The Worth of a Coin (BxB)

Chapter 6

I shook my head and darted to my room. The sooner I get this done, the sooner I can return home. I'd be able to find comfort in macaroni cheese, or maybe a small cake that I kept in the house for emotional emergencies.

My room was a mess after the previous night, as I had refused to unpack my belongings. I'd deal with that when I find out that I'm actually staying there for longer than a few days.

It meant that finding my regular pair of black jeans and blue flannel was difficult, but manageable. It distracted me from the discomfort and frustration that I was feeling. I was already wearing my black converse, which I insisted was work attire.

I grabbed my card and put it in my front pocket, placing my phone in my back. The card would be my ticket into the bar and get me what I needed. I still wasn't used to having a phone, especially a smartphone which I still didn't understand the mechanics of.

I was relieved to see that the front door of Quan's house had closed, it gave me peace of mind to know that he didn't keep the door open to let anyone wander in.

The bar was close to where I used to live, making it convenient and a large temptation. Maybe I should see the move as a blessing of sorts, a way to tell me to get my act together. I hadn't done much wrong there, but I had gotten into some poor business quite a while ago and had only just recovered from that.

The bar was completely disguised as office buildings. It looked like a prison on the outside, with small, symmetrical windows which didn't open, and security guards standing just outside the door.

I flashed my card to the security guard, who greeted me with a nod. I'd been coming here for nineteen years; they were bound to recognise me.

The interior was a stark difference to the exterior. The lights varied from room-to-room, but the main entrance was encased in an electric blue light. It made me feel calmer about coming here, but it also meant that my shirt matched the lights. There weren't a lot of people around, mainly due to the fact vampires preferred to come here at night, avoiding the hustle and bustle of human society who would usually be sleeping at that point.

I strode up to the bar in the main area, greeting Fewesi with a smile.

She scowled back at me and held her hand out. "Card?"

I chuckled as I handed it to her. "I guess your day hasn't gotten off to a good start?" I asked casually. I liked to make some sort of idle conversation, which most people didn't appreciate.

She glared at me for a moment before resting her fists on the counter and plastering a wide sarcastic smile onto her painted black lips. "Oh, I'm sorry sir. Welcome to the Alpha Vampire Bar where we are forced to listen to centuries old people complain about being bored with their billions of pounds, even though we work for just above minimum wage." Her voice was high, and the sarcasm vibrated through the counter. "How was your day?"

I'm pretty sure that this is the same Fewesi that Cappi was talking about. I stretched my arms above my head after sitting on one of the old bar stools. "Well, I was forced to get a new job and move to a different district. I was also forced to follow a person around who ultimately seems to hate my guts, and I'm hungry and really don't want to eat."

Fewesi looked at me with almost a hint of sympathy. "Yeah, I heard all about that." She nodded behind me, to a corner of the room which I never really cared for.

I could've sworn that I stopped breathing and my heart stopped beating. I groaned into my hands.

Quan was sitting in one of the most comfortable looking settees that the bar had, sipping at a glass of what I assume to be orange juice. Yet, I could smell some sort of alcohol, that was a common scent in this building. Both from the rubbing alcohol, which was used, and the beverage.