The Vampire's Blood Mage

*Trigger Warning: s****l assault & graphic violence* "Blood, it's everywhere!" I screamed in terror as I ran down the stairs. Everyone in the ballroom continued dancing as if they hadn't heard me. "Please help, I don't know what to do!" I screamed again, hoping someone would hear me. Tears were streaming down my face as the masked dancers continued on without even a glance my way. What is wrong with these people? I thought to myself. I began pushing my way along the dance floor only to be wrapped in the arms of a very strong man. He started twirling me around and I began to fight my way from his grip. "Darling, please relax," he said in a commanding tone. I tried to get away from him once more but it was no use, his grip on me was too tight. I looked up at him, his eyes were glowing with a slight red hue to them, he was a tall attractive man, one that I could never get the attention of and yet I found myself held tightly in his grasp. "Please, you've got to help me. There's a blood trail upstairs leading to a body." I tried pleading with him but he seemed annoyed. "Now Skarlet, didn't I tell you to relax?" I shook my head in disbelief, how did this stranger know my name? Everything inside me was telling me to run. I tried breaking away from his grasp yet again, only to be pulled closer to his torso. "Please stop fighting me Skarlet, you belong with me, it is your destiny." My heart sank to my stomach at his words. My destiny? Belong with him? I took a deep breath, "Let me go!" I said in a demanding tone. He pulled me away from his torso and held my arms in a tight grip. He stared into my eyes, "You have disrespected me enough tonight, I shall have what is mine whether you like it or not." He opened his mouth to reveal sharp teeth. I looked on in horror and before I could do anything, his teeth had sunk into my neck and began drawing blood. Next thing I knew, I awoke drenched in sweat. My hands at my neck feeling around for any blood or bites. "Just a nightmare," I muttered out loud. I looked over at my alarm clock to see the time. "s**t," I mumbled as I threw the covers off of myself. Late again, I'm going to be in so much trouble. I'll be lucky if I don't lose my job. This is the third time I've been late this past week. I threw on my uniform and pulled my ginger hair back into a messy bun. I grabbed my bag and my jacket on the way out the door, forgetting to lock my door as I rushed down the stairs of my apartment building. My phone began to ring, "Hello." I answered as I continued my light jog to work. "Skar, where the hell are you?" I heard my best friend Hailey yell over the phone. "Late start this morning, I'm on my way now Hail's" I could feel her anxiety through the phone, "You better hurry up, Izzy's on a rampage this morning and you're one more tardy from being fired." Before I could answer our phone call ended, she must've hung up on her end. I changed my light jog into a full on sprint. I turned the corner, accidently bumping into a man. I didn't have time for a full apology, so I yelled out "Sorry," as I continued my run. I was finally in sight of Izzy's pub where I bartend. I made it around the back and rushed into the building. "Skarlet, late again I see." Izzy said through gritted teeth. "I'm sorry Izzy, it will not happen again." I said between breaths. "You're right because if it does you'll be fired." I just nodded my head at her remark as I put my apron on. "Don't ignore me!" she bellowed out. "I didn't, I heard you I'm just trying to move the conversation along so I can jump in and help." I replied holding back my annoyance. She narrowed her eyes at me and opened her mouth. Before she could get a word out, Hailey came into the back and gave Izzy a kiss on the lips. "I love you." Hailey said as she moved away from her girlfriend's lips. I walked away at that moment knowing Hailey had come in as a distraction. As soon as I got behind the bar, a gentleman walked in and sat down. "What can I get for ya?" I asked politely. "How about an apology?" the man said in a sort of playful tone. "Never heard of that drink before, how do I make it?" I retorted back playfully. He laughed and my heart began to race. He was very good -looking, definitely what most women would describe as tall, dark, and handsome. "I am sorry, I was in a rush." I said truthfully. I grabbed the silverware behind the bar and started polishing it to keep myself busy and to keep him from noticing my blushing face. "That's quite alright, but you're gonna need to make it up to me." he said with a smirk. "Oh is that so? And how do you plan on me making it up to you?" He gave me a devilish grin, "Let me take you out." I pulled my attention away from the knife I was polishing and grinned at him. "I don't even know your name." He reached his hand over the bar and held it out, "I'm Jameson O'connell and you are?" As I went to shake his hand I sliced my finger on the knife, I let out a simple "Ouch" and began applying pressure to my wound with the towel I had in hand. "Skarlet Collins, you'll have to excuse me as I tend to my cut." I made my way into the back and headed for the first-aid kit in the bathroom, I removed the towel from my hand and began looking for the source of bleeding but was unable to find it. That's strange, I thought to myself. I washed the blood off my hands and looked once more, only to find there was no cut. A loud bang on the door startled me. I opened the door to see Hailey, "The guy that was flirting with you left his number." She said while dangling a napkin in front of my face. My face began to blush, "I should probably just throw it away. I mean, what could a guy like that possibly want from a girl like me?" Hailey rolled her eyes at me, "Stop being so self-deprecating. You're gorgeous and you know it. Take the number and give him a call." I gave a sigh and grabbed the napkin, I pulled out my phone and entered his name and