Circle7 Ch. 02

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Luke awoke to the manager of the club gently shaking his shoulder, looking genuinely concerned. He had never seen his boss so rumpled, so unkempt, let alone slumped on the floor of his own club at 4 in the afternoon. Brushing himself off, Luke waved away his well-meaning employee. He retired to his private room, changing his clothes. Despite all that had happened, the club opened for dinner in an hour, and Luke knew he had to keep up appearances, even if he had been discovered. As he reached for his wardrobe of red dress shirts, Luke found himself pausing. He turned away from his normal attire and put on a rich blue shirt to match the black suit jacket he always wore.

Tonight, instead of overlooking the club from his balcony, Luke walked among the patrons, listening to their conversation, hearing their minds. He wasn't looking for mischief tonight, nor companionship. For some, inexplicable reason, Luke wanted to interact with the humans. He wanted to just...talk with them.

Something is definitely wrong with me, he thought.

Luke worked the bar that night, not to influence or seduce, but to listen. He heard lovers talk of sensual things to come, drunkards trying desperately to drown the sorrow out of their lives. He heard frat boys on the prowl, and young women looking for love.

The whole process was deeply disturbing for Luke.

It was nearing eleven when he heard his name called.

"Luke!"

Turning, Luke saw Britney standing at the bar. Rather than flash a killer smile and take her to his bed, Luke found himself...nervous.

Nervous? Me? Nervous? I'm nervous about a human woman?

"Britney, my dear. Back so soon? A pleasure, to be sure."

Britney blushed slightly.

"You told me to come back. I'm so sorry about the other night; I must have had more to drink than I thought."

Luke smiled. Trust the human mind to explain away the improbable with the practical.

"Never fear, Britney. Happens to the best of us. Would you like to sit?"

He motioned over toward one of the unoccupied tables, keeping in line with his sudden need to be around humans. As they sat, Luke noted that Britney came around to sit next to him as opposed to across from him, but still kept her distance. Intrigued, Luke focused on her mind to hear exactly what she intended that night - and more importantly, what she remembered.

He couldn't hear anything.

Surprised, Luke recoiled. Britney noticed and spoke up worriedly.

"I'm sorry, Luke. Are you okay? It wasn't something I said, was it?"

Luke recovered gallantly, flashing a smile and replying jovially.

"Not at all, Britney. It seems I may have overindulged a little bit last night myself. Like I said, it happens to the best of us. Now here's to the cure!"

With a wink, he tipped back his glass, taking a small sip of the fine Scotch his bartenders kept for him. Luke and Britney talked for almost an hour about everything and nothing. She worked retail while finishing her Masters in Psychology. She liked cats but loved dogs. They were working their way around to more intimate questions when Luke heard a disturbance.

"Where the fuck is she?!? Britney! BRITNEY!"

Sure enough, the sullen Andrew was trying to walk towards them, fighting with security as he did. Luke waved them off and motion Andrew over.

"Andrew! Good to see you again. Britney was just trying to apologize about the unfortunate events of last night when-"

Andrew walked up and punched Luke right on the chin, and that was it. Luke was in no mood to deal with such a common creature as Andrew at the moment, and while there were other methods available to him, Luke knew of one that would be far more satisfying than the rest. Luke drew in a large breath, expanding his reach across the entire club and drawing in the entirety of male energy that he found. With a flick of his foot, he sent the heavy oak table careening to break against the wall. At this display of strength, Andrew started, and made a move as though to back up. But he had raised Luke's ire, and nothing would save him tonight.

Luke gripped Andrew by the shirt and lifted him one-handed above his head.

"Ladies and gentleman, may I have your attention please? Here before you we see Andrew, a mean-spirited drunk that takes no small delight in making his rather radiant girlfriend feel small and unappreciated. He would go so far as to drunkenly stumble into MY CLUB and take a swing at me. Now, many of you know me, and I almost guarantee that none of you have ever seen me upset. Well I am now. So it case it wasn't abundantly clear to any and all of you: YOU DO NOT FIGHT IN CIRCLE7!"

With that, Luke tossed Andrew like a pillow, sending him sliding across the floor to stop against security's feet.

"Take him out with the rest of the trash."

He sat back down and settled himself, looking at Britney's shocked expression with a crooked grin.

"So sorry about that, my dear. I don't know what came over me."

Britney just stared.

"I never did like bullies. He seemed like a prime example of one. I truly am sorry, Britney, I abhor brutish behavior like that, and there I go being a hypocrite."

Britney silenced his babbling with a finger on his lips, sending a surprising surge of...something through Luke.

"Hey. Thank you. I mean it. He's been getting worse and worse, and I'm sure he would have kept being an asshole if you hadn't put him in his place. I'm just a little worried about going home tonight."

Luke caught the wince as she spoke, and it was only when he looked harder that he could see faint bruising on her neck below carefully applied makeup.

"Well, you could stay here." Luke caught himself, hearing the words he'd just spoken. "Nothing improper, of course. I just meant that there's an extra room, and if you were truly concerned, it would be no trouble. No expectations."

