Chapter Nine
Hollen
A club was not the place he imagined himself being after losing his most recent job, music pounding at his ears and his temples throbbing with the beat. People were dancing all around him, their sweat mingling in the air just as much as the spilled drinks and drugs that were no doubt being passed around.
But after three more misses in the job market, Hollen had jumped on the short-term gig. The hours promised to be terrible, his fellow employees had immediately snubbed him, and he’d nearly been trampled while trying to carry drinks when he’d come a little too close to the dance floor.
Not to mention how many times his ass had been grabbed. The first one he had ignored, shoving it off as an unfortunate accident. The last guy he’d slapped in full view of his surprised girlfriend. They were both drunk, probably to the point that they should have been cut off, but the bartender had kept mixing drinks, despite Hollen voicing his concerns.
Hollen skirted along the edge of the crowd, hiding from the tables that dotted one side of the club. One had been trying to flag him down for the last ten minutes, but he’d expertly avoided them. Heading that way meant putting himself in reach of Mr. Grabby Hands again when his palm was still ringing from the slap.
If they were really that thirsty, they’d get up themselves and wade to the bar, probably stumbling the entire time.
There was a small spot along the wall where the rotating lights never seemed to reach, the line to the bathroom to his right, and the music unbearable. Hollen leaned against the wall, letting out a long sigh that was lost to the surrounding sounds. “This sucks.”
He winced as someone rushed by him, bypassing the line with a hand over their mouth and their sides heaving. Liquid trailed through their fingers, dripping to the floor and mixing with what had already been spilled.
“ I like it ,” said George, rolling beneath Hollen’s skin. He’d been attentive all night, and Hollen had heard every word bounce around inside his head, despite the music. He wasn’t even sure if the songs had words at this point—more of a never-ending buffeting of noise and the beat. “ There isn’t a vampire in sight—and no pizza .”
“I guess.” Hollen took another step away from the crowd, glancing through them to try to see the bar. The bartenders seemed to be looking for him, drinks lined up in front of them, but no trays appearing to whisk them away to the tables who had ordered them. Some of the tables had little tablets they could order from, so they never had to speak a word before their colorful drink would appear before them.
“Do you think Munro would—” Hollen started, clutching his hands at his sides. A familiar face flashed in the crowd, disappearing in an instant. Even saying Munro’s name aloud seemed to summon his lackeys into reality. I barely know him. Why do I miss him?
“ No .” George was swift to cut him off, his tongue jerking to a stop. “ Do you trust me? ”
Hollen looked to his feet and the laces, which were nearly as sticky as the bottom of his shoes. “Yes.”
He couldn’t count how many times they’d fought over the last few weeks. Hollen would remind George that the teahouse hadn’t been all that bad. He was still alive, for one, and Munro had deposited more than enough for one day’s worth of pay into his bank account.
But George dashed his small hopes every time they arose. “ You almost died.” Was George’s personal favorite, followed by “ You’re nothing but a snack to them.” That one did strange things to his stomach. Munro hadn’t looked at him like he was a snack. Those eyes had pinned him with the promise of enjoying a full five-course meal before lingering on dessert.
“I don’t think I can do this one, George.” Other jobs he had gritted his teeth and bared it. Hell, a few of his jobs he managed to actually enjoy. But he could feel the toxicity of this place from a mile away. There were a few tips tucked into his pocket, but he couldn’t cross the floor again, trying to avoid every hand that tried to grab his ass.
His eyes burned, and he pinched the bridge of his nose, his headache throbbing harder. How am I going to pay rent? I promised Adair I’d get groceries tomorrow.
“ Let’s go ,” said George, his voice so soft that it was nearly a whisper inside his ear. “ Anywhere you want to go—let’s do it .”
Hollen slumped against the wall, relief washing over him. This wouldn’t be the first time he was late with rent. Their landlord wasn’t a friendly guy, but at least he had someone to back him up. Adair had been avoiding him, his gaze terrified if they ended up in the same room before Adair quickly ducked out with some excuse.
