Wicked Attraction

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

“Oh, what the hell am I even doing here?” Lianne groaned as she stared at the brick building known as Mercy Lounge. Each year Mercy Lounge held the city’s biggest and wildest Halloween party. She had read a lot on the internet about the sleepy town of Harmonia. According to the rumours, strange occurrences were common on All Hallows Eve. Not that Lianne believed in all of that supernatural nonsense.

“Oh, Le…it’s not like you can walk up and say, ‘Hey! Do you remember me?’” She whimpered, frowning when she rubbed the tips of her fingers through her bleached blonde hair. A throbbing pain persisted in her temple from an impending migraine. “Maybe I shouldn’t have dressed like a tart,” she grumbled.

At first, Lianne decided on a conservative costume. In the end, she changed her mind and settled on a skimpy Little Red Riding Hood outfit. It seemed strange to her that she’d felt so drawn to the outfit since she never wore anything overly revealing. The crimson costume clung to her voluptuous curves and the black lace corset barely hid the problem areas that even working out failed to obliterate. Ever since she was a child, she’d always been slightly pudgy. Lianne tugged at the tight corset with a huff. A matching crimson cape, tied beneath her chin and draped across her squared shoulders, came to rest against the center of her back. A curl toppled from beneath the hood and she quickly shoved it back in place.

“I can’t do this,” she breathed heavily. Lianne made a sharp turn on the long concrete staircase. She rushed down the steps, pushing past several guests making their way inside. With one hand pressed to her stomach when she reached the sidewalk, Lianne tried to calm down. “I can’t do this,” she repeated with a whimper. “Damn it, Lianne. Stop letting your anxiety get the best of you!”

She glanced down the street. The blinking neon lights of a nearby club drew her attention. Lianne blinked, shielding her eyes from the flashing, orange name ‘Hypnotic.’ The glowing sign illuminated the street. “Perfect,” Lianne mumbled. “Just what I need—a place to get drunk.” A wave of dizziness washed over her as the lights flickered and flickered. She shook her head, trying to focus.

“ID,” the burly woman at the door barked. Her outstretched hand flexed and her blank stare betrayed no emotion.

“Oh!” Lianne tugged at the ID nestled between her breasts. She glanced at the woman whose name tag read Trisha. “I’m plenty old enough.” Lianne shivered when the bouncer shoved the ID back at her and motioned towards the door, not saying another word. A petite woman next to the bouncer seemed to size Lianne up when she stepped inside. “Well, thank you too,” she grumbled when she walked through the doors, frustrated with the apathy of one and the judgement of the other. She bowed her head when she saw the smirk that passed between the two women. “Assholes.”

Convinced all eyes were on her the second she stepped into the club, Lianne’s gaze remained on the floor. She was sure almost everyone had seen her face plastered all over the news, given the incident a few months earlier. It was something she would have rather pushed out of her mind and forgotten, although it did not seem like it would happen anytime soon. How could she forget? Lianne roughly swallowed. She closed her eyes for a brief moment before releasing a shaky breath. Come on, Le. Don’t freak out now. Opening her eyes again, she sagged in relief when she glanced around and realized no one was staring at her.

Her glittering red stilettos clicked against the black and white checkered dance floor with every step. The music around her slowed and she was grateful to make it to the bar before someone asked her to dance. Safely seated at the bar, she turned to survey the occupants of the crowded dance floor. It felt as if ages had passed since she’d last gone to any sort of nightclub. She giggled when she caught sight of some of the Halloween costumes. A man dressed in a skin tight Superman costume rocked against a woman whose cheerleader outfit left little to the imagination. The couple’s hips thrust together in a tantric motion and she half wondered if they would undress one another on the spot.

“Hey baby,” a woman’s voice purred. “What can I get for such a sexy Red Riding Hood on this Hallows night?”

Lianne turned, swallowing nervously when she saw the bartender’s menacing grin. “Whiskey,” she whispered. “A double, please,” she added with a shiver.

“Double shot of whiskey,” the bartender grinned as she leaned against the counter, “Coming right up, sugar.” With a wink, the bartender turned to fix her drink.

