Hidden Powers: The Hidden World Serial, #1

By Ben Swallow

My dream came true. I hated it.

I was a regular woman with a crappy job, a crappy apartment and a boring, unfulfilling life.

Obviously, I dreamed of being taken on an exciting adventure by a hot guy.

Then I met Bryan, and exactly that happened. 

He's hot, quite decent and we both have supernatural abilities. Sounds great?

Well, we were also poisoned and will die in a week if we can't come up with $50,000. 

But if this city's underworld thinks they can break me, they are wrong. I'm just getting started.
 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ben Swallow
• Release date: Apr 8, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386882633

Book preview

Ben Swallow

Copyright © 2018 Ben Swallow

All rights reserved.

Chapter 1

The loud music is deafening, the air heavy with the stench of cigarettes and sweat, beams of light in all colors are piercing the smoky air, and my feet hurt. Just another day at work.

I got ear tips after my first two nights, but there’s nothing I can do about the rest. Working in a nightclub isn’t the most relaxing job, however fun it may have sounded at first. The only thing keeping me here are the tips.

We all have to wear the same branded shirt here, but some just wear it better than others. I usually wear a tight, black tank top underneath it and keep the first few buttons of the shirt open. Add some tight leather pants or a short skirt, some high-heels, and my charming smile, and the guys keep drooling all over me. It’s disgusting, really. But my mother depends on me, so I do what I have to.

Every now and then, there’s something that makes work fun. Or someone, usually. Tonight, it’s this hot guy standing near the wall. Dark blue shirt, tight enough to show some muscles underneath, beige chinos, well-trimmed hair and a handsome face. He probably has more class than the rest of the room combined.

The downside of the job? I can’t leave with him until after we close at around 6 am, and he’ll be long gone by then.

„Alice. Alice!"

I only hear her voice the second time as Evelynn almost yells into my ear. I like her, but her voice is simply too high and weak to be heard in a place like this.

„What, Eve?"

„Just go talk to Mr. Handsome over there. Get him a drink and your number before he leaves with someone else."

I laugh at her playful grin. „Is it that obvious?"

„Yeah. Now go!"

I shake my head and laugh again, but walk over to him. I quickly fix my shirt, pull my tank top down a little and put a strand of hair out of my face.

Let’s get him.

Keeping my voice down, I go up to him and ask, „Hey handsome, can I get you anything?"

„What?"

I suppress a smile. This trick always works. I lean in close to him, my face right next to his, maybe an inch away.

„I asked if I can get you anything, handsome?"

His lips curl into a slight smile as I lean back again. „Whiskey, please."

„What?"

His turn.

He laughs, leaning in close to whisper in my ear. „A whiskey, please."

„Got it," I wink.

I briefly touch his shoulder before I turn around and walk back. I glance back and smile as I catch him staring after me.

I work six nights a week and sleep through most of the day, so combining work and fun is only efficient. And how could I pass up someone like that?

Eve looks over to me as I pour the drink and grins as I only wink back mischievously. I quickly write down my number on the back of a business card of the club and then walk back to him. But to my surprise, I can’t see him anywhere. Did he really just leave with someone else in this one minute I was gone?

Angrily, I stride back to the bar, putting down the drink again and sigh.

„What happened?"

I turn my head to her as Eve appears next to me. „He’s already gone. No surprise for a guy like that in here."

„Oh. Sorry. But if you want to take a break, can you bring the trash out back?"

„Sure."

With another sigh, I grab the big black trash bag and push my way towards the back exit. It seems like I’ll spend this night in my own crappy apartment again. He probably had a penthouse downtown or something. Now that would have been a night! Doing it while looking down on the whole city.

I step out of the club into the cool, fresh air of the night, close my eyes for a moment and take a deep breath.

Air!

It has been raining a few hours ago and that wonderful smell still hangs in the air. The soft breeze caressing my face cools me down a little, the quietness out here like balm for my ears.  

But as I open my eyes again, I freeze.

Mr. Handsome is standing right there in our back alley. With a gun pointed at him.

There are two thugs standing about three yards across from him, one holding a gun. They’re both clad in leather jackets with spikes, tattoos on their neck.

„What the hell?"

The words escape from my mouth before I can hold them back. As the thugs turn their attention, and the gun, towards me, I drop the trash in panic.

Damn you, Alice, why can’t you keep your mouth shut.

I want to turn to the door and sprint back into the club, but before I can move, the man with the gun shouts at me.

„You! Come here!"

Hesitantly, I come closer. The thugs certainly don’t look happy. Mr. Handsome glances over his shoulder at me, a mix of happy surprise and fear on his face.

Shit. They are going to kill us, aren’t