CHAPTER 5

 ~ Dawning Possibilities ~

 

Eight days later, a very tired and anxious Callie is exiting her bedroom at 5:30 A.M., juggling a garment bag filled with restored vintage clothing and her smallest sewing basket filled with supplies.  At this stage of her very insane pregnancy, Callie’s belly is already comparable to a woman who is in her middle trimester.  The rapid advancement of her pregnancy and the toll on her body is plain to everyone who sees her, but Callie refuses to slow down.  She knows she might not survive the pregnancy and delivery and she is determined to leave her unborn baby a small nest egg in the event she is not around to support her own child, even though Tara has assured Callie she will watch out for the child in the event the worst happens. 

Her fatigue, which is made worse by her work schedule, the demands of the pregnancy, and yet another sleepless night, has left the young woman feeling distracted and out of sorts.  To make matters worse, everyone around the MC has been really tense because of some rogue MC of wolf shifters and an increasing number of rogue vampires, blood wraiths, and ghouls being in the region.  Apparently, the Twin Ravens have already driven the interloper MC out of town once, and the so-called blood horde are simply symptomatic of an overall larger problem.  These factors combine to keep everyone on high alert.  A part of Callie almost wishes she could go back to days of being blissfully ignorant of supernatural elements in her world.  But then, she wouldn’t have met any of her new friends.  Friends she values greatly and would hate to lose.

The human female can’t help but smile when it occurs to her that the Twin Ravens MC seems to make a habit of picking up strays and taking care of them when the Immortal world has done them harm.  In fact, Callie’s heart goes out to the kid they rescued from the rogue shifters of the other MC. Callie recognizes a fellow wounded soul when she meets one, and that poor kid Colby is definitely a wounded soul.  Even though she knows nothing of his story, and gets the impression he’s some kind of supernatural being, Callie still feels an affinity with the boy.  

The pregnant female is abruptly yanked from her musings when she realizes she is not the only early riser.  The door directly across from her own opens to reveal Nyle.  He’s grinning rakishly at Callie and she is so startled when she sees one of the very sexy men who has been haunting her dreams for eight nights she nearly stumbles over her own feet.  Despite the frequent overtures of Kazar and Nyle to befriend her, Callie has avoided contact with the very sexy men who unnerve her and make her want things she knows she’ll never have.  The bulky garment bag slips from her grip, and the sewing basket fumbles awkwardly under her other arm.  Her ungainly attempts to maintain her hold on her possessions threatens her questionable balance.

“Whoa, there, aingeal míne!” the burly shifter quips as he lunges forward to prevent her falling, again.  “You seem to be developing quite a habit of falling for me.”

His flirtatious comment makes her blush furiously and murmur her automatic thanks without even looking at his face as she tries to scamper away without engaging in conversation.  When she reaches for the garment bag he retrieved, he steps back playfully to keep her property just out of her reach, and says; “What’s your hurry, beautiful?”

“Uh… I have a lot of orders to send out today.”  She tiredly brushes a strand of hair from her face and tries again to reclaim her garment bag.  When the tall shifter makes no move to give up her property, she is forced to look up, way up, into his eyes.  At five foot and five inches, many people around the MC seem to tower over her, including many of the women.  But Nyle is over six feet tall, forcing Callie to court a serious crick in her neck to look up into his face when standing this close. 

Looking into the handsome face smiling down at her does strange things to her body.  When her whisky brown gaze locks with his brilliant sky blue eyes, her tummy begins to quiver nervously and the baby does some serious acrobatics.  She swallows hard in an attempt to tamp down her anxiety and not fall under the spell of his very appealing masculine beauty.  But her attention is captivated by his riotous auburn hair, shot through with vivid copper highlights.  The texture looks as soft as spun silk, and just seems to invite one’s fingers to entwine in the thick waves that fall casually over his wide forehead.  She thinks that he could benefit from a trim, but has to admit that his shaggy hair and full dark ginger beard really do it for her.  His rough appearance appeals to her mightily, and she’s convinced that she will say or do something to make a fool of herself if she remains around the man.

Another kick from the baby reminds her that she is running out of time.  So very much to do, and so little time.  “I really need to be running along.  May I have my bag?  Please.” 

