33

The Strip was where you went for a night of bar hopping if you were looking to "cut loose", but only wanted the polished veneer of artificial debauchery that this Disneyfied common space specialized in. That being said, it did boast some of the best live music clubs anywhere, and The Tavern was at the top of that list. I had been there once before, when I had first started college, and the jazz fest that happened that weekend still shines as one of my brightest memories. It was three days of soul searing music, pianos and horns, and rooms filled with the smell of stale whisky and sweat. It had been pure heaven, and I was hoping that Paul's performance tonight would be similar.

I remembered on New Year's when Paul expressed to me his interest in music, and how I had encouraged him to follow that passion after teaching him the ins and outs of lovemaking, pun definitely intended. It surprised me, though, that he would jump into it that quickly. I decided that I would have to make sure and pry the story from him after his show, and I am sure Kelli was hoping that between the two of us we could pry a few other things out of him as well. She and I had talked long and hard about it in the few days immediately following New Year. We realized that for our relationship to work we were going to have to share everything, including any extra bed mates that my Neko half might push me to.

By the time my musings had brought my one track mind back to thinking about sex we had arrived at The Tavern and made our way inside. It was just like I remembered, with dim, almost nonexistent light in the common areas, with the bar and stage both sporting a bright halo of warm light. Both Kelli and I immediately went up to the counter and got the attention of the bartender, who immediately asked for our IDs. We didn't even bother getting them out and just asked for two under age bands that nearly all the drinking places in the area used. It was great for business because most of us who were under age really loved the live music in the Strip, and we could still buy food and sodas so it was a win for everyone.

Once we had our no alcohol bracelets in place and our first drink orders put in, Kelli grabbed me by the arm and began leading me over to one side of the common area, where I noticed Ali and some other people had gathered. I waved at her as she turned and noticed Kelli and I, and everyone with her quickly made room and stood to greet us when we came over.

"Hey guys," Ali greeted us with a smile. "Come join the crew."

"Thanks for having us," Kelli replied as she gave Ali a quick hug.

"Pffttt... I'd be a Class A Bitch if I didn't hang with my friends. And you look absolutely fabulous tonight Kelli!"

Kelli blushed from neck to ears at Ali's compliment, but still managed to thank her without appearing to be overly bashful. Once Kelli had stepped aside I pulled Ali into a bone crushing hug that made her grunt in surprise.

"Thank you so much for everything that you did," I whispered in her ear, with a slight quaver in my voice. "It means the world to me that you're my friend and would step up like that for me."

Ali took my face in her hands and looked at me while we touched forehead to forehead.

"I haven't known either you or Kelli for very long," she whispered back to me. "But you are both my sisters, as sure as anyone in the Circle is my sister. I hope you know that I would walk through fire and all the levels of hell for either of you, because I know that you would do the very same for me without a moment's hesitation."

Then she kissed me on my cheek and tried to wipe a few tears from her eyes without me seeing before turning to the others in the group so she could introduce us.

"Ok gang, this is Myka, our own resident Neko, and her girlfriend Kelli. Myka, Kelli, this is gang," Ali said in introduction, getting several laughs in the process.

"Really though, this is Jessica, Paul's sister, our friend Jasmine and her boyfriend Matt," and as Ali indicated each person in the group we all made the rounds of handshakes and hugs.

I was not sure what it was, but something about the group was bothering me. I really couldn't put actual words to my feelings about it, but something just felt disjointed about the way everyone was interacting with each other. I took a minute or two to look at the lines that bound these new people to each other and I didn't notice anything wrong there either. Clearly Jessica and Ali were very good friends, but there was almost no connection between Matt and anyone but Jasmine. If they were in a relatively new relationship, however, then this would most likely be more than normal.

I just couldn't shake the feeling that something about the group was going to go terribly wrong. As I was trying to solidify my understanding of what my instincts were telling me about these new people I suddenly shivered as an icy chill shot down my spine faster than a bolt of lightning. I was being watched, and suddenly my feelings about Ali's friends made sense. It wasn't the group that was wrong it was someone or something else in the bar with us.

