By the time it was Angelique's solo dance, I watched her just as carefully as I had Essence. I made the same assessment; she was a carbon copy of Essence, without the implants.
The last number was rehearsed several times. Again, I took the place of the two missing dancers, after I'd viewed the entire routine once.
We never made it through the whole song in one go. Either Essence or Angelique kept yelling for the music to stop (usually Essence), claiming that the backup dancers weren't doing something right.
There were various excuses. Angelique saying, we weren't keeping time properly with the music, or Essence saying our poor dancing was distracting her every time she did a spin.
Although some of the criticism landed on Marilyn, most was saved for me.
While the director rolled his eyes behind her back, Essence muttered under her breath, "This new girl knows nothing- no talent whatsoever."
I heard Angelique giggle.
If Essence meant for me to hear that or not, I couldn't know. She said it loud enough a vampire or werewolf would be able to hear it, but not a human. Since Essence was a werewolf, she'd know I wasn't a wolf or vampire. But did she think I was human?
I chose to ignore her. There was not a lot I could do. I was new here; she was right about that part. But I had to make allies stronger than what she had before I could depose her.
In the end, the rehearsal was cut off before Essence and Angelique would have liked. We ran out of time, and much needed to get done before the club opened for the night.
The lot of us let Essence and Angelique go shower and change first, while we avoided them by getting some free food from the kitchen.
I was lucky in that they catered to my vegetarianism.
My new co-workers (and now friends) filled me in on more information about the Lunar Eclipse.
Since the Lunar Eclipse is a higher-class venue, although they do clubbing style nights, they also have afternoon and some evenings when they operate more Vegas-style burlesque and dance shows.
The former nights are peopled by younger wolves, who want to go out dancing, drinking and the like, the latter, by older wolves on date nights, and with business clients. Both groups have to be wealthy members to enter.
In fact, when Todd told me the yearly cost of a membership, I was surprised. It cost more than most of the good golf club memberships I'd heard of.
Marilyn explained it had to be costly. Not only were they paying for our dancing, they paid for the choreographer, the lavish sets and costumes, the upkeep of the building and much more.
'It's true.', I thought, as I looked around. 'This place not only looks expensive, it is expensive.'
I caught Marilyn looking at me intently.
"Huh?", I looked around all the group to find them looking at me as well.
Marilyn sighed and repeated her question to me.
"I asked how long you've known that werewolves exist."
"Oh.", I let out a sigh of my own. "I've known for a couple of weeks."
"What!?", Marilyn exclaimed.
Everyone seemed shocked.
"I would have sworn you'd known for years.", said an awestruck Mike.
"You seem to act so naturally in here. How could you have adjusted to the news so quickly?"
I laughed. "I'm not so foreign to the supernatural!" I glanced around at all of them. "My roommate is a witch and I've known about the existence of vampires for years!"
This explanation seemed to make sense to them.
We soon got back to the topic of dancing, and Marilyn mentioned she needed to get a small rip repaired in one of her outfits.
"Don't forget.", she leaned in to tell me. "Although our outfits for our numbers are picked out for us and tailored and repaired for free, if you dance on club nights, you can wear your own outfits as long as they match the dress code. And they'll charge you to do any work on them. I hope you can sew."
Soon after, the guys went their separate ways from us girls, and we each entered our respective change rooms to shower and be ready by the time the place opened the doors for a club night.
In the shower, I washed my body, but not my hair. I was a little nervous about the night. I had nothing planned as far as dancing went. (Not that I needed to with my skills).
But I didn't know when I left the house earlier in the evening, that I would end up working my first ever club night.
It was exciting, and terrifying all at once. As the warm water rained down on me, I could already feel the adrenaline beginning to flow through my veins.
"Hey, Sinead.", I heard Marilyn call to me. "This is your time- check. You'd best get out of the shower soon."
"Alright, thanks!" I called through the opaque shower door to her.
I exited the shower in a fresh bra and underwear, while using a towel to scrunch the water out of my hair.
Marilyn sat at a vanity, running a brush through her hair, changing the way it was parted.
"How many more minutes until we are expected downstairs?", I asked.
"The doors open at eleven. Usually I am downstairs at opening, but I never dance right away. I wait until there are at least 50 to 100 people before I do."
I rifled through my bag wondering what I should wear tonight. Deciding nothing I brought would do, I realized a spell would help with the situation.
With the excuse of forgetting one of my belongings in the shower, I slipped back inside and closed the shower door.
A deep breath, some concentration, a pull of water energy from the shower head, and a spell, and the magic was done.
I stepped out of the shower stall in black faux- leather pants, and a deep red crop top, with a gold chain holding a golden crescent moon hung around my neck. Gold hoop earrings hung from my ear lobes and a gold box-link bracelet encircled my wrist.