Eclipsed Hearts

A Swinging Party

[Bailey]

The mansion we arrived at was bustling with people. I found it intriguing. Being a hunter meant knowing about all sides of human and supernatural nature. This was something I had an education in.

It wasn’t even the first time I had to go undercover like this. I never liked it, but I knew how I was supposed to act. We were the youngest people here, and I could feel the lecherous gazes of men and women falling on us.

The older couple at the door were smiling widely at us. My stomach twisted. Perverts.

I kept my eyes trained on the couple in front of us, masking my discomfort with a polite smile. We only had a brief introduction as they ushered us inside. I couldn’t help but notice the opulence of the mansion. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting a soft glow over the grand foyer. The sound of hushed conversations and clinking glasses filled the air.

I glanced over at Ian, who was scanning the room with a practiced eye. It was as if he were totally unaffected by the stares, whispers, and suggestive chortles around us. I only hoped that I was giving off the same relaxed vibe.

Despite the elegant façade of the party, I knew danger was lurking nearby. With luck, we would find the werewolf and lure him into our trap. For this plan, Ian told me we were going to lure him to the house where we’d done the planning and kill him there. He had several offers to stimulate our target and entice him into the poor-looking house.

Ian whispered in my ear, “Keep your wits about you, Damson.”

I nodded, not knowing how he knew I was nervous. The bar wasn’t like this for me. He must be wondering why I was so unprofessional now.

As we made our way through the crowd, we tried to blend in with the guests while actively searching for any signs of the werewolf we hunted. As we made our way through the crowd, I couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. But that could have been any number of people.

Ian stopped us in front of another older couple. They didn’t look as old as the couple at the door, but there were sprinkles of gray in the man’s hair and the woman had that smooth look of a person who had work done to remove wrinkles. She looked vaguely doll-like in that fake feeling way.

“There you are, Anthony,” the woman purred as she reached out and ran her arm over his shoulder and down his arm.

For some reason, this action made me grit my teeth. I kept my face pleasant, but something about her behavior pissed me off. Perhaps it was just me getting too into my role as his girlfriend.

“This must be the young lady you were telling us about,” the man said as his eyes slowly scanned over my body.

Ian’s arm wrapped around my waist, and he pulled me close. The movement and the strength of his hold left me breathless. My hands pressed against his side.

“This is Demi. She’s been excited to meet you all week. Darling, these are the Petersons. My… friends,” Ian told me.

“Looks like you’re a little possessive of the lovely young Demi. Are you sure you want to show her this world? You might not be ready for it,” Mrs. Peterson said. “It’s one thing to be a plus one at these events, but being a person who shares their partner takes a lot of security in your relationship and trust in your partner. Your relationship might be too new.”

She was right. I didn’t know what got into Ian, but the closeness was making me uncomfortable in a way familiar to last night in the parking lot.

“Until the doors close, I will keep my girlfriend close. Someone this young and beautiful might end up getting lured into one of the rooms she’s not ready for. Demi is only twenty-five,” Ian replied.

I blushed and turned away from them. He was obviously guessing at my age, but I knew they would expect a more bashful reaction if he was talking about me like that. He implied I was innocent and much younger than anyone else here, as far as I could tell. Ian was certainly making sure I was drawing more attention than he was. Not that he wasn’t drawing attention.

Pushing out of Ian’s grasp, I excused myself from the Petersons, feeling their curious eyes boring into my back as I moved away. Ian’s protective façade was grating on me; I could handle myself in any situation. But I knew he was just playing his role, trying to keep up appearances for the mission.

Ian caught up to me, grabbing my arm and turning me to him. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“I can barely breathe with you hanging all over me. I’m going to find a restroom. Women talk, and the restroom is a good place to find information. Don’t worry, darling, I won’t let any of these dirty old men drag me off into a room I’m ‘not ready for.’” I hissed.

“Demi, you need to let me know where you are going and with who, here. If anyone asks you to go with them, no matter what gender, you tell them you need to let your boyfriend know where you’re going. Understand?” he asked.