They both know the please was uttered begrudgingly, and her full lips form a grim line when he chuckles his amusement at her discomfort.  Her gaze flicks away from his knowledgeable appraisal.  Looking into those blue eyes again would be a big mistake.

“Do I frighten you, aingeal míne?”  Callie still isn’t able to muster up the wherewithal to meet his gaze, and simply shakes her head in the negative.  He chuckles softly and Callie gasps when Nyle’s calloused fingers trail familiarly down the plains of her overly slender face.  Despite eating several times a day, and drinking blood daily, her appearance continues to grow gaunt and haggard.  Her very unnatural pregnancy is taking a devastating toll on her body, and everyone around her knows it.  “Oh, little Callie, you are indeed a giotán blasta, but I promise not to let the big bad wolf out to eat you up.”

Because of learning bits of Irish Gaelic from her mother who learned it from her mother, Callie knows that he is calling her a tasty bit, and the fact that he seems to be taunting her with his superior strength and deadly alter-ego makes her angry.  “Tasty bit?  Really?  Am I supposed to be intimidated, Mr. Big-Bad-Wolf?” She snaps as she reaches out to snatch the garment bag from his hands, but he easily avoids her bid to recapture her possession. 

“Seriously, buddy, what have I ever done to deserve to be mocked like that?  I already know I am completely outclassed by every supe in this building.”  She reaches up to yank down the high neckline of her cowl necked shirt and sneers; “That murderous vampire very effectively drove that point home the night he attacked me.  I do not require extra reminders of my weakness and inadequacies.  Now, please give me my damn bag and let me get to my shop!”

“I’m sorry,” he mutters with a shocked expression on his handsome face at the sight of the savage scarring on her throat.  Sheepishly, he hands the bag to her and tries to apologize.  “I truly meant no harm.  No one here will ever hurt you, I assure you.” 

He grins like a small boy trying to charm his way out of trouble giving Callie the impression that this man has used his brilliant smile to get out of many awkward situations over the years.  But she refuses to be lulled in by a sexy smile and handsome face.  Especially not by a man who she is ridiculously attracted to despite the fact he is in a committed relationship with another man.  In fact, in this moment, all she feels is outrage that he would dare taunt her this way. 

Heck, he probably knows I am drawn to him and he’s just playing with me!

Callie clutches her bag and turns to stomp off.  “Truly, aingeal míne, I meant no harm.  That was simply a wee bit of innocent flirting.”

Callie’s heart is racing so badly that she fears she might pass out before she can even reach the staircase, so she doesn’t make any attempt to reply.  Once she’s a few steps away, she regrets her angry reaction.  But she just pushes forward, in her bid to outrun her embarrassment because she is fully aware that she overreacted.  He was just indulging in a bit of innocent teasing, and Callie behaved badly. 

Or was there more to it than that?

Nyle watches the wary human scamper away and mentally kicks himself for being a fool.  He had hoped to engage in a bit a harmless trifling and try to get to know the girl.  The Celt desperately needs to understand why he feels so drawn to her.  He can’t help but think it’s just because she’s been victimized and his heart always goes out to the wounded birds.  But deep in his heart, he fears there is more to it than that.  And he wonders what that says about him.

When he hears the door to their quarters open, he looks over his shoulder to see Kazar watching him with a somber and thoughtful expression on his gorgeous, if scarred, face.  Slowly, he turns to face the ancient Egyptian who is fresh out of the shower.  Nyle’s attention is drawn to a droplet of water that escapes Kazar’s midnight waves to trail down the olive expanse of his finely chiseled chest.  The Celt’s heart clenches at the sight of his lover, just as it does every single time he lays eyes on the male… his mate. 

Despite the fact that Kazar has been free of the Nihility for nearly a year, his vampire lover’s eyes are still haunted at times, his dreams during his meditations are still of that horrid nightmare of a place, and the torture he endured there.  In short, Nyle’s mate is suffering from mild PTSD and rejects every attempt to get him to talk to anyone about the situation.  He had told Nyle that he refuses to burden anyone with what happened and just wants to forget it. 

They both know that’s bullshit.  He won’t be able to just forget it.  Kazar’s nightmares of his time in the Nihility are just like Nyle’s ridiculous attraction to the wounded human female, they will not simply go away if ignored.  Both situations must be examined, and dealt with, or they will fester.

