Living Proof （of Hell）
I leaned against the doorway while Ari stuffed a small backpack with books.
“Are you sure you don’t wanna come?” She hiked the bag over a shoulder and eased past me.
“I’m sure. I’d rather stab myself in the eye than go to a study group.” I pushed off the wall to trail behind her.
“You’re so dramatic. You won’t get bored here all alone?”
“Nope. I’m gonna check out whatever bars are around. Do you know where they’re at?”
“There are two. One’s more of a gentleman’s bar my dad always goes to and the other one is a normal dive bar.
” She kneeled by the door to lace her shoes.
“You’ll like the dive bar better. It’s pretty close.
Go past the park and make a right on Milton Avenue.
It’s a few blocks down. Are you going as Mina again? ”
“Of course. It’s my decoy name. Can’t flirt or hook up with strangers without it. One stalker was enough. I don’t need to go through that mess again.” I was slightly distracted now, already going through outfit choices in my head.
“I figured. I gotta go before I’m late.” She straightened up and opened the door. “Call me if you need a ride home? I don’t want you going home with some random guy again.”
“I’ll be fine. Maybe I’ll go home with a random girl instead.” I grinned as she shook her head and walked out. “Go have fun with your nerds.”
“Seriously, be safe.”
“I will, promise.”
“I love you.” She blew a kiss before getting in her car.
“Love you, too.” I blew one back, then locked the door and cheerfully headed upstairs to change.
So far, the day had gone by smoothly. No hallucinations.
No Dennis. Nothing even remotely weird since he’d disappeared the evening before.
Which was good. Especially since I’d spent the night somehow talking Ari out of calling the police once he’d left.
I finished changing and headed out, grabbing my phone and keys along the way.
“Tuffy!” A surge of excitement hit as I spotted my baby.
The flawless purple paint glimmered in the moonlight as I ran up to her.
She was specially painted, a present from my aunt and uncle for miraculously graduating high school.
No one had expected it. Not even me. “We’re going to a bar, Tuffy.
” I unlocked the doors and slid into a black seat.
I followed Ari’s directions and spotted the place. It was just as close as she’d said, surrounded by motorcycles and burly bikers, along with several women scattered around. I slowed to a stop in the first empty stall and cut the engine. A few heads turned, watching as I emerged from the car.
“Hey girly.” Some guy walked up and I shot him a friendly smile.
“Hey manly.” I hit the alarm before hooking the keys to my short skirt.
“Do you come here a lot?” the guy asked. His arms were covered in tattoos. He was attractive, despite being older than my usual preference.
“Nope. I just moved here.” I brushed past him to enter the bar. Surprisingly, no one was carding. I paused in the doorway and scanned the inside to see what I was working with.
Not too bad. The booths were mostly occupied, pool tables were full, and televisions were showing muted sports with music playing throughout the bar.
Plenty of attractive people, both men and women.
I walked to the bar and hopped on an empty stool.
The bartender appeared to be my age, maybe a year or two older.
“Hi,” I said, taking in his nicely toned body. He was cute. I fought the urge to reach out and touch his black hair, which was nicely styled but still seemed soft.
“What can I get you?”
“I don’t care. I’ll drink anything.” I twirled a lock of hair, contemplating whether I should flirt with this one. I seemed to be his only customer at the moment, despite how crowded the bar itself was. No one else was waiting for drinks.
“Anything at all?”
“Anything at all. Surprise me.” I watched him fix something, curious to see what he would choose. Turns out, the drink was one of my favorites. He placed the sizable shot glass in front of me.“Thanks, hun. I’m Emy,” I said, deciding to give this one my real name.
“Sean.” He leaned closer and placed both arms on the counter, his black eyes on me. I had never seen eyes so dark. “I bet you can’t handle that one,” he said, smiling.
I couldn’t help but smile back. He was adorable. I swept my hair over a shoulder before picking up the Four Horsemen and downing it in one go. “I’m pretty sure I can handle anything.” I placed the empty shot glass on the counter.
“Impressive.” He took the glass back. “I wasn’t expecting that. Do you want a tab, or close it?”
“I’ll open a tab.” I placed my card in his waiting hand. “Pick whatever you want for the next one, too. This is fun.”
He laughed and rang in the first drink before returning, presumably to make something stronger. “I believe you now. I’ll make you my favorite.” He mixed two of the same concoction, then kept one and slid the other my way. “Cheers.”
“Cheers!” My almond nails closed around the glass.
