redlightsandmothflights

[redlightsandmothflights]

CW: sarcastic attitudes, rivals-to-lovers, vampires, werecreatures, magic, slow burn, eventual smut, blood/blood drinking, biting, alcohol, violence

~Chapter One: Kindling~

Eula hated going out, and she hated getting ready to go out even more.

Firstly, there was some unspoken rule amongst women that dictated her underwear; that it must be matching and scream 'available' to anybody who could possibly glance at it. Even if nobody was going to see it, it seemed almost a sacrilege if anything less than sexy was picked out. Secondly, she was informed that tight clothing was preferable - Eula was nothing if a woman of comfort.

For hours, the woman had been standing in her tiny, cluttered bedroom. She rifled through a pile of clothes that never quite made it to the wardrobe. Instead, the clothes had been moved between the bed and the chair, where they would sit in various dubiously ironed states. Her friends had informed her that she was invited to their newest hang-out and that she was dress appropriately for what would undoubtedly turn into a night of debauchery whilst Eula made sure that none of them disappeared into alley-ways or the local Accident and Emergency department in the hospital. Looking across the messed up bedsheets at her options, Eula ran her fingers through her dark hair and left them there for a moment. Contemplating her decision, and what was even appropriate for their location, she hadn't gone on a night out since the last incident that landed them in hospital and with one friend in police custody for the night.

Finally, she grabbed some clothes and began to get dressed, watching herself in the floor length mirror that had never been mounted and instead rested against the wall precariously. Looking as she pulled on the almost too tight jeans over her thighs and hips and worming her way into a long-sleeved crop top with the front laced together, the white colour only slightly different from her pale skin as she began to put on jewellery in the hopes to give the illusion that she was far more comfortable with herself than she was in reality.

Standing in front of the mirror, she wondered if there was chance that she could get out of the social obligation, twisting slightly in place and frowning as she ran her hands over the slight flare of her hips, the dip before she reached her thighs, the things she didn't see on models in magazines or on billboards.

Eula hated mirrors and she hated getting ready to go out, and she certainly wasn't a fan of herself either.

Finally, she pulled on some heeled boots and grabbed a bag, slinging it over her shoulder and throwing in her phone whilst being vaguely aware she was already 'late' to meeting her friends, although she still took the time to finish a cup of now-cold tea that had been sat on her nightstand for most of the evening; her face crumpling in mild disgust as she did so. There was no avoiding the fact she had to leave now, and so with keys jangling, adorned with various keychains that had faded with wear and years of toying with, she headed outside into the dim lights of the world outside her small flat.

There was always a good reason to be afraid of the dark. Something was always out in it, hiding between the streetlight halos and warm window-lights as the city came alive despite the setting of the sun.

Hurrying down the street, she was met with the suddenly unmuffled sounds of the outside; people laughing and sharing jokes between old and new friends or even strangers, some who kept their heads down and headed towards bus-stops and night shifts that would drag on far too long. People out walking dogs, or headed towards exciting new places with plenty of lights to distract themselves for an hour or two until reality came snapping back into place as the balmy summer air hit them once again. Even though Eula wasn't a people-person, she could appreciate the way that people interacted and how they shared experiences even if they weren't entirely aware of it, how a friendly 'hello' could transform one person's experience for the better or perhaps even direct their kindness into other projects.

That did not mean she was willing to participate in it too often.

It took a few minutes and a bus ride to reach her destination, and Eula sighed as she glanced up at the heavy red neon glow that she found herself bathed in, the lettering hard to read for a moment as she blinked and let her eyes focus on it after standing on the pavement infront of the repurposed Victorian-esque building.

'Sapiens' the club light read, bold and almost becoming a blood-moon in its own right as a line of people waited to enter outside in various stages of dressed up and a heavy theme of gothic culture running through the various hopefuls. Her heart pounded as Eula got into the line, feeling the heavy base running through her chest and replacing her heartbeat temporarily as she passed the door but the feeling was somewhat thrilling, like she had briefly experienced something inhuman. Although she supposed that there were plenty more opportunities for that whilst the evening was still young.

People moved slowly, and Eula watched as occasionally somebody walked up to the door and spoke to one of the massive bouncers, receiving a handshake and a toothy grin before being allowed through the red ropes and into the club, allowing the heavy bass and loud music to spill out into the street before being muffled once again behind closed doors. Some looked back over the line and waved whilst others had a look about them that made the woman pause and try to shake the sinking feeling in her stomach before the disappeared from her line of sight. These were the people that Eula didn't quite trust, her instincts nudging awake and whispering for her to leave and not look back, to stay in the light and avoid the dark spaces between.

Somehow she supressed that voice and continued to put one foot in front of the other, pressing into the line and the throng of people before she finally reached the front, taking her bag off of her shoulder to be prepared for the security detail to look inside.

A rather large man with a shaved head and heavy beard waved her over, and gestured for her bag to go onto the table infront of him. In the half-light of the sign above them, Eula thought his skin looked more like ink than skin, the way it caught the light was strange and semi-ethereal although she didn't get the same sinking feeling in her stomach from him as she had with others.

"Any sharps, liquids or illicit substances I should know about?" he asked, voice gruff and clearly all business, the woman quickly shook her head before she watched his large hands dive into the small space, searching to confirm her answer. Quickly handing it back with a nod and a wave to the other bouncer to open the door, "Alright love, you can go on in, no trouble though, you hear?"