“You are drawn to the girl, are you not?” Kazar asks in his quiet, unassuming way.  Nyle is relieved he doesn’t hear even a single hint of hurt or accusation in his mate’s voice.  Even so, that doesn’t mean Nyle doesn’t feel guilty in his heart.  But his mate deserves an honest answer because the males have always been honest with each other, about everything.  Just as it should be between mates.

Nyle shakes his head, not in denial, but to clear his thoughts, and finally shrugs. “There’s something about her.  I just feel this overwhelming need to protect her.  I want to make her feel secure and safe.”  He snorts and drags one hand down his face in a gesture of his frustration, he suspects his actions are motivated by more than a need to protect, but he just can’t find the words to articulate what is going on.  “Apparently, I really suck at that because my first attempt at playful flirting with a female in a couple of decades results in me scaring the crap out of the poor girl.”

Kazar chuckles.  “Yeah, you handled that rather badly.”  Nyle grins at his lover and steps closer to him.  The sexual tension between the males ignites instantly just at their proximity, and Nyle’s body flares passionately even though they made love not thirty minutes ago.  Kazar’s nostrils flare when Nyle grabs the waistband of his jeans to tug his lover nearer. 

“How about you, leannán, does my lackluster flirting work with you?”  The Celt leans in to nip at his lover’s earlobe before trailing eager biting kisses down his neck, his soft beard teasing Kazar’s eager flesh along the way.

“Fuuuck,” Kazar moans.  “Again?”

“Always,” Nyle assures huskily.  He firmly plants his hands against the wall on either side of his slightly shorter lover and growls.  “You always stir my beast and inflame my passions.  Only you, my mate.  Now and for always.”

Kazar stiffens slightly at his words and Nyle pulls back from licking and sucking on his beloved’s exposed neck.  “Are you sure, maritus?”  The Egyptian asks evenly.  “You seem to be enthralled by this female.  I cannot miss the fact that you watch for her whenever we are in the public areas of the club.”

Nyle steps back abruptly to stare at his booted feet.  At first, the shifter shakes his head in denial, but quickly looks up to meet his lover’s gaze with a pained expression on his own roughhewn face.  “Aye, she pulls at me, Kazar.  Please forgive me for being a fickle arse, but from the moment I first met her, I was drawn to her… much like the first time I met you.”  The pain in Nyle’s face at this admission warms Kazar’s jaded heart.  “But I would never…”

The Egyptian chuckles wryly, interrupting the Celt’s vow.  “That, lupus meum, does not make you a fickle arse.  You are steadfast and devoted.  I’ve never doubted your commitment to me, Nyle.  Not once.” Casting a quick glance in the direction Callie just fled, he cups his beloved’s face between his hands, before planting a tender kiss upon those cherished lips. 

“I have a story to tell you, Nyle.”  He smiles reassuringly when Nyle tenses slightly, and adds; “Nyle, it’s nothing bad.  In fact, I am beginning to think it may be the solution to the one thing we both want with all our hearts.”  Nyle raises a brow and Kazar chuckles.  “It’s an intense tale, so let us go downstairs so I can find some blood and coffee.”  He grins disarmingly at his lover and admits; “I need my caffeine fix.”

Thirty minutes later they have prepared Kazar’s coffee, a pile of fluffy French toast, and a mountain of bacon for Nyle’s huge appetite and slipped away from their fellow enforcers to chat privately in a booth in the empty bar. 

“You know that I was born shortly before the reign of Cleopatra began?”  Nyle nods wordlessly as he chews a mouthful of bacon and wonders why his lover is giving him a history lesson this morning.  “My father later became one of the queen’s food tasters and body guards.” Nyle nods.  He knows all of this.  “Shortly before the Ptolemaic dynasty fell, Nyx turned me into what I am now… a Stone Cold vampire.” 

“For many years, I served her faithfully.  I was one of those who foolishly thought she held true regard for her creations.  But when she killed the last of the Dragon Queens, my eyes were finally opened to the truth.  I escaped her dominion and eventually ended up a General in Rome’s legions.  At one point…” he shakes his head, “I really do not recall exactly when, but I had been sent to put down a rebellion in Syria.  Once that was settled, I felt a bit home sick and returned to the city of my birth.  I remained in Alexandria for a short while in a confiscated villa which reminded me of my childhood in the palace of the late Ptolemaic dynasty.”  He takes a deep drink of his coffee and finally meets his lover’s gaze.

