Gavin hesitated as he heard her words. Trust her? Trust the chaotic monster that can kill me with one well placed kick? Is she out of her freaking mind? Gavin scoffed as he glared at her. "Only an idiot would trust someone so dangerous." His tone wasn't angry or defensive, just stating the facts.
Kara chuckled as she leaned against the bar. "Well, you're not wrong."
Jesse looked offended as she glared at Gavin. "She is the sweetest person you will ever meet. Show some respect."
Erza and Gavin looked at Jesse incredulously. "You're kidding me?" Erza asked drolly. "The living embodiment of chaos, wrapped up in anger and warfare, is the sweetest person I will ever meet?"
Jesse had the good grace to look sheepish while Kara just laughed. "Okay, that's beside the point. You better watch what you say about Kara though. She's a regular and we all love her."
Jesse glared at Gavin expectantly. "Drink?"
"Um. Just a beer." Gavin's hesitant response was met with a gruff nod from Jesse as she turned and began to make the drinks everyone requested.
"Sweetest person alive huh?" Gavin questioned Kara with a raised eyebrow and disbelief on his face. "I seem to recall a rather violent kick."
Kara grinned and laughed as she received her drink from Jesse, her fingers brushed against the bartender's hand for a moment longer than was necessary. "Hey… You started that fight." She took her glass and downed it in one sip.
Gavin glared at her. "You came in looking for a fight." He reminded her as he took the beer when Jesse returned.
Kara narrowed her eyes on her. "That's not how I recall it. We arrived to take you to Lady Lunaria. You got impulsive, reckless, and put your hands on me first. Then I simply taught you a lesson about manners, wolf."
Gavin flinched at the reminder, his temper flaring. He stepped forward and halted when Erza put a hand on his shoulder. "Enough. We are here to enjoy the night. Not fighting amongst ourselves. Plus," she paused and forced him to look at her. "Kara is right. You did make the first move first."
Gavin bristled under her tone but didn't shake off her hand. "You don't have to take her side you know." He complained as he took a drink.
Erza sighed as she looked at him. "I will never lie to you or coddle you. When you're wrong, I will call you out. When you are right, I will defend you."
Gavin blushed under her admonishment. His shoulders slumped forward in defeat as he took another drink. "Fine, you win, alright?"
Lyla laughed as she thanked Jesse for their drinks and stood next to Aria. "Come on, the night is young, Kara said drinks are on her, and it doesn't matter that wolf boy got his pride injured and almost died."
Gavin balked at her words. "Hey… that's not fair!"
Kara laughed at their antics as she shook her head. "Come on, let me introduce you to the upper floors." Kara leaned over the counter and kissed Jesse on the cheeks. "Thanks babe. I'll see you later."
Jesse beamed and practically melted under Kara's affection. "Sure thing Kara. Keep the pup from causing any trouble, will you?"
"I can try. But he's a reckless idiot." Kara's words annoyed Gavin, but he chose not to respond.
Kara walked away from the bar and led the group towards the stairs at the back of the dance floor. "Like I said before, the upper floors are VIP's only." She spoke as she greeted the bouncer by the stairs.
"Hey Jerry. Taking a group of first timers upstairs." Kara introduced them all to the bouncer.
Jerry was as large as a mountain as he eyed them all. Short, red hair fell into his eyes and a ruby stud was in his left ear. "Evenin' Kara. You make sure to keep them out of trouble, you hear?" He stood a full head taller than the Valkyrie with his arms crossed over his chest.
Kara laughed and leaned up to kiss his cheek. "You know I will babe." Jerry grinned in response as he moved aside and Kara walked through the doorway.
The others followed and the first thing that Gavin noticed was the music was almost instantly muffled once the door to the stairs closed behind them. "Seven hells, I can actually hear myself think."
Erza chuckled as she poked his side. "What, you don't like loud obnoxious music?"
