Most see the world in color. I see it in black and red.

The shadow of a man clicked the lighter shut as he gazed out the window from the twenty-fifth floor of the looming corporate building. All the lights were out, the staff long gone for the weekend. Only he stood in the formally decorated executive office looking down at all the bustling people breathing in the city night life. For him, that’s all life was. The night. 

Immortality had its drags and recently, Vincent felt like he was being forcefully pushed along through this pathetic life. All those traditions, all those stories, all those elegant monster cliches drowned and glorified within the 21st century infatuation with demented creatures. Mortals wanted to meet a vampire but no one wanted to reflect on the true outcome of those ill thoughts. Softies didn’t know a damn thing about this wretched existence.

Pushing back any creeping depression, the pale man extinguished his cigarette in the desk ashtray, slipping on the black cashmere coat. Ernest had been saying he needed to get out more, preaching how he’s always hiding behind a computer or cooped up in his home. Though Ernest had never been hunted by insane vampire hunters either. 

“But the hunters are dwindling in numbers as we speak. We out number any living descendants who still fucking care.”

Well, that’s how younglings always thought. 

Vincent was outside the building in mere seconds, finding elevators much to slow for his taste. Lately, he preferred to be fast even occasionally taking an unnecessary risk. It got his blood pumping, the only exhilaration he could find in his black and gray world. 

Ernest mentioned earlier about a bar a couple miles out. Not terribly popular since it was specifically themed about vampires but the youngling thought it would ‘lift his spirits’ to hear teenage Softies gush about their kind. “It makes me feel a hundred years younger.” Though it was obvious that boy only had one thing on his mind... 

Vincent had no real reasons not to show his face in public. There were no photos of the CEO anywhere regarding his company The Unit and the media boiled that down to privacy regardless of the truth. So when he arrived outside of The Crimson Rose, he felt no threat or unease. Just another bar in another city and that was always his preferred method of relaxation. Alcohol dulled the senses. Even eased the stench of blood in every human body.

The bar was moderately packed, leaving only single seats at the counters. The establishment was dark, moody, candle lit and covered in classic photos and art from years back of vampire entertainment. Always the same faces- never actual real vampires in any of them. But then again, they could only be captured in paintings. 

The themed menu caught his interest as he flipped his coat back to settle on the bar stool. So unoriginal some of the names were but with his drinking experience, nothing was surprising anymore. Who wouldn’t have guessed that a Bloody Mary would be on the list?

Vincent smelt the bartender before she even approached, feeling his muscles stiffen instinctively. He knew that smell, engraved in his memory. So sweet, so thick... he could feel the saliva building in his mouth. He only turned when she asked for his order and gazed upon Charlotte Clark, the menace, the bitch, the hunter. 

His breath caught in his throat, recalling the circle of ashes and her fiery gaze from across the damaged foyer. He could feel that stake in his chest again, unaware that he had put a hand up to protect it. Her eyes were dark, her hair was black and she looked like she hadn’t aged a day. Vincent didn’t say a word as he backed off the stool and hurried out of the bar. 

The vampire was grateful for the cool night air, pushing himself against the side of the bar’s brick wall. Fear had gripped him, feeling at any moment he would collapse from sheer anxiety. What the hell? What is going on? Why is she here? Did Ernest know? Is this a trap? Is she immortal? Did she finally come back to finish the job? How did she find him here? He gripped his fists, feeling the anger suddenly fill him as he remembered laying on a dusted marble floor with a wooden stake shoved through his rib cage. The anguish and pain as he pulled it out splinter by splinter, hot blood gushing around him. 

No. He would not let her go this time. This was his chance. Maybe this was his purpose. He needed to kill her. He needed her to feel the torture she forced his family to endure 168 years ago. Charlotte would perish at his hands. 

Vincent waited, cooling his temperament as the night waned. He planned to catch the bitch as she was leaving the bar, catch her from behind. Underhanded tricks were not beneath him, as she did the same to him all those years ago. 

At five past midnight, the raven haired woman exited The Crimson Rose, unaware of Vincent’s lurking. He held his jaw tight as she turned the corner towards the parking lot, the smell almost overwhelming his senses. The moment she exposed her neck, the immortal quickly grabbed her and shoved her up against the wall, her feet no longer reaching the ground. 

It felt good. It felt intoxicating... Imagining the light from her eyes fading and her life controlled by the monster within him. “You’re going to die today for what you did to me and my family,” he sneered, “Will you plead for your cursed existence or will you die with a stick up your ass?”

Ever since Winter could remember she’s always shown a fascination with the vampire lore and the aesthetic. She remembers the first movie she ever watched which had vampires in. From that day onwards everything vampire associated she’d got, read, or watched. It came to a point where her parents who had previously thought it to be a phase began to get concerned about the welfare of their only daughter.

As Winter reached her teenage years the obsession slowed down but her love for it only continued to grow. Especially Victorian vampires were her thing. She would always talk to her grandma who would tell her many stories about her family in the past. But as Winter got older she put it down to fictional fairy tales her grandma would tell her to keep Winter out of mischief.

As the years passed and Winter got older so did her grandma until one day she had passed. As the family was clearing out her things Winter came across a very old chest. Instantly drawn to it she opened and found a lot of things you wouldn’t think a grandma would have. There were multiple crosses, many letters but the one thing that stood out to Winter was a photograph, you could tell by the corners of the picture how old it was, once flipped over there was a name and date written on the back ‘Charlotte Clark’. Underneath the photo was a beautifully decorated cross attached to a chain. Whoever this person was Winter was instantly drawn to it.

Being allowed to keep the contents of the chest after the funeral was over and her mother had finished grieving Winter decided to ask her mother who this Charlotte was. At first, her mother showed some signs of hesitancy but eventually gave in as Winter eagerly sat down at the table. Listening attentively to every word her mother said.

Charlotte Clark was someone very important to this family according to your grandma, she was seen as someone like a savior. According to what your grandmother and great grandmother told me as a child, she was a vampire hunter, apparently almost as famous as Van Hellsing at that time if you believe that sort of thing. Well, apparently Charlotte was the main vampire hunter in taking down a family of vampires by ‘befriending’ one of the male ones. Well to cut a long story short they massacred the family and were deemed hero’s from it. Personally, I think the story is quite barbaric but you know the kind of imagination your grandmother had, personally I think they were nothing more than stories.”

Winter took in every word her mother said and returned to her room to give it some thought. Surely vampires were nothing but fairy tales right? Characters written in books and popularised on tv and films over the years. Not giving it much more thought she placed Charlotte’s picture in a frame and kept it at her bedside table. For some unknown reason she was drawn to Charlotte, maybe it was her story or the fact that Winter looked practically identical to her, whatever the reason she kept her close and the necklace found in the box Winter continued to wear into her adult years.