Lianne’s gaze fixed on the woman’s tight bottom as she sauntered away. Normally, she never stared so openly. But something about this woman captivated her, drawing her full attention to her every move. Lianne shifted on the bar stool, the sway of the bartender’s hips causing a sudden flutter between her thighs. The woman's ebony mane, tamed by a red headband, hung all the way to her butt, sashaying from side to side with each step she took, and brushing against her rounded backside. A nice ass at that, Lianne thought with a grin. Dazzling black wings with silver accents of glitter bounced against the bartender’s back when she walked. Her gaze drifted lower, focusing on the black leather combat boots, adorned with silver skulls. Lianne froze when she was caught staring and a flush of heat crept onto her cheeks.

Lianne’s breath caught when she met the woman’s intense stare. Cat-like emerald eyes locked on Lianne. Even though she tried, she could not bring herself to look away. The bartender’s piercing gaze made her once again uncomfortably shift on the barstool. It seemed silly, but Lianne felt violated in a way by the intensity of the stare, almost as if the woman could read her thoughts. Lianne’s eyes traveled lower, taking in the bartender’s costume. A skin tight black and red fairy dress clung to the raven-haired beauty's full hips. Black lace lined the top of the bodice and the underlying wires shoved the bartender’s bulging cleavage nearly out of the costume. Tiny black and white bows meticulously danced along the base of the skirt, while a heavy petticoat swished beneath when she walked back towards Lianne, drink in hand.

“Anything else I can get for you, honey?” The bartender grinned as she slid the drink across the counter. Leaning forward, she made certain her breasts were clearly in Lianne’s line of vision.

Lianne licked her lips, fixated on the pale ivory flesh that glistened before her. Another surge of heat radiated between her thighs as she shook her head. “No thanks,” she managed to say in a whisper. Lianne wrapped her fingertips around the glass to have somewhere to place her hand. Damn, get a grip.

“So,” the woman said, still not budging from where she stood. “What’s your name, babe? Or should I just call you Riding Hood?” The bartender brushed her hair behind her shoulders, causing the sparkling red headband to slip back slightly when the mane of ebony shifted.

“Lianne,” she said with another shift on the barstool. “Lianne Perry,” she added when she saw the intense green eyes continue to stare. “You?” she asked with a timid gulp.

“Ravenna Blake,” the bartender answered with a slow smile. As she leaned forward, her breasts shifted, nearly toppling out from their meager confines when she pressed against the counter top. Piercing eyes scanned Lianne, coming to an obvious stop when they centered on her breasts. “Very nice,” she said with an appraising smile.

“Um,” Lianne gulped. She could feel the heat creep onto her cheeks when Ravenna’s gaze lingered.

“Customers,” Ravenna abruptly growled. She pushed away from the counter, strutting towards the other end of the bar while sneaking several glances at Lianne.

Lianne took in a shaky breath. She downed the double shot of whiskey in a single gulp and winced when the harsh liquid burned her throat as it slid down. Lianne slammed the glass back onto the counter top, her heart racing. When Ravenna turned, Lianne held up the empty glass and arched her brow. “Can I get another?” Lianne asked.

“You can have as many as you’d like, sugar.” Ravenna re-filled the glass and pushed it back to Lianne.

“Thanks.” Lianne exhaled as she watched the mystical beauty saunter back to the other end of the bar before she once again returned. Suddenly it was as if every single worry within Lianne’s mind had disappeared. Each time she gazed into Ravenna’s mesmerizing eyes, her troubles seemed to drift further and further away. She did not pretend to know how, but admittedly, she rather liked the feeling.

Ravenna picked up a glass of thick red liquid and took a hearty gulp from it when she came to stand in front of Lianne. She opened her eyes wide before asking, “So, gorgeous, don’t tell me you’re all alone tonight?”

“I...” Lianne swallowed. Why was it she couldn’t even recall how she’d managed to end up here tonight? “Yes,” she nodded. “I am.” When she tried to focus, it was as if her mind had gone blank on the how and why of the matter. “I can’t even remember why I’m here,” she whispered. “Wow, that’s so odd.” Her nose crinkled when she laughed, causing her blonde curls to bounce from beneath the cape.

“Well,” Ravenna grinned, apparently pleased with Lianne’s answer. “Maybe you came here to see me tonight. A pretty girl like you shouldn’t be alone on a night like this. Who knows what kind of evil lurks.” She placed her palm across Lianne’s hand, offering up an ominous stare. “You know, sugar, I am the owner of this place.”

