chapter 2

Adrian sat with a group of his ‘friends’ Christ life was boring! Why had he let them drag me here, it wasnt his scene. Why would he want to come here when he had women throwing themselves at him on an hourly basis. Just once it would be nice to have to work at getting one to notice him, HIM and not his power or position. He’d give it all up for that, for a normal life.

Club Noir - what a cliché - its the same as every other lap dancing place, with only one exception that he could see.

Sitting with the usual entourage of ‘friends’, he tried to look like he was at least enjoying myself. It took some effort on his part. His smile felt fake tonight, not that anyone had noticed. He was used to faking interest in things that really held no appeal; it was how he had survived these last 16 years in hidden exile. No one could know who he really was.

 If only he were normal..... He’d be able to do his own thing, live the life he wanted. The life he saw every day, passing him by. It would be nice to not be on guard all the bloody time. He could do or not do what he wanted without having the entire world looking for him.  Life was never what you wanted was it! Prison would be easier to escape. Nope, no chance of parole ever for him, not unless he could get his father back!

Turning his attention back to the stage and away from his own melancholy.

As he figured, the two dancers in front of him – although he’d never met them – knew who he was, and they wanted him. He could have them both, and not even that was doing it for him tonight. Nothing of late had held his interest.

He had to give them credit though; they were good at what they did. Everyone in this place was excited, blood pressures where high. ‘sigh’ if only he could feel that way.

Another one was dancing now, she was feisty and she made it clear that she wanted him. This one caused a faint stirring of lust to bubbled up inside. She would be a distraction form and otherwise dull night, it would pass a few hours at least.

He briefly wonder if he’d put in enough time to leave unnoticed - glancing at the friends to make sure they weren’t paying him any attention - slipping from his chair he made his way to the back of club where the stage door was. Just about to slip through the door when a warm tingle, ran down his spine, stopping him in his tracks. Eyes were drawn to the stage where a dancer was getting ready to start. He could feel her anxiety seeping into him, filling him with her fear, like he was siphoning them from her. This was strange and something he’d never felt before, he made his way back to his seat, trying to figure out what had just happened. This one was different.

Willow and Star were dancing together tonight, they had just come into the dressing room chattering with excitement Rowan listened to them to keep my mind occupied while she waited for her call.

“did you see him, isn’t he the most gorgeous thing you have ever seen star?”

“I know, I know... I,   I  can’t believe he’s here.... Do you think he came for one of us?” as they continued their speculation - excitement raising their voices to an almost inaudible level - She had to stop listening, they were giving her a headache. She returned to concentrating on the dance, running it threw her mind again and again so that she wouldn’t need to think about it when she got out there.

Walking passed Eve on her way to the stage, she was hanging out in the back watching the audience, it looked like she was waiting for someone. Eve was a strange girl but Rowan couldn’t worry about her just now. She had to keep her head in the game.

Standing at the curtain waiting for her que, taking deep cleansing breaths to steady her fraying nerves. It was time..... making her my way on to the dark stage she took her seat on the floor facing away from everyone,  arranged her arms above her head, hands crossed at the wrists, fingers set like an Indian dancer and bowed her head and waited for Rick to finish.

“Ok Rowan, you can do this..... its just that same as dancing during the day..... remember what Rick said and look above their heads not in their eyes. Penny had said something too.. what was it again....!” Her hands were shaking so much when Penny’s words came flooding back “think of dancing for your lover, its just the two of you and no one else, it makes it easier” The music came on and the spot light lit her up, “to late to back out now without looking like a fool.” She looked above everyone and danced for her fantasy lover. “Phew” she made it through the whole song without fainting or falling over her own feet... - It’s not funny, it happened her first day on the job, talk about embarrassing - but now was the hard bit. With her back to the club, she tied one end of her outfit to the pole and began to unravel myself. Totally feeling like a prize idiot rather than a present. She grabbed hold of the taped down material freeing it and with her last twirl and dropped it to the ground, then followed it to finish the dance in a crouch.

 When she looked up, it was into the horrified face of a man. It was his eyes that got her attention. She never thought she’d ever see eyes like that again- kind sad eyes. They reminded her of someone, someone special. Unimaginable pain ripped through her entire body causing her legs to tremble, she clenched her teeth against the pain.

The lights went out. she had to move but couldn’t.. her heart was in pieces in the bottom of her stomach and her legs wouldn’t obey commands to move.