Silk and Shadows

Excerpt From: Silk and Shadows

Veronica Gunn looked back at the address on the paper, and then at the building. Although she had been in this area many times before, she had never seen this place. Club Immortality glowed from the discreet sign above the door. She couldn’t imagine her friend Syn Ash in such a place, much less dating the owner. Curiosity had made her come to meet Syn and her new boyfriend, when she would have rather stayed home, curled up with her Sony e-reader.

“Curiosity will be your downfall, Ronnie,” Veronica said aloud, as was her habit. Then she chuckled. “You spend way too much time alone. You’ve got to stop talking to yourself.”

Veronica shrugged, figuring that as long as she didn’t actually answer herself, she was fine. She debated if she should just go back home and call Syn with an excuse. She had planned on a relaxing night away from the complex computer program she was working on. She didn’t particularly feel like being social. Pursing her full lips, she again felt the curiosity that had made her come in the first place. Cursing her need to know, she walked forward to the door. Absently, she wondered why there was no line to get inside or a bouncer at the door. Veronica glanced up and stopped, her attention caught by carved golden symbols on the door.

From her knowledge of ancient languages, she assumed it was some sort of saying, although she couldn’t place the language or what it said. The ornate, fancy etchings were beautiful. Raising her hand, she touched them, tracing the shapes. A warm tingle spread along her fingers and down her hand. With a gasp, she pulled her hand back and glanced at it. Flecks of gold light circled her hand, then lowered onto it, making it tingle again. The light seemed to disappear right into her skin. Veronica twisted her hand back and forth, confused at what she had seen.

Narrowing her eyes, she reached and traced the symbols again. Nothing happened.

“You’re losing it, Ronnie. Gold lights and ancient symbols. God, you need to get out more.” Laughing at herself, she shook her head.

With one more thought of her e-reader, filled with hot erotic romances, and her waiting vibrator, Veronica gripped the handle of the door and pulled. As the door swung open, she heard the pulsing music that had been muffled. Grimacing, she wondered if she had any Tylenol in her bag for the headache she knew she would get from the loud music. Keeping her gaze down, she stepped through the entrance, then quickly stepped to the side to avoid the people heading out the door. One stopped and looked at her. She glanced up and up. The bright blue gaze made her shift uncomfortably and wish she was anywhere but here. She hated attention.

“You’re not an employee,” a rich baritone said.

Surprised that she could hear him so clearly, and that he was actually talking to her, Veronica checked him out. He was attractive. The man smiled, making him even more handsome. Stupefied at his look and attention, she fumbled with what to say, then cursed herself for being such a social idiot.