Chapter 5 - You Owe Me (1/2)
Esme stood outside ONYX nightclub, staring at the security cameras before approaching the two bouncers she saw the previous night. The pair stepped forwards, eying her warily and smirking after seeing her small frame. Isana grumbled under her breath about how stupid she was while Esme narrowed her eyes at the two bouncers openly gawking at her.
”Yeah, yeah, I'm pretty, now get your boss,” She waved her hand nonchalantly while looking bored. The vampires looked taken back and stared at her like she was insane.
The first one laughed and stepped towards her, now staring her down like she was nothing but an ant he could squish. ”I think you're in the wrong place, dog.”
Dog? She arched her brow in response to his pathetic insult.
Esme instantly didn't like him. His arrogance and the sneer on his face made her narrow her eyes. ”Does it hurt?” She questioned, stepping closer.
”What?” The vampire looked at her warily.
She raised her hand, and the vampire brought his own up about to block a strike that never happened. Esme smirked as she tapped her head, ”Does thinking make your head hurt?” She stepped aside, clasping his shoulder as she did so, mocking a sad face at his expense, then looked back at the security camera before speaking over her shoulder, ”Don't pull a muscle now.”
”Hey!” The first bouncer started to complain, but the other bouncer stepped towards her, glaring at the pair of them. ”Stop taunting us and piss off.” He nudged her shoulder, and she ended up a few meters back, her trainers skidding against the tarmac; such was a vampire's strength.
”You know,” Esme began as she clicked her neck and started to swiftly walk towards them, ”for such a nice place, you guys are very rude. I doubt Niko will be very pleased that you manhandled me.”
The bouncers scoffed and dashed towards her, using their incredible speed to vanish and reappear just before her. Esme sighed and braced herself. They grabbed her by the arm simultaneously-
”Enough!” A voice she recognised called out to them. The bouncers halted their attack and looked back at the entrance to ONYX. There standing in a white shirt, black trousers, smart shoes and what looked to be a rather expensive watch was Niko.
Esme shrugged the vampires off her like they were dirt and smiled at Niko's appearance. ”You look super dapper, Niko,” She said joyfully, wriggling out of the bouncer's hold and walking towards him. The bouncers appeared by either side of her again when she was a meter in front of the brown-haired vampire.
Niko's lips thinned at the sight of her, but his brown eyes were also filled with curiosity at her arrival. ”Esme,” He greeted politely. ”Would you like a drink?”
”Not the kind you like, but I'll bite,” She winked playfully, earning her a smirk. She followed the vampire through the glass doors the bouncers now held for them, and she paused, turning to look at them, ”It was nice playing with you!”
”Seriously, just stop,” Isana groaned. She had been pacing at the edges of her mind, almost having a panic attack the entire time. Such a nervous little thing. ”I'm gonna start pulling my fur out at this rate,” Her wolf moaned back at her thoughts.
Niko led Esme through the double doors of the main floor. The night was still young, but there were more people than she anticipated at the bar sitting and at the sleek, stylish tables. All humans. Niko walked to a table and waved over a dark-blonde haired man and hazel eyes; she presumed he was the bartender. He was all smiles and good looks, catching the eyes of both men and women as he walked past them.
Quite the looker for a human, he could almost pass as a vampire.
”Or a werewolf,” Isana murmured, eying the man's tall and muscular physique.
Esme settled in her chair, placing her bag on the ground before crossing her legs and interlacing her fingers resting atop her knee. ”Leo, get me the usual. Esme, what would you like?” Niko asked as he smoothed down his white shirt.
Esme looked to her right at the array of drinks across the bar, sparkling against the mirrored wall, and she pursed her lips. There were so many to choose from. ”How about I make you something?” The bartender, Leo, asked in a smooth and quite charming voice.
Esme refrained from smirking at his obvious lustful gaze.
What is there to be lustful about? You're nothing.
Esme ignored that small voice in the back of her head telling her she was ugly and worthless and replied, ”That sounds great.” She looked back at Niko and raised a brow as the bartender walked away, ”I bet he brings in a lot of ladies.”
”He is useful,” The vampire replied with a smirk. Esme wondered if Leo was like one of those feeders- humans kept close to vampires for easy access to fresh blood. If Leo worked there and offered those sorts of services, she wondered how much he earned for both giving his body to others and keeping his mouth shut about the vampires.
”You are NOT doing that!” Isana shouted in disgust. Esme winced at how loud she was and rubbed her temple as she stared at the extravagance of the dark, lavish interior.
”Of course not, don't be ridiculous,” Esme murmured back in her mind.
Niko had been watching her curiously while she was lost in thought and talking to Isana. It had been a while since someone sat so close to her and took such an interest in her. She didn't like his scrutiny or the limelight. But before she could comment, the drinks arrived, one a dark brown liquid on ice in a tumbler that Niko held onto, and the other was a pinkish cocktail coated with sugar and fruits. Leo waited and watched as Esme picked up the drink and took a sip, the sweetness blowing her taste buds away.
She placed the drink down on the napkin and looked at Leo's expectant face. ”Delicious.”
”Alright!” He smiled, brightening up his tanned face even more. But one look at Niko's emotionless face, and Leo instantly turned on the spot, leaving them to their conversation. He kept glancing in Esme's direction as he returned to the bar and spoke to a female colleague who had been watching her with interest.
”Who's that?” The woman asked as she wiped a wine glass and picked another up.