Gavin swatted her hand away. "There is a difference between loud music in the car or in my room, and this scene." He sounded annoyed but Erza noticed the small smile at the edge of his lips.
I think he's actually enjoying himself despite our babysitter. Erza smiled at the thought and followed Kara up the black steps.
Once they arrived the atmosphere was much more laid back compared to the ground floor. "This is the dance floor and night club for us Demi." She declared and she turned to face all of them. "Each floor from here on out is strictly for the Demi races. There are runes and spells woven into the foundations of the club to prevent unauthorized humans from coming up here." She began to explain as the next song began to play.
"How come nobody ever gets caught? Surely a human tries to sneak up here to the upper floors at some point." Aria asked curiously as she gripped Lyla's hand.
"Some have probably tried over the centuries." Kara admitted and pressed her finger to her chin. "But between the runes, bouncers, and magical spells placed on every Sanctuary location, none have ever been able to. The only way for a normal human to come up here is with a fancy bracelet that grants special permission, and those are only given out by the owners of each club."
Gavin was impressed by how different the vibe was on the second floor. It had a similar design and layout as the first, but with one very important detail.
The crowd was a mixed group of Demi races. Valkyries with their muticolored wings danced and floated around to the music. Giant Draconians with their muscled physiques tested their strength in one corner by arm wrestling competitions. Beings Gavin could only assume were Elves, judging by their pointy ears, sang along and cheered with the song.
"I can't believe all these races exist in the world and we never knew it." Erza whispered in awe as she took in the sight.
There was a large aquarium like tank along the wall behind the bar. Humanoid beings danced and swam in the water with such grace and elegance that Gavin could only assume they were the Merfolk that he heard about in the training dungeon. There was a path that led from the bottom of the aquarium down the length of the bar. One of the bartenders had blue scales, gills around her neck, and beautiful features as she handed a customer a drink and swam down the water path towards the other end of the bar.
Kara hiked her thump up towards the rafters with a smirk on her face. Gavin looked up and his blood froze. The bite scar on his right shoulder burned in memory of the last time he saw one of those. Above them were countless Vampires hanging from the rafters as they swayed to the music, quiet and content.
"Not fucking Vampires." Gavin muttered. Of all the races he faced in the training dungeon, he hated those the most. He reached up and rubbed his shoulder as the memory of his fight with the floor boss, the Vampire Lord, played through his mind.
Kara nodded. "We have all six races in the Sanctuaries. I'll tell you this one time only. Do not cause a scene. Do not start a fight. Your life will be a lonely and short one if you get excommunicated from Sanctuary." Kara explained as she wagged a finger in Gavin's face.
Gavin scoffed dismissively as he turned away from her. "I'll be fine. Just some PTSD." He rubbed his shoulder one more time and let his hand fall away. Erza noticed his discomfort and placed her hand on his shoulder.
"Come on." She said and gently pulled him along. She squeezed his hand with hers softly for comfort as she felt him start relaxing against her.
"Hey Kara!" A joyful voice cried out and a pair of emerald green wings and auburn air flew into Kara's arms. "It's so good to see you!"
Kara laughed in surprise as she wrapped her arms around the figure. "Alexia! Baby girl how are you?" She spun in circles laughing with the girl that was in her arms.
"I'm doing amazing, now that you're here. I thought you said you weren't going to be able to come out tonight?" Alexia beamed as she was set down on her feet. Her auburn hair was a wild mess as strands came loose from her braid. She wore a simple red T-shirt and black pants. Her face was flushed with excitement as she clung to Kara.
"Well, change of plans. I gotta babysit these two for a while and they wanted a night out on the town." Kara nodded towards Gavin and Erza. "So, here we are. In the baddest club in town. How's my favorite younger sister?"
Alexia's wings fluttered behind her. They were a beautiful vibrant green as she floated a few inches in the air. "I'm good! Training is going really well. Drake even stopped in the other day to watch my sparring matches!"
