AN: Hi! This is Chapter 1, so the website numbering will be 1 off since I used a prologue. I'll keep them numbered in the titles though. Review to get Chapter 2 faster! Also let me know which one you think is the vampire - I dropped hints and red herrings, so I wonder which you'll catch ;)
Tegan entered the club like she did most Friday nights. Her friends were already at a table, so she grabbed a beer from the bartender and joined them.
"Hey, Tee," Trudy nudged her secretly. "Check out the loner babe."
Tegan looked in the direction Trudy indicated and noticed a woman about her own size sitting alone in a booth, picking at the label on her beer bottle and glancing occasionally at her phone. She was definitely not dressed as richly as most of the people in the club, but it was obvious that she had put effort into her appearance. Tegan typically didn't go for the 'rainbows and sunshine' type, and the glum look on the woman's face decidedly did not cast any excessive exuberance.
"And?" Tegan asked, already knowing the answer to the question.
"Go talk to her! It's been a while since you dated anyone." Trudy's face wore an unmistakable 'duh'. "And I know it's been way too long since you got laid."
"Remind me not to talk to you when I've been drinking anymore," Tegan rolled her eyes. "Besides, it's not even an actual gay bar. She's probably straight."
"Won't know until you ask," Trudy replied in a sing-song tone. "And it's a gay-enough bar." That part was said normally and happened to be true. Although not a gay bar, the club was very queer friendly so a good portion of the customers on any given night were very queer.
Without another word, Trudy was headed off in the direction of the woman who sat up straighter and smiled at Trudy upon introduction. Tegan was too far away to hear through the volume of the club, but she watched as her friend chatted with the stranger. Her hand nervously fiddled with the light blue carabiner on her right hip. Both women glanced back, causing Tegan to slightly blush and turn her face down to the table for a moment. Looking back up, the woman was listening but still had her eyes in Tegan's direction, now paired with a soft smile.
Tegan returned a shy smile, earning a wink from the woman. Her eyes diverted for a second while she bit her lip. When they were back, the woman was grinning a bit more. With a beckoning head nod from her, Tegan timidly walked over to the booth. Passing Trudy as she walked back to their friends, she shot her friend a small dirty look to which Trudy laughed.
"Hi, I'm Tegan," she greeted upon reaching the booth. "I apologize for anything my friend said. She can be a bit, uh, forward."
Sara chuckled and gestured for Tegan to sit across from her.
"I'm Sara, and it's quite alright." Sara's eyes watched as the shy stranger cautiously took a seat. "As I told her, you actually kind of saved my night."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, it's a little embarrassing, but my friend set me up on a blind date, who just bailed. I had already bought a beer, so I figured I might as well finish it, and then... What was her name?"
"Trudy."
"Yeah, Trudy came over and told me that there was this gorgeous woman who was too shy to say 'hi' first." A glint came to Sara's eyes as she flirted.
"Oh my god," Tegan whispered as she blushed. "Please tell me she did not actually say that."
"A direct quote," Sara grinned. "But I told her that I generally like to say 'hi' first anyway."
Tegan gulped. It had been a decent time since a woman made her feel this fluttery just after meeting. Sara was hitting all the right notes if she planned on learning the color of Tegan's sheets, but a one-night stand wasn't what Tegan really wanted from someone who made her feel like this. Even if just ending up as friends, she preferred to have some sort of mental or emotional connection.
They chatted longer into the evening, nursing their beers to enjoy the interaction with clear minds. It was obvious to both of them that they were hitting it off quite well, and the bottles became empty before their conversation did. While Tegan debated whether to suggest another round, Sara spoke up.
"So, uh, I guess this is where I ask if you want to get out of here?" she asked with a smile.
"Oh." Tegan was not expecting that so soon, but the confidence melted her a little more. "I'm not saying 'no', but um, I was thinking maybe we could see each other again?"
"That's what I was hoping you'd say." Sara gave a warmer smile, glad that they were on the same page. "So why not 'no' then?"
"Well, uh." Tegan felt her cheeks grow warm for what seemed like the 47th time that night. "I mean, you're really cute and um...if that was, like, all you wanted..." Her face hid in her hand, but her eyes peeked over.
