The Witch's Brew

Chapter Three: Iris

I was opening up the bar for the night, and I saw Silas standing off to the side of the building. He had his hands in his pockets and was leaning against the old brick. I smile and wave.

“Hey, Silas, what are you doing?”

“Waiting for you. I kinda need a drink. Had a rough day…”

I open the door. “Well, come on in. I got plenty to choose from. So pick your poison.”

He follows me inside and sits at the bar. His hands twist together as he waits patiently for me to go around the bar.

“So, what will it be then?”

“A whiskey would be fine.”

I nod as I pour him a glass and slide it over to him. “Wanna talk about what’s going on?”

“Just personal stuff and family drama. I guess my folks are worried about me. Which I understand, but also f**k, I don’t want to keep being the disappointment of the family.”

I nod. What he says hits home. I understand how that feels. My family feels the same way about me. Manman Mwen can’t figure out how she gave birth to a witch by blood who can’t do magic. I lean my elbows on the bar top as Silas downs his drink.

“I get that… I’m also the disappointment of the family.”

“How are you, the disappointment of your family?”

“Well, Manman Mwen, as you know, is Briar, and I have no magic abilities. All my siblings do, and Mon Papa… So, Manman Mwen was determined to unclog my magic, and it didn’t work. Instead, now I have a whole ton of trauma.”

He nods, and slowly his gaze meets mine. “I have an addiction to blood… I’m a day walker, and we get addicted to blood if we consume enough, and I was stupid and did just that.”

“Oh, yeah, I’ve read about how that could happen. Is there anything I can do to help?”

He smiles at me and shakes his head. “Not really, but thank you. Maybe, if you’re willing, you can lend me your ear if I ever need it.”

“Yeah, no problem. If you ever need to vent, just come here, and I’ll listen.”

“Thanks, can I have another glass of Whiskey?”

I poured him another glass. “Of course, do day walkers get drunk, or do you guys have a higher tolerance?”

“Higher tolerance takes a lot of alcohol to get us drunk, why?”

“I haven’t met a day walker before, and I guess I was just curious.”

“So, you can’t use magic? Like at all?”

I shake my head. “Nope, Manman Mwen has tried everything to get the magic flowing, and nothing has worked. She hates it. Especially since I was her firstborn.”

“Oh, f**k I bet those methods weren’t fun, huh?”

I shake my head. “No, it would be considered abuse… The things she did to me still scar me today.”

“Damn, do you have no contact with her?”

“Yeah, pretty much unless something major happens, like a family member is super sick or dying. Then she’ll reach out. Or if she wants to brag about literally anything. I should put my foot down more. It’s just I want to be able to belong…”

“Hopefully that doesn’t happen often.”

I shake my head. “Nah, thank the gods it doesn’t.”

He smiles and laughs. “I like you. I feel like there’s a connection here. We have similarities, and I love your vibe.”

My cheeks flush. “Yeah? Well, you're not too bad yourself.’

He smiles. “I know, and before you responded. Yes, I am very cocky. Is that a bad thing?”

I giggle and shake my head. “Nah, you’re just overly confident.”

He laughs a loud and boyish kinda sound. “Yeah? Well, you seem pretty confident in yourself, too. That’s always an attractive trait in my opinion.”

I blushed and leaned on the bar top. “Yeah? You think my cocky ass is attractive?”

His cheeks flushed, and he pulled on his shirt collar. “Maybe a little bit. I guess you ain’t too sore on the eyes, darling.”

The door to the bar opens, cutting off our conversation, and more patrons start to flood the bar floor. Most of my customers are also of the supernatural variety. I don’t get a lot of humans in this bar, but lo and behold, here comes one. Dark hair and gray eyes. His gaze meets mine, and he makes a beeline for me. Who was this man? I feel like I’ve met him somewhere before, but where?

“Hey, you’re Iris, right?”

I nod, “Yes, and how can I, ummm, help you?”

“I’ve been looking all over town for you… Don’t you recognize me?”

I shake my head. “No, I don’t, ummm sorry…”

“Kai, we were like best friends growing up?” He laughs awkwardly.

My face goes red, “Kai?! No way is it really you?”