7. Chapter Seven
Chapter Seven
Beau Drewitt
Present Day - Back at the Speakeasy
“Boss, any expected visitors tonight or just the usual?” Kai looks at me sideways.
“Sorry. My mind was wandering, but no. Just a normal night. Why are you asking, Kai?” He has such a gift for being agitating.
“Well, I noticed you broke out the Van Winkle, so either you’re one breakdown away from the deep end, or we’re about to have company. Plus, you didn’t even notice when I walked in.”
“Just on edge after the guy from earlier broke in.” I rub my hands together, conjuring some sane reason as to why I would be lost in thought other than joy-riding old memories.
“Is it really breaking in if the door was wide open?” Kai cocks a brow at me.
“Okay, I’m done conversing with you. I’ve had plenty of your presence for one day. Head home if you want. I’ve got it tonight.” I say, scoffing at him.
“No way! It’s Friday, after all. I’ve got this weekend off, so I figured we’d slam a few cold ones and party like it’s 1933.”
“Are you referencing the undoing of the prohibition?" I could literally hear him thinking about how little he knew of this era, other than the year.
“Yes. You should know.” He blinked at me as if our age gap isn’t the funniest thing about working here for him.
“Jesus. Thanks, Kai. You really know how to remind a guy of his age.” I scoff at him as I mentally acknowledge the irony of my daydream and Kai’s timely joke.
As I stand up to place the bottle back on the shelf, I grab two beers.
One for each of us, I slide Kai’s can across the bar top.
“I saw a woman earlier.” The words come out before I can stop them, my mind drifting back to my lapse in judgment upstairs.
“No way. I didn’t even know you could see women. Is that new or something? I genuinely thought you could only see them if you were taking them to bed?” He steps back from me, anticipating I’ll swing on him.
“You know what? This information is now forbidden to you.”
He leans back in his chair and cracks open his drink. “No, no, tell me. I’m sorry. Please continue.” Kai gives me a fake smile and cocks his head.
“I saw a woman in that dumbass guy’s mind when I interrogated him. I can’t stop thinking about her.” I lean back and bring the beer to my lips. It smells disgusting. Literal piss in a can. It’s fantastic that I can’t taste it.
“Whoa. That’s huge,” Kai pauses to finish his own joke.
"That's what she said.” He wiggles his brows and pretends to ba-dum-tsh his imaginary drumset. I deadpan him, leaving the conversation open ended. “Anywho! What’s got you so caught up on her?” Kai says, trying to gain control of the conversation again.
“I don’t fucking know. I didn’t drink my ration last night, and I wasn’t about to screw up my routine this morning.
So, I was drying out. Maybe I thought she was attractive and the bloodlust took advantage of that.
Either way, I’m getting laid tonight. I’m definitely not myself right now.
” I stop abruptly. He doesn’t need to know that I felt everything change to a far more serious note after I finished to the vision of her I hijacked off Benny.
Kai’s eyes widen, blinking rapidly. “Uh… that sounds a lot like the mate thing.” Funny.
Kai can barely remember his phone passcode, let alone all the information I’ve spewed about the unknown whereabouts of the council and the unwritten rules that surround us about vampirism.
Yet, he remembers our conversation about mates.
“What?” I snap. I wouldn’t even know what finding your sino would feel like.
It’s not like Matteo was ever very forthcoming about any topic surrounding love or desire.
My lessons after transition solely focused on how to stay fed, avoid suspicion, and kill the suspicious.
Surely the whole mate thing can’t be solidified by pleasuring yourself to someone else’s memory.
I don’t even know her. Plus, I assume it’s like a really strong urge when it’s fate deciding.
I wouldn’t submit her to the torture of being chosen either.
I heard Benny talk about her. I saw her in his head.
I jerked off to her. I cleaned up. End of story.
She wouldn’t even think to look in my direction.
There is no possibility on God’s green Earth that a woman like that would want something like me.
“It’s alright, we can—” Kai starts.
The stairs creak like clockwork under the weight of several pairs of feet.
Within seconds, the speakers blare around us, and the room is shoulder to shoulder with adrenaline-junkie vampires.
Some head straight for the bar while others gather on the dance floor and start to embrace one another.
The smell of blood is strong, but the perfume and cologne are worse.
Not one of these people understand decency or decorum.
And obviously, I’m one of them. After all, I’m the reason they’re here.
I opened this place hoping to find a true home.
I provided a home for others, but what’s it matter when I don’t feel home?
It’s always everyone else, never me. Tough luck on that one, but maybe it’ll be worth it, eventually.
Several cocktails and a broken bottle of tequila that aromates the whole cellar later, the music is so loud I start to wonder if the cops will actually show up tonight.
“Wanna watch me sing karaoke? Everyone has their drinks now,” Kai begs, while shooting finger guns at my chest. I ignore his request because no, I don't want to watch my male best friend do karaoke.
A woman’s voice purrs behind me. “Want to dance while we listen, pretty boy?”
All of a sudden, my eyes begin to feel heavy.
