a welcome distraction Who: Nic and Saoirse When: Evening Where: Heme
Saoirse had been mentally restless ever since seeing Graham. The night (or rather, morning) she'd been planning on meeting him she'd been given orders by her boss to make a run up north for blood, and she had no way of knowing where he was now. And did she even want to see him again? Realistically speaking, wasn't it better for all involved if he just forgot he'd ever run into her in the first place?
She kept going back and forth on the issue of Graham, and everything that entailed. She kept struggling with whether or not she should try to track him down, and every time she decided against the idea she found herself waiting to see if he'd come back to Heme. To see her. And as soon as she caught herself wondering such a thing she'd become furious with herself for being so silly. Thus, mentally restless.
Other employees at the bar had taken to giving her her space, and she wasn't sure whether or not to be glad for it. It being a weekday, she was the only bartender on shift, and she had more than enough time to be left alone with her thoughts. Frankly, she was pretty damn sick of her thoughts. She stood behind the bar with her arms crossed, staring a hole into the bar top, wishing for her brain to just turn off for a while.
It wasn't long before Nic thought he should go check out Heme, and he figured it would be better to do so before the vampires in town figured out what he was. Once that happened, he doubted he'd be welcome, so now seemed like a good time to make himself familiar with the locals.
Stepping into the bar, he took a moment to look around, impressed with the decor. They'd done a nice job at making it seem both classy and dark, rather than cheesy like some of the underground bars he'd happened across back in New York. Those had never been official, not like Heme was. It really was the first of it's kind in that way.
The bartender's thoughts were what caught Nic's attention, as she was broadcasting loud enough that he almost expected everyone else to hear. She wanted to be left alone, or that's how it seemed, so Nic wasn't sure why he decided he should go and talk to her. Instincts said he should, but his instincts could be shit at times. "Hi," he smiled. "Can I have a beer?"
Saoirse broke from her thoughts and faded back into the real world, and looked up to find herself looking at a man who smelled a little like death. No, seriously. He didn't smell human, but he certainly wasn't a vampire - and vampires were the only thing she'd ever encountered that smelled like death. Interesting.
"Draft? Bottled? We may be a vampire bar, but we do have a few options available to the breathers," she replied, smirking faintly. Seriously now, what the hell was he? This was going to drive her crazy.
"Bottled. I'm not picky," Nic said. Her thoughts pointed out something to him that he'd never really considered, his nose not sensitive enough to pick up on it. He smelled of death, but not because he was dead. Whether it was the time he spent among dead things, or just his own sort of scent, Nic didn't know. But at least now he knew why the other vampires were casting glances his way, hopefully just as unsure as she was. "Slow night?"
Without taking her eyes away from his, Saoirse switched perspectives to see the full room. Yeah, a few other vampires were checking him out too, but none of them seemed to have any better idea than she did. She wished her boss was here. Still not taking her eyes away, she grabbed one of the nearest bottles of beer, flipped off the lid, and set it in front of him. "Wednesday," she shrugged. "And the tourists are dying down."
Nic could hear the whispering in their minds, but very few landed on the thoughts of necromancer. Most didn't seem to believe they existed, and those that did had never met one in person. Nic knew that was for the better, that it would help his chances of being seen for what he was. He just hoped none decided to discuss the possibility aloud. "That has to get old fast, even if it's good for business," he smiled.
Saoirse was lucky (or perhaps unlucky) enough to not know what a necromancer was. She'd missed that in Vampire 101. Then again, Saoirse knew she was kind of a piss-poor vampire. She smiled faintly and shrugged, flipping perspective again back to the first person. "I'd rather tourists than torch-weilding villagers. I take it you don't fit into either group?"
"The torch-weilding villagers wouldn't like me either," Nic grinned. There was no point in denying that much when she could tell by his scent. "I'm new to town, though, so I thought I'd check the place out. See what everyone's talking about." He couldn't possibly investigate matters related to vampires in Scarlet Oak and not visit Heme at least once.
Smirking faintly, Saoirse raised an eyebrow in interest. "And why might that be?" she asked, in response to his initial comment. It wasn't quite asking a full-on what the hell are you like she wanted to, and she doubted he'd actually tell her, but... hey, had to take a shot. This was driving her crazy. Fang-bangers didn't even smell the way he did. This guy could not be human.
