Chapter Ten
At half past nine on Wednesday, Luis got dressed, locked up, and went down to his car.
He’d done his best to ignore the building jitteriness all day, but now he had to confront it.
You can do this, he said to himself, jamming the key into the ignition and turning the car on. It’ll be fine. Lots of people do this.
Lots of people weren’t him, though. Lots of people didn’t have his mother’s voice in his head, telling him about everything that could go wrong.
Luis had been to The Last Drop a lot, but it was different to walk in without vampires in tow.
Instead of their usual table, he went to the back where Jo was hosting at the entrance to the back room.
She recognized him, and there was surprise on her face when he offered his phone with the appointment date and confirmation.
“No companions tonight?” She looked in the direction of their usual table, empty.
“Nope, just me.”
She looked like she wanted to say something else, but didn’t. Luis was grateful, because he wasn’t sure he could field questions about his life choices just then.
Jo verified that all his information was up to date and that the paperwork was complete. “Okay, great,” she said when she’d gone through it all. “Go on through. Ronan is the nurse on staff today, and he’ll get you all set up.”
She gestured at the curtain, to the door behind it, and Luis went in.
He was surprised first about how well-lit and spacious it was in comparison to the bar. The room gave off a vibe similar to the tattoo parlor Cassie had dragged him to a few years prior–a sterile environment, but with some effort toward making it look cozy and inviting.
Luis had worried the room might look too much like a clinic, that it might remind him of all the hospital rooms he’d ever been in. It was certainly closer to that than the front end of the bar, but it didn’t have the same barren utilitarianism.
The room had booth seats down both walls, and a few elements of the bar’s eclectic style in the wall art and overhead lighting. It was quieter than the main bar though, the music turned down, and had a lingering antiseptic smell that he tried not to focus on.
Ronan, a very tall, very muscled ginger man in an official looking uniform, walked over to him immediately. He towered over Luis.
“You the ten p.m.?”
Luis nodded.
“Great,” Ronan said, and a smile softened his features. “I’m Ronan, the RN here tonight. Come this way.”
There was only one other human in the room, a woman who was in a booth on the left wall, reading on her phone. The booths were designed for a small bit of privacy, so he only saw her for a moment. Ronan took him to a booth on the left.
“This your first time, right?” He asked.
Luis nodded. “Yeah.”
“Alright. No problem.” Ronan’s demeanor softened further. “So, everything in this room is monitored and recorded for safety purposes. It’s just you and Alex right now, she has two scheduled appointments with regulars, so you’ll get someone if there’s a walk-in.”
Luis nodded. “Okay.” He’d read a lot about how this worked already.
“We cap donations at two every other week, but you can do them both tonight if you want,” Ronan explained. “You can also opt out at any point, it’s no problem.”
“Right,” Luis said.
Ronan stepped back, gesturing to the far side of the room.
“There’s a bathroom down that hall if you need it, and I can put in any food or non-alcoholic beverage orders while you’re here.
If you want to leave, we just ask that you sign out with me or Jo at the front so we can update the app for availability. Do you have any questions?”
“No,” Luis said as he slid into the booth. “Could I get a water? Whenever you have a minute.” His throat was dry from the nerves.
Ronan pulled out a device from his pocket and typed something into it. “Got it. It’ll be up in a sec. If you need me, I’ll just be there.”
Ronan threw a thumb back to a small desk set up just inside the door. It had a computer and several monitors on it.
“Okay, thanks,” Luis said.
After that he was left alone. Luis made himself cozy in the booth and pulled out his phone to entertain himself.
If this worked out, in the future maybe he could bring his tablet and watch a movie or something, that might be a nice way to pass idle time. Or maybe he’d get set up with a regular like Alex, so he’d come in only when needed. That could be nice.
A couple minutes later a waitress came through the door and brought him water. Luis thanked her, and then sipped it slowly while tapping through one social media app and then another on his phone. Minutes passed and nothing happened, and his nerves started to settle.
It was okay, everything was okay. He might not even get a bite tonight if they didn’t have anyone come in.
Then Ronan appeared at his booth.
“Hey, we have a walk-in,” Ronan said. He handed Luis the device he was holding, and on it Luis could see a copy of the bar’s contract he’d signed online.
“Need you to sign the consent form again,” Ronan said.
“The vampire is a regular here, reliable and polite. He’s a good choice for your first time. ”
It was nice of Ronan to try and assure him. Luis nodded and took the device, heart pounding.
