Glow
GLOW
Amara
When I worked in the bakery in Hemlock Haven, I loved people-watching. Tourists are so funny. People are the most pure versions of themselves on vacation. I saw every type of lover’s quarrel and family drama unfold between mugs of pumpkin spice hot chocolate and apple cinnamon pies.
I’m nosy. I can’t help it.
But the Succumb club is even better. Tensions are high, emotions are volatile, and it’s all on display.
“How could you!” shrieks a customer. He wears a white T-shirt cut in a low V and very tight jeans. His black hair is slicked back from his temples and he shakes his head as he comes over to the bar. He falls dramatically onto a barstool.
He’s followed by a man wearing a well-fitted red, button-up shirt. His long locs are each tipped with gold. “Darling, I told you I was drinking from Rene tonight…”
“It looked like you were doing more than drinking!” replies the first man, turning his head haughtily in a gesture of disdain that also happens to show off his long neck. There are two perfect red bite marks on it.
“Wei, you’re more than welcome to join us,” says the vampire, raising an eyebrow.
Wei ignores him, making eye contact with me. “Vodka tonic, please. ”
“Coming right up,” I reply, mixing the drink. The vampire sighs and disappears into the crowd as I serve the drink. “It’s on the house. Heartbreak special.”
“Thanks,” the customer says, taking a big gulp. “It’s my own fault. All my friends said not to date a vampire.”
I lean on the bar across from him. “Then why did you?”
“I don’t know,” sighs Wei, glancing anxiously through the crowd behind him. “He’s just so…exciting! And charming. I thought I would just try one time, you know, have a good story to tell. But there was something about him. When I’m with him, I feel like the most important person in the world. But then he goes and drinks from someone else! This is the third time.”
“Well, have you told him how you feel? That you want to be monogamous?”
Wei snorts. “A monogamous vampire? Please. They’re predators. There’s no way he would limit himself to just me!”
I can’t blame him. I don’t think I would have that expectation of a vampire. But then I look into the crowd, and catch a flash of gold through the sweaty bodies and terrible lighting. The vampire waits among the standing tables, just far enough away to give Wei his space, but keeping a steady eye on him.
He doesn’t seem like a heartless, inconsiderate predator. Is it possible that some vampires, especially nowadays, might choose to commit to one partner?
The thought surprises me, but I’ve always tried to be an open-minded person. If my father was here, he would have said that there are lots of stereotypes about witches that aren’t true. That could apply to vampires too.
I look back at Wei, at the disappointment in his soft brown eyes. I can’t help wishing for a happy ending to this story. He sets down his empty glass.
“Let me make you another one,” I say.
I quickly mix another vodka tonic. But before I serve the drink, I bring my palm over it. For a seasoned witch like me, thoughts are almost as powerful as words.
O Hecate, gift us your smile. Bring these lovers together, even just for a while.
I set it down in front of him, and he takes a sad sip .
“Do you want my advice?” I ask.
“Sure.”
“Talk to him. It’s not fair to assume that he doesn’t feel the same way. If you never say anything, you’ll always wonder.”
Wei looks uncertain, but another gulp of his drink seems to warm his spirits. “Hmm, I guess you’re right…”
“I’m always right,” I reply with a grin. “And if it doesn’t go well, I’ve got another vodka tonic will your name on it.”
“Ok,” he says, finishing off his drink and rising from the barstool. I give him an encouraging smile, then he disappears into the crowd.
“Can you watch the bar?” I ask the other bartender. He gives me an irritated look but doesn’t protest. I take my tray and make my way across the dance floor and over to the booths at the side of the club.
I tidy up empty glasses from the standing tables. It’s not technically my job, but I like to keep busy. And I can watch Wei and his vampire boyfriend from the corner of my eye. The pounding club music is too loud, so I can’t hear what they’re saying. But I see the vampire nod, and Wei’s face lights up. Then the vampire pulls him into a sweet, deep kiss.
“Thanks, Hecate,” I whisper.
