Disclaimer: I and my writing accociates own the characters, but not the world. That belongs to the owners of Angel and Highlander.
Convergence
The door to the "Convergence Club" swung open, as Jim stepped through the door. Andrew, who was right behind him, closed it, and took off his sunglasses. They had stepped into the front room, where two security guards stood ready to divide the crowd of people that over the course of the evening flowed through Convergence's door. The people that looked more or less normal would be led through the main door into the club's ordinary bar and dance floors. If you had a different look about you, though – or if you, like Jim, was able to flash a "special members" card, the guards smiled in a knowing way and opened a door otherwise hidden behind a large painting of a Greek temple.
Jim and Andrew walked through the hidden door, and down a broad stairway lined with golden banisters. Jim lit a cigarette as they came down the last steps and entered the real Convergence bar.
The room seemed smaller than it was, because of the lighting, which was mostly in red. A flickering quality of the lights made it seem like flames were burning inside the walls, and the bar was made like a giant bolt of flame, frozen in time. The only thing to set the club apart from Dante's vision of hell was the air-conditioning.
The bar had about 50 patrons, a handful at the bar, and the rest sitting in the booths (which had privacy walls) or around the round tables forming a crude semicircle around the small stage.
On stage, a creature with fangs, horns and a thick, brown fur was about halfway through "Go West" – the Pet Shop Boys version – with a voice that sounded like it's vocal chords belonged to a 14 year old girl. The contrast between it's looks and voice was astonishing, to say the least, and Andrew could not help but blink surprised at it. Jim, who had gotten used to the place over the years, hummed along to the tune, while making his way to the bar.
"I've said it before, Jim, and I'll say it again: Why did you wait a full year before taking me to this place?"
"You got facial ticks if you as much as saw a fang the first 6 months after you got out, Andrew. You weren't exactly ready for a demon bar."
"Maybe not…but I'm ready now, that's for sure."
Jim let himself slide down on a barstool, and signaled to the bartender, who turned around and smiled.
"Jim! Good to see you down here in the pit. And young Andrew – I'm so glad to see you back here. Some of the people that come here never come back for a second drink!"
Bob, the bartender – and owner of Convergence Club – was as infernal looking as his bar. He was entirely red-skinned, his eyes were yellow and he had 2 horns proudly sticking up from his forehead. From behind him, his tail appeared, twisted around a bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey. He used it to pour Jim a drink.
"Your poison I know, Jim – but what about yours, Andrew?"
"I'll have one of the "tail ale", please."
"One tail, coming up."
He put a hand under the bar and pulled out a bottle with a screw on cap. "Here you go. And enjoy them."
"Thanks, Bob. So, how's business?"
"Slow for now, but it should pick up in half an hour or so. The post-movie crowd is big, and "Star Wars 3" opens tonight, you know."
Andrew slapped his forehead. "Damn! I forgot. I should have gotten tickets."
"Relax. People had do business with my dad to get tickets for tonight. Watch it tomorrow."
Bob – whose name was of course NOT Bob, but according to him, his real name was "some unpronounceable sound that involved both gurgling and growling" – enjoyed playing on his likeness to the classic devil-picture, and claimed that he was the son of the Dark Prince himself. Some believed it, some didn't – but nobody confronted Bob about it directly. It was not wise to take chances…and he DID often get special tickets to the Giants games.
Jim sipped his drink, and was just about to comment on the new décor in the bar – the tables had gotten golden lights in them – when there was suddenly a scuffle at the foot of the stairs. They all turned their heads and looked.
Two men had come down the stairs, followed by one of the guards from upstairs. They were obviously in the middle of a fight – one of them was saying a thing to question the lineage of the other man's mother. The other man responded by suddenly spurting a full set of claws from his fingertips.
As he lurched for the first man, a sudden ripple of light and sound filled the bar. The man with the claws was suddenly thrown to the ground, his arms flailing out helplessly. He hit a table, and the three girls sitting at it screamed, as it was turned, their drinks spilling everywhere.
Bob was suddenly vaulting over the bar, supported in mid-leap by his tail. He ran up to the 2 men that was now on the floor, and grabbed them both by the collar. His golden eyes glowed like embers.
"I thought I had made myself perfectly clear!", he hissed, and his tongue lashed in and out between his teeth, "but I guess I will have to make another example to make it crystal – I will not have fights in my bar!"
Bob twisted his tail around one man's head, and with his free hand pulled 2 cards from the breast pockets of the men.
"You're out! For good!" Bob shouted, and waved his arm. A small shimmering portal appeared – glowing red around the edges, and with faint screams of agony coming from the inside - and the men flew through it and were gone. The portal closed behind them with a small popping sound.
"Jesus!" Andrew gasped, and took a big mouthful of his beer. Jim shook his head.
"It's just for show, Andrew. The portal opens up to an alley about 2 blocks from here. It's a parlor trick. And since he takes their membership cards, and they never come back – he can always claim that they were kicked straight into hell. It's all about the image!"
Bob crawled back behind the bar.
"Sorry about that, folks!", he called out over the crowd, "A round on the house for everyone. And you ladies who got knocked over, see me over here for a small…compensation…."
He blinked at the two detectives.
"The anti-violence spell is always a mess, but…it keeps me in business!"
The music began again, and a girl who looked like the wicked witch of the west's ugly sister began singing "Unbreak my heart".