Now that Winter had finished college with a degree in fashion she had a small business from home in which she made a growing base of clients gowns from the Victorian era. Most of her clients were like Winter, they were into the vampire aesthetic and loved the outfits Winter showed off. Most of her clients were friends that attended a bar she was a regular at. A vampire-themed bar. Winter was there whenever she had free time, it was her escape from reality and helped her to unwind. Around a year after Winter had started to attend the bar, the owner approached her and asked if she would like to work here part-time, and in return, she could advertise her clothing brand to new and existing customers.

Of course Winter pounced at this opportunity, it would mean she would be able to be here a lot more than she already was and it was also a chance to expand her own business. She had the prime hours of night time and weekends and Winter couldn’t wait to start.

Present Day.

Tonight was like any other night for Winter, she was working the late shift and was making herself known to the regulars and any newcomers that had entered the bar. It had been 2 years since she’d found Crimson Rose and began working here. She’d been promoted to head bartender with the promise of bar manager if she kept up the good work. Her own business had been doing well also. She’d got enough of a client base to make it her only job but she couldn’t bear to part ways with the place, so she balanced both jobs which didn’t give her much time to socialize.

Just then the door opened followed by a slight breeze. Winter looked up and her stomach churned and she had no idea as to why. A gentleman entered with

blonde hair, he was dressed in a modern suit and looked very out of place. To put it bluntly he stuck out like a sore thumb. There wasn’t exactly a dress code here but usually, people who didn’t know about this bar stayed for one drink then left, so Winter would see how comfortable he would feel there. The door shut behind him sealing the cold night air out and the blonde made his way over to the bar and seated himself on a stool.

Winter was at the other end of the bar, she grabbed a special drinks menu and placed it in front of the blonde. “Care to take a look at the specials or already have something in mind?” Before Winter could even grab a glance the male looked at her with shock, grabbed his coat, and left. For a few moments she stood there surprised herself but after a few seconds she shrugged it off and put it down to this place really wasn’t for him. After all he looked like a CEO of a large company and you never found those types of people down here.

A few hours passed and Winter thought about the gent that had left, there was something about him that stood out to her. The way he’d looked at her as though he’d seen a ghost, it was highly unlikely she would run into him again though after all 70% of her time was spent at this bar, the other 30% was at her home where she designed clothes. Glancing up at the time it reached midnight as it was a weekday the bar closed early. Winter said goodbye to her friends and colleagues and made her way into the locker room to grab her things. It was chilly outside but luckily it was only a short walk to her car. Quietly singing a tune to herself Winter turned the corner and could see her car nearby. Rubbing her hands together she began to pick up the pace.

The next step however Winter thought it would be her last. She felt pressure on her throat and found herself being pulled backward, she didn’t even have time to scream everything happened so quickly, in fact too quickly to the point her brain didn’t even have time to register it. Her back forcibly hit the wall, she would’ve cried out if she could but her airway was tightening every second she was here. As she looked down and to her horror, she immediately recognized the face. It was the man who left the bar so suddenly earlier.

Between gasps for air Winter barely made out what he was saying to her, the way he looked at her was with pure hatred and she couldn’t understand what she had done to this man to make him react the way he was. She knew his intent was to kill her but his grip around her neck was only tightening and Winter knew soon enough she would begin to lose consciousness. As her vision began to blur Winter couldn’t help but want to close her eyes. Just as she did so she heard an unfamiliar voice.

“What are you doing?! Fight back! Are you really just going to hand your life over to some monster?! FIGHT WINTER!”

It was like someone had sent a bolt of electricity through her and Winter gasped opening her eyes, there was very little strength left in her but she needed to do something. She began desperately grabbing for the male’s arms and hair doing her best to pull it, something to loosen his grip but nothing was working and time was running out for Winter. With one last hope, she put all of her strength into her legs and kicked the male’s chest. Finally, the grip loosened around her throat and she felt herself drop to the floor. Gasping for air Winter needed to move and the adrenaline had begun to kick in. She quickly picked up her bag and did her best to run to her car, coughing and choking at the same time, she just needed her car keys. Winter slammed her hand on her car door and began desperately fumbling around in her bag for her keys. Not wanting to look behind her in fear the male was pursuing her.

Winter wanted to scream for help but the strangulation had taken its toll on her voice and the best thing she could do now was to get in the safety of her car. Her hands were shaking which made her drop the keys multiple times but finally, with the turn of her key the car was unlocked and Winter thought she was finally safe.

The traitor had some fight in her, struggling against his grip and her smell overwhelming his senses. Charlotte whipped her body around and, to his dismay, found enough room to lift her legs up between them and kick against his chest. 

Triggering his old wound, Vincent gasped and let his grip come loose. He was confident he would catch up but that bitch- she knew exactly what she was doing. How poetic all this must be for the hunter. He watched her scramble to pick up her bag and dart for a parked car. The decision confused him for a moment. It almost seemed like Charlotte was scared of him. The opposite of how she treated the vampire all those years ago. 

The man massaged his chest gently, feeling the fangs sprout through his gums and his nails beginning to protrude. Vincent crossed the space between him and the vehicle in seconds and gripped the door handle tightly. With one graceful movement, he ripped the door off its hinges, shaking the car unnaturally and leaning in to get another whiff of that increased blood flow and sweat, wanting desperately to savor the moment. 

But... when he met her gaze, there wasn’t malice... or hate or even bravery- there was fear... as if she’d never seen him before... 

Vincent caught his breath, pulling back slowly and never breaking eye contact. “Charlotte Clark?” he asked, hating the name on his tongue and his muscle tensing.

The beating of her heart was moving so fast Winter thought she was going to have a heart attack. She’d lost count of the number of times she’d dropped her car keys but she didn’t have time to calm herself. The male wasn’t too far from her which meant it wouldn’t take him long to catch up to her and finish the job, she would think about getting help later, for now, she needed to get to safety. Finally, Winter managed to hold her keys long enough to unlock the car door. She almost wanted to yell out a eureka moment! but now certainly wasn’t the time for jokes.

Before she even had a chance to open the door she felt a strong gush of wind as the male was now in front of her causing Winter to lose balance and fall back. Putting her hands behind her to break the fall she winced as she landed on something sharp, a piece of glass wouldn’t have surprised her in the slightest. As she looked up remembering where she was her eyes widened in horror as she watched the male rip the door from it’s hinges like someone tearing a piece of paper in half, watching as the car shook Winter let out a small cry as the door flew off to the other side of the car park.