“Understood, Anthony,” I replied, pulling my arm from his grasp.

He didn’t stop me again as I made my way through the room in search of the restrooms. My search for the restroom could easily excuse some snooping. It was a great excuse to find out more about these people and their connection to the werewolf.

I walked through the lavish party, doing my best to appear casual as I passed groups of chattering guests. The restroom was at the end of a long hallway, isolated from the main room. As I made my way there, I caught snippets of conversation—gossip about scandals, business deals being made in hushed tones, more intimate arrangements being planned. It was almost as if this were any other high-class party.

Pushing open the door to the restroom, I found it empty. The soft lighting and luxurious décor made it feel more like a spa than a simple restroom. The room had elegantly decorated features such as ornate mirrors and marble countertops. It was much larger than I would have expected for a guest bathroom.

Well, that plan was a bust. I couldn’t camp out in the bathroom hoping for someone to appear. It was a nice break from the crowded room full of people who looked at me with a more and more predatory eye with every passing minute.

I touched up my makeup and washed my hands. As I was drying my hands, the door opened and two women came in. They were chatting and laughing. When they saw me, they stopped and stared for a moment.

“The plus ones are getting younger every time,” one woman quietly said to the other.

“Or we’re getting older. This one looks younger than my youngest,” the other woman laughed. “She’ll be popular. I’d like to see my Wilson make her scream.”

I felt a shiver run down my spine at the woman’s crude remark. They continued to whisper to each other, glancing in my direction every so often. I knew I had to gather as much information as I could from this encounter, despite their unsettling comments.

“Sorry, I didn’t see you there,” I said as I approached them. “My name is Demi. I’m here with Anthony.”

An understanding look came over them. It seemed like they knew exactly who he was. At this revelation, they scanned over me in the same way Mr. Peterson had and smiled.

“So you’re interested in swinging? How cute. I was just a little older than you when we started. It’s one of the best things you can do for your relationship. I’m Marybeth and this Colette,” the second woman said.

In their heels, they were both a little taller than me. Colette had blonde hair streaked with white and Marybeth had hair that was obviously dyed a dark red. Their elegant attire completely concealed the fact that they were here for a ѕex party. Had I not known that this was the event being hosted, I wouldn’t have realized it.

“It’s nice to meet you. Do you know the hosts well?” I asked with a smile.

The women mockingly looked at me, then shared a look before rolling their eyes. I wasn’t worried. They wanted to think that I was an idіоt, and I didn’t want them to know I heard them earlier.

“Yes, for a couple years, now,” Marybeth answered.

“They seemed really nice when Anthony introduced them to me at the door.”

“You should see Reed, though. If not for him, this whole thing would never have even started. And he’s gorgeous. Even though he’s in his mid-fifties, he’s as hot as Anthony,” Colette replied with a grin.

Reed wasn’t the name of the wolf we were hunting. Unless it was an alias. That was far more possible than Ian being mistaken.

“As hot as Anthony? I doubt that,” I laughed. “Do you have a picture of him, or is he here? I have to see it to believe it.”

They frowned at me.

“Cameras aren’t allowed and pictures of anything that happens here will get you banned. That’s why there are no smartphones, either,” Colette said with a small sneer.

“Right, I forgot. Habit. Have you seen him tonight? Maybe you can point him out to me so I can see him myself,” I replied.

“I haven’t seen him. I’ll keep an eye out, though. You’d be surprised. Reed has muscles, no gray hair, and no wrinkles. If I didn’t know he was in his fifties, I would think he was in his early thirties,” Marybeth told me.

“Thanks. I better get out there. I’m sure Anthony is worried. He’s afraid I’ll end up in over my head.” I chuckled and shook my head.

“Yeah, you should listen to him. It’s easy to end up in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Colette added with a dark smile.

I waved a little and left the bathroom. Colette was definitely someone I didn’t want to be alone with. I’d keep an eye out for her tonight.