The rehearsal came and went quickly with Alice's distracted state. Saying goodbye to the last of the band still hanging around Alice left the theater for the cold rainy streets of London. It was only a short journey home but Alice's distraction had an given her one major issue, the sun had set. Vampires couldn't legally attack humans on the street but humans couldn't really do much to stop them if they did. Deciding not to tempt fate too much tonight Alice called up a taxi and while waiting at the entrance to the theater she saw an unkempt man approaching, his plaid shirt covered in dark splotches, her ex. Leaning further into the lobby hoping to avoid him did little as John was quickly pressing through the glass doors into the dimly lit hallway. Taking him in, even in the low light, Alice realised he looked shell shocked, confused almost. His eyes searched hers before speaking.
"You never picked up my calls, are you alright?" She should have just walked.
"Hi John, I'm good,thanks for asking. How are you?" His face was blank but tense. "Hey, are you okay?" Reaching out to touch his arm, John flinched backwards his eyes darting to Alice's invading hand and her face before settling down but looking no less calm.
"I'm fine, why did you never answer the phone? I needed you." A Quick Look down to her phone revealed the taxi was ten minutes away. She could always just run back into the sound studio and lock herself in, or make a break for the street. Death by exsanguination might be preferable to this conversation.
"I've just been busy in rehearsals all day, the new show runner is running us ragged trying to learn all these new performances, they came in two weeks back and expect a full show to be turned around two weeks from now. It's been insane." His face stayed blank, she really couldn't win anyone over today.
"You blocked my number, I had to call you off.. my friend's phone. Why?"
"John, you know what kinds of groups you're in, it's. We have a lot of different people working here now, it's, it's not okay." He looked like he was processing the words before he replied, a bit of venom in his voice.
"Say what you mean it's not people who are the issue here."
"John this really isn't the place for this kind of conversation." His anger was only rising and the taxi was still five minutes away. "I know you, disagree with a..." being interrupted yet again, could this day just end already.
"Disagree? Are you fucking serious? They're killing us on the streets Alice, people are being turned at mass into these fucking creatures and our governments are doing nothing about it..." looking at her phone the taxi was still 3 minutes away. Why couldn't the floor just swallow her up now. " These groups are the only thing standing between humanity and its destruction, in Brazil they managed to take out their supernatural population. We can do it too and groups like the.." Alice was just staring out the door when she saw her taxi pull up, quickly pocketing her phone and seeing John still mid rant she interrupted.
"John I don't know what to say to any of that, but I can't associate with people in those kinds of groups. I'm sorry. I have to go." Walking past him he made no move to stop her but Alice did notice an awful smell coming from him but she couldn't place what it was, he did follow her out the door though as she approached the taxi.
"So that's it, I'm just shit on your shoe now you have some supe friends? Or are you spreading your legs for them like that slag you live with?" Picking up her speed she grabbed the handle yanking it open and fell into the taxi but John's hand grabbed the taxi before she could close it. "Don't run away from me, I needed your help today and you just left me, after everything I did for you. Supported you through, and you just left me. How fucking could you?" A deep voice came from the front seat of the car.
"Sir, let go of the door and move away from the woman, you're clearly scaring her." Alice hadn't realised how right he was, her heart was hammering in her chest as John towered over her, the stench coming off him smelled rotten and his breath of alcohol and vomit. She was terrified of him and as his eyes left hers and met the drivers he reflected a small amount of that fear she felt but it quickly bled back to rage.
"Fuck off you horned freak." Stepping back John slammed the door and stalked off back down the street he'd come from. The slam of the door startled her and it took Alice a minute to get control of her breathing. The driver just waited in silence. Finally getting a hold of herself she looked up to the rear view mirror to apologise to the driver when she locked gazes with the most beautiful lilac coloured eyes. The man was beautiful in a way men shouldn't be, it took her a second to even notice the two stubby horns breaking through the skin of his forehead. Blinking away the shock Alice spoke finally.