Winter was shaking from head to toe and she couldn’t control herself, she witnessed this monster in front of her rip a door from its hinges, which meant what was he capable of doing to her? Managing to muster up the courage to look him in the eyes her own were watering, she wasn’t afraid of death but she was terrified of this person in front of her if she could even call him that.

For a few minutes there was silence between the two, wondering why he was waiting, Winter put it down to it was his way of having fun and “thrill of the kill”. To her surprise though the two words he spoke caught her off guard. Charlotte Clark? As in her ancestor Charlotte Clark? That would be impossible for him to know. Winter opened her mouth to speak but at first only a squeak was heard through pure fear, with a slight cough she opened her mouth to speak once more but still incredibly shaky.

“N-no my names Winter... Winter Clark. H-how do you know Charlotte Clark? She’s... been dead for over 100 years...” Winter knew she wasn’t in the best position to be asking questions, but maybe if he was going to finish her he would at least indulge a little.

Fucking son of a bitch. Winter Clark? The vampire pulled away sharply, turning his head so that he could force himself to retract the fangs... though was harder than sounded. As mouth watering as she smelled, he couldn’t kill an innocent young woman just because she looked like Charlotte Clark. Though she looked so damn identical. They could be twins for fucks sake. 

Vincent took a deep breath before turning back to look at the fallen girl. He ran his fingers through his blonde hair, trying to straighten out to look less like a monster. The last thing he needed was to kill a mortal to keep his secret. He wasn’t in the mood. 

“Right. My apologies. I mistaked you for someone else.” Urg, that sounded lame. She was absolutely going to tell someone.“I’ll get that,” he gestured to the discarded car door on the ground. “Thing fixed.” The elite looked over her car, seeing it for the first time... and what a piece of crap it was. “If you want it fixed...”

Vincent cleared his throat awkwardly. “I can also give you compensation for the emotional stress that was inflicted on you this evening as well as compensation to honestly not speak of this incident to anyone and I will find out if you do.” His face was cold and emotionless as he took out his phone and wallet. “I can take your information when you’re mentally ready.”

Hearing the absolute trash come out of his mouth Winter looked at the male in disbelief. Was this guy for real? Without thinking she let out a laugh but she was pissed, he’d almost killed her, ripped off her car door and asked her to keep quiet? Yeah right.

Winter stood up dusting off her clothing and took a brief glance at her hand, low and behold there was a piece of glass embedded into her skin. Great, that’s all I need. But that would need to be dealt with later, right now she was about to give this asshole a piece of her mind.

“Are you fucking kidding me right now? Due to ‘mistaken identity’ you almost killed me! You know you’re supposed to ask someone their name first not just assume.” Winter knew what she did next was asking for a death wish, but she was annoyed at his typical ‘rich’ attitude. Closing the gap between the two she poked his chest with some force. “I don’t give a damn about the car, if you had only damaged my car then fine, but you tried to KILL me! That’s it with you typical rich folk though, you think everyone can be bought, well I’m not everyone”

Well if he didn’t have a reason to kill her before he did now. Winter took a step back and let out a sigh, why did this shit always have to happen to her. It pissed her off at how he looked at her car, sure the car wasn’t a top of the range model but she didn't want to draw attention to herself. She HAD money but she lived alone and didn’t want people to know that, but again that was typical “rich” behavior, everything had been handed to them from ‘mommy and daddy’.

Winter glared at the man in front of her. “I don’t want your money. I just want to go home, so if you’re not gonna finish what you started then move aside, I’ve had a shit night and want it to be over.”

It took him aback to have the young female retaliate but... he supposed that he had been quite out of touch with his manners as of late. Vincent pocketed the wallet and phone, taking the hint that money wasn’t going to mend the situation. He tightened his jaw, exhaling deeply through the nose. Stay calm, stay calm. It’s been months since you’ve had an incident.

The man stepped closer, blocking the entry to the damaged vehicle. She was rightfully upset with him and honestly it was an utterly young vampire thing of him to do. “I would greatly appreciate it if you kept your voice down,” he spoke seriously. “I understand that you do not know my motives but it is not your life I sought for.”

“Please allow me to give you a ride home since you refuse to accept my gravest apology any simpler or easier way.” The vampire hoped Winter would take into account the emphasis in his tone. Humor, sarcasm and emotional attitudes tend to go over his head most of the time and seemed to provoke his more monstrous nature rather than deescalate situations.

Winter watched as he stepped in front of her car blocking her from entering it. She almost rolled her eyes at his actions. She knew he wasn’t going to make things easy for her nor let this slide. But neither was she... Watching as he put his phone and money away Winter felt pleased with herself, she wasn’t much of a confrontational person, but this rich kid in front of her deserved it, she wasn’t about to let him think he’d gotten off scot-free.

Letting out a sigh at his way of asking her to keep her voice down. She ran her fingers through her hair which was now a sticky mess from the panic of the attack from earlier, she wanted nothing more than to get home and in the shower. She just wanted tonight to be over with. “Fine... I do have to take into consideration the people living around here. After all, it would be troublesome for you if one of my colleagues heard me shouting at you in the parking lot now, wouldn’t it?”

At his next comment though Winter couldn’t help but let out a laugh, was this guy being for real? “You’re kidding right? Listen I don’t care what your motives are or were. I don’t think you understand where I’m coming from. You realize the severity of the shit you pulled tonight right? You seem like a smart guy. Well you look smart, around here if you think you recognize someone you generally ask their name first before you start choking someone out.”

The situation they were both in was almost comical to a degree, something you’d seen in a teen drama for fucks sake. She looked at the state of her car and knew it was going to be a long walk home tonight. In the dark. With creeps like the guy in front of her wandering around. Times like this she wished she’d listened to her friend and bought something to defend herself with.

She once more ran her fingers through her hair but stopped halfway as the guy in front offered to give her a ride home. Was he being serious? Did he honestly think she would fall for that? Just so he could drive her to some remote location and finish the job? Yeah right. But she had one of two choices, take her chances with this guy or attempt to make it home in one piece by herself and her house was at least 2 hours walk away from here. After giving it some thought she decided to take her chances with the creep in front of her, after all he looked normal. It was inside what worried her.

“Yeah fine, I don’t really fancy the two-hour walk to my house at this hour, apart from you there are a lot of creeps about. Just please don’t try any more shit? I’ve had enough for one night...”

The cold-skinned man tried his hardest to be enthused about the offer. Winter seemed very inclined about the whole incident, which to be honest, is rightfully human of her. The odds were stacked against him and he wasn’t about to kill her out of annoyance. Just... one car ride.

