Eclipse Of The Moon ~ Book 1 of Aaron
Chapter 40
Heaven Water

Saturday 11 October 2003

"Wow, the building looks gorgeous," I murmur as Anton parks in front of what looks like an old construction and which bears neon lights that say Heaven Water.

"No change of plans, Ivan?" Anton asks carefully.

"No. I'll see you in a bit," Ivan replies sternly before he tilts his head toward me while his friend steps out of the car. "This place used to be a casino actually, hence the old architecture," he explains with a wink as he opens the door.

As Anton drives away, Ivan leads me toward the large entrance of the building, where stanchions linked by thick red rope are standing, waiting to be expanded when guests will start queuing later tonight. It's only 5pm right now, so the sidewalk is obviously empty, but I can easily imagine what it will look like in a few hours. I can't help a mental smirk when a bouncer greets us and shows us in because I won't have to do these lines to get in.

"Where's Anton going?" I ask distractingly while I'm ushered into a huge hall, taking in its beauty.

The hall has kept its old charm with shiny wooden desk counters on both sides. The dim light doesn't allow me to see all the details, but I do notice the ancient-like cash registers, and in the left alcove, someone is rearranging all the coat-hangers on racks. The girl shyly welcomes us, and once Ivan has politely saluted her, he leads me toward a short, dark and low-ceiling corridor that opens on the main room.

"He's gone to park the car at the rear of the club," Ivan replies as we enter the large space.

"Why didn't we go there directly?" I ask curiously.

There's a brief moment of hesitation with embarrassment or something similar displaying on my guardian's face before he recovers his normal bearing.

"Because I wanted you to discover the Heaven Water from its main entrance," he replies with a wide smile, opening his right arm and sweeping the huge room in a long circular gesture.

"Jeez, it's big... and modern!!" I exclaim as my eyes roam around the feebly lit room.

"That, it is," he chuckles, grabbing my elbow and guiding me toward the center of the room. "Like I told you earlier, it's a former casino and that's why it's kept its old architecture, but as you can see, most of the interior has been redecorated and modernized even if we preserved the old design. The dance floor has some of the latest technologies in terms of lightings and effects."

"I can't wait to see those in action," I reply eagerly.

"In a few hours, Menino. Also, the casino often hosted jazz concerts, so we kept the stage for bands to play live. And over there," he continues, pointing at a large balcony, "that's the DJ's den."

"Cool! Will I get to meet him?"

"Yep, a bit later you will. His name is Scott."

"And what about all the other balconies?" I ask with genuine curiosity.

"They're VIP spaces. They're rented by groups who want to organize private parties or sometimes by celebrities who want to enjoy a bit of privacy with friends. And finally, there are lounge areas and bars when guests want to take a break and enjoy a drink. As for the restrooms, they're a bit everywhere, but," he trails off with a certain expression of resolve, pointing at a rather dark spot behind the main lounge, "these... let's say they're often busy with people... going at it."

"Are you talking about... sex?" I insist with a wide smile.

"Yeah, sex... There are condom dispensers in all the restrooms anyway," the grumpy bear adds meaningfully.

Duh... Who knows... I might have forgotten how important they are after the seven hundred twenty-six thousand two hundred and twenty-third reminder.

"Excellent... Guess these toilets will be my favorite ones."

"Yeah, right," Ivan groans. "I thought you were coming to enjoy the dance floor?"

"The dance floor and sex," I retort, grinning at him before I continue observing my surroundings and watch all the staff buzzing around as they prepare the club for the evening. "It's really beautiful."

"Glad you like it. It'll look even better when it's full of people eager to shake the steam off and with all the lights on," he chuckles, conducting me toward the rear of the room where we walk through double doors and into a large corridor. "Let me show you backstage now."

Our visit of the Heaven Water carries on with the security room where Anton is now chairing some sort of meeting with a team of perhaps ten guards. Although I mostly have eyes only for all the screens that display the entrance, the hall and the main room from various angles, I do notice some of the men's knowing looks as Ivan introduces me as one of his friends. After what happened at the G Spot last August, I'm pretty sure that they had already seen a picture of me before.