Nic took a sip of his beer, giving him a moment to come up with a suitable answer. He could tell her something without telling her everything, which was just what he intended to do. "It only takes one crazy to make people fear the whole lot. Just the idea of certain abilities makes people nervous. I don't fit the mold," he said, then smirked. "Except humans can't usually guess why. Vampires are a little more perceptive."
"Aww, you're going to be cryptic and not tell me," Saoirse replied, though she was clearly amused. If absolutely nothing else, her focus had shifted, and she was clinging to this new mystery happily. "Guess I'll have to be a good bartender and get a few more drinks in you first. Where are you from?"
"It's not in my best interest," Nic said with a little laugh. "A few drinks might loosen my tongue though." His focus turned back to her, leaving the other vampires in the background. What thoughts he caught were both curious and amusing; Nic knew he had a lot to learn about vampires. "I'm from New York. Just got here this week. You from around here?"
"Not so much," Saoirse answered with a small shrug. "I'm from Grand Rapids, but I moved around after I was turned." She was probably the youngest vampire in the bar tonight, but that wasn't exactly unusual. Par for the course, really.
"Was that recent?" Nic asked, catching the thought that she was young. He didn't know what was considered young in vampire years. Ten years? Twenty? Fifty? It was such a contrast, seeing as how he was old for his kind. "The Light of May really changed things up in both awareness and perspective."
"It was," Saoirse answered. "Just over a year ago, actually." Hard to believe, when she stopped to think about it. The anniversary of her death had been in April. She still wasn't sure what had been weirder - that, or her first birthday as a vampire.
"Damn," Nic grinned. "You might be the first vampire I've ever met that's close to my age." It made him want to ask all sorts of questions, like how it came about and why. Did she know what she was getting into or did she find out after it happened?
"I get that a lot," Saoirse admitted, grinning and flashing her fangs. "The rest of the time it's disappointment that I'm not a 'real' vampire. Apparently to be 'real' you have to be ancient. The tourists want to meet vamps that, I dunno, knew Jesus or something."
"I'm guessing they want a thick foreign accent as well," Nic said, taking another sip. "Black capes and all that shit. That feels far more fake, in my opinion, but people get ideas in their heads, usually from watching too many movies." He'd known better from a young age, but it didn't still didn't stop him from being curious as well.
"Apparently," Saoirse agreed, grinning again. "And silly me, I keep leaving my cape at home. I suppose I could fake the accent." But she might have to kick her own ass for it, later. "So what do you do?"
"Don't do that," Nic grinned, shaking his head. "I like your accent as it is." Lord knew his had to be strong, growing up in New York. He noticed it more when he was here, rather than back home. "I'm a cop," Nic sighed, now sure he could feel the eyes on him. "But I'm different. I don't like donuts."
Saoirse didn't need to flip perspectives to know that yes, people were looking at him with curiosity again. She herself didn't mind. They certainly had nothing to hide, and weren't they trying to make nice with the law? "That's a relief. We're not big on baked goods around here," she replied. "No sighing necessary, we don't mind the 'c' word around here," she added with a wink. "Must be a big change of pass, from New York to this place. What's your field?"
"Supernatural Enforcement and Tactics," Nic answered. "It's a new team. We've gotta adapt, and Scarlet Oak's kind of a hot spot for this kinda thing. Didn't get a chance to help with those kidnapped kids, though." He'd been hoping he could help, but he didn't care so long as they found them. Turned out he wouldn't have been much use anyways. Vampires weren't involved, and he was honestly glad to hear so.
"Interesting," Saoirse said with a nod. Especially considering she didn't know what the fuck he was. "You should leave a card before you go." Never knew when that might come in handy. "I was up in Saginaw yesterday helping with the search, but it seems like the fucker got what was coming to him. Them being out is all anyone's been talking about tonight."
"I will," Nic said. There was always a chance they might call him, but Nic was thinking it would be slim. "I'm just glad they all made it home safe. It could have been a lot worse, considering." He hadn't been on duty when the kids had been found, otherwise he might have gone to the scene, just to help out.
"No joke," Saoirse replied, shaking her head. With as long as they'd been gone, she knew that no one had really expected any of them to be found alive. And from what she'd heard earlier, they would all be fine. And a bonus: no vampiric involvement whatsoever, so the media didn't have another stone to throw their way. Good news all around. Now if she could just solve the mystery of this guy her night might pull a complete turnaround and be a good one.
