Chapter 21
Dolores perched on the stool, her gaze glued to her phone. The throbbing music seemed muted, the chaotic scene around her fading into the background as she waited for a text from Nadia or Chloe. Their mission: to find Ivan amidst the partygoers. Dolores had opted to stay put, trusting her friends to send a signal if they spotted her quarry.
Suddenly, a subtle shift in the air alerted her. Dolores glanced to the side, her breath catching in her throat as she found herself face-to-face with a pair of icy blue-grey eyes. Axel, looking infuriatingly handsome in a dark clothes, was leaning against the counter beside her, a smirk playing on his lips.
"Torres," he drawled, his voice dripping with mock surprise. "Fancy seeing you here."
Dolores bristled, her annoyance bubbling to the surface. "Vynce," she retorted, her voice laced with ice. "What a delightful surprise." The sarcasm dripped from her like honey. Then, a new detail registered in her brain. A pungent odor hung in the air, a sickly sweet scent that made her wrinkle her nose. Her gaze dropped to Axel's lips, where a smoldering object sent tendrils of smoke curling towards the ceiling.
"Is that a cigar?" she blurted out, unable to contain her surprise.
Axel raised an eyebrow, a feigned look of shock crossing his face. "Why, Torres," he said in a sarcastic tone, "whatever would make you think I'd be smoking in such a.... respectable establishment?"
Dolores wasn't fooled by his theatrics. Her eyes narrowed as she met his gaze. "It certainly looks like one," she countered, her voice firm. The acrid smell was unmistakable.
Axel chuckled, a low, rumbling sound that sent shivers down her spine, not of pleasure, but of apprehension. He took the cigar from his lips, the tip glowing a dull ember, and leaned closer to Dolores. His face was inches from hers, his breath a heady mix of smoke and something else, something she couldn't quite place. Before she could react, he took a long drag, blowing the smoke directly into her face.
Dolores recoiled, coughing violently as the smoke stung her eyes and throat. Her anger flared, hot and sharp. How dare he?
Wiping a tear from her eye, she glared at Axel, her voice laced with fury. "You…" she sputtered, searching for the right words. "That was completely uncalled for!"
A dark chuckle rumbled from Axel's chest as he leaned back on the barstool. His gaze flickered down to Dolores' phone, still clutched tightly in her hand. A knowing smirk played on his lips. "Waiting for your little spies, Torres?" he taunted, his voice dripping with amusement.
Dolores' face flushed red with anger and a touch of embarrassment. She slammed her phone down on the counter, the sound momentarily cutting through the music. Her eyes darted towards the bartender, a beacon of hope in this sea of unwanted attention. She raised her hand and rang the small brass bell perched on the counter.
The bartender, with a weary smile, shuffled towards them, wiping his hands on a damp cloth. "Can I get you anything, miss?" he asked politely, his gaze flickering between Dolores and Axel.
"A glass of punch, please," Dolores requested, her voice firm despite the tremor running through her. The sweet beverage wasn't exactly her first choice, but it seemed like a safer option than anything stronger, especially with Axel around.
The bartender raised an eyebrow, a silent question hanging in the air. He then glanced sideways at Axel, who met his gaze with a blank stare that seemed to hold a hidden threat. The bartender cleared his throat nervously. "Miss, there's—" he began, but Axel cut him off.
Leaning back further on the counter, Axel crossed his arms and spoke with a mocking tone. "Of course," he drawled, his eyes never leaving Dolores. "Wouldn't want to corrupt the little innocent, would we?" He flashed a humorless smile at the bartender, who shrunk back visibly under his gaze.
"Right away, miss," the bartender stammered, scurrying. Relief washed over Dolores, momentarily eclipsing her anger. At least she wouldn't have to deal with Axel's taunts on an empty stomach.
Axel turned back to Dolores, a cruel smile playing on his lips. "Didn't think you were the kind who drowns their sorrows in sugary punch, Torres," he said, his voice dripping with false concern. "Or is it a celebration? "
Dolores clenched her jaw, her nails digging into the smooth surface of the counter. She refused to give him the satisfaction of a reaction. 'Just ignore him,' she thought, a mantra playing on loop in her head.
The bartender scurried back, his hands shaking slightly as he placed a glass of vibrantly colored liquid in front of Dolores. "Punch, as you requested," he mumbled, his eyes flitting between Dolores and Axel with a worried expression.
Dolores mumbled a thank you, her bravado momentarily shaken by the tense atmosphere. She lifted the glass to her lips, stealing a glance at Axel. His eyes were fixed on her, an intense gaze that seemed to pierce right through her. Taking a tentative sip, she winced slightly.
The taste was… off. It was sweet, yes, but there was a strange undercurrent of bitterness that lingered on her tongue. It wasn't like the sugary punch she remembered from middle school dances, all fruit and fizz. Dolores frowned, a flicker of unease flickering through her. Had her memory failed her, or was there something… different about this concoction?
She shrugged mentally, pushing the thought aside. Maybe her taste buds were just thrown off by the smoke and the general chaos of the night. Taking another sip, she forced a smile at the bartender. "Thanks," she repeated, hoping to dispel the awkward tension.
The bartender, his face etched with concern, simply nodded curtly before scurrying away to tend to another customer. Dolores glanced back at Axel, her earlier defiance replaced by a wary curiosity. And why did his presence make the air feel so thick with unspoken threats? As the music pulsed around her, drowning out all other thoughts, Dolores knew one thing for sure – this night was far from over. And with each passing moment, the mystery of manor deepened, its secrets swirling around her like the smoke from Axel's unwanted cigar.
The sweet, syrupy punch burned a pleasant fire down Dolores' throat as she downed the rest in one go. A strange lightness spread through her limbs, a tingling sensation that made her feel oddly carefree. Reaching for her phone again, she squinted at the screen. It was still only 8 pm. Time seemed to be slowing down, stretching into a long, lazy dream.
A shadow fell over her, and Dolores looked up to meet Axel's gaze. He towered over her, his handsome features blurred slightly at the edges. Suddenly, his height, which had always been a fact, became a revelation. "Wow," she giggled, the sound escaping her lips in a surprised burst. "You're… really tall, Axel." The words seemed funnier than they should have been, a nonsensical observation that sent another ripple of laughter bubbling up inside her.
Wait. Why was she laughing so much? And why did everything feel… different? The music, which had been a relentless assault on her senses moments ago, had softened into a slow, low hum. The flashing lights, once vibrant and chaotic, now seemed muted, their pulsing rhythm a gentle throb in her peripheral vision.
A wave of dizziness washed over her, making the room tilt slightly. The familiar weight of her body seemed to lessen, replaced by a strange sense of floating. Dolores frowned, a flicker of unease battling with the strange euphoria that clouded her judgment. This wasn't right. The punch… it had to be the punch. It wasn't just sugary anymore; it was… something else. Something that made her feel lightheaded, giggly, and utterly unlike herself.
Panic started to rise in her chest, a cold prickle that threatened to break through the haze of intoxication. She needed to get some fresh air, to clear her head. Pushing herself off the stool, Dolores wobbled slightly, surprised by the lack of coordination in her normally dependable legs. The world seemed to tilt again, the floor rushing up to meet her for a brief, disorienting moment. Grasping at the edge of the counter for support, she took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.
This wasn't fun anymore. This was… scary. Dolores needed to find Nadia and Chloe, or better yet, get out of this overwhelming place altogether. But with each passing moment, the simple act of thinking straight seemed to become a monumental effort.