A Glimpse of the Dark Side: Adult Paranormal Erotic Romance Collection Page 16

  Plus, he was alone. Yeah, that was such a crime. Or worse. Pathetic. They'd whispered in pretend, loudly, "Who comes to a place like this alone?"

  "A loser!" they'd mock-whispered, so loud others had heard it, too, and snickered. Their behavior and judgment seemed to prove a bonding experience for them.

  Cruelty does that for some, especially the insecure.

  However, they didn't get in even after they cajoled, begged, and even tried to bribe the door manager/bouncer, who looked grossly put upon, as he was blocking everyone's entrance into Huron's Heavenly Heron. It was his job, night after long night, to stand like a bulldozer in the path of all who wished to enter, make them queue on line, then after they'd stood and waited and hoped - he could shut them down and spurn them.

  Ralph's snarky critics finally gave up and stepped their humiliation to the curb.

  It was Ralph's turn. The Losers delayed their complete exit in order to hover and see him get shot down, too. Misery loves company, they say.

  Ralph spoke first to the guy on the door, "Excuse me, are you from Defiance County, Ohio?"

  "Uh, yeah. Why?" asked Dan.

  "Don't know exactly. I'm from Tuscarawas County, myself, other side of the state, I know; but you just kind of reminded me of a favorite cousin of mine from out that way. You kind of make me miss him. He's built like a bulldozer, has a heart like a playful fuzzy kitten. Not that I'm saying you do."

  The big guy blinked a few times, like he was stunned, his eyes a bit sad.

  "Tonight, I'm kind of missing home myself."

  Ralph nodded with an expression of pure nonjudgmental commiseration and just looked the guy in the eye, asking nothing of him, not even to get into the coolest new club, as others pushed from behind, and the Losers watched like buzzards waiting for a lamb to fall to its knees. That was when the door manager finally really looked at young Ralph, with his unpolished healthy looks.

  The older, much larger man's expression said many things: You get me? You see me? You've asked nothing from me? Yet you've given me... warmth, fraternal love.

  "Huh. You haven't been here before, have you?" he asked with mock derision. But Ralph could already see the beginning signs of the eyes about to smile.

  "Shucks. No. New in town. My name's Ralph. Heard this was THE place and thought I'd give it a try. Naive, huh?"

  "Shucks? Yeah, but it's good you came. I'm Dan. We small town Ohio boys got to stick together."

  They both chuckled, affably.

  And with that, Ralph crossed the line from loser, to in. He did glance back long enough to say thanks to his new friend, and to say something at his evil fans.

  "Nice meeting you, Dan. And, you... be good now, y'hear?" he said with his most down home hayseed drawl for his Loser non-friends.

  Dan from Defiance laughed with him as he held the door open, and Ralph went into the club to orient himself to his new world.

  THE PLACE WAS chic, with women smoking hot and eager for the right man, and men eager to be the right man for an hour - hell, or one night.

  There were those who clearly were trying to find long-term true love, but this wasn't the kind of place where that happens. Not usually. There were lots of choices to choose though, but all the drinking, preening, and overambitious goal setting stated the Heavenly Heron unfit for a place where one could find marriage material.

  The odds said this was hopeless.

  Ralph was bobbing his head in agreement to his thoughts.

  After three beers while travelling from varying locations within the club, he understood the lay of the land: who was cool, who was in power, and who were just stringing along. He respectfully chose to approach a group of four men at least five years older than he. These were the A-1's of this club (which was the A-1 of clubs). He could tell by how the other men gave them respect and the hottest of women preened themselves to them.

  Ralph, the unpolished newbie, approached these men just like a puppy before lions. Observers found themselves laughing.

  Soon, however, they were shaking their heads in wonder.

  After the customary chitchat, Ralph had smoothly slipped from the cub into being a de facto member of THE group.

  Chapter Seven

  A FEW BEERS later, he made a bet with them.

