Chapter 5

Two nights. Two nights of peace. No having to go out and try and dig up some cash, no having to worry about drawing the ire of the local thugs of our kind. We actually got the chance to chill, play around, be light-hearted, young, irresponsible. On the third night Mica took a few of the girls shopping, coming back with two cases of beer and a couple of joints. We all crowded in the double living room, opened the partitioning curtains, put on some music and a muted movie (makes no sense I know). Half of the girls sat smoking and drinking in a semi circle on one bed, shouting every once in awhile at the rest of the girls who were dancing around the room and having an impromptu pillow fight. I took the joint as it was past my way, holding out my hand just in time to stop Katie from stumbling into me as she slipped off the edge of the bed. I laughed as she apologized profusely, brushing it off as I felt my phone vibrate against my hip. I left the room, going into the kitchen to answer.

“What’s up?” I asked, still forced to yell over the noise. Recognizing the number I wondered briefly when Mica had left. I was sure I’d seen her not that long ago.

“Nicky! I’m sorry…I tried to stop her… “ Sarah gasped out brokenly. I felt the alarm seed in my stomach and instinctively my hearing sharpened.

“Sarah what’s going on? Where’s Mica?” I demanded. The silence on the other end was going to get Sarah hurt. “Sarah!”

“She’s with Demon’s Fuel.” She whispered finally. “They called while everyone was partying and she went out to meet them. I knew where they were going so I got in a cab and followed…Nicky I think she’s in a lot of trouble.”

“Where are you?”

“Some private after-hours club downtown. It’s on Crescent.” She told me. I nodded, I knew the place.

“I’ll be right there.” I told her before hanging up. I went into my shared room which thankfully was located off the kitchen in the back of the house, away from the party, and pulled a suitcase out of the closet. I ruffled through the clothes, furious at myself for having left most of my nicest outfits back in New York. I looked up as someone touched my shoulder. Tammy passed me a jewel toned blood red silk shirt, a cut out oval over the chest, a slit up the stomach and as I took it from her and turned it I also noticed it had black lacing up the back. I tried it on, relieved that the front wasn’t too revealing and it had a somewhat respectable look to it. The bottom however was a completely different story. All my jeans were either ripped or patched, and the two skirts I’d brought were completely inappropriate. Which left the black pencil skirt Tammy offered. I was going to rescue Mica looking like a Goth mob maul.

Sighing I finished changing, meeting Tammy’s eyes.

“I need you to keep an eye on things here. And for Gods sakes don’t let anyone leave.” I told her hurriedly as I pulled on my boots. Tammy crossed her arms.

“You should not be going alone.” She said, her tone thick with disapproval. I rolled my eyes.

“Yes because going there with our pathetic little force is going to help the situation. Tammy, it only took a few months to lose the hold we’d established here…it’s going to take awhile to get it back.” I reminded her. “Going alone will put them at ease, I’ll have a better chance to talk them down.”

Tammy nodded, without much conviction, but I wasn’t prepared to waste any more time trying to make her feel better. I’d brought these girls here, to a place that was far more dangerous then what they’d been getting used to. I wasn’t about to let a single one of them get hurt because of my choices.