‘Do you think she's the one?' Cancer asked me as Sophie glanced back at us.
She winked at me. The corner of my lip reached my cheek as she fluttered her eyelashes.
‘Who knows,' I replied.
I couldn't tell Cancer that I didn't believe in soulmates. There was no such thing. We came to earth, we lived, and then we died. That was it in my opinion. And my opinion was always right.
‘Let's go!' Sophie cried when the bouncers finally let us into the club.
She linked her arm through mine as we made our way to the bar.
‘Two waters please,' she shouted over the house music.
‘No, I-'
Her finger came over my mouth. I snarled as she tilted her head to the side and did her secret grin. It was a grin that was saved for me. A special smile that chastised or teased me.
She patted my pocket, which made me remember that we were going to pop a pill. It had been a while since I had indulged in heavier drugs. I was getting excited as the music made me want to move. I hadn't felt like I wanted to do anything for a long time.
///
‘Let's go,' Sophie shouted, dragging me to a dark corner.
She put her hand in my pocket and pulled out the baggie. Opening my palm, I accepted the pill she placed in it. Quickly shoving it in my mouth, I swallowed it down with a gulp of water.
‘It's time to have some fun.' Sophie laughed, wrapping her arms around my neck and pulling me down to lick my jaw.
‘I don't dance,' I announced when she tried to pull me over to the others.
‘Suit yourself.' She left me standing in the shadowy corner. The music pounded around me as I watched her throw herself into the crowd. My siblings were gathered around a table near the bar. Why had I come? I never hung out with them. I hated dancing.
‘Taurus!'
Cancer took my arm and started to drag me away from my shelter. I bumped into a petite blonde as I tried to yank myself away from my sister.
‘Sorry,' I shouted. The music was too loud.
The woman turned towards me. Her blue eyes were similar to Sophie's. She smiled at me as she shrugged.
‘Cancer?' she shouted when her gaze met my sister's.
‘Kerry!'
The girls screamed as they jumped up and down. My skin started to tingle. The nerve endings felt soft and … pleasurable.
‘I haven't seen you for ages.'
I left the girls to their catch up and plunged into the throng of people. The buzz was starting to hum throughout my body. I needed to find Sophie.
‘Hey, baby!'
I turned my head and saw her grinding against another woman. A slow smile came to my face as I watched her. The urge to dance overtook me as the drug wound itself around my system.
When I reached Sophie, I stepped between the girls. They didn't need to be encouraged. Both of them instantly clung to me. Their hands ran over the muscles on my torso, sending pleasure all over my body.
‘Dance then!' Sophie shouted.
I attempted to move but dancing wasn't my thing. Sophie put her hands on my hips and tried to get me to sway. I let her guide me as a superhuman power flowed through my veins. She was so close to me. Her friend had moved away, so I thrust my hand into her hair and leant down to capture her lips with mine.
She groaned against me, her body flattening against mine. I could feel every place we touched as if she was climbing into me. I could have ripped her clothes off, right on the dancefloor, but some distant part of me knew that I shouldn't.
‘Dance!'
Her shout was loud in my ear. It felt like a caress. I let go of her. My legs started to move on their own as I jumped along to the music. A water bottle was shoved under my nose, so I snatched it. Throwing the liquid down my throat, I moaned as it travelled into my stomach. I could feel it sliding through me.
My jaw started to move, so I bit down on my gums to stop it. Time ceased to exist as Sophie jumped along with me. Sweat poured from my glands. I could feel it dripping onto my shirt. I was superhuman. I could go all night.
‘Let's rest,' Sophie shouted.
I tried to disagree, but she linked her arm through mine and dragged me out of the dancing crowd. The blast of cool air greeted my skin as Sophie led us outside.
‘I thought we were going to rest?'
My jaw was clenched tight. I couldn't stop biting down. It didn't matter. Everything felt amazing.
‘We can't rest,' Sophie whispered, taking my hand and leading me down a side alley beside the club. London was the best capital in the world. I was a tiny prawn in the middle of its streets.