number into my contact list." I'll call him later." Half-way into my shift and it was a mad house. Hailey and I had no time for a break. Izzy was running the karaoke station and people kept piling in. I felt like I was on fire tonight, my tip jar was overflowing and all the drinks I poured were flawless and, so far, I had no bad interactions with any of our patrons. "Hello Skarlet." I heard as my back was turned. I huffed out in annoyance, "Hello Jimmy, do you want the usual?" Jimmy was a royal pain in my ass, he was your typical rich asshole. Came to dive bars to slum it, as he'd call it. I'm not sure why he took such a liking to me, but nearly every shift I work he's here harassing me. If he wasn't such a good tipper I'd have him kicked out. "Sure, I'll take the usual, but only if I can have a slice of you too," he said with a stupid grin plastered to his face. I rolled my eyes as I walked to the fridge to grab him his Corona and topped it with a lime. "Starting a tab or paying upfront?" I asked while glaring at him. He leaned over the bar and yelled, "Start me up a tab baby." I could smell the alcohol on him already. Must've been pregaming, before coming here. Great, I thought to myself. I walked away to serve other patrons at the bar, but I could tell Jimmy's attention was only on me. He watched every move I made and tried getting my attention more than once. I only gave him attention when he finished his drink. "Why have you been ignoring me all night, sweetheart?" he asked in an incredibly whiny tone. "It's just really busy tonight, you know I always have time for you." I said with a slight sarcastic tone. Thankfully, he was too drunk to pick up on the sarcasm and just gave me puppy dog eyes. "I'll pay you to only pay attention to me." I shook my head, "Nice try, I'll get fired if I start ignoring everyone else." he scoffed, "Then quit, I'll take care of you" I scoffed right back at him. "I don't think so Jim, I'm not some sugar baby." His face darkened, "You happily take my money while you're behind that bar, but you refuse it when your not. You're just a gold-digging b***h, aren't you?" I looked at him and couldn't help but laugh, "Actually Jimbo, I think that's the opposite of a gold-digging b***h. By the way, you're cut off for the night. Pay up and get out." I didn't know someone's face could look so sinister, but right at that moment I felt like he was about to jump over the bar and hurt me. Instead, he reached into his pocket and slammed a hundred onto the bar, "Keep the change bitch." he said as he left. Hailey made her way over to me, "Everything alright? I've never seen Jimmy get upset like that." I was just as dumbfounded. Although Jimmy was a pestering punk, he had never acted out in a rage before. I shrugged my shoulders, "He must've had a bad night." "Finally closed!" Hailey let out. "Tonight was draining, but you girls did great tonight!" Izzy said to the both of us. "Thank you, I just wanted to apologize again for being late." I said to Izzy. I know running this business is important to her and I haven't been the greatest friend or employee as of late. " Apology accepted, if you're going to be late just do me a favor and call ahead." I nodded my head, "Going forward, I'll hopefully be on time, but in the rare instance I'm not I'll call ahead, I promise." Hailey came over to us and wrapped her arms around both are necks pulling us in, "Are you guys finally done being mad at eachother?" Izzy and I couldn't help but let out laughs and nodded out heads in agreement that our dispute was over. "Great then lets get this place closed up and our tips counted out." Izzy locked up the bar, and after saying goodbye, Izzy and Hailey headed to their car. I grabbed a cigarette from my bag and lit it before beginning my walk home. Before I made it too far from the bar, I heard rustling in the alleyway where our garbage cans are. Dammit, the homeless guy must be back. I made my way to the alleyway, "Hey, you can't be here. It's private property." I yelled out in a smoky breath. I waited a few seconds for someone to show themselves but nobody came out. I looked up at the dark sky and sighed out the last of my cigarette smoke before tossing the butt on the ground. I searched my pockets and bag for my pepperspray only to realize I had forgotten it at home. "f**k" I breathed out. I made my way further down the alleyway. "Whoever's back here needs to leave or I'm gonna call the cops." I looked around but I didn't see anyone. Hmm, maybe a raccoon, I thought as I began to turn around. Unfortunately, it was no raccoon. "Jimmy, what the hell are you doing back here? I thought you left hours ago." I said, trying to hold back the fear in my voice. "Skarlet, you've been denying me for the past 6 months and after tonight's rejection I figured I'd just take what I want." My heart started to race and I began to panic, "What do you mean by take what you want?" I started moving back away from him, "You're about to find out." he jolted at me grabbing me in his arms. I fought to get away but he was much bigger than me. Soon I was pinned underneath him on the ground, "Please don't do this," I cried out. "You're gonna love it, I promise." he said as he started undoing his pants. I began to feel sick to my stomach, he reached down to get my pants undone and suddenly it felt like the blood in my body was boiling. It was like my body knew what to do. At that moment, I kneed him up over my head with a force I didn't know I had. I quickly scrambled to my feet and that's when I saw it. He was bleeding from his forehead. I tightened my hands ready to attack again, when suddenly he clenched his head in his hands and fell to the ground. His body began to convulse and then his head exploded. All I could think about at that moment was the nightmare I had. I now remember the face that belonged to the body. It was his, Jimmy's face. "Blood, it's everywhere." I whispered out in horror.