"I'm so sorry for that, he's a freak." Alice left it at that not knowing what else she could say. The demon just smiled and started the car.
"Don't worry about it, I'd stay away from him though, that man is, dangerous." Alice watched the city pass as they pulled away from the curb
"That's what the conversation was about, he didn't take it too well. We've been split a while but."
"But he stuck around?" She looked back to the mirror seeing the demon focused on the road, his skin was white when hit with light but once it passed, his skin had an almost pink tinge to it, other than that and the tiny wings wrapped over his shoulders he looked mostly human. Like a very beautiful human.
"That's one way to put it." A smile broke out on his face at the comment and Alice saw rows of jagged teeth behind his lip.
"I guess I can't blame him, pretty girl like you. Seriously though, I'd avoid him. I don't mean to intrude but he's not good for you." Alice blushed at the comment and chose not to question the man probing too deeply into her personal issues, he was being nice enough, and after John's outburst he probably had the right. She just smiled back at him and he seemed content with the silence.
Driving through the city at night was always so odd, it somehow seemed just as busy as it was during the day but hardly any of those on the streets were humans. It had all happened before Alice could even remember but before the revelation humans wouldn't think twice about walking round the city at all hours, sure there were dangers but not to the degree people were scared about now. Humans adapted though, there were those who embraced the supernatural and had no issue walking the streets amongst them, usually they either didn't keep that opinion long or they didn't stick around for long. Those that didn't take that risk, well they got overly expensive taxis home, as if the doubled fare was penance for her fear.
At first it was all manner of fairy tale creatures, Were animals, elves, goblins, vampires. All came out together at once and presented themselves as some sort of shadow government operating in the background. Conspiracy theorists went mad with ideas of lizard people controlling the government and the queen secretly being a vampire. It didn't help that they announced their existence at the turn of the millennium making some think it was the end of the world. It was a chaotic time, once she thankfully can't remember beyond her fathers constant worries and fear as she grew up.
All too quickly though the government came to agreement with "the council" and thus most countries in the EU and North America gained a new legislative body. Now they didn't have any say over laws governing humans, but they could consult and offer amendments to any laws concerning supernaturals. They also acted as a de facto state for all supes and gained embassies in most capitals and began to send envoys to the government's officials. Growing up there was always this blonde lady with long pointed ears on tv. She was some kind of elf and the main diplomat to the uk from the council. She hates to admit that seeing that woman made something snap in Alice and helped her realise she didn't want to grow up a boy, and with all these strange new creatures and magics being discovered maybe she wouldn't have too. Growing up she realised HRT was no magic but it was pretty damn close.
The newest revelation though was demons. They say they're nothing to do with the afterlife but it's not stopped churches going absolutely insane about them. It sounded bizarre to her and she wasn't religious, but she could understand why some, her ex included, seemed to have gone feral over it. The few demons she's met seemed nice though, most quiet timid actually, and earth hasn't seen an angel yet, only told of them by demons.
Snapping from her thoughts Alice realised she was almost home. It was a pleasant enough journey and quickly she found herself pulling up outside of her apartment block. Brutalist in design but cheap considering the area and the size. Turning back to the driver who's eyes lingered on hers slightly longer than was polite as she thanked him and got out of the vehicle heading for the entrance. Now just to survive Christina and her excitement and then a night out. How badly could it go wrong?
----
Very badly, it could go very badly. Alice was currently standing before the full length mirror in her room and she couldn't find anything suitable to wear. What does one even wear to a demon nightclub? Christina had decided very little which Alice wasn't comfortable with on the best of days. Looking in the mirror her makeup had turned out well at least, going for a bright clean look as opposed to Christina's dark and sultry. Her cheekbones popped with a bit of blush on them and her amber eyes practically glowed in the light. Regardless of her outfit her hair was going to be well and truly down, the shoulder length cut had been curled slightly at the ends but she wanted her neck covered as much as possible, it was a demon bar and she was going with werewolves but still no use risking anything.
