Healing Hearts | Keelin

Chapter One

 "You sure you should be drinking that much?" 

 This question was asked of Margret by the bartender of Rousseau's. He was a handsome man, and there was a good chance he was supernatural since it seemed half of New Orleans was, or at least the whole French Quarter seemed to be. 

 "I can handle more alcohol than an ordinary human could," she answered. She placed her elbow on the countertop and rested her chin in her palm. "Perhaps I have had a little too much, though, since I was just thinking that you're a rather handsome man, and I'm more attracted to women." 

 He nodded. "Yeah. Well, I can't say I've been thinking along the same lines. It's not you; I've just never been attracted to women. Are you sure you want another one of those?" 

 "Yes." She tapped her glass on the counter. "Would you please just pour me another one...you know, I don't know what your name is." 

 "It's Josh. Here." He poured her another glass, but she noticed he didn't fill it up as high as he had been before.  

 "A concerned and very responsible bartender," she remarked. "You're not getting paid as much for this glass, you know. Don't think I didn't notice that little maneuver." 

 He shrugged. "You know, just being concerned and responsible." 

 "Well, don't," she snapped, and then paused to drink what he had poured her. "I am perfectly fine. So, the French Quarter. I hear it's a supernatural hotbed."

 "Maybe it is," said Josh. "What about it?" 

 "I'm just curious. If it is, I would be just right for the place. Are you..." 

 He nodded. "Vampire. I'm guessing you are, too, since you were going on about how you can handle your liquor better than ordinary people." 

 She smiled. "That's because I can. I'm Margret, and I am also a vampire. Do I get a welcome to town or not?" 

 He sighed. "Yeah. Welcome to the French Quarter, Margret. How long do you plan on staying?" 

 "I don't know yet," she answered. "I just got here, so I haven't made many plans. I can't imagine myself staying too long. If I did decide to stick around a while, would I be welcome?" 

 "As long as you're not going to cause any trouble, you're welcome to stay. But you got careful around here. We've had some uneasy peace between the vampires, werewolves and witches of the Quarter since the Mikaelsons left town, but I'm always worried something's gonna happen, you know?" 

 "I get it," she said. "Got to take care of everyone, I suppose. Who's in charge of keeping the vampires in line?" 

 "I am. Um, a friend of mine used to be in charge of everything around here, but he left town around the same time as the Mikaelsons, so since then a few friends and I have been working on keeping everything peaceful." 

 "Right." Margret tapped her glass on the countertop. "Can I have another?" 

 "I don't that's a good idea," Josh said. "Anyone else might have passed out by now with the amount of alcohol you've been consuming. I think you better take a break and come back tomorrow." 

 She sighed and got off the stool. "Fine. Fair enough. I guess if I'm sticking around I have to go by the rules?" 

 He smiled. "Exactly." 

 She frowned at him, and then made her way to the door. 

 As she walked down the street, she thought maybe Josh was right about her drinking too much. Normally she would get a bit of a drunk feeling, but this was more than just a bit. She walked slowly through the Quarter, not feeling too well at all. After a block or two, she stopped on a street corner and pressed her hands against a building. Is this what her alcohol consumption was going to start doing to her? She thought by now she would have been more immune to drunkenness than before. 

 "Hey. Are you okay?" 

 Margret looked up at the sound of the woman's voice. She was wearing hospital scrubs, and her curly hair was tied back. A nurse! But what nurse would know how to deal with a drunk vampire? 

 "Well, you're definitely drunk," the woman said. "I can smell it." 

 "I'm a vampire," Margret said slowly. "I am not able to get that drunk." 

 "Apparently, you can. Come on, come with me." 

 Margret stumbled a little and the woman took her arm. 

 "Who are you?" she asked. 

 "Name's Keelin. Come on, I live right here." 

 Margret stared at Keelin with curiosity and a bit of awe as she lead indoors.