Excerpt

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Song after song, my courage built up. When the DJ switched to a slow song, Anando pulled me closer, his arms wrapped around my waist, and I looped mine around his neck. With a hand to the back of his head, I pulled him closer to me so I could say in the shell of his ear:

“Would you do it?”

“Do what?” he asked back, his lips brushing against my earlobe for a second.

“Tell me what to do. Not all the time, just… just a night. Just to see what it’s like. Just as… a game. You know, like the games we’ve played.”

He pulled his head back and gave me a long, surprised look. I returned it as levelly as I could. If he was wondering whether I meant it, I had to prove to him I did. I had to prove it to myself also.

I was disappointed when he let go of me and took my arms down from around his neck: disappointed, and scared that I had finally crossed a line I shouldn’t have. He reassured me by weaving his fingers through mine and holding on tight.

“Let’s go back up.”

He kept my hand in his as we walked back to the first floor and found a table. A waitress approached, and Anando ordered wine and blood. I asked for wine as well; if I was really going to ask for this, I would need more courage. I seemed to have used up all of mine on the dance floor, and I couldn’t even look straight at Anando anymore.

“Look at me, Virginia.” He waited until I did to continue. “You’re really serious. You really want to play that game.”

The waitress brought our drinks. I took a sip before I answered. The wine was refreshing, but it did very little to cool down my mind.

“Yes. I am serious.”

Anando shook his head. I thought he was refusing my offer at first, but then I recognized the look in his eyes: incredulity, with maybe a touch of amusement.

“Do you know what you’re getting yourself into?” he asked, a fleeting smile gracing his lips.

I laughed, from nerves more than anything else. “Probably not.”

He drank deep from his glass. It always fascinates me how his mix of wine and blood looks no different from my wine. His smile had faded when he lowered his glass again, and he now looked and sounded extremely serious. “This game has rules.”

I understood the shift in his attitude at that moment. He wasn’t reluctant, as I had first thought. It was just the opposite, in fact. He wanted this as well, and wanted to make sure I knew what I was asking for.

“I am serious,” I repeated. “Teach those rules to me.”

He took another sip and seemed to mull this over. “Just for a night, you said?”

I nodded.

“Give me a full day.” He sounded like he was bartering. “Twenty-four hours. You can stop anytime you want, but if you don’t we’ll just go around the clock.”

I swallowed hard, silencing my fears and doubts. I had been afraid before, but I had never regretted pushing forward. “OK.”

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