“I promise on my life, the next time I want to kill somebody, I will ask for their name,” he rolled his eyes, turning on his heel. “Come, the night is waning.” He searched for the keys in his overcoat and unlocked the 2020 Bentley Continental. He tried to rack up a believable idea for the mistake since he was sure Winter would be continuously persistent. 

Vincent waited as the descendent gathered up her things and joined in the passenger seat. There were a few awkward moments as he watched her in his peripheral before he put the soft humming car into drive. He input her address into the smart car after she’d given it to him and remained silent, thinking about his next response. 

“I... want to let you know that I’m a history enthusiast. Charlotte Clark happened to be someone involved in my own personal family past that has saddened my elders for quite some time.” If he had any. He cleared his throat. “I don’t know what came over me- going after someone whom I know to be long dead. That’s ridiculous.”

Watching as the emotionless creep in front of her roll his eyes and turn around Winter pulled a face and stuck her middle finger up. Yes, it was childish of her, and would most likely regret it later but this dude was seriously beginning to piss her off. He was acting like this was all her fault, for the 1000th time she’d thought this tonight ‘typical rich boy’ attitude. She quickly gathered up her things from the floor not wanting to waste any more of his precious time and made her way over to his ‘look how much money I have’ car. Winter nearly rolled her eyes but stopped herself, after all, he was giving her a ride home.

Winter made herself as comfortable as she could in this situation and watched him do what he needed to do. For a few moments, she thought about giving him an address near her home so he didn’t actually know where she lived. But after giving it some thought he seemed like someone with contacts and would find her easily if he needed to so there was no point in lying about it.

The car ride home was as awkward as Winter had expected but she wasn’t about to start a conversation with the man who nearly killed her, she just wanted to get home and never see him again. To her surprise, though he did his best to what she guessed was an apology, even if it was the most ridiculous thing she’d ever heard. But at this point? Winter was close to her home and she wouldn’t have to deal with him again... she hoped. Her best option, for now, was to just go along with it. 

“Ahh... I see. So I’m guessing you’ve seen a picture of Charlotte? If so then you know we look practically identical and your emotions got the better of you? Well, at least you’ve admitted that you acted like someone with little to no sanity would act. I don’t exactly know what happened with your family and Charlotte but there’s no use chasing after a dead woman. There’s nothing you can do about it and if you let this anger continue to fester inside you. Then it will be the thing that destroys you...”

Winter knew she was stepping out of line here and whatever happened with Charlotte and his family was none of her business. But she wasn’t the only one to step out of line tonight so had he and it was only fair Winter had her say. Whether he would listen to her or not it was his choice. Feeling a little awkward about telling someone how to live their life she ran her fingers through her hair shuffling a little in her seat.

“Look I’m in no position to tell you how to live your life but you seem like an intelligent guy, someone with a lot of wisdom. An old soul maybe. All I’m saying is the next time you decide to let your emotions explode at the sight of someone, the next person may not be as understanding...”

As they turned onto her street Winter breathed out a discreet sigh of relief. She knew he would be just as happy to have her out of his hair as she was to get away from him. Especially after the mom speech she just unloaded onto him.

Her reaction was... much different than how he imagined it would be. Instead of berating him further, Winter chose a softer, more counseling approach whilst still taking a jab at his sanity. Though he absolutely doubted he’d find anyone he hated more than Charlotte Clark. No amount of years could erase that turmoil. 

Eventually, they made it to the rural neighborhood cruising along the empty streets till he slowed in front of an averagely plain house though definitely worth more than $150,000 on the open market. Vincent didn’t understand why his mind was still dwelling on the past but he shouldn’t have been surprised she’d come from some money. He put the Bentley in park, looking over through the girl’s passenger window. “You must be married or extremely fortunate.” Though the Clark family line has branched off for some time, he was sure that inheritance would have run dry by now. There was never a shortage of human greed. 

The pale skinned man pulled back, meeting Winter’s dark gaze. “The offer is still open should you ever need anything.” He dipped a hand into his breast pocket, pulling out a clean, crisp cardstock business card with print in blood red. It read:

Vincent Everest, II

CEO -  Board Chair

The Unit

Phone: 555-609-8913

“Forgive the ‘rich folk’ attitude I possess, as you call it. I don’t get out much.” The vampire wanted to make it clear what he was offering for the future. Whether she found herself needing money, protection or an organ transplant, as his company profited in, he would gladly be of service. A long term promise that didn’t even need to be fulfilled tomorrow or in three years. He wasn’t going anywhere. 

As the two stopped outside of her house Winter could feel her bed calling her. Which was surprising after the night she’d had you’d thinking would be the last thing on her mind. Any one else would have waited for him to pull away and then ring the police, this thought did cross her mind though and let’s face it if the police turned up at his door the next day he would instantly know it was her who had reported him. By the looks of him he was someone in power and everyone knew that if you were in power you were able to control the police and bend them to whatever you needed to make go away.

At the end of the day he hadn’t murdered her and he was ‘kind’ enough to drop her home. Winter just hoped that after all of this is would be a wake up call to him, knowing that he needed to control his temper and not jump to conclusions.

The guy next to her bought her out of her thoughts though as he made a comment about the cost of her house. Winter couldn’t help but roll her eyes. His comment was somewhat patronising, he was basically stating that either her family paid for her house or she married some rich man, you’d think people would have moved on in the times and that women would be able to make money for themselves without being questioned. Trying her best to not keep herself from exploding for the second time tonight she just flashed him the most sarcastic smile she could.

“Why a matter of fact yes my family are by no means poor. But this house? I paid for myself, I worked my ass off for this house working at the bar and investing everything I had into my own business. And to answer your question no I’m not married nor do I plan to be for a long time. Most men I’ve came across in my time have either been so far up their own ass they can do no wrong or just plain misogynistic pigs, but hey I’m sure Mr.Right is out there somewhere.”

Feeling as though she had made her point across she still needed to thank him for going out of his way to drop her home after the shit show of earlier. As he handed her his card Winter gave her most believing smile knowing full well that card would be going in the trash as soon as she was behind closed doors. There was nothing in this world he could do to make up for tonight. You couldn’t put a price on someone’s life and Winter valued hers very much. She scanned the card looking at the name and then turned her attention to the man who’s name she knew now as Vincent.

“Thank you... Vincent. And regardless of what happened tonight I appreciate you driving me back home. As you know full well there are a lot of creeps around here and I didn’t fancy a walk back, you know no my car is trashed... Goodbye Vincent.”

