Summary: Chloe (MC) botches her interview at Raines Corp and ends up going down another path entirely, resulting in her becoming a Clanless vampire hiding out in the Shadow Den with Jax Matsuo.
“Shit shit – AGH!”
Chloe stumbled through the revolving door, her high heel snapping off underneath her as she nearly fell into the lobby of the Raines Corp. building. She pulled out her phone to check the time – 4:54 pm. 54 minutes late for her interview…why did I even bother?? She ran on her tip-toes to the reception desk, careful not to put any weight on her busted heel.
Hastily smoothing down her still-damp hair, she approached the stern-looking receptionist. “Hi, I’m here to see Nicole Anderson?”
The receptionist tapped her pen against her teeth as she seemed to study something on her computer screen. “I’m sorry, it seems Ms Anderson has no more appointments for today.”
“I’m her 4:00,” Chloe explained, her voice unsteady. The receptionist frowned at the schedule in front of her, still tip-tapping her pen against her front teeth.
“She’s unavailable at the moment, but if you’d like to wait, she may be able to see you before the end of the day.”
“Thank you, thank you so much!” Chloe responded, hobbling over to a chair to wait. She was there less than a minute when three people emerged from the lobby elevator. She recognized one of them –
Holy crap, that’s Adrian Raines! He’s even hotter in person!
He was flanked by two gorgeous women; a stern and professional-looking blond on one side, and a fetching young brunette on the other. Chloe caught herself staring, mouth agape, and tried to pull herself together. The blond woman looked at her, disdain written plainly across her face.
“I suppose you’re Chloe, then?”
“Y-yes, ma’am, that’s me.”
She rolled her eyes. “Well, you’re spectacularly late, but judging by the looks of you, that’s the least of your problems.” Chloe visibly winced, realizing her last-ditch efforts to look presentable had failed miserably. “You missed the boat, dear. Mr. Raines has already chosen his new assistant. You can see yourself out.”
She stood, humiliated, trying to ignore Mr. Raines’ frighteningly intense eyes burning into her as she turned away. She walked with all the composure she could muster until she was back out on the sidewalk, where she stripped off her broken shoes, leaned against the building, and cried.
Chloe called Lily as she trudged home despondently, wearing the flimsy emergency flats that she kept in her bulky purse. “It was a disaster, Lil. She didn’t even talk to me – well, except to say I looked like crap.”
“Fuck them, Chlo!” Lily was always on her side, at least. “They don’t know what they’re missing. Sounds like a real bitch to work for, anyway.”
Chloe laughed, feeling a little better. “You’re right, she kind of seemed like a nightmare. Adrian Raines, though…damn.”
“You met him? THE Adrian Raines, billionaire CEO?”
“Well, I didn’t speak to him, but I saw him, and I think I need a cold shower now.”
Lily laughed hard and loud enough that Chloe had to hold the phone away from her ear. “Sorry, honey. That sucks that you don’t get to work with the world’s sexiest man. But maybe that’s a blessing too – sounds very distracting.”
She sighed. “I guess. I’m really strapped for cash though, and that job had amazing pay.”
“Don’t you have another interview lined up, though?”
“I do…” she trailed off, remembering the details of the other interview. “It’s just a bartending job though; I don’t know how lucrative it will be. And I need to buy a stupid costume or something to even attend the interview. Something about strict 1920s-style dress code?”
“That’s…different. So like, a flapper dress?”
“I guess so. I’ll have to see what I can find on the cheap. I’m going to stop by a few thrift stores on my way home. I’ll see you tonight, k? I’m in desperate need of wine and violent video games.”
“Now you’re speaking my language. See you soon, roomie.”
“I look ridiculous.”
Chloe frowned at her frumpy blue flapper dress in the mirror. It was ugly as sin, but it fit the dress code and was all she could afford until she actually got a job.
“You look…um…” Lily faltered. “Very…retro.”
“Yes, well…that’s the idea, I guess. Apparently this stupid bar is very intense about their 1920s theme.”
“Well, as long as they pay in real 2018 U.S. dollars, who gives a damn, really?”
Chloe grinned. “Exactly! Time for this girl to get paid.” She threw on a long coat over her shapeless dress and headed for the door. “Wish me luck!”
“Good luck!” Lil called as the door closed behind Chloe.
She arrived at The Shrike shortly before it opened for the day, and knocked on the door nervously. “Come in!” a voice bellowed from within.
Chloe let herself in to the dim establishment, blinking a few times to adjust to the low light. She looked around for the source of the voice, trying to ignore the various poorly-cleaned blood spatters around the room. Next to a set of stairs that led down to a basement, she saw an imposing figure in the shadows.
