Two Men and a Lady Epilogue

In the dark, the throb of the music felt like a great cat rubbing its furry body across her skin; her pulse was the beat’s pulse. The old concrete floor was chipped but smooth and her feet slid across it while her fingers wove heavy glowing patterns in the air. She caught the DJ’s eye and watched him mouth a kiss at her. Jason threw the best raves. He knew what music she wanted and how to push a crowd to new heights. He knew what she wanted from the evening and what would happen as soon as Nadia took over to spin her own set.

To pass the time until then, she danced, touched, and brushed against the half-nude men and women around her. Every contact felt like a brand on her sweat-slick skin. The song fell into a breakdown and she slowed as well, stretching her arms above her head. The tattoo-man, as she’d thought of the other raver all night, also swirled to a stop in front of her. His eyes were pale blue and his skin was just a little tan, but the part of him that had caught her eye was the ink. His chest, back, and upper arms were all thickly lined with black tribal designs -- sun and moon and stars.

She flicked her eyes up to Jason. He was watching, his fingers caressing the soundboard. He quirked his lips in a grin and winked. Approval given. To the slow buildup of the next lyric, she slid her hands down her chest, glow sticks clasped between her slender fingers. Tattoo-man tracked the motion while she touched her own hips, outlining the swell. She took a step toward him and smiled, ducking her head to peer up at him through her bangs. Daring him.

She closed her eyes and licked her lips.