Wei takes the vampire by the hand and leads him toward the more private areas near the back of the club.
A warm, urgent feeling rises up in me, and I can’t help thinking about the night I had with Celine. Again, I start to wonder what it’s like to have a vampire drink from you. Do they make love at the same time? Does he bite him in the same spot? I know that vampires often enchant the humans they’re drinking from. What does that feel like?
Surreptitiously, I glance around the club. But I don’t see any sign of her.
I try to push my disappointment down. Even if she was here, there’s no way I could sleep with her again. It’s far too risky. Even if I wasn’t undercover, vampires and witches just aren’t a good match. There’s too much animosity between our clans. Always has been. What’s possible for Wei could never be an option for a good witch.
But the ache inside me doesn’t go away. In my distracted state, I knock into a standing table, stubbing my toe painfully. A cloud of glittering, purple dust wafts over the table as it shakes. I gasp in surprise, accidentally inhaling the sickly sweet dust.
I cough, and wave my hand to disperse the cloud.
“Hey, watch it!” snaps the angry voice of a customer, her hands reaching out to steady the table. “This is expensive stuff!”
“What is it?” I say, wrinkling my nose.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
I frown at her, confused. I had almost mistaken the dust for purple energy magic, but that can’t be right. Rather than dispersing into the air, it settles on the standing table, on a sheet of white paper. The woman collects it as best as she can and folds the paper so the dust makes a neat, purple row. Then she takes a hollow tube and snorts it.
Suddenly, I experience a strong, hazy feeling. It’s like I’m being pulled underwater. My vision blurs and a warm, tingling feeling radiates throughout my body. It’s immediately familiar. It’s the feeling of being enchanted, or glamoured. I haven’t experienced it for a while, but I recognize it right away.
Once I realize what’s happening, I summon all of my willpower and magic to fight it. I focus my senses on the sweaty smell around me, the pounding music, the firm ground under my feet.
I reach into a glass from the tray in my hand and take a piece of ice, pressing it into my palm. The coldness grounds me and brings me back to reality, thank Hecate.
“Hey, no using in here!” says a firm voice. It’s Xia, who confidently pushes her way to the table. The other customers quickly duck out of the way.
“I wasn’t!” whines the woman, turning to me. “It was her !”
“Nice try,” Xia shakes her head. “I recognize you from last week. Let’s go.”
“This is bullshit ,” says the woman angrily. She snatches up the dust, paper and tube before Xia escorts her out.
Still a bit shaken, I take my tray and make my way back to the bar. I pour myself a large glass of water and down it quickly.
“Are you all right?” says Nova, coming up to the side of the bar.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I reply. Luckily there are no customers waiting. I set my water glass on the bar. “I think I accidentally inhaled something. There was a woman snorting weird purple powder…”
Nova gives me a concerned look. “How much did you ingest? You should sit down.”
“It’s all right,” I reply, taking another gulp of water. “It didn’t affect me much. I’ve…got a strong constitution.”
“That stuff is all over the place,” Nova says, with a shake of their head. “I’ve never done it, but it makes people all dopey. I heard Xia and Renata talking about increasing the club’s security. When customers use it, it makes it easier for vampires to take advantage of them.”
I recall the feeling of being pulled underwater, of losing touch with reality. “I can see how it would.”
“Excuse me!” shouts a customer from the other end of the bar, adjusting their tight crocheted crop top. “Could I have two screwdrivers, please!”
I put down my water glass with a sigh. “Coming right up!”
As I search for the orange juice in the bar’s mini-fridge, I think about the strange, magical drug that I ingested. It’s more than a bit concerning. I’m a witch, so I can fight off that sort of magic. But it’s not so easy for non-magical people. They might not even know that they’re taking magically-enhanced drugs.
And the effect…it was just like being glamoured by a vampire. If people are taking these drugs, they could very easily be overpowered by any vampire who senses that their defenses are down.
I’m going to have to keep a close eye out.