Kara smiled, the warmth reached her eyes as she held onto her vibrant girl. "Sounds like you are making improvements then!"
Alexia nodded. "I am." She turned to look at Erza and Gavin. "So, what makes them so special?"
Kara leaned in close to whisper. "They are under protection of Lady Lunaria and given a mission by Lord Koray."
Alexia's eyes widened. "That explains your protection." Her brows narrowed and all playfulness vanished instantly under her rigid training. "How can I help?"
Kara considered for a moment. "Just help me show them a good night out and keep these two out of trouble for now."
Alexia nodded as she faced Gavin and Erza. "Hi, sorry I didn't mean to be so rude. My name's AlexiaJane. But you can Call me AJ." She reached out a hand towards them.
Erza smiled, taken in by her charm and easy going nature. "Erza, and this idiot is my mate, Gavin." She took AJ's offered hand and shook it.
Gavin bristled under Erza's words. "Hey! I haven't done anything stupid in the last like… twenty minutes thank you very much."
Kara chuckled at his words. "AJ's one of the youngest Valkyries we have. She's nineteen and full of piss and vinegar."
AJ turned, mouth open in horror at Kara's description. "I'll have you know I am the strongest of my generation." She stabbed a finger against Kara's soft chest.
"Yeah, that may be. But you are galaxies away from me and Astrid." Kara swatted her finger away playfully.
The crowd cheered as a new popular song started over the speakers and drowned out what AJ was about to retort. "Hey let's go dance!" She said suddenly as she grabbed Erza's hand and pulled her towards the dance floor.
Erza tried to protest as AJ hauled her off, leaving Gavin with the others. Aria and Lyla laughed and ran after them to join the fun amongst the crowd. Gavin smirked as he shook his head at their antics.
"Seriously, Kara. Why did you come back tonight? Don't give me that crap about sneaking out without Astrid." Gavin's voice was quiet curiosity as he stepped closer to the ancient Valkyrie.
"I'm not the heartless bitch you think wolf. I respect strength above all else. When you've lived a life as long as I have, then you can judge me." Kara's words were sincere as she faced him. "Plus, maybe I felt bad for almost killing you before… I figured the least I could do before we put you two through hell, was take you out for a good time."
Gavin stood against the bar, stunned into silence at her sincerity. "Was that an actual apology?"
Kara smacked his arm playfully. "Don't get used to it. Seriously. You can relax here. The laws of Sanctuary are absolute. You are both safe under the roof of this or any Club Storm that Lady Tempestra owns."
"Who enforces these laws of Sanctuary?" Gavin asked her.
"We do, the Demi that hold true to Sanctuary's laws. No one wants to be excommunicated. For that means to always be out on your own. No help. No shelter. So we all adhere to the laws."
"For the record, I don't plan on being this weak forever. I will continue to push every day. Grow every day. I will never allow someone to take what I love from me." Gavin's whispered promise was filled with power. Hues of red mana drifted through the club.
Kara raised an eyebrow as she felt the surge of power from his words. There is something special about this wolf. Maybe he does have a snowballs chance in hell of completing Koray's little mission. I have a feeling that he might become more important than any of us expect. "Cute display, but keep it in your pants wolf."
Gavin startled as he heard her words. "Sorry, didn't realize my mana leaked out." He blushed slightly, red color darkening his ears as he inclined his head. The other patrons nearby shook their heads in annoyance as his mana faded away. I didn't mean for that display, but my point still stands. I will become strong enough that nothing can ever be taken from me.
"You will learn proper control in time. I know all of this is brand new for you still. By the time we are done this summer, you might actually be halfway decent in a fight." Kara teased as she drained the last of her drink.
Gavin said nothing as he watched Erza dancing with their newest friend, AJ. She was all sweaty laughter as they danced together in a group to the beat of the music. Aria and Lyla were close together, arms intertwined as they danced more intimately together on the floor, lost in their own little world.