“Is it weird that I want to serve tea?” Hollen laughed, shaking his head. “I liked the fancy dishes, and the place smelled fantastic. Those little pastries were bite-sized, and Munro didn’t seem like that bad of a guy, minus the vampire bit.” He hadn’t got to try the food, which promised to be absolutely delicious. “Whatever happened in that room was some kind of fluke…yeah.”
George shifted in his gut, the sensation easing a touch of the guilt. “ You’re insane, Hollen .”
“I know.” Hollen pushed off the wall, sticking close to it as he made his way to the back entrance. He’d already taken a breather out there earlier, and the garbage scent had been more refreshing than anything in the club. “That’s literally the reason I’m unemployable. Munro tried to protect me, though. He’s safe. I swear.”
His ears rang as he pushed the door open, stepping into the cooler air. His footsteps echoed as he wandered down the alley, a small animal skittering to the space behind the garbage bins. It reeked of more than just garbage and stray animals.
Some people were afraid of alleys, but not him. Why fear something that gave him his friend George? And getting a pretty cool cat out of the deal was just a bonus.
“Any suggestions for tomorrow?” asked Hollen, peering at the dark sky. The hoards of rain had finally passed again, a few stars peeking out between the clouds. Far away there was probably another job for him—maybe on another planet where he wouldn’t be the only one with a ghost in his head. “Do you think aliens exist?”
George grumbled. “ Try worrying about the ground beneath your feet first .”
“Huh.” A wisp of cloud covered his view of the moon, his surroundings dimming until he had to squint to see his way. “I’m going to take that answer as a maybe. Some day you have to tell me how you know all this stuff.”
Shivering, he wrapped his arms around himself. It wasn’t that cold, but compared to the heat of the club, it was icy.
“I can picture what they’d look like.” He smoothed his palm over his arm as goosebumps broke over his skin. “They’d be looking up at their own stars, wondering the same thing. Alien vampires is a thought.” He’d never seen a movie with something like that before. “I wonder if they’re happy.” A tear rolled over his cheek, followed quickly by another. “They’d have their own problems and dreams…their own lovers.” He let out a shaky breath.
When was the last time someone had touched him with more than just friendly intentions or as a way to get off? Adair loved him, and they had slept together more times than he could count, but that had only been for comfort or to blow off steam. There was no worship in their kisses or adoration when Adair thrust home.
He paused at the exit of the alley, his chest tight. “I’m so tired, George. I’m not sure how much longer I can do this.” He scrubbed his hand over his face, trying to banish the tears. There was a helplessness buried in the air, clawing at him until his limbs were nearly numb. He had a feeling he could curl up right next to the dumpster and sleep for days.
That spark of life that he’d expected when he moved in with his best friend, the city as their playground, had been nothing but a lie.
“ It’s my fault ,” said George, sounding hesitant. His presence was calm, centered in Hollen’s chest where it ached the most.
“No.” Hollen shook his head. “It’s me who can’t stop talking to you. I could have kept a few of those jobs if I’d just ignored you.” That’s not all. “I’m glad you’re here.”
George was the one steady thing in his life right now—his rock. Adair had always been there for him before, but now he wasn’t even sure about where they stood. One day he could come home to an empty apartment and a scribbled note from his best friend, finally ridding himself from their desperate situation. Hollen wouldn’t blame him one bit.
Hollen wiped his eyes, forcing a smile onto his face. “You’re always here for me, George, even when no one else is. Besides, it’s not like you could just leave.”
“ I could find another host ,” said George softly. “ You’d never hear from me again and you’re worries would be over .”
“No.” Hollen shook his head, clutching at the center of his chest where George was focused. “Don’t ever say something like that again. You aren’t going anywhere.” Hollen staggered, exhaustion weighing heavy. “You’re stuck with me, George. You better get used to it.”
The club door slammed open behind him, footsteps echoing through the darkness, so much louder before the music cut off again. Hair prickled on the back of his neck, even as George slipped away from his touch, his eyelids drooping low. He was too tired—too goddamned tired to even look up.
A familiar voice breathed behind him, slurred and thick as his heart raced and his knees gave out. “Well, isn’t it my lucky day.”