruth pulled his hand and he didn't resist. `Just be yourself. If there's any fighting or fucking we do it together and if there's dancing—'

`You're on your own,' he sighed and nodded. `Christ, you're a bad influence on me.'

`The worst.' She stopped at the big steel doors. The music sent waves of tiny vibrations over her, making her skin tighten.

`You feel that?' He touched the doors. `Hell, it's dance music with some sort of sonic vibration in it. Wonder what it is.'

Ruth knew. The music had already made her nipples harden and blood warmed her chest. `It makes you horny!'

`Christ.' Mason pulled the door open and Ruth didn't hesitate. She slipped under his arm into the chaos of sound, lights and scents.

 

Mason tried to focus. The club was full, the music loud and the air thick with scents. He shifted, uncomfortable with his arousal. It was an unexpected distraction.

`Stop glaring, will you?' Ruth's voice came clear to him through the music. `Oh, hi.'

The girl Ruth had spoken to caught his attention. Her singlet was sheer, but it was the scars he noticed. Bite marks. Bloodells bite marks.

`Mason!' Ruth stepped on his foot. `Stop staring.'

`Sorry.' He looked at the girl's face. Her eyes were hooded and she held his gaze. `Oh, sorry.' He felt his face warm. Most of the marks were on her breasts. She didn't smell like a Bloodells.

`You know what they are.' It wasn't a question.

`Yes,' he said, seeing
her
now. It was hard but as he let the hunter in him go, the girl's face became real to him. She was beautiful but her eyes were old. `You survived.'

`They didn't.' She tilted her head at him. `I'm Miekia.'

`I'm Ruth.' She stepped in between him and Miekia. Mason blinked. Miekia's face softened and her smile was warm.

`I know,' she said with a wink. `Come on. Nikki has a private booth.' She turned and Ruth followed. Mason saw more bite marks on her back. The miniskirt she wore revealed that bite marks were even on her thighs. Driving away the memories of what Bloodells could do, his arousal burned as he watched her walk away.

He followed, then stopped and looked around, eyes refocused. `Christ.' The club was full of women. He was suddenly aware of the eyes on him and felt a bead of sweat run down his back.

`Mason.' A small cool hand grabbed his wrist and the blood pounding in his groin eased.

`Nikki, hi.' He rubbed where she touched him, sharpened his senses, feeling out those not human in the club.

`Come on,' she said, taking his hand. `Sorry about the music thing.' Mason followed her, almost relieved, into the booth. The music snapped off as the door closed.

`I use the music to try to disarm any conflict between the different houses of Darkells here.'

`Well, it worked on Mason,' Ruth said, taking a seat on a lounge.

`I just thought he liked me,' Miekia said, grinning at him from her seat. She trailed a finger around a pierced nipple. `And now we all know that a little bit of this makes him much better behaved.'

`That'll do, Miekia.' Nikki said. `Go watch the door, please.'

`Oh, relax,' she said, patting Mason on the arm. `Just teasing. Tashia bet me I wouldn't do it.'

`Out!' Nikki waved her through.

`Are all your kind like her?' Mason sat down across from Ruth, feeling off centre. Miekia's humour had been real.

`No, Miekia is very open about who she is. Tashia was the one that saved her. She brought her back from the brink when the Bloodells tried to take her.'

Nikki checked the door and looked back at him. `Love does not discriminate against sexes and the longer you live the less it cares whether you're male or female.' She sat down beside Ruth but smiled at Mason. `You could be one of the few men who would understand this.'

`It's not easy.' He let his eyes wander over her; her small flimsy dress and the whiteness of her thighs, highlighted by Ruth's hand. It was Ruth he desired, not Nikki.

`So, where's the brat?' He had to change the subject, but was unsure why he asked about Renee.

`Renee is young and has problems socialising, so she will slip in a bit later on.' Nikki looked at Ruth. `I like your dress.'

Mason sighed. A flash of red in the club caught his eye, giving him an excuse to look away, craning his neck.

`Thanks,' Ruth said.

Mason watched Ruth, as she focused on Nikki. Then, again out of the corner of his eye, he caught movement, a flash of red that stopped on the far side of the club. His vision widened. He stretched his arms, trying casually to take a closer look.

`It was either this or a sundress,' Ruth told Nikki. `You bored already, Mason?'

`No,' he said, standing up. `But I think it's about to get a lot more interesting in here. Very interesting.'

There was Renee, on the other side of the club, facing off against two blonde girls. Others stood around her.

`Shit, Renee!' Nikki and Ruth appeared beside him. `Damn it. Stay here until I sort this out.' The door shut behind Nikki, cutting off the music.

Mason watched her cut a path through the crowd. Things were getting tense around Renee. The two blondes were pushing her but she didn't fight back. Mason rubbed his nose. The fight didn't look right to him.

`You coming?' Ruth pushed the door open, looking over her shoulder.

Nikki reached Renee. No one calmed down. The door closed and Ruth was gone, making her way through the crowd.

`Stay in control. Be nice. Stop acting like a monster. We're here for fun,' Mason muttered, pushing the door open. `Damn it,' he cursed, as Ruth strode towards Nikki, shoving people out of the way. `This had better be worth it.'

Mason flexed his hands as he headed after Ruth. Tendrils of a familiar darkness crept through him, radiating a danger that made the women move out of his way.

Ruth reached Nikki.

Mason felt his skin harden when the blondes turned to Ruth, and he tasted her anger. Her hand moved and moved again. A signal. He understood.

Mason circled around and melted into a dark corner. The darkness swirled in him, mixing with his excitement. Working with Ruth was different. Exhilarating. His hearing sharpened as he waited, watching. Ready.

Ruth knew Mason was close; she could feel his eyes on her as she reached Nikki. But he needed to wait so she signalled him to stay back, hoping he saw it.

`The freak does not belong here,' the shorter girl shouted and spat at Nikki. Ruth clenched a fist.

`Renee is my sister, Rose.' Nikki stepped closer to the girl. `And you will show her respect.'

`She has no gift. Is not even a full blood.' Rose said. `How can you think she belongs here tonight?' She shoved Nikki.

Ruth glanced at Renee, whose face was tight with anger although she did not move.