Amethyst Origins Ch. 03

Author's Note: I hope everyone had a great Christmas and a Happy New Year! Now down to business. In this chapter we really get to know Alana and her insecurities. Amethyst lets her be whoever she wants to be. So let's see how much trouble Amethyst gets into. Enjoy!

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Chapter Three

Friday night came and just as Alana pulled out her suit for another raid her phone rang.

She looked at the screen and sighed.

It was Tessa.

She stared at the screen weighing her options. She could ignore the call and Tessa would show up and be peeved that her friend had ignored her calls or she could just give up now.

Alana pressed the green call button. "Hey, Tess," she said tiredly.

"Hello, stranger," she greeted back with far more enthusiasm.

Alana sighed. Something was up and she didn't want to know what it was.

"We're going clubbing," Tess announced with a tone that presented no argument.

Damn it, she cursed inside her head.

"We are going," Tess stated with even more conviction.

Double damn it, Alana cursed again inside her head.

Quick, think of an excuse, she demanded herself.

"Uh, I can't, I have to um, do things tonight," Alana blurted out.

She knew she was grasping at straws but then again she'd never been a good liar. Granted, omitting the truth about her night time life was still lying, but it was much easy to not say anything at all.

"I'm shaving—I, uh, I mean I'm cleaning," Alana said finally.

Not that! She screamed inside her head.

She needed to say something important to get Tess off her trail.

"Yeah, whatever," Tess said, but in no one way was she agreeing with her friend or even beginning to believe the excuses she thought could get her out of a little girl time.

"You're going, you need this," Tess confirmed.

Alana sighed loudly. She didn't understand why clubbing, or just the idea of getting closer to her only friend, terrified her. She could break a thug's hand in half a second and stare down the end of a gun barrel without break a sweat, but this terrified her beyond belief.

Alana had been trying to remain withdrawn from the normal world as a way to protect anyone who could end up hurt or dead like her family. That meant no boyfriend, no outings, and barely any acquaintances. She knew anybody could be absorbed into her family's curse and the life she'd chosen for herself.

She felt her chest tighten. If anything were to happen to someone because of her choices, like Tessa or anyone else, she could never forgive herself.

She had to stay alone.

"Lana, if you don't go with me tonight, I'll end up going alone," Tess pouted.

Alana sighed. Did she have to guilt trip?

"Fine," Alana relented after a few seconds. "You win. I'll grab you at eight?"

"Sounds good," Tess said happily and Alana knew her friend was smiling triumphantly on the other end.

They'd agreed to go to the new club called Heat. Alana joked on the way about the ingenious of naming a club that and making a huge profit out of it. Tess mentioned that one of the owners of the club rarely showed himself in the public's eye.

"It's just strange that a guy is promoting a new business by not being around it," Tess had explained. Then she winced when a question dawned on her. "What if the guy's a creep or something?" Tess asked seriously.

"Or maybe the public sucks and this guy figured it out just in time," Alana answered as they pulled into one of the parking garages.

They made their way to the long line outside the club and were standing underneath the large red neon sign with Heat inscribed in fancy script. The club was posh on the outside and Alana felt like she'd gag if she went inside. It was bad enough Tess had made her change once she arrived to pick her up at her apartment so that she would fit in.

"Can we bail and just get burgers? How about we go see a movie?" Alana asked, or rather begged, she hated tight spaces and this club was bound to be packed.

Tess shot a cool look at her friend. "You're a wimp. Or maybe you're just afraid you might have some fun for once?" Tessa challenged with a bright smile.

Alana groaned. "That's unfair," Alana said with mock anger. She couldn't stay mad at her friend for too long. Tess was just trying to help her have fun. They could have a few drinks, dance a while, and head home in a couple of hours.

You can do this, Alana said to herself.

She noticed Tess had been staring at the good looking bodyguard for a few minutes before he waved for us both to come up. He was cute, with a dimple in one cheek and gorgeous eyes that a girl could get lost in. He kissed Tess on the cheek and must have whispered something naughty into her ear because she blushed.

Alana frowned as they made their way inside the club. Tess never blushed, or maybe she did and Alana didn't see it because they rarely hung out socially. Did she know her friend that well? Tess was always professional at work. The only time her fun side came out was on the phone or if they were off the clock.

