Til' Death Do Us Part

Chapter Nineteen

    That night after I'd gotten settled back into my apartment, I decided to cave and call Charley. I hadn't a clue what I was going to tell her-not a clue until I'd actually called her.

    " 'Sup, Elizabeth. You do your homework?"

    "Yeah. What now?"

    "Nothing, but don't ever bring it up, it's offensive and if you ask the wrong person, they'll mistake you for a blood whore. Or a blood servant."

    "Don't know which one is worse.." I mumbled to myself before I bit my tongue. It was prostitution for blood because it gave off such a high. It was the worst kind of drug in the best way or so it was described but it was also unhealthy and in some articles, risky. A blood servant on the other hand was the same: just go off the title.

    "They're both pretty bad but it's whatever they prefer. Not all of them started out that way, a lot were just trafficked and reduced to a blood sack. The woman that created blood tablets invented them in exchange for her wife. She was only a child at the time and it's a pretty sad fucking story but it's survival of the fittest. Just like us."

    "Could you tell me the story?"

    Charlie paused before sighing, "Not today but I can tell you other things."

    "Like?"

    "Like if you quit that stripping job, I'll pay you double. If you work as a dancer with me and the other girls."

    "Wait." I got up from my computer chair I'd been sitting in and clambered onto my bed, "How'd you even know that?"

    "I have a friend who owns it. His name is Dimitri Salvotch and I used to work there before I joined this place. It's not the best working environment."

    "Wait I thought a woman owned it?" Or had that been the woman just been the interviewer-I could have been sure.

    "No, it's always been Dimitri. He owns that pub."

    "Would it be alright if I say I'll think about it?"

    "Yes but you have three weeks. If you work with us, we'll pay whatever bills you need if you can't afford them. Medical, electrical, doesn't matter. Ms.Percy takes care of us."

    I looked at myself as I sat and thought it over before knowing I'd need far more time to decide this kind of answer. It could be a scam-all of it could be a lie but it wasn't and I knew it, "I'll get back to you about my answer before the three weeks is over." I answered, taking a note of the date below the sticky note. I wrote down what it would be in three weeks and taped it to my wall as we continued our conversations.

    "As long as you do. I look forward to hearing your answer, Elizabeth. I have to go now though. I have things to get to so have a good night."

    "Ah-alright." I put the marker down and stretched before uttering, "Goodnight."

    [Charley's Pov]

    I looked at the calender-it was December, the twenty first. It was her birthday so I looked to the roses on my nightstand and picked them up after sliding some shoes on. I closed my door, heading on a small walk. It was nights like this that I loved. The moon was a waning crescent, it would be gone in a few days so I took advantage of the small illumination.

    Thanks to the blood Dimitri had given me a few years back, I could see well now. My senses were well adjusted to my environment. I was no vampire but instead a healthy human. It was the worst risk a vampire could take, giving their blood to a human but in extreme situations, vampires did it. It was horrible taboo and I knew not why he'd saved me but I was thankful. I took the flowers to my great grandmother's grave and sat there beside her tombstone, staring at the sky.

    "What was it that you wanted to tell them?" I whispered, looking to the sky, "What was so important that you had my grandmother come to this town." I sighed as I looked at the stars. They'd both died, my great grandmother of old age and my grandmother? No one knew.

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