Vampire Sunrise

What's a Vampire?

Rain pounded as I walked toward the French Quarter Mansion. I opened the lobby doors, walked past the reception desk without making eye contact, and then back through the familiar path I took last time.

Walking outside of my usual rhythm made this place seem huge and took every bit of ten minutes. The final set of stairs had the same doorman. He sat reclined watching TV with his chair propped back against the wall. He slammed the chair down and stood up quickly once noticing me.

He held up a hand and said, "This is a vampire-only bar." No humans are allowed.

"How do you know I'm not a vampire?" I replied.

"Everyone knows females are not vampires, and you're sure as shit female," he answered.

"But what if I have fangs? Wouldn't that make me the first female vampire?" I blinked at him seductively.

"Just get moving, you're pretty and all, but I have a job to do," he said in his Southern Louisiana accent. I smiled widely at him, showing off my jagged fangs, and pointed at them with my finger.

"What the hell? Are those real? Why would you have a dentist make those? You're some kind of vampire fanatic, aren't you?" He asked, agitated with my game.

"No, sweetie, a dentist didn't make my teeth, but you're kinda right about the whole vampire fanatic thing. Surely you can let me in; I won't tell anyone. After all, I'm new to the vamp scene and lonely. I promise I'll make it up to you." I finished in my most sensual rasp.

"Damn, you are beautiful. I guess it's all right if you check out the bar, but come right back. If someone asks who let you in, say no one was out here. When you come back out, give me your number, OK?"

"Thank you so much, sweetheart. What's your name?" I asked.

"Timothy Turner, but you can just call me Tim."

"Tim is one of my favorite names. I'm Alice. I'll come right back and give you my contact info." His cheeks turned red; I was way out of his league.

I walked past him with a wink, then down the stairs to the bar. I was immediately overwhelmed by the mixed vamp and human scents. The fragrances were a mashup between lusty smells from sex and alcohol to women who wore too much perfume. I was still getting used to all of the new smells.

The bar was much darker tonight, although it made little difference to me if the lights were on or off. I made my way to the main bar and sat. The bar had all the usual drinks and mixes, including vampiric versions that I overlooked last time.

I guessed the blood alcohol varieties were to hook humans on vamp blood without them knowing, or maybe the vampires themselves preferred blood alcohol. It was kind of twisted thinking about vampires drinking vampire blood alcohol.

"Hey, sweetie," Roxanne said to me. "What brings you back to us so soon?"

"You know, I just love John and had to see him again," I smirked.

She grinned at me and said, "I laughed so hard when I saw his fangless ass. He wouldn't stop bitching about a woman who tripped him. I knew it was you.

"Something is different about you today, you looked great before, but you're almost glowing tonight. Hell, I'm human and can smell some kind of fantastic scent around you. I know you're not human."

"Really?" I said. "Must be my perfume." She frowned at my comment.

"Roxanne, how do the vampires get in here? It's not through the front door, is it?"

"No, they have a special service entrance in the back. It's a freight elevator, no idea where it goes, but all of them and their human pets come in that way."