The girl stood by the railing, working up the feelings to step down to the dance floor. She'd only been to the club twice before, and shy by nature, had yet to start a conversation with anyone. Instead she watched, as was also her nature, and when the music called, she danced. It wasn't exactly like dancing she'd done before; it was freer, more expressive. You performed the music in this dancing. Those who chose to dance together often chose a more courtly form, almost regency style. But mostly it was swaying movement, stretching, twirling… feeling. The girl didn't know most of the music, but she could follow the rhythm and give herself up to it. And that was a pleasure in itself.

She had to admit to herself, that as beautiful and seemingly easy it was for the others here to put hours into their presentation, it was a struggle for her - the unfamiliar makeup which she never wore in her everyday life, the flattering, form-hugging clothes so different than her usual baggy camouflage of sweaters and slacks, the time taming the wave in her hair to bring it to its straight result often took more time than she actually spent in the club itself. And yet, this costume for all its effort more honestly reflected her than anything she wore any other time. It was stark, severe, restricted, romantic, harsh, beautiful, vulnerable. And no one who knew her had ever seen her like this. And she liked that. She often thought of her formless sweaters and comfortable jeans as her body armor that nothing could pierce. It was her protective layer in that world in which she didn't belong. But in this atmosphere, she felt safer being herself here than anywhere else.

But she still couldn't easily shake off her cautious nature. So she watched others interact and wondered if someday she, too, would be greeted by shouts of her name and European cheek kisses, of having her petite self lifted up by a burly beautiful man saying hello. The thought of that made her inner smile express itself upon her face, which caused her normally wary countenance to lighten. Yes, she thought, I'd give anything to belong like that here.

"That's better, Duchess. You should try that more often."

The girl looked up suddenly, shaken out of her private moment, to the young man leaning casually against the railing next to her. His eyes weren't on the girl, but on his own companion, a tall, slender, dark-haired, blue-eyed goddess of a young woman gracefully hugging a friend over by the bar. The girl followed his eyes to the vision now sipping at her friend's drink before handing it back and laughing at some exchanged joke. Her teeth as she laughed were bright and white and gleamed even in the dim lights of the club. Briefly, the girl wished she were that goddess. Or even her friend. But she returned her gaze to the not-unattractive man beside her. He looked, as most in the club did, to be in his early 20's, tall enough not to be considered short, striking with his bleached-blonde hair and high cheekbones. He wore the common uniform of black leather pants and boots with a black shirt and a gorgeous black leather duster jacket over it all. It was a strong contrast to his sapphire-attired companion who continued to dazzle her friends at the bar as she elegantly used one hand to keep her floor-length gown from dragging on the floor. Blue was the goddess' color, as she so clearly knew, bringing out the color of her eyes against her perfect, pale, porcelain skin.

But the girl at the rail, in her simple black velvet dress and matching boots, was certain the man next to her had spoken to her in his rather charming British accent. She just wasn't sure why.

"Sorry?" she asked, confused.

"The smile," he responded, offering her one in exchange as he turned toward her. "You should exercise those muscles more often. It suited you." While this did indeed bring another rare grin to her face, it also caused her to blush uncontrollably, and not for the first time was the girl grateful for the semi-concealing darkness of the club. She looked down at the floor uncertain how to respond.

"Now, now, Duchess, mustn't be selfish. It's share and share alike here. Give some of that to the rest of us." And with this he reached forward and placed a finger under her chin to lift her head back up level with his. But before the girl could respond, the goddess returned to the side of her handsome companion, resting a proprietary arm around his waist.

"And what have you found here, William?" came the question from the loveliness, also with that exotic tinge of an accent.

The girl immediately wanted to duck her head down again in embarrassment, but William wouldn't let her go as he leaned over to kiss his companion, acknowledging her possession of him.

"Dru, darling, I've just been trying to convince the Duchess here to stop being selfish." Clearly the two had a comfortable repartee. The girl watched as the vision, Dru, leaned casually against William. But she still didn't know what to say. Dru's bright blue eyes turned with interest to the girl, who, unable to look away, met her gaze with a strong interest of her own. Gods, she was unbearably beautiful, not just in the way of all here, but completely in ownership of herself. The girl knew that wherever Dru went, others would have to watch.

"And just what is making you pout so, my dearest?" Dru returned her gaze to William. "What charms is this lovely one refusing to share with you?"