Back in the main room of the Heaven Water, Ivan goes to greet more people who have arrived meanwhile, one of which is a woman in her late twenties that Ivan introduces as the bar manager. If I'm to judge by her strong self-confidence and her arms covered in tattoos, I bet she's not one you want to mess up with.

"See that face, Sandra?" Ivan asks, briefly nodding at me.

"Yep, Boss. A barely legal young man looking older than his age, I bet?"

"You got it, girl. No alcohol."

"Hey! I wasn't going to even try getting some alcohol!" I protest, rolling my eyes and earning a deep glare from Mister Ice that I plainly ignore. "Hi, Sandra, nice to meet you. My name's Aaron," I say, winking at the girl.

"Nice to meet you, Cutie. I don't do babies, though," she replies teasingly.

"Don't worry, I don't do girls anyway," I snap back playfully.

"Ahah, I already like you."

That's when a cute hunk hastily joins us. In his early thirties, his sandy hair tied in a bun, the guy is rather tall and gives off really cool vibes.

"Hi, Ivan, sorry I'm a bit late, damned car wouldn't start this afternoon. Have I missed anything?"

"Nope, and that's fine, Scott. Here's Aaron, a friend of mine who's discovering the Heaven Water for the first time tonight. Aaron, this is Scott, our DJ."

"Nice to meet you, Aaron," the guy says cheerfully, extending his right hand that I gladly shake.

"Nice to meet you too. How long have you been a DJ?"

"Hmm... Professionally speaking about ten years, but I started playing with turntables when I was 8. Needless to say, my butt earned quite a few kicks each time I screwed one of my father's records," he replies with a wink.

"Are you still working on that kind of material?"

"Sure, though most of the job's done with CDs and digital music is even more convenient in the trade," he explains. "I've got to go start preparing my workspace for tonight, but if you wish, I could show a few things later?"

"That'd be cool!"

"Feel free to visit me later tonight then."

"I'll show him how to get to your space, Scott. Thanks," Ivan interferes.

Well, he does just that as we pursue our visit of the nightclub, and once I have seen all the backstage with the stockrooms and staff locker rooms, Ivan leads me upstairs. With the main room benefiting from a high ceiling, the surface of the upper floor is much smaller and welcomes several rooms or offices along the left side and the rear of the building thanks to a rather narrow corridor toward the end of which sits Ivan's sanctuary.

As I expected from the boss of such a nice nightclub, his office is spacious and comfy with a wide couch and a meeting table on the left side and well-organized desk and file-closets on the right side.

"So that's where you spend most of your days?" I ask, a bit perplexed by the absence of windows though.

"Hmm... Not really, but I do spend a fair amount of time here indeed. Managing a club is a lot of work," he replies, scratching the back of his head.

"Yeah, I guess... But what do you do all night long in that office!?"

"I don't spend all night long in that office," he chuckles. "But if you're interested, I'll tell you a bit more about the job."

"Yeah!! I'd love to know. The more I think about it, the more working in a nightclub sounds thrilling."

"Hmm sort of... Let's go have dinner and we'll discuss this over a nice meal. How about pizzas?"

"Sounds great!!" I reply cheerfully because I love Ivan's idea of a nice meal and I can't say no to a good greasy pizza.

So, here we are proceeding back downstairs and through the club, then out the main entrance. There, he chitchats a bit more with a super-bulky bouncer who tells him about a fight he had with a customer last night.

"What happened, Jake?" Ivan asks warily.

"I'm pretty sure it was the first time I saw him, but there was something that felt off with that scrawny guy, he looked nervous, so I took him aside for a body search as usual, and I found a small bag of pills in his pocket. When I told him to go away, he said I could keep the pills and let him in, but since I refused, he got pissed and tried to start a fight."

"You did well, Jake. He might have had some more in a more discreet spot," Ivan grunts. "I bet it was a short fight if he was that skinny."

"Eheh, absolutely Mr. Vargas."

"Jesus. These guys are such a pain. Drugs are a real plague. Did you report the incident to Anton?"

