Double Dare

Inside a heartbeat, Gabrielle responded. "That's why you must start early, and with plenty of champagne."

* * * *

Zac lifted Abby's jacket from her shoulders and handed it to a hovering doorman.

"Amusez-vous bien," the man said as he gestured down the hallway and into the crowded area beyond.

They emerged into a club zone, which was already humid despite the air conditioning. The atmosphere was charged. Energizing industrial dance music and beneath it the buzz of chattering voices filled the room. A background lightshow spangled the place in alternating pools of color. The dance floor was thronging with scantily clad partygoers. A mezzanine bar swept up on one side, overhanging the floor at one end, like something from a sci-fi movie.

"Oh look," said Abby, laughing, "it's a yellow brick road."

Zac followed her nod and saw the path paved with yellow bricks that led up to the mezzanine level. "Nice touch," he agreed. He tucked his arm around her waist, drawing her up for a kiss. The leather cinched her so perfectly, he wanted to keep his hands on her, stroke her outline through the soft yet rigid containment. "Are you ready to party?"

Her eyes sparkled, assuring him that she was indeed ready. "Yes, but tell me quickly, who is the guy rushing this way as if to talk to you?"

Zac smiled to himself. She was so canny. "Jacques de Vere, the owner. He also owns the biggest alternative venue in Paris. I flagged up that I'd be interested in working with him, maybe using the new club as an overflow or associated venue, just to get it started."

Jacques, a lean type with short spiked and bleached hair, had made his way through the crowd and put his hand on Zac's shoulder in greeting, glancing over Abby with interest. "Zac, bienvenu. I'm so glad you could be here with us tonight." He was dressed in black leather jeans and a tight transparent shirt that revealed his nipples were pierced. While he talked to them, he still moved with the dance music, at one with his party.

"Belle, tres belle," he said when Zac introduced Abby. He lifted her hand and breathed against her inner wrist, as if scenting her out. He growled, baring his teeth.

Abby chuckled. His animalistic charm seemed to make her glow. Zac also noticed that she looked regal with her hair spilling down, her leather corset and skirt outlining her figure so dramatically.

"Please, allow me to show you around the play rooms." He carved a path through the dance floor and led them on a circuit through adjacent rooms, some smaller, some just as large. In one a bevy of half dressed women gossiped, eyeing them as they walked through.

"The play rooms will be more active later," Jacques explained. "People like to relax first, dance, have a few drinks."

Much like any other party, Zac thought to himself.

Some rooms were well lit, others were dark caves with walls of black, soft furnishings and ecstatic moans emerging from the hollowed recesses. Zac tried to gauge which appealed to Abby and saw her looking with interest at a room with mirrors and oddly placed chairs. It was lit with hazy purple light.

Jacques turned to them. "We don't allow any photographers or press, so you are free to relax and enjoy the surroundings without concern."

The last space they entered was adjacent to the first, and boasted a large Jacuzzi with a poolside bar. Several partygoers were swimming naked whilst watching the dance floor beyond.

Jacques gestured at the bar and joined them for a round of tequila slammers. He told the barman they were complimentary guests for the evening, then left them.

"Let's dance," Abby said, as soon as he'd gone.

Zac held her close against him in the crowd, and when she danced she moved like a sexy cat, sidling in and out of his arms, her body so seductive in its movements.

After a while she locked her arms around his neck and nodded over to one side, to where Jacques was chatting with guests. "I can't help teasing you over this, but I thought you weren't letting business intrude on this weekend."

She looked at him with a half smile and a curious glance.

"We aren't. This is for you, really. I found out about his side interests when I was doing research on potential audiences. He seems willing to work with me, so I took advantage of the situation by expressing curiosity about his exclusive events."

"But the fact it's part business is fun," she replied. "It adds another dimension to the experience." When she glanced at him there was a definite mischievous look in her eyes and it made him wonder what she was up to. "A lot of the people are looking at you, Zac."

"That would be because I have the most outstanding woman in the room in my arms."

"Oh no, I think it is more to it than that. They've heard that the mysterious club owner from London is entering the scene here." She whispered with such a sense of intrigue, he couldn't help laughing. Perhaps she was right. He didn't really care. He was with her. He felt strangely contented, simply proud to have her on his arm. The place was full of exotic attendees in overtly sexual clothing, but he was happy to be with Abby.

His hands rested on her waist and she led him into the sound again, her body nestled inside his. It was arousing, their moving so in tune, as one and yet within the crowd of dancers. As other bodies moved around them he felt only touches, not people. He was aware of the crowd, but its energies poured into the woman in his arms. He wanted her. His cock was hardening.

A voice drew him back.

"Hello, Abby." Gabrielle was looking over her shoulder, her arm around another woman who, like her, was dressed in oddly retrospective yet futuristic corsetry. "Oh you look so good, both of you."