As Always we are ever indebted to our glorious beta Storms.
Disclaimer – Alas Stephenie Meyer is queen of all things Twilight; we are merely her maidservants. But if we were the Queens…there would be some serious beheadings going on! OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!
Papa Loves Mambo
"Take that!" Emmett yelled, taunting me as he completed yet another sweeping victory.
Edward, Jasper, Emmett, and I were sitting on the couch in front of Emmett's new big screen plasma television, playing some obnoxious video game he had just purchased.
Esme silently made her way down the stairs to the entryway, opposite from where we sat. "We're going out, we'll be back late," she announced in her quiet way, drawing my attention away from the game. She stood there for a moment, dressed in a simple button down shirt and black dress pants, looking through a large bag she had on her shoulder. Carlisle quickly followed down the stairs, gently placing his hand on the small of her back. She looked up at him and smiled, having retrieved the car keys from her bag. While leading her out the door he added, glancing over his shoulder, with a chuckle, "Don't wait up."
As soon as the door closed behind them Edward tossed his controller to the floor in exasperation. "Where are they going? It's the fourth night this week."
"Hey, watch the controller!" Emmett bellowed. Edward's outburst had momentarily distracted him long enough for Jasper to gain the edge. Emmett then added in an irritated tone, "How am I supposed to know, no one tells me anything."
Edward looked at Jasper hopefully and asked, "Do you know?"
"I have no idea. If Alice and Rosalie weren't off shopping in New York for the week we could've asked Alice. She knows everything that goes on in this house," Jasper replied without removing his eyes from the screen as he pelted Emmett's guy with another round of ammo. I just sat there, watching their interaction; my man had been killed off about 10 levels back. Never having had siblings, I found all this rather fun to watch.
Edward slumped back onto the couch, refusing to resume the game. He was watching the door as if it might reveal some hidden clue as to Carlisle and Esme's secret destination. "They are guarding their thoughts," he muttered. Emmett was quickly becoming irritated at Edward's lack of participation in his new four-player game, and begrudgingly resigned himself to saving it for another day. I, on the other hand, think he turned it off because Jasper was suddenly kicking his butt.
"What's the big deal Edward? So they are going out, people do that sometimes," Emmett announced, gathering up the controllers and neatly putting them away.
"It's not that they are going out Emmett, it's the fact that they are keeping it a secret. They don't usually keep things from us." I could see the frustration building on Edward's face as he mentally dissected the last four evenings for clues. I looked at Jasper and Emmett, and saw that Edward's frustration was quickly spreading to his brothers. This was silly. I finally spoke up.
"Why don't you just follow them?" They all looked at me, stunned. "What?" I said, feeling like I had said something stupid.
"I love the way this girl's mind works! Let's go!" Emmett was already on his way out the door. Soon we were speeding off, all piled up inside Edward's Volvo.
The second we got out of Forks, Edward was able to read their minds so that we could keep tabs on them from a distance. The further we traveled, the more puzzled each of their faces grew, and when we crossed the Seattle city limits, Edward finally spoke up. "Rock Salt? Why are they going to the Rock Salt?"
None of us could respond, I had no idea what Rock Salt could be or why it was such a shock that they were going there. However, it was obvious that Emmett was having some interesting thoughts from the way his lips quirked upwards. Thoughts that were abruptly put to an end as Edward swiftly smacked Emmett in the back of the head.
"What?" Emmett said looking innocent. This comment was ignored and we spent the rest of the drive discussing strategy.
We drove into downtown Seattle, where our subjects had apparently parked and gotten out of their car. Edward found a parking spot not too far away from where Carlisle had deposited the Mercedes along the busy street. There were cars lining the street as far as the eye could see. Everywhere I looked, there were people heading in and out of the restaurants, bars and clubs that spanned the area.
"They're headed for Westlake Avenue. Let's take the side streets so they won't spot us," Edward said, as we quietly turned and headed down a dark alley. My hand was holding his in a vise-like grip. I didn't like the road we were taking at all. The creepy shadows and sounds from the alley way made the hair on my arms stand on end. I looked around me and suddenly smiled remembering the company I was in. I doubt anything could jump out at me that would be scarier than Emmett.
Emmett, on the other hand, was having fun. I could tell from the way his eyes sparkled and from the excitement in his voice every time he spoke. He was really getting into all this Cloak and Dagger business.
"Jasper," he said. "Can you imagine what would've happened if we did this back in our day? Spying on our parents? We'd have gotten whipped, for sure!" and then he burst out laughing exuberantly. Jasper grimaced, obviously thinking back to some unpleasant human memory.
We turned the corner to come face to face with the liveliest night club in the city; the Rock Salt. What kind of club name was that anyways? When we approached the line outside, I was more confused than ever. What - on earth - were they doing here?
"Miami Nights on Fridays? Guys, that's tonight. Salsa, Merengue, Bachata…" Jasper read aloud from the poster near the door. "Edward, what are they doing here?" We all looked expectantly over at him.
"I… I don't know," he said, obviously annoyed by that fact. "Their thoughts are all jumbled up; all I can hear is music."
"Alright then," Emmett announced. "Lets go inside."
"And what am I supposed to do?" I spoke up, worried that I might be left outside alone. "The sign says 21. There's just no way I'll pass for 21, I hardly pass for 17."
"Bella, do you remember when I told you how we have to keep up appearances; the credit cards, IDs, school records and so on," Edward said with a crooked smile on his lips.
