Samantha Farraday.
"Sam," my boss called, "could you come over here for a bit?"
"Coming!" I yelled across the chatter in the coffee shop. He was stocking the fridge with supplies when I found him. Chris, his name was. He was the best boss I had ever had and incredibly courteous, too.
"We're out of Tru Blood and I need someone to go to the Hotel Carmilla to pick some up. They get tons of orders and I already called for a crate of assorted blood types," he said. 'This is the part of me that you're never gonna ever take away from me, oh!' His thoughts were somewhere else like aways.
I could hear people's thoughts ever since I could remember but the only other person that knew was my late grandpa who passed a few months ago. He was the only family I ever kept in touch with. I was given up by my real parents when I was a baby and my grandpa and grandma took the opportunity to raise me. Grandma had passed away after middle school but grandpa was determined it wasn't an accident.
Before he died he was about to tell me what I really was but it was too late. I always tell myself that I'll never know but I feel that I will soon find out. Until then, I try to be as positive as I can be with my short patience.
"I'm on it, boss," I saluted him teasingly, ignoring his musical thoughts and put on my favorite trench coat from over my work uniform consisted of a white long sleeve cotton tuxedo shirt tucked into a low rise black bandage skirt and I raced on out the back door.
It had just gotten dark lowering the temperature of the city streets but I embraced the cold. The shop was always so warm and toasty but nothing beats a Winter night in Dallas. Here in Texas cold weather was a blessing.
I hopped into my '67 impala and started it up, waiting for the engine to warm up.
Hotel Carmilla was fairly close but I didn't feel like carrying a crate of bottles all the way back to the shop.
I parked behind the hotel to ignore the valet but I didn't have access to go through the back so I had no choice but to walk all the way to the front entrance.
It was pretty busy, crawling with exotically dressed humans and vampires. It was like I walked into a Hot Topic. Vampires "came out of the coffin" about a year ago but only made me more interested in them. I wasn't really terrified of any of them, then again I hadn't exactly been attacked.
Down at the bar was where I had gotten what was requested of me. I didn't notice but at the time most of the Vampires had their eyes on me, licking their lips and whatnot. Strange. They had enough human volunteers at their disposal.
It was probably the huge Tru Blood crate I had been carrying. It was surprisingly light enough to use without a cart. I couldn't see what was in front of me, though. Half way through the lobby I bumped into someone and let go of the box out of surprise but the individual caught it in his grasp.
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" I gasped before I placed my hands over my mouth. "It's quite alright," the man said. Actually he looked more like a teenager as he put down the crate to reveal his face. He appeared to be a very placid boy. And very pale.
"It's lighter than it looks," he stated. "Thanks for catching it," I said as I placed a hand over my heart, relieved that I didn't screw up an order. I picked up the crate and thanked him again with a large smile.
"Would you like any assistance?" He asked. "What an articulate kid," I thought. He was very nice to ask so I figured I should accept.
He followed me to my car parked behind the hotel with the crate in hand and managed to fit it into the trunk. "Success!" I cheered, "Thank you so much," I held out my hand for him to shake it. He nodded as he took a hold of my hand. He had no thoughts.
Next Evening.
"He was just a kid, too, Chris," I told him as I grabbed my order. "He was so articulate and kind. I think he was a vampire." I deduced that from his lack of thoughts.
"That's pretty rare, Sam. You're lucky he didn't trick you so he could just drink your blood," Chris laughed. 'I think I forgot to turn off my T.V.'
I gave him a sarcastic laugh to compliment his concern before I left him to his busy thoughts.
After I had brought my last customers their coffee a group of rednecks slurping their drinks were talking rather loud. "We're gonna give them vampers a taste of their own blood! They won't know what hit 'em," bellowed one with stains all over his old t-shirt. "Man, tonight's hunt is gonna be great!" Laughed another one with a dirty red bandana on his head.
I listened behind the counter and eyed Chris who only shook his head. "I know that look, Sam," he pointed out, "just let it go before you get yourself in some trouble like you always do."
I ignored Chris and marched over to the redneck table with a fake smile. "Good evening, y'all," I said before they turned their yellow eyes towards me. "Well, hello there little miss. What can I do for ya this fine night," the stained shirt one said. 'She got some mighty fine legs. Bet they look great wrapped around me.' The man's thoughts were revolting.
Typical.
I crossed my arms and said, "We don't allow rude talk and weapons in this shop so I'm going to ask y'all to take y'alls…uh guns.. and leave for it is illegal to take a loaded gun into a building that sells liquor," I shot them a smile waiting for them to get up and leave.
One of them scoffed and yelled at me, "These are for the nasty vampers and we take them everywhere we go, little miss."
Everyone had their eyes on us. "Vampires have more courtesy than you think, sir. It's be very rude to shoot people," I said which only sparked their anger.
"Those fangers ain't people and they ain't got none of that courtesy shit you talkin' about," the red bandana one said as he got up all in my face before storming out with his gang and his guns. 'Must be one of them fangbangers, ugh.' One thought.
I turned towards the back of the restaurant to get ready to leave and glanced at Chris who secretly praised me in his thoughts but only shook his head to set an example.
It had already gotten really dark already and my car was not the easiest to find at this hour with its navy paint job.
After I had closed the door to the shop behind me a gross smelling hand covered my mouth and dragged me to a dark alley.
Very original.
Everything happened so fast but the first thing I noticed were the thoughts of the lowlives. The redneck group from before were the culprits. I couldn't see their features but from the thoughts and the smell I could tell it was them.
They had me pinned against a brick wall and were laughing hysterically. "Let's give this fangbanger a feel of what a real human feels like," one bellowed.
I was scared. Terrified, actually. My breathing became hard as they turned me around and grabbed at my skirt. I managed to get one hand free and throw a punch at whoever I could reach. I let out a cry at the same time one of them did because that hurt my hand like a mother.
'Bitch!' 'She gun get it now!' "Hold her down!"
I was about to get raped and beaten. Tears burned my hot face and I tried to scream but they had made sure that wouldn't happen with they gross hands. My legs were caught and pried apart after I heard someone unzip their fly.
I was helpless. This was it. My virginity was going to be taken by rapists against my own will.
All of a sudden my legs were free. Then my hands and my mouth. I pulled down my skirt quickly and tried to pull myself up off the ground but my whole body shutdown. I could hear my heartbeat growing faster.
There was screaming and cursing but I didn't think to look up yet then someone grabbed my arms and pulled me up. I tensed and struggled desperately.
"It's ok. It's ok," someone said, "they're gone. You're safe," his voice was soft as he embraced me. I let myself surrender and I heard only silence. It was the vampire was yesterday. I let myself sob in his arms as he propped me up off the dirty ground.