***
We opened up the bar at four in the afternoon and by six thirty it was heaving. There must’ve been about sixty people spread throughout the bar. When I say people, I mean witches, weres and vampires. I even think there were a few fae too. Not a plain ordinary human in sight thanks to Misty’s ward. It’s nice to be able to just relax and not worry about someone spotting a side effect of a supernatural being. I can see why Misty’s is so popular.
I’m having a break in the office at eight when I realise I haven’t been in touch with Benji since arriving. When I left he had demanded I ring when I arrived. I retrieve my bag from the cubby hole behind Misty’s desk and dig my phone out to find ten missed calls and panicked messages getting more aggressive with each one. The first being, ‘What the HELL has happened?’
The last being, ‘WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU, BEL?’ He even ended it on a growl that would do any werewolf proud, which is a feat for a human.
I hit call.
When he picks up, I’m expecting a hello to start the conversation. Instead I just get garbled rambling. I hold the phone away until I think it’s over.
It isn’t!
It finally goes quiet on his end and I put the phone to my ear.
Now the begging starts. “Benji, I’m sorry I haven't rung sooner, but it’s been hectic since I got off the bus. I found a job and a place to rent.”
“You should’ve called, even just to say you’re alive. I’ve been sitting here thinking you must be dead in a gutter somewhere, waiting for the police to come around and ask us to identify your body.”
Just then Misty comes in, which means that my break is over and hers has started.
“Look, Benji, my break is over. I have to get back to work but I promise I will send you a huge email giving you a second by second report.” I hang up before he can argue about how I don’t know how to send email from my phone.
I put the phone and my bag back, whilst grumbling away to myself. When I look up I find Misty laughing at me.
“It was Benji, going mental because I haven’t rung him to tell him I’m alive,” I say, rolling my eyes.
I get back in the bar and notice that at least another ten customers have entered since I went on break. The mixture of emotions throughout the room hit me like a brick wall. I take a deep breath and try to focus on my safe barrier that protects me from them. With that breath there’s a smell I recognise from last night.
Theo.
He must be here somewhere. I look around to find him, but come up empty.
“Hey Bel, can I have a Rusty Nail?” yells Theo’s lovely gravelly voice from the other end of the bar.
I laugh and nod my head hoping he can see me. I put his drink together - scotch whiskey and Drambuie - walk over to the other end of the bar and place the short glass in front of him.
He takes a test sip. “I’ll stump you eventually,” he jests as he passes me his money.
“Bring it on.”
I serve a few more customers and notice Misty is back out and Lucy, the other mixer, is missing, probably having her break in the back office.
Misty is laughing with some customers when a vampire comes to the bar. He’s the most intimidating vampire I have ever met. The energy coming from him is fierce and wild.
He’s at least six-foot-four inches tall with jet black hair in tight curls against his head. His eyes are black and endless. He asks for a Siberian Fizz, which thank my angels I know.
I wouldn’t like to ask him how to make it; he’s likely to bite me.
I pass him the drink and take the money he offers in payment.
“Are you new here?” he questions
I put the money in the till before answering him. “Yes. I started last night.”
As I turn away to look for another customer to serve, he throws his hand in front of me. “I’m Dominick Drake.”
As I shake his extremely cold hand, he grins at my shudder, “Do you have a name?”
“Rosabel McGuiness. Nice to make your acquaintance,” I say insincerely. I don’t know if vampires can feel a lie like werewolves can, and to be honest, I don’t care. I just want to get away from him. He gives me the heeby jeebies.
“The pleasure is all mine, darling,” he says rather creepily. He’s even looking at me as if wondering how my blood would taste.
“Quit thinking about what she tastes like. We have a deal - you don't touch werewolves,” says the gravelly voice that’s becoming ever so familiar. He must have made his way over for another drink, but when I look at his glass, it’s still full.
“Oh, is she a new one of yours?” asks Dominick, looking rather disappointed.
“No, she’s a lone wolf. Before you ask, she’s on the supe census. I saw to it myself.”
“Well if she isn't part of your pack, she’s not included in our deal. I haven’t tasted a werewolf for over a century. You taste so much better than humans.” He licks his lips while looking at me, even hungrier than before.
Brilliant, why do I have to be something tasty?
With that reply, I feel extreme anger and regret coming off Theo. My wolf bristles at the feel of the alpha energy coming off him. The whole bar falls silent to look in his direction. I’m guessing it’s not just my empathy that’s picking up Theo’s emotional state.
Dominick walks off towards one of the tables near the dance floor with a laugh. When he’s halfway there, he turns around looks directly at Theo and says, “Hope to have a taste soon, Rosabel.”
No chance!