"I'm Nic," he said, offering his hand after a moment's thought. "Thought it might be nice for you to know who you're talking to." He had to keep himself from saying something related to her thought, as that would so easily give away that he could read her mind. That was the last thing he wanted, as it was probably the quickest way to lose someone's trust.
Saoirse smiled and shook his hand. "Saoirse," she returned. Another big disappointment for the tourists. When they heard a name like that, they wanted a history to go with it. An Irish freedom fighter or something, not a girl from Grand Rapids. "Though maybe next time I see you it'll be Officer Nic?"
"Saoirse," Nic said, testing the name and committing it to memory. It wasn't often he met someone who's name was near as unique as his own. "Unless I'm on duty, it can always be Nic. If not, probably Officer Castalia. I shouldn't be expecting to see you at work, should I?" Unless she had some kind of trouble planned, in which case he would be the one dealing with her.
Grinning, Saoirse shook her head. "Not me. Don't worry, Officer, I don't want any trouble," she said. Being turned and everything that immediately followed was more than her fair share of trouble, she just wanted to live as normally as possible. But it was always good to know a cop.
"A little trouble never hurt," Nic snickered. "It's when there's too much of it that you've got a problem. What do vampires do for fun though?" He knew some that would be fried if they got caught in their own brand of 'fun', but Saoirse didn't seem the type. In fact, she didn't seem much like a vampire at all.
"I think this is the part where I'm supposed to say sex, blood, and rock and roll," Saoirse answered without missing a beat. "But I'm too busy between work and school to have a hell of a lot of free time for that kind of stuff." And she was ridiculously picky about blood, but he didn't need to know that. "I got turned in my last year at college so last month I decided to go back. I'm a music major. Only vampire in my classes, too." That was fun. And a little offputting all at the same time. "What do cops do for fun?" she asked, grinning widely again.
"Boring shit," Nic laughed. "But I suck at being the law one hundred percent of the time, so it's not so bad. And I think everyone needs a little sex, blood, and rock 'n roll, vampire or not. Do you play instruments or sing?" he asked. He could play the drums, and the bass guitar, but he was nothing special at either. It was usually just accompaniment for when one of his cousins was playing something else.
"Well, you suck at being the law all the time and I suck at being the vampire everyone wants to see. Sounds like a CBS sitcom plot," Saoirse joked. "Both, actually. Piano, violin, harp... I've been dabbling with the cello lately." Because there had randomly been one in the attic of the house she was staying at, and how could she pass that up? "I'm playing here Friday night, actually. You should come check it out."
"You're young for a vampire," Nic pointed out. "And far more real than what people want to see. Just wait." He wondered if she'd killed or not, wondered about the rush. He knew what it felt like to manipulate the dead and knew that half the excitement was partaking the forbidden fruit. These were the kinds of thoughts that made the police force skeptical about working with necromancers, but they needed them as part of the force to assist with vampires. Besides, killing necromancers was much easier, should they get out of hand. "I will," he smiled. "What time do you go on, or is it on and off all evening?"
Yes, Saoirse had been a shameless whore and told every customer she'd had over the past few days about the show. Hey, it was her performance debut as a vampire, she was allowed to be excited. "Nine," she said, grinning. "All vampire band. We're expecting a lot of tourists."
"So long as I'm not the only breather attending, I'll be here," Nic smiled. "I don't need that kind of attention on a busy night. What'll you be playing? Or will I get to hear you sing?" He didn't expect her to play the harp at this kind of a club. Maybe the piano? Singing was a better bet.
"Oh, there are always breathers. If nothing else, we have to bring our pets! What if we get thirsty for something fresh?" Okay, Saoirse was joking, and she was pretty sure Nic would realize that, but the tourists always took her seriously. It was a good laugh. "I'll switch around a little. I like to keep people guessing."
"You mean the ones you keep locked in the basement? I guess it's nice for them to get out once and a while, breathe some fresh air," Nic grinned. He would make a horrible pet for a vampire, seeing as he was the one to do the ordering around. "I'll just beware of dark corners then. No need to tempt anyone to get a drink from the tap."
