The bar is busy with all kinds of people. Inside me feel that hole growing hungry. The alcohol, the women. The darkness in me screams for them. Tilly steps to my side and smiles, sensing my turmoil.

“Let’s knock back a few drinks and find you a woman. You’ve been downright celibate since Selena, and I think a new woman just might help you recover.” She winks and the four of us walk up to the bar.

Part of me wants to go home and get away from all this. The thought of sleeping with someone other than Selena sickens me. But that growing darkness wants it, needs it. I take the shot Tilly hands me and before I can stop myself, I knock it back. Tilly will make sure I’m okay at the end of tonight. She always does.

I stop counting shots after our fifth one and never bother to count the drinks I have between those. My darkness is sated as far as alcohol goes, and I really enjoy the release it has given my mind. I know that darkness has more of a hold on me now than when I had been sober, but I don’t care. Tilly, who had disappeared a few minutes ago, comes back with a blond bimbo in her wake.

“Jay, meet Courtney, Courtney, Jay.” She introduces us.

Courtney looks at me, eyeing my skin, eyes, and lips. She smiles and leans forward, placing a hand on my chest. When she moves, I notice the bite mark on her neck.

“You’re a vampire?” She asks, her words slurring.

Normally I would say no. But instead and smirk at her. “Yes.” I lie. I had heard of women like her, but never seen any until now. Hidden Springs didn’t have women like her, women that sleep with vampires in order to be bitten. Apparently it gave them a high.

“Can I see your fang?” She giggles.

I widen my smirk so it exposes my canines and I see a shudder run through Courtney. I wonder what else she was on. I guess I’ll taste it in her blood later. I repress a shudder at that and push my warning into the darkness, let it smother it. With a smile Courtney leans into me and presses her lips against mine. I kiss her back, but feel nothing.

“Why don’t we go somewhere a little more private?” She whispers to me.

I glance around quickly for Ari and Reamus. They must have gone home already. Good. Tilly winks and shoos us away as I let Courtney lead me through the club. We skirt past a group of men as they root for one of them getting lead away by a black haired woman. The look in the man’s eyes is hard. It makes me wonder what he wants to do with the woman. She’s small, it would be so easy for him…

Courtney tugs me into the bathroom and locks the door behind us. In an instant she’s pressed against me, kissing me, moving her body against mine. The darkness stirs, grows, widens within me. I grab hungrily at her body, lifting her up against the wall. She just wraps her legs around me and keeps kissing and moving.

Between the music and talking that I can hear outside, I hear something else. Something like a scream.

“Bite me.” Courtney moans, leaning her head to the side enough to open her neck up easily for me.

The man and black haired girl when out the back, into the alley. That could be her. The screams break through the darkness I let myself fall under and I let Courtney go. She whines something at me as I turn and head out of the bathroom and to the back door. Two of the men from the group are standing beside it. They try to step in my way but I flash my fangs and burst through them and the door.

Outside, the man that left with the woman has her backed against the wall, his hands roaming her body, roughly if her face is any indication. Anger flares in me, the darkness now hungering for blood.

“Hey.” I say, stalking over to them.

The man backs up and looks at me. “Hey yourself. I paid good money to be here, so you can just turn around and walk away.”

I let a cold laugh escape from my lips. That darkness is growing again, and wanting a fight.

“I don’t care about your money. You’re hurting her, so you need to let her go and walk away.” My fists clench. “If you don’t, I’ll rip your throat out.”

The man paled, I guess suddenly realizing I was a vampire. I had never thought much about the advantages or disadvantages of my appearance, but I was starting to see its usefulness. The man rushes past me and back into the bar with his group. As soon as I hear the door shut safely I look back at the girl and smile.

“Are you okay? I’m not going to hurt you, I promise.” I say softly.

“Yes, I’m fine. You shouldn’t have done that, you know.” She says, annoyance in her voice.

“I’m sorry. But I can’t stand by and let a man abuse a woman, payment or no.” I reply with a shrug.

“Well, thanks. I guess I should go now. I won’t be able to get any more work here.” She begins to walk past me then stops. “Say, could I get your number? It may help to have a knight in shining armor on call.” She smirks.

“S-sure.” I mutter, suddenly getting nervous. I put it into her phone when she hands it to me then give it back. “Can I get your name?” I ask.

She looks at me, thinking. “Nah. You can be my on-call savior, and I’ll be your mystery girl. Welcome to Bridgeport.” She winks then turns and walks into the night.

I turn to head back into the bar to grab Tilly, the black-haired girl on my mind. In a way, she was my savior tonight too. I shudder, thinking of how much the darkness had a hold of me tonight. As I make my way across the bar I realize her last words to me. How did she know I was new here?