Theo turns back to me. His alpha energy has dulled but I can still feel his emotions through my empathy, and he isn’t any calmer. He’s obviously trying hard to push down his wolf. The noise in the bar picks up again as if nothing had happened.
He downs his drink and slams his glass on the bar, the glass shattering in his hand. I notice he’s trembling all over and after hearing a rumbling growl emanating from deep in his chest, I realise he’s fighting the change.
Grabbing a bottle of Absinthe in one hand I jump over the bar and grab Theo’s elbow with the other. I start dragging him, having no idea where to take him. As I look up, I catch Misty’s eye; she mouths the word ‘office’, pointing in its direction.
Why didn’t I think of that?
I focus on getting him behind that locked door. When I feel that I’m no longer dragging him, he seems to be coming easily and the trembling is easing too. I put the code in and open the door and I practically shove him inside, slamming it shut behind us.
Taking a deep breath, I remove the lid from the bottle and swallow down a huge swig. I need it. The adrenaline rush is making my wolf twitchy. Theo’s energy is running over my skin, it almost feels like his fingers are stroking the fur of my wolf, but I’m in human form so I know that can’t be right. I pass the bottle to Theo who’s perched his behind on the corner of Misty’s desk. He takes an even bigger swig and although the trembling seems to have stopped, I can still feel the anger emanating from him.
He holds out the bottle for me to take again, “Absinthe?” He pulls a face, like he has just sucked on the sourest lemon ever grown.
“It was the closest thing to my hand when I jumped the bar. You would have turned furry and no doubt drawn Dominick’s blood if I had wasted time looking for something more satisfying.” We both laugh, passing the bottle back and forth after taking a swig.
Theo makes a show of eyeing up my height. I can guess what he is going to ask before he even says it, “You really jumped the bar?”
“Yeah,” I say with a shrug as I settle in next to him on Misty’s desk.
“How did you manage that? You’re only what five-foot? The bar comes up to your chest,” he says nudging me with his shoulder.
“I don’t know. It must have been the adrenalin rush or something! I don’t think I’d be able to do it again, no matter how hard I try.” We both laugh again.
We sit in comfortable silence for a moment before Theo breaks it. “I’m sorry for putting you in
danger with Dominick. I came over to try and protect you. I would never have told him you were a lone wolf if I didn't think they were part of our pact.”
I place my hand on his forearm. “It’s not your fault, Theo. Thanks for trying to protect me.” His energy feels like electricity entering through the palm of my hand. I can’t feel the anger anymore; this is more like the first time we touched. “How are you feeling now?”
“In control again. You stopped an ugly scene unfolding in there. Thanks.”
I lose myself in his beautiful green eyes for a second. “I should get back behind the bar. It will be last orders and I’m needed to help clean up. Do you think you can handle going back in there now?”
He pushes himself off the desk and makes a step for the door. “No problem.”
I open the door and gesture for him to lead the way through to the bar. The propped open bar door gives us a clear view of the empty room.
Misty stops wiping the bar down and comes straight over to us as we walk through the doorway. “Theo, how ya doing?”
“Much better, thanks to Bel here.” He passes her a handful of notes. “For the bottle,” he explains.
I walk off, leaving them to their conversation and start clearing the tables. Once the tray is overflowing with dirty glasses I head to the dishwasher behind the bar. Theo is still leaning against the bar watching me. Misty must be in her office and Lucy must have left while we were in the office. She usually leaves before last orders because she has a baby sitter to relieve. It’s just him and me in the empty bar.
“How are you getting home?” he asks before taking another swig from the bottle of Absinthe.
“Oh, I-I’m getting a lift with Misty,” I manage to stutter, shocked at the strength of the protection emotion I can feel coming off him.
“When you get home will you be alone?”
“No. Misty has offered me a room at her place,” He must be worried about Dominick following me home and attacking me. I quickly try to ease his mind. “The building is secure; no one can get in without a key. There’s a guard on the door and in the elevator.”
Theo watches me walk back to the dishwasher and fill it with the last load of dirty glasses. “Good. I’ll make sure you get in the car safe, before I leave.”
I pause to watch Theo’s reaction to my next question. I need to know how much danger I am in. “Do you really think Dominick will want to taste me? As he so nicely put it.”
He grimaces, “Dominick doesn’t say anything he doesn’t mean. So, yes, he will taste you. It’s just a matter of when. I’m going to do everything I can to delay the inevitable.” He reaches in his pocket, pulls out a business card and hands it to me. It reads: Theodore Wilson and has contact numbers and an email address
[email protected]. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call.”
I slip the card into the back pocket of my jeans. “Thanks.”
4. BLOODTHIRSTY WEREWOLVES
Rosabel