I turn to face a tall woman in a sleek black dress.
Her hair is a bright red on one side of her part, deep black on the other.
Her eyes are slitted where circular pupils should be.
My eyes dart to her lips as she parts her mouth to reveal a clean row of perfectly white, straight teeth.
Her tongue sneaks out to the right corner of her lips.
Oddly enough, she doesn't have visible fangs. I’m not sure what she is.
“Oop, cat got your tongue?” she teases.
Kai steps forward. “Didn’t you need to double-check the perimeter? I almost forgot you were going to do it in my place tonight.”
I jolt out of the haze and realize she’s trying to enchant me.
Kai must’ve noticed and stepped in to buy me out of the situation.
“Under no circumstances will you be allowed back in here if you use your powers against someone else’s will.
That’s forbidden in my venue. Try me. Trust me, you do not want to fuck with me tonight.
” My voice echoes against the walls even in a cellar full of bodies.
I had already heard enough today from individuals who don’t understand consent. Benny decided to take it upon himself to use all of those spots. Count one, breaking into the cellar. Count two, ravishing Elowen with his eyes and parading it as a need for help.
“Aw, you’re no fun. Fine, I’ll be good.” She puckers her bottom lip.
Her gaze drags over my body like I’m already unclothed.
Gross. And the worst part is that I probably would’ve jumped at the chance to sleep with her if she’d simply asked.
No need to use her powers. She lost out for being more horny than smart.
I evade her, shifting my voice towards Kai instead. “I’ll be back after running the perimeter. There was something I needed to check outside anyway.” I whisper to Kai, “Keep an eye on her. If you start to feel sleepy, you’re under her power.”
“How do you know I don’t want that, pretty boy?” Kai smirks. I toss my head back and laugh as I head for the stairs. He sure knows how to get under my skin.
Once outside, I shadow-walk up to the balcony attached to my bedroom.
Still untouched. The room is in order. Must’ve been my imagination earlier.
I can’t use the shadows to travel any further, so once I hit the cement, I walk to the front of the building.
The doors are locked. Nothing out of the ordinary.
Odd. I still don’t feel right, but that’s nothing a few more drinks can’t fix. Plus, if the enchantress downstairs behaves, I’ll take her to bed and see if we can’t solve this funny feeling.
“I already told you, none of the towing companies are open right now. Can you just—ugh,” a timid voice sounds from the street.
The sound catches my ear. The streetlamps are so dim, I can barely make out the silhouette.
She sounds aggravated, more than a little.
I slip into the shadows to get a better view.
Luckily, I see her before she sees me. The woman is just off the side of the road, standing next to her car with the hood popped.
She’s alone, judging by the call. I definitely don’t want to be on the other side of that conversation.
She paces back and forth, checking her phone as if it owes her something.
Frustration pours off every sharp movement.
I can’t make out her face, only the faint curve of her cheek when a passing truck’s headlights sweep by.
She doesn’t look my way. I stay back, half-hidden in the dark where the road gave way to shadow.
I start to shroud myself to blend in with my surroundings, but become distracted by the woman’s appearance.
The mystery woman has on a pair of jeans, tight like they were made for her, and a black jacket zipped halfway up revealing a white shirt underneath.
Casual and unbothered, yet she feels so familiar.
She kicks the tire once, muttering under her breath.
Her voice is faint, but curls through the night and finds me.
She doesn’t sound scared. Of course, she still can’t see me though.
Or, maybe she has the survival instincts of a goldfish.
Either way, that’s good. I’m not exactly in a saving mood tonight.
Her phone rings, so she takes another call, speaking quickly, mumbling something, then drops the phone to her side like it’s betrayed her.
She lets her shoulders slump as I slowly move forward, taking a few steps for a better look.
I trace her outline with my eyes as another car passing by gives more light to her silhouette.
Not unusual for normal city people to be out this late.
It’s really the location. Most aren’t stranded outside of my bookshop, usually.
The parking lot outside is completely empty besides my bike and her car.
I keep the foot traffic to a minimum when I can so that the speakeasy can perform unbeknownst to others.
She looks up hopefully, but the car doesn’t stop for her.
Now, I am standing where she can see me. I feel drawn to her unlike anyone I’ve ever met, and I still don’t know what she really looks like. I need to know who she is. Bigger problem, twice in one day? This has to be some sort of sick joke.
I can hear the cellar doors to the speakeasy open.
Kai begins yelling, “Listen, man, he will—” He obviously would need me at the worst possible time.
“Don’t get hateful with me. You lost fair and square!
” Kai screams, louder than necessary. Nope.
Just another sore loser who’s dumb enough to play pool with him.
My attention turns back to the woman and if my heart could sink, it would.
Is that—Elowen? Elowen Briar, Elowen?
We lock eyes and my body goes completely still, as if every part of me plans to turn to stone.
Oh, shit. She can see me. Oh my God, she can see me now. Sensation returns only when her mouth starts to open. Move, idiot. Please, for the love of all the gods, move. Do something. Say. Something.