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A loud scream echoed through the small shop, followed by “stop it, Jalen.” The few patrons turned towards the source to see two small children running around. A boy, who is assumed to be Jalen, was chasing the little girl with vampire fangs in his mouth and fake blood on his face.
“But I want to suck your blood, Sophie,” Jalen said with an attempted accent as her chased the little girl, Sophie around the shop.
Jalen, Sophie!” A young woman called out to them, causing the children to stop in their tracks. “I told you guys to stop kidding around. Now get over here.” Sophie and Jalen ran to where the woman was standing. “I’m so sorry about them,” she put the items she wanted to purchase on the counter, “I don’t what’s getting into them, must be the full moon.”
“Oh they’re fine. One of mine gets real rowdy during the full moon,” Athena told her as she rung up the woman’s items. Out of her peripheral vision she could see Robert smiling in amusement. After telling her the total, she payed, “have a great one.”
The woman took the bag from her, “thanks, you too,” she and her kids left.
The few customers that were in the shop payed for the items they had and left. Soon it was empty and there was no one but Robert and Athena in the store.
Robert took advantage of the moment alone. While she was distracted by the books she was writing in, he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, “Have I told how much I love this little shop you’ve got here?” he breathed into her neck. He had to resist the urge to attach his lips to her pulse point.
“Robert, stop, someone could come in at any second.”
“That’s why you should close up shop for a while and come take a walk with me.”
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.” Athena silently moved out of his hold and moved towards the door. “Well, come on before I change my mind.” Athena made sure to lock up behind them when they left.
They weren’t even outside for two second before they heard a woman scream, “my purse!” Bobby and Athena looked back to see a man dressed and all black clothing running with the purse and two other men chasing after him.
Robert looked over at Athena. Her eyes took on their familiar yellow glow. He returned his focus to the guy, who seemed to suddenly trip over his own feet and fall, unceremoniously, to the concrete. The two guys running after were able to retrieve the purse and, deservingly, rough him up a bit.
He smirked as he looked back over at Athena. Her eyes had returned to their natural brown. She turned around and kept walking like nothing happened, “not a word Robert.”
“I wasn’t going to say anything.”
“Mm hmm.”
“I just find it cute that you always love to help the mortals.” As long as he’d known her and it had been a very long time, over 300 years, she’d always used her magic to help others. It was one of the things he loved most about her.
Athena glared at him and raised a hand. “Your magic doesn’t work on me, treasure. You know that.” He grabbed the hand and kissed the inside of her wrist.
“I don’t need magic to kill you, dearest.” She snatched her arm back. “I know your weaknesses.”
“It funny,” Robert said as he placed his hands behind his back. “You’ve been saying that, practically, since the day we met. Hasn’t happened yet.”
“That’s the amazing thing about immortality, there’s nothing but opportunity.”
“I’m hurt, treasure. Is this the thanks I get for saving you from that burning?”
“Must you always bring that up. And you saved me from nothing. It was laughable that piece of shit priest thought he could kill me.”
“You were tied to a pole, over a fire pit, surrounded by chanting idiots.”
“Semantics.” Athena waved it off as they kept walking, “though, I guess It was fun to see the fear in their eyes and you didn’t leave too much destruction in our wake. Didn’t even kill anyone.”
“Luckily for them I didn’t have to take it that far. They knew not to fuck with you ever again, hell that whole village did, and I knew I couldn’t violate the Wiccan Rede. You’d have been pissed.”
“I’d like to think I would have made an exception for those bastards.”
“After all the restraint I had to muster to completely mutilate them, now she tells me.” She ignored him as they kept walking. They walked in comfortable silence until they reached the Clubhouse a couple of blocks over.
“I should have known we were coming here.”
“Yes, you should have.” Robert saw the look he was giving her, “don’t look at me like that, you know you love it here. Plus, I thought I could use a drink.” His voice dropped an octave.
“You don’t drink alcohol.” Athena said cheekily, pretending she didn’t know what he was talking about.
“Not what I meant, treasure.” He smiled slyly as his pupils dilated and fangs descended.
As they walked into the club, Elaine gave them a wave as they passed the bar on the main floor and headed for his office in the back. As soon the door closed, he picked her up, placed her on the desk, and attached his lips to hers. He kissed along her jawline and moved down to the column of her neck.
“Don’t take too much, have me out here looking ashy like you did last time,” she grumbled.
He chuckled and said, “no promises, your fault you have the sweetest blood I’ve ever tasted,” before his fangs sunk in it the flesh of her neck. She moaned as her blood rushed into his mouth and down her throat. Hers was a taste unlike any other and he’d never tire of it.
His hands moved up her thighs, completely hating she was wearing pants today. Both of them were completely out of it, lost in what he was doing to her when, “oh fuck, sorry.”
