Chapter 1: When He Walked In…

Stephie blew her hair out of her eyes. Tonight was a tough night. It seemed that everyone was in a foul mood and that leaked into their thoughts. Those thoughts naturally leaked over into Stephie's brain. She was too tired to keep up her barriers tonight.

"Stephie…order up!" shouted Shel waggling his big eyelined eyes at her. "Really Shel, you have the biggest mouth I've ever seen!" said Maria, grabbing a plate with a burger, fries and a salad and putting it on her tray. "I mean, she's right here in front of you…no reason to yell!"

Shel waggled his eyes at Maria. "I know she right here girl…I can see dat. You just jealous cause my makeup ain't smudged even though I'm back here over this hot stove." Maria rolled her eyes and walked off.

"So…Stephie, ya gonna take this order out?" Shel was looking at her.

"Hu..oh, yea, sorry Shel." Stephie smiled sheepishly and grabbed her order, taking it out to Ted and Ted Jr, affectionately known around these parts as "Teddy". "Here ya go boys." Stephie said, putting the food down. "Thanks." smiled Teddy shyly as he started eating his fries. Ted just started eating.

God, dad, why can't you be nice? Teddy thought, glaring at his father. I mean, she's busting her ass while we are sitting here on ours.

Stephie just smiled at Teddy. He was such a nice guy…at least he was thinking about his dad's actions being nice instead of her ass being nice. She grabbed a ketchup bottle before Teddy asked and put it on his table. Teddy smiled his thanks.

That's when she felt the cool night wind rush around her. She also noticed that the entire bar fell silent. She turned to look and there, in the doorway, was the most handsome man she had ever seen. Blonde hair falling past his shoulders in waves, a blonde neatly trimmed beard and mustache, he slid into a booth close to the door. He looked tired…and alone. But that isn't what drew Stephie to him.

What the … what is that freak doing here?

Abomination! That's what them there things are…demonic!

Aw, shit, I don't think I have any Sangre here…Never expected one of those types to come in. Damn. There goes an easy ten bucks.

Stephie rolled her eyes at the last thought and turned to the bartender Shawn. Shawn caught her gaze and raised an eyebrow in a "What?" kind of expression. "Be nice" Stephie mouthed . Since the stranger was in her section, she headed towards the man.

"Hi, I'm Stephie, what can I get you?" she smiled at him. He looked up at her with these unfathomable hazel eyes.

"Sangre, Type O." he ventured a smile, showing off perfect, white teeth.

She looked at him, smiling, but shocked. "I thought I'd get to see fangs."

He burst out in a great, booming laugh. "Sorry, we only bring those out when we need to." His laugh was infectious and she started laughing too. After a few seconds, their laughter died down…and she just kept staring at him. He smiled at her. "My sangre?"

"Oh!" Her eyes went wide. "Oh, I'm sooo sorry, but Shawn there, my boss, he bought a pack but nobody…well, nobody like you ever came in, and they went bad, so he threw them out and just never got anymore." she said apologetically. He smiled. "Alright then, how about a draft, your pick, so I look like I'm not out of place?"

She smiled and nodded. "Coming right up!" She headed back to the bar. "One draft Heinie." Shawn rolled his eyes. "Over my hiney. Get him out of here…I don't want or need any bloodsucker just taking up space."

Stephie got indignant. "Now you look here Mr. Hickinbottom! He has every right to be here. Now give me my draft!" Shawn rolled his eyes again, but obliged Stephie, sliding her a cold frosty draft. "What a waste." he mumbled as Stephie shot him a dirty look. Shawn shrugged and went on to another customer who was impatiently waiting for their rum and coke.

As she headed back to the booth…he was gone…where the hell was he?

Damn…we'll get 20 or 30 K easily off this guy…he's huge, we can bleed him dry!

Stephie's eyes got huge and she looked for the source of the thoughts.

Sitting there were Vicky and Chavo. Two of the biggest pieces of trash there were, and they were sitting here planning a murder! Vicky was sitting next to the vampire, just talking and complimenting him up a storm. She was trying to put on her "nice-girl-wow-I'm-innocent" act. Stephie came up and slammed the beer down in front of the vampire, sloshing some on the table. "I'm gonna go get some towels and a free round of drinks and appetizers for y'all…don't go anywhere." she said this last bit to the stranger who was looking at her oddly. She went back to the bar. "Three beers and a round of wings…hurry!" She yelled impatiently.

Shawn handed her the three beers and she put them on her tray. As she was turning to go to the window to get the wings, she noticed they all had vanished…Vicky, Chavo, and, more importantly the vampire! She dropped her tray and ran out of the bar, trying to open her mind to any thoughts that Vicky, Chavo or the vampire might be having. She kept running and listening and looking.

All of a sudden she heard a hissing and came upon a sickening sight…Vicky and Chavo were on either side of the vampire, and had a needle in the vampire's arm, connected to an IV type blood bag. She saw heavy silver chains over the vampire's arms, legs, waist and neck. The silver was burning his flesh; that was where the hissing came from.

"We are gonna make thousands off this huge blood bag!" Vicky was hugging Chavo in a preemptive celebration.

Stephie looked around and saw that the vampire was looking at her. She motioned him to be quiet as she slowly crept up behind the Chavo, picking up an old, rusted folding chair that was laying in the grass…