The back office turned out to be more club. Granted it was less crowded, less loud, and generally less foreboding, but there was a second DJ on the back wall blasting music that was accommodated by pulsing lights. We sat at one of the emerald green, velvet couches that were scattered throughout what I assumed was a dance floor. However, people were doing way more than the normal bump and grind.

Thankfully my shocked averted gaze was drawn to a tall creature making his way toward us. His aura made every hair on my body stand on its end.

“You’re not a vampire,” I blurted out.

“Aren’t we all vampires in our own way?” he answered while lithely lowering his body onto the sofa facing ours.

“No, we’re not,” Norman piped in with his usual pretenseless way, pulling all jovility out of the room. “Trembley, this is Barrett.”

“Oh Norman dear, you do know how to bring a man back down to earth.” He acted sullen, but it was clearly a fake pout. One might even think he was flirting with Norman. I couldn’t take my eyes off him. Not because he was good looking, although he was, but because something was off. Barrett quickly noticed my fascination and turned his attention towards me instead. “You’re trying to work me out, aren’t you,” he said with a cheeky smile and a wink.

“I’m sorry for staring. It’s just… I don’t think you’re human either.”

“Well now that we’ve established what I’m not,” he said to me before focusing back on Norman, “tell me what I can do for you this evening.”

Norman reiterated that he was here to feed. Barrett wanted to know why he brought a snack if he needed to eat from members of his club. Without giving too much away, Norman merely insinuated that I was an important guest of Harding’s and was currently under his protection.

“Really?” Barrett asked while raking his eyes over me once again. When they leveled with my own, I couldn’t look away. I’m not sure how I knew, but he was trying to read me. It’s like I could feel him moving in my mind and with that I defensively jumped to shake him out.

“Well you must be really special to garner special attention from Harding? I’ll need to keep a close eye on you.” It would have been funny if it wasn’t so terrifying. Those piercing eyes finally looked away from me. I can’t remember the last time a creature made me feel so ill at ease, and yet, something told me I couldn’t have been anywhere safer.

“While we’re on the subject,” Norman interjected, breaking up the staring match, “you might be able to help with another issue.”

“Well aren’t I the knight in shining armor tonight,” Barrett gushed. “You know I love people owing me favors, Norman. It makes them all needy and exploitable.” He was practically glowing with glee. Who was this guy?

“Not quite needy just yet I think, but we’ve been hitting one dead end after another looking for her father.” He nodded in my direction.

Barrett sat up and leaned closer to Norman. “Now, why would you want to find this human’s father?”

I figured there was no reason to beat around the bush. No one would help me as long as they thought I was a regular human. “Because he’s a vampire, and I’m a little less than human also. We think this crazy witch named Sarah may be looking for him.”

“Oh that old mess,” Barrett waved his hand not even acknowledging what I said about being a halfling. “I thought you had something juicy for me.”

“That’s it? You’re not even interested.”

“About what? You or Sarah?” He did look bored now. “Listen, Sarah is such old news. That girl will get her revenge one way or another. Might as well meet her head on and end it now, but you won’t, will you?” he said the last part to Norman only. “No, I didn’t think so. It’s not that you are afraid to die. No, it’s never been that. You can’t face the hurt you caused that girl, and now, there are so many bodies lining the long road you’ve walked together. Norman, that’s why I love you so. You just keep stacking up the bodies.”

If it was possible, Norman looked paler than normal. Barrett looked him over, and I guess, thought there was nothing else to be said on the matter. For a brief moment, he also appeared sorry for his words. However, the look quickly vanished when one of the club members who’d been hovering behind his couch used the moment to pass him a sheet of paper. Barrett read the note and decided that was the end of our meeting.

“Sorry folks, but I’ve been called away to less predictable means. Maybe we can chat about more exciting events on your next visit. In the meantime, you have my permission to feed on any willing guests here or in the main part of the club. You know the rules, Norman.”