Saoirse grinned another of those bright, fang-baring grins. "Oh, don't worry, we never gnaw on the unwilling here," she promised. Hell, even on the willing. She'd had people throw themselves at her and she had politely declined. Mainly because it creeped her out.
"That would be a poor idea, wouldn't it?" Nic said. If someone was to drink from the unwilling, the last place they should do it was in a vampire bar. That would be grounds to get them shut down, and no one wanted that. "What about the willing?" he asked curiously.
Saoirse shrugged casually and leaned against the bar. "Some do," she admitted. "Though I think it happens most up in VIP," she said, nodding her head towards the balcony. "Or in the bathroom. It's not very common, and not out on display. We are trying to blend with society, and that might be a little too real for the tourists."
"Makes sense," he said, finding that reasonable enough. He'd never seen a vampire feed and personally thought it seemed the sort of thing that should be kept behind closed doors. Not necessarily due to public opinion, but more because it seemed so... personal? Erotic? He wasn't sure what the right word was, but he was certain it should be kept private. "It's so strange to me. I grew up knowing vampires existed, but never thought there would be places like this."
Ooh, was that a clue as to what he was? ...No, not likely. Maybe to a better vampire, but Saoirse was unable to put together if that could possibly mean something. After all, she had grown up at least believing in the possibility of vampires. If her family descended from fae, why couldn't vampires exist? She nodded in agreement with what he said, but found herself smirking faintly. "I'll have you know I'm going nuts trying to figure you out," she admitted. But it was a welcome distraction.
"I know," Nic chuckled. "But I can't tell you here, and you can't leave cause you're working, so you'll just have to wait." He found it interesting that she'd known she'd descended from fae when so few even believed they existed until recently. He wished he could ask her about it, but then that would take admitting he could hear her thoughts. "Maybe if you'd like to get a drink sometime. Somewhere else."
Hmm, that sounded interesting. And promising. Though slightly problematic. "A drink?" Saoirse asked, smirking faintly, even slightly sheepishly, as she raised an eyebrow. She had a feeling he didn't mean it the way it sounded, and he simply didn't make plans with vampires a lot. Not a lot of people did, after all. "There aren't a lot of places I can get a drink that isn't here. That said, I'd still be interested."
"Well, shit," Nic laughed, slightly bashful in his response. It should have occurred to him that this was the only place she could get a drink, but it wasn't as if he spent a lot of time socializing with vampires. It posed a bit of a problem and he couldn't immediately think of a solution. "It's not quite the same if it's just me drinking, but I don't even know how to provide at a place that let's you bring your own bottle."
Saoirse grinned and chuckled faintly. "I could take you to the blood bank, but all you could get is orange juice and cookies. Not really a fun scene, anyway," she joked. "You know, I don't mind just going out," she said. "It's not like I'm gonna die of thirst in a couple of hours. I'm used to this problem, trust me."
"If you don't mind," Nic offered. He felt bad about not being able to make good on his offer, but it really wasn't safe for him to disclose what he was while within a vampire bar. He was pretty sure that it was just as stupid to tell a vampire what he was, but it was only a matter of time till they figured it out, and then he'd have to deal with it. Better sooner than later, he supposed. "I don't wanna be rude, and I'm not sure how long vampires go between drinks."
Saoirse laughed faintly and shrugged. "I can go just about as long as a human could," she said. That hadn't been the case in the very beginning, of course, but she'd adapted. Her elders didn't have to feed very frequently at all. "And it's not rude. If anything, it's amusing."
"Then I'm glad I can make you smile," Nic grinned. For someone whose focus was supposed to be vampires, he still had a lot to learn about them. He supposed that would come with time, though in this case the interest was more of a personal nature. "So, when's a good time for you? Do you work all weekend?"
"Anytime after the show Friday," she answered. "I get the weekend off for a change." And she'd been wondering all week just what she was going to do for herself. She pretty much made herself busy with work and school, and the times when she had neither to focus on, she felt pretty much at a loss.
"How about after the show then?" Nic asked. "I can come see you perform, then we can go out afterwards." If he was taking off Friday night, then he wasn't sure about Saturday night. His schedule was still changing every day, it seemed. Now that the kids had been found, there were different cases to focus on.
"Sounds great," Saoirse agreed with a smile. She couldn't help but wonder if he'd really tell her what he was. She wasn't sure what she was more looking forward to, the show itself, or that.