“Hi, I’m Chloe – I’m here for my interview?”
“Ah, yes, hello Chloe.” The man stepped forward, an unsettling grin on his face. He was tall and round, with graying hair and a smart purple pin-striped suit. She was surprised to see that even the boss seemed to be following the prohibition-era dress code. He smiled at her, but it came off as more of a sneer.
“Hello Mister…I’m sorry, I didn’t get your name.” She took off her coat as she spoke, letting him see that she had dressed the part. His sneer grew wider.
“You can call me The Baron,” he answered. “Well aren’t you a pretty little thing? I can’t say I’m crazy about the dress, but I suppose it will do.”
She blushed, feeling awkward under his gaze. “So will you be the one interviewing me?”
The Baron laughed. “I’m not much of an interviewer. Tell me, Chloe, do you have any experience tending bar?”
“Oh, yes, of course! My part-time job while I was in college was at a local club. It was small but we had a killer cocktail lineup. I’m sure the menu was a little different, but I’m a fast learner.”
He nodded. “Good, good. Well, I’ll level with you. My previous bartender has left us rather abruptly, and I’m in a bind. You’ll start tonight. In fact, why don’t you hang up your things in the back and you can get started prepping for tonight. We should start seeing patrons in less than an hour.”
“Oh!” She was caught off guard by the request, but was desperate for quick money, and figured she could deal with an eccentric boss at least long enough to get the next month’s rent covered. “Absolutely, sir, I’ll get to work. Thank you so much.”
“Don’t thank me. Just work. And Chloe…” he stared at her with fiery intensity, so fierce that she almost thought his eyes were taking on a slight red glow, “I trust you have a thick skin? Our clientele can be…impolite.”
She smiled nervously. “I can handle a few rowdy drunks, sure. Thank you.”
Impolite turned out to be a massive understatement. Within twenty minutes of the bar opening, it was packed with patrons. Most grabbed their drinks and then poured into the basement, where she could hear shouting and the occasional piercing scream. “What’s going on down there?” she asked The Baron nervously when he checked in with her.
“Boxing!” he answered cheerfully. “We’ve got some great fights lined up tonight.”
She breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, that makes sense! Sounds pretty wild down there.”
“That’s the idea,” he answered, winking. She laughed nervously and got back to making drinks for the rowdy crowd around the bar, hurling lewd and aggressive comments in her direction.
As instructed, Chloe kept serving drinks well past regular last call. It was nearly six in the morning before The Baron came back to check on her. “How are you holding up, darling?”
She tried to smile despite her overwhelming exhaustion and aching feet. “It may take me a few days to adjust to the hours, but I’ve always been a bit of a night owl, anyway.”
“Yes, of course.” He studied her in silence for a moment. “Chloe, I think you’re going to do well here. Why don’t you come to my office with me and we’ll get you officially on board our team.”
The thought of being alone with The Baron made her a little nervous, but she had no choice to follow him to his office. She did her best to hide her apprehension. Once they were behind closed doors, he immediately turned to face her, standing uncomfortably close, towering above her.
“This will only hurt a little,” he assured. She laughed nervously, but stopped dead when his eyes continued to bore into her, definitely glowing red now. He sneered once more, this time displaying a very sharp-looking set of fangs. Chloe gasped in terror, unable to comprehend what was happening.
Before she could try to run, the Baron pressed her against the heavy door of his office, pinning her. She tried to scream but her voice failed her. He leaned down, chuckling, and licked her from her collarbone up to her ear. “Welcome to the company” he whispered, his breath uncomfortably heavy in her ear. She finally managed to cry out in fear as his fangs sunk into her neck.
After the initial jolt of pain, Chloe was surprised to find herself calming down considerably. The Baron’s touch had been so repulsive a moment before, but now it was oddly sensual, even pleasurable. She closed her eyes, melting into the sensation. As it went on, though, the pleasure started to be replaced by pain once again. Her limbs started to feel extremely cold and heavy, like her veins were being filled with ice water. The world started to slip away, like she was in a dream, her mind drifting away as her body was overwhelmed with pain.
She was long unconscious when the Baron ripped open a vein in his wrist and fed her as she clung mindlessly to his large, meaty hand. “That’s it, little girl,” he muttered, “sorry for all of this, but you’ll thank me later…if you survive.” He stroked her hair with his free hand as she continued to drink from him. Finally a knock came on the door. “Come in,” he called, pulling his wrist away from Chloe and dabbing at it with a handkerchief.
Three of his men stood in the open doorway. “Her cell is ready, sir. Is it done?”
“It’s done. Take her away.”