. I have taking place in the BookTubeathon so I wrote this instead of reading, but read when I should have been writing it's all too confusing.
The pub was pretty empty for a Friday night and the place was usually empty. Only our usual Todd sat at a booth in the back, nursing his only whiskey of the night. I suspected that Todd didn't liked the drink he brought every night and never drank. It was a shame, because it was always the good stuff he got and I myself liked that whiskey.
I never asked him about it because he freaked me out. I caught him staring at me from across from his usual booth all the time, till I learned not to look in that corner. His hands are always freezing, no matter the weather, I tried avoid touching him by putting his drink on the bar instead of handing him it but he would grab it before I let go of it and he always bushed my palm when he pays.
Today, it was cold and damp so it made since when the stab of cold hit my skin, but it just doesn't seem right. I rubbed my hand on my apron, trying to get renewed sensation to go away.
The bar door opens and two guys I have never seen before enter. It's odd to see anyone completely new after working here for over a year and of course living few streets away. One looks to be older than the other by ten years, both are wearing all black. Neither of their jacket have hoods and they soaked. They look around the bar, before separating in direction without saying a word.
The older ones heads towards Todd's booth and sits. It is literally the most shocking thing I have seen working here as I have never experienced Todd talking to anyone but me and only to order his drink. The only reason I know his name is because Boss made me card him, despite him clearly being middle age.
"A beer, please."
I jump, I had been so focused on the older one engaging with Todd that I never noticed the younger one siting now at the bar.
"Wha...What kind?" I stutter out.
"Whatever you have on draught."
We have three beers on draught so I give him the one that should have the most in the barrel to avoid changing them on my shift. That can be the boss's job, he hates doing it so always makes me do it.
He hands me a tenner for the pint.
"Keep the change." I say thanks and go to put it the shared tip jar, he grabs my wrist. I tried to jump out of his grip, his hand is as cold as Todd's and his grip is too strong for me to break.
"You keep it," he says as calmly as before, like this is normal. He lets go. There now a clitch in my gut. I leave my arm handing there for a minute before finally putting the money in my pocket. I'll put the money in the jar after he leaves. The company that owned the pub had this big thing about sharing tips. It was a fireable offense to keep tips, not that we got many at night.
He staring at me and hasn't touch his drink. I ignore him and go to wipe the bar at the opposite end. I decide to the watch the strange show of Todd with another person. I wonder if I should get the Boss from the back to witness this rare moment. He might not believe me otherwise. I'm too far away to hear them speaking anyway.
I move from the bar and catch the the eye of the other one.
"You're rather pretty," he says plainly. Great, I hate when straight guys hit on me and now I have an especially weird one doing it. He'll probably comment on on my lip piecing next and then ask if anything else is pieced whilst looking at my flat chest. They're usually wasted at this point when they start flirting with me.
"So I'm told," I say.
"Would you like me to suck you off?"
"WHAT?"
This was turn odd turn of events, he could still think I'm a girl but most people don't use that term anology about the female funtimes.
"I said, would like me to pleasure you?" he says flatly, like it normal to offer someone oral whilst they working. Getting hit on by drunks is sort of part of the job. Not sober weird people offering sex acts.
"No, thanks," I say slowly inching to the backdoor. He might not be drunk, but on something else, or insane either way I don't want to be in the front by myself. He watches me as I step into the back.
I can still see the bar but I can't really be seen by customers. I call the cellar phone to get Boss. He's down there taking invertory whilst things are slow during the storm to save him having to do it another time.
The phone rings out without an answer. I hang up, he doesn't usually answer and just comes up when I ring him down there. I tried to calm down, but the knot in my gut won't go away. I force myself back into the bar where none of them have move.
The younger one is still staring at me. I look at Todd's booth to see that they have started to argue. I hear the sound of them talking but not the actual word.
What is Todd's life outside this bar?
"What type of blood do have?" The young one says.
I turn to him and stared at him blankly.
"You smell like O neg to me, definitely Rhesus negative."
That was blood type, how could he smell my blood type. I stared at him and that was it, I was abandoning the bar.
I run out to the back and was about to open the cellar door when the lights go out. The storm must have knocked the power out. I take a breath and take my phone of my pocket to use it as a flashed light. I go down the stairs using the light to make sure I don't trip.
"Boss" I shout into the darkness. I don't get a reply. Once I'm the floor I begin to scan the lights spatterly. He has to be down here, I never heard him come up.
" Boss, where are you?"
I can feel myself panicking, something is wrong. I spin around trying to get a glimpse of him. I find myself looking behind the crates of alcopops and then stop myself. I must have missed him somehow. He must be out back smoking.
I run to the stairs. I stop, there's something wet on the steps. It wasn't like that when I came down here. I hold my phone above it. I can't make out what it is on the dark of the stairs. I leave it in favour of finding Boss. I go up the stairs trying to avoid the wet patches.
I turn my phone scene off and find my way to back door easily. I push at the door and exit to the rain. It's dark in the alleyway and am still getting wet despite the metal sheet that Boss put up for his frequent smoke breaks.
I scan around for him, but boss clearly isn't out here. I turn to go back in when I hear sceaming. I stop. I know I should go in and help, but instincts tell me to run. I stand there for a long while, not able to make my body do either.
