Ross wasn’t the least bit surprised to find a selection of Japanese beer, snacks, and two cases of Heineken on the counter.He rang up the order, accepting her credit card.The first few times she’d come in, he hadn’t realized it was a vampire he’d been waiting on.Not until she’d offered to give him the night of his life in exchange for a little blood.
And while he found the supernatural world to be quite cool, it was still very, very strange to see a parade of them go through the store every night.
“You’re really wasted here, Ross,” Annabella informed him as he bagged up the snacks.
He gave her a glance as he worked.“Wasted?”
“Just being a cashier here,” she explained with an elegant wave to encompass the tiny little store.“Do you know how many humans can handle the supernatural with such deadpan aplomb?Very, very few.You don’t even get rattled.It doesn’t matter what waltzes in, you help them like you would any other customer.I’ve seen you go toe-to-toe with a drunk werewolf.You sure you don’t have any sort of shaman or witch in your family history?”
“My mother was adopted, my father can’t count more than three generations back,” Ross answered with a shrug.“Who knows what’s in my family line?”
“Hmmm…and where did those gorgeous green eyes come from, hmm?”
Ross knew she was teasing and not flirting.Annabella had quickly figured out he was gay, although Ross wasn’t quite sure how.Maybe she had an incredible gaydar?But Ross wasn’t really the type people flirted with, anyway.He was rather ordinary in looks: average height, slim build—although he did work out with his brother, so he had some muscle definition.His black hair he kept buzz-cut short, as it was defiantly curly if he let it get any longer.He had his father’s taupe skin, but otherwise looked nothing like the man.“My mother.”
“Oh really?Those aren’t contacts?”
“Why would I bother?And I’m not sure I’m following your point, Annabella.The world is full of things I don’t understand.This is just another part of it.So what if I don’t flinch?I don’t have a magical spark in me.And it’s not like I know anything about you supernats.I was completely surprised when I figured out you guys were real.I’m still confused why any of you come to a gas station on a regular basis.”
“You’re working third shift in Salem.”She gave him an exaggerated roll of her eyes.“What did you think would happen?”
“That I’d have a lot of quiet shifts.”Ross shrugged again at her huff of exasperation.It was the truth.He’d been trying to earn some money to pay the bills while he figured out what to do about college.Two years in, and he couldn’t really afford to go anymore.He thought he’d work a job, take the summer, and figure it out.
Of course, life threw a plot twist at him barely two hours into the job.
Now he didn’t know what to do.His whole world view had taken an alarming spin, and he was still properly finding his feet.Because if vampires, werewolves, witches, demons, fairies, and all of that was real?Then whatelsewas real and moving below the surface attention of humans?And did he really want to know?
Annabella brought his attention back to her.“The thing is, most humans either try to exploit us or hunt us when they figure it out.You just ring us up.It’s a very rare quality, that rational calm.More than a few clans would love to hire someone like you.You can handle the day-to-day stuff that requires stepping out into daylight.Handle the human society.”
“If that requires me offering my throat to someone, no thanks.”He handed her the receipt.
“Pssh.Please.You’re too valuable to be a blood donor.And it’s not just the vampire clans.”
Over the past eight months, Ross had slowly pieced together the puzzle of what the supernatural world must be like, usually by casual comments just like this one.“So you guys have your own clans?For just your…ah, what’s the right word?Species?”
“Species works,” she agreed, eyes sharp on him as she registered his interest.“Yes, we all have our own clan.Well, except for mine—mine’s a collection of various species.Our clanmaster assembled us together for his own reasons.It’s mostly our clan you see in here, I think.Four different territories overlap in Salem, though, so you probably see a few other clans in here too.”
That was good to know.“Is that why fights break out in here sometimes?”
“That’s why.The clans don’t always get along.Werewolves and vampires especially don’t, so be aware of that.”
Ross gave a wry glance at the patched-up hole in the wall next to the soda machines.“A little too late for that warning.”
“Oh dear.Already, huh.Well, just think about it, okay?”With a smile, she gathered up her bags and beer and waltzed out of the store, her stride a touch too fast for a human to manage.
Ross watched her go with a shake of the head.Think about what, exactly?First off, while he saw a great deal of the supernatural during his night shift, it was only at this store.He never saw them outside.Second of all, did vampires even have job postings?‘Wanted: Supernatural PA.’Well, maybe it was more like a vampire secretary.
Why did that sound like a bodice ripper?The Vampire’s Secretary.
Ross looked around the store, and no, this wasn’t the job he wanted to have.He’d already been here much longer than he’d expected.But working for vampires?Or werewolves, or whatever…no.Yeah, no.That sounded all sorts of a bad idea.Ross barely kept control of his mouth in this retail job.If he was the babysitter for a whole clan of supernats?It wouldn’t be pretty.
He felt like typing out a general announcement and pulled out his phone to type it into Twitter.Check on your friends who work in professions which require them to refrain from saying 90% of what they think.We are not okay.
He slipped his phone back into his pocket as the door chime went off, signaling a new customer.This was another of his regulars and Ross popped his head over the top of the counter as the werewolf slid in.Literally slid in.His head and front paws were on the ground, his back legs high in the air as he pushed his way along the tile before flopping into a pile of sweaty fur.It looked much like a russet-colored shag carpet had taken up residence on the dingy tile.
“Hi, Feliks.Midnight run?”
“I don’t know why you call it that,” the werewolf whined up at him, rolling those big brown eyes plaintively.“I donotplan to run around like a madman every night.”
