Visionary and the Vampire Tracker

Chapter 4

Fire. Fangs. A strong hand holding my arm in place. I screamed.

I woke up in a panic, looking around, sure that I was still in that nightmare. It was all jumbled into pieces, none of it making sense. But it had scared me.

I was still on the couch, sweat around my forehead, and still in my uniform.

I looked at my phone. 3am. Ugh.

I knew there was no point in trying to go to sleep after that.

I went to the diner earlier than usual. I braided my hair into a French plait, like I used to do at school, and put some makeup on. Partly because I was up and needed something to do and partly because I hoped he would stay true to his word and be there again today.

The day went slowly by. So slowly it felt stagnant. He wasn’t here. It was past the time he'd normally been here before. He wasn’t coming.

I should have known. I beat myself up even more, chastising myself under my breath. I had tried to look nice for him, and he hadn’t even shown up.

I could have kicked myself for being so stupid.

Not only did the day go slow, but there were hardly any customers to distract myself with. Rachel talked to me about her night out with her new boyfriend, as I smiled and listened half-heartedly. I probably should have joined them. I should have drunk away my sorrows. Oh well. There was always today.

The clock hit 5pm. Another hour until my shift was over. Hallelujah. I couldn’t wait to get out and head straight to Jerry’s. I needed 3 tequilas immediately to drown out the noise of my lost hope.

Then he walked in, wearing jeans and a shirt instead of his normal business attire, and he brought a friend. Another guy wearing similar clothes. I couldn’t help but notice how tall they both were. I never thought mystery man was particularly tall, but seeing him next to another tall man, surpassing him by a few inches, made me pause. He must be 6’3 if his friend looked 6 feet.

He’d come back. But with a friend. Was that good or bad? I couldn’t tell.

Another waitress came up to me, they had sat in her section but had requested me. I felt my palms grow sweaty. “Rachel!” I called out.

“Mystery man is back,” she winked at me.

“I know, he requested me again,” I said.

“That means another hefty tip. I’m actually jealous,” she said.

I thought for a second. “Why don’t you take the table?” I asked.

“And give me a table that regularly tips you 100 dollars?” She said. “They also requested you, they don’t want me there.”

“Tell them I’m not feeling well and that I’m about to clock out,” I said, “I’ll lay low. Besides, you’ll get a great tip.”

“Thanks Zoey, drinks on me tonight!” She said.

I couldn’t explain why, but I didn’t want to see him again. I didn’t like the power he had over me. I didn’t like that he made me feel wanting of him. It was better to keep my distance and not think about him anymore. And not look him in his eyes anymore.

I disappeared to the back for the rest of my shift. I only had one table and he didn’t need much, just a few coffee refills here and there. And when he was done, I sat at the back, which was hidden away from the front of the diner, and silently cashed up.

I was all set to leave when Rachel came flooding to the back. “Eeeek!” She screamed. “I got 100 dollars!”

“Good for you, Rachel,” I smiled at her.

“Not just that,” she slyly said, “they also told me to give you this.” She handed me 100 dollars. I couldn’t believe it. I was still wondering why, while Rachel was dancing in the back. She cashed up and said, “You ready?”

“Oh, um, I think I’ll just meet you there. I’m opening in the morning and just want to sort a few things out so I don’t have to do them tomorrow,” I lied.

“Okay, see you soon!” And she was gone in a flash. I saw different headlights greet her up front, she had moved on to the next hottie to grace us.

I slowly took off my apron and married some ketchups together. I just couldn’t think. Because if I thought about it, I would be leaning in to the fact that no matter how I looked at it, I liked this guy. And that meant trouble for me. I couldn’t trust my own emotions. I couldn’t trust the feelings I had for him. I thought he was just a blip in town, but coming three times to the diner gave me the impression that he was gonna be around for a little while longer. And to tip me when I hadn’t served him? It annoyed and pleased me. I didn’t want to feel dependent on this strange man for my happiness. Yet I knew that when I thought he wasn’t coming back, a dark cloud took over me.

I sighed, and threw my bag over my shoulder, locking up Joe’s behind me. I left through the back, walking fast to get out of the alley.

“Stop,” a voice growled at me. My whole body quivered as I slowly turned around and saw a dark shadow behind my path. “Sorry we’re closed!” I shouted hurriedly, picking up the pace while looking behind me.

“That’s not what I’m here for,” he said while holding up his cigarette. He flicked his lighter and a flame burst through. I stopped and stared, wondering why the flame looked so much like the fire I had a nightmare about.

He lit his cigarette, took a deep breath in, and then slowly breathed out the smoke into the cold, night air.

“I’m not sure how I could help you,” I said while walking backwards, “I’m meeting my boyfriend here. He should be here soon,” I lied.

“Ahh, so he didn’t tell you?” The man smirked. “Well that was a big mistake,” he said while sneering at me.

“I, I, I don’t know what you’re talking about, but you need to leave,” I stammered out.

“You’re not going anywhere!” He shouted, “You’re mine!”

And before I knew it he was right in front of me. Impossible. Before I had time to scream, he latched onto my arm. I could feel the bruises he would leave, and flashed back to my nightmare. A migraine-induced nightmare that felt like it was becoming all too real.

‘He should’ve told you what you were, little dove,” he snarled. “And he should have never left you alone.”

I couldn’t speak and I felt my body freeze under his hold.

Who was he talking about? And what did he think I was?

I looked up at him, and watched as his sneering smile turned into something much more deadly. I watched fangs come out suddenly, and wondered if I was still in my nightmare somehow, and I could wake up and it would all go away.

Just when I thought there was no one to rescue me, he stepped out of the shadows. Him, mystery man, table 24. I had no clue where he had materialised from, but I had never been more grateful.

“Careful Rothbart,” he said. “Hands off the girl.”

“Conrad,” he smiled and retracted his fangs? This can’t be real. I was in shock. I was imagining things that weren’t there. But I could feel this man’s nails dig into my flesh, a sobering reminder that this was real, whatever this was.

“I was beginning to think you wouldn’t come,” he said while jerking me back into him.

“I’m never far away. I could smell your desperation, Rothbart. Leave now and there won’t be consequences,” said my mystery man, who I guess was called Conrad, judging from Rothbart’s response.

“You know you can’t keep her all to yourself, don’t you?” Rothbart sneered out.

“This is none of your business!” Conrad raised his voice. “Leave her or die.”

Rothbart chuckled and drew me closer to him, his arms now snaking around my entire body.

“Or what, Connie?” He said. “You’ll go all big and bad on me? Now what would the girl think? You wouldn’t want to frighten her, would you?”

“I think you’re doing a good enough job at that,” Conrad rebutted, “Last warning Rothbart.”

Rothbart sighed and sniffed me. Disgust took over my body. “Fine,” he said, “But take better care of this one. Wouldn’t want her falling into the hands of someone worse than me.”

He pushed me forward, into Conrad’s arms. And I swear I saw him turn into mist in the night air. All I remember next was looking up into green eyes before my knees buckled and I fainted.