We clanged glasses before I brought the drink to my lips, grinning against it while he did the same. He seemed like a fun friend to have. Maybe I wouldn’t flirt with him, after all. I was almost done when a familiar laugh sounded from beside me. I glanced over and nearly choked.
“Hey.” Dennis nodded at me before asking Sean, “Who’s your new friend?”
“Seriously?” I looked at him in exasperation. “Is this your new hobby? Stalking me?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
If I didn’t know better, I would think he was genuinely confused.
“Oh, so this is the one you got.” Sean was openly reassessing me.
“He didn’t get me. He’s been following me around like a goddamn creep.” I took one last swig to finish my drink. If I was about to be murdered, I wanted to at least get drunk before it happened.
“Yeah. I think she’s perfect.” Dennis’ fingers gently brushed my thigh. I shoved them off.
“Hands off.” I slammed my glass on the bar and stood. “And stop stalking me.”
He chuckled and wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me back down. “But we have so much to discuss.”
“Do you really know this guy?” I asked Sean. He seemed too normal to be friends with a psychopath. But then he smiled with teeth for the first time and I saw a definite pair of fangs. So he was one, too.
“Yup. He’s one too.”
“Stop reading my fucking mind.”
Sean laughed and leaned forward. “Do you have to be so vulgar?” His tone was playful and the cute smile was back.
“I don’t have to do anything.” I realized Dennis’ arm was still around my waist and pushed it off. “Can you close my tab? Please.”
“Sure thing.”
“Thanks.” I waited impatiently for Sean to close me out, doing my best to avoid looking anywhere near Dennis. I was tempted to leave my card here and just order a new one.
“Here you go.” Sean set my card and its accompanying receipt on the counter.
I filled it out and signed before dropping the pen. “I’m leaving.”
“I’ll go with you,” Dennis said, standing to follow.
“Please don’t.” I brushed past and strode out of the bar, ignoring the few men who tried to catch my attention.
“Wait up.”
Of course, he was following me. I squished between two girls talking in the middle of the entrance. One called out an insult but I didn’t bother to apologize or pause for a confrontation.
“You’re back,” the same guy from before said. He was still beside Tuffy, leaning against his motorcycle and talking to some friends.
“That I am.” I was about to unlock my car when my keys were swiftly taken. “What?” I snapped, glaring at Dennis.
“Give me ten minutes and I’ll leave you alone.”
“For how long?”
“A few hours.”
“No.” I snatched the keys back and got in, slamming the door.
“I’ll be there when you get home.” The dangerous undertone in his voice was back.
“I don’t give a flying fuck if you’re there or not,” I said through the closed window. “Move before I hit you.”
He could clearly hear despite the glass, but he didn’t move an inch. I started the engine and revved it, staring him down. He moved in front of my car like he knew I wouldn’t do a damn thing.
It was the opposite, actually. He clearly didn’t know me at all.
I put on a burst of speed that missed his foot by a fraction of an inch.
That was an accident; I’d been aiming to hit him.
I maneuvered a tight turn and tore through the lot.
His borderline giggle was echoing. Whether it was in my mind or not, I was determined to leave him far behind.
I arrived home a few minutes later and cautiously walked through the house, flicking on every light along the way.
“Dennis, I’m home,” I called, staying alert while climbing the stairs. If he was here, I’d have my knife ready this time. Or so I thought—I froze in my bedroom doorway.
“You called?” He was perched atop the window seat with a blood red lighter in hand. The flame burst up and danced across his thumb. He didn’t flinch, didn’t even seem to feel it. My eyes rose to see him watching me.
“No.” I bent to unlace my boots, keeping my eyes on him. “I wasn’t seriously telling you I’m home. I was being sarcastic.” I kicked off my shoes and climbed on the bed. My gaze fell back to the lighter. “Doesn’t that hurt?”
“This?” He gripped the flame as I watched in fascination. “Some people like pain.” He let the fire die and stood. “Will you finally talk to me?”
“Talk about what?” I fell back as he appeared on the bed, then regained my composure and continued, “Why you won’t stop following me around and being weird? And why you won’t take those fangs out of your mouth? Halloween ended two days ago, in case you didn’t notice.”
“I’m a vampire. I don’t know how many times I have to tell you.” He ran a finger along the chains around his wrist, his hazel eyes still on me. He was too close for comfort.
“Move over.” I tried to kick him off the bed but he caught my leg, making me almost fall from the stunted momentum. I wrenched it free with half a mind to cut his head off for being an asshole.