“During my stay, a young woman appeared before me in the garden of my temporary home.”  He chuckles.  “She was a mortal, and yet she materialized out of thin air.”  He traces the lip of his coffee mug with a fingertip.  “I was instantly drawn to the terrified little human.”  He chuckles, “I was surrounded by beautiful women, all eager and clamoring to throw themselves at the feet of a successful general of the Roman Empire, but I was captivated by a very ordinary looking young girl who appeared to have been beaten and was dressed in this dreadful gown that flapped open in the back.  I later learned it was a hospital gown, and that the girl had been in an automobile accident in twenty-first century Tulsa, Oklahoma.” 

He chuckles.  “The girl spoke a bit of Irish Gaelic, because her Grandmother was born in Ireland, so I located a translator to help us communicate.  Eventually, I learned that my mysterious visitor had been born in Tulsa in the year 1985.  During the short time this young woman remained in my villa, we became very close.  My soul recognized her as important… somehow.” 

The Egyptian searches his lover’s face to see how he is reacting to this long overdue confession.  Kazar reaches for the necklace that has hung around his neck since long before the men first met over twenty years ago.  “She left this behind at my villa in Alexandria when she disappeared after only five days.”  Nyle looks at the simple necklace, even though he has seen it countless times.  It is a 1985 penny set in a black iron setting, crafted by Mountain Dwarves, and attached to a simple braided leather thong.  Nyle is intrigued when Kazar explains that his female had the penny clutched in her tiny hand when she materialized in the vampire’s Alexandria garden.

After a few quiet moments of contemplation, Kazar speaks again, distracting Nyle from the odd necklace.  “I was aimless for a long while after my little human wraith disappeared.  I no longer held any desire to serve an Empire I held no true allegiance for and had no idea what I was going to do with my life.  I was certain that any hint to my true destiny had disappeared at the whims of the gods, just as she had appeared to tease and torment me with what I did not have.”  Nyle’s heart breaks when he sees the depths of despair reflected in his lover’s face.  In that moment, he truly understands that Kazar was lost and totally without direction for his life in those days. 

The ancient vampire smiles, revealing a bit of razor sharp fang that only the very ancient among his kind have.  “I remained in that villa in the vague hope that my human wraith would reappear and give my life some direction.  Eventually, I had another visitor.  This time, it was a being whom I assumed was an angel.  He claimed that I would see Callie again, if I would but follow the clues I had been given and wait for her to be born into the right lifetime.  He said that our destinies were linked.”  He shrugs.  “Eventually, I made my way to Tulsa about fifty years ago.  I joined the Twin Ravens and waited for my little wraith to be born.”

Kazar gazes deeply into Nyle’s eyes, and the Celt cannot mistake the love and devotion he sees there for anything other than what it is.  “When I first met you, I thought that I had been wrong about the importance of the human female because I was certain that you were my mate - my destiny.  And yet, a tiny hole remained in my heart, and I waited silently for Callie to connect to our world so that I could sort out her place in our lives.”  He toys with the penny pendent and says; “I’ve watched over her ever since the day of her birth.  Until I was dragged into the Nihility by one of Nyx’s minions.”

When Kazar meets his lover’s eyes, the sorrow and guilt that Nyle sees there feels like a sucker punch to his gut.  “If I had only been stronger.  If only I had recovered my memory and strength sooner…”

“Enough!” Nyle barks.  “You cannot blame yourself for what happened to Callie.  I have spoken to Tara, and our little vampire witch did more than even you could have done to protect Callie if you had been here.”  Nyle lovingly caresses the backs of his mate’s hands, willing a sense of peace and tranquility into the heart of his shattered male.  After a while, Kazar nods and turns his hands over to clasp the powerful fingers of his mate.  “Kazar, Callie will be fine.  Yes, she is deeply wounded by what happened to her, and is facing a very challenging pregnancy, but she has the very best care possible.  She has the protection, the emotional, and physical support of the entire MC.”  He gives Kazar’s hands a reassuring squeeze.  “I won’t have you torturing yourself with what ifs, and regrets over things that you couldn’t ever hope to have controlled.”

“But there’s more,” Kazar says with a weak smile. 

Nyle smirks.  “Of course, there is.” 

