The main floor is already filled with bodies, moving to the steady and rhythmic pulse. The smoke blends shapes together and the colourful strobing lights gave the scene an eerie look.

From my dim corner I can appreciate the curves of a girl dancing nearby. She wears an elegant red dress that gracefully highlights her figure. Her friend, as refined as her, is sliding secret words into her ear. She throws an interested glance at me. They giggle like two teens trying to be discreet, then move closer to the bar, putting distance between me and them. 

A good start. 

I’m hoping to meet a girl tonight. Two months without intimacy has left me craving physical connection. This club always provides me with nice and simple one-night-stands. Not much drama. People are all on the same page - which is good. I hate dealing with a girl who decides that one night would be the start of a long lasting relationship. Then I have to be the asshole breaking her heart.

The Equilibrium Network doesn’t allow their neutralizers to engage in deep romantic relationships with the Plainfolks. They fear that feelings would get in the way, making us spill the beans about Lycans, Demons and Vampires living amongst them. That’s why I have to be an asshole sometimes. I wish I could just stay blissfully ignorant , unaware of all this supernatural mess. But here I am, a lonely jerk - as some of the ladies would call me from time to time.

The comfy and velvety backrest of the couch receives me. The satisfactory sigh I let go is louder than I expected.

The drink I ordered finally arrives. Perfect levels of indigos, blues, and pinks, living in delicate harmony like humans and supernaturals. A sweet and tangy flavour invades my mouth, almost giving me shivers. I close my eyes, glad that I can fit this relaxing routine back into my schedule. The music wraps around me, the sharp cadences filling me with their soothing and immersive presence.

 This is it.

“Moonlit Paradox, eh?”

A cheerful and bright voice. For a fraction of a second, just before opening my eyes, I hope I’ll see Casey. But it’s the elegant red dress girl. Her friend is not present. She looks at my drink with a smile.

“Moonlit Paradox, indeed. I appreciate good colour combinations”

“Oh yes? What about the colour red? ” She smirks, sitting beside me. Bold move.

“Depends.” I look at her while mirroring her smirk, but more confidently. I’ve been doing this for several years now. If she thinks she can outsmart me at the cat and mouse game, she is wrong: I’m the bigger cat here.

“My name’s Lili, what’s yours ?”

“Hana.” I scoot closer to her. I don’t like to shout. Always a good excuse to get closer.

“Well Hana, I like your style. You dance?” She tilts her head lightly to the side. Her blue eyes meet mine, trying to read me.

“I can, with a good partner. Are you a good partner, Lili?” Another few centimetres, almost closing the gap between her and me. And there she is, getting nervous. She snickers meekly, shedding her confidence from moments ago.

“Alright, let’s go dancing!” She grabs my hand, and takes me away from my silky soft throne to the dance floor. The size difference we have once facing each other doesn’t startle me. I’ve always liked taller girls. And it’s pretty easy for me to find them with my 1m60.

Her gaze doesn’t leave mine, as she starts swaying her hips playfully. Her sultry moves are confident, teasing, inviting me to come closer. She clearly knows what she’s doing. I follow her movement alongside, the music’s pulse guiding the tempo.

Her hands glide across her curves while she smiles teasingly. The air gets charged with anticipation, as we get so close, I can feel her warm breath on my lips. She almost leans in for a playful kiss.

Not yet, I don’t allow it. Let’s have fun a little bit more in this teasing game. I slide my hands to her waist, pulling her body closer to mine, and whisper.

“Not so fast. Let me offer you a drink first. Yes?”

She glances at me, turning her head lightly.

“ Such a gentlelady.” She snickers. “Then offer me a Cherry B. Deluxe.”

That’s the most expensive drink on the card. I hold her stare and sneer. Clever girl. I can’t risk saying no, this is going too well.

“Very well. Let’s head back to my table then.”

We pass by the bar to order her fancy drink. The Cherry B. Deluxe is a blend of vintage Champagne and aged Cognac. Organic cherries and a sprig of fresh mint are added to the mix. And to top it all, it’s sprinkled with edible pink gold dust. The inside of my wallet hurt but the night coming should be worth it.