She was so lost in her jumbled thoughts she almost lost Tess as her friend was swallowed up into the large crowd of people. Heat was a large warehouse converted into the largest dance floor, DJ booth section, and neon glowing bar mesh up Alana had ever seen. She already hated it. The colors were too bright, the music made her head throb, and she couldn't even drown out the noise with alcohol because the bar was packed. She needed a crowbar, or a gun, to get a martini.

She realized Tess was saying something to her, or rather yelling. Alana assumed her friend was asking her if she wanted a drink. She simply nodded, which caused her brain to wobble in her skull a little more. She felt sick.

Alana then made the mistake of looking at her happy friend. She knew she couldn't just bail on her only friend because she didn't like the crowd. Alana thought about how many times she'd dragged Marcus to clubs with her to be her back up in case she had a problem. He hadn't complained once about looking out for his baby sister.

You can do this, she said again.

Just sit down and try to have a little fun, Alana chided to herself.

If she didn't give herself a pep talk every few minutes she was going to bail.

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Alana glanced at her silver watch that been a gift to from her parents. The face was white and a tiny amethyst stone marked each of the numbers. It'd been her father's idea to give it to her. Her mother had joked that she never knew her husband had ever had such good taste.

The usual gut twisting feeling settled in her. She hadn't thought about her parents since she'd visited them at the cemetery earlier that week. Alana glanced at her watch again and sighed before she sipped her dirty martini. It was a quarter past midnight.

She hadn't seen Tess for over half an hour and was tempted to send out a search party for her friend. Just as she pulled out her cellphone Alana caught sight of Tess flirting with the same cute bouncer from before. She drained her glass and prepared to march over to her friend and demand they leave.

Alana made it about three steps before a large, muscular hand grasped her wrist and pulled her onto the dance floor. Her body was soon flush up against the tall and broad man. The lights on the dance floor shone in every direction but his face so she couldn't make it out. His hands slipped around her waist.

She sighed. Alana hadn't felt like dancing but she knew she should try to be polite. They swayed to the music, his hands never leaving her waist. When the stranger leaned down to whisper in her ear over the loud music his strong male scent invaded her senses. The comforting smell wrapped around her like a warm blanket and made promises she knew only existed in fairy tales.

"You look beautiful," the stranger whispered.

Alana shuddered.

Even his voice was sexy—deep enough to be manly but smooth enough to seduce the panties off of any girl.

Alana took a few moments to collect her thoughts and form a response.

"Uh—well, thank you," she stumbled out.

They continued to sway to some music about a break up.

"Who—who are you?" she asked suddenly before she could help herself.

She winced. Wow, she really was out of practice. Could she have been more standoffish?

His deep laughter filled her ears and his chest rumbled against hers. The strange man was taller than her by a few inches and had the broadest shoulders she'd even seen. Well, she'd seen broader but not on a male that she liked. Guilt flooded her. Here she was being swept off her feet by a real guy and she was thinking about Death Row.

"The name's Hayden Quinn," the stranger replied shaking Alana out of her train of thought. "You are?"

"Alana Hastings," she replied automatically.

"I'm the owner of this establishment. Do you like it?" he asked with a hopeful expression. Alana looked up into what she hoped was his eyes since his face was still obscured because of the lights.

She was about to tell him the truth when she realized that this was the first time a guy had hit on her in a long time—Death Row was null and void. She wanted to kick herself for thinking about him again. Alana finally decided to try the polite approach since she didn't want to scare of the first decent guy that approached her.

"It's alright, I'm not much of a party girl," Alana said gently.

Hayden nodded his agreement or at least Alana thought he did. She still hadn't seen his face yet. She realized she really would like to know this man's face. Her chest swelled, in an entirely good way, at the thought.

"You hate it," he stated without any trace of hurt.

"I don't necessarily hate it," Alana began before the corners of her mouth turned up. "It's just so loud and it seems impersonal," Alana explained.

She stopped herself.

"Wow, I just defined a night club," she said smiling brightly.

Hayden leaned down closer.

"I think I like you smiling, Alana. Would you like a drink?" he asked but was already leading her towards the bar.

