What am I doing here? I know I made a dare with my friends, Kendra and Luca, to go to the rowdiest club in town but The Devil's Whore, that's crazy even by my standards. Then again, what do they always say about gingers being crazy?

The Devil's Whore was a haven of canal pleasures and sins of the flesh. It was one clique away from being a stripper joint. There was an especially crazy rumor that was circulating among the youth that it was apparently a vampire den. Whilst I wasn't much keen on the ghost story, I could see how such an urban legend could sprout from this dark themed club.

The people who hanged out here seemed to have a love for all things gothic. It was an unspoken rule that everyone had to wear leather. For girls that rule seemed to extend to the length of clothing items. Apparently we had to wear real skimpy clothing. Luckily I was short. At five foot two anything I could get away with any length as long as I wasn't straight out wearing a bikini.

I pushed my way through the many bodies gyrating on the dance floor to the deafening music. The song on play : KoRn's Love Song was quite poetic. After all, I had just broken up with my high school sweet heart, Jeff, and I was out to dance my heart out and toast to finally being free of the douchebag. That is the only reason I had agreed to this stupid dare. So what if I was surrounded by suspicious looking people? At least my two goofy friends decided to tag along. In their dumb defense, it was to make sure I didn't chicken out of the bet. The three of us navigated this strange place together as we tried to find a good spot for us to sit and relax.

It was so hot and the air was thick with the smell of sweat, smoke and alcohol. The heat was almost unbearable and with my leather shorts, corset and thigh high boots I was sweating buckets. Luckily I had my red hair up in a high pony. My blue eyes scanned the area until I found the perfect spot for the three of us.

"Over there." I shouted out loud so they could hear me over the music.

They followed the direction of my fingertip to the small dark corner that was all the way back. It was far from the surround system and the prying eyes of onlookers. After we were all settled, the two had a unanimous vote that I should get the drinks. As much as I loved them, they were a total pain. It was as if they had completely forgotten the pain of squeezing through those numerous bodies on the dance floor and were just contempt with watching my torture.

On my own, navigating the crowded joint was very hard and thus I had to endure several instances of someone trampling on my feet. It took all my energy to push through the crowds once more and just when I thought I had finally escaped the throng of people, my foot caught on one of theirs and I found myself falling.

I closed my eyes in anticipation of the impact but in never came. I suddenly felt an uncomfortable warmth envelope me. Opening one eye, I found myself in the arms of the most gorgeous man I had ever laid my eyes on. His shoulder length ebony hair framed his face, so perfectly sculptured he could have easily been a masterpiece by the great Michelangelo. His eyes, two infinite pools of darkness, drew me in as they regarded me.

"Hey there, beautiful. Careful not to fall for everyone you see." He said to with a smirk. His rich voice sending goosebumps down my skin.

I felt the blood rush to I face as he helped me stand up straight. Even when I was finally on my feet, he kept a firm hand on me.

"Thanks." I said to him, wishing I'd let my hair down so I could hide the blush.

"Don't thank me yet, I still expect full payment for rescuing you from the gruesome floor." He said with a smirk.

"Payment?" I squeaked as my blood ran cold.

God, don't let him be one of those sleazy weirdos that prey on women in strange joints like these ones.

"Yes." He said with an amused smile. "Dance with me."

As his words finally sank into my frozen brain, I finally made sense of what it was he wanted. And panicked.

"I can't dance."

"I'm not asking if you can dance," he said to me with an amused smile, his eyes glinting with mischief, " I'm asking you to dance with me."

Like the very social weirdo I was,  I tried to come up with all manner of excuses why that was a terrible idea. Unfortunately, this gorgeous stranger wasn't having any of that as he dragged me to the center of the dance floor. Everyone seemed to clear the way as they  circled round us, continuing onto their own dancing whilst eyeing us expectantly.

I was literally dying of embarrassment as I felt the many pairs of eyes on me. I tried to ignore how terrifying the spotlight felt but I found myself shaking in fear either way.

"Hey, eyes up here." I heard him say to me whilst hooking a finger underneath my chin and tilting my head upwards to face his bottomless obsidian eyes. 

I try to take a deep breath to calm myself and try to focus solely on him. I just remembered I don't even know his name. My mama would be disappointed with me. I can still remember her steely gray eyes and stern expression as she advised me about boys. 

She always used to say, 'Now Cassie, I know you all grown up and boys will start hollering at ya but you better be responsible and keep a level head all the time.' Mama, or Grace as she preferred to be called, never missed a chance to remind me about the dangers of one night stands with cute strangers and the unwanted pregnancy that I was to her.

But how was I to resist this perfect stranger? As he pulled me towards his own body, I felt at home. Like he was my destiny. His dark eyes were inviting me in as he looked into mine.

I had never believed in love at first sight but right here at this moment as he held my body in his, swaying to the music, I knew I had found my soulmate.

"I don't even know your name." I whispered into his ear.

He gave a charming smile before replying.

"Is that why you're so nervous? You think I could be someone bad?"

"No, that's not why..." I began, unable to face him but once again he forced me to look up at him.

"I've been waiting my whole life for you. I'd never hurt you." he said as he gently caressed my cheek.

"Surely that's not true." I said, he was merely flattering me. That's all. He hadn't literally been waiting his whole life for me.

This made him laugh out loud, his voice a soft a siren's song as it made my heart skip a beat.

"Close your eyes," he commanded.

I naturally obeyed him as he took the palm of my right hand and placed it over his chest. As I felt the beating of his heart I couldn't help the blush that spread across my cheeks.

My eyes opened as I regarded him in the heat of this intimate moment. We were no longer dancing but no one seemed to notice as they continued to dance around us.

"Do you feel my heart beating?" He continued, never once looking away from me. "Do you understand now?"

I didn't understand what was happening. Was it possible? Does he feel the same way as I do. Eek, this is actually sounding like that song 'Eternal Flame' by The Bangles and I don't want to be the popular stereotype girl. Then again I can't help the way I'm feeling. It's wonderful but quite unnatural.

"We've only just met." I whispered, unable to shake just how nervous I was. "And I still don't know your name."

"Raul." He simply said.

Raul, that sounds quite exotic. It has a good ring to it.

"I'm Cassie." I said in response.

"You have a beautiful name. It suites you. It's as beautiful as you."

When the fifth song ended he looked at me with a sad expression.

"I have to leave you now." He said. "But I'll find you, my love."

"Wait, no. Don't go." I begged but he began to pull away.

I tried to get him to stay but before I knew it he had vanished into the crowds of people dancing on the dance floor leaving me all alone, wondering when next I would see him. Surely fate couldn't be this cruel as to have me meet my soulmate only to have him taken from me all over again.