The girl looked up at Dru, and perhaps spurred by the unexpected compliment, answered the question herself. "He said I wasn't smiling enough." Dru's fond smile toward William stretched wider to include the girl, who couldn't help but smile back. And with this simple action, the girl suddenly found herself with the companions she'd hoped for. Though this seemed short-lived when the song suddenly changed to a slower tempo one and Dru grabbed William's arm to pull him down to the dance floor, proclaiming this her favorite song. This hour. The girl smiled down at the two beautiful people dancing out the music inside them and around them until after a moment Dru beckoned the girl down to the floor to join them, which she quickly did. As with most of this style of dancing it was more dancing near each other than with each other, but for the first time here, the girl didn't feel as alone. The music gradually shifted into a more uptempo piece and still the three of them danced. Through two more songs they danced until Dru decided it was time to quench her thirst. She stepped up to stand by the dance floor railing again and this time sent William to get her a drink. Dru inclined her head towards the girl, including her, inquiring if she'd like something. William stood, head cocked to one side, waiting. Just some water, the girl asked, some water would be great. William moved off to comply, leaving the girl alone with Dru who swayed gently to the music and smiled and waved at various friends around the room. After a moment, Dru took the girl by the hand and guided her over to some of the chairs that ringed the walls of the room.

"So Duchess, you've caught our little William's attention, have you?" Dru didn't seem put out by this, merely amused and somewhat interested. The girl blushed and didn't respond, berating herself mentally for her cowardice and lack of social skills. But again, Dru didn't seem to mind her new quiet companion. As if in response, Dru added "That's all right. I can do enough talking for all of us." The girl met Dru's eyes gratefully and again gave one of her enhancing smiles, which seemed to tickle Dru. "Just keep smiling like that, beautiful, and you don't have to say a thing." The girl was peripherally aware that Dru still held her hand and that it was resting on Dru's knee. All too soon, William returned with the drinks, some dark-colored concoction for the two of them and water for the girl, who reluctantly let go of Dru's hand to take it. But she didn't want to intrude on anything between William and Dru, so kept both hands wrapped around her bottled water. William and Dru exchanged another amused glance.

"You're new here, Duchess." It was a statement from William, not a question.

"It's that obvious?" the girl asked wryly. A bit of her inner spunk came forward as her presence didn't seem to disturb the beautiful couple.

"Blatantly," Dru answered. The girl self-consciously pulled a strand of errant hair back behind her ear. "Yes, I think we can do something about that, too." This caused the girl to blush deeper, but a hope sprang from within her - was she actually being accepted here? She had to ask.

"I... I'd love some makeup or hair tips. It's not my forte." She smiled again, shyly, hopefully at Dru, who promptly stood up, surprising the girl. Dru extended a hand to the girl and pulled her to her feet.

"Come, we'll make you so pretty, my already pretty one," said Dru, leaving her drink with William and pulled the girl towards the restrooms.

In the harsh fluorescent light of the bathroom, many girls touched up their eyes, lips, cheeks, crowded together in front of the scant mirror space. But Dru plowed through them to the front and center. "Make way," she said. "We have a fashion emergency." And the girls made way, casting amusing looks at the hapless girl whose face Dru was already remaking with the contents of the girl's own purse. Some blusher, darker eyeshadow and lip-shade later, the girl had to admit the difference was striking. And she smiled, promptly smearing the new lipstick across her teeth. Not missing a beat, Dru handed the girl a tissue to wipe her teeth and blot her lips. Next she pulled the girl's hair up from where it hung loosely down on her neck and fashioned it into a quick attractive twist, pulling a few strands down to frame her face. Dru gave the girl an appraising look, then adjusted the girl's dress, unbuttoning it a bit further for more cleavage effect and pulling the sleeves to the side to show off more shoulder. The girl blushed, but allowed the ministrations as Dru surveyed her work. She looked strongly at the girl's cleavage, then deciding it still wasn't right, pulled out her blush brush and quickly added a touch of it over and between the girl's breasts, added some color and sparkle. Once again, Dru surveyed her work, nodded and put her artist's tools away. Dru turned the girl to face the mirror and the girl had to admit the result made her look stunning. Not in Dru's league, but enough to have her own. Dru noted, "Now you're presentable, Duchess," and slipped her arm around the girl's waist, ready to show off her new creation and the girl unprotestingly followed her lead.

Instead of returning to William's side, though his eyes found them as soon as they exited the restroom, Dru casually continued around the room, stopping briefly to greet people. She introduced the girl as "Duchess" and the girl didn't protest. At Dru's side and with her new look, the girl found herself losing the self-consciousness that had always plagued her. Dru made socializing seem so easy, all the girl, or Duchess, as she gladly adopted the moniker, had to do was follow her lead.

