Tiny Wings - Lucifer Morningstar

Chapter One - Welcome Back

In the present day, Rayna sat in her First class seat on the airplane, sipping a glass of Champagne as she gazed out of the window.
She was on her way to Los Angeles to visit friends in Huntington Beach.

As the plane landed in LAX, Rayna looked out at the skyline. She had never been one for cities; never found them beautiful, more of a nuisance that was ruining the beauty nature provided. But she had a soft spot for LA; the cityscape had grown on her and she thought of it less like a nuisance and more like her home away from home.
She arrived at the Roosevelt Hotel and booked the usual – the Penthouse suite.
Three bedrooms of 100% luxury, but despite the fact that Rayna obviously didn't need all three bedrooms, she liked the solitude she felt in such a big, empty hotel room all on her own.
After her bags were tidied away and the concierge sufficiently tipped, she changed into a stunning blue asymmetrical dress with a corset belt, then made her way down to the bar to see if her favourite bartender was on duty.
"Benjamin!" She grinned, her clicking of her heels on the granite floor sped up as she saw the familiar face behind the bar.
"Rayna! Hey!" He beamed, putting down the wine glass he had been cleaning at the time to jump over the bar and give her a long, tight hug.
Rayna took in his familiar scent of mid-shelf aftershave, and the shampoo that lingered on his short, wavy, mousy brown hair, feeling his abs flex against her body as he embraced her.
"You stayed away longer this time; I was beginning to think I'd never see you again!" He chuckled, holding her at arm's length by the shoulders.
"Oh Ben, I'd always come back for you." She smirked.
"Your usual, I presume?" He winked, releasing her and walking back round the bar.
"You know me so well." Rayna giggled, sitting at the centre bar stool.
He danced around the area, making a spectacle of pouring her the top shelf Bourbon.
"M'Lady." He bowed dramatically as he placed the glass in front of her.
She smirked at the fact that he called her that, totally unaware of her past.
"Thank you, Ben."
"I get off in like, twenty minutes. I was going to meet some friends to go clubbing, but they cancelled on me. Fancy being my better option?" The bartender smiled.
"Absolutely. Have anywhere in mind? The Whiskey?"
"Na, we did that last time. There's a place that opened up not long after I last saw you. It's a nightclub. The owner's a bit of a pompous douche, but his club is the shit." Ben winked as he wiped down the bar.
"Sounds like a plan." Rayna smiled, gulping down the remainder of her Bourbon. "Where's your manager? I'll get you off early."
"Round the back, most likely."
Rayna nodded and got up, swiftly walking round the bar to the kitchen, where the back door was.
"Hey lady, you can't be back here. Staff only." The obnoxious voice of Ben's manager; Gareth, rang through the Vampire's ears like nails down a chalk board.
"Now is that any way to speak to a loyal return customer?" Rayna smirked, leaning against the wall next to the door.
"Oh, miss Ives; I apologise. Welcome back." He nervously chuckled.
"Gareth, come here for a moment, would you?" Gareth complied and stood before her. She placed a hand on his shoulder and looked into his eyes. "Now. Since Benjamin has been on shift longer than he should have tonight, and I am your oldest customer, you're going to let him off early so that he can come out to play with me, agreed?"
As her words left her mouth, Gareth fell into a trance; something all Vampires had the ability to do when it came to Humans – Compulsion.
"Yes ma'am." He replied in monotone.
"Awesome." Rayna went to turn away, but remembered something else. "Oh, and you're going to give him a raise for all the hard work he's done over the years."
"Yes ma'am." He repeated.
"Good. See you later Gareth." Rayna smirked and walked back through the kitchen, grabbing Benjamin's leather jacket on her way back to the bar.
"Come on, love. Drinks are on you because I just got you a raise." Rayna winked, throwing his jacket at him.
He almost didn't catch it as he was in a state of shock and awe.
"How do you do that?" He asked, bewildered.
Rayna just winked again and tapped her nose, already half way out of the hotel.

The pair got out of the cab outside of thenightclub Ben had been talking about.
"So what's this place called?" Rayna asked, staring up at the building.
"Lux." Ben replied, simply.
"Cool. Let's go through the VIP ropes." Rayna shrugged.
Ben looked horrified.
"No, Rayna wait, we ca-"
Rayna walked up to the security guard and put her hand on his shoulder,grabbing his attention.
"My friend here and I are on the list." She compelled him.
"So you are, go right on through." He replied, drearily as he parted the ropes.
Rayna smiled and grabbed Ben's hand, hurrying him inside.
"You gotta teach me that one day." Ben chuckled.
"Maybe."