As we walk back to my table, she wears a proud little smirk. Proud of what she did. Lucky her, it’s been two months. I won’t be picky tonight.

We sit. 

Her warm leg touches mine with purpose. Various topics come and go as we talk superficially. We both know how this is going to end but I like to build anticipation. When my gut starts tingling and I see she can’t pull her gaze from mine, I know it will be time to wrap up the club scene and move onto the motel next door. Another sophisticated place owned by the Capricorn. The manager knew what she was doing the day she bought this place.

But for now. We’re still at the preliminary stage.

I observe her as she speaks of her friends and all the drama. Her wavy auburn hair flows around her head like a mane, but is not as natural as the coat check girl, Casey. And she had a ponytail. I can’t imagine how good it would look if she let her hair flow wildly.

“Hey, are you listening?” Something nudges me lightly on the side. I blink the thought of Casey away, focusing back on her.

“Sorry about that. I was just wondering. What kind of animal do you like?”

“Is that a new flirting technique?” She raises an eyebrow. I  definitely lost points there.

“ It is. You know, with those eyes, you look just like a mischievous fox: clever and captivating” I say confidently. After literally ignoring her to think about the redhead, I better try to appease her.

“How did you know?” She giggles, the pitch almost painfully loud. The alcohol is already taking effect. Progress saved.

“Just a guess.”

I take out small squares of paper from inside my jacket. Lili approaches closer. Her eyes sparkling with curiosity. 

Another signature move of mine: Origami. A cool little party trick. You’d be surprised how easy it is to woo a girl when you know how to fold paper into intricate animals.

Trust me on this.

“Do you always carry pieces of paper like that? What are you doing?” She snorts, leaning on me.

“A fox, just like you.” I wink at her then focus on the orange and white squares. My expert fingers move with precision, fingertips gliding over each surface, appreciating the texture of the paper beneath my skin. Each fold is deliberate and slow, creating smooth edges that dance under the flashing club lights. My gentle caresses tease each corner into place, creating something delicate yet sturdy. When it’s done, I gently push a little paper fox the size of my index finger towards her.

All this time she was fixated on it. I can see the blush spreading over her face. Our eyes meet again. I wait for her reaction with poise.

“You- you’re so good with your hands.”

“I’m rather skilled, yes.” My eyes are locked on hers with a certain warmth, a subtle invitation lingering between us.     

Another shy giggle from her. She takes the fox delicately, inspecting it, throwing quick and playful little glances at me. The paper animal lands back on the table in front of us. She takes a slow sip of her drink, maybe wondering what she should do next. I let her think, I’m in no rush.

She runs her hand up my thigh, fingertips tracing over black denim. Slowly. Teasingly. She took less time than expected. I appreciate a woman that understands her desires. She whispers in my ear.

“Wanna fuck?”

Lucky me, I know how to keep my poker face no matter what. That is, indeed, straight forward. No hiding. No sugar-coating. If I didn’t have these two months of cutting out on the intimacy, I’d probably be thinking twice before jumping head first. But my emotions and my needs are taking the lead. The whisper and its intention gives me a familiar and intimate flutter in my lower abdomen. The curves of her hips and her generous cleavage are making it worse. No time to be picky tonight.

“Sure.” My voice came out huskier than intended. Keep it cool Hana. “Motel?” I ask.

“Better. Wanna start it here and now?” A teasing smirk on her lips. 

Her fingers slide closer to my inner-thigh now. Oh. No. I’m in charge here. My hand swiftly grabs the back of her neck. Holding it gently but firmly enough for her to understand who’s having the last word. I bring her closer.

“I like it private.” A playful whisper as the tip of my fingers wander at the base of her neck.

“Awww…not even a little? Are you sure you can wait that long to get those skilled hands on me.” Her lips caress mine. And the flashing thought of a steamy night comes to my mind. Maybe she expected me to lose a bit of control. All these years, keeping rogue supernatural in line, taught me a lot about control.