“That draw, that connection you feel for Callie…”  Nyle nods, and holds his breath, hoping against hope that Kazar is not about to end their twenty year relationship because of some random human female, for whom Nyle also feels a ridiculous need to protect.  “I’ve felt it too… from the very first time I saw her in that garden back in ancient Alexandria.”  He closes his eyes as though steeling himself to say what needs to be said.  “I think Callie is the reason our mating bond never fully formed.”

Releasing his tender hold on Kazar’s hands as if the contact suddenly burns, the Celt struggles to suppress his wolf who wants to be released.  “What do you mean, that human chit is the reason our mating bond hasn’t formed?” Nyle demands harshly.

“That connection… that connection we both feel for the same female and feel toward each other…”  Kazar opens his hands imploringly.  “What if we are meant to be a mating triad?  What if Callie is our mate?”

Nyle’s anger disappears instantly and he quickly reaches out to gather Kazar’s hands into his own.  His heart is racing at the hopeful prospect his lover raises.  “You really think that is possible?”

The Egyptian nods and meets his mate’s imploring gaze.  “Not only do I think it is possible, I think it is likely.”  He grins like an eager kid anticipating Christmas.  “Think about it, my darling maritus, we know our connection as fated mates is real, and yet the mating bond between us has never fully formed.”  Nyle nods, admitting their lack of a full bond always pains the Celt, and he knows it pains his lover as well.  “And both of us are drawn to the same human…”  Kazar lets his voice trail off.

Nyle nods and whispers; “We need to spend some time with that girl.”

“I concur,” the ancient vampire says with an eager smile on his face.  Rising from his seat to lean over the table, he cups his beloved’s face and smile into his eyes.  “Think of it, Nyle, she could be ours.  That lovely little human woman, and the babe she carries could belong to us.  Callie Boyd, of Tulsa-fucking-Oklahoma, could be the key to our heart’s desire.”

Wordlessly, Nyle buries his hands in Kazar’s shaggy hair to drag his male closer for a savage and dominating kiss which ignites their mutual passion.  Kazar eagerly submits to the invasion of Nyle’s tongue and the lovers begin a dance as old as time.  Mutual desires flare white hot, but the sound of a throat clearing and a giggling child finally drags the lover’s from their lust filled haze. 

“Seriously, dudes?”  A deep male voice chastises playfully with a thick Oklahoma drawl.  “Tiny Munchkin in residence.  Remember?  When the bar is closed, it’s strictly PG activities downstairs.”  The voice laughs again and continues to playfully taunt the mates.  “If I can’t play hide the sausage down here with the club girls, you guys can’t do whatever you were warming up to do, either.”

Nyle grins at his lover, and reluctantly releases the harsh hold he has on Kazar’s hair before turning his attention to the new arrivals.  Rage, second in command to Blood, is standing next to their table looking very amused and pleased with himself for tormenting his brothers.  The giggling child on his hip seems to be utterly enthralled with her game of “Poke the Human in the Eye”.  Rage playfully growls at the child and throws his head back to laugh uproariously when the tiny sabretooth shifter drops her extra-long canines and growls right back before bursting out into an adorable fit of giggles, again.

“Cock blocking human,” Kazar growls playfully as the tiny child turns her attention to the males seated at the table.  Uttering insistent noises that make her needs well known, she opens her arms for Kazar to take her from her current perch on the VP’s hip.  When Sunny is firmly planted on his lap, patting playfully at both of his cheeks with her chubby hands before delivering a wet kiss on his mouth.  “Pitty Zar,” the child squeals with delight when the ancient Egyptian vampire begins to gently tickle her tummy.  “How old is she?” Kazar asks quietly, as the pair begin a game of peek-a-boo.

Rage, leaning casually against the table’s edge with his hands jammed into the front pocket of his jeans, shrugs.  “We aren’t sure.  We haven’t been able to find out anything about the mother or when the child was born.  But we are pretty sure she was about a year old when Jenni brought her to us, so her new paperwork says she’s eighteen months.”

The vampire leans in to nuzzle his nose against the cute button nose of the child, and Nyle’s heart warms at the sight of his male with the baby.  That’s when it hits Nyle like a ton of bricks.  Kazar needs something that Nyle can never give him.  He needs children in his life.  Despite his inherent dark nature as one of the oldest Stone Cold vampires still in existence, this male was destined to be a father.  His need to nurture, guide, and mentor has always been strong.  And in this moment, Nyle sees an air of contentment and peace about his mate that he has never before witnessed. 