"Yes, I did."

"Good. Keep your eyes open, Jake."

The restaurant is only two blocks away, and unsurprisingly, I earn an umpteenth lecture on drugs and how they flow within nightclubs. The more I tell him that drugs are definitely a part of my past, the more he insists on the smooth talk, arguing that alcohol and drugs aren't necessary to enjoy oneself and have fun. The speech goes on an on until the waiter brings our dishes and sodas.

"Ivan, I got the message, thank you," I sigh with exasperation before I take a first bite of my pepperoni pizza.

"Sorry, Menino, but I just want to make sure you won't accept any pill or anything from someone you don't know."

"I won't."

"And don't drink off glasses you could find on tables either."

"Why the heck would I do that? I'll just tell Sandra to charge my beverages on your credit card each time I'm thirsty," I smirk.

"Yes, you do that," he approves. "And you remain careful."

"Stop. Tell me about your job instead," I grouse, hoping for a change of topic.

"Hmm... yeah, right," he chuckles, rolling his eyes. "Do you want me to tell you about all the clubs, pubs, restaurants and even the few hotels I own?"

"Ugh no! I already know that Mr. Meyers takes care of those for you and that you just occasionally visit those establishments for business reviews. I want to know about the Heaven Water and what you do there. Why do you spend more time in that club than in the others?"

"Because this one holds a special spot in my heart," he says, a weird fondness filling his eyes. "All these other establishments I own, they're just businesses I bought because they were bankrupt or because they were good investment opportunities. The Heaven Water is special because I built it from scratch about ten years ago, it was a real challenge."

"Is that why you chose a former casino?"

"Yep. It was an interesting project to keep the old architecture of the abandoned casino and have it modernized to my tastes."

"I bet. What kind of boss are you? I'm wondering if you're a pain in the neck of your staff... like you can be around me," I tease him playfully, which still earns me a dark scowl.

"Careful, Menino... I like to think that I'm a good boss," he replies thoughtfully. "Of course, I'm quite demanding and I expect my employees to give their best, but... I like the hands-on approach."

"What do you mean?"

"I like to participate and even lend a hand when it's necessary. I'm not that kind of boss who only gives orders. Obviously, there's some team management that I can't avoid, and it's important to handle your staff in certain circumstances, but I think I've found a happy medium between authority and friendliness."

"Fair enough. So, what else do you do at the club?"

"There's a... an important administrative part, obviously," he replies, clearly prudent in his choice of words. "Supervising supplies orders, accounting, selecting advertising merchandizing, approaching sponsors and stakeholders like occasional DJs and bands; maintenance and safety too; meeting the staff on a regular basis; brainstorming and organizing special events... the tasks are just endless."

"And quite interesting overall," I comment thoughtfully as I realize that the job sounds really nice. "But what do you do once the club has opened? You said you don't spend all night long in your office."

"Of course, not. Well... I still have stuff to do there, but then I also spend time inside the club and among customers."

"VIP?"

"Not only. People go to nightclubs to enjoy themselves and relax, so it's important to communicate with them, to ear their opinion and ideas, to make sure they get the best service."

Throughout our dinner, Ivan tells me more about each specific task he listed earlier and I find myself more and more captivated by his job. Time flies by while he patiently replies to all my questions, and it's already half past nine when we head out of the restaurant.

"What does it take to become a club manager?" I ask as we walk toward the Heaven Water, which has him smirk and squint at me.

"Are you seeing a vocation?"

"Dunno... Maybe."

"Well, there are several paths to such a career. The longest one would make you learn on the job. Some club managers started their career as a waiter or a bartender and waited for the right opportunities to evolve within the same club until they reach a higher position. Experience is very valuable in this sort of business, but a degree in business management would get you there much faster. If you're really interested, we'll have a look. I'm sure it's not too late to get you enrolled in college."

"College?" I repeat, grimacing at the thought of spending more years in school.

