Whatever kind of magic lighting this place up was badass.
A dance floor filled up most of the room, and from what I could tell, all types of supernaturals had been invited to this party. There were people dancing, there was a bar nearby, and since this place was magical, I had no doubt that alcohol would be something I could actually feel the effects of.
To my right, I spotted a bar. It was crowded, but there was an open stool at the end as a couple dressed in black leather left for the dance floor.
I headed that way.
The bar looked industrial in style from a distance, but when I was closer, I could see that the top was made of cement marbled with glowing crystals. Each pulsed in sync with the music like the large cloud overhead. Even the blue shelves behind the bartenders flashed with the beat.
This place was insane.
I leaned against the counter and eyed the selection before sitting. Not all of the bottles were filled with alcohol. Some were filled with blood. I’m not sure why this surprised me as much as it did. This was The Monster Ball, after all, and vampires could be lumped in that category easily. A beautiful woman with golden blond hair that swept down her back and green eyes shifted on the stool beside me to wave at the male bartender before she slipped off her stool, nearly bumping me. I tried not to stare at her breasts, but her dress left nothing to the imagination with its plunging neckline. She was incredibly tall—six feet at least—but I’d never let a woman’s height scare me away before. I flashed her a smile, but she didn’t notice. She was focused on making her way through the crowd.
My gaze drifted. Three beautiful women near the bar caught my eye next. They were each dressed to kill in skimpy outfits and heels. The one in a deep purple dress eyed me and licked her lips. She was cute, but there was something a little too wild glittering in her eyes. She was the type of woman who would chew me up and then spit me out. Still, I held eye contact with her as she and her friends started up a set of rainbow stairs. My gaze followed the stairs to a loft suspended above the gigantic room I was in. Green panties flew over the balcony, catching my eye. A grin twisted at my lips.
This place was amazing.
“What can I get you to drink?” a female voice asked, pulling me from my thoughts. I glanced at the bartender standing in front of me. She had long pink hair, stunning brown eyes, and freckles. I’d always been a sucker for freckles. I flashed her the smile that used to get me laid more than any other back in my non-genie days, but it didn’t have quite the effect I’d hoped for on her. She narrowed her eyes instead of returning my smile. Energy that felt earthy and mysterious pulsed in the air surrounding her. Was she a witch? “Look, playboy, I’m here to work, not be mind-fucked.”
Ouch. Beautiful, and she had a mouth.
“Noted.” I leaned against the bar and shifted my gaze back to the wall of bottles behind her. “Let me get a…”
“Since you seem indecisive, how about I make you my specialty?” Freckles asked.
I locked eyes with her again. “And, what would that be?”
“It’s called Witchy Woman.”
Of course it was. I’d been right about this one. She was a witch. A sense of satisfaction worked its way through my system—I was better at telling what type of supernatural someone was than I’d thought. “All right, um.” I glanced at her chest, searching for a nametag and not finding one.
“Eyes up here, buddy.” She teased. “And, my name is Onyx.”
“Ryan.” I flashed her another smile, and this time, she returned it.
“So, how about that drink? Care to try a Witchy Woman?” She arched a brow.
“What’s in it?” I asked. If it was something fruity, I might have to say no.
“Do you really care?” She asked, calling me out. She was definitely the type who could see right through to someone’s soul.
“Not really, no,” I chuckled. It was the truth. As long as I could feel something—even a tiny something—by the bottom of the glass, I was cool. “Let’s have it.”
Onyx grabbed a cup and went to work. I planned on watching which bottles she grabbed for so I’d know how much of a buzz the drink would give me, but she didn’t reach for anything. Not with her hands at least. She used magic. And not every bottle she poured into my drink came from a shelf. One came from the male bartender standing at the opposite end of the bar. He had long brown dreads and wore a charcoal-colored tank. At first, he looked annoyed by her magical move, but when she flashed him her beautiful smile, he simmered down real quick.
“And, here you go.” She held the drink out to me. “A Witchy Woman on the rocks.”
“Thanks.” I winked as I took it from her and then tipped it back. It was good. A little too fruity for me, so I knew I wouldn’t have another, but it was good nonetheless. At least there was enough vodka in it to taste. I liked that she’d poured it strong.
“No problem. I’m here all night,” she said before moving to a man dressed in a gray suit a few stools down.
I took another swig of the drink she’d made and glanced up at the loft again. I stood, debating heading up those rainbow stairs to see what the hell was going on up there when a female with a soft yet husky tone spoke to me.
“First time at The Monster Ball?” she asked. Something about her voice had me eager to give her my undivided attention. She sat two stools over. The olive dress she wore nearly matched her eyes.
“Am I that transparent?”
Her full lips twisted into a grin as she wrinkled her nose. It was the cutest thing I’d ever seen. The freckles that spread across the bridge of her nose amplified the cuteness factor tenfold. “Sort of.”
“I’m guessing you’re not a monster ball virgin,” I said as I moved to the open stool beside her. The soft scent of lilac floated from her, and I fought against the urge to get closer. “Come here often?”
A dumb question, but I couldn’t take it back. I really needed to rein myself in. This woman had me dumbfounded. She laughed at my dumb question, and I felt like I’d won a fucking medal. How did she have me so mesmerized? What was she?
“Not often, no. I mean, it’s an annual event.” She tucked a few strands of her long brown hair behind her ear and smiled. “This is my second year.”
“Okay, so you’ve got a little more experience than me with this whole thing.” Why the hell did everything I say sound perverted as shit? It was like all I could think about was sex while near her. “I guess so.” She took a sip from the red drink she held. Was it blood? Was she a vampire? “Not too much more experienced, though.”
No, it wasn’t her that had me thinking of sex—it was her voice. Every time she spoke. There was something about her voice. It went straight to my dick.
What was she?
In an attempt to figure that out, I scanned the length of her with my eyes. Well, I tried. They never made it past her boobs. The dress she wore was strapless and therefore hugged her in all the right places while showing off her petite form.
“You know, normally a guy asks me my name before ogling my breasts as much as you.”
Her words snapped my eyes back to hers. I pulled in a breath. If I wasn’t careful, I’d screw up any chance I might have with her. I had to get my shit together.