His mind can’t help but flash to the image of the human female they had just been discussing.  Callie is carrying a vampire’s child and will need help raising said child.  Because, let’s face it, she hasn’t turned to Stone Cold herself and raising a human/vampire hybrid is going to present challenges that even the strong and determined Callie Boyd cannot handle on her own. 

In that moment, he realizes his need to protect and cherish Callie and her child is just as strong as the need to do those things for his mate, Kazar.  In his mind’s eye, he can see the three of them together, raising the child as a family.  And perhaps, later, other children fathered by Kazar and himself.  His heart swells with the innate instincts of a shifter to rear children and cherish a mate… or mates, in this case.

The club’s VP crashes into Nyle’s beautiful daydreams when he says; “You guys gonna make a move on that gal?”

“Which gal?” Kazar asks absently, still playing with Sunny.

Rage snorts.  “You know which gal.  The human with the baby vamp in her belly.”  He casts a hard gaze at Nyle and says; “The one you two take turns eye fuckin’ when the other one ain’t lookin’…. That… gal.”

Nyle cringes at the light-hearted accusation in their VP’s words, but Kazar simply chuckles.  “Ahhh, that gal.”  The very one Nyle and I had been discussing before you walked out here with the lovely little Sunny.”  The Egyptian’s knowing gaze meets the uncertain, but eager gaze of his much younger lover.  “We are indeed going to get to know Miss Callie Boyd.  I’ve watched her from the shadows her entire life, and since my mate is just as enthralled with the girl as I am, we will indeed be making a move, as you so eloquently phrased it.”

“Bout fuckin’ time,” Rage grunts as he reaches for the child in Kazar’s arms.  “Come on, Baby Puss, I am supposed to take you to Miss Glory for a bath and a trip to buy new clothes.”  The club’s VP rolls his eyes and mutters something about the kid having enough clothes and toys for a dozen kids.  Once the child is safely back in the VP’s arms he turns as though to leave the room, but stops and looks back at his MC Brothers.  “I can see connections between people.  Did you fuckers know that?”

Kazar and Nyle look at each other in surprise.  Nope, this is news to both of them.  Rage Nero is fully human, bad-ass as they come, but human nonetheless.

“Well, I can.  You two assholes glow with the same vibrant ruby faceted aura that you always have since the first time I met you guys when I was a kid.”  He looks from male to male and drops the bomb.  “The night they brought Miss Callie in here on death’s door after Finn Connor tried to kill her, I could see the exact same glow surrounding her.  It was faint…” he uses his thumb and forefinger to thoughtfully stroke his mustache before adding; “It was weak, really weak.  Probably ‘cause she was dying.  But since you have both been back at the MC, the glow on all three of you has gotten stronger.” 

He laughs and shifts the squirming kid on his hip.  “In fact, your glow has gotten a lot stronger since you’ve all been in the house.”  He leans down to kiss the top of Sunny’s head and promises to hurry.  “If you dumbasses don’t feel the mating pull with her, you better take a look at whatever might be keeping you from feeling it, ‘cause I promise ya, it’s there.” 

With that pronouncement, the MC’s second turns on his heel and strides off toward the staircase that leads to the private quarters upstairs.  Kazar and Nyle stare at each other in astonished awe, bordering on disbelief.  Not because Rage said they were bound to the human female, because they had already come to realize that was a very real possibility, but because they just learned the human, second in command of their band of Immortal Enforcers, can see auras and mating bonds.  Only very strong Alpha paranorms or a very strong psychic humans can see those things.  “Well, fuck me running,” Nyle breathes.  “There’s a hella lot more to that human than I ever suspected.”

Kazar nods.  “Most certainly.”  He absently toys with the sparse goatee on his chin.  “This casts Blood’s decision to make him second in command in a brand new light, does it not?”

Before Nyle can respond, a tallish red-haired female in full battle leathers, and armed to the teeth with both ancient and modern weaponry, flashes into the MC’s clubhouse to snarl at the two males, who have leapt from their seats in battle ready stances.  “Your woman is in danger!”  She snarls in a thick Irish accent as she reaches out to touch both males and instantly flashes them from the MC’s clubhouse.