The music coming from the second floor grew louder the higher we rose up the stairway. It was a steady dance beat, and as it thumped into me, I found myself wanting to move to it. I could feel my blood humming, and I swayed as Kisten pulled me to a halt at the top of the stairs.

It was warmer up there, and I fanned myself. The huge plate-glass windows that had once overlooked the Ohio River had been replaced with walls, unlike the openings remaining downstairs. The dining tables had been removed to leave a building-wide, high-ceilinged open space ringed with tall cocktail tables pressed against the walls. There were no chairs. At the far end was a long bar. Again no chairs. Everyone was standing.

Above the bar just below the ceiling was a dark loft where the DJ and light-show panel was. Behind that was what looked like a pool table. A harried-looking tall man was standing in the center of the dance floor with a cordless mike, pleading to the mixed crowd of vampires: living and dead, men and women, all dressed similar to what I had been wearing earlier. It was a vamp dance club, I decided, wanting to cover my ears against the loud catcalls.

The man with the mike caught sight of Kisten, and his long face lifted in relief. “Kisten!” he said, his miked utterance turning heads and causing a cheer from the surrounding women in skimpy party dresses. “Thank God!”

The man beckoned to him, and Kisten took my shoulders. “Rachel?” he questioned. “Rachel!” he exclaimed, pulling my attention from the pretty spinning lights above the floor. His blue eyes went worried. “Are you okay?”

I nodded, my head bobbing up and down. “Yup, yup, yup,” I said, giggling. I felt so warm and relaxed. I liked Kisten’s dance club.

Kisten’s brow furrowed. He glanced at the overdressed man everyone was laughing at, then back to me. “Rachel, this will only take a moment. Is that okay?”

I was watching the lights again, and he turned my chin to look at him. “Yes,” I said, moving my mouth slowly so it would come out right. “I’ll wait right here. You go open the floor.” Someone bumped me, and I almost fell into him. “I like your club, Kisten. It’s fab.”

Kisten stood me upright, waiting until I had my balance before letting go. The crowd had started to chant his name, and he raised a hand in acknowledgment. They redoubled their calls, and I put my hands over my ears. The music pounded into me.

Kisten gestured to someone at the bottom of the stairs, and I watched Steve take them two at a time, moving his hulking size like it was nothing. “Is she what I think she is?” Kisten asked the big man as he came close.

“Ye-e-e-e-ah,” the big man drawled as they both peered at me. “She’s blood-sugared. But she’s a witch.” Steve’s eyes left me and fixed on Kisten. “Isn’t she?”