The heavens raged. Thunder boomed continuously, lightning flashes were coming down so often that night seemed like day, the wind howled. All in all a terrible night to be in except that it was the eve before Samhain and the weather fit.
Two bored ladies sat at their table inside the entrance door to the Twysted Knot, a private club catering to those of the BDSM persuasion.
"I can't wait until we're done," Val said to her coworker, Carla. "James is waiting here for me, we have plans for tonight." She suggestively wiggled her eyebrows and both ladies giggled.
"Well," Carla replied, "I need to get out of here by 11 so I can make it to my coven. We're welcoming in Samhain at midnight."
Val cocked an eyebrow. "Samhain? That anything like Halloween?"
Carla smiled. "Halloween kind of came from it. It's a pagan celebration, the start of a 3 day period when the doors between life and death open. Kind of need to make sure the wrong things don't come through the door."
"Pagan? You're a witch or something?" Val asked incredulously.
Carla laughed. "No, I'm a pagan. No warts or green skin or riding around on a broomstick. Just simple earth magic."
The door blew open and rain and wind pounded inside. Evil green dry ice smoke swirled upwards, a hideous cackling emanated from the 2 squat Gargoyle statues guarding either side of the door, and a man parted the mists.
"Oh, god, that is so lame already!" Carla wailed.
"I know, you'd think someone could come up with some original Halloween decorations" agreed Val.
They both stared at the man who had entered. Both had the same thought. There was no umbrella, he hadn't put one down, but he was dry as a bone.
"Oh my gods and goddesses," whispered Carla, "check this guy out. Be still my quivering flesh!" Val squeezed her knee under the table in agreement.
He was a bit over 6 feet tall, dressed in a jet black suit which was molded to him like a second skin and showing off a lean muscular frame. His hair matched the suit's darkness. Piercing eyes in a drop-dead handsome face settled on the ladies and a smile cracked his lips.
"Good evening." The voice flowed from him like oil. "I'm here to meet someone."
An uncomfortable silence hung for a few more seconds before Val broke from her reverie.
"Sorry, my attention wandered for a second. What member are you here to see?"
"I believe she goes by the name Shadows91," he replied.
Carla checked the database. "I'm sorry, sir, but I'm not finding a guest request under her account. we need this to allow access. This is a private club."
The man leaned over the table and gazed steadily at them. "There must be a glitch in the system."His voice was low and resonant, "please check again."