Lena LaShae the Vampire

Compliments of the House

Compliments of the House

The clink of their glasses rang through the air, mingling with the low hum of the bar's ambient music. Lena's pale blue eyes shimmered with amusement as she watched Cassandra take a long, slow sip of her drink. The young woman's hands trembled slightly, though she tried to hide it behind the glass.
Lena leaned back against the plush seat, her legs crossed with effortless poise. "You handle chaos well," she remarked, her voice smooth as silk.
Cassandra let out a nervous laugh. "Chaos is a bit new to me. I'm more of a... stay-out-of-trouble type."
Lena raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a teasing grin. "Could've fooled me, darling. You don't find yourself running from vampire hunters by playing it safe."
Cassandra shifted uneasily under Lena's gaze, her voice barely a whisper. "I... I got curious about something."
"Ah, curiosity." Lena's gaze flickered with knowing. "The most dangerous of traits. I like that in a girl." She paused, eyes twinkling as she caught Cassandra's blush. "So what's your plan now?"
Cassandra glanced around the room, the gravity of her situation sinking in. "I... I don't know. I mean, I can't exactly go back to my old life. They're not going to stop hunting me, are they?"
Lena studied her for a moment, her expression thoughtful. "Not if they think you're a loose end. The Dravonix Initiative isn't known for leaving things unfinished. But..." She trailed off, a sly smile tugging at her lips. "You have me now. Stick with me, and I promise you'll be well out of their reach."
Cassandra's eyes widened. "Really? You'd... protect me?"
Lena chuckled softly, leaning forward just enough for her presence to become magnetic. "Protect? Maybe. But I'm more interested in teaching you how to handle yourself. It's much more fun that way."
Before Cassandra could respond, a shadow passed over the table. Lena's eyes flicked upward, and her playful demeanor shifted to something sharper. A waitress had approached, tall and statuesque, her eyes gleaming with the faintest hint of crimson. She held a tray of drinks, her lips curved into a sultry smile.
"Compliments of the house," the waitress said, placing two glasses of thick, dark red liquid in front of them. "For the woman who just wiped the floor with those hunters."
Lena nodded her thanks, eyeing the drinks. "Impressive. You know how to flatter a girl."
The waitress lingered a moment longer than necessary, her gaze lingering on Lena. "Flattery aside," she purred, "the management likes to reward those who keep the peace around here."
As the waitress turned to leave, Lena gave Cassandra a conspiratorial wink and picked up the glass. "Human blood," she said casually. "Fresh, if you're curious."
Cassandra paled. "I'm... I think I'll pass."
Lena smirked, swirling the glass as she took a slow, deliberate sip. Her eyes gleamed, but before she could say anything else, a shift in the bar's atmosphere caught her attention.
A cloaked figure stepped inside, head low and movements deliberate. There was a noticeable stir among the patrons, and Lena recognized the ripple of unease that always followed trouble. She didn't need to see the person's face to know who it was.
Valeria.
"She doesn't know when to quit," Lena muttered under her breath. She shot Cassandra a quick look. "Stay here."
As Lena slid gracefully out of the booth, Cassandra grabbed her arm. "Wait, what are you going to do?"
Lena's lips curved into a dark, predatory grin. "Just going to have a little chat."
Lena moved through the crowd like a panther on the prowl, every step deliberate and controlled. Valeria hadn't noticed her yet, her eyes scanning the room, likely looking for weak points. She was smart-Lena would give her that. But persistent to a fault.
As Lena approached, she let her presence be known, her voice low and teasing. "Back so soon, Valeria? I thought we had a lovely conclusion and kicked you out a few minutes ago?"
Valeria spun around, her hand instinctively going to the hilt of a blade hidden beneath her cloak. "You think you can just brush me off like that?" she hissed, her voice tight with anger.
Lena sighed dramatically. "Honestly, Valeria, you're like a bad penny. Always turning up at the worst times."
Valeria's eyes narrowed. "This isn't over, Lena. Not until you're dust."
Lena tilted her head, a flicker of amusement in her eyes. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were obsessed with me. You know, if you're that desperate for my attention, there are other ways to go about it."
Valeria's face twisted into a sneer. "You're a monster. Nothing more."
Lena's playful expression faltered for a moment, something darker surfacing in her gaze. She stepped closer, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "You don't know the half of it, darling. But keep pushing, and I might just show you."
The tension between them was palpable, a coil wound so tight it threatened to snap. But before anything could escalate, a voice cut through the tension.
"Enough!"
The bartender, a vampire with centuries of authority etched into his every word, spoke up from behind the bar. "No more fighting in Fangs. Not unless you want every bloodsucker in here on your back."
Lena smirked, her eyes never leaving Valeria. "See? Even the management agrees. You're out of your depth, love."
Valeria clenched her fists but relented, her eyes burning with a promise of future reckoning. "This isn't over, Lena," she spat before turning on her heel and stalking out of the bar.
Lena watched her leave, a satisfied smile playing on her lips. She sauntered back to the booth, sliding into her seat with a graceful ease that belied the tension of the moment.
"Well," she said, picking up her glass again. "That was fun."
Cassandra blinked at her. "Fun? She wants to kill you!"
Lena laughed, her voice rich with amusement. "Oh, darling, Valeria's been after me for decades. If she hasn't figured out how to do it by now, she's never going to."
Cassandra shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips despite herself. "You're insane."
Lena raised her glass in a mock toast. "And you're stuck with me now. Lucky you."
As they clinked glasses again, Cassandra found herself laughing-a real, genuine laugh-despite the madness of the night. For the first time in a long time, she felt alive.
And as for Lena, well... the night had finally given her the excitement she'd been craving. And something told her, this was only the beginning.