Not Your Usual Bloody Mary: Ummm...the only chapter?

            As soon as I saw her, I knew she was out of my league. In fact, she was out of anyone's league. I didn't even think she was human. I didn't know how right I was at the time. She looked about 23 years old and moved with unnatural ease, with grace that was unearthly, as if she wasn't even touching the ground but rather floating on something softer than a cloud. Her eyes, a deep shade of green, shone like emeralds and once they were fixed on you, you were glued to the spot. Her voice, smoother than silk, was as entrancing as her beauty. With golden shoulder-length hair that flowed elegantly when she walked. The first time we spoke I could see the danger crackling about her, however, it only drew me in more.

            I saw her perfect form first sitting at a bar stool, at a club I usually went to called Serpent Tail. Located in the middle of my beautiful yet dangerous city, one of the best places for partying, the club was a perfect spot for meeting people. The music was always loud and vibrant. Day or night, there was always someone there because the club was always open. The best part of Serpent Tail was the types of people you got to meet on your visit. There were always new people coming in because it was the most popular club in town. Today was special though. I had never seen someone like her walk in before.

She was drinking what looked like a Bloody Mary. I wasn't the only man who noticed her. There were probably 15 others who were watching her every move. To my delight, I was the only one who had the nerve to go up to her. I thought she might be interested in me, once she got to know me. I did consider myself a somewhat handsome man. I had hazel eyes and short brown hair that was gelled just a bit. Hopefully she'd be stunned by my smooth talk and my astounding looks. I sat on a stool next to her and tried to start up a conversation.

            "A Bloody Mary? That's nothing, you should try the Jamaican Rum they have here," I chuckled, I wanted the conversation to seem light even though my soul was begging to know her, everything about her.

            "Trust me, "she replied with a glint in her eye "this isn't a bloody Mary. You couldn't even begin to fathom what I have here."

            The way she said it sent shivers up my spine. She looked at me with total confidence and slyness that reminded me of a fox. Swift and cunning. Her gaze was so mysterious and inviting. Already she had me in her grasp.

            I was thinking of what else I should say when I saw some more men standing up from their tables, slowly making their way toward us. Some of the other guys that had been watching noticed that I hadn’t been snubbed and were making their way over to try their luck. I had to find a way to talk to her alone, or at least somewhere else.

            "Well, maybe you could make it for me then, say umm, at my place?" I tried to look innocently cute (this WAS a desperate attempt after all), but my nervousness added to her hypnotizing glare made it impossible.

            “How about we go to my club instead? I’ll show you where you can get one,”

            I hadn’t really thought that she’d want to go anywhere with me, I was surprised she had suggested going somewhere instead of slapping me in the face at my insinuation. We made our way out of the club and she led me through some maze-like alleys.

            "By the way, I'm Derek. What's your name?"

            "Tara" She said. I thought she would lose her way soon but she seemed to know exactly where we were going. I didn't think that was possible though because there were way too many twists and turns to memorize. How did she know where we were headed? It's possible she's just embarrassed because she lost her way, I thought. Tara laughed suddenly.

            "Men are so funny..." I heard her say.

            Finally we arrived at a strange building covered in ivy. I hadn't even seen it coming; it was as if it had appeared in front of my eyes!

"Well, we're here, " Tara said.

"This is it?" I was confused, shouldn't a club look more inviting? And maybe be a little easier to find? If I was lucky I'd find my way back somehow.

"Come on in Derek, unless you're scared..." her silky voice faded as she stepped through the door. When had the door appeared there? A rusty sign on the door said Night Owl. Strange name, I thought, kind of plain but then again, it isn't much better than Serpent Tail is it? I followed her in and was shocked and amazed at what I saw.

            It was like no other club I had seen before! The music was like nothing I’d heard before, like being in a cloud of ecstasy, it was pounding into my ears but I felt no pain. The room had a bar with barstools, tables with normal chairs, couches and some bed-like structures too. There were flashing lights everywhere yet the whole room seemed dark. But what shocked me most were the people there. All of them seemed as unnaturally gifted and beautiful as was Tara. The men as well as the women. Some were sitting at the bar drinking who knows what, some where talking at tables, and some where sitting or laying on the couches. The rest were standing on the crowded dance floor doing moves that made this place seem more like a strip club than anything. They all seemed so agile and flexible. Their bodies moved in rhythm to the music that I could not even pick up. The tune was lost but still felt, as surely as one feels one's heart beating. The club smelled good too, not like sweat as some clubs.

            Tara lead me to a bar stool and we sat down. She leaned closer to me and said "So do you like the club?"

            I nodded. I hoped I didn't look too stupid, with my mouth open just staring at everyone and nodding. It was beyond anything I could imagine. A partygoer's dream. Everyone was so alive, and...well words wouldn't do them justice. All I could do was watch in wonder. I would defiantly come back to this club!

            "What about the people?" Tara asked me. Again, I just nodded. Of course I liked the people, was she kidding? Do you like what you see? she asked me. Wait, I thought, had she just spoken? I must've gone crazy, the music was probably affecting me more than I thought. Do you like us? Us? OK now she was starting to creep me out a little. This time I was SURE I hadn't seen her lips move. Had I even been watching her lips? Why couldn't I suddenly remember anything? I hadn't had anything there so I wasn't drunk. Then again I could’ve had something at Serpent Tail. I can make you one of them, Tara told me. She wasn't speaking, I knew it for sure now. If she had been speaking, I wouldn't have been able to hear her since the music was now on full blast. I felt her mind inside mine, reading my every thought, my every move. Suddenly I was terrified, but it left as quickly as it had come. I knew I should've been frightened out of my wits at the moment, but I felt more as if I was floating somewhere, with no worries, and no boundaries. She repeated, I can make you one of them, that’s what you want right? Tara smiled, not an innocent smile, but one that seemed to know more than it was willing to tell. She looked at me with such intensity that I felt like her eyes could see my soul. I closed my eyes but could still feel her watching me, interrogating me. But I wasn’t worried; my mind was completely entranced by her.

            Seduced by the ecstasy-like music and the silkiness of Tara’s voice, I lazily leaned into her soft body which had somehow appeared behind me. She put her hands around my waist and I felt two sharp points graze over my neck and I was suddenly aware of what was happening. One word filled my mind, Vampire. Once again, my terror returned, the terror that I should have felt a while ago, and I ran out of there as quickly as I could. She was laughing, laughing at me inside my own mind. She was enjoying this. Tara had obviously let me go because she probably could've stopped me if she just ordered me to halt. I ran through the winding alleys taking turns, running blindly and not knowing where I was going. The web of enchantment she so strong that if she had stepped out in front of me I’d have willingly followed her back to the club without a second thought. The farther away I ran, the less I could feel her in my head, and soon I knew her spell was completely gone. Suddenly I was standing out on the street in front of the other club, Serpent Tail. I didn't know how I had gotten there but that didn't matter. That night was unforgettable. It will haunt me and keep me wondering for the rest of my life.