  As Barry the bartender listened with an incredulous smirk on his face, Ralph bargained that he would get the number of any woman they pointed out for him. If he did get her number they'd give him twenty dollars.

  Each.

  "Whoa!! You're kidding!" scoffed the Alpha of the Alphas. "You're just a kid and, well, not even smooth. Okay, maybe country smooth but not... these are sophisticated, big city women and not corn fed farmers' daughters, man."

  "Twenty, if I win. But, only ten if I lose. Each. Next time we can bet more, but I just got enough for ten."

  "You're serious, aren't you?"

  "Yes, sir, I am."

  The Alpha squinted at him and the others awaited his judgment.

  "You really want to play the big game with the big boys, ASAP. Okay. Done."

  "Can I get in on that action?" asked Barry.

  Of course. Sounded like easy money, from a young upstart.

  Hm, from hayseed to upstart, Ralph mused. Yeah, easy money, apparently. It's the reason why Ralph had picked them. They could afford to lose money that he needed and it wouldn't hurt them a bit. In fact, they'd find it educational and entertaining.

  Within less than fifteen minutes, the Alpha was laughing his head off as he handed his twenties. And the night went on from that.

  Ralph went home with a pocketful of numbers and loads of cash that night - and the respect of the Alphas. There'd been more than one bet. Lots of respect from the Alphas.

  "Do it, again, Ralph. You can't always..." they would tell him each night.

  But he could. And he did.

  People talk. Stories passed around. A legend was born. And Ralph would soon be Prince Ralph and then King Ralph, even before the original Alpha retired in marriage and kids.

  Ralph's alpha friends paid off in more respects by connecting him to a profitable, upward mobile job and the right apartment and so many other things.

  When people like you and feel you both have much in common they'll help you, he thought.

  He'd been twenty-four then, a hayseed newbie who hadn't finished college because it was too boring and predictable.

  And now, just a few years later, after taking a break from being the well-dressed King of Bets, with a great job, a rent controlled, park-facing city apartment suite, and a new lease car each year.

  "Well, fuck. Ralph's back!"

  CONTRARY TO HIS initial expectation, Triple H was packed. Evidently it'd become much more popular in his months of absence.

  It was the same loud scene again as the Lazy Egret; but this club was his. This was the place where untalented amateurs tried to get him to share his secrets. More than one book agent and writer had sought him out here, to ask him to write his secrets into how-to-pick-up-women books.

  And one excited soul had asked if they could slant what Ralph did to pick up men, or... or to help lesbians pick up other lesbians! Or... or-

  Ralph had stopped him there, afraid the guy was going to hyperventilate.

  He'd almost wished he could tell them, but he had nothing to share. The truth being that he was just a natural who couldn't explain and really couldn't train anyone else to do what he did. Either the vibe was there or just wasn't there. Often he could coax it from a smoldering ember to a flame. But, again, he didn't know how to explain it, how he connected with people, without sounding like he was out and out lying, too smug to tell the truth, or just fucking crazy.

  He didn't lie, or tell the truth. He just avoided the core of the matter.

  So, he knew no one would truly understand how natural and oddly gifted he really was. And, would just assume it was some sort of cheating, as he nodded greetings to various guys, on his way to the main bar.

  "Hey, Barry. Thanks.
"

  The bartender already had ready an ice-cold beer, soon as he arrived, and then pointed him to a well-placed table off to his left.

  "You know I got you, man."

  "Wow!" Ralph appraised.

  "Exactly."

  There sat a lovely black-haired girl, with creamy tan skin. She looked apparently the same age as himself, Ralph assessed.

  She sat alone and didn't seem to have friends here with her. That seemed odd. She looked the type that would have close girlfriends, and they'd come to a hunting ground like this together to cover for one another, have each other's backs, be one another's wing women.

  Many of the other tables had such feminine groups. But not at her table.

  In fact, there was actually a noticeable circle of emptiness in her vicinity, as if most people were unconsciously avoiding her. She was out of place here. But, that didn't explain the emptiness.

