Black Shadow

Fallon’s POV

Power. The very thing that had led many to their graves in the quest for just a drop of it. But power was a dr*g, one that, when you took it, you kept wanting more. Power was unsatisfiable.

But still, we pursued it. Whether you were pale-faced with no beating heart or full-blooded with a pumping heart. No matter the kind, everyone wanted a drop of it.

Watching the hungry-eyed men who stared at me with nothing but lust and burning desire, I understood why power had been shamelessly pursued for centuries. Their eyes followed every move I made, taking in the glory of my body and finding it impossible to look away.

I smirked beneath my mask. Even if it would last for a few minutes, I had power. Power over these hungry men who each wanted a taste of me.

Some wanted a taste of my blood; others wanted to know what it would feel like to touch me. Incredible how the eyes could tell every thought that went up in the minds of strangers. Be it the former or the latter, whatever the men wanted had given me power over them.

I twirled down on the pole slowly, and when I rose, my eyes went straight to my target. Beyond my mask, I could see him with his glowing eyes.

Our gaze locked for a good number of moments until his eyes flickered over my body one last time.

A hidden smile made its way to my face as I saw him whisper something to his companion.

Gotcha.

One last twirl and my choreography came to an end with the music.

The audience cheered with whistles and whatever they could use to express their satisfaction with my performance.

My whole performance wouldn’t have been complete if I hadn’t bent down to gather the heap of money that had been showered on me.

The audience cheered louder as they got a good view while I bent.

I gracefully gathered enough, leaving the rest for the club.

They threw more bundles on the stage. I wasn’t surprised. This was, after all, one of the most expensive clubs in the city.

Its frequenters were wealthy vampires and the one percent of humans who had climbed the social ladder and had gained some sort of right to mingle with vampires.

“Another show.”

“C’mon, don’t go, pretty girl.”

“We want more.”

Voices rang from different corners.

I kept a grateful smile until I was out of sight. Not without throwing another glance at the vamp, who watched me intensely.

“Spectacular. Nothing short of class and grace.”

I mentally rolled my eyes at the manager’s comment.

If looks could kill, I would be six feet under with all the glares I got as their eyes flickered from my mask to the heap of money I cradled like a baby.

I almost laughed at the look on each of their faces. It wasn’t my fault I had a gorgeous body and moved as smoothly as the wind.

But chill, girls.

I wasn’t even there for their jobs.

I finally answered the human manager, who was hot on my tail. “Spectacular? Coming from someone who didn’t even want me up on stage.”

His head bowed in embarrassment at the memory of our earlier encounter.

“Forgive me. I was highly mistaken. And frankly, I didn’t expect you to put on such a show. You needed to see the eyes of men fixated on you and only you. I have never seen a performance like that in my life.”

Dumping my reward on the table I had been assigned for the night, I smirked. “There’s a first time for everything. Consider yourself lucky to have been a witness.”

I began trying to arrange my cash into my bag.

“I deeply apologize for how I treated you earlier. I expected to see Carla; it’s a Friday exclusive, and she never disappoints. Imagine my disappointment and panic when you showed up instead of her. A masked unknown lady showed up, and then I got a late voice note from her.”

I shrugged my shoulders. “Can’t blame me or her. As I said, and I believe as you heard in her voice note, her mother just died. Quite unfortunate. But you understand there’s no way she could have made it. If you ask me, I’ll say she respects and cares enough for your business to have sent me.”

From the reflection in the mirror, I could see him nod in agreement, and then his brows furrowed as he thought deeply.

“Strange, I could have sworn Carla said she had no one. I mean, you wouldn’t expect someone like her to.”

I frowned deeply. “Someone like her? You mean a stripper like me and most of your girls.”

He faked a sweet smile. “Ah, c’mon. I didn’t mean it that way. You know how it is; most of the girls always swear they have no one. And I could have sworn that for all the years I’ve known Carla, I always believed she had no one.”

I eyed through the mirror. “Well, they didn’t exactly have the nicest relationship. The old brat was in a nursing home in Ganba, and Carla didn’t like talking about her. She got the call this evening and had to leave. I think the old woman left her some tiny fortune.”