“Private or nothing.” Public display isn’t my thing. Having other throwing craving stare when I’m working on someone is the ultimate turn off for me.

She playfully shoves me, a teasing yet impatient smile on her lips “Fine, but just because I like your style.” 

A final smirk of agreement and we go. The little paper fox is abandoned on the table. 

It generally takes me more than 3 origamis to find someone. Fortune smiles upon me tonight it seems.

Her hand finds mine as we make our way through the mass of bodies. The music from the main room gradually fades as we step outside, back into the hallway leading to the exit.

My eyes linger on the coat-check room.

Our eyes meet. Once again.

Casey is behind her small counter, organizing some numbers, I think. Her eyes, blend of emerald and hazel, follow me. Her expression is one of mild surprise. She mouth something to me, but my brain refuses to make sense of it. Lili is already pulling me away, and I’m left wishing I could make out what she was saying, or at least stare at her green eyes just a little bit longer.

—————————————————————————

The small paved and private pathway between the Capricorn and the motel is soaked from the recent rain. The night sky is clear and the fresh and earthy scent floats around us, cooling down my emotions. It looks like these two months really put a toll on my composure. The silence between us is light and we’re both enjoying a bit of quiet. The muffled music coming from the club echoes like a distant heartbeat. After a few steps on the wet floor, I feel Lili’s arm linking through mine. 

“You’re not the talkative type, am I right?”  

The motel ahead with its sexy red light holds my focus.

“Not really.” Why should I be? These relationships are not meant to last anyway. Small talk is a waste of time when you know it leads to a dead end. Her pressing stare makes me look at her. Her eyes are heavy with scrutiny, as if trying to unravel my secrets.

“You’re really a weird one. Generally, the people I finish with at the Capricorn are always so chatty. I had this guy one night. He talked soooo much that by the end, I told him, you know what? I’m too tired. I’m gonna go sleep. He was so mad!” She giggles as she recounts her story. 

I almost wish I could connect with her like this, but it’s not like  I can say, “Oh really? Last night, I spent it with a rabid wolf. And she nearly gave me a new hairstyle: one that involved a lot less head!” It would get me, and her, in trouble. I sigh internally.

“Yeah, I’m sorry. Chit-chat isn’t my thing…” My words trail a bit, trying to find a way to lighten my thoughts and not ruin the mood we’re having. 

“I didn’t know small talk was a turn on for you. If you want, I can tell you all about my groceries while I go down on you.”

My serious expression threw her off a bit. She blinks several times but then bursts into laughter, making the dim pathway suddenly more lively. I join her, feeling lighter thanks to her reaction. It looks like we did link on something after all. Sex and groceries. And we keep on cackling, arms locked as we make our way to our final destination.

The motel beside The Capricorn, the Velvet Night, is by extension, just as fancy as the nightspot. The facade is inviting with a red, dim light casting a seductive glow on the entrance. There’s no mistaking on what this place is made for.

Inside, a friendly concierge behind the slick dark wood counter greets us with a knowing smile. I don’t give Lili the time to toss me a spoiled look. I book the room until tomorrow morning and get the magnetic key. All this time with her leaning tightly on my back. I can feel her soft and generous bust pressing against me, shooting waves of excitement through my already impatient system.

I led her to the room, our pace picking up slowly. The door opens. The room is pristine. Crisp and fresh red linen on the bed are waiting for us to spread. The air carries the sweet fragrance of blooming flowers and the polished surface of the dark and modern furnitures reflect a keen eye for details.

Lili’s hands have already found their way under my leather jacket. I allow it. It falls to the floor with a soft thud. 

Her fingers continue their wandering under my black tank-top. I capture her lips. We kiss hungrily, like two creatures drawn together by pure instinct. 

A few minutes later and our naked bodies are entwined on the bed, limbs tangled in an intimate embrace. Our skin glistens with sweat and the heat radiating between us.

I let go of all the stress and frustration of the past two months and focus on the moans and shallow breath of Lili twisting under my care. But the memory of Casey’s green eyes lingers in my mind, a vivid reminder of our brief encounter.

Impossible to shake off.