Before they made it back to William, however, another song forced Dru to the dance floor and she pulled Duchess with her. William grinned as he watched the two of them. Duchess smiled back and gave herself over to the music, forgetting the crowd and everything in celebration and dance. After a few moments, Dru left the dance floor and Duchess followed her to sit down beside William. He returned their drinks to them, which both girls accepted gratefully, parched from the exercise. As Dru leaned over to speak to friends sitting a few chairs over, Duchess had time to take a better look at William who met her appraising gaze with one of his own. Duchess couldn't tell what color William's eyes were - they seemed to be that elusive changing kind that depended on the light they were seen in. Blue or grey, she decided. Full lips, probably very kissable she decided, then blushed again as her eyes unwitting dropped downwards. She forced them quickly upward again to where he grinned at her, as if following her thoughts. Well, Duchess decided, neither of them seemed to mind attention, that was certain. And with that thought in mind, William suddenly stood up and headed for the dance floor, and with an inclined head invited her to follow. Duchess took a quick look at Dru, as if for permission, but Dru was deep in conversation. Duchess' first inclination was to stay with Dru, so as to make it clear she wasn't trying to intrude on Dru's territory (which William clearly was). But William's smile was so achingly enticing that Duchess found herself back out on the floor. Instead of the individual style of dance generally practiced, though, William pulled Duchess close for a slow dance and she tried not to tremble at the unexpected intimacy.

Duchess could follow well enough to please William, so he could show off some of his dance moves and soon they were twirling about their corner of the floor until the song ended. At which point, Dru returned to the floor, smiled at Duchess, and reclaimed William, who utterly lit up when Dru glided into his arms. They moved with practiced experience at a much more advanced level than Duchess could have managed. She returned to the railing, to watch them, smiling, possessive. She belonged to them. And they were magnificent.

The evening passed quickly and soon the lights began to come up, signaling closing time. Those left were disappointed, but none so much as Duchess, who having spent this wonderful evening, didn't know if she'd see her companions again. She grew quiet contemplating this as they exited the club and stopped outside for William to enjoy a much-needed cigarette. Dru of course lit it for him. Duchess watched and adored this little courtesy, but suddenly felt like a third wheel and prepared to say her good-byes.

"I've had a wonderful time tonight," she began, wondering to herself if she could casually slip them her phone number or if she dared ask for theirs.

"Duchess, you're not planning to leave us, are you?" William's smile, so charming in the darkened club, seemed more forceful outside, under the bright light of the marquee.

Dru once again hooked her arm around Duchess' waist. "The night is young, Duchess, won't you come play with us?"

Duchess looked into Dru's glittering eyes and saw she would never take 'no' for an answer. And suddenly realized she didn't want to leave them at all.

"Yes. Yes, that's what I want to do." And it was. There was nothing else Duchess wanted more than to stay with Dru and William.

"Good. It's settled then. You're coming with us. We'll have a bite to eat." William moved to Duchess' other side and put his arm, too, around her waist. She was held tightly between them, feeling tiny between these two tall beauties. And the three began to walk down the street and around the corner. Oddly, Duchess wasn't the least worried about accompanying her new companions, nor in leaving her car parked by the club. Nor was she in the least bit hungry. But somehow it just didn't seem nearly as important as staying with Dru and William.

They followed a path around the corner and into the alley behind the club, where they stopped as William blew out a last plume of smoke and put out his cigarette. "Filthy habit." He smiled at Duchess, who simply smiled back into William's twinkling eyes. "But so hard to quit." He stepped back for a moment, breaking the connection of their gaze. Duchess shook her head, dizzy. Maybe it was the smoke.

Duchess didn't even realize her two companions had gotten so close to her, until she felt William pressed up behind her, both his arms now intimately wrapped around her waist. Duchess felt a moment of panic, but couldn't concentrate as Dru was so close in front of her, so close... until all she could see were those blue eyes, so bright reflecting the moonlight above them. Dru's smile seemed to stretch impossibly across her face. Something... wrong with her face... Duchess felt William's lips brush her exposed shoulders and neck gently, tenderly kissing, nibbling. She felt his body tightly against her and on some level found this pleasurable, but in front of her, rapidly becoming all her world was Dru. Her long dark hair brushed against Duchess' skin as she leaned forward toward the girl, causing Duchess to shiver. But she didn't move. She couldn't move. Everything was Dru. And Dru wanted her to be still. Duchess knew this and obeyed because all she wanted in that moment was to please Dru.

Dru's smile gleamed in the moonlight as she leaned toward Duchess. Her pointed smile revealed equally pointed teeth, but Duchess could no more have moved than she could have screamed. Frozen in place as Dru moved closer to her, Duchess remembered at the beginning of the evening that she'd offered anything to belong to someone. It looked like she was going to get her wish.

And then they were on her. And all Duchess could do as the two embraced her, one before her and one behind, and fed on her and devoured her and destroyed her was think, "But I belonged..."

When they'd had their fill, the two beautiful creatures dropped Duchess in the alley and left her empty shell behind as William gallantly offered Dru his arm. Dru gracefully accepted and used her other arm to lift her gown from where it brushed on the ground. Giving a brief glance to where the former Duchess lay, Dru noted "Filthy habit."