The people surrounding it parted immediately. Alana mutely followed Hayden to the far edge of the bar and took the offered stool. When she looked up at him, her breath stopped.

Hayden was the most handsome man she'd ever seen. Her eyes scanned over him. Hayden Quinn had a dark olive complexion, dark eyes, and dark hair. Alana decided he must be Greek or Mediterranean somehow. He definitely took after a beautiful mother. Hayden's oceanic eyes locked on hers after he finished ordering her another dirty martini.

Alana looked at him confused. "How did you know what I ordered?" she asked before she could stop herself, again.

Hayden smiled a bright, straight smile at her. "It's my club. I just asked the bartender. He remembers a pretty face," Hayden replied simply.

She smiled at his response. "Thank you, Hayden," she said sincerely.

"So why the club?" she asked looking around.

"It's a family thing. Do you want to talk in the VIP section?" he asked but like before he was already leading her towards a curtained and guarded room. The other half of the club was hidden behind large black velvet curtains. Hayden led her towards the entrance where a tall and muscular bald bouncer stood ready for anything.

"Evening, Don," he acknowledged with a nod.

"Good evening, Sir," Don replied respectfully.

"This is Ms. Hastings," Hayden told the man before leading Alana inside. Hayden paused outside the entrance and whispered something to Don the bouncer. No doubt explaining what the bouncer already knew he was expected to do.

He nodded and returned to guarding.

Alana wasn't naïve. She knew what happened in the VIP section of a night club. She just hoped Hayden wasn't a scumbag who would end up getting himself hurt. She was actually beginning to like him. But then again, a lot of the guys she liked ended up being scumbags.

Hayden led her to a plush white couch on one side of the VIP room. She sat down and took a sip of her drink before setting it down on the glass coffee table. Alana figured she might as well clear the air with night club owner.

She needed to let him know the boundaries.

"Listen, Hayden," she began. "You're a great guy and everything, but I hope there are no expectations you're having about me tonight," Alana said cautiously.

Hayden nodded. He had listened intently before folding his hands in front of him. He cleared his throat.

"There are no expectations, Alana," he admitted before smiling.

"Well, except I hope you'll let me get to know you better and maybe take you out to dinner sometime?" he asked with a hopeful tone.

Alana smiled at that. "I'd like dinner," she replied.

Hayden reached out and touched her cheek gently with his large hand. He didn't touch her more than the strangely intimate caress. His hand just lay there as his Mediterranean Sea colored eyes captured hers. Alana felt her knees weaken. She never really was good at intimate staring contests.

"I'm glad I met you tonight, Alana," Hayden admitted with a small smile.

Alana nodded before three men burst into the VIP room. Alana jumped up for the couch almost instantly. Her hand reached into her clutch for her switch blade.

Yes, it was a little over the top but switch blades were great for tight situations like this.

Her blue eyes scanned over the men. Two of them were large Italian men with mean looks on their faces while the third man was one of the scariest men she'd ever seen.

"Joe Marcello," Hayden said tightly.

Alana cut sharp look to Hayden.

What the hell? Alana asked herself.

"It's a pleasure to have you in my establishment. I'm sorry I hadn't realized we had an appointment," Hayden said.

His hand quickly enveloped Alana's free one and gave it a gentle squeeze. He kissed her on the temple before walking her towards the entrance.

"This is important. I'll call you," Hayden said with a reassuring smile.

Alana was too shocked to reply that she hadn't given it to him so she just simply nodded her head. Dave the bouncer retrieved her and led her towards the club entrance. Tess was still chatting up her bouncer when Alana walked over.

Tess had been laughing at something the guy had said when Alana came to stand next to her. Tess looked at her friend with concern.

"Honey, are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost or something?" Tess asked wrapping her arms around Alana.

"What happened?" Tess asked persistently.

Alana mentally shook herself. She couldn't let Tess know about Joe Marcello so she did what she did best.

"I don't know. I think I had too many martinis," she lied. "Can we go please?" Alana asked with an eagerness that put Tess on edge.

"Um sure, honey," Tess replied before saying goodbye to the bouncer and leading Alana out of the club. "Let's get out of here."

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