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Chapter 1

Elliot had to be pulled from the back of the dark green convertible mustang as if he were a prisoner, being dragged to death row. "Come on Elliot it'll be fun; you need to get you out of that shell of an apartment." Urged Martha, as she tugged. Gosh, Keith already stood on the sidewalk watching with amusement as Martha finally pulled Elliot from the back seat. As his death grip failed and his well placed foot hold became dislodged, he fell forward out of the car, nearly planting his muzzle into the side walk. Thankfully his outstretched paws saved him from the fate of a bloody nose and a sore snout, hell maybe even a couple chipped teeth. The fall itself was about as elegant as a plump sack of trash being heaved through a third story window, even pushing himself back up wasn't a movement of elegance. Elliot was going to give in for the moment, he wanted to have a good time just like anyone would, thought if he could he'd be in the relative safety of his own apartment working on his now three day late essay from his history class on the modern life in roman times. And that was just a start, he still hadn't started on this week's assignments in his computer programming class, and it was Thursday. Martha had been so insistent on his attendance that she practically picked him up and dragged him out, doing everything but tying him up and gagging him. "you need to get out and start living your life, you only get one, so now you need to start making up for lost time, and start living as if tomorrows your last day to live." Martha had first said before dragging him out the door. He liked his life just fine the way it was, that's what he told himself, not that his was true, another part of himself contested to the deeply rooted lie, which he never acknowledged. Why did he have to change it? Nothing was going right now that he'd tried reaching past the carefully crafted walls that he'd built between himself and the rest of the world. He'd tried to reach out to his classmates a month ago by talking to them. Now that he'd done it he was wishing that he never had. Now that they started talking to him and acknowledged his existence they were insistent on breaching his comfort zone by dragging him out for a late night bash that could end very badly. That wasn't too odd he'd guessed, that they would try to do this, normal people did this sort 'a thing all the time, but was it normal to be dragged from your house in the middle of study time by your study group to make you dance with them at some club? He remembered parts of his old life, back when he was normal, but now with his perspectives and experiences Elliot knew that going out like this to a shady club was how people got kid napped, beaten raped or even killed. Now with his nose only an inch from the concrete, and an Iron clad conviction to try connecting with people, or at least with his fellow classmates, he pushed himself up to his feet.

"Sorry Elliot, but trust us. You desperately need to get out of that house and party a little. You'll love this place, really." Martha said reassuringly as she took his arm to keep him from escaping, in case he suddenly decided to make a break for it. She was a thin tanned fennec with stylized fur. Gosh who stood tapping his foot impatiently, eyed Elliot with a look of unease. He seemed to be unhappy about forcing Elliot into coming, but not enough to jump to his defense against Martha. He was a snow leopard that seemed to almost glow white against the red brick wall of the club. Keith who was at Gosh's side was a fox who stood at about the same height as Elliot, which was about five and a half feet, and he was his boyfriend. In essence, as far as they were concerned they were soul mates. A pair that reinforced each other, they often backed each other up in and out of class on and off the playing field you might say, what most heterosexual couples had in spades they had in aces, all in all they presented a strong front against the haters that unleashed hell on the gay community. Though like anything it was a challenge, but they never ran into anything that they as a team couldn't handle. Elliot was a Dalmatian, he hadn't always been this shy and timid, but that's not something that he would be willing to ever share with anyone, not even his own family knew about that. It was nearly freezing here on the streets of Chicago in the midst of winter. Elliot reasoned to at least go in and have a look see. If it was too much to take on then he could just walk home. After all, it wasn't that far from here to his apartment, and he could cut the walk even shorter if he took some back alleys. Martha wrapped her paw around Elliot's, and with an encouraging tug she led him to the wide open mouth of the ally. Just around the corner about 30 yards down was the main entrance. Elliot had never been to this club, or any for that matter, and if it hadn't of been for his well equated classmates he surly never would've for the foreseeable future. The entrance wasn't what he'd been expecting to have seen either. If it hadn't been for the clear rainbow colored flashing lights towering high above them, just under the roof lining of the wall advertising the dance clubs name; Deep Velvet, and the enormous brown bear bouncer that stood with his arms crossed over his chest, he never would have thought that this one ally would have contained anything worth taking a gander at.

"ID." The bouncer grunted the command as they stopped in front of the red rope that blocked the entrance to a short stairway that lead down to a basement level. A light at the lower end illuminated a pair of glossy black doors.