Lianne swallowed again, shivering outwardly when the coolness of Ravenna’s skin pressed against her own. Why does she feel like a block of ice? She looked up, staring back at those tantalizing emeralds. “Oh really,” she whispered. A peculiar rush of fear combined with a hint of desire swept over her entire body when chilly fingertips caressed her flesh.

“Say,” Ravenna smirked. “Why don’t I put Caleb over there in charge for a while? You and I could…” she leaned forward. Wandering fingertips danced along the silky contours of Lianne’s arms as Ravenna explored her skin. “Go somewhere private and…talk,” she whispered seductively.

“Talk,” Lianne choked out with a gasp. “I...” her entire body trembled from the electrifying tingle Ravenna’s icy touch produced. “Yeah,” she whispered. “I…that…it sounds…good.” Her words released in breathless pants, not even feeling or sounding like her own voice when she spoke.

“Caleb!” Ravenna snapped her fingers, calling out in a demanding voice as she turned. “Come.”

Caleb obediently turned. Blond spikes jutted out from around his head, rising in every direction possible. Chains dangled from his tight blue jeans, jangling when he robotically walked towards Ravenna. He smiled slowly, kissing Ravenna’s hand, before he knelt before her. “Yes, my lady?”

Ravenna patted Caleb on the head like a puppy. A wicked smile crept onto the corner of her lips. “I would like you to watch over the place a while. My new friend and I are going out somewhere a bit…quieter.” Her eyes followed Caleb’s movements when he rose. “See to it that the bar is locked up once the party is over. Make certain no trouble ensues. Understand?”

“Yes, mistress,” Caleb replied with a bow of his head. He kissed Ravenna’s outstretched hand once she provided him with the keys. With a final nod, he walked away without asking a single question.

Lianne watched Caleb’s unusual obedience with bewilderment. He almost seemed to be walking around in some sort of trance. She turned back to the seductive bartender with a shiver. There it was again; that intense green stare that caused her breath to catch. Ravenna’s smile curved deeper. She strolled to the end of the bar room counter, exiting through the swinging doors. Ravenna reminded her of a cat on the prowl, the way she sauntered across the floor, heading straight for her. When Lianne felt those long and slender fingers slipping into her own, she was certain she would stop breathing.

“Let’s get out of here.” Ravenna tugged Lianne’s hand, forcing her to stand on wobbly legs.

Everyone in the bar stopped dancing, parting directly in the center when the two women made their way across the dance floor. Ravenna’s hand slid to the center of Lianne’s back. She possessively lowered her palm, clutching Lianne’s rounded backside. Lianne stiffened when the tips of Ravenna’s fingers squeezed the tender flesh through her dress. The fear in her eyes must have been evident, prompting Ravenna to whisper in her ear. “Don’t worry, baby. They’re all just jealous because you’re the one with me.” Ravenna stopped directly in the center of the crowd, tugging Lianne firmly against her with greedy hands.

Lianne whimpered as Ravenna’s fingertips touched her cheek, gliding slowly over her heated flesh. “Tonight, you’re all mine. All mine,” she repeated to accentuate the point. Lianne’s knees nearly buckled when Ravenna yanked her forward with such force that she nearly lost her balance. Chilly lips lingered against the curve of Lianne’s neck as Ravenna’s eager tongue flicked across the flesh. “Come,” she commanded with a quick nip to Lianne’s ear. “I know the perfect spot where we can…” She pulled back, meeting Lianne’s eyes with an unnerving smile. “Get to know one another a bit more.” Her voice filled with mischief. “Somewhere,” she said with another nip to the curve of Lianne’s ear, “secluded.”

Lianne opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. Fear and excitement collided in her veins. Whether it was a good thing or a bad thing, she wasn’t sure, but Ravenna was unlike any woman she’d ever met. Lianne couldn’t think straight as she submissively followed Ravenna into the parking lot. She stood motionless when Ravenna opened the passenger side door to a shiny black convertible. Her hungry gaze lingered over Lianne, causing her to tremble with anticipation when she lowered her body into the bucket seat.

“Don’t worry,” Ravenna purred. She leaned forward, slipping her hand between Lianne’s thighs with a low groan. “I won’t bite.” She slammed the door closed, appearing moments later behind the wheel. “At least,” she added with a glance at Lianne. “I won’t bite too hard.” A mysterious twinkle danced within the sea of emerald, a seductive smile playing at the corners of her lips.

Lianne shivered as she stared at Ravenna. Now what have I gotten myself into?