I grew up in an adoptive family. And when my mother's sister passed mysteriously, Aggie sent her lawyer to me. Why? Well. Because I'd inherited the Sapphire Lotus. Sapphire Lotus is her restaurant, one that sells all sorts of foods and drinks.
So now, as I stand before the blue-painted restaurant, I smile. It is a beautiful building. The sign hanging over the white door depicts that of a blue lotus flower, with a pale green background. The front of the establishment is painted sapphire blue, and the windows are painted with tiny lotuses and vines.
A small smile crosses my face, and I turn to look at Darius Riddle. He claims to have been Aggie's friend, and despite the fact that I don't know him, he offered to guide me. Especially since I, having just turned twenty-four, have no idea what I'm doing here.
Darius wears a bandanna that's green over his buzz-cut brown hair, his dark skin shining with sweat in the late summer heat. Those kind, hazel eyes of his land on me. He grins. His smile is always one to make you feel at ease.
I may have met him last week, but I like the man. Darius is thirty-two, and very tall. As we walk up to the door, he must duck to enter so as to not hit his head. We walk into the big building together.
The floor is spotless linoleum, and the walls are painted pale pink, with hand-painted flowers and vines all over the pink surface. The ceiling is painted like the blue sky with white, fluffy clouds. I smile as we walk by the booths, tables, and chairs that customers can sit in.
As I walk into the back, I see the kitchen is fully stocked. I turn to Darius.
"So, do I have to hire help? Like, I have no idea what I'm doing here!" I say.
He shakes his head. "No, Aggie took care of you, Wren. There are plenty of people working here who can help you out. They'll be here soon."
I nod slowly. "So, uh, what do we do till then? What would Aggie be doing?"
"Just helping out where she could," says Darius.
There's a jingle of the bell on the door, and we both turn. Three people walk in. Darius walks over and waves to the first one. She is tall, almost as tall as Darius, and she has pale skin dusted with red, pink, and gold makeup. Her black hair flows in waves around the middle of her back, and her equally black eyes are lined with dark makeup, giving me the impression of wings on her eyeliner.
"Scarth Delacroix, meet Wren Killoran. Aggie's niece."
Scarth nods, smiling a closed-lipped smile. "Nice to meet you. I'm the waitress."
"Oh, nice to meet you too!" I say.
"The waitress? Please," scoffs the woman beside Scarth. She had tan skin with auburn hair and blue-gray eyes that pierce my very soul. "I'm Annika, it's so nice to meet Aggie's kin! She's.... she was the sweetest soul."
Finally, Darius clears his throat and gestures to the last but not least person. The man is pale with equally pale blond hair and hazel eyes that appear dark as Scarth's hair, compared to his paleness. He is tall and skinny, but shorter than Darius and only a little taller than Scarth.
"Hi, I'm Torin," he says.
"Torin is the cook, as am I," says Darius. He turns back to me. "So, Wren, do you think you are ready to get this started? The Sapphire Lotus may have been out of business for a few months, but I'm sure that the customers, who are very loyal, will come. So, let's go do this."
Scarth smiles again, not opening her mouth fully as she does. Maybe she has braces or something. I don't know, but I find it a bit weird.
"I'm ready," I say. "What do I do?"
Torin chuckles. "Whatever you want." He brushes past Darius. "C'mon, we got work to do."
Once they have heated the ovens and such, and the others all seem ready, I flip the open sign and step back behind the counter. The counter is wood, polished and sanded down to be so smooth. It is painted blue, with the signature flowers and vines on it.
Scarth sits down on the bar chair beside the bar, which is where Annika is. She's mixing drinks, and Scarth talks to her animatedly. I check my phone for the time. It's almost lunch.
Then, I head the bell ring. Looking up, I see a man walk through the doorway, his midnight hair almost blue in the sunlight. And as he walks into the shade of the restaurant, his black and beady eyes flick to me.
"What do we have here? A newbie?"
