And when the full band kicks in, the curtain drops, and there stands Nine Inch Nails on the stage. I can’t contain my excitement, and before I can even think, I turn around in Zayne's arms and kiss him. Not a deep one, just one of total appreciation that he made this happen.
“Thank you.” I beam at him.
“You’re welcome.” He smiles.
I turn back around to watch the show, and I look over by the bar to see Vix dancing around by herself while serving drinks, and a very upset Knox, not too far away, glaring at her. I tap Zayne on the shoulder and point over at the bar. He looks and just shakes his head.
“Are they ever going to get together?” he says in my ear.
I shrug, leaning up to his ear. “I think Vix is making a stand tonight.”
“Maybe it’s time—they have been doing this dance for a long time. Maybe if we lock them in a room with a bed.” He smiles.
I laugh. “Maybe that’s what needs to happen.”
“The Lovers” starts, and I feel Zayne tighten his grip on me. I sink into him and close my eyes, letting the music take over my body. This constant back and forth and the entangled web that has woven us together takes over. The last few weeks, althoughshort, no doubt have made me feel things I’ve never felt for another person. Why does this have to feel so right and yet so cruel at the same time?
This constant yearning for his touch, for him to claim me, to make me his and him mine—it’s too much. Damnit, I want him to be mine. The possessiveness I have for him swallows me whole. The barrier he keeps up is so frustrating—why can’t we give in? He’s so close and yet so far out of reach. Fuck Jasper, even from the other world he’s cock blocking me. Before I let that anger overpower me, I settle my thoughts, and try to keep myself in the moment.Enjoying Zayne’s touch as if it might be the last time.
As the concert nears the end, “A Warm Place” starts, and Zayne pulls me in to sway to the music. That gnawing inside me pulls from a distance. I control my breathing and grip a little tighter to Zayne. But it’s no use. Something has a hold of me, as if it’s trying to call to me, to my soul. I close my eyes, hoping to shake it off, but the urge becomes stronger. The twist through the frequency happens so quickly, I’m not even sure Zayne realizes it.
When I open my eyes, I’m back in the same area I was in the last time I saw Lily. The crumbled warehouses showing their weaknesses, with open walls and cracks in the ceiling. The crimson moon shining brightly above me. I walk slowly over to the exposed brick into the warehouse where I’d met Lily the first time. As I turn the corner, I see her again, biting her lip as she frantically looks around. I frown in confusion.
“Lily, what’s wrong?” I ask, walking quickly towards her. I kneel down in front of her, grabbing her hand in mine.
“I’m sorry, Myssa, I don’t have much time. I needed you to know. He’s getting stronger,” she pleads. “Something is going to happen. I can feel it,” she whispers. The sheer panic on her face has my pulse rising. As I try to understand her warning, shestudies me. Her stare so intense I feel she is looking deep into my soul. the shimmer of her violet irises is unlike anything I have ever seen. She breaks our gaze and whispers, “I’m sorry you can’t stay here. You have to go now, Myssa. Please be careful.” She grips my hand tight.
“Lily, come with me,” I plead.
She smiles softly, innocently, reminding me just how young she must be, but wise in knowing this unfortunate world.
“Ill be ok, Myssa.”
I try to speak again, but she lets go of my hand and closes her eyes. In a blink, I’m back at the concert. My view is not of the band, but of Zayne’s eyes, looking at me with concern.
“You ok?” he asks.
“Yeah,” I say.
He wraps his arms around me again from behind. Torn between the warning Lily gave me and the moments I’m sharing with Zayne, I decide that the latter wins for right now. The concert is almost over, and we can talk then.
As the show ends, I wait for people to start exiting and make my way down to the bar where Vix is.I take a seat, and she hands me water.
“Thank you,” I say, drinking it quickly.
She fills it back up. “Little thirsty, huh? Yeah, I saw you two from down here. Saw you getting quite cozy.”
“It was…nice,” I say, and my cheeks heat with the admission. HerI told you sosmirk has me quickly changing the subject.
“And what about you?” I ask.
“What about me?” she deadpans.
“Oh, don’t bullshit me. I saw the way Knox looked at you when you were going to the bar.” Now look at whose cheeks are heating.
“Knox had a lot of choice words for me, and then decided that I needed to be supervised, since this wasn’t our,” she usesair quotes, ‘normal type of crowd.’ He stood in the corner like a pouting child and had two undercover security sitting at the bar the whole night.”
“I mean, at least you were secure,” I said, pursing my lips and trying to hold back a smile as I sipped my water.
