I love nightclubs and the lifestyle required in order to work/run one.  A few years as a bartender taught me nothing was what it seemed.  So what better place to introduce a little heat and a bit o’ paranormal?

(c) Dawn Montgomery, all rights reserved.  Note, following flash piece could contain content adult in nature. 

“I don’t work with vampires.”  Angel gave the Goth wannabee a once over.  He was a hard core shopper at the local mall scene.  She could tell by the shiny impractical chains that hung from his multi-pocketed pants. 

Reagan clapped the kid on the shoulder.  “You heard her, man.  I’ll show you out.”  The kid flinched under the heavy hand of her bouncer. 

“I’m not here for a job.”  He knocked Reagan’s hand away like it was nothing and slammed his hands down on the desk.  His ice blue eyes stared at her, glaring his fury.  “You are about to make a big mistake.” 

 Angel leaned back in her chair and held up a staying hand toward Reagan.  She crossed her arms to hide their shaking.  “How is that, exactly?” 

 He gasped and broke out in hysterical laughter.  “I came here for sanctuary.  I was told Shiloh would protect me!”  He tugged at his ragged black hair and growled. 

 Angel blinked.  Why would he consider her club sanctuary? 

 Reagan pressed his earpiece and spoke quietly. 

Angel rose from her chair and leaned across the desk.  “I think it would be best to show him out, Reagan.”

 Reagan nodded and grabbed the strange man by his arms.  He shoved him toward the exit without another word. 

 “You’re making a mistake!  I need sanctuary!”  He screeched and fought against Reagan’s hold.  Reagan wrapped his arms around him and hauled him down the stairs. 

 She sighed and ran a hand over her face.  How had he gotten this far?  No one should have made it to her office.  She picked up the mail on her desk and flipped through it, needing something to take her mind off the weird visitor. 

“He’s gone, Angel.” 

 Angel shook her head and glanced toward the door.  “What was that?”

 Reagan raised his dark eyebrows.  “The intruder is gone.  This won’t happen again.”

Angel nodded absently.  “Thank you, Reagan.”  She opened her drawer and reset her panic switch.  “I’ll be down later.  We have VIPs tonight, so I don’t want any other incidents.”

“Of course.”  He nodded and left, likely to fire someone.  Whoever let the wacko in wouldn’t have a job tomorrow. 

The throb and beat of her dance floor shook the walls of her office.  It was time to make her appearance.  Overseeing the club had its advantages.  Maybe she’d find a lover for the night. 

 Dark desire pooled in her pussy at the thought of a quick fuck against the wall.  Maybe she could find an aggressive type, one who’d help her shake off the odd feeling the goth kid had left in her bones. 

She made her entrance and watched the dancers envelop her in their mass. 

 Angel made her rounds, touching the shoulder of a favorite patron, talking to a new arrival on the scene, and all the while measuring each man against her needs. 

 “Angel.”  Reagan brushed his fingertips against her arm.  It amazed her how he could pick her out of a crowd. 

“What is it Reagan?” 

 “The VIPs are asking for you.  They seem adamant.”  He curled his lip and for the first time since she’d known him, showed distaste.

 She tilted her head and leaned closer to him, making sure he could hear every word.  “Then they can wait.”  It was the regulars who kept Shiloh alive, not the VIP clientele. 

Reagan’s lips lifted in a half smile and he disappeared in the crowd.  She nodded at the DJ and he grinned back, his new fangs stark under the neon glow of his sound equipment.  She shook her head.  He had a different set of teeth every week. 

 A man at the bar caught her eye.  Tall, dark, and distinctly Hispanic.  Probably the brooding type.  His long black hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail but she wondered at its length.  The cut of his clothes left very little to the imagination.  It was rare for most men to catch her eye.  She had distinct tastes, but something about him…

 It was time for a break.  She slipped through the Employees Only door and pulled one of her sodas out of the fridge.  The press of hot bodies against each other had pushed the temperature up to way past comfortable for her tastes.  It couldn’t have been tall dark and yummy at the bar…She placed the cold can against her fevered skin and sighed.  The skin on the back of her neck prickled and she swung around.

“You don’t have long.”  The pale kid from earlier stood in the doorway, his face covered in sweat. 

 “You shouldn’t be here.”  She glanced out of the corner of her eyes for a weapon.  Tossing the can at him wouldn’t do much good. 

He hung on the doorframe as though it was the only thing keeping him upright.  His hand held his ribcage and she noticed a coppery, distinct odor.  Blood. 

“You’re bleeding.”

“Yes.  No hospitals.  I’d be dead before I arrived.”  He clenched his jaw.  “They’d make sure of it.”   

Paranoid.  Fucking great.  “Who’d make sure of it?” She looked for a way out, but he blocked the only damn door. 

He winced and turned, if it were possible, even paler.  She needed a plan. 

Suddenly, the kid was shoved out of the doorway and back into the hall by a girl punked out with purple hair and an evil smile.  She grabbed him by the collar and pushed.  Angel sighed in relief.  She ducked out the door and ran into a bulky figure.  Lights reflected of the chill of gunmetal.  Her heart froze in sudden panic before she drew in a shaky breath.  He held a finger to his lips and smiled.  The bright green of his eyes flickered and his grin widened to an almost impossible length.  Fear stole her breath.  His lips widened and she could see a perfect row of fangs in his mouth.  All of his teeth, filed to perfect points. 

The weirdos were out tonight.   

He jerked the barrel of the pistol toward the exit behind her.  Angel swallowed.  If she screamed no one would hear her over the music.  What did they want?  Money?  The kid?  She glanced over the gunman’s shoulder and caught the eye of Mr. Gorgeous from the bar.  He flicked a glance her way and was gone into the smoky room. And just like that, her chances of escape sizzled to nothing.