I Want Her

Stage fright is an amazing thing. Standing up on that stage waiting for the music to come on has an intense effect on my body. My heart raced, my hands shook, and I was drenched in perspiration. Luckily, most of the people in Fangtasia were far too busy looking appealing for the vampires that they weren’t staring at me. Eric and Pam on the other hand, hadn’t even blinked.

Finally, the song had begun. The echo-y guitar rang out of the speakers all around the bar, and soon it was my cue. I pressed down my nerves and began to sing.

♫She will bring a little box of moonlight
To light my way on such a very dark night
Dreams so real they grow wild on the vine
Until sundown, when she comes
She comes just like a daydream
And the sun surrenders to the evening
I've waited all day long to be with you girl
We'll burn like falling stars tonight
And hide like vampires from the daylight
Until sundown
Dreams so real they grow wild on the vine
We'll burn like falling stars tonight
And hide like vampires from the daylight
Our world comes alive at night
And like the stars, they shine so bright
As long as you are mine
As long as you are mine
As long as you are mine ♫

My voice slid until it was silent. The music faded away, and to my surprise, the vampires and fang bangers in the bar all began to clap for me. My heart fluttered as I exhaled with relief. God knows what Eric would have done if I sucked. I looked over at Eric and Pam, and Pam gave me a “Say goodbye, Rory” look. I immediately thought of those sexy singers at old time bars, and blew a kiss to the crowd and stepped off the stage.

The patrons of the vampire bar quickly went back to enticing vamps to come home with them, turning away from the stage and going on with their conversations. I started to move away from the stage, not really sure what I was supposed to be doing now. I decided to check in with Eric and Pam, and slowly headed through the crowd in their direction. A hand caught my upper arm, making me stop and look around. A tan man had ahold of it, and he was smiling seductively.

“Hey, I liked your song. You have a great voice.” He said, still smiling.

“Thank you.” I said, inclining my head a little.

“I hear performing works up an appetite. I bet you’re thirsty. Maybe you could, uh, come back to my place, and I’ll quench it for you.” He said, tilting his head a little, still smiling.

I was extremely confused, and I stared at him for a long time. I took a quick peek into his feelings, trying to understand what he meant. His emotions were nervous, excited and lustful. He feared me, thought I was dangerous and exciting, which was what I didn’t understand. Then it clicked, and I knew exactly what was going on. He thought I was a vampire.

“Oh! Oh, I’m sorry, mister. I think your mistaking me for something else. I’m not a vampire.” I said to him.

His smiling slid a little, and he looked me over.

“But, you... you work here.” He said, looking around at Eric, Chow and Pam.

“Yeah, but I’m human. So is Ginger over there.” I said, pointing out Ginger holding a bunch of empty drinks on a tray.

“Oh...” The guy said, looking a little embarrassed. His emotions were disappointed, he really wanted to bed a vampire tonight. “Do you know who here’s a vampire?”

I sighed, and decided to help this guy out. I looked around the room, and started to point people out. “Well, that’s Eric, but he’s pretty picky. Next to him is Pam, but she... well, she bats for the other team. Behind the bar is Chow. I don’t really know much about him, but I’’m guessing you’re looking for a woman, right?” He nodded his head. “That’s Mabel, by the stage, but she’s a bit on the forceful side, you might want to avoid her... Oh, and that’s Jessica. She’s new.”

Jessica had just walked into the bar, all primed up for the bar. The guy’s eyeballs practically popped out of his head when he saw her. He thanked me without breaking his gaze, and began to push through the crowd in her direction.

“You welcome” I said quietly after him. Then I thought about what I’d done. Jessica was nice and everything, but it didn’t change the fact that she was a wild new vampire who could hardly control her urges. I turned back around and hurried towards Eric and Pam. Eric was sitting in his big throne like chair, watching over the crowd. Pam stood beside him, her hand on his shoulder.

“Hey, umm... I sort of directed a guy to Jessica without thinking. He thought I was a vampire, and then he was all disappointed when I wasn’t, so I told him who in here was a vampire and then he saw Jessica. Thought you might want to know.” I said quickly.
Pam looked down at Eric, and he nodded. Then she swept off the stage. Before she got out of ear range, she turned to me. “Oh, and Rory. Good show.”