Chapter 8
“As I walked through the casino, my mind went back to the mark on Lotus’s neck.
Was she one of my sisters?
It seemed almost inconceivable that I’d run into any one of them on the night I’d learned of their existence. But, then again, it was possible that we’d been brought together by supernatural forces. For all I knew, Lilith’s spirit had her hand in this. She might still be looking out for me, even in death”.
“I headed toward the hotel’s front doorway; several people stared at me in horror, which reminded me of the blood and cuts on my face. Obviously, I needed to clean myself up. Cursing Brandon under my breath, I turned around and made a bee-line toward the restrooms. When I stepped into the women’s room and saw my reflection in the mirror, I groaned in frustration. It had been dark in the elevator and I hadn’t realized how bad I actually looked. Now, in this light, I looked like someone had attacked me with a cheese grater.”
“A noise in one of the bathroom stalls caught my attention. I turned off the water just as someone made a loud snorting noise.
Can you make it any more obvious?
The woman flushed the toilet and a few seconds later, she walked out of the stall, her nose red from whatever blow she’d been snorting.”
“Hi,” I said, recognizing the ******* dressed blonde. She was one of the local hookers and we’d bumped into each other a lot during the past few months. Her name was Twyla and she believed that we shared the same profession. I never corrected her on it either.
Our eyes met and Twyla gasped. “Jesus, are you okay?”
I smiled grimly. “I’m fine.”
“A Ronald do that to you?”
“Something like that.”
“I remember.”
She stared at me in the mirror. “That’s gotta hurt.”
“My face?”
She nodded.
“Only when I smile,” I replied. “Fortunately, there isn’t much to smile about tonight.”
Twyla stepped closer to me. “Honey, if you’re interested, I’ve got something that will make you feel better,” she whispered, as if someone else was in the bathroom with us.
“I’d appreciate it.” Little did she know we were talking about two separate things.”
“Twyla stepped closer to me. “Honey, if you’re interested, I’ve got something that will make you feel better,” she whispered, as if someone else was in the bathroom with us.
“I’d appreciate it.” Little did she know we were talking about two separate things.
Twyla pulled out a small vial of powder from her purse. “There’s enough in there for one good line.”
“*******?”
She nodded and held it out. “I think you need this more than I do. Especially if you want to get through the rest of the night.”
I glanced toward the doorway. “To be honest, I’ve never done this before,” I whispered. “Maybe we should go into the stall and you can show me how to use it? I don’t want anyone walking in on us.”
“Yeah. No problem. Let’s go,” said Twyla, heading toward the large stall at the end. I followed quickly and locked”
“the door.
“So, you’ve never tried it before, huh?”
I shook my head.
“Then maybe I’ll just give you a little,” she said, holding the vial up again.
“Great. A little is all I need,” I replied, snaking my arm out to grab her wrist.
“What the hell you doing, *****?” she snapped, as the vial fell to the ground, powder spilling everywhere.
I looked into her eyes. “Calm down.”
Her pupils dilated and her face relaxed.
“Like I said, I only need a little.” I raised her wrist to my lips, and sank my teeth into her skin, loathing the fact that I had to resort to this. Drinking blood, in a bathroom stall, from a coked-up ****** was definitely not my finest hour.
Twyla gasped”.
“She suddenly looked frightened. “Leave Tony?”
“Yes. You don’t need that *******. He’s nothing but a leech and you are not his property to sell.”
A spark of anger filled Twyla’s eyes. “Tony’s a leech.”
“Yes. Are you living with him?”
“No.”
Good. “Do you have children?”
“No.”
Even better. “Do you have family, out of Vegas?”
“I have a sister in Hawaii.
“Is she a *******?”
“No.”
“Tell me about her.”
“She works in a diner and is married to a truck driver. They’ve got a kid. Danny. He’s my nephew.”
“Are you close?”
“We used to be.”
“Okay. Consider packing your stuff and going to her. Anything you have to do to get away from Robert and this life you’re living. You have any money saved?” I asked, touching my face. It now felt smooth.”