His eyes shone greedily. “Ah, good for her. You seem to know Carla well. Are you roommates?”

I began discarding my outfit right in his presence. It wasn’t an odd sight; half of the girls in the room were naked, as it was their dressing room. The middle-aged manager was very well used to the sight.

But as I knew, his eyes still raked over me, following every movement I made.

A perfect distraction.

“Yeah, she’s an old friend. We went way back and used to dance in the same club earlier in our careers. I was in town for a couple of days, and she let me crash at her place. Luckily for you, I was around when this disaster struck. Imagine how disappointed your customers would have been. We used to do this back in the day: stand in for each other. Gotta have a sister’s back.”

His eyes followed the movement of my hands as I zipped up my jeans.

“Yes, lucky me. Where do you dance?”

“A fancy club in Paragon. Maybe you know it, Red House?”

Recognition sparked in his eyes. “Quite a shame, I was thinking I could poach you over to our side. Red House pays quite well, and they have the right clients. But I tell you what, we also have the right clients, and if you do your research, you will learn we are the best in town.”

I smiled with no reply.

He watched my breasts as I buttoned my shirt.

“How long are you staying?”

I smiled. “I was just here to stand in for a sis, not take her spot.”

He faked a horrified look. “Oh no, I couldn’t insinuate. I’m just saying I don’t know how long Carla will be gone. And besides, there is enough room for more than one star.”

He grinned from ear to ear as his eyes shone with greed.

“Imagine the piles of gold we will be making if you both get on that stage. How much does Red House pay you? I can triple it.”

Someone noisily knocked down a couple of things.

The manager’s face changed to anger as he addressed her rudely. “What the hell was that Pam?”

She batted her long eyelash extensions. “I’m sorry, it’s just clumsy me.”

Poor Pam. That definitely looked more than clumsy.

“That’s why you can never keep clients. Because you are clumsy and…”

The manager was cut short by a good-looking security guard who approached him.

The new intruder whispered to the manager as I studied the expression on his face while I pretended to repack my extensions.

“Please excuse me. I’ll be right back,” he told me with a polite smile.

I returned the gesture.

As soon as the manager was out of sight, clumsy Pam was on her feet.

She stared at me like she was about to plunge something into my soul.

I smirked at her. “Can I help you?”

“Who do you think you are coming from nowhere to get special favors and a triple salary?”

My lips curved into a smile. “So you weren’t just clumsy, Pam?”

“Today, I finally had a chance. Carla didn’t show, and I would have gotten the chance to dance in the exclusive. And then you came along and took that away.”

A polite smile lingered on my face. “Not my problem, sweetie.”

“Don’t look at me like that, bitch. I’m going to whoop your black ass.”

I daringly closed the gap between us and whispered, “I dare you.”

She threw a slap across my face just as the manager returned.

“What the hell, Pam? Who’s there? Take this imbecile away.”

Poor Pam threw a good fit as the security guard pulled her away.

“Please, I’m sorry. Let me go. You can’t do this. I’m one of your best dancers.”

The manager didn’t seem to mind as he rushed to my side.

Pam, on seeing this, went even more psycho with curse words.

“Are you okay?”

Of course, I was. A weak slap from a weak girl barely caused a sting, but I put on a good show.

My hand kept rubbing the spot as if I had been hurt, but I was trying not to show it.

“Yeah, I will just get going.”

The manager looked anything but happy as I began making my way to the backdoor.

“Wait, please, just wait. I apologize for what my staff did. You know how it is with girl fights. But I assure you, I don’t tolerate any form of violence, and she will be fired should you consider my offer.”

“I told you, I’m just here for a couple of days. But I will think about it.”

His eyes lit up, and then his expression changed.

“Thank you. There is one last thing, though. You see, after your performance, we had a lot of clients requesting you. And one of them happens to be our biggest client and one of the most respected men in the city. I…”

I interrupted him before he could finish, “I’m a dancer, not a hooker. I will think about your offer.”

And I was out in the cold.

Well, so far, the night had gone well.

Now for the next stage.