Far Horizons: Tales of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror. Issue #13 April 2015 | Page 88
anticipation of something extraordinary. Breathing
heavy from dancing, lust, adrenalin.
“Hey babies! You ready to party?”
The crowd screamed. As much as she wanted to
downplay it, she did feel a rush at that moment. Cassie
shook her fist in the air.
“Then let’s party!”
She cranked the music up and swayed to the beat in
a way she hoped was both fun and seductive for the
people watching her. She glanced at DJ Mazer. His
eyes were closed and he was nodding his head in time
to the heavy percussions.
Not a bad life, Cassie thought. For a few minutes
she moved with the music, occasionally shouting out
words of encouragement to the dancers. She knew the
final was coming up soon. And, she would give the
revellers what they wanted; a chance to see something
extraordinary.
“Fly with me,” she purred, her voice cutting through
the chest rattling bass. She took off the headset, then
floated up over the DJ booth. The dancers cheered as
she flew slowly over the dance floor. Cassie stared
down at the people, as they looked up at her. Although
most had either the gaping faces of people in awe
or the unfocused gaze of people buzzed from drugs,
booze and endorphins, a few had vaguely fearful faces. Cassie expected this. There were people who were
afraid of her and the other metahumans.
As the song ended, DJ Mazer took over. Cassie drifted
down to the dance-floor, where Tina was waiting for
her.
“How’d I do?”
“Right on time. Let’s get in some dancing, then
bounce.”
Cassie mingled with the crowd. She danced with a
few of the more attractive men, accepted the steady
stream of compliments with smiles, nods, and the
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strategic use of arms touches. Although the music was
still annoying, she was fully enjoying the dancing and
the attention.
While she was busy spinning from partner to partner,
the man with the knife watched her intently. Every
time he saw her touch another person it felt like a needle in his brain. He knew she didn’t want them, that
she was being kept from him by the grasping hands
and jerking bodies.
Now, he thought, now she wants you. Go get her.
On the dance-floor, Tina pushed her way to Cassie’s
side.
“Hey, if you want to get going, we can.”
Cassie nodded. “Let McQ know we’re bailing and get
the car out front. I’ll be done in a minute.”
Tina turned to leave, when she was grabbed by the
man with the knife.
“What the fuck,” Tina said as the man spun her
around. He wrapped one arm around her chest and
slipped out his knife with the other. He raised the
blade to her throat.
“Hold still!” he yelled into Tina’s ear. “Cassie!”
Even over the music, Cassie heard the man scream.
She assumed it was some fan looking for a moment of
face time. Smiling broadly, she turned. Her smile was
wiped away when she saw the knife at Tina’s throat.
“I love you, Cassie! And you’re going to love me or I
cut this bitch’s throat.”
He pressed his knife against Tina’s throat. A wild
energy coursed through his eyes, his body. He was
trembling from a mix of fear and excitement. He was
certain that Cassie would understand his love for her
and be his.
Cassie held her hands up. “Is this what you want?”
She concentrated. When she activated her power, it