An odor of beer nuts, pizza, and alcohol rolled out of the bear's breath as he took the time to scrutinize the ID's. He stopped twice to check over Elliot's. Not wanting to make a mistake he guessed; after all it was his ass on the line if he let a cub in. He didn't look to be the sharpest tool in the shed you might say. The bears big brown eyes shifted back to Elliot with suspicion and ridicule. "You sure don't look 23" he rumbled his eyes looking him over. Elliot was starting to shake nervously under the big bear's scrutiny.

"This isn't a fake ID is it?" The question rumbled forth. "Ye-yes si-sir I'm-," Martha cut in to save him. "Yes he's 23, and yes I'm 25, and yes they," she indicated both Gosh and Keith, "are both over 21 as you should know from the ID's that you just looked at. So are you going to let use in or not?" she demanded with stern resolve, her big tan ears like satellite dishes revolved to face the big bear. With a frown of annoyance he looked them over again as if he was looking for a reason to reject them. Or maybe he just wasn't used to being spoken to in that manner Elliot thought. But after an instants hesitation the bouncer unhooked the rope to let them pass. His eyes searched each of them as they passed, as if expecting to find something that they would give him the reason to send them back out. Elliot squeezed Martha's paw tighter and pressed in closer as he passed the hulking figure that was the bear. Elliot was afraid, like he was with most people, most of the time his family had told him that it was an irrational fear, like being afraid of trees, dolls, or fish. They didn't understand, they never would, or he hoped to lion Christ that they never ever would understand what happened. Gosh, who was following close behind noticed his nervousness, and right away gave a calming pat on his back for reassurance.

Once he was past the double doors the loud beat of the clubs music flooded out to fill the empty dark corridor at the end it opened wide a flashing rainbow of colors rained down from a short glass wall that ran up to the ceiling, glowing rainbow steps glowed and ran around it to the waiting club on the other side. Elliot jerked once as if the loud beat had scared him half to death. Martha with no reaction led him forward, toward the flashing lights that rained above the dance floor. Another set of steps lead the way to a lower floor to the right of the dance floor that opened up to an enormous lounge. The ceiling must have been fifteen feet tall, and it held colored and flashing lights of every kind and variety, some rotated in all directions and others followed a programmed setting that outlined the huge dance floor below which was flooded with other people. Along the walls protruded tall side tables and chairs, clear on the over side of the dance floor stood an illuminating bar, it stood between both the lounge and the dance floor. It was well stocked with many glass bottles of varying sorts lining the wall behind for everyone to see. The counter of the bar itself illuminated a light blue as did the glass shelves from behind that held the many bottles. Closer to the dance floor and farther from the walls stood lone tables low to the floor surrounded by black leather couches; Most were occupied, but not all. Martha looked over at Elliot and back over to the fox Keith, and the white leopard Gosh. "Here follow me I'll get us some seats." Elliot was gaping wide mouthed at the beautiful splendor of the bright scene that rolled out all around him. Martha led them through the maze of the dance floor. As they walked Elliot discovered that the dance floor itself contained large bright florescent squares of every color, and like the fluidly changing lights from above, they to changed colors at ever other random moment. Finally they came to a freshly cleaned table. The scent or the lack there of, told Elliot that the waitress was using a high quality scent neutralizer. Though he didn't understand why they even bothered, the constant stink coming off the ever present crowd of dancers was an over whelming force to be dealt with it, no easy task for any scent masker. Martha sat Elliot down next to her. The black leather creaked under him as he sat.

"Honey, you really need to relax, your starting to make me feel nervous, like I'm about to walk into my own death or something," Came Keith's voice from the other side of the table. He was holding his leopards paw nervously. "You're like infecting me with your unease." The fox's ears perked and a fresh frown creased his face. The leopard holding his paw gave the fox a nibble of a kiss on the cheek, and squeezed his paw. "Your okay sweetie, I've got you, and I'm not going to let anything happen to you." Gosh whispered into his ear as he nuzzled lovingly against his foxes shoulder. Elliot's muzzle heated in a blush from the words. Averting his eyes Elliot found a stand filled with glow sticks of every sort. Looking around the place he noted that most people wore at least one glowing garment whether it be on the wrist of the paw, or the neck, or even looped and hanging from the base of their tails. Elliot had never been in any room with this many people rubbing and moving this close to him, it made him shudder. Martha leaned in close to Gosh's ear, whispering hushed words, though with the racket of the music it was a wasted effort trying to listen in. Gosh's muzzle dipped in a nod and stood to lead his fox on to the mantic dance floor. Martha gestured to the bar, "Elliot have you ever had a drink of any kind? Do you want to try anything at all?" she asked with her other paw franticly searching in her tiny designer purse that hung at her elbow. Elliot briefly wondered how she could lose anything in such a small space. His ears perked with interest. "Ummmmm... I'm not sure I should drink anything, I've never done anything like this, and so I'm like really kind of scared." He said looking around analyzing the potential hazardous environment, he noticed that most of the groups consisted of couples, and of those couples, were of the male gender, he could make out a small number of females also posed in a romantic dance, or on some of the black leather couches cuddling. If he had to guess, Elliot would say that at least half the people here were gay, just being in here set his heart thumping hard against his rib cage. Martha gave a sympathetic hug that lasted nearly a minute. Then she pulled away. I'm going to get you something from the bar sweetie, not to strong but I think it might just help calm you down so you can enjoy yourself. Don't worry I won't be more then I minute ok? I won't leave you here alone. For long." She brushed his shoulder with her paw. He caught the half uttered words she said as she walked away. "Poor thing, whatever happened to you?"

