Chapter 5

Zea's POV

The taxi stopped in the middle of the town and TJ handed the driver the money before quickly getting out, walking around the vehicle, and opening the door for me. A gesture that was part of good manners in earlier times, but in the 21st century it could be equated with an eighth wonder of the world.

"Madame," TJ asked me out and made an inviting gesture. Laughing slightly, I got out and almost fell on the unpaved street.

The dark-haired boy took me by the hand and pulled me into a side street. At least now I'm cursing myself for wearing high heels that didn't meet normal heel standards. There was no sidewalk here, just collapsed buildings with shattered windows and collapsed front doors.

The only thing that brought some color to this part of town was the extensive graffiti that adorned the house walls.

"Where are we going?" I asked suspiciously and TJ looked at me sideways with a grin. "To a party where you can have the best time, believe me. Just promise me never to stray too far from me, "This could end badly," he told me with a hint of enthusiasm as my suspicion grew.

“Sounds great,” I murmured sarcastically, trying to remember the way back to the main street in case the party was a complete failure.

"Here we are. After you, my lady." We stopped in front of a small brick building whose roof was only partially covered with dark brown tiles. The gray paint that framed the boarded-up windows was gradually peeling off the shutters and even the boards were already past their prime behind him

only a loose, rusty hinge suggested that this building had once had something like an entrance door. Above the open door frame, there were a few illuminated letters that together formed the word "Violet's". glowed with a faint, purple light.

I raised an eyebrow questioningly. There was a lot of music and guests missing from the party. If I didn't know any better, I'd say this is a pitiful remnant of a business lost to the lifelessness of this city.

"Don't let appearances cloud you, come now," TJ instructed me and pulled me by my hand to a basement carpet to the left of the house that I hadn't noticed before. I carefully stalked after him. Finally, we stopped in front of a heavy iron door, which again had “Violett’s” written on it in faded, purple writing.

You didn't have to be a genius to know that everything wasn't going well here. Thanks to my above-average hearing, I could also vaguely hear music blaring through the iron door.

TJ knocked a few times and then pulled me a little closer to him. Somehow I couldn't let go of the idea that the gesture was meant to protect me from what was about to happen.

The door burst open and a laughing boy our age appeared in the doorway. As he stumbled backward, giggling, some liquid squirted out of the glass he was holding. With his other hand, he enthusiastically slapped TJ and pulled him into a brotherly hug.

"Hey buddy, it's fucking awesome that you were still able to come," he laughed, then his gaze fell on me. He looked at me for a split second until he grinned slightly and gave me a quick hug too.

"I'm Garry, Vio's brother, and you, my pretty?" he then asked, still grinning. His cheerfulness suggested that he had looked a little deeper into the glass than necessary. I was with the information that Garry didn't seem to notice that he was Vio's brother and couldn't do anything.

Before I could answer, my companion interrupted me. "Zea, she's mine," he almost hissed. Garry nodded and waved us in.

The music I had previously heard turned out to be Dirty Laundry by All Time Low, which was way too slow for a normal party.

But as soon as I looked around, I suddenly realized that this was no normal party. My hand tightened around the TJs. This was something I swore I would never experience again in my life.

But now here I was, surrounded by a thick, purple fog that looked like a target to most people here.

This party was a nightmare. Why in God's name had TJ dragged me here? But, more importantly, what did he expect from such a celebration?

If I were human, the spectacle I saw would seem like a normal, sexually charged encounter. Small groups of people laugh together in the large room and often exchange a kiss or two. Young adults enjoyed the weekend to the fullest and tried to end Sunday.

But in reality, they were enjoying something completely different. Life energy. Literally.

I shiver. For the first time in years, the tremors ran through me like small electric shocks that grew stronger by the second. Images appeared in my mind's eye. Images that I had repressed for centuries were now slowly coming to mind, like a horrible monster awakening from its years of hibernation.

The sun was high in the sky as she brushed the silk hood from her light brown hair and briefly shook out her curls.

"It's miserable weather," she groaned and I nodded in agreement.

I dreamily watched as small snowflakes settled like crystals on her hair and instantly melted into water.

Cole pushed himself between us and put an arm around each of our shoulders, grinning.

He looked at me, then at her.

"Ready to find out what Greece has to offer?" he then asked mischievously and before we could answer, he pushed us towards the door.

It was open, soft music and thick, purple mist flowed towards me. The brown-haired woman didn't seem to mind; whistling happily, she came in and hung her brown coat on one of the free clothes rakes.

I hesitated for a moment but did the same and wanted to take off my coat when Cole forcefully held me back by the wrist. Through the purple smoke, I could only partially see his serious face, which looked suspiciously at the surroundings.

"Get out."