"Yes sir." Her voice soft, and waiting for him to nod and look away from her before she moved. She hated clubs, and it always felt as if suddenly she was carrying the world's supply of illegal things despite the fact she knew exactly what was in her bag, but the pounding base once again seized control of her heartbeat and she found herself walking inside through the grand old oak doors with iron studs and bold brass knockers shaped like lions.

Whatever interior she imagined, the inside of Sapiens was some strange amalgamation of all those concepts and not at the same time and somehow, it worked in the club's favour. Red neons and a pulsing dance floor mixed somehow elegantly with Victorian tiled floors and booths that would possibly look more in place in an American diner than the converted building. An old wooden bar had repurposed apothecary shelves behind and the walls displayed mixtures of ads and entomology specimens in glass cases, whilst occasional neon signs spread across the walls with various slogan such as 'drink' with a pair of fangs and 'go wild' with a wolf's head helped to provide illumination and ambience within the space.

Headed towards the bar, Eula spotted her friends gathered around one corner before seeing her in kind and waving her over excitedly, squealing excitedly as she approached and enveloping her into a warm hug that smelt vaguely like fruity cocktails and expensive perfumes already.

"Oh my gosh, Eula! You look so nice!" Chloe piped up, the shortest of their friends and caramel skin dusted in a light shimmer powder that gave her an almost celestial look combined with her tight black dress and cocoa brown curls. Making Trifena roll her eyes just behind, dressed with heavy liner around her iced blue eyes and a permanent resting bitch-face as she looked over Eula with a critical eye.

"You look like you picked it out of the washing pile, but at least it's not joggers."

Chloe smacked her arm somewhat playfully although Eula could tell it probably still stung slightly as the taller girl in the leather jacket simply raised a thick eyebrow. "You can't say that Tri! She looks gorgeous, you're just jealous you can't pull off white clothes!"

"I mean, she's not wrong, this was pulled out of the washing pile," Eula teased and smiled as she leaned against the bar, looking at her friends and tilting her head slightly and blowing up slightly to stop her dark brunette bangs falling into her face. Slightly regretting the fact her wavy hair needed to be reshaped into the wolf-cut she had been convinced to try out. "I'm surprised it's not got tea stains or something on it."

"Better than Chloe and her emergency dress in the bag." Trifena stated, raising her fingers to the bartender to gesture they wanted more drinks, sipping down the last of her beer before he made it over.

"You still have that old thing, it's like what, four years old now?" Eula laughed, making Chloe blush before she too was smacked in the arm and pouted at by the smaller woman.

"Not fair, it's a staple and one day might be handy for either of you if you spill like a drink or something down it!"

They ordered their drinks together, with Chloe insisting on paying for the round since it was her suggestion to go out to the club. Eula took a sip of her drink that she had picked at random from the extensive cocktail menu, something that smelt herbal and citrussy as she felt her face crumple from the initial warmth and bitterness of the alcohol and looking down at the menu to remind herself of the name and making a mental note that she had ordered a 'corpse reviver'.

All three women headed out away from the bar and towards once of the booths in the back, music thumping through her and making the already stuffy air feel somehow thicker as they manoeuvred through the throng and tried to time themselves with ebb and flow of their dancing whilst avoiding any flailing arms and extravagant accessories. Drinks carefully in hands as Trifena led the way and seemed to carve out a small path for the other two to follow behind in her wake.

The music changed to the next track, and Eula tried to avoid the people around them as she followed her friends although it seemed whatever was playing was a hit with the regulars as people began to move a little more wildly and freely. Her heart pounding as it sporadically was replaced by the bass and bathed in a red light that she couldn't help but think of emergency lighting, apologising quietly as she occasionally bumped into people who were dancing, receiving a nod from some as they acknowledged the woman behind them. However it didn't take long for her eyes to wander and scan across the crowd as she watched some of those that had entered the door directly scanning the crowd and loosening up, shifting and talking to each other as they seemed to prowl around and wait for some form of unspoken signal.

Suddenly she felt a large weight against her, knocking her drink against her white shirt and making her gasp, stumbling back slightly as she felt the cold alcohol run against her skin and make her clothes stick to her almost able to feel the alcohol evaporating with the heat of her skin. Looking up, she found herself confronting a black shirted chest, a small wet spot visible from where her drink had spilt against them. As her eyes travelled upwards, she found that her heart pounded more and more, eyes wide as she finally reached where cloth parted to reveal skin, the faded dark lines of tattoos barely visible before she managed to look higher and bring herself to look into the broad, scarred face with piercing eyes that appeared almost crimson in the light around them.

"Look where you're going, little girl." he grunted, before stepping around her and brushing againt her shoulder, making Eula shiver and turn her head to stare after him. Confused and somewhat angry that there had been no apology despite the fact he had bumped into her, she was pulled out of her stare by Trifena who had found her again and grabbed her arm. Pulling Eula closer so that she could talk to her.

"Come on, leave it, you don't mess with people here." She whispered in Eula's ear so she could be heard, dragging her back to the corner booth that Chloe seemed to be defending, and she allowed herself to be dragged back into the safety of their friend group and into the dim lights once again.

#original story #original series #vampire #vampyr #werewolf #werecreature #magic #moth light #rivