Club Downtime

Jacob felt shivers shoot down his spine, he couldn't help the way he was reacting to Evelyn. But the demon knew to keep a careful eye out in case this was some kind of trick to escape, but then he knew he wasn't one to deny something he wanted.

"You know I'm not a prude, chicka." Jacob dropped his voice so only she could hear him.

Luke and Ashlee, and Ashton and Lola had headed back to the bar, leaving Antonio and Seth to bicker over air hockey. Ashton ordered a virgin Coke, not feeling the need to get drunk, while Luke swigged down a martini, setting his glass down. "Have you seen Ev and James?" he asked the others. "Some girl was actually asking me about him." He snickered.

Evelyn turned her head just slightly, keeping her gaze distant and dazed even as she scoped out the area behind Jake's shoulder.

Yes! Her friends were at the bar!

"You're not even a little drunk," Evelyn reprimanded Jake, reaching up to tousle his dark hair slowly. Up close, she spotted the gauntness of his cheeks and the gray-blue tint to his eyelids. He looked exhausted. "You don't look so good," she whispered, trying to fight down the concern springing inside her. She shouldn't care!

Yet when her fingers sifted slowly through the hair at the back of his head, it wasn't all an act. She used two fingers to massage the muscles at the base of his neck. "Can I make you feel better?" she said softly in his ear, letting him straighten up. How would she get him to the bar? He wouldn't go willingly, she understood that.

Ashlee tapped her [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] clad foot on the bar stool and shook her head. "That's a no, I have no idea where James is."

Lola ordered herself a Coke as well, she was a bit tired from dancing and her cheek was kind of aching, when she received her cool glass she let it rest against her face. "He's probably still dancing."

Just then James emerged off the dance floor staggering over to the bar, pushing his way through. "Finally... I thought I'd never escape." James gasped, he had finally gotten away from the clutches of the evil girl that had him captive on the dance floor.

Jake sighed, her fingers massaging his neck felt so good. He felt his eyes fluttering and flicked them half open looking down at Evelyn. "I, yeah there is a way you can make me feel better." He said to her.

Ashton and Luke stared at James. "Um..." Ashton began, and then held out a tiny shot. "Want?"

"Wasn't Ev with you?" Luke asked, scanning the club a little worriedly. Evelyn had been rather tipsy. "Shit..."

***

Just a little more, Evelyn thought. She swallowed. He looked a little disoriented. And he wasn't hurting her either. This was good.

"I know," she said in a soft murmur, drawing back to look up at him as she traced circles at the back of his neck to relax him. "I know, but not here. Here all I can do is..." She trailed off, feeling sick at the prospect in her mind. She couldn't bring herself to...

But if it gave her a shot at escape, she'd do it.

She used her hand at the back of his neck to pull his head down to her and gave him a soft, lingering kiss, alcohol tinging her lips. It would only make him more disoriented, she hoped, and tried to ignore her insides heating up in a familiar way. This wasn't Jake.

James shook his head in disagreement, he felt the alcohol in his system start to protest. What had he been thinking taking all of those shots earlier?

Ashlee tried scanning the dance floor for Evelyn, but it was kind of hard to spot her through the strobing lights and the crowded dance floor. "Maybe she went to the bathroom, I'll go look." Ashlee said getting up to walk towards the bathroom.

***

Something had happened that the demon wasn't prepared for.

The wall he had up between him and Jake had broken momentarily, and in the moment Evelyn had kissed Jacob, it was really him returning her kiss to him and the demon had basically been holding Jacob up on strings since in reality he had been running his body ragged.

Jake wasn't sure how he had done it but he had control over his body for a moment and was kissing Evelyn like it would be the last time he would ever see her.

Jacob was so disoriented, and his mind in such a haze he felt himself how weak he felt. How had the demon been able to keep him standing, he wanted to be himself for a moment longer to warn Evelyn, but he felt himself falling literally as his body slouched down.

This is why you don't break down the wall kid, you just fall over. Now shut up and let me take over. You got your little kiss but I'm gonna get so much more.

Evelyn was starting to forget why she disliked Jake so much, and figured the kissing idea was probably not the greatest suggestion she'd had. She really couldn't remember why she was afraid of him when he kissed her like he was right now. But then she felt herself begin to sag as Jake's weight seemed to be piling down on her. What the hell?

Her eyes snapped open and she pulled away, breaking the kiss as Jake leaned into her. She was dizzy, she couldn't really hold him up along with herself. "Jake, what - what's wrong?" she asked groggily, inhaling sharply as her head spun. The running-off plan flew out of her mind.

Jake's head dropped to her shoulder and he was whispering. "Evelyn... don't don't..." He winced feeling a sharp pain in his head too weak to even fight back anymore the demon took over regaining its position in Jake's body.

He straightened realizing what was going on now. Evelyn was trying to distract him, get him to forget his initial plan in getting her to leave. But thanks to the slip up in management in the kids body she was worried that he was going to pass out.

"Don't worry chicka I'm fine." Jake said reassuring Evelyn, he was alright as he straightened himself upright he cupped her cheek in his hand and lowered his lips to her's kissing her again. His other hand trailing down her back.

Ashton had been talking to Luke at the bar when he happened to look up and caught a glint of bronze in the dark club. And there really weren't that many tall guys around. "Is that Jake?" he asked Lola distractedly, looking back at his shot glass. "The guy in gray with the redhead over there. Thought he went to Vudu." He'd spotted who he was positive was Jake, kissing a reddish-haired girl on the dance floor.

***

Don't stop him. You know what happened last time you tried to stop him. Evelyn made herself return Jake's sudden kiss, feeling her body shiver in reflex as his fingers trailed down her back. She felt completely baffled. For a second, he'd sounded...

But no, that demon possession thing was stupid. She broke away to breathe, placing her hands on Jake's shoulders. "Easy, boy." She flashed him a mischievous smile and pulled away, stepping back out of arm reach. "I do need to breathe, you know?"

Lola glanced up from the bar and squinted her eyes to the dance floor, and then a flashing white strobe light illuminated the entire dance floor and in that glimpse she saw Jacob and Evelyn standing together and her eyes widened in horror. "Oh no..." She set her drink down and headed frantically towards the dance floor to get Evelyn away from Jake.

***

Jacob shook his head away, he was getting distracted from his plan. It was because Jake kept fighting for control with the demon after breaking the seal once and now things were gonna get bad if he allowed himself to lose control again back to Jacob.

She was trying to distract him, get him off task. And sure as much as he would have enjoyed taking advantage of her, he had felt a pair of eyes on him and when he looked up to see Lola fleeing the bar to get to where they were, he realized he needed to get them off the dance floor.

Jake narrowed his eyes at Evelyn into two dark slits and reached into his pocket taking his knife out, he kept it low so no one else would see him pulling it out and flicked the blade open. "Alright Red, enough games. I know what you're doing. So either follow me, or you'll be wearing more red than that short dress."

Evelyn's smile dropped. She was suddenlly grateful she was a couple feet from him. She lifted her eyes up to him, swallowing nausea. No more games. For now. She understood Jake was still affected by her though.

"You do anything to me, I'll scream," she informed him nonchalantly, stepping further back. She recalled how fast he'd moved earlier. So she couldn't outrun him but he couldn't exactly stab her in public and expect to get away from it.

Ashton had been watching Lola stride away in confusion. "What's that about?" he asked the others, bemused. Luke clenched his jaw, spotting Jake.

Ashlee and James both shrugged not sure exactly what was going on and why Lola took off like just did.

***

Jacob was sick of her playing all these stupid games so he grabbed her roughly again pulling her into him and holding her tightly. "You think I'm bluffing don't you? You think I won't hurt you or even worse... kill you?" Jake threatened her.

"I can sneak into your window, hell break it if I want to. I'll skin that little dog of yours and slit your pretty little neck while I fuck you and if you think I'm lying or bluffing here's a taste." Jacob said taking his knife and nicking her arm with it so it drew blood on her pale skin.

Jacob pulled her close again and spoke into her ear. "I will follow your every move, if you speak to anyone what I o or say to you. I know how to find you, how to track you. I've even managed to get Seth's little PI off my back, trust me I've managed to spot him and he's lucky he's still able to still see out of his own eyes. But you won't be when I spear yours and eat them like ripe grapes."

Ashton's eyes followed Lola in puzzlement as she headed for...Jake? Why?

He slid off his stool and followed her, getting a weird vibe from eh panicky way she was moving.

***

Evelyn was frozen in disbelief. She forgot to breathe, her body seemed to have rimed over like she was out in the freezing January wind instead of inside an overheated club. Her brain was still trying to process what Jake had said to her.

He wouldn't...but the proof was her stinging arm, a cut trickling blood onto her bare skin, stinging and she sucked in a breath against his chest. Not Nova. Her hands began to shake. She could....no, not run for it. He was really going to use that knife, wasn't he. She didn't dare lift her head, feeling her lips tremble. "Okay. I - I'll, just...leave Nova alone. You have a problem with me," she caved. She didn't want anyone else breaking arms or legs on her account! She'd play along for now...and then find some way to end this mess.

Evelyn's fingers hurt suddenly, and she realized she'd closed her fist aorund her studded cross ring.

For some reason, she raised her finger and pressed the ring to Jake's chest as she spoke. She didn't know why, just a sort of weak instinct.

Jacob winced and let out a pained cry as Evelyn's cross made contact with his chest, he could feel it burning his flesh and he backed off immediately. "Ahh!" He clutched his chest taking deep breaths.

Why had that happened? Then when he had noticed the cross jewelery he growled at it, like an enraged animal.

***

Lola got to the dance floor and shoved herself in between dancing people, trying to get to Jacob and Evelyn unaware that Ashton was following her. She didn't want Evelyn to get hurt. Jake wasn't himself

Evelyn sucked in a scream, holding it back with difficulty as she looked up at Jake's face. She hesitated - and then bolted at last, darting through the crowd toward the bar, shoving past people impatiently.