  It must be an energy thing, a vibe thing, he thought.

  Something was off with her. She appeared to be dazed, or perhaps more dazzled than dazed. It was as if she was overwhelmed with her surroundings and choices or inundated with her sensations and reactions to her new surroundings and all the new-to-her people.

  Ralph tilted his head in scrutiny as he circled around her on the outskirts of the room, observing her and getting his bearings. At one time, he glanced up at a flashing light bulb near above her. It stopped its flickering then grew extremely bright before it failed completely, darkening the area below it.

  He spoke briefly with a passing friend while still watching her over that friend's shoulder. She was clearly new, he could tell by something in the way she studied all about her. But, mostly, by the preening cocks approaching her, over and over, as she shot each one down, again and again.

  She was picky. He liked that.

  This Brunette was impossibly attractive and sexy in a possibly game yet vulnerable way, like a rare flower all alone, but blooming in its full color and beauty in the middle of a field of dingy cinders. He felt that and it never occurred to him that he also glanced up again, at the failed light above her, as she once again did a thing she repeated a few times - gazed intently around her and through the crowd, even standing once or twice, looking for someone.

  He ducked from her possible view every time. He wasn't ready for her yet, he wasn't yet ready to make his approach to her.

  All he knew, all he felt certain of was that he desired to see more of her. As Ralph circled around and got closer to this lovely black-haired girl who looked bored now with the cock pickings available around her, he briefly took a few deep breaths. He then half-closed his eyes, felt inward, reached with feeling. He asked his inner self, his god-hell, he couldn't say what. He only knew he'd normally receive something that he felt was an answer.

  Can I truly please this woman?

  Something within him stirred of its own accord in answer, and like two tightly coiled snakes entwined around each other; that something within him relaxed. And he felt at ease, as if he'd already accomplished meeting her, making her welcome him, and...

  He wet his suddenly dry lips.

  Having her. He wanted that. To have her.

  But, there was something...?

  It made him tilt his head, as if not believing what he saw. There was the old odd feeling, and he frowned deeply. His puckered brow became a deep scowl fed by perplexity, until a look of surprise chased the confusion away.

  He knew.

  Just knew.?

  Chapter Eight

  "AHH," HE GASPED, looked away a long while with what the many others periodically watching would say was disgust, disappointment, or out and out failure on his face.

  He was taking several deep breaths. Then he focused, again, on another questing feeling within him that he hadn't felt for a long time, a feeling he'd pretty much forgotten on purpose. It was an overwhelmingly powerful feeling that was too disconcerting, too exhausting, and too damn intimate to connect with. But, he did now.

  His gift. He frowned and felt it stirring like a sleeping dog-no-a diamond-scaled dragon beyond his control, its breath already warming to...

  It was something he didn't want to wake.

  Then she moved to look with a hopeful searching gaze through the crowd again, like she'd lost sight of someone and sought to search them out. As he stood behind others and out of her direct sight, he felt it.

  Something is wrong with her. I don't need that ... something extra she has.

  He spun on his heel and circled, out of her view, back to the bar and Barry.

  "Matt, Tim, and Leonard all tried her. I'm three hundred dollars richer tonight," Barry bragged. "I think Scott's running over, and Cadiz, too."

  "Really? Those guys are almost the best," Ralph responded in old reflex because he knew a little ego, a little mild bragging was expected of him.

  Barry didn't even notice Ralph's mechanical tone, because the bartender was chuckling and waving his three hundred dollars of new winnings in Ralph's face.

  "You gonna try her, King Ralph?"

  Ralph glanced back and a part of him, a strong part wanted her.

  "Double or nothing?" Ralph casually offered, mildly interested in a new challenge with someone fresh to these waters. Then, he inwardly flinched, remembering his last significant two insightful thoughts about her:

  Something is wrong with her. I don't need that ... something extra she has.

  "Deal," Barry eagerly replied, "But, if the three stooges didn't make a homerun, I doubt you will. Then again, Scott and Cadiz both have that exotic and intriguing accents thing going for them. Both are working late, maybe another hour...?"

