After our encounter with the werewolf who had completely turned my world upside down, among other things, Alfred and I ventured deeper into supernatural territory.
The air itself felt different here, filled with something unseen, something ancient. Shadows moved around unnaturally, whispering secrets I couldn't quite hear. I had spent my whole life believing I was just a girl who didn't fit in, a misfit in a world that never seemed to make room for me. But now, I was starting to understand the truth, my entire life had been a carefully crafted lie, and I was only just beginning to peel back the layers.
Alfred had warned me that not all creatures could be trusted, that supernatural beings were just as dangerous as they were mesmerizing. Especially after the werewolf chase. But considering that encounter had led to a night of intense, mind-blowing sex, I wasn't about to take Alfred's every warning as gospel.
Still, I knew enough to keep my guard up.
We stepped into a tavern, the wooden door creaking like it had a life of its own. The moment we crossed the threshold, it was as if we had entered an entirely different realm.
A thick haze filled the air, perfumed with something I'd never smelt before. The tavern pulsed with life, or at least, things that resembled life. Vampires lounged in dark corners, their fangs bared in lazy amusement, crimson drinks swirling in their goblets. Fae with iridescent skin and glowing hair moved like liquid light through the room, their laughter a song that tugged at something deep inside me.
"Wow," I breathed, completely overwhelmed.
Alfred nudged me sharply. "Shut your mouth. Look like you belong."
I snapped my jaw shut, dragging my gaze back to him as we moved toward the bar. "But I don't belong. This is all new. I had no idea there were this many creatures."
He smirked as we slid onto the barstools. "Humans rarely notice the things hiding right in front of them. That's how we've stayed hidden for centuries. Witches keep most supernatural locations cloaked, shielding them from human eyes."
I frowned, glancing around again. "But I'm not human. How come I couldn't see any of this before?"
"As long as you believed you were human, you were blind to your own world," Alfred said simply. "Now that veil is lifting. Soon, you won't just see the supernatural--you'll feel it in your bones."
I swallowed hard, my fingers drumming against the worn wooden counter. A gnome bartender scurried past, standing on stilts to reach the shelves, his small hands expertly mixing potions and liquors. I watched him work, my mind drifting back to my old life in New York--a life that felt more distant with each passing second.
It was like it had never existed.
Alfred studied me for a moment, his voice softer this time. "It might be hard, but you'll have to let it go."
I let out a slow breath. "It's not easy."
"No," he agreed. "But neither is stepping into your destiny."
I wasn't sure which was more terrifying, the past I had to leave behind or the future that was rushing toward me like a storm.
"It'll be. The more you interact intimately with these creatures as we go along, the more you'll be able to forget that you had a life before now."
But I didn't know if I wanted to completely forget. I am having fun now, but what will happen in the months to come?
"Yeah, I hope I'm able to forget."
Alfred tapped the table. "Great! Now it's time for us to drink lemongrass beer, get tipsy, and forget our troubles."
I scrunched my face in disgust. "Lemongrass beer?"
"It's tastier than it sounds. Trust me!"
I raised an eyebrow at him, but I still decided to trust him.
"Two lemongrass beers for us," I announced to the gnome who nodded and got to mixing.
After a couple of minutes, he brought our drinks to us. I looked down at the frothy top of the beer as Alfred took a big gulp of his. After a couple of seconds of contemplating, I took a cautious sip of mine.
The liquid made its way down my throat as I tried to decipher its taste. It was bitter and sour at first, but it had a bit of a sweet aftertaste, which I had not expected at all.
The tavern was filled with energy, filled with the scent of spiced liquor, charred wood, and something metallic underneath it all, something old and forgotten. As I sipped my drink, my gaze drifted around the room, taking in the creatures that lurked in the light and in the dark corners.
Then, my eyes landed on them.
A man and a woman stood near the far side of the tavern, their skin so pale it was almost translucent, as if they weren't fully tethered to this world. They weren't vampires; their skin was different, almost ghostly, and their faintly glowing eyes, which were blue and green, were hypnotic.
They weren't looking at me. Not at first.
But the moment I laid eyes on them, it was as if they felt it. Their heads turned in unison, their lips curling into something between a smile and a knowing smirk. Then, they began to move--no, float--toward me, their feet barely touching the floor.
A cold shiver ran down my spine.
I leaned toward Alfred, who was deep in conversation with an ogre, and whispered, "What creatures are those?"
Alfred glanced over his shoulder, his expression shifting ever so slightly. He leaned in, voice low. "Ghouls. The dead of the undead. Even deader than vampires." His lips barely moved as he spoke. "They're nearly extinct. They spend their days searching for pleasure, distractions, anything to remind them of what it was like to be alive."
I swallowed as they stopped in front of me, their eerie yet breathtakingly beautiful faces studying me like I was something rare. Something to taste.
The woman was the first to speak, her voice a sultry purr that sent a shiver straight down my spine. "We saw you watching us."
My cheeks flushed with heat, but I refused to look away. Instead, I tilted my chin up, trying to seem confident. "You were watching me first."
She turned to the man beside her, lips curling. "Is that what happened, Dorian?"
Dorian's smile was slow, deliberate. "I don't think so, Lilith." His gaze slid back to me, sharp and assessing. "She was giving us the eyes." His voice deepened. "And we read eyes better than anything."
A laugh escaped me, breathless and nervous. "Alright, let's say I was giving you the eyes. What now?"
Lilith's smile widened, impossibly stunning. "Oh, so you admit it?"
I shrugged, my fingers tracing the rim of my glass. "I have no reason to lie."
Dorian let out a low chuckle. "We knew you wouldn't." His eyes flickered over me, hungry and intrigued. "We watched you walk in. You're stunning."
Heat crawled up my neck. "Thanks."
Lilith tilted her head. "And we don't get many travelers in these parts. Certainly not fae who look like you." She trailed a sharp nail along my arm, barely touching it, yet I felt the sensation everywhere. "And carry so little energy."
My stomach tightened. "You can sense my energy?"
Dorian gave a lazy shrug. "A bit. And it's weaker than I expected."
