Page 12 of Heathens

“Yeah, Avery said the same thing.”

“You sure? That doesn’t sound like her.”

Ruby chuckles and I shake my head.

“Hey, so… you guys have really tightened up your operations since the last time I made a pickup.”

“Yeah, A’s been expanding on the deal with Deschamps. He wasn’t too keen on the UV lights or hiring more guards, but she convinced him somehow. If this place is gonna run like clockwork, we need all the help we can get.”

This operation really has changed a lot, far from the humble facility it was before the chaos took hold. It’s ‌basically a military outpost at this point. I miss the old days. Even if being locked in a lab for 10 hours a day is most peoples’ idea of hell, it was important work. We saved a lot of lives. I guess they still do, in their own way.

Gotta keep the vampires fed.

“Well, you’re doing a hell of a job,” Ruby remarks.

“It’s all Avery,” Jesse chuckles. “This place would fall apart without her, or the suckheads would have taken it over.”

All I can see are spots and bright lights when we hit the doors and step into the night. I rub my eyes and Ruby opens the back door of the van. We toss the bag inside while Jesse and the other guards keep watch, their guns at the ready and shields out. It’s amazing how quickly the tone shifts when your lives are back on the line.

“I’ll drive,” Ruby offers.

“Thanks.” I turn back to Jesse. “And hey, thanks for…”

“Doing my job?” He asks.

“Yeah,” I chuckle. “Sure.”

“Be safe on the drive back.”

As I go to open the passenger side door I catch a car down the street out of the corner of my eye, with two men gathered around the trunk. One of them looks agitated, and both of them are covered in crimson. A third man climbs out of the car. It’s hard to see exactly what he looks like outside of a few details as he leans against a streetlight, his long dark hair pushed back and out of his face and a cigarette stuffed between his lips.

Vampires, obviously. I can tell by the way they move as the first two head for the building. It’s so fluid, every step, every reach, is like ballet. It’s beautiful, and a little haunting. One of those things that you just can’t help but be mesmerized by.

“Sof!” Ruby calls from inside the van, snapping me back to the moment. “Let’s go!”

As I turn to grasp the door handle, the man with the cigarette in his mouth locks eyes with me, looking me up and down. My heart hammers against my ribs. Every alarm bell is going off.I’m not safe here.

As he exhales a gigantic cloud of smoke, I climb into the van and lock the door behind me.

“What was that?” Ruby hisses. “Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

“Sorry.” I shake my head, trying to rid my mind of him. “It’s nothing.”

The man is still standing outside as we drive past. Staring at us. At me. I swear I can see him smirk as Ruby turns the corner.

“You know him or something?” She asks.

“No,” I murmur. “Probably just a hungry vamp looking for blood.”

She makes another right hand turn back toward the bar and I check the side mirror. Nobody’s following us. I take a deep breath and relax into the seat a little more.

“Hey, so… thanks for coming with me.”

“No problem. You and I both know you couldn’t have done this alone.”

I snort.

“Sure, whatever you say.”

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