A Civilian's Account

I was at a party.

I mostly know how I got there. (I'd been drinking.) I was new to town and desperate for friends, that much I remember. I'd taken a cab into town and climbed my dolled-up ass into the first bar I saw, and I struck up conversation like a pro. I met these three people hanging around the dart board, dressed really nicely too. They were all incredibly good looking, that's really clear.

There was a woman with two men, all raven haired, all dark eyed and all whimsically attractive.
I saw Whimsically because I can't seem to think of any better word. Remember, I was also drunk at the time.

The hour that followed the initial meeting of these people was a blur - I think I got names, though I can't remember any of them now. (We'll call them David, Percy and Glenda, for the story's sake.) I think we were laughing and having a good time.

This was the part of the night where the initial world-spinning happened, and the universe started to get fuzzy. Sort of like drunk twilight, how it's only partially clear, you know?

Anyway.

Glenda proposed that we all go to this fancy party down the street, at another club. I didn't think I was as fancy as they were, but Percy insisted that I looked great and even offered to cover the door for me. Weird, but generous. I was under the misguided presumption that I was incredibly charming, though, so I didn't question it.

I.e. Drunk.

The club was a spectacle. On the outside, no more then tinted glass doors, faintly back-lit purple, and starlight. Massive bouncers with cliche sunglasses-at-night flanked the door, and when we approached we were welcomed with no hesitation. Inside was all chic darkness, chrome backed bar chairs and neon lights flashing in rhythm.

We were all laughing. Glenda held my arm as if we'd been friends for ages. It was comforting, but cold, like a popular-girl control gesture rather then friendship. The trio waved politely at people I didn't know, and they brought me right up to the bar: shining black marble, so clean I could see the flawless reflection of the overhead lighting in it's surface.

"Go ahead, order yourself a drink." Glenda winked at me, and of course, I obliged.

Just before I got the drink in hand though, I remember the guy at the bar. Distinctly.

He had on this old fedora, sorta dusty. He was wearing flat gray and black, with suspenders. I remember the suspenders. I remember thinking, 'who the hell wears suspenders anymore?'

He glanced over at me, with a tilted sort of smile, white teeth flashing in a pale face. He had some sort of tattoo around his eye, gave me the creeps. I mean, he looked cute enough, but the face tattoos creeped me out.

I nodded at him with a brief smile. He raised a glass of something or other at me with a wink. I tossed my hair over my shoulder and drank my drink without bothering to ask what it was. I remember that it was delicious.

(Big mistake of the evening, I tell you that.)

There was dancing afterwards. Percy and David were relentless, awesome dancers, they moved like liquid fire, and I was drunk. Cranked. The world was tilting, and their movements were comforting and damn hot, I tell you.

Well. Anyway.

For whatever reason, I managed to dance myself away from the group I came in with. I was bouncing around, happily moving to the music, when I bumped into that guy again. He was super smooth about it. He took my hand and spun me around real close, and my nose was tucked into his neck, breathing him in, when he spoke into my ear.

I should have been afraid, I think. But I wasn't. Maybe it was the booze? Maybe it was how assuredly he moved? Pfft.

"I think you're in the wrong club, kiddo." He had a rough edged voice. Like he'd recently been screaming for hours.

"Who're you?" I asked, slightly slurred. Slightly.

"I'm Jack."

He smelled like cedar. Is that weird? He smelled like cedar and I think sandalwood. And ash. Smokey ash. It was actually really nice, and as I said, I was drunk, you know how it is.

"I'm Drunk." I'm a master of charm. I think I may have snorted when I giggled, though I sincerely hope I didn't. "Do you have a better club, then?"

Jack had one hand on the small of my back, and the other one clasped my hand in the air, as if we were going to break into a tango. I heard him take a breath and chuckle. I felt his laugh on my ear, it was cool. Literally, cool, like a brush with autumn air.

"I might suggest one where your friends don't plan to eat you, for one thing."

I laughed. Who says that sorta thing? Was that a dirty joke or something? When I pulled away from Jack he didn't stop me, but he kept hold on my hand. This close I would be able to get a good look at his face. I was morbidly curious about his tattoos.

Another blurry part of my memory here. I seem to remember feeling badly that I winced. See, Jack's face didn't have tattoos. His face was all cut up. As if his skin had cracked and broken open, in a perfect broken-glass sorta pattern around their eyes.

Their red eyes.

Why this didn't alarm me more, I dunno. Maybe because my 'friends' were all gothed out and I assumed they were contacts or something? Who the hell knows. I. Was. Drunk.

I was about to say something apologetic  when one of the guys I was with, Percy, grabbed Jack's shoulder. Like magic, we were suddenly in an open dance floor, the sea of patrons pulling away from us like the tide.

"Hands off, corpse." My 'friend' said.

