Page 6 of Little Wing
I watched Kait grab a chilled glass and pour the viscous liquid before sliding it in front of me. The aroma excited my senses—O positive. Pigs blood. “Thank you,” I uttered, raising my glass in quiet salute.
Our conversations never truly had an end. We spoke in between her serving other customers and I simply enjoyed the buzz around her and the overall scene that never failed to unfold at the bar. One of the pastimes I missed the most had to be people watching and the bar was a perfect setting for such an activity.
The open mic nights were fantastic spectacles from people reciting spoken word poetry to small town musicians holding out for a chance to be discovered by a record label. Other nights, it would be me watching Kait bang on the bathroom doors with a broom to scare young couples from fornicating in the already cramped stalls. I did recall a time when a man rushed out of the bathroom with his pants still around his ankles.
I suppressed my grin at the memory and brought the glass to my lips. I certainly did not remain celibate, but I took my escapades out of Fairhaven or took matters into my own hands if I truly craved such a release. As I took a long sip, I allowed the coppery fluid to settle on my tongue before turning around in my seat to observe the evening crowd.
An acoustic performer sat on the small stage, playing a delicate tune on their guitar that barely rose above the sound of rowdy men talking about their stocks, cars, and more than likely the size of their dicks. This was one of those times where I did not treasure my vampiric abilities. The ability to practice selective hearing was one I worked on each day, zeroing in on the sound of the music instead of stories of their romps that made my dark blood boil. Though I enjoyed the performance, I caught sight of a man in a fitted blue jacket on the otherside of the bar. He was eyeing me with visible interest. I could see his bright eyes darting from my mouth to my glass enough times to make the hair on the back of my neck stand at attention.
Vampire.
I did not need to stand beside him to hear that familiar hum only heard in immortals. It penetrated the air that was thick with alcohol, human blood, and indie music.
I leaned back and gave Kait a quick wave, letting her know I was going to step away from the bar. At least this way I could lose myself in the crowd of drunken patrons, their scents shrouding me from the onlooker.
“Don’t look, don’t look,” I whispered to myself as I squeezed past a man hiccupping into an empty bottle of imported beer. Italian. Hoppy. Floral. A Positive. I wrinkled my nose to get the aroma of the man’s blood away so that I could focus on the vampire across the room from me.
Despite this being mainly a human bar, the occasional vampire would come around. Clearly, I did, but I certainly avoided trying to draw too much attention to myself. The man was still standing there, leaning against the bar and though he barely interacted with those around him, his presence was there, heavy and dominant.
It was common knowledge that vampires had their own unofficial part of Fairhaven that catered exclusively to them. Restaurants, bars, businesses—all made accessible that if vampires really tried, they never truly had to interact with humans unless they made it to the heart of the town. So, why was I getting so worked up about a man just… existing. Maybe it was in the way his eyes followed me and the way his tan skin held onto the glow of sunlight without having to stand in it.
I had to get out.
After I finished the last drop of my drink, I rushed back to the bar where Kait was cleaning up. Clearly, the final wave of humans due for a drink were beginning to clear out, which would leave those too drunk to leave or too desperate to slink back in defeat back to where they came from. Women, men—there would always be someone to choose from to take home for the night.
Oh Lotus, I thought to myself. Of course! I was in later than normal, so I rarely got to see the bar so sparse. Why wouldn’t a vampire swoop in to scope out the scene for tipsy people willing to make some poor decisions? Typical.
“Hey Lo, you heading out?” Kait hummed, pulling my credit card from the drawer she kept the others in.
My fingers tapped on the counter impatiently enough to have Kait raise her brows. “Sorry, I just completely spaced out on the time. Gotta get some sleep before Reina puts me to work hardcore tomorrow.”
Even I didn’t have myself convinced, but Kait bobbed her head and finished closing my tab. “Okay, just text me when you get home. Maybe we can plan something together later this week. Maybe after the event?”
I scribbled my signature on the receipt and offered Kait a tight smile. “Sure…” That would only be a sure thing if I didn’t have to pack my stuff up and get out of town because the little attention I was getting from one man was making me feel like I was unraveling.
“See you later!” I announced, grabbing my bag and storming out of the bar to head back home. No stops, no thoughts, just pushing my long legs forward till home was finally in sight.
Istood, mesmerized as the dark-haired woman dashed out of the bar, her hair whipping swiftly behind her. All that remained was the glare of the woman behind the bar, watching me stare at the door with my mouth ajar. She was certainly acquainted with the fleeing creature, at least from what I picked up from their conversation earlier that evening.
With one quick swallow, I finished off the second bottle of crimson and set it on the counter in front of the woman now eyeing me suspiciously.
“Anything else I can get you?” she asked, taking the empty bottle away.
“Actually,” I said, starting my inquiry with a low purr. “That one—” I nodded toward the door. “Is she a regular?”
The woman rolled up the sleeves of her plaid flannel, keeping her expression unmoved. “Who’s asking?”
I chuckled softly at her defensiveness and rubbed the shaved side of my head. Clearly I needed to warm up to the barkeep before I got any information about the woman whose presence lingered in my mind like a phantom. They must be friends, and if I wanted to getmore information, I would have to play nice. I was nice, right? This wouldn’t be a problem at all.
“My apologies. Here I am asking questions like I deserve answers served on a silver platter without having even introduced myself. My mother taught me better than that.” I bowed my head before looking up at her, flashing a look that few human women were able to resist. “My name is Silas. I’ve been here a few times over the years, but I suppose I never stuck around long enough to truly enjoy this space. It’s nice,” I commented. “Very… rustic.”
Her dark brows raised slowly. “Ah, so you’re just here to pick off the scraps? Whoever is too tipsy to have any self-respect about going home with you?”
I slapped my hand against my chest, feigning pain. “Wow! I’d never!” I pushed off from the counter and ran a hand through my hair again. When her expression failed to soften, I tugged on my blazer, straightening it. “And listen, I can’t help if someone finds me attractive. Humans, vampires—we both have needs, right? But that’s not why I’m talking to you.” I turned on my heel and pointed to the door. “That woman with the black hair. Do you know anything about her?”
“Buddy, I’m not some snitch. You want information about my customers, you can speak to them yourself. If they choose to answer you, then that’s their decision.” Her tone didn’t hold even a fraction of the warmth that she shared with the enigma I chased.
By that point, I’d normally drop it and move on. But something happened between me and the strange woman when our eyes met across the crowd. In that split second, I felt like I had a taste of mystery, and I needed to chase it until I knew everything about the woman who ran. Whoever she was… I needed to know.
