drink. Big tip for Tommy, she thought.
One drink became two, and two became three as Two waited. She was pacing herself, not drunk, passing the time by watching the bar’s one television, which was muted but had the closed-captioning turned on. No one was hitting on her, even though she was obviously alone, and the alcohol had helped to unwind the knot in her stomach. She felt warm and comfortable. Perhaps the vampire would show, perhaps not. There were worse ways to spend an evening.
Thomas touched her shoulder, and Two glanced over at him.
“I think I’m good, thanks,” she said, glancing at her drink, which was still half-full.
“Just wanted to let you know that I think your friend might be coming soon. If it’s who I think it is, she usually shows up around now. Her usual routine is to order a glass of wine and sit by herself, people watching. Seems a lot like you, actually; doesn’t really talk to anyone. She just watches.”
“She is a lot like me, I think. Or at least, like I used to be. Thanks, I’ll keep an eye out for her.”
It didn’t take long. Little more than ten minutes after Thomas had spoken to Two, the girl walked through the front door of the bar. Two’s heart seemed to do a crazy summersault in her chest before settling into a steady, rapid pulse. She tried not to stare, but couldn’t help herself. The vampire looked directly back and, far from being startled by Two’s attention this time, she only raised one eyebrow and smirked.
Two tried to match her gaze but, after a time, felt awkward and looked away. She saw that Thomas was already pouring a glass of red liquid – too thin to be blood – and he set it down in front of the vampire woman as she reached the bar.
“ Merci , Thomas.”
“ Pas de problème. Comment ça va? ” Thomas answered back. His pronunciation and accent were smooth.
“I am well, thank you.”
The woman leaned against the bar and glanced around, sipping her wine. None of the three spoke for a time. Thomas cleaned. The vampire seemed caught up in her own thoughts. Two watched the crowd and stole looks at the woman at the other end of the bar. Finally, the vampire spoke.
“The wine is good, Thomas. I have things to do this evening and can’t stay long. I will see you again soon.”
“Come back anytime, snowflake. You’re always welcome here.”
The vampire smiled at him, and looked directly at Two for the first time since entering the bar. After a moment she turned and made her way toward a hallway near the back of the bar’s middle room.
“I’d say that was an invitation,” Thomas commented, polishing a glass.
“Doesn’t matter, I’m going anyway,” Two said, pulling on her jacket.
“Best move quick. That girl disappears in a heartbeat.”
Two left cash on the bar. “Keep the change, Thomas. Thanks.”
“Pleasure’s mine.”
Two moved through the crowd, into the hallway, and toward the door at its end. Somewhere outside, the vampire was waiting for her.
* * *
The alley was dark, and damp, and smelled like mold. It stretched for perhaps twenty meters in either direction, opening up to streets on either side. There were other doors that opened out into it, but all seemed locked tight. The vampire was nowhere to be seen.
“You’re kidding me,” Two said, running a hand through her hair. “You have got to be fucking kidding me! Where did you go?”
She moved down the alley toward the rear of the building, kicking boxes and old newspapers out of her way. There was no sound but the noise of her progress and the bass thuds coming from the club. Two reached the end of the alley and peered down the street. Nothing.
“God damn it, don’t leave me here!” she shouted back at the darkness, but there was no response.
Two began walking back up the alley, muttering to herself.
“Fine. Fuck you and fuck your stupid vampire bullshit. Fuck your stupid games. I’ll come back tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day after that.
One drink became two, and two became three as Two waited. She was pacing herself, not drunk, passing the time by watching the bar’s one television, which was muted but had the closed-captioning turned on. No one was hitting on her, even though she was obviously alone, and the alcohol had helped to unwind the knot in her stomach. She felt warm and comfortable. Perhaps the vampire would show, perhaps not. There were worse ways to spend an evening.
Thomas touched her shoulder, and Two glanced over at him.
“I think I’m good, thanks,” she said, glancing at her drink, which was still half-full.
“Just wanted to let you know that I think your friend might be coming soon. If it’s who I think it is, she usually shows up around now. Her usual routine is to order a glass of wine and sit by herself, people watching. Seems a lot like you, actually; doesn’t really talk to anyone. She just watches.”
“She is a lot like me, I think. Or at least, like I used to be. Thanks, I’ll keep an eye out for her.”
It didn’t take long. Little more than ten minutes after Thomas had spoken to Two, the girl walked through the front door of the bar. Two’s heart seemed to do a crazy summersault in her chest before settling into a steady, rapid pulse. She tried not to stare, but couldn’t help herself. The vampire looked directly back and, far from being startled by Two’s attention this time, she only raised one eyebrow and smirked.
Two tried to match her gaze but, after a time, felt awkward and looked away. She saw that Thomas was already pouring a glass of red liquid – too thin to be blood – and he set it down in front of the vampire woman as she reached the bar.
“ Merci , Thomas.”
“ Pas de problème. Comment ça va? ” Thomas answered back. His pronunciation and accent were smooth.
“I am well, thank you.”
The woman leaned against the bar and glanced around, sipping her wine. None of the three spoke for a time. Thomas cleaned. The vampire seemed caught up in her own thoughts. Two watched the crowd and stole looks at the woman at the other end of the bar. Finally, the vampire spoke.
“The wine is good, Thomas. I have things to do this evening and can’t stay long. I will see you again soon.”
“Come back anytime, snowflake. You’re always welcome here.”
The vampire smiled at him, and looked directly at Two for the first time since entering the bar. After a moment she turned and made her way toward a hallway near the back of the bar’s middle room.
“I’d say that was an invitation,” Thomas commented, polishing a glass.
“Doesn’t matter, I’m going anyway,” Two said, pulling on her jacket.
“Best move quick. That girl disappears in a heartbeat.”
Two left cash on the bar. “Keep the change, Thomas. Thanks.”
“Pleasure’s mine.”
Two moved through the crowd, into the hallway, and toward the door at its end. Somewhere outside, the vampire was waiting for her.
* * *
The alley was dark, and damp, and smelled like mold. It stretched for perhaps twenty meters in either direction, opening up to streets on either side. There were other doors that opened out into it, but all seemed locked tight. The vampire was nowhere to be seen.
“You’re kidding me,” Two said, running a hand through her hair. “You have got to be fucking kidding me! Where did you go?”
She moved down the alley toward the rear of the building, kicking boxes and old newspapers out of her way. There was no sound but the noise of her progress and the bass thuds coming from the club. Two reached the end of the alley and peered down the street. Nothing.
“God damn it, don’t leave me here!” she shouted back at the darkness, but there was no response.
Two began walking back up the alley, muttering to herself.
“Fine. Fuck you and fuck your stupid vampire bullshit. Fuck your stupid games. I’ll come back tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day after that.
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