Jack was holding my hand still. As if we were casually walking down the street. I remember how cold his hands were, and thinking it was funny that it wasn't MY hands that were cold for once. I scowled at my 'friend' for his rude comment.

"Hey don't be a dick -" Me, trying to be ballsy.

This is where more weird shit started happening.

First, I got slapped. Hard. In the face. I dropped Jack's hand and spun around with the force of it. Suddenly, Glenda and David were holding me up. They didn't seem friendly about it though, and when I tried to assure them I was fine, they did not release their grip on me.

"Oh, that wasn't the smartest thing you coulda done." Jack said. His eyebrows, vividly expressive, dipped in disappointment.

His voice was carrying - or maybe the music had shut off? It didn't matter. I could look around the room and watch as every single person there turned to regard the situation. Some were smiling. Some looked mildly offended, and I couldn't figure out why. All of them were beautiful.

All of them also had some very sharp teeth.

"Get out of our house." Glenda hissed at Jack.

"You all right, kiddo?" Jack addressed me, ignoring everyone else.

I reached up to feel my cheek. The sting was delayed but oh, I felt it. Or rather, I would in the morning. I smiled and nodded at him, currently thankful for the drunk numbness.

"If you don't leave right now, we'll tear you apart, Ghoul!" David said, jerking on my arm as to use me for emphasis. I winced. The guy had a real good grip, and long bony fingers.

Then something cool happened. (I THOUGHT it was cool in the moment, don't judge me.) Jack raised his hand. He raised it as if he was holding a glass of wine, his fingers making a bowl. Maybe it was the booze talking, or the lighting in the club, but then this funky, purple, bubbling fog came up out of his palm, and started to stream out between his fingertips. He locked eyes with the guy holding onto me, David, and tilted his head ever so slightly to the side.

Too Dashing. (I'm weird.)

 "What did you call me, leech?" Jack's grin got wider. His fingertips twitched, ever so slightly, and a splash of purple light flickered out like a tiny solar flare.

Suddenly I was released. David let out a strangled noise, and as I staggered to my knees, unbalanced by the sudden shift, I could see him clawing at his throat in desperation. Glenda ditched me and went to him as if she could help.

"How DARE -" Percy shook Jack's shoulder while he spoke started talking - and then stopped. Jack used his other hand to gently brush the guy's fingers off of his gray shirt like lint. His outstretched fingers were still roiling with purple clouds, lined with black, illuminated from somewhere in his palm.

Neat trick.

"I think you all have to have some words with mamma about bringing dinner home. You have a herd for a reason, don't you?" Jack raised his hand up above his head, and the purple smoke coiled down his arm and across his chest. He casually stuck his free hand into his pants pocket.

I was watching him now, as I heard the room churn itself into a panic. Someone behind me was hissing. But this guy, this Jack, turned in a slow circle to address the room like he was giving some satanic toast to the group.

"What are you?"
"WHO let YOU in!?"
"What is he doing!?"

Words shouted from the back of the room criss-crossed the space, and I put my hands up over my ears. I was getting dizzy and unwell, and I was freaking out a little bit from the whole dramatic scene. Eventually, I just shut my eyes.

When I smelled cedar and ash I slowly opened them again. I was moving, but I wasn't walking. I lifted my head up and there I was, in Jack's arms like some damsel in distress. He didn't seem all that strong, but evidently I was no effort at all.

He grinned over at me. "Ah. Sleepin' beauty wakes up. Don't worry, you're almost home."

I blinked around. I felt so tired now, and I clearly didn't care how this guy had found my address. I just kept hanging on to him, dozing in and out, until I was on my own bed.

"You're hurt?" I asked, as he pulled my arms away from his neck and started to tuck me in. I caught the brim of his hat in the process, and placed it on my own head with a grin.

Yes, I'm an idiot when I drink.

It made him laugh though, and he sat down. "Naw, I'm fine."

"But.... your face."

Jack shrugged, gently reclaiming his hat and affixing it where it properly belonged. He gave it  a knavish tilt. "Yeah. It happens."

"When does that happen!?" I remember how clearly astonished and also horrified I was. Obviously I thought it could happen to me at any moment.

Jack's grin returned, a broad, black line. He pulled the blankets up under my chin and kissed me on the forehead. "Don't worry about it. You just have to damn yourself to an eternity of Undeath. Now go to sleep."

"Like.... like a Vampire?"

Jack frowned. "Naw, those idiots in the club were vampires. I'm much worse." He winked.

I remember turning all sorts of red and covering my face with the blanket. Why did I think he was cute? He was a goth sorta punker twenties scarface guy, and his eyes were red, and he was bone cold and pale and said that there were vampires, and that he was undead or something...

But Cedar. Sandalwood and Ash. When I woke up he was gone of course. But that scent lingered for a day or two.

I didn't mind.

I also NEVER went to that bar again.