The Vampire's Oracle

Shadows in the Crowd

★Anastasia★

The pulsing bass of the music reverberated through my chest as I stepped into The Veil for my shift. The scent of expensive cologne, sweat, and liquor clung to the air, which mingled with the faint trace of cigarette smoke that came in from the VIP balcony. The usual nerves that had plagued me in my first few nights were gone now, replaced by confidence. I knew my role, knew the layout of the club like the back of my hand. It was also a massive benefit that I actually enjoyed the job. It was fast paced with great tips. At this rate, I am able to save up quite a bit of money for a place of my own. As much as I loved and adored my Aunt, I desperately wanted a place to call my own. Marcia leaned against the bar, a smirk on her lips as she watched me make my way over.

“Look at you,” she teased. “It’s almost like you belong here,” I rolled my eyes as I tied my apron around my waist.

“Almost?”

“Well…it’s what…your first week? Let’s see how you handle yourself at my party,” she remarked, and her grin widened. “No pressure,”

“Wait…party?” I asked, confused. Marcia flipped her long, white-blonde hair over her shoulder and shot me an innocent smile.

“Yeah, I’m throwing a welcome home party for my brother…he was…away for a few months and I missed him,” she explained. I raised an eyebrow curiously. Marcia had mentioned her brother a few times, but it had always been pretty vague. It sounded like they had a deep bond as siblings.

“Ah yes, the mysterious brother,” I mused. “So, his return means that the rest of the world gets to meet him?”

“Oh please…not the world, just you,” she said with a laugh, but I felt weird about it, and I wasn’t even sure why.

“Lucky me,” I whispered. Marcia nudged me playfully.

“I think you will like him,” she said, and there was something in her voice that made me pause. There was a gleam in her eyes, an excitement that made me feel so weird and uneasy.

“Please don’t tell me you are trying to set me up with him?” I asked. Her eyes went wide in surprise, and I immediately felt bad for making a bad assumption.

“Ah…no,”

“Right, sorry,” I hurriedly apologized as I shook my head. Our shift was about to start at any minute, so I made a move to leave. Marcia grabbed my arm to stop me.

“My brother…he is great, and he is quite a flirt…I just…the thought hadn’t crossed my mind,” she explained, but it wasn’t as if it helped. In fact, it only made me feel even more uncomfortable. I laughed as I shook my head.

“I was just being silly,”

“No, I’m serious, Anastasia…I didn’t even think about it like that…not that I would have done something like that anyway. I was just…sorry, I am just excited for him to meet you since I have talked about you so much since you started working,”

“It’s cool, Marcia…” I said when suddenly the lights above us flickered. Once. Twice. And then they steadied. “That was weird,” I muttered.

“Yes, it was,” she agreed. A chill washed over me, and I rubbed my arms to try and shake the sudden cold that crept into my bones. I told myself that it was nothing. Faulty electricity and bad air conditioning. But it was far too weird for me. This time when I made a move to leave, Marcia didn’t stop me. I logged in and grabbed my little notebook and tray before I headed out onto the floor. I ignored the lingering feeling of unease as I focused on the customers and enjoyed the music. It felt like a long night was still ahead of me.

★

By the time I got home – four thirty in the morning – I was exhausted. Aunt Eloise was still at the club closing up, so I headed straight for my bedroom and got undressed. I still couldn’t get over Marcia’s weirdness and I couldn’t forget the chill and the lights. I tried not to let it bother me, but the strangeness of it all was too weird. I went through my routine before I slipped into bed. Exhaustion washed over me as I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

★

I lifted my face toward the sunlight, and I couldn’t help but smile. However, when I opened my eyes, I was surprised to see that I was back in the alleyway. The main difference was that it was daytime. The suffocating darkness that usually clung to the bricks was gone. The air wasn’t thick with unease. Instead, golden rays bathed the cobblestone which revealed every crack and every imperfection. I wasn’t even sure why I noticed those things. I stepped forward toward the alley’s exit, and I was surprised that it was open. The man who usually blocked my path wasn’t there. My feet carried me forward, slow and steady and when I reached the mouth of the alley, I nodded in recognition.

“Evermere,” I whispered. I was on the main strip of the city, where high-end boutiques lined up the road and coffee shops bustled with customers. People moved past me, completely unaware of my presence. Wait. Am I dreaming? Is this real? Or is this a premonition? I opened my mouth to stop one of the people, but suddenly pain shot through my spine, and I gasped. I was spun around and came face to face with Marcia. Her amber eyes locked onto mine, but there was something strange about the look in her eyes. A warning. A darkness I hadn’t seen before.

“You shouldn’t be here,” Marcia warned, and I frowned.

“What? Marcia? What is going on?” I asked as I struggled against her strong grip. She didn’t respond, and a shiver ran down my spine. “Marcia?

“Be afraid, Anastasia,” she said, and then she was gone. I staggered forward and I breathed in deeply. The streets were empty, and I was once again back in the darkness. And with that darkness, I saw that the man was back in his spot. I groaned as he stood at the end of the street and his face once again shadowed in the dark.

“Anastasia,” he whispered. His voice was deep, smooth and so familiar. It made my stomach twist, and I let out a scream.