‘I bet I can climb that wall like Spiderman,' I said, letting go of my date.
She giggled as she slid her arm around my waist from behind. I was about to attempt to climb the wall like Spiderman, but her hand ran down my body. My attention was completely taken by the feel of her. She wound herself around me, pressing herself into my back.
‘I want you,' she whispered.
Her breath hit my ear. I pulled away, spun around and picked her up. Pushing her against the cool brick wall, I sucked on her neck.
‘Taurus, you're amazing.' She sighed.
I pulled back to look at her. She smiled at me, her tongue darting out to wet her lips. Her pupils were big, the blue around them almost invisible. She was perfect. She had shaken me up in less than twenty four hours. No other woman had ever done that to me.
‘I think you might be the one,' I whispered, catching sight of my bracelet as I ran my hand down her arm.
‘Yes, I think I am, too,' Sophie replied, taking my attention away from the one thing that tied me to earth.
Chapter Six
‘What happened to you lot last night?' I asked as we walked down the street.
‘We went on to a different club,' Aries said. His usual swagger was still achieved, even with fake legs. I shook my head as he winked at a passing middle aged woman.
///
‘You're engaged!'
He shrugged as a car horn beeped in the distance. ‘So? Natalie knows I'm a flirt. There's nothing in it.'
‘What's relationship life like, then?'
His eyebrows rose. He was right to be surprised. I still didn't believe in twin flames, but I couldn't get Sophie out of my head.
‘It's … different.'
The lopsided grin on Aries' face showed how understated the word different was. He was besotted. I had never seen him look so … happy.
‘That's all? Different?' I wasn't going to let it drop so easily. I was intrigued by the change in him.
He checked the busy road before jogging across. His metal legs were covered by his jogging bottoms. His trainers were attached to the end of his prosthetics. No one would have guessed that he had lost his legs only a few months before.
‘What can I say? She's amazing.'
Aries shot through the open shop door. I hadn't been paying attention to where we were going. He told me that the girls had set up a picnic in the park. We were on food patrol. The supermarket was cool as I entered. It was a small express shop in Clapham.
‘Get the drinks,' Aries called as he filled a basket with processed food.
Picking up my own basket, I paused and watched the woman that stood in front of the wine. She looked familiar. I was about to grab the cans of beer when she turned her head slightly and met my gaze.
‘Hi!'
The quick response was high pitched and a little forced. The pretend smile melted into a real one when I rubbed my hand over my shaved head. Sophie had asked me to stop wearing my cap. I wasn't going to let her tell me what to do, but I had left it off.
‘You're Cancer's brother?'
The girl stepped forward and offered her hand. ‘I'm Kerry. I met you at the club last night.'
Taking her hand, I shook it once before letting go. I wasn't very good at talking to women. Not since I started taking drugs anyway.
‘I'm Taurus,' I choked out.
Being with Sophie hadn't made me any less awkward. Kerry was a pretty girl with long blonde hair. Her blue eyes were slightly darker than-
‘Cancer told me about you a few years ago. We used to play in the local park.'
Swallowing, I looked over at the tins of lager. What had Cancer told her about me? ‘Kerry! I remember now,' I blurted as an image of a small girl running around the park came back to me.
‘Yes. Your mother stopped me from playing with Cancer when she found out that she had sneaked out to see me. I was the older bad influence.'
She frowned as the memories obviously came back to her. I rubbed my stubbled jaw and moved from one foot to the other.
‘Yeah, our mother was a bit protective,' I replied, finally reaching out to pluck a six pack off the shelf.
She stared at me. I couldn't look her in the face. Making eye contact made me uneasy, which would end up being weird.
Coughing, I grabbed a different brand of beer and shoved it in my basket. ‘We're having a picnic in the park. Cancer will be there. You should come.'
I had no idea what possessed me to ask her along. I didn't know her. She smiled gently and glanced down at her basket. There was a ready meal and chocolate bar lying pathetically at the bottom.