He stood to leave, but did not depart before leaning in to give me a surprising hug. He also used the moment to whisper in my ear, “This is going to be a difficult road, Trembley. Be careful who you share your secrets with.”

The rest of our time at Club Taste was down right normal compared to the few minutes spent with Barrett. Norman decided to remain in the back area, which didn’t really bother me considering there were a host of creatures on the other side I had no defenses for. Barrett was my only puzzle on this side. Although he was still a bit shaken from Barrett’s last remarks, Norman called the wait staff over. Apparently, this was how modern vampires hunt – from a menu. I supposed it shouldn’t have been a surprise, but it felt lackluster for some reason.

“What?” Norman asked reading my expression. “Did you expect me to chase a young innocent through a dark alley and mesmerize her into giving over her blood?”

“I mean… yeah.”

“There’s no need when you have willing volunteers.”

“Then why do any of you kill?”

“Why do humans?” I didn’t have an answer for him. “Exactly. Good and bad exists in everything. Some of us work hard to overcome our darker sides. Others don’t bother.”

I tossed his words around for a minute. It was true. I had watched my own father battle his demons my entire life. My own battles weren’t quite as explosive. Usually, they were more self-inflicting. “Is Sarah part of your darker side?”

Norman looked away from the menu he had been perusing. His eyes bore into mine. It wasn’t the same penetrating way Barrett had previously done. He wasn’t trying to read me. Instead, it felt like he was pleading with me.

“It’s all right. You don’t have to talk about it. I get it. You guys have a long history. I can only imagine the pain and confusing emotions that come with having known someone that long.”

His pained face said all I needed to know. Even his half hearted smile that didn’t reach his eyes, didn’t make me feel better for broaching this subject.

“So what’s with Barrett?” I asked hoping to change the subject.

“Barrett’s a reaper. They like to mess with everyone. Whether that’s from a sense of entitlement or boredom, I’ll never know. They aren’t all quite so eccentric though. Barrett has made a name in the netherworld of being particularly outlandish. But don’t let his enticing side lure you into a false sense of safety. He’s always playing his own game.”

“I actually hate coming here. Staying in this area is really racking up my favor tally. I’m afraid of what he’s going to ask when he finally decides to call them in.”

Norman took my momentary speechlessness to call the waitress back over. He pointed to an item, or I guess person, on the menu, and she was off again.

“So reapers are real?” I finally spoke. “I had no idea.”

“I imagine there are quite a few creatures you’ve never ran into.”

“It’s not like I’m unprepared. Aaron has had me training my entire life, but no I was not ready for reapers, immortal witches, and whatever that huge thing was sitting at the bar when the lights came up.” I really felt dazed and for the first time in a while, I felt miles out of my depth.

“Well, I don’t mean to add to the existential crisis that seems to be building,” it was Barrett returned with a stunning, petite blonde on his arm, “but, Norman, darling, I have your meal for the evening.” The young woman sat right on Norman’s lap and moved her hair off her neck. “If you’d prefer not to watch,” he said to me, “we could step away to my office.”

“No,” Norman growled shoving the girl to the side to grab my arm, “she stays.”

“He’s right,” I said attempting to avoid pissing off a reaper. “It was one our rules.”

“It’s ok. I like to watch, too.” With a wink at me, he walked away once more and disappeared behind a nearby door.

“Is she hungry too?” the girl asked Norman, pulling my mind back from Barrett’s insinuation. “I’ve got a friend nearby.” And she started to wave someone over to our area.

“No, no,” I panicked at the thought of drinking blood. “I don’t need that.”

“Really?” she asked giving me a full look over. “Oh my bad, you looked like one of them at first. It must just be these dim lights. Barrett loves the effect, but sometimes it can make it difficult for those of us who are human to do our jobs.” With one last hmm, she returned to work. Norman, taking that as his cue, bit into her neck, but his eyes never left me. For my part, I couldn’t look away either. The only feedings I had previously been apart of were not the willing kind.

