The Alpha Twins and their Runaway Witch

22

Ariel had come into work, her sixth day in such a good mood. She had done her own hair, put on her own makeup, and dressed herself in a combination of clothes her coworkers had given her and what she had acquired shopping second hand this week. Ariel had been thrilled when she had looked at herself in her large bathroom mirror; Ariel felt like Jenny. She was Jenny as she walked in the back door of the restaurant.

Almost the exact moment she was inside the rear kitchen door of the diner, Beth-Ann sprung from the front of the house with a near manic smile on her face. "Omg Jenny!" She had exclaimed, so happy and excited. "There are two legit hotties asking for you out there!" Beth-Ann had told her.

Ariel felt all the blood drain from Jenny's face. The lie becoming undone. "Table 33. They have been waiting on you!" Beth-Ann said before skipping away to tend to the breakfast rush. Not catching that Ariel was frozen in place, unable to breathe. 

Ariel felt all the colour and all the warmth drain from her body. There was no one who would be looking for her for any good reason. Any one who wanted her could only have bad intentions. While Beth-Ann had only seen handsome, nice looking men. Careless to how Jenny took the news. Tyrone was paying attention and saw the immediate change in 'Jenny' at hearing anyone was looking for her and knew she was a girl running.

Beth-Anne returned to the front of house. "Go. I'll stall everyone as long as I can." Tyrone told her. Jenny was out like a bullet fired. Heading directly back to her beautiful little apartment. She had spent three dollars on a small living succulent, and felt bad she would be leaving it behind as she ran. She had paid for the full month already. Binh wouldn't be out any money. The diner was set up for new people to slide in easily. Someone else would love this small perfect space soon. She wasn't needed here. 

She had been stupid to unpack and buy anything that was not practical. Thinking she would be able to stay put long term. She packed up the large canvas bag, and fled from the beautiful space she had called her sanctuary. Every purchase she had made ran through her head. Every single dollar she had wasted. 

She needed more money. She needed as much as she could possibly get quickly. There was no way she would ever find someone as generous as Binh where she ended up next. This had been her one lucky break and it was over.

She remembered the private blood donation site she had seen online when looking for resources her first night. The promise of high payouts if approved. It wouldn't hurt to try. It would be better to have as much money as possible. She needed to jump ship to a new location.

Ariel carried her canvas bag and walked back to tuck it behind the dumpster of Binh's diner. It would be safe there. Dressed in her best thrifted jeans and Beth-Ann's hand me down top, all her money and essentials packed in the largest of the hand me down purses she had acquired. Ariel went to the private blood donation clinic. Hoping it wouldn't take long if she was accepted.

Learning quickly once she was approved that it was a vampire feeding bar. At first she had balked. Being fed to a vampire was one of Giselle's threats. Twice Gisella had sold a girl, once for keeps and one for a night. Except when the girl was returned, Gisella had killed her as soon as she was back saying the vampires had crossed her. Muttering about hypnosis brain rot.

One fed, and being paid, and living were very different from being sold to be consumed or having your mind broken. "You do not need to do this if you do not wish to. If you need assistance, there are those who would offer it willingly." The girl going through the registration and screening with Ariel said. Looking at Ariel with eyes that seemed to know too much.

Ariel looked harder, this was a vampire feeding bar. "What are you?" Ariel asked. Not knowing that it was a very rude question. 

"A wild one? How interesting." The other human appearing woman said and smiled. Confusing Ariel, "Look, it's early, normally right now, you could make an anonymous general donation for the bar to have on tap so to speak. For you though, I have a special arrangement, I will pay you in cash two thousand dollars, with the only condition being neither of us will ask any more questions of each other?" The succubus redirected away from answering. Several of the older bored vampires would pay at least five times as much for a bottled taste of a wild witch on the verge of manifesting.

As long as a fair deal was struck and Ariel agreed on her own, then the other demon trying to bind himself to her shouldn't object too strongly to a little gentle, well compensated, sterile and safe blood letting.

Ariel's head spun, a pint of blood for two grand and no more questions asked? A vampire wouldn't even need to bite her? "I agree." She heard herself say. Was quickly ushered into a back room set up like a clinical doctors office. A man in scrubs came in, was quick and efficient as he set the needle, Ariel watched her blood drain into a clear jar. When the jar was full, the needle was withdrawn, a bandaid placed over the needle prick, and a juice box and danish handed to her. She ate the snack and was presented with her cash, and sent on her way.

Heading directly back to grab her bag. Hoping on a city bus to travel to the out of town traveling bus depot. Purchasing a ticket for a destination that would take hours to reach. It was normal to be on a long bus trip with a large bag. Paying cash and leaving no trace. Ariel did her best to disappear again. Feeling more regret about leaving than she expected. She had gotten attached. That had been a mistake.

One she promised herself she would not make again. Telling herself she was on her own. She shouldn't make friends. It would only hurt her each time she had to run again. Ariel watched the scenery pass by as the bus moved from the city out onto the highway. She thought she was staying awake.

Only to wake up with a scream. Looking around in panic. Startling those around her, making the bus driver call out and ask if everything was alright. Her face burned bright with shame, screaming out loud from a nightmare on a bus full of people. She apologized, "bad dream." Tried to be as small as possible in her seat.

She had stopped screaming from her dreams a long time ago. Disturbing the peace at night brought a beating. Her nights of dreamless sleep while she had stayed in Binh's apartment had left her unguarded. Feeling stupid and sad, and lost, she did her best to not fall asleep again and not cry. She didn't want to have another outburst. She had already stood out too much with one bad dream.