Blood Bride

Chapter 1 (1st Draft) 2081

Fifteen years later ...

The brass bells at the entry way chimed pleasantly as Meadow pushed open the door to her new favourite bistro on her side of town. A tall, vivacious woman, all dressed in white, with gleaming teeth to match, gave her a cheerful wave and beckoned her over to a small table in the quietest corner of the bistro. The place was nearly devoid of customers at the time but there were plenty of staff milling about.

Gloria Nieminen, the proud owner of Bonita's Bistro and Grill, called out to Meadow in her overly friendly and typically dramatic style, "Darling, you made it!"

Meadow gave the beautiful woman a little smile and a slight nod as she crossed the spotless clay-coloured ceramic tiles of the bistro in her little white tennis shoes that didn't make a sound as she went.

"Come, have a seat sweetheart," the woman exclaimed cheerfully.

Meadow took the seat across from Gloria, who didn't sit right away. She smiled instead and clapped her hands loudly. This brought a young, handsome server from the back with a tray in hand. On it, ready to be served, was a cold glass of iced tea, Meadow's go-to drink any time she was there.

He set it down in front of her and gave her a little wink as he placed a napkin and a paper straw beside the glass. He was model-worthy and just the right amount of flirty to make a girl feel good about herself. But, Meadow knew not to read anything into it. Everyone who worked for Gloria was beautiful and an expert flirt.

"Thanks," Meadow said as the young man straightened up and left her and his boss to talk.

Gloria sat down in one smooth, elegant motion, crossed her legs to the side of the little table, leaned a single elbow on the glass tabletop and flashed fingers loaded down with beautiful diamonds and recently manicured nails. She looked ready for a swanky date at a symphony or ballet. But, this was nothing out of the ordinary. The woman always dressed to kill.

"Darling, time is money and all that. So, I wont keep you. I'll cut straight to the chase," she offered with an amused smile. She leaned in a little and whispered, "I have no idea how you'll take it though."

Meadow took a sip of her iced tea and shrugged one of her gently sloping shoulders. "I don't know either. Guess you'll have to try me out."

"That's the spirit," Gloria declared as she took a quick look around the nearly deserted bistro before pulling her stainless steel chair a few inches closer to the table.

Meadow saw the staff trying to nonchalantly edge their way closer and closer to where they sat. Whatever was coming down, it had to be juicy. Meadow was curious.

"Darla said that you don't have a boyfriend. Is that so?" Gloria asked in a lowered but not altogether quiet voice.

Darla was the one who introduced Meadow to the delicious menu at Bonita's Bistro & Grill a year ago, and then later introduced her to Gloria when it became clear that Meadow loved the food and was quickly becoming a regular. But, Darla wasn't exactly a friend. She was more of an acquaintance. A client Meadow had helped with some tedious and difficult paperwork a year ago at the Bureau of Lycanthrope Affairs (BoLA) where Meadow had worked for the last five years.