Winter stepped out of the car shutting it behind her not bothering to look back. She pulled her keys out of her bag and unlocked her door. As she flicked on the lights she locked the door behind her and put the deadlock on. This Vincent couldn’t be trusted and now he knew where she lived she needed to be all the more careful in case he ever came back to finish the job. As she flicked the card on the breakfast bar she made up way upstairs to the bedroom. The morning couldn’t come quick enough and her eyes were heavy. Winter needed to catch up on her sleep ready for her shift at the bar tomorrow, there was some orders which also needed to be fulfilled for a couple of her clients.

As she sat on the edge of her bed the picture of Charlotte caught her attention. Picking up the picture frame Winter stared at it for a few minutes trying to make sense of tonight. Why on earth would he show so much hatred towards someone who had been dead or so long? There’s no way he could have met her. Then a previous memory popped into her head, what her mother told her not long after her grandma has passed away.

According to what your grandmother and great grandmother told me as a child, she was a vampire hunter, apparently almost as famous as Van Helsing at that time if you believe that sort of thing. Well, apparently Charlotte was the main vampire hunter in taking down a family of vampires by “befriending” one of the male ones. Well to cut a long story short they massacred the family and were deemed hero’s from it.

“There’s no way... I mean that would make him nearly 200 years old. No no no there’s no way vampires exist, I’m just tired and in shock. I must be losing my damn mind...But still why does he have so much hatred to you?”

Winter placed the photo back on the table and removed her clothes throwing them on the floor. In her underwear she got under the covers and lay back, looking up at the ceiling, her eyes began to well up as it then hit her how close she came tonight to dying. But her stubbornness stopped her showing any weakness. Soon enough though the tiredness took over and she found herself drifting off to sleep.

Vincent smiled as he watched the fired up softie leave the Bentley, not even humoring a glance over her shoulder. Despite how obviously annoying she was, Winter did possess a sort of charm. Bitter and unwavering. 

Taking a deep breath, he put the car back in drive and absentmindedly drove back to his home just outside of city limits. He gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles going white as he finally gave himself a moment to reflect on the incident. A descendent? This close to his home, work, family (what was left of it)? Was it truly a coincidence or was this a sign?

The thought of Charlotte’s return sent shivers down his spine. He knew he was stronger. He knew he was the superior being but he also knew he was weak. Weak to trust, weak to darkness and weak to affections. No one has passed that boundary since and no one again will.

He pulled up to the automatic black gate, continuing past till he reached the dark front door of the three story home hidden away by overgrowth. The vampire cut the engine, a man opening the main door as he stepped out of the vehicle. The man, pale as he was, was a mere husk in comparison to the owner. Thin and lanky, their kind were always servants to the blood drinkers as far back as stories could tell. In the turn of the century, Vincent had made it clear that they no longer live in discriminating times, that the liche could move on to the next world but Parsival politely refused. 

Sensing the fowl mood his master had arrived in, the corpse stepped to the side. “The sitting room needs a redecorating,” he rasped, Vincent dropping his business cashmere jacket into his thin arms. 

“Thank you, Parsival.” He stepped through the doorway on the right, a lavish sitting room decorated in a modern style that Vincent absolutely hated but kept strictly for appearances. It was for business meetings, senseless press interviews, one night stands, salesmen who couldn’t take a hint. He grabbed the nearest accent chair and flung it across the room, the cheap furniture bursting upon impact. The immortal continued his rampage tossing tables, desks, chairs, glass, books... Anything to try and ease the pent up energy that ached in his muscles and tore at the beast within. 

Black and red. Nothing ev’r hath changed and anon the past hath returned.

Surrounded in splintered wood and shattered glass, the man slouched against the wall, burying his head in his hands until he could no longer hear the screams of his dying family ringing in his ears.

The warmth of the sunlight slowly began to creep in through the windows and onto her skin. Charlotte slowly opened her eyes and turned her head to look at the sunlight. A faint smile appeared on her face as she reached for her robe and wrapped it around her tying a quick knot. With a swift opening of the doors, Charlotte stepped out onto the balcony, taking in the warmth of the sun a much larger smile appearing now. “What a beautiful morning! I never understood how those damned creatures could give all this up.”

Spending a few more moments taking in the beauty of the morning she decided it was time to get dressed and join the rest of her family downstairs. There was to be a meeting of some sort about more potential attacks in the area. Her father had suspected it was a group attacking but he needed more evidence before acting on it.

If things had been left down to Charlotte they would have had all the evidence they needed, she knew she was smart enough to be able to outwit a vampire, after all even though they had many advantages over humans they also had many flaws. With the thoughts beginning to put her in a bad mood, Charlotte finished getting ready and left her bedroom door.

The slow walk down the hallway began and she could already hear her siblings and father talking and although she was the eldest in her family she was the only female. The rest of her siblings were boys which meant when anything happened to their father, the next eldest male would inherit the business. Although at first, it angered Charlotte she quickly came to terms with it, after all, she was living in a man’s society where they made all of the rules. But Charlotte had her own plans, her father knew she was the most experienced when it came to being a vampire hunter, everyone did. So eventually she would make her own fortune and her own business, she just needed the right moment.

Joining her family at the table she took a seat next to her father who was deep in thought in his newspaper, most likely scanning articles for the latest murder of the day. Charlotte grabbed a bread roll from the table and a chunk of butter. She was never one for eating early especially as it was her turn to patrol the streets tonight. Flashing a quick glance at her 4 younger brothers they equally glanced back. They all knew their father was on edge about these attacks. He’d taken on maybe one or two at a time but never any more.

“The rumors about the attacks are true. I also believe we have enough evidence to act upon it. My contact down at the funeral parlor has confirmed all the bodies within the last week all had the same two holes either on their neck or wrist. They also revealed to me the body had been drained of blood, there was no sign of a struggle so my guess is that the creature snuck up on these poor victims without them even knowing. All of the attacks have been a night in a secluded area. The coroner also mentioned that five out of the six victims had been drinking the same night they were attacked.”

He then turned his attention to Charlotte and smiled lightly placing his hand on hers. “I have trained you well enough to trust you will be able to handle this if I send you to the bar area, I know you don't like to but please dress as feminine as possible for a chance to lure one of them in. If you can take one of them out then do it, my darling daughter.”

“As you know your dear mother was taken from us early by one of these monsters, I knew there was something wrong when I went to see her body, I fought for the information until it leads me to believe these monsters were indeed walking amongst us, treating us as walking meals. I vowed from that day I became a single parent I would first protect my children from these monsters until they were old enough to defend themselves. So please my children don’t let me down.”