***

"Yo, Lola, wait up!" Ashton called ot her, trying to grab her shoulder as he neared her. "What's going on?"

Jacob realized he had drawn attention to himself and took off in the other direction. Damn it! He couldn't believe he had revealed himself like that.

He tucked his knife away into his pocket, and darted out.

***

Lola stopped taking this moment to to take a couple of breaths, she looked up at Ashton. She didn't want to lie to him, but she couldn't tell him the truth. That Seth's arm was broken because Jake had broken it, and the reason she hadn't been seeing him was because she was covering a bruise the size of Texas because Jake punched her in the face.

As she opened her mouth to speak she saw a flash of bronze hair trying to escape the dance floor, and she went after Evelyn. "Evelyn!" She yelled to her chasing after her.

For some reason, hearing someone call her name kicked up Evelyn's paranoia and she nearly collapsed headlong into the bar as she reached it. She took a moment to calm herself, shaking violently no matter how much she tried to cool herself down. She checked behind her again and again, but she couldn't see him.

Jake had left, she realized slowly, and then flinched when she heard Lola's voice again. She got to her feet, shakily from where she had collapsed amidst a crowd, and went slowly over to where she could see Luke, James and Ashlee sitting. Evelyn was still shuddering as her skin crawled with the memory of Jake's whispered threat. He was kidding...

And what about the cross? She looked down at her hand as Lola and Ashton reached the bar again. What had happened to Jake just then? Evelyn stopped walking.

No, it's ridiculous...but how many more explanations work? Jake would never...he'd never threaten to.... Her stomach recoiled and she turned, heading for the ladies' room and promptly throwing up in a stall out of horror and nauseated fear. She retched until her insides ached, long after the alcohol was flushed out of her body, and then collapsed against the stall wall, thankful the bathroom was deserted as she tried to take a breather.

After about a half hour or so more Ashlee yawned, she glanced at the time on her phone. Usually she was never fond of ending a outing early but she was kind of tired, she looked at everyone and announced. "Hey I'm kinda tired, I wanna head home. Call it a night, you guys wanna get going?" She asked everyone.

Ashton nodded, wondering about Lola's mad dash. She hadn't answered him.

"Sure, fetch Seth and Tony, and Ev, and let's head out," Luke said with a yawn. He wondered why Evelyn had disappeared almost all night.

Ashton went upstairs to get his brother and Seth.

Evelyn, meanwhile had spent some time in the bathroom calming down, at least visibly. She no longer looked over her shoulder like a paranoid freak.

The cut on her arm had been surprisingly deep. He really hadn't been joking, had he? She dabbed it with a wet tissue and cringed as it bled. So she finally wrapped it up with lots of tissue and went to get her jacket from coat check to prevent her friends asking her about it. She washed her face and went for her coat, before heading to the bar. "Hey, are we leaving?" she asked Ashlee, noticing Luke and James grabbing their jackets.

"Yeah I'm tired, and everyone else kind of wants to get going too. Did you have fun? I haven't seen you all night." Ashlee said pulling on her coat.

Antonio and Seth had appeared downstairs, Antonio had lost to another round of air hockey against Seth.

James and Luke had their jackets on and Lola slipped into her leather jacket once all of them were together they started making their way to the exit.

Evelyn, too busy scanning the area for Jake as they stepped out, forgot to answer. It took her a moment before she said, "Oh! Um...y-yeah, it was. Really...fun." She swallowed and thne said, "You can sleepover tonight if you wa - "

Jake's words came to her. She doubted he'd care if Ashlee was around. He'd probably snap her neck. Evelyn felt sick again.

"Um, I was gonna say, how are you getting home? It's like one - no, two am."

"Called a cab. I'm not too far from here but no way I'm walking Ashlee snorted,

As they exited the club and separated from Ashlee, James and Luke, Evelyn glanced over at Seth, who was talking to Ashton in his usual excited tones, and wondered if she should say anything. Or since Seth was around Jake so often, maybe not.

What about Lola? She pondered this but then decided she didn't want to see Lola walking around with a broken limb. How had Jake found out? And Seth had...hired a PI? To watch over him, she figured. So he had listened to her, but it hadn't done much good since Jake had caught on anyway.

She rubbed her stinging arm as a breeze blew past, and was grateful to get into Ashton's car. Seth brushed her shoulder as he sat down, and she stifled a wince as her arm throbbed.

"This was fun," Ashton was saying as he started the car. "We should come here more often." Seth made a noise of agreement, mentioning something about the games but Evelyn wasn't listening. She was looking at Lola, positive that when Lola had gotten in the car, there had been something...on her cheek. A bruise?

It couldn't be Jake. Lola wasn't involved in this ugly mess yet. But she did hang around the boys' suite often. Evelyn gnawed her lower lip, losing her desire to blurt out to Lola what had just happened.

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