  Fuck. Now his rep was on the line. Okay. In and out, quick. You take the girl and leave her ... "something" the hell alone.

  He glanced, again, at the girl with her remarkable combination of intertwined streaks of boldness, aloofness, and vulnerability, then at Barry.

  "Like I said Barry, almost best," Ralph answered; then changed position at the bar, to observe her further from a distance, reading her and trying to work the approach that would win him the bet.

  Minutes later, his eyebrows were bunched up, like he didn't like what he was seeing. Or couldn't figure her or his approach out. Barry grinned at Ralph with this wary look on his face, while watching him in a work lull. Ralph looked his way.

  "What?"

  "You want to pass, King Ralph?"

  Ralph slapped the bar before strolling to where the black-haired girl sat.

  Barry and about a quarter of the other unattached club men perked up and refocused in anticipation, knowing that The Game had just started. But, would it be "Ralph wins and the crowd goes wild"? Or would the long absent King Ralph be deposed?

  They studied his every move, watching Ralph in full cold call mode, first breaking the ice, and then talking to this Brunette stunner, who'd already shot most of them down without a smile, or the least show of true interest. A few would testify that she'd been fucking cruel about it.

  Most were so involved with watching Ralph, only a few-mostly the women-noticed that the Brunette looked surprised when she saw him approached, maybe even blushed, before icing over to make the King of Heavenly Heron work for it. For her.

  Because she was worth it.

  There was laughter. Most didn't hear it because the club was noisy but now, for the first time all night, they actually saw her laugh and then invite Ralph to sit with her. If the place hadn't been so damn crowded, everyone would've heard at least half the men groan.

  Worse of all, Ralph looked like he was already having a great time and the hot new girl seemed happy, smiling sincerely and leaning in towards him.

  And then, eventually, they all sensed it-something was off between her and Ralph.

  While the woman was smiling and talking, and even leaning in like she was really into Ralph. But she was constantly shaking her head, her lips forming the word "no." Mixed signals for certain-and that usually meant disaster. Ralph didn't normally get mixed s
ignals from a girl. Maybe this girl was the king's Achilles' Heel.

  Bets were flying, fast and hard. Even some of the women were throwing in.

  All bets screeched to a stunned halt when two minutes later, Ralph abruptly stood and broke off his conversation with the girl. He excused himself from her and headed directly back to the bar. With an expression of confusion directed at Barry, he reached for his wallet.

  "Payday! There's always a first time, man," Barry sarcastically consoled Ralph as he held out his palm with his fingers doing that "gimme, gimme" gesture to collect.

  Ralph paid him without a word. The devastated young king of the club was, deep inside himself, seriously dazed that he hadn't even bothered to reply with a suitable snide retort.

  He looked like an archaeologist who'd uncovered the greatest of the lost secrets of the ancients, but hadn't a clue how to make sense of it.

  Amazement unfulfilled.

  For the first time, Ralph was confronted with a surprising, unreadable truth he could not control. How's that for fresh??

  Chapter Nine

  RALPH'S ZOMBIE-LIKE steps had returned him to his usual spot at the bar to drink alone. As he sat, he kept his gaze fixed on the dark-haired girl, the one he'd just walked away from.

  But the moment he shook his head and turned away to face back to the sturdiness of the bar, the perplexing Brunette stood and left her table.

  "Do you have a room!" she leaned over to shout above the thumping music and people noise at Barry who was behind the bar counter.

  Ralph reacted, having not seen her not until she was an inch behind him and yelling over his shoulder. He could feel her and smell the pleasantly mixed scents of her shampoo and body wash, and her smell of alluring warmth.

  "Bathroom?" Barry queried, and pointed across.

  "No. A room with some privacy, for a while?"

  Barry looked astonished and annoyed and one hand patted his winnings hidden in his pocket, as if making certain they were still there, as if he was silently saying: There, there, I'll not let you go.