"What?" I ask. He cocks an eyebrow and I remember my place. So, I clear my throat. "Welcome to the Sapphire Lotus, I am Wren. I am Aggie's niece. Will you be eating here or is this to go?"
He tilts his head. "Um, sure. Uh, I'll eat here."
"Very well, come with me, sir."
I bring him to a table, and he sits down. I pass him a menu, and ask what he will have to drink. But when he studies the menu, which I haven't looked at yet, a weird smile crosses his pale face.
"I'll have a vial of blood," he says.
He says it so casually that I laugh. But when his gaze snaps to mine, I realize he is serious.
"You are new here, Wren. Arent you?"
Slowly, I nod.
"Well, let me tell you something, Wren. I am not human. In fact, none of the customers are human. Aggie has an inclusive menu. Something we all can consume. And yes, your fellow workers are not human. In fact, you are the only human here. And so, I wonder how your blood will taste." He leans forward and says, conspiratorially, "Are you a virgin, girl?"
I feel the blood drain from my face. But Scarth is beside me in an instant.
She giggles. "Oh, what a joker you are, Rainor."
He scowls. "I'm not joking. And you should know that, you bloodsucking leech."
She snarls, literally a deep, guttural sound that shows off her fangs. Her .... fangs. She is ...?
Scarth stops, then looks to me. "Oh. Shit."
I stumble back away from her. She sighs. "I'm sorry, Wren. I - I didn't want you to know like this. I'm sorry."
"What ... what are you?"
"Oh, for fuck's sake! How green is this newbie?!" Rainor demands. He stands up, his eyes losing the white to that of the deepest black. He stands over me, sneering. "I am a demon. An ancient. And powerful, demon. And you, are a foolish mortal girl whose blood I will gladly drink in full, right after your soul becomes mine!"
"Back off, Rainor! This is indeed Aggie's niece, and you will treat her with the utmost respect or you will be barred from here!" Darius roars as he walks in.
Rainor snarls. "Can't a demon have some fun every now and then, Darius? Or are you too busy being a good boy and heeling at your master's behest to notice that the world is ever changing. That things aren't as black and white as you think, but much rather, gray."
"No, a demon can't have "fun" when such fun is harassment and villainy," snarls Darius.
"Villainy?" Rainor scoffs. "You're a bit old to be calling someone like me something so bland as that."
I look at them, totally lost and confused. But when Rainor turns to me, a dark smile on his face, I feel anger rise up.
"You lost, little pet?" he asks.
I open my mouth, but Scarth shakes her head. "Don't bother, Wren. He's not worth it."
Rainor growls. "Are you going to serve me, or just stand around trying to offend me?"
"Depends. Are you going to keep being a rude asshole?" I ask, finally breaking my silence.
Rainor bursts out laughing. "Oh, I'm so glad she's come out to play. Hello, little Wren. Very well. I'll have blood-laced wine and a raw steak."
"Very good, sir," Scarth says, and she gently pulls me away, and Darius follows close behind.
"What are you two?!" I demand as we enter the kitchen.
"Oh, so the Hellcat's out of the bag, eh?" asks Annika.
"Um, what?" I ask.
"She met Rainor," says Darius as he brushes past us to get the customer's order.
"Oof." Annika winces. "Bad first customer to get. Well. Since you're alive, I bet he likes you."
"Likes me? Haha, no. He threatened to kill me and...." I shudder hard.
"Oh, no. Well, Wren, it's more likely he's going to try and scare you, but that's it. He's not like the worst of the worst, but he's pretty bad."
"He's not the worst?" I ask.
Annika shakes her head. "Nope. Sorry, Wren."
I shake my head. "Ugh, great. So, uh, who's gonna serve him his blood and raw steak?"
"Can't forget the wine. But yeah, I'll do it." Scarth smiles at me, her fangs on display for the second time today. "Oh, and yeah, I'm a vampire. Darius is a werewolf. Annika's a warlock. Torin is a wraith."
"O - oh," I stutter.
"Yep! And, well, I'll be off. Give Rainor his yummies." Scarth walks away then. And I'm left wondering just what I've gotten myself into.