“This is the same contract you signed online, but legally we have to double check. By signing, you are agreeing that you’ve read and agreed to all terms listed.
Bites are timed here, and will last no longer than twenty seconds.
The donor account you set up will be credited per transaction.
Do you need some time to read over the contract? ” Ronan asked.
“No, I’m good,” Luis said, and signed and dated where indicated.
“Great,” Ronan said when Luis handed the device back. “Nervous?”
“Uh, yeah. A little.”
Ronan smiled. “Don’t worry, I’ve been doing this for years and everyone’s nervous the first time. It’s really quick and easy though, and I’ll be here the whole time. If you do change your mind at any point, it stops.”
“Okay,” Luis said, and forced himself to swallow. “Thanks.” He just had to get through this first time.
Ronan nodded. “Alright. Jo will bring in the patron now. I’ll bring my kit over.”
Luis went back to his booth and focused on breathing. In, out. His heart was beating so loudly he was certain everyone could hear it.
The door opened and closed. Two sets of footsteps headed toward him, but he couldn’t make himself look just yet. He was going to let a vampire bite him. He was going to do this.
The footsteps got closer, and then Luis couldn’t resist anymore. He turned to look at who he would be letting bite him and—
There was Karim.
Karim?
He looked as he always did, dark gleaming eyes, attractively tousled hair, and a smirk that Luis pretended didn’t make heat coil in his belly.
“What’re you doing here?” He accused.
Jo was already retreating, Ronan taking her place. “Oh, you two know each other?” He asked.
Karim dropped down into the booth beside Luis, sprawling out like this was a casual meeting. “Yeah, we do.”
Luis blinked at him, trying to put this together. Of all the outcomes, he hadn’t expected this. The text conversation came back to him. Karim had been quizzing him about where and when he was going to be doing this.
“You came here on purpose,” Luis said, accusatorily.
Karim shrugged again, “Yeah, for the purpose of having a drink.”
“Hey,” Ronan moved closer, expression falling from friendliness into suspicion. “Is this a problem, Luis?”
Luis’s eyes dropped to Ronan’s hand not holding the kit. It was inching toward something on his waist in a holster that Luis hadn’t noticed before. It wasn’t shaped like a gun, but it was still obviously a weapon.
Something that could be used against vampires?
Ronan probably saw plenty of Karim since they were regulars here, but he also knew if he said yes, that Luis did have a problem, Ronan would toss him without argument.
The contract Luis had just signed had been very, very clear about the safety protocols for humans.
Vampires could be banned, fined, or even jailed for causing problems.
Karim was staring at Luis, the picture of ease, purposefully ignoring the looming threat.
“No,” Luis said, eyes flicking to the weapon again. “No problem. I know him, yeah. He’s just usually here on Fridays.” This last part he aimed at Karim.
“I got the mid-week munchies,” Karim said. “You know how it is.”
“Oh, did you?” Luis mocked. He wanted to say he couldn’t believe Karim would do this, except he could.
And part of him was pleased by it. Flattered? Wasn’t this sort of the thing he’d been wanting in texting them about it.
That was kind of fucked up.
Karim held a hand up in supplication. “Can’t blame a man for wanting something sweet, can you?”
Over their heads, Ronan did not look amused. His hand was still hovering near the device on his belt. “I can escort Mr. Singh out,” he said.
Karim didn’t say anything, just raised a brow at Luis in inquiry.
Annoyance, excitement, and anticipation swirled in him. Karim, that bastard, was giving him an opportunity. One less scary than having a stranger bite him.
But of course, he was doing it in a jerky way, coming here without warning.
“No, it’s fine,” Luis conceded. “We’re friends.”
Ronan only looked more confused. Karim smirked. “We are friends,” he said.
“Okay, don’t say it like that,” Luis said, looking to Ronan warily.
“Like what?” Karim asked.
“Like–I don’t know,” Luis said in frustration. Karim had a tone, some kind of smarmy thing he was putting on that was making Ronan frown.
“What’s going on here?” Ronan demanded.
For a second Luis thought he might laugh. Karim was being purposefully reckless, poking at Luis but also risking his relationship with this bar. Why?
“Does Julien know you’re here?” Luis asked.
“Not exactly,” Karim said, and finally there was a slice of guilt in his face. Then his eyes drifted up to Ronan. “But I think Ronan wants to know if you’re going to let me bite you or he needs to throw me out.”