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((Commission for  Autumn_Vector, featuring characters belonging to him. Part 1 of 2.))

Night at the Club

Nichole leaned against the rear wall of the club. She idly sloshed what was left of her drink in circles at the bottom of her glass. This night was not going well.

She had done everything she could to set herself up for a night of success. She had put on a nice dress and done up her makeup. She had found a popular club, and the crowd had no small number of people her age. Now if only she could get up the nerve to actually talk to someone, she'd be set.

Maybe this was a fool's errand. No one was actually going to want to spend time with a skunk like her, no matter how much she might try to pretty herself up. And she had tried! She had put on one of her nicest skirts and a cute top that showed the white fur of her midriff. The light purple tights matched the color of her eyes, and she thought the dark color of her boots contrasted well with the light-gray stripes on her enormous, bushy tail. She had done herself up to the best of her ability.

And yet, she would never be the one that all the boys wanted. She would--

"Hi there, Sweets."

Nichole jumped, almost dropping her glass. She had been so wrapped up in her self-destructive thoughts, she hadn't even noticed someone approaching.

He was a tall male wasp, even taller than her. His fur was as dark as the night sky, everywhere except for his large stinger, which had dark red stripes on it. He was dressed more casually than Nichole, wearing a pair of jeans and a simple jacket over his... four arms.

More importantly, did he just call her "Sweets?"

"H-hi," she managed.

"You look lonely over here," the wasp said. His voice was cool and smooth. "Everything alright?"

Nichole nodded. "Yeah, everything's fine. I'm just, um, trying to find someone to talk to."

"Well, you're talking to me, now. Will I do?" He grinned.

Nichole laughed. "Ahah.. I suppose so."

"I'm Autumn," the wasp said, with a slight droning buzz to his voice.

"Nichole."

"Pleased to meet you." He kissed her hand. "So, what brings you out to the club tonight? Are you here with friends? Or your boyfriend?"

"No, I'm here by myself," Nichole answered. "Just trying to meet new people. And I don't have a boyfriend?"

"Really? That's a surprise," Autumn mused, with a slowly growing smirk. "A pretty thing like you? I don't believe it."

Nichole felt herself flush. She glanced around. Was this a joke? A prank? Did he know that she was-? She half expected to see a friend, or group of friends, who had put him up to it, possibly recording the whole thing. But no, all the other party-goers she saw nearby were busy doing their own things.

Autumn placed one of his several arms against the wall, near her head. "In fact, you're too pretty to just be playing wallflower. How about I take you away from here?"

Nichole's fur began to bristle. Her face was hot. Were her legs shaking? She wasn't sure she had ever met someone so... intimidating. "I, um, I'm not sure that..."

Autumn leaned in close, the quiet sound of his buzzing started to choke out the music of the club. Without moving his hand from the wall, two more of his hands reached in to grip Nichole's shoulders. She felt something brush against her leg, and a sudden scratch left her thigh hot and flushed! It took a moment to realize that it was Autumn's stinger, which had curled up between them. "Come now, Sweets, it'll be a real treat. I know what you're up to. You're just sitting here alone, aching to be wanted..." His eyes shone with hunger. His voice droned and buzzed with an unspoken want that rattled her to her bones.

Nichole's heart was pounding against the inside of her chest. Part of her wanted to push this stranger away -- and part of her wanted to pull him closer. After all, when was the last time someone had been this into her? Had... looked at her like that? "I... I just... but-"

"You're going to come with me, I'm going to take you away from here." She could feel his breath on her face with every word. "And then, when we are alone... I am going to devour you."

Nichole couldn't feel her legs. "What?" She barely had the breath to speak.

"I'm going to devour you, Sweets. I want you. I am going to take you away, and never let you go."

"I... I'm not sure I understand. Is that a euphemism? Because I don't even know you, I don't want to..."

"Nothing of the sort, Sweets," Autumn said, smiling as he arched back up, finally giving her room to breathe again. Sensation returned to her legs as she realized she could feel a slow, creeping warmth from her thigh, where his stinger had scored through her exposed pelt. "I just think you look beautiful. I am going to swallow you, and I am never going to let you out." His mouth spilled open, and a startlingly long tongue slithered across her still hot cheek.

Okay, that was too far. The surprise physical contact had been kind of flattering, but this was too much. Nichole raised one hand, shaking like a leaf, and placed it against the wasp's chest, intending to push him away. "Don't..."

In an instant, her senses shattered.

Nichole's arm went stiff, gripping into his exposed chest fur as muscles seized. Her vision suddenly turned blurry; stars burst in the corners of her vision as she blinked to try to clear it. She looked down to see Autumn's stinger moving away from her thigh... dripping.

He... he had stung her!

She tried to move away from him, only to feel her knees wobble. Her legs, hips, and loins were on fire. Fever heat clawed beneath her pelt, ripping away strength and climbing up her body towards her chest. She would have fallen if Autumn hadn't used all four arms to draw her into his body, supporting her. "What... what are you...?" She tried to ask, but her words came out slurred as that dizzying heat reached her chest. With a pump of her heart, the heat exploded outwards, wracking through her whole body. Thoughts were slow and dizzy, and words were difficult.

Autumn, for his part, was already walking her deeper into the club.

Her legs were like dried, smoldering tinder under her. If not for those arms holding her, guiding her every step, she would have collapsed. Eyes were all around her, and for the first time tonight, many of them were on her.

She was drifting now, through a sea of voices, unable to follow any exchange as they blended into each other. "What a tramp." "Is she drunk?" "What a lightweight." "Is that that Tran-"

"Is your friend okay?"

She snapped to attention. A dog had wandered off the dance floor. Big blue eyes were staring at her with concern.

"She's doing fine, she just had a bit too much to drink, too fast." Autumn answered with a genial smile. His grip shifted on her to help her stand on her own. "I am taking her to the back to sit down away from the crowd for a little bit."

She stared back. Her throat felt stiff. All she had to do was say something. Say anything. Ask for help, say she isn't with him, scream, cry out! Those arms felt like a straitjacket around her fluttering chest. The droning buzz of the wasp's presence wracked her senses. "... H... H..."

"... H..." was the only word she managed.

"Alright, I'm gonna go cool down then. Have, uh... fun with that." Nichole's heart nearly stopped as she watched the dog laugh off the situation and drift away into the roiling sea of the club's lights and movement.

"Aren't you just a sweet thing?" Autumn spoke as he brought her to a doorway in the rear of the club. The crowd was left behind, the music was even dulled as the gloom behind the door yawned before her... no eyes, no voices except the two of theirs left.

"H-help..." she finally squeaked out into the dark.

"Tsk.. It's way too late for that, Sweets." That tall wasp mused, as that heavy door sealed shut behind them.