Chapter 86

“Come on! You need this.” Annie says pulling Maya toward the bar a few feet away from them. “You have been through hell and back, it’s time to get drunk!”

Maya groaned but Annie was surprisingly strong and pulled her toward the entrance. Annie worked her cute smile and charm to get them in past the line that was winding around the side of the building, and soon the smell of sweat and perfume was attacking Maya’s senses.

“Isn’t it great?” Annie yells over the loud music.

“If BO and too much perfume is your kind of thing!” Maya yells out in reply.

“It wouldn’t be a club without it!” Annie says with a smile, pulling Maya toward the bar.

When they reached it, several people were calling out to the three bartenders trying to get their attention. Annie positioned herself just close enough to get two guys attention and they soon made way for her to take their place. Maya laughed to herself, she didn’t know that the Annie she met earlier this year had such a way with men. Maybe it was the that she had already found her mate, that she exuded such confidence. Maya wasn’t sure, because she hadn’t experienced that level of confidence just yet. Sure, she had her moments where she was sure she was overcoming her ability to be pushed over, but then it was so much easier to just slip back into it.

She felt safer when a whole group of people wasn’t looking to her or expecting something from her. It was easier to just keep her mouth shut and follow directions, but she couldn’t do that anymore. She needed to take the lead, but it would be really nice if there was a crash course on how to make people listen to a soft-spoken orphan.

“God I can hear your wheels turning from way over there! Just let go Maya! Stop thinking and start drinking!” Annie says handing her a very colorful drink.

“You have changed Annie!” Maya says with a laugh.

Annie laughs as well. “Yeah, a lot has changed I guess.”

“So true!” Maya replied taking a big sip of the drink she was handed.

It was sweet but strong, and she could feel her mind getting lighter as she drank. It didn’t take her until half the drink was gone to start swaying to the music along with Annie.

“There you go! Now isn’t this better than carrying the world on your back all the time?” Annie yells out dancing even harder.

Maya agreed by downing the last of her drink and shouting a few ‘whoop whoops’ into the air. Yeah, maybe she hadn’t really had much to drink before that night, and maybe it showed. Annie quickly got them another drink and Maya was left to sway seductively along to the music, eyes closed and totally giving over to a night without thinking. She felt free and loose for the first time in well…ever. As she moved, a pair of hands slowly crept up from her hips to grasp her firmly around the waist and a warm body swayed along with her. Her mind was free, and she didn’t even register that someone was touching her. She had given over to the alcohol running in her veins and the vibrations of the music. It was freeing and she was planning on enjoying it for as long as it lasted. Her head lulled side to side, and the warm body behind her got closer and there were fiery hot lips touching the side of her neck.

It triggered something in her, something that made her skin feel just as hot. She hissed as the hands that were once on her waist travelled up her arms and pulled her hair to the side. The kisses became firmer and Maya leaned back into the touch.

“Come with me.” A soft voice whispered into her ear before another kiss was placed just behind her ear.

“Where?” She asked.

“Somewhere where we can be alone.” The voice replied.

“Ok.” She says and as soon as the words leave her mouth, she feels a hand pulling her through the sea of clubbers.

Her eyes were barely open, and she relied entirely on the stranger to navigate her out of the club. When they were finally outside Maya glanced around at where she had been taken, and found several other people looking at her. She glanced around lethargically and noticed dumpsters and drainpipes. It seemed like she had been led into an alleyway.

“This is a strange place to hold a meeting.” Maya slurs out.

One of the men chuckle at her inebriated slurring, and she laughed right along with him.

“How drunk is she?” Another man asks.

“She only had the one drink.” She glanced at the man speaking and gave a weary smile.

“Did you call this meeting?” She asks him falling against him.

“Actually, I was the one who wanted to meet with you, but I had not expected you to be so…sloshed.” The man said with a thick British accent.

“I am not much of a drinker.” Maya replies with a hiccup. “Now what can I do you for?”

She seemed to be trying to imitate the man’s accent in a very drunken way, which resulted in at least three of the other men to snicker quietly.

“We can’t talk to her when she is like this, we will have to wait until she is more coherent. Bring her with us.” The man with the accent says turning and heading toward the street.

“Come on Maya, let’s get you out of here.” The first man says taking her hand and following the others to a line of black SUVs parked along the side of the alley.

Maya pouted but followed easily, forgetting all about a now panicking Annie back inside the club.

Not long after the group had climbed into their respective cars, did Maya fall asleep.

“She is going to have one killer headache when she wakes up.” The man who had led her out of the club says wrapping and arm around her to keep her steady.

“She has a far bigger headache to deal with when she wakes up. If she is what people are saying, she is going to be a mess when she finds out the truth.” The man with the accent says.

“I can’t believe they went this far. She would have lived a totally normal life if they weren’t so determined.” The first man says.

“This had always been their plan, they just needed someone desperate enough to agree to it, and it seems someone was. Her father wasn’t willing to give us the information we needed. Let’s hope she is more willing.” The man with the accent says.

“We aren’t going to use the same tactics, are we?” The first man asks worriedly.

“No, she is innocent. None of this was done by her choice. I just hope she sees the truth soon, or far more people will die before she can change anything.” The man with the accent rested his head back and sighed. “We have waited long enough; we need to do something now. I heard they are already moving forward with their final preparations. When they get what they want she is as good as dead.”

“What about the others? They will need to be convinced as well.”

“They don’t know it yet, but they already believe as we do. Now we just need to show them they can trust us. Once we have their trust, we can begin to fight back.” With that last thought silence fell among the men and all that could be heard was Maya’s soft breaths as she slept and the hum of the engine.