"Don't worry, baby."
I jump at the sound of the voice. It young guy at the door, I must have been staring at him for a while in the dark.
"He's just getting what he deserves for disobeying."
Disobeying who? I don't ask him.
"Why don't you come back in and I can make you scream in another way."
He's still flirting with me in the creepiest way possible. I go to run but he grabs me and drags me back into the pub. Before I can stay anything, he's shoving his slimy, cold tongue in my month. It's making me sick but I can't push him off. I'm actually starting to feel a bit faint.
***
"And that's why I turned you." Feith says to me for millionth time. I had been ignoring him, and thinking of my own count of that night. Trying to find Boss and then walking over his blood and then Todd getting his punishment for stealing a blood donor.
Feith thinks he's being romantic when he recounts that night. I remember it for it's fear, not Feith being pretty. He's good looking I guess, but I will never have the same feelings towards him as he has for me.
Because of him I'm stuck running one of Lucas' bars. It's a lot like Boss' but I'm not dumb enough to cross the real boss or his right hand man Feith, which is why I put up with his feuqent visits. Also I kinda feel sorry for him. He was raised in this world before he was turned. This was always the best he saw for himself.
It's sad. He never mature so now he like an external puppy who decided to be befriend the neighbour's cat. I just wish I had never went near that neighbour. Why the hell had Boss hired me? It is one many things I wished they had torture out of him. It straight up broke the rules of this business, not that Boss had really care that much. He dragged me into this, instead of it just be another job rejection.
Feith is now smiling at me, still happily talking at me while I ignore him. I don't think he'll ever realises that I'm not listening. Lucas is here checking up on things so I know he'll be leaving before closing so I won't need to have a moral debate with myself about letting Feith stay the day with me.
I'm actually quite relief when Lucas tells Feith to scam from the bar so he can interrogate me. Also Feith is meant to be paroling the area in case if any rivals show up. If Lucas gives him hell for not doing his duty, he's being too soft on him.
"How are you, Pretti," I flich. I hate when Lucas calls me by Feith's compliment/pet names. He smirks at me, so he saw it then.
"Fine, been real busy with the Blood Donors I stole last week," I say sarcastically because I've heard the rumours and know it will stop his smirk and maybe my existence. He doesn't stop smirking.
"You know if anyone but you said that to be I have them chopped," he says without threat. Being cut into tiny bits sounds fun compared to what they did to Todd. "However, I know you know what I'm capable of and Fe..."
"I keep waiting to see it again," I goat him before he mention how heartbroken Feith would be without having me suck here.
"You really should fight your suicidal tendencies. If you weren't so stubborn you would have promoted long ago."
"Business is fine. There's been no trouble," I say, stopping before telling him to get out.
"Exactly, you're my most reliable bartender," bartender is the name Lucas gives his blood sellers. "You should be at a flesh bar instead of here."He looks around this place like it's a stae. Lucas tries this spill once and awhile. Especially, after something likes this has went down. I've always gotten out of being transferred by getting drunk and refusing to serve anyone till Lucas refutes.
Last time I told customers I poised all the blood and that Lucas was my bitch, in front of Lucas. I majorly pissed him off, meaning he gave Feith a week off to deal with me which was hellish. He wouldn't stop touching me the whole time he was there, in front of the customers giving me a dirty look for being alive after the suppose poising.
"I have decided you are to take over my personal bar," he says. That's at least ten levels above me on the chain of this organisation.
"I know how to poison blood."
"If that was true, then we wouldn't be having this conversation." He's right, I would be actually dead. "I don't know why you so against moving up."
"Maybe I'm just happy where I am." He laughs as though that's the dumbest thing he's ever heard.
"How very human you still are," He laughs at me again. "Perhaps I should make you a drainer so you can be with your kind." Here's the punishment I should I have gotten years ago. I shiver at the thought of having to see those rejected addicts everyday.
"Fine, I'll run your stupid bar," I throw a glass at Feith whose been standing at the door, looking at me for the pass minute. I miss his head. He finally moves after the glass shattering next to his head. I would smash one on Lucas if I thought I would get the satisfaction of seeing his pretty face bleed.
"Tut, Tut, so disrespectable to your maker," I openly laugh at this statement. He stole leadership from his maker.
"When will I be force to leave?"
"Oh, a week or so," he says vaguely. It could be tomorrow knowing him. "Come, Feith, it's time to go."
Feith leans over the bar, looking for a kiss. I ignore him, knowing Lucas will shout at him eventually. I look up at him, Lucas smiles at me, standing at the door so he's playing that game now.
"Stop being a pest and fuck off," I say to Feith. He pulls back, looking hurt, like a kicked puppy. If I'm being forced to deal with Blood Donors, then I'm not putting up with Feith wanting to play boyfriends.
"We're be back soon to help with the move," is Lucas finally words before he leaves with Feith sulking behind him. I doubt that I will see Lucas again till I get to his headquarters.
I won't miss this bar but I'm more the deniability. I go out and sweep the glass pieces to save to throw another day.
Today's life lesson is to stay out of Vampire Turf disputes.
Now I have a readathon to win. Okay, probably lose.
