Undecided

5.

"Alice, you have to catch up!" Anna called dramatically, leaning across the table. She was a significant amount of drinks in by this point and Alice was finishing her second full drink minus the shots she took earlier. She meant to pace herself, and the more time between shots, the less effective they tend to be.

Alice raised her eyebrow, a teasing smirk playing across her lips, "Now, Anna. I thought it was you who said you wanted to bar hop, if I remember correctly. At your rate, you're gonna tap out before we even get anywhere else."
Anna had gone on and on about how she wanted to go to all the bars on the strip.
"Boo, boring," Anna complained, blowing a raspberry.
"She's right, you know!" Elena chimed in, witnessing her wobbly friend beside her. "Think you should stick to water for a bit."
Anna pouted, but she knew they were right.
"I will, though, for you, take another shot." Alice gave in. One more wouldn't hurt. She could feel her head swim, but nothing too bad.
The other bartender was no where in sight, so Alice dismissed herself and headed over to the bar.
The all-too-stunning blonde came over to assist her, "What can I do for you, sweetheart?"
All the pet names plus the alcohol were giving her way too much serotonin.
"Could I get another tequila shot, and a bourbon?" Alice asked, with a warm smile.
She figured she'd return the favor and buy Samael a drink since he'd been so kind to gift her one earlier.
"Of course, angel." She quickly prepared the appropriate glasses, and poured the drinks with precision before returning to Alice.
"Here ya go! Enjoy."
"Thank you so much." The dark haired girl dipped her head, and made her way back to the table with the drinks in hand.
"I got you a new bourbon, noticed you were low on fuel." Alice noted, sliding the bourbon she had gotten in front of Samael. She then slid back in to her spot in the booth beside him.
"Oh, hun. You didn't have to do that." He smiled, "But I appreciate it."
"As are you, which is why you deserve a drink." Alice rebuttaled, playfully. "As for me," she started again, "I'm not looking forward to this."
Samael chuckled as he noticed the look she was giving her tequila shot.
"Shots! shots! shots! shots! shots! shots!" Elena and Anna started chanting in unison.
"Go! go! go! Don't think about it," Elena cheered.
Alice quickly gulped down her shot, sticking her tongue out afterwards in disgust to emphasize her suffering.
"Woo!" Anna clapped, taking a sip of Elena's water.
Anna then turned her attention to Samael, "So where do you come from?"
Alice gazes at him, she had been curious about this as well, but hadn't had the chance to ask.
"Well, I am from Romania, but I have not been there in many years." He responded politely. They couldn't comprehend where he was truly from and he knew this, but he had still not shaken the Latin and Greek accent that was cemented into his speech pattern from older times, so his answer was believable enough.
Alice's eyes widened in awe. She couldn't help herself, but to have the thought he may actually be Dracula.
"Oh wow," Anna responded, "I bet it's beautiful there."
She wasn't wrong. Romania was surely a country to behold.
"Growing up there was a dream, like out of a fairytale."
"Are there really vampires?" Anna asks, and Alice tensed a little. She wasn't sure if that would offend him or not.
However, Samael just laughed at her drunken friend and responded with, "Not that I've seen."
Samael was the most dangerous thing that could have ever been there, far more than any vampire legend. Although, he was sure demons were responsible for such things even existing. The human mind bore new demons all the time, and fed them.
Elena had pulled her phone out, and was scrolling through Google to check out any other cool bars in the area.
"Anna, are you still alive enough to go to another bar? You hydrated?" Elena teased, poking her side.
Anna lets out a quiet shriek at being tickled, "Yes, yes!" She exasperates, swatting Elena's pokes away. Tickling was a sure way to get Anna to beat you up, but Elena had no issues with bugging her dear friend. All in the name of love, of course.
"Um, do you wanna tag along with us?" Alice turns her focus on Samael. She was praying to any God that was willing to listen that he would say yes. Samael repressed the smirk that wanted to side across his face as he peeked into her mind, 'How ironic.' But perhaps he would be the God that answered.
"Can't have you stolen away from me now. Of course, I'd be more than willing to come." He said softly, taking a piece of her hair in between his fingers before he tucked it behind her ear.
Alice's heartbeat accelerated at the contact, and her breath caught in her lungs. She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks again, so she broke eye contact in attempt to keep the impact he had on her hidden, but it was all in vain.
He chuckled softly, seductive and low. She could see the goosebumps forming on her arm just from that alone. Her body wouldn't stop betraying her.
Anna cooed over at Alice, "Someone's flustered."
Alice wrestled with Anna's feet under the table once more, but they both couldn't help but laugh.
It had been a long time since Alice felt like this. Her head had been a graveyard for so long, full of mourning and grief. This night really did feel like a breath of fresh air, or a splash of cold water on her face. Alice and Elena could both tell, and Elena's heart was full seeing her have a good night. She knew having her go out tonight would get her out of her own head for a while, and she deserved to have fun. It was a relief to see her with a smile on her face, and to hear her laugh. Alice deserved it after everything. Losing her brother, and then losing Aidan within just a few years span was more than any person could handle sanely. Elena had watched Alice try to help her mom through the grieving process, and wondered if she even ever had time to process it herself. Aidan had been a bandaid for that wound when they met, but she just traded one pain for another. Perhaps it was an easier pain to deal with, one she was used to. Elena could understand that from personal experience. She was just relieved tonight was going well, they all needed it.
"Alright, guys, how does this bar look?" Elena shakes her thoughts away, leaning to show everyone her phone screen.
The bar on the screen was a chill pirate themed hangout that had a small outside area.
"I don't suppose you guys are familiar with the underground scene here?" Samael asked, his eyebrows raised as if he were surprised.
"Underground scene?" Anna asked. The girls didn't go out too much and when they did, it was usually spots they found online, so they definitely weren't aware of any secret underground bars.
"Yeah! There are quite a few underground bars and raves," Samael gasped like he was shocked they haven't been, "There's one not too far from here that I frequent often."
He was all too aware of all the places where he could smell sin, and he owned many of them. Samael knew his hunting ground well.
"It's called X,' He added.