"Yes, I remember," I said, eyeing him suspiciously.
"Jasper made this for you a while back, in the case of emergencies. And this definitely qualifies as an emergency." There was a sense of pride in his smile now, as he pulled a plastic card out of his pocket.
"You did not!" I exclaimed, my mouth open wide with shock as I took the card and looked at it. That was me, alright. It was my last school picture, from the looks of it, but with an unfamiliar name attached. Becky Robertson.
"Dude," Emmett interrupted pointing at the sign and reverting my attention. "It says they are on the second floor. I watched this TV-show once where the second floor of the night club was where all the Swingers went." He looked deeply disturbed as he remembered the details of some long forgotten TV melodrama. "You don't think…" he trailed off, shuttering.
"Emmett, that is so 1975." Jasper boomed with laughter. Emmett, however, looked very relieved that this possibility seemed so far fetched to everyone.
"We are wasting time; it's going to take me a minute to get Bella past the bouncer. Let's go." Edward was getting very impatient as the curiosity overflowed inside him.
"What are they doing now?" I asked looking at his perplexed expression.
"I can't tell. It's still too loud." He took my hand, determined to finally get answers, and led our party to the roped gates where a large, burly bouncer stood between us and our quest of discovery.
"IDs," the large, bald man the size of a refrigerator said while looking directly at me. We all took out our ID's, each one perfectly forged. What if something goes wrong and Charlie finds out! I took a deep breath and held my card out for the bouncer. He took Edward's first, then smiled as he slipped something into his pocket and opened the rope to let us pass, never even looking at my ID.
As we entered the club, I turned to Edward with wide eyes. "Did you just bribe him?" I asked, shocked.
"I prefer to think of it as creative negotiations," Edward smiled, mischievously.
"This way. The stairs are over here." Jasper interrupted, and led us across the bustling nightclub to a staircase that spiraled up through the ceiling. We climbed to the next floor where the air became thick and balmy. The music pounded so loudly you could feel it thumping in your chest. The room was glowing with red, orange, and yellow lighting. Everywhere we looked there were people. Jasper looked strained, and I could tell his jaw was clasped tightly shut. All these people dancing, the blood pulsating through their veins, no wonder he looked tense.
"Come on," Emmett boomed over the music. "Let's find them and get out of here." He was nervously eyeing Jasper as he spoke. We pushed our way through the crowd and came to a railing. Below us, a few steps down, stretched a crowded dance floor.
"Do you see them?" Edward asked.
"There are too many people. What are they doing here anyway?" I said, scanning the room for any sign of Carlisle and Esme. The upbeat Latin number that had been pounding in our ears when we arrived slowly faded into a sultry South American rhapsody.
"This is pointless. There are too many people. Let's get out of here," Edward sounded exasperated and uneasy as he looked at Jasper then turned swiftly away from the dance floor, trying to pull me with him.
That's when I saw them. "Oh my…!" I said frozen in place. Edward turned to see what had caught my attention, and he followed my gaze into the parting crowd in front of us. That's when it all became clear. I stood stunned, my mouth gaping open at the sight before me. It was like watching a car crash; I couldn't tare my eyes away.
Esme stood gracefully in the center of the dance floor dressed in a sexy red spaghetti strapped dress with a sweetheart neckline and a flowing skirt that fell just below her knees and the highest pair of red stiletto heels I had ever seen. Carlisle was standing behind her, in black pants and a loosely buttoned white shirt that revealed his sculpted chest. As I watched, she leaned her head back, resting it against his shoulder so that her face was cradled in the curve of his neck where she placed a sultry kiss, while his hands slid seductively down her sides coming to rested lightly on her hips. As they began to move with the music, the lines that separated them from one another blurred. I raised my hand to cover my gaping jaw as they melted into each other on the dance floor. The crowd became enticed by their display and joined in. Everywhere we looked, couples were passionately moving their sweat-covered bodies against one another in time to the music.
Edward stood frozen behind the railing, eyes wide with shock, and Jasper had a look of utter disbelief on his face. Emmett was the only one who looked downright sick at the scene unfolding before our eyes. What little color, if any, they had to their cheeks was now gone.
As the music flowed, Esme, now facing Carlisle, kicked her right leg straight up. The slit that had been concealed by ample amounts of material and gathers in her dress, now parted revealing her long elegant leg. Carlisle held her ankle, his eyes full of desire, and then slowly slid his hand to her thigh.
"I think I'm going to be sick," Emmett said, his face stiff and eyes wide.
"This was a very bad idea," I finally choked out, looking around at Jasper, Emmett and Edward.
"I think I need a shower." Poor Jasper, I thought. He was not only seeing it, he had to feel it as well. He slowly backed away from the railing toward the steps where we had entered.
"Let's get out of here," I said as I grabbed hold of Edwards's hand, turning him away from the steamy scene unfolding on the dance floor and following Jasper to the steps, leading us swiftly out of Rock Salt.
As we entered the alleyway we came through earlier, on our way back to the car, Emmett was the first to speak.
"That was just wrong on so many levels. Let's vow to never speak of this again." He was so serious, and his expression so grave, it made me laugh.
Edward and Jasper quickly joined in, sending laughter echoing through the alley.
"What is so funny?" Emmett asked, growing flustered.
Edward laughed again and draped his arm around his brother's shoulder as we walked out into the street toward the car. "Welcome to my world, brother! Welcome to my world."