"How about this – It's really loud here. I really like talking to you, but maybe do you want to talk somewhere...quieter?"
"That...sounds lovely."
They walked the three blocks to Sara's apartment. It was closest and neither had driven to the club. With glasses of water instead of bottles of beer, their conversation continued for another couple hours.
"I feel like I could talk to you for hours," Sara blurted out in wonderment.
"You have talked to me for hours," Tegan giggled.
"I mean more hours. I haven't, like, clicked like this with anyone in...ever maybe."
Sara gently tucked Tegan's hair behind her ear, letting her fingertips linger on the spot just below and behind her jaw. They had touched lightly throughout the evening, but it was limited to hands and shoulders in relation to a flirt or tease. This was the first sensual touch she had ventured. She let a moment pass to let Tegan protest if she wanted to, but she bit her lip instead of voicing any opposition.
"I really want to kiss you right now," Sara said, pressing further after her hand hadn't been pushed away.
"So kiss me."
Sara leaned in slowly, catching Tegan's bottom lip, and both women melted into the soft caresses. The fingertips slipped from behind Tegan's ear to the back of her neck, pulling her closer as a tongue glanced over her lip. The smallest moan granted access, letting their kiss grow passionate swiftly. Hands cautiously roamed, discovering unfamiliar curves. Sara slipped a hand underneath Tegan's shirt on the small of her back and stroked along her spine.
Another small moan voiced her approval, encouraging Sara's quest. She delicately moved up to just below Tegan's left breast and let her fingertips pass along the underwire. With no hesitation from Tegan, she continued up to palm her through the bra, stroking her nipple with her thumb. Tegan sighed with the bit of relief provided by the touch but knew it'd just bring more tension needing release soon enough.
Sara felt like a teenager. Not only had it felt like forever since she had been this giddy over making out on the couch, but she also warred internally with continuing versus stopping. Rather than readiness or parents, though, her concerns were that they had agreed that neither wanted this to be a one-night stand, and lasting relationships didn't usually start with sex just a few hours after meeting. A battle was won by her hormones as Tegan's short nails scratched the skin of her lower back.
Tegan's shirt was on the back of the couch. Her friend had been right; it had been too long she had been with anyone, and she knew she was letting herself get carried away. With Sara's arms pulling her closer and mouth doing some sort of otherworldly magic on her neck, Tegan brought her leg over Sara's lap to straddle her. This only seemed to incite Sara further, causing her mouth to travel south to give appreciation to her collarbone and then cleavage. A hand lifted to the clasp of her bra as Sara's lips lifted to her ear.
"You're so fucking sexy," Sara practically moaned. "I know if I take this off, I..."
Coming back to herself, Tegan trailed her hands down Sara's arms and pulled them back so she could lace their fingers together. Taking the hint, Sara met Tegan's lips for another kiss, giving them time to calm down while still offering some satisfaction to their desires.
"That was...fun," Tegan grinned once they parted, catching her breath. Sara hummed in agreement.
"So date number two?" she asked, handing Tegan her shirt.
"Planning already?" Tegan laughed while putting it on.
"I definitely want to see you again." Sara's thumb ghosted over Tegan's lips, reddened from use. "Tomorrow?" She knew it was forward but decided to entertain Tegan's amusement.
"Oh, I, uh, have a chosen-family thing on Saturdays. Well, every other Saturday," she slightly pouted. "I don't have to go, I guess. It's not mandatory or anything. I'd rather enjoy seeing you again."
"Chosen family? Like a queer event?" Sara asked.
"No, sorry. My, uh, foster mom I told you about that basically became my mom," Tegan said, referencing an earlier part of their conversation.
"Ah, I see. I don't want to keep you from anything, especially not family, but I'd rather enjoy seeing you again, too."
"Do you have to work in the morning?" Tegan asked, playing with the hairs at the nape of Sara's neck. "I can still stay and, you know, talk more now. Regardless of tomorrow."
"No, I have Friday and Saturday nights off," Sara shook her head. "I don't actually work until Sunday night. I'm a third-shifter."
"Oh really? What do you do?" Tegan asked.