This was fascinating, and for the girl on his lap… apparently it was arousing. She was making all sorts of moans I had only heard in a completely different act. He gripped her tighter, but his eyes remained locked on mine. God, he really was beautiful. I hadn’t thought about it since that first night in the diner. Since then he’d more or less been the bane of my existence, so his apparent attractiveness had been lost to the far reaches of mind. Here in this macabre moment, though, I was blown away by it. His eyes were like chocolate dipped in honey and his cheekbones could cut glass. Even his lips, which were drowning in blood, didn’t put me off. Quite the contrary, I wanted to know what they felt like.

Almost like he read my mind, Norman pulled away from his snack and nudged her off his lap. Then he licked his lips and reached for me, and even though I knew I should, I didn’t pull away. His hand on the back of my neck was dangerous and enticing. I wanted to know how he tasted. Without another thought, I closed the gap between us and put my lips on his. He immediately fell into the kiss and pulled my body tightly against his. I don’t know what came over me, but I had to touch every inch of him now. As I gave away to that primal feeling, Norman broke the kiss and pushed me away.

“No, stop this now,” he growled holding my arms to keep me at a distance.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” I didn’t understand why he broke off the kiss. I also didn’t understand why it happened in the first place, but I was happy to resume.

“I mean it, Barret,” he angrily spoke, confusing me even more, but I really didn’t care. I just wanted to be tearing off his clothes. Then I heard a laugh off to the side before Barret’s presence came back to our sofa, and all the oxygen seemed to leave the room. I gasped in agony at the sudden missing sensation that had so quickly overcome me. Everything now felt hollow and empty.

Sensing my despair, Barret sat down beside me and put his arm around my shoulders. “It’ll be ok my dear,” he said, holding me close. “The rush of dopamine followed by immediate removal can be a bit rough on humans. I don’t typically let the effects come and go so quickly, but you can thank your friend for that.”

“Thank me,” Norman yelled out. “She wouldn’t be having this type of withdrawal if you hadn’t thrown out your little spell to begin with. Consent, man.”

“I was just speeding up the inevitable,” he said waving his hand nonchalantly. “I get sense these things, and you want each other so why not just get it over with. My spell would have just urged you on, and the waning wouldn’t have ben so severe if you weren’t such a stick in the mud. Seriously, Norman, a good fuck would do you a world of improvement, and I’m guessing making you more tolerable to be around.”

My mind wasn’t fully comprehending everything they were saying. All I wanted to do was ball up in a corner somewhere and cry. It was overwhelming. More so, than the original case of the sluts that had overcome me.

“He’s right, though,” I finally got out in the middle of their bickering. “Consent next time. At least give someone a head’s up about the fallout before hitting them with such heavy handed horny juice.”

I couldn’t even look at Norman right now. The embarassment was too much, but I didn’t want to stay here any longer feeling like someone had just died. “Can we please leave?” I asked the floor. “Of course,” he said standing up and holding out his hand for my own. It was appreciated, considering we’d both been about to do something we hadn’t willingly wanted to do. We walked out a guarded door in the back, which was nice because I couldn’t imagine walking back through the front room in my current mental state. It’s hard to explain feeling so light and unrestricted only to have it ripped away without any notice and come crashing down hard back into your own skin.

The ride home was quiet. I continued to avoid Norman’s gaze and him mine. We made it back to his home and each went to our individual bedrooms. My room was dark and too quiet. The thoughts in my head were loud but just as dark. When it was clear sleep was not going to come, I made my way out into the hall unsure what could settle this feeling. Before I knew what I was doing, the door to Norman’s room was opening and I was standing at the edge of his bed.

His eyes were open the entire time and he watched my cautious steps toward him. When I climbed into his bed, he didn’t object but merely made room for me to slide in right beside him. “Will you hold me?” I asked afraid any moment he would make me go back to my room alone. Without saying anything in return, his arm wrapped around my torso, and I could feel his body enfold against my own. For the first time in days, if not weeks or months, I felt truly at ease and fell asleep.

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