The music changed twice from hip hop to something romantic. Elliot sat watching couples as they changed from one disordered kind of shuffle of a dance to a romantic embrace with their partners, some danced slowly, holding there partner as they swayed to the music, others kissed and cupped each other at the rump as they danced. The site made him ache inside. Tears started to well, but he blinked them away. Thankfully before long the music again changed to a more active high pitched beat. It was nice he felt it starting to lift his spirits, and after a time he found his foot paw jumping to the beat; this place was kind of cool, not as scary as he first though. He spotted Keith and his boyfriend they truly were melting into the rhythm of the sound, they swayed and moved in perfect unison of each other as they danced, the lights dipped and jumped over the waves of the crowd. Elliot spotted the DJ up on his stand, he was an Armadillo. Holding a pair of head phones to his head upside down so that it ran under his pointy muzzle, he listened as he turned knobs and pressed buttons on a computer in front of him. His other paw looked to be making some kind of adjustment. The indistinct chatter from the other nearby tables covered the sound of the waitress, who'd just walked up to his table; she was a tall gray fox, wearing simple black pants with a red silk velvety long sleeved shirt. Her scent told him that she'd just had her lunch break because he could smell the food. It was freshly made fruit sallied, with some tropical alcoholic drink. A small indecisive tag just above her fruitful breast betrayed the waitress's name, Nicol. In Nicol's right paw she held a round serving tray that held one drink. She lowered it to the table and set the glass before Elliot. The sweet scent of coconut wafted up to tease his nose. "Compliments of the gentleman at the bar," The waitress said without missing a beat, pointing her finger back in indication. She was beaming a smile as she left. Elliot looked back to where the fox had pointed. A dark gray wolf sat on a tall stool at the second from last seat off the bars farthest side from him. A handsome wolf, tall with glowing green paw pads his ears were tall and erect as he sat watching Elliot.

Elliot's cheeks blushed nearly as red as paint and turned the instant that he knew that he was being watched his ears though flicked back in the direction of the bar. Elliot's mind raced with thoughts and excitement, this was his first time being shown any affection from anyone, other than his parents, brother and sister when they'd been alive. His heart fluttered with the thought of all the cuties and handsome guys that roamed the club this night this one wolf was interested in him, so he did what anyone would do, he soaked it up like a sponge. For some reason his mind just couldn't fathom such a notion, it was so alien... abnormal even. After all he was filled with flaws, both in personality and body. He was ugly, shy and thin. To thin he thought, if the wolf came closer he would think he had an eating disorder or something, that thought made him grab his drink to drag it closer. He didn't after all want his admirer to think that he was rejecting the gift. He knew after all that sooner or later the handsome fellow would come in closer and see all the many flaws and then reject him soon enough, so for the moment he reasoned that he could bask in the warm glow of the moment, he thought.

The drink was great, it must have been the best he'd ever had, and after a few moments, the alcohol was working wonders on his nerves, as well as the music that was melting into his heart and soul. "Hey? Where did this come from?" Martha's perplexed voice came as she took her place next to Elliot's side. Another blush heated Elliot's muzzle as his smile beamed. "That gray wolf over at the bar sent it over like the moment you left to go get drinks" he answered sheepishly, gesturing with the tilt of his head to the bar, and the wolf.