I stepped back while everyone else was talking and I scanned the room using all of my more predatory senses so that I would miss nothing. I looked in every corner, and every dark space, but even with my heightened powers of observation I still could not locate the source of my feeling. And with another jolting shiver the sense of being watched disappeared as fast as it had appeared, taking with it everything that I had sensed about our new friends. I knew that Kelli and I would need to be even more careful until we had figured out who was behind the problems we had been having.

"So, Myka," Jessica called to me as I turned back and rejoined the group. "How do you know Paul?"

I giggled shyly at her question, and even Kelli blushed a bit as she wondered how I was going to answer. Ali, on the other hand, was just shaking her head in mock disgust, and Matt and Jasmine just looked confused.

"Well Jessica," I began with a wink at Kelli to let her know I wouldn't overdo it. "I ran into Paul during the New Year's party at your house. We danced some, talked about things, and spent some time discussing his love of music."

"Wait a minute," Jessica gasped as her eyes widened in realization. "You were the girl he was with at the party? Oh my god!"

I couldn't help but giggle, and Jessica's surprise made me blush a little, knowing that Paul had at least mentioned me to his family.

"Yes, Jessica, I was that girl. And the only other thing I will tell you is that he was a perfect gentleman who just needed a little push in the right direction."

"But, why? Aren't you with Kelli," she asked, I could tell that she was still a bit confused.

"I am with Kelli, and I love her very much. The details of New Year's, however, get a little bit complicated," and I took Kelli's hand in mine as I responded. "Kelli and I have a unique point of view, and even we don't understand it all yet."

"So you cheated on your girlfriend with Paul at the party," and I turned to respond to Jasmine's irritated comment, but Kelli beat me to the punch.

"Actually, Myka and I had just kissed for the first time at the party," Kelli quipped back, and I sensed that she was defending me like a bear protecting her cubs. "So, no, she hadn't cheated on me, and we talked about it for several days afterward and I am certainly ok with it."

And then Kelli lowered her eyes in a coquettish display and said, "And I wanted to meet Paul tonight to see what all the fuss was about."

"You need to behave," I said as I smacked her on the arm, and both of us burst into a fit of giggles while Ali just shook her head at our antics.

"Look, I'm sorry," I said after a few moments. "I really am not trying to make light of this, but there are things about our relationship that are complicated, as I said before. One day we may have it all figured out, but right now we just take it day by day, like everyone else."

As I said this, Kelli wrapped her arm around my waist and snuggled into my shoulder, but Jasmine turned around and took a seat far away from us, the look of disgust written plain on her face. Jessica, however, just looked at the two of us thoughtfully for a minute.

"Look, as long as you don't hurt my brother, I really don't care how you choose to live your lives. You hurt him, though, and you will answer to me, understood?"

"I promise you I won't hurt him," I replied, gently taking Jessica's hand. "Now, what do they have to eat here? I feel like I haven't eaten in, like, two days!"

"You haven't," Ali mumbled under her breath, trying her best not to laugh at my comment.

"So, yeah," I broke back in. "Food first, and right the hell now, then when is this show supposed to start?"

And with that the ice was broken, with Jessica and Matt at least, and we all sat around a table they had staked out near the wall. I was not sure what Jasmine's problem was, but everyone else seemed to be ok with Kelli and me. I figured I would just give her some space. In the mean time I was able to order a gigantic roast beef sandwich, very, very rare, with sweet potato fries and some mini-peppers. Half of the conversation over the next forty five minutes as we waited for the show to start was how in the name of Almighty God I could eat that much food in so short a time. It really felt good to laugh again, and to be among new and old friends.

There was a lot of bullshitting as we sat there, with the mish mash of questions that any group goes through when so little is known about each other. Jokes were made in an effort to lighten the mood, silly and embarrassing stories were swapped, much to the chagrin of the various victims at the table, and even Jasmine seemed to loosen up after she had had a drink or two.