The Vampire's Oracle

Whispers in the Dark

★Anastasia★

The pulsing beat of the music thrummed through my body as I stepped inside The Veil for the first time. The air was thick with the scent of expensive perfume, spilled liquor, and something darker, something electric that sent a shiver down my spine. Aunt Eloise was the owner of the nightclub, but I had never entered before. I had never been interested before. Of course, I had seen the building from the outside with its gothic architecture and mysterious energy that seemed to surround it, but standing inside now – I felt both exhilarated and slightly overwhelmed. Not only was it my first time inside the club, it was also my first job.

“Now, try not to get distracted by the clientele,” Aunt Eloise said loudly as she led me further inside. Her heels clicked against the polished floor as she guided me past the bar. She looked over her shoulder and shot me a warning look. “They like fresh faces,” she added.

“Ok,” I said, even though I was pretty sure she couldn’t hear me over the music. I wasn’t even sure how I had heard her, not that it mattered. Aunt Eloise had given me the full talk before we had left. I was more interested in looking around me. The first floor was alive with movement. People danced under the dim, golden lights. Others lounged in booths and sipped on drinks while they chatted among themselves. The air vibrated with laughter and the occasional burst of noisy shouting from the bar. “This is amazing,” I muttered to myself as I trailed behind my Aunt.

“What’s that?” she asked, and I shrugged.

“I wasn’t expecting it to be so…grand,” I said, and she smirked.

“The Veil has been in our family for a long time. It’s more than just a nightclub, Anastasia,”

“Right,” I replied, even though I wanted to know more. She was my Aunt, but that was all I knew about our family. She refused to talk about it and only told me certain things or dropped little pieces of information as she had just done now. However, as we entered a quiet backroom, I spotted a beefy man with salt-and-pepper hair, who stood behind a desk while he flipped through some sort of notebook. He looked up, and his piercing blue eyes immediately assessed me.

“Anastasia, this is Gordan Fowler. Your new boss,” Eloise introduced us and Gordan set the notebook down and once again stared at me.

“So, you are the infamous niece…and my new waitress,” his voice was gravelly, but there was no malice in it. In fact, it sounded almost like he was in awe or impressed. “Eloise speaks highly of you. It is nice to finally meet you,”

“Oh…uh…thank you,” I said, unsure of what else to say.

“I am leaving her in your capable hands,” Eloise said to him before she turned to me. “Don’t freak out, just take it easy and do your job. Ask if you need help, no one will bite you here,”

“Or at least, they won’t bite hard,” Gordan teased, and Eloise rolled her eyes. “Go, Eloise, I’ve got this,”

“Fine…have fun,” Eloise said as she kissed my cheek and left us alone. I watched Gordan closely for a moment, but it felt so strange, almost as if I somehow knew him.

“Now, all you need to remember is that you show up on time, do your job, and don’t cause trouble. If anyone causes trouble with you, take it to the guardian on the floor. No slacking and don’t get too cozy with the customers. I know that being tipped is the highlight and the goal, but being overly friendly isn’t going to help you. Is that clear?”

“Crystal,” I said with a nod.

“Good,” he said as he pointed to the left side wall. “All the shifts are marked in red. Tonight, you will shadow Marcia. She will show you everything you need to know to do your job, ok?”

“Ok,” I said just as the door swung open, and in strode a woman with long platinum blonde hair, a dazzling smile, and an air of effortless confidence. She stopped, clearly surprised to see me, and looked me up and down before she smiled.

“Newbie?” the woman questioned, and I nodded before she glanced at Gordan. “Mine?”

“All yours,” he said, and for some reason that sent a shiver down my spine. Gordan looked over at me. “This is Marcia Anderson, not only will you shadow her tonight to learn the ropes, but she will take care of you until you can handle things on your own, ok?”

“Ok,” I whispered as I tried not to stare. Marica was by far the most beautiful woman I had ever laid eyes on.

“Get her a uniform,” Gordan then instructed, and Marcia grabbed my arm and led me out of the room. She started to immediately inform me of our duties and what to do and what not to do. It was a lot to take in, but I listened carefully as best as I could. After I had been fitted with a uniform, Marcia led me back out onto the first floor. The club was packed, and the sheer number of people was insane. This may be my first night, but I already knew that it was going to be crazy busy. Four hours later, I knew I had been right. Marcia made everything look effortless, but I knew better. She worked hard, she was polite, and a tiny bit flirty. She shoved tips into the front pocket of her skirt, and I followed her every move.

“Do you want to try a few tables?” Marcia asked and I slowly nodded. Of course, I had helped her by placing orders and I had even served a few customers. Marcia then gave me the lead and while I was nervous, I copied her actions and movements as I approached a table with four people. I did my best and I somehow managed not to drop a tray full of cocktails. It was a miracle. The music pounded and the heat of the bodies made me feel like everything was heightened. It was exhilarating, but it was also strange. As I left the table and followed Marcia to another table, a shiver crawled up my spine. I glanced around, and then my gaze landed on a figure standing against the far wall. He was partially hidden by the shadows, but I knew he was watching me. His posture was relaxed, but I couldn’t see his face. I wasn’t even sure how I knew him, but I did.

“Who is that?” I asked Marcia as I leaned close to her. She looked over her shoulder and frowned, but before I could point out who I was referring to, she had turned her attention back to the table of customers. I wasn’t sure how I knew him, but I did. I wanted to talk to him, to find out who he was, but I couldn’t. Now was not the time.