"Aaron," he sighs. "I already told that I have high expectations for you and you're more than capable to getting such a degree. If you wish to pursue a career in nightclubbing, trust that I'll coax you to do this the right way, and that means getting a degree in business management. If you do well, I might even offer you a side job in one of my clubs so that you can get some field experience."

"Dammit... I don't know. I need to think about it," I grunt, increasing our pace.

We are reaching our destination anyway and I'm surprised to see that a long line has formed on the sidewalk. Goodness! So many people! So many handsome guys! As Ivan told me, the Heaven Water is a regular nightclub, but its gay-friendly reputation makes it one of the top venues for gays and even lesbians, so I have high chances to hook up tonight. The club hasn't opened yet, but the bouncer obviously lets us in. Inside, all the staff is fussing around to make sure everything is ready, so Ivan quickly guides me across the now-dark main room and stops by the doors that lead to the back offices.

"You sure you can't stay a bit with me?" I ask, trying the puppy dog face.

"I wish I could, Menino," he replies apologetically, nervously scratching the back of his head. "I have other commitments, stuff to do, but I'll try to join you a bit later if I can."

"Alright..."

"Are you sure you'll be okay on your own?"

"Yeah, don't worry, I was just teasing you. I've already spotted a few cute guys in the line outside," I smirk.

"Behave, Aaron," he warns me sternly.

"Yeah, yeah, I know... No drugs, no alcohol, and I'll use the condom dispensers..."

"You'd better. And in any event, let's meet here at 4am."

"What about 5am?"

"I said 4, Aaron, and don't protest or I'm making it 3," he grunts with his firm voice.

"Alright, Sir. I'll be on time, Sir," I reply playfully.

Despite the semi-darkness of the room, I could swear that his eyes darken and that a proud expression covers his face. It's very brief, though, but it still sends an eerie shiver down my spine and the next second, Ivan turns around and leaves me on my own. I quickly snap out of this sudden daze and hurry to the DJ's balcony since he kindly offered to show me his workspace.

Scott's booth is so cool. The space is filled with plenty of equipment that vary from mixing consoles, turntables, electronic effect units, samplers, a sound reinforcement system, microphones, and more. His most prized equipment is what he calls a CDJ which is a modern alternative to the older turntables and he shows me how the jog wheels and pitch controls are used to manipulate the playback of CDs for beatmatching before he does the same with vinyl records on the turntables.

Since it's now time for the Heaven Water to open, Scott increases the volume and for a while, I just watch him play with all the equipment, skillfully producing smooth transitions and quickly creating an entrancing atmosphere among the people down there.

The main room of the Heaven Water has now filled with a large crowd of maybe two-thousand people and more are flowing in. From the balcony, the sight is absolutely enthralling and for a few more minutes, I just revel in the joyful ambiance rising up. Girls, boys, women, men... Ages vary from young adults to more mature grown-ups and there's a whole rainbow of kinds. Twinks, chicks, ladies, hunks, straight, lesbians, gays... I should definitely find a suitable match!

While some have settled at the bars, others have taken over the numerous couches in the lounge area, but the vast majority is occupying the dance floor, moving in rhythm with the loud music blasting from the huge speakers. Focusing on the dancing mob beneath in front of me, I quickly spot a group of male friends who unlike others, aren't trying to seduce the female genre. I do see their little game of flirtatious moves while ogling other men and it makes me smile, because I am doing the same.

Well, I have spotted enough potential preys, so after thanking Scott and wishing him a great evening, I eventually make my way to the dancefloor and melt among all these bodies that unwind and noisily sing on the wooden floor. Exactly like that time I surreptitiously went clubbing without Ivan's permission, I have no problem mingling with other dancers. During the first couple of hours, I jump from groups of several people to single persons, never tagging along more than a few minutes with each of them. The heat is on, and as I get warmer and warmer, my body claims for rehydration, so I head toward the main bar, but before I have even tried to catch the bartender's attention, a handsome hunk settles beside me. Really close to me.

"Hi there..." I say in my huskiest voice.

"Hello, the name's Bryan, not There," he replies, shouldering me playfully.

"Aaron."

"Well, hi, Aaron. May I offer you a drink?"

