Exton

It's Miller Time!

Well, actually in my case it's A-positive time, but the same principle applies.

Business at the Tavern is booming; it seems like every "other" in town has shown up to celebrate Tori's rescue and the bloody nose we gave the Drow. The party atmosphere has rubbed off on my roomies, too, Gareth in butt-hugging jeans and a muscle shirt, Ky in something between a cropped tank and a sports bra - and tight-fitting short-shorts - and Raina... where the hell is Raina?

I focus my hearing, tuning everything else out - and I spot her a moment later, talking animatedly with Stoney and Alise. She's wearing a white gauze shirt over a satiny black bra, paired with a short black skirt and fuck-me heels. Alise is laughing and blushing and I feel sweet normality returning....

I click open my cell and speed-dial Ob... much faster than trying to wade through the mass of dancing bodies between me and the big gargoyle. We talk for a minute and a big grin splits his face. When the music stops, he whispers something to Byte; the singer nods and there's some muttered conversation with the band while Ob steps up to the mike.

"Allll riiiight! Is everybody happy?" The answer damn near blows out the walls; apparently everybody is in fact happy tonight. Ob waits for the crowd to subside to its customary dull roar before continuing. "Turns out we have a guest performer tonight. You all know him... the new and improved 'Batman' - give it up for Nick... Nekronnnn!"

I spiral up over the crowd and glide to the front, landing lightly next to Ob. The bass growls into existence like the wrath of some dark god and I feel an all-over tingle, like a mild shock, crawl over my skin.

I spit out the words like venom.

Oooohhhh yeaaahhhh!

Yeah, we're gonna fight
We do it every night
Baby, when you scratch
You know I'm gonna bite
You can make me die
I can make you cry
Opposites attract
That's the reason why

No one else could make you feel
Like I do, I do, I do
No one ever gets as deep inside you
As I do, baby
Our love is a bed of nails
Love hurts good on a bed of nails
I'll lay you down and when all else fails
I'll drive you like a hammer on a bed of nails

Near the back, I see Ky smile - a feral grin any vamp would be proud of - and kick off her shoes. She whirls into frenetic motion, arching her back, shaking her hips, improvising as she goes; strutting, spinning, tossing her head - and somehow it all works, fuses with the music in a hot funky jungle rhythm that pulses like a frantic heartbeat. My voice tears through it like a chainsaw ripping through plywood.

First we're gonna kiss
Then we're gonna say
Dirty little words
Only lovers say
Rockin' thru the night
Rollin' on the floor
When they hear us screamin'
They'll be breakin' down the door

No one else could make you feel
Like I do, I do, I do
No one ever gets as deep inside you
As I do, baby
Our love is a bed of nails
Love hurts good on a bed of nails
I'll lay you down and when all else fails
I'll drive you like a hammer on a bed of nails

Bed of nails, Bed of nails
I'll drive you like a hammer on a bed of nails
Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow
Gonna drive you like a hammer
Baby, put me in your slammer, oh yeah

Ky dances her way to the front, joins us onstage, her dancing becoming ever wilder, more chaotic, a predator stalking its prey... Sweat glistens on her skin as she moves to the beat, as sinuous and graceful as a snake.

No one else could make you feel
Like I do, I do, I do
No one ever gets as deep inside you
As I do, baby
Our love is a bed of nails
Love hurts good on a bed of nails
I'll lay you down and when all else fails
I'll drive you like a hammer on a bed of nails

Bed of nails, get on my bed of nails
I'll drive you like a hammer on a bed of nails
Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow
Gonna drive you like a hammer
Baby, put me in your slammer, oh yeah
I'll drive you like a hammer on a bed of nails….