Robert, reluctantly, retracted his fangs and lifted his head from Athena’s neck, at the sound of Buck’s voice. He was surprised that he’d been so distracted that he didn’t hear him coming. Athena swiped two fingers along her next and the holes he’d made there had healed. “Yes, Buck, what is it?”
“Oh, um, Lainey said you were back here. I was just coming to see if you needed anything from me, but you’re busy. I’ll come back-“
“It’s fine Buck,” Bobby smelled the strong sent of watermelon as backed up a bit from Athena “Buck did you go raiding watermelon patches again?
“Yeah, but it’s not my fault. There was some really good looking watermelons and I was hungry.”
“Did you let anyone catch you?” Athena asked him.
“No! Of course not. I’m smarter than that most... some of.... well, I was smarter than that today.” Athena raises as an eyebrow at him skeptically, but didn’t say anything further.
“I hope so,” Bobby said remembering what he and Athena had to do last time Buck had been caught shifting into wolf form. Granted he’s done many things he wasn’t proud of in his 350+ years of life, but even he had to hold back a shudder at that. “In any case, go shower and I’ll need your help with bartending when we get busy later.”
“Got it, Pops,” Buck said affectionately, using his term he’s called since they took him and his sister into their little group.
As he was going to close the door, Athena yelled out “and don’t go sniffing that new human bartender, Eddie, when he gets here.”
“No promises,” Buck answered back, never being one to resist the urge to be a little shit. He closed the door leaving Bobby and Athena alone again.
“He’s going to get himself killed.” Athena said with a little worry.
“He’ll be alright. He’s got us.”
“And I love him , but I’m not cleaning up another one of his messes.” She hopped down off the desk, smoothed out her clothing and using the tie on her wrist to pull her braids back.
Robert chuckled as he looked in the mirror. He whipped the traces of blood from his mouth and righted his clothing. “The others are here.”
“Yes, I feel their energy too. I think you’ve had your fill of me. Let’s go out there with them.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, treasure.” He strolled back over to where she was standing and gave her a peck on the lips “I could never have my fill of you.”
“I love you, too, Robert,” she said simply.
“Woah, you said that without sass or snark. I might need to be scared.”
“And I immediately regret it.” Robert went to respond but she stopped him, “let’s just go.”
Athena rolled her eyes at the laughter she behind her as she walked ahead of him. The walked out of the office and through the people scattered around to head to the section upstairs. Sitting in one of the booths at the end they found Hen, Chim, Maddie, and Buck already in the middle of a discussion. Robert and Athena slid into the booth beside them.
“With the full moon this week, Karen and I thought it’d be a good time to take Denny on his first hunt, but I don’t know if around Halloween is the best time to take him. He’s been begging us and he’s mastered shifting, but there are so many crazies in this town this time of year.” Hen said.
Maddie removed her arm from around Chimney to touch Hen’s shoulder. “Yeah, it can be scary, I remember when I took Buck on his first hunt. I was so worried his inexperience was going to draw unwanted attention. Unfortunately, it’s crazies out every day of the year. But he’s gotta learn how to hold his own.”
“This is L.A. of course this town is full of crazies trying to catch a glimpse of the supernatural and paranormal. One person out out a video of a possible sighting and now this place is chock full of amateur hunters trying to get cannon fodder for their bullshit YouTube channels. Speak of the devil, excuse me for a sec,” Chimney disappeared in a flash and reappeared just as quickly, “sorry about that some kids were playing around with a Ouija board trying to conjure a demon. So I gave them one. Scared the shit outta all of them.”
Everyone else, not phased and used to what just happened continued on as normal. “I remember the days when speaking of the possibility of stuff like this got people tossed in asylums.” Bobby commented.
“Right?” Athena agreed. “Might need to return to that, shits getting out of hand.”
“Well, I think it’s cool that humans are so cool with the idea of the supernatural and paranormal. Certainly makes it easier to exist and coexist with them,” Buck leaned across the table to steal some of Maddie’s food.
“You only say that because you want that bartender that just started working here.” Chimney deadpanned.
“No. Well, I do want him, but that’s not the only reason I said that.”
“Well whatever, I’m just glad we have a place like this where us supers can just be free and not have to worry about walking on eggshells around humans.”
“And we have Bobby to thank for it.” Hen held up her glass in salute.
“Thank Athena, she came up with the concept of this place. I just brought it to life.” Robert kissed Athena on the temple and brought her closer to him, “also when I do hire humans I make sure they are okay with everything that could take place here.” He looked directly at Buck.
Buck eyed them both. “he’s here, he’s at the bar now.” Athena told him. Buck was up and out of the booth and practically sprinted down the stairs like the over eager pup that he was.
Athena and Robert turned around to see Buck down at the bar, leaning over the counter, talking to Eddie.
“I hope this goes well,” Athena commented as they watched them. She thought about listening in on the conversation, but she ultimately decided against it.
“Of course it will, treasure, you’ve never been wrong before. He’ll be the one that keeps him out of trouble.”