"Mmm, why not?"

"Miss! Can we please have two Pina Coladas?" he calls out, not even giving me a choice.

Said Miss turns out to be Sandra, the bartender-in-chief I met earlier, and when she brings our cocktails a couple minutes later, a discreet smirk displays on her face.

"Here's a regular Pina Colada for you," she says as she hands the first glass to Bryan before she turns to me with the second glass. "And a virgin Pina Colada for the young man."

"Oops, you're under 21? How did she even guess?" Bryan asks once she has gone to other customers.

"Duh... Do I look that old?"

"Yeah, right. Indeed, you look younger."

"Just old enough to be legal in a nightclub, but it doesn't matter, does it?"

"I'm 23, so as long as you're above 18, I don't really care. Is it your first time here?" he asks with a wink as we begin to sip on our cocktails.

"Yep. And you?"

"Same. My friends and I usually go to Long Beach or Santa Monica, and we also tried a few more downtown, but it's our first time here and we're not disappointed. This place's one of the best I've been so far," he replies with a mischievous smile.

I would agree if I had been given the opportunity to see more clubs, but I must admit that the Heaven Water is truly great. Especially if I'm to meet such handsome guys. Bryan is about my size even if of a stronger build, but as much as I would have preferred a more twinkish guy this time, this fine piece of meat will perfectly do. After a bit more chitchatting, he actually drags me back to the dance floor and, with an arm wrapped around my shoulders, he introduces me to his friends who turn out to be the group of flirtatious guys I was ogling from the DJ's booth earlier.

Yummy much? Not so sure.

A creepy feeling briefly washes over me as they invite me to join their mob of six sexy men. Am I turning into a prey? Screw that. If they think I'm some bottom material, they can stick their fingers up their own asses.

It doesn't prevent me from enjoying another two hours in their company, though. The ambiance on the dance floor is elating, almost electrifying, and I truly discover a facet of my personality that I hadn't completely apprehended yet. I've always been more of a rock music fan, but it seems like techno, dance, house and trance operate some sort of magic, and I find myself swaying my hips and moving naturally in rhythm with the music. The guys I dance with are all tall and muscular men and each time one of them humps against my body, I return the favor. In the end, I really enjoy myself.

Brian is the most daring among his friends, his wandering hands often brushing against my crotch or openly groping my ass, but mine aren't any shier. After maybe two hours of mutual groping, our mouths make contact and our kiss clearly becomes a fight for dominance.

"Mmm... I love hardy and tough brunettes," Brian whispers in my ear at some point.

"I'm not picky and love all sorts of men," I reply, which makes him laugh as we continue dancing.

Another hour must have flown by when one of his friends suggest taking a break and resting for a while around a drink in the lounge area. I happily accept because I'm getting thirsty again and I wouldn't mind a few minutes on the comfortable couches.

"Guys, grab an alcohol-free cocktail for Aaron, he's not 21!" Brian shouts to the three who volunteered to go to the bar before he leads me toward the back of the main room, followed by two of the friends.

It takes us a while to find a free area and we have barely settled down when the other three join us with the drinks. Brian and I are already wildly kissing, his velvet-like and powerful tongue trying to control mine, but I don't give in so easily. At the end of the day, I don't really care that he's another alpha and I don't get to fuck him; Marek having left only three days ago, a hand job or a blowjob like I did at the G Spot last August would be enough release. Just thinking about it has me hard as rock, and I'm not the only one if the stiffness of Bryan's groin is any indication.

"How about we take this to the restrooms back there?" I groan against his lips.

"How about we first enjoy our drinks?" he suggests huskily.

"Good point. I'm thirsty."

"I'd happily quench your thirst with another type of white substance," he teases, making me chuckle.

"I'm sure I'll still be thirsty after that Pina Colada."

"Don't worry, me too," he blows in my ear before we recover a more decent position on the couch.

"Is that the one without rum?" I ask my other neighbor, picking the closest glass from the low table in front of me.

"Yep, no rum."