The 3 brothers and Charlotte all stood up at the same time and bowed in front of their father then took turns in each kissing him on the cheek.

--

Hours had passed and it was now evening. As her father had asked of her Charlotte had put on her best gown and went to town in the day to purchase some heavier makeup. She was never one for impressing and her father never pushed her to it knowing her brothers would keep her safe so marriage was never a thing unless she herself wanted to get married. Standing in front of her bedroom mirror she gave herself one last look over, feeling pleased with the appearance she then attached a small stake to her calf, holy water in her pouch, and of course her mother’;s necklace of Jesus on the cross. Charlotte had always worn it when she was hunting and tonight was no different. Tying it around her neck she let the cross fall in her cleavage so it was tucked away and hidden. So no vampires would see she was protected.

Outside a carriage was waiting for her. It was only a short walk to town but her father wanted to make sure she looked ‘rich’. A woman of wealth in that part of town would be the perfect target for any vampires. Charlotte’s identity remained hidden in the family through her own choice which also had its advantages, which meant she could ask questions about the murders and no one would suspect otherwise.

A short while later, the carriage came to a halt and the door was opened for her. Thanking the driver Charlotte stepped out and began surveying her surroundings, there were many people and bars, which meant for a creature of the night this would be a banquet. Standing in the centre of it all she figured which would be the best place to stop at first, the vampires in question didn’t seem in particular to gender or age which made things more difficult, it meant Charlotte would need to start at the very beginning.

Whilst she was deep in thought something caught her attention out the corner of her eye. It was one of them, pale skin, perfect handsome features, and blonde hair was making his was over to her. She thought it rather bold of him to approach her in public but then again with so many murders happening no one would help anyway. Immediately turning on the charm Charlotte flashed him a dazzling smile, ready to attack when the moment called for it.

Another birthday, another year. Franklin had almost thought himself nearly invincible with how many wars he’d been in, how many careers he’d pursued and how many women and men he slept with. If even disease couldn’t kill a skilled vampire, then maybe he truly was a god amongst mortals. 

Vincent though, could never take his elder seriously. You can do this- you can do that bullshit that made becoming immortal seem so trivial. Can’t he just live out his days with booze, women and blood on his tongue? Mingling away into the night and doing it all over again? He never tired. He never starved and even avoiding the daylight was easy enough if he knew where to look. “But carousing and amorous rite can only receiveth thee through so many years. You can find a purpose- a meaning to the et’rnity yond we’re curs’d with and to maketh it last forever, you cannot kill whom thee prithee.”

And so the youngling had not killed for pleasure, in fact, he rarely killed out of need. Let it be his luck that he’d be revived into a home full of existential aware vampires but... being around them was the best thing that ever happened in his downtrought life. Despite being a form of undead, he’d never felt so alive, so freed from the restraints of mortality and fear. Since they did not kill whimsically, they had not feared the spiteful humans either. “Hunters will acknowledge reason,” Franklin once said, “They art ‘mongst the mortals that are most in tune with the netherside. Those gents can see us creatures when most cannot seeth past their own nose. If you happen to cross one that’s in tune, shareth thy table and shareth thy drink. Thou art not more superior than anyone else.”

These rules were not hard to follow. He quite enjoyed the rivers of humanity. He loved the food, drink, parties, joy and music. He lived in the moment, everything feeling truly like the eternal gift it was meant to be. 

1852 London, England, not much discovery happening on the evolutionary end but, boy, was the whiskey hard and the music loud. Brass instruments played alongside a violin string as the crowd laughed and danced. The Horned Raven Tavern was a special establishment created and owned by a vampire his family made peace with. A safe haven of sorts for their kind to lose a little control and relax with others of their kind. Humans could join as well, but being in a more posh side of London, it was considered quite exclusive and the owner knew to choose wisely. 

Vincent had taken to the outside, cooling from the hot temperature of the bar and smoking the new cigar his father gifted him for his birthday. The South Americans, they knew how to get it right. He was wiping the bead of sweat from his brow when a carriage pulled close to the curb, a woman dressed in a ravishing gown stepping out with such grace, he knew she must have the wrong stop. No one like that stopped here with hungry men.

Then... there was the smell the evening breeze fatefully blew his way and in that moment, the youngling knew he had to have her. A perfect gift for an endless day. Absently, he extinguished the cigar on the brick wall of the tavern before crossing the gravel towards the mysterious woman with the delicious aroma. Who cared if she was here for someone else. She was going to be his. 

“Good evening, madam,” he greeted, flashing his debonair smile. “Forgive me, I saw you through the dark and I could have sworn you were so radiant, I thought I was gazing upon the moon herself.” He took her hand, pale skin meeting his lips. “I pray that you will agree to join me for a drink if you are so inclined?”

This was what Charlotte had been trained for since childhood. She knew exactly where to strike if there was a need for it. The charm was practically leaking out of his mouth to the point Charlotte thought it disgusting. But she had a role to play and not even being in this hell hole of an area for half an hour she’d already found a creature of the night. Which made her think how many more of them were here. There were rumors of vampire owned taverns, which meant if Charlotte turned on the charm there was a chance this vampire would show her one of the locations.

Smiling at his comment, she placed her hand in his feeling the cold touch of his lips on her skin. Charlotte tensed her stomach wanting to immediately wash the filth off her skin as she grinned through it. “You flatter me kind sir. I feel as though you have arrived here at the perfect time. My mother arranged for me to meet with a potential suitor, but I fear he has not shown. Which has me a little disheartened. So tonight sir I would very much enjoy your company.”

Charlotte hooked her arm inside of his as he led her down the street. After a while of walking under the street lights, the two of them stopped in front of a building called The Horned Raven Tavern. The area was much nicer now which intrigued Charlotte. Did this mean that even the wealthy had been corrupted by the darkness? Was there anyone that hadn’t come under the influence of these creatures?

Making sure to take note of the Tavern she turned to the vampire whose arm was still intertwined with her own. Again flashing him another charming smile she opened her mouth to speak. “Is this the place? I can’t say I’ve been here before but it looks divine.”

Charlotte knew she was taking a risk stepping in to what could be a vampire-invested building, but she’d noticed humans entering and leaving the building which meant it wasn’t a slaughterhouse for now. The thought of humans giving themselves to these creatures made her sick to her stomach. She needed to get as much information as possible out of him without arousing suspicion as quickly as possible and then get home to the safety of her bed. She could handle one vampire but there was no way she could handle more than one.

His smile grew more jubilant at her response. How lucky was he that he truly stumbled upon a woman as delicious as her with no suitor? Vincent couldn’t hide the excitement that he felt and really didn’t care to do so. Let the gorgeous lady see how she affected him with just simple words. Life was short for the mortals. Every moment was a gift. “Exactly what I wanted to hear.”