Britney laughed, a musical sound that sent that...something surging through Luke again.

"Like last time, when you promised me 'no obligations'? I think if I hadn't passed out, that might have changed."

She laughed again as Luke blushed, his face going as red as the club's décor.

Feelings, concern for mortals, and now I'm fucking blushing? Who is this woman?

Still, Luke recovered quickly.

"Ah, yes. Well, the circumstances are somewhat different this time. Truly, I'm only concerned for your safety. I tell you what. Think about it for a moment, I have to leave briefly to speak to my security about how Andrew got in here in the first place."

As Britney mulled her options while nursing a fruity cocktail, Luke strode out the back, where two bouncers were waiting with Andrew.

"Now, Andrew, we have a problem. You see, you struck me. More than that, I suspect you've probably struck Britney as well. She's afraid of being in the same room with you. I think it's time that you were afraid, Andrew."

Andrew spat at Luke, falling woefully short.

"Oh yeah? Big club owner gonna have his goons beat on me for a while to feel like you're something? You think you matter, asshole? You're fucking nothing. A chickenshit little pussy bitch that couldn't do a damn thing without your security."

Luke chuckled in a way that had nothing to do with humor.

"Oh Andrew, your memory seems to be slipping. I just threw you around like a puppy's chew toy, and now you're telling me that I'm weak? But still, you may have a point. Head back inside, gentlemen. Andrew and I need to have a chat."

The security guards left quickly. Unlike Andrew, they had seen the look that now marred the typically smiling face of their boss.

"Now then, Andrew, all alone. Take your best shot."

True to form, Andrew swung at Luke, a surprisingly quick and well-aimed strike. It would have certainly hit any human, and with a good deal of force. Luke, on the other hand, grabbed Andrew's wrist as it approached his face and twisted it down sharply, immediately hearing the crack of bone.

"Fuck! Ow, man, you're breaking my wrist!"

"No, no, no, Andrew, I already broke your wrist." Reaching over, Luke grabbed Andrew's left wrist and twisted violently, a vicious smile forming as he did, ignoring Andrew's scream of pain. "Now I've broken your other one."

"Fuck man, stop! I get it, I get it, I'll leave her alone!"

But Luke would not be stopped. Not now.

"Oh, Andrew. You're scared now, yes, I can see it in your face."

Andrew yelped as Luke took hold of both sides of his head, his eyes bleeding into an ethereal blue.

"But you're not afraid. Not yet."

Luke drew on every negative emotion. Every ounce of fear and pain, every dash self-loathing and self-doubt, and forced it into Andrew. Image after image played through Andrew's mind, his mouth open in a wordless scream as the all of the horror of humanity was poured into his brain in mere moments. When Luke released him, Andrew fell to the dank, fetid ground next to the dumpster. Luke smiled wickedly.

"Right where you belong."

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Luke strode back into Circle7, feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. He had almost forgotten how good it felt to be bad. He managed to contain himself just as he returned to Britney.

"So sorry to dash off. Doing alright, Britney?"

She had just finished off her drink as she looked at him.

"Yeah, I think so. I'm so sorry that he caused a scene like that in your club!"

"Don't worry, Britney, I have a feeling that Andrew won't be bothering you anymore. But the offer remains. If you still feel unsafe, you may remain here as long as you need to."

Britney smiled bashfully, her face flushing red as one of the waitresses brought her a new drink. Britney took a sip before answering, leaving Luke to hang on her every word.

"How about we enjoy the night for a while, then you ask me again?"

And enjoy the night they did. Luke found that Britney was actually quite a stunning conversationalist, and an excellent dancer, to boot. It was close to closing time in the club when Luke asked again.

"I do hate to be impertinent, Britney, but the sun is coming awfully soon. As I said, If you feel unsafe going home, you can stay here. If not, I do hope you'll come by again. I'll add your name to the list. Walk-in privileges."

Britney smiled back at Luke, matching his own pearly white grin.

"You know, Luke, I think I feel pretty safe going home."

Something in Luke's chest fell.

"But I don't think I want to leave just yet, either."

With that, Britney pushed herself closer to Luke. Prepared this time, Luke shut down everything, not trying to draw a single ounce of strength from her, not one iota of energy.

It didn't matter in the slightest.

As Britney's full lips met Luke's, the bomb went off again. Electricity crackled in the air as they kissed, power surging between the two as lights shattered all around them. Pleasure surged through Luke's body, but it was different. This wasn't the stolen joy or desire he normally felt. This wasn't even happiness coming from Britney. It was springing to life from within him. For the first time in eons, Lucifer Morningstar was feeling happy, all on his own. Without Luke trying to siphon power, Britney managed to stay upright, gasping for air as she pulled away, her body alive and tingling with joy. Luke recoiled violently as she did, the fleeting happiness leaving his body as quickly as it had arrived. Luke could only stare at her with a look of abject horror on his face.

Britney's eyes were glowing blue.

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To be concluded...