I still discreetly sniff it before I clink my glass with Bryan's, and then begin to sip the cocktail. Even if the coconut tastes stronger than the pineapple this time, I'm still enjoying the soft drink, now observing my evening partner's friends a bit closer. Two of them have begun to make out and it feels like a certain excitation has risen within the group. For a short while, it's all about lude jokes, but Bryan's hands are soon back roaming all over my body, which only increases my own arousal to the point that my cock becomes painfully constricted inside my jeans.

Fuck! I feel like I could explode any second...

My body is getting so hot, almost as if I had a fever.

My lust is reaching such high levels that I no longer even care about the privacy of restrooms.

I need sex. Now.

Bryan and I are back to our earlier groping and kissing, only enticing my desire furthermore, to the point that I don't even protest when one of his hands manages to slip inside my boxer briefs and firmly grabs my burning erection.

"Mmm... so big... so hot... so wet... I want to taste it..." he pants against my lips, to which I agree through a groan. "Let's go to those restrooms over there."

"Fuck yeah..." I reply, surprised that my voice sounds so furred and almost unintelligible.

As Bryan helps me up, my vision blurs a bit and I'm feeling... tipsy? No, I can't be tipsy; I'm a hundred percent sure that the last cocktail I had was alcohol-free. What is it then? Where does this sudden elation come from? Weirdly enough, it reminds me of that one time Jaden convinced me to try ecstasy, but it can't be it. I haven't swallowed any pill.

However, as Bryan and some of his friends lead me toward that darker spot behind the lounge area, I can't deny that my moves are getting uncoordinated, and that's when panic strikes me. I suddenly realize that when the evening started, we were on Saturday the 11th, but we must have veered into the 12th by now.

The twelfth...

October twelfth...

A fateful date I had deliberately pushed to the back of my mind...

Fuck!

Have I been drugged? How could I be so stupid? Ivan warned me to be careful with strangers...

Fuck!

I can't let that happen. Not again.

Unfortunately, despite my feeble protest and fight against these arms that are dragging me to the restrooms, I am feeling weak, becoming less and less aware of my surroundings. My body is burning from within; my skin is aching from so many hands touching me.

They are everywhere.

My back.

My crotch.

My chest.

My butt.

My thighs.

My face.

So many hands...

So many hands touching me without my consent...

Ivan... Where are you? I need you...

Please, Ivan, help me...

A painful flashback of my unheard plea for the Divine to help me a year ago suddenly pops in my head, and the last thought I have before I black out is that I hope my Good Samaritan won't fail me.

Published on 8 April 2020

Ouch... such a mean cliffhanger... BUT... there you've had a first glimpse into the Heaven Water (even if I fully know that it's the Hell Fire you're waiting for, but would it be reasonable for Aaron to discover it just before he takes the GED? Probably not...) and since several of you have been asking for Aaron to finally reveal what he went through to Ivan, there you've had the trigger that I mentioned and that was needed. Now, don't worry, you shouldn't anticipate too much drama all the same.

So, you may expect some "revelations" in the next chapter, maybe more than you'd think, unless you paid close attention in the previous chapters ;)

Also, even if she has disappeared from Wattpad, I'd like to thank @SeaSaltStories for giving me an interesting idea. As some of you may know, she was going to write a trilogy about the Hell Fire with some characters that she created and that you'll meet in Aaron's books. She is the one who came up with the idea of the Hell Fire being set in a former theatre, which is why I decided to set the Heaven Water in a former casino. Aaron won't discover the Hell Fire until a few more chapters, but I thought I should lay the plan of both clubs' location to make things clearer for you from the start (picture in the header, and if you click on it, you can zoom in as usual).

So as you can see, the Heaven Water is on a large boulevard and adjacent to the Hell Fire which has its discreet entrance into the perpendicular smaller street. Both clubs share the same parking lot at the back (where Anton went to park), and this one is used by the members of the Hell Fire because it has an even more discreet entrance in a narrow street parallel to the boulevard. And obviously, Ivan kept the two accesses between the two clubs secret to Aaron in this chapter.

I'll see you next week, but meanwhile #StayStafeStayHome