The youngling hugged her arm carefully to his side, leading her down the sidewalk and into the gravel walkway of the Horned Raven Tavern. “Divine? Hardly,” he scoffed, running his fingers through his slightly matted hair. “I’d say classy- maybe, but ev’n then would rather be in a good ol’ shindig downtown.” The vampire gripped the wooden handle and opened the tavern door into a lively and loud party. 

“It’s someone’s birthday,” he explained briefly as he led her to a small bar table to the side. “Be still your thoughts, I shall return.” Vincent turned on his heel, crossing to the bar and catching the owner’s eye immediately. 

“I did not approve of this wench you dragged in.”

The vampire scoffed. “Hardly a wench. Look at those curves, attire and smell. There is nothing destitute or whorish about her.”

“Only cause it’s y’r special day I’m lettin’ it ‘appen.” The shaggy haired vampire pushed two pints of beer towards Vincent, the youngling smirked as he pulled them close. 

“Thanks Larkin, I’ll send your regards.”

Larkin groaned deeply in response before turning away from the counter.

Vincent hurried back, sliding the glass to his evening guest and taking a seat himself. “Fancy yourself impressed? All this music and dancing- do you like to dance?” He asked, taking a long chug of his drink.

The creature that scoffed at her comment almost made her stake him right here and now, but she had a job to do and she wasn’t about to do something as foolish as stake a vampire in front of a tavern full of them. Instead, she just flashed her most seductive smile and followed him into the tavern. As the door opened lights and music were revealed to her, women were dancing and laughing amongst themselves, the men were being their usual selves, drinking grabbing women when they walked past. Unfortunately, that was something Charlotte would never be able to change. As she walked past them still holding onto the creature next to her he leads her to a small bar table.

Not much sooner as she took her seat he disappeared, Charlotte presumed it was to get drinks which she would be vigilant about, she’d heard stories of men preying on vulnerable women by inebriating them and then taking them down a dark alley to do god knows what. Charlotte would not be one of those women. As she glanced around the room she noticed some stares from both sexes, some were smiles and some were scowls. They either knew she was a human and didn’t want her here or it was simply because she was an outsider and had never been to this part of town alone before.

The ones that smiled she returned, keeping up her innocent act. The vampire promptly returned with two large glasses of beer. Something with caught Charlotte by surprise. When she had been introduced to males her father set up they never once bought her something as common as beer. It was always wine or champagne but even though it was known as a poor man’s drink beer was always her favorite. So it was a nice change from the more expensive drinks she was forced to.

Bringing the beer glass to her lips she took a sip and smiled. It wasn’t the best beer but it sure as hell wasn’t the worst either. “It’s delicious thank, you Sir. But I heard you mention it’s someone’s birthday? Is it a friend of yours perhaps? Is this the reason for the music and dancing or is this the usual thing here?” Charlotte shuffled in her seat to get more comfortable, the corset was digging into her ribs, she knew she was going to be here at least until the early hours of the morning so she may as well make herself comfortable in the meantime.

Flashing the creature another seductive smile as he began to speak she let out a slight chuckle. “I am indeed very much so. You can tell I’m obviously not from this part of town so it’s nice to be around a different atmosphere. Rich people are a little too pompous for my liking.” There was truth in Charlotte’s comment, she did usually hate rich people, if they had more money than you, well they certainly liked to make you aware of it and if you had more money than them, well the groveling was so obvious to the point it was disgusting, everyone was false in the world of wealth.

Bringing the beer to her lips once more for another sip, the creature had asked another question, did she like to dance? There was nothing she despised more, it was a pathetic excuse for a man to get his dirty hands on a woman’s figure, but she wasn’t about to let him know that. Showing him the facial expression of pure excitement she clapped her hands together. “Yes Sir! I love nothing more than to dance, especially with all this wondrous music I thought you would never ask! However, I must insist on introductions before we do something so informal do you not agree? My name is Charlotte it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

Vincent swallowed the drink hard, adjusting himself on the wooden seat slightly closer to hear her delicate voice over the ruckus of his comrades. “Oh, I forget who’s birthday it is,” he smiled. Mine, actually. But they know a human when they see one. “But these blokes don’t need a reason to joyfully drink the night away or dance to their heart’s content. It would be a shame not to live every day like it was your last.”

The vampire took in another hearty gulp before continuing. “Wealthy or not- a rich courosing is always good fun and even the most pompous asshole couldn’t outdrink the men here.” Vincent loosened the tie around his neck, dashing another smile at the pure music of her name. “Charlotte,” he mused, taking her hand in his and bringing it to his lips once more. “You can call me Vincent.”

The youngling finished off his golden beer and stepped off the stool, turning with flawless grace to reach a hand out to her. “Come now, shall we dance, mon cheri?” Vincent could barely contain his excitement, hoping for a long evening with booze, dancing and this beautiful woman at his side. 

If only just for one night...

There was finally a name that came with the handsome face. It was a shame Charlotte found him completely repulsive, maybe if he wasn’t a disgusting blood sucker maybe things would have been different. She flashed him a beautiful smile as she placed her hand in his standing up. “It’s wonderful to meet you Vincent”.

Charlotte almost had to stop herself from blushing and getting carried away, he certainly was charming, one of the many traits he used to sink his fangs into some poor woman’s neck. Vincent quickly finished the remainder of his drink as Charlotte waited. She placed her hand in his once more as he lead her to the centre of the dance floor.

Lightly placing her hand on his shoulder, she smiled feeling his hand on her waist. Fortunately her corset blocked majority of her feeling his hand. As they began moving around the room Charlotte took in more of his features, she could definitely see the attraction which pulled in other women. They would have no idea something this beautiful looking could be so evil. But was he the one responsible for all of the attacks around the area. Nobody knew what the attacker looked like, simply that they left bite marks in the victim, which made things more difficult.

All the while they were dancing the two of them stared into each other’s eyes and smiled. Charlotte could feel the stares burning into the back of her head from the others in the tavern which made her feel uncomfortable simply for the fact she was outnumbered. However she had prepared herself for this and she wasn’t about to let anyone know she wasn’t a simple woman that was dancing with a potential suitor. So to make things seem like they were going well as much as she hated every second of it, she leaned forward and rested her head on his shoulder as they continued to dance.

Winter gasped as she opened her eyes, a light sweat had formed on her head as she looked around the room trying to get her bearings, breathing a sigh of relief she was in her bedroom. Turning to her bedside table she switched on the lamp, reached for her phone and looked at the time 12:40pm. Well there was no point in going back to sleep now. Finding the energy to pull her legs out from under the sheets, Winter simply sat at the edge of her bed for a few moments staring at the photo of her ancestor Charlotte.

Picking up the frame she studied it for a few moments with a frown. “Now why of all things am I dreaming about you? It didn’t even feel like a dream. More like a memory. But the weirdest thing of all…”

Winter now got up taking the picture frame with her as she made her way downstairs turning the lights on as she passed them. Arriving in the kitchen she looked at the breakfast bar, another frown appearing on her face. She set the picture next to the card she had received from the creepy guy the night before. “It’s weird enough dreaming about you, but why in the hell am I dreaming about that guy?”

Then Winter thought back to last night, he asked her if her name was Charlotte. Glancing at the card on the table it read Vincent, the same as the guy in her dream. “It couldn’t be could it?” Winter shook her head, pushing her hair back she sighed. “There’s no way. I must be losing my mind…”

It was finally Saturday which meant the club would be open a lot later tonight, things were a lot more lively and it was a perfect opportunity to wear the dress she had been working on. But first she needed a large cup of coffee and to finish a clients gown before she even began thinking of herself. She wondered if ‘Vincent’ would drop by and actually stay this time. He said to call him any time but Winter wasn’t about to let him know he was forgiven for the stunt he pulled last night.

While vampires didn’t need sleep, the man took refuge in a hollow coffin carved back in the 16th century with the wood of a cursed diseased tree. His father- adopted father- had said that the blood of a witch had spilled on it’s roots, a sign of good luck that the dead never truly die. It was always a comforting story especially in the days after his Turning. They were painful but he held fast knowing it would end. 

Now Vincent laid in the stale darkness, the silence deafening in comparison with the thoughts in his head. This silence eventually grounded him back in reality. 

It had... been quite some time since he’d been lost to the screams of the past. It was a weight that he could never lay to rest, no matter how much he tried to repent. The only vengeance suitable would be the death of the wench but it had been a deed lost to time. There was no point in murdering a decedent when they had no part of the evil deeds of their ancestors. 

But she did reap from it. He scoffed, cutting the quiet. How long had he been lying here? 

Vincent pushed open the coffin, the creak echoing across the beams of the wide cellar. In the gloom he could make out the shapes of the antique furniture and chests filled with ornate objects and personal relics. Still in his office clothes, he pushed himself out of the coffin and quickly took the stairs without so much as a sound or bead of sweat. The lich was in the foyer, waiting with a glass of B positive and his smartphone.

The vampire scrolled through the messages as he drank. Through the dull monotony of his business emails, his thoughts drifted back to Winter. Vincent was still utterly amazed at how uncanny their appearances resembled one another. Even through the passage of time, they even shared similar personality traits. Hopefully Winter surpassed the habit of treachery. 

Saturday night. It was the perfect time to pay her a visit. At this point in his immortal existence, he could care less if the mortal wanted him around. It was his morbid curiosity that he had to satisfy. To drink up, if you will. Just a pop of color in his black and gray world.

A huge chunk of Winter’s time was spent finishing the last details of her client’s outfit which made her think would she have enough time to finish her own. As she looked at the clock it was now 2 pm. With breakfast having already been skipped it looks like lunch would be as well. After all, it wasn’t the first time Winter had skipped meals to get jobs done.

With a heavy sigh she made her way back into the kitchen for her tenth cup of coffee today, after the night she’d had it was the only thing keeping her going…

Returning to her seat she placed her mug on the side and began working away once more, this was one of the more detailed pieces she’d commissioned in a long time, Winter loved a challenge but when the client wanted it ready for the night Winter worked the most, well she was on a deadline which didn’t leave a lot of time for herself.

A few more hours had passed and she was now finally finished. Winter looked down at her pin-pricked fingers and smiled, the hard work and pain had paid off, the dress was perfect and she knew her client would love it. Winter glanced at the clock once more it was now 4 pm. If she worked quickly she would be able to get her dress finished and leave enough time to get herself ready and head to work.

Blood sweat and tears had gone into her dress, it was a little more revealing around the waist compared to what she usually wore, but Winter was trying out different styles, and what better way to test it out on herself, the customers were her feedback and it was a good way to advertise her clothing. Her client’s dress was already in a gown cover hanging on her door ready to go. Going over everything in her head Winter was ready to head to work, on the off chance she got there early she would have time for food, depending on if she got there in one piece in her car.

Then it struck her, she didn’t have a car, Winter looked around in frustration. “Fuck! Fuck, fuck fuck fuck. This can’t be happening right now! Winter how could you be so stupid!”

Rummaging around in her bag she pulled out her phone and looked for her boss’ number. Frantically tapping the call button, she held the phone to her ear relieved when it began ringing and finally heard the click of someone on the other end picking up. “Hey Frank? Thank god, I was wondering if I could ask for a huge favor. My uh car broke down last night, thankfully a customer dropped me home but I need a ride to work, would you be able to pick me up on the way?”

“Hey Winter I’m really sorry girl but my car is in repair myself, some idiot went into the back of me yesterday on the way back from the store. It’s going to be out of business for a couple of weeks. Do you have anyone else you could ask for a ride? It doesn’t matter if you’re late I can ask Mikayla to open up if you need me to?”

Winter’s heart dropped, the one time she needed a lift and something like this happened, the universe certainly wasn’t on her side at the moment. “It’s fine Frank don’t worry about it, I’ll get there no matter what. You know I wouldn’t miss a Saturday for anything. If you could ask Mikayla to open up for me though that would be a huge help. I’ll drop you a message when I’m on my way”.

Winter hung up the phone and sighed, there was no one else she could call and it would take her at least 2 hours to get to the bar and that’s without carrying the gown for her client who wanted to wear it tonight. She could call for a cab but it would be costly, especially on a Saturday night. Then a thought occurred to her, there was one person she could call, after all, it was his fault she was in this mess, to begin with. As much as she hated the idea she was desperate, so with a heavy heart she picked up the card that was on the kitchen counter and began to dial the number.

Placing the phone to her ear Winter waited, it wasn’t something she felt comfortable with but she had no other choice. Then she heard the familiar voice at the other end. “Hey… uh it’s me Winter from last night? I was wondering if I could ask for a favor, I need a ride to work, as you know my car is… broken. I would be grateful if you could take me? I’ll even throw in a drink on the house.” Winter felt as though she’d just asked someone for a huge amount of money, she felt cheeky for even asking someone for something especially the person who had nearly killed her the previous night, it was like something out of a crappy soap opera.