The tan fox's eyebrows lifted with an amused smirk as she turned to look for herself, "Well, well, well we've been here less than five minutes and you already have a boy crushing over you." She said setting down the two glasses. "I guess you won't need this then huh?" She said setting down the glass that had obviously been meant for him. Elliot clung to the coconut scented drink with a vengeance, As if he half expected it at any moment to jump up and run away. He lifted it to his muzzle and in three big gulps drained it. Then he reached for the one Martha had gestured to, and began to drain it in the same fashion. The iced tea was heavily laced with alcohol. Its intent Elliot guessed was to help loosen him up and get him to do more than site huddled here in his seat waiting to go, and he hopped for just that result, he hoped that it would be the final kick he needed to make his next move, whether that meant just going out on the floor to dance or talking with the strange wolf that'd sent the cocktail to him.

Before the drink was half gone, Martha's paw pulled it back from his muzzle and out of his reach setting it down close to her. "What are you doing? Just trying to get drunk?" she paused looking over at the bar to the dark gray wolf who wasn't obviously watching but seemed to know what was going on. "That's not the way to land a guy you know, you're going about it all wrong." She said lowering her voice. "I'm not trying to get drunk." Elliot shook his head and reached again for the glass. But Martha pulled it closer. "What are you doing then?" She asked. Elliot scratched anxiously at one of his ears that didn't itch. His eyes darted from behind him to the wolf at the bar, who was watching from the corner of his eye, and back to her. "Well..." He stopped to think. "It's making me feel all warm and happy really. Not to mention its working miracles on my nerves. So I thought another would help me more, if that guy comes over here I'm going to need it." Elliot confessed with a shrug. Martha's big ears shifted to the wolf at the bar. He wasn't watching at the moment, he was engaged in conversation with a leopard what was wrapped from head to toe in glow sticks, from red to green to blue, pink and every other color. Looking back to Elliot Martha sighed pushing the iced tea back to him. "Okay, but drink it slowly, and that's enough for the next hour or so, lord knows you need to loosen up, but you should keep your ability to walk. Once you're done with that drink you should come out with me to dance, who knows maybe that handsome wolf'll ask you for a dance once he sees how well you can move that tail of yours." She said with a wink and a gesturing nod. "A cutie like you shouldn't have any problem landing a handsome guy like that, for at least a night; and let's face it honey, you could use some action, even if it's just in the stall." She said with a wink and a smile. Eliot only nodded absently; his mind was too busy digging in long dead memories that never should have been.

After another drink and some more encouraging pats Elliot was again joined by an excited Gosh. He whistled for a waitress, and stayed long enough to learn about Elliot's admirer, ordered some kind of oddly named cocktail and was dragging a reluctant looking Martha onto the dance floor who soon fell in stride behind Gosh, disappearing into the group of dancers. Elliot sometimes caught glimpses of Martha moving and rubbing intimately with other guys. Gosh and Keith tended to stay with only themselves as they moved with the changing mood of the music. A couple times someone would come up and grab their tails asking to join in on the action, and every time they respectfully rejected the offer. Elliot's mind started to focus as he watched the activity, the dancers moved like a swarm of ants. The lights swiveling and pivoting over the crowd repeating a long ago programmed set of lines. Again the music changed to a fast beat and Elliot watched as the DJ flipped a switch. It was noticeable right away on two sides of the room a low hanging mist started to flow over the glowing floor and over the moving foot paws of the crowd. Elliot's interest again started to peek as he watched a small hole in the crowd open up free of anyone. That's when he saw it; the Armadillo clambered forth from the edge and into the center of the clearing. Then the beat again changed to yet a faster tone. Elliot watched like everyone did as the armadillo started to thump his foot paw to the floor, on his head he saw a small light weight headset. He seemed to be adjusting it, or checking it and then turned to look at the DJ stand where a dark Gray wolf sat giving a thumbs up.

"Well hello to all you fine, fine ladies and gentlemen. Everyone here at Deep Velvet hopes that ya'll are having a great time and shacking those tails like never before!" boomed a voice over the beating music. It was the armadillo, Elliot watched as he spoke to the crowd around him, his body still jumping and tapping with the music. "For all those new around here night I'm known as DJ wild! And I'll be your main entertainer this wonderful evening, and like every night I'll be doing everything I can to rock your world! Now first things first, I have a little ritual that I like to do before starting my night off, and I'll be starting this wild night off by gett'n a bit freaky, but before I can do that I need someone that I trust dearly to wiggle my tunes!" he says as he turned to the DJ stand pointing a claw up to the stand to the dark furred gray wolf that was already sitting behind the controls with a wide smile as he gave another thumbs up to the armadillo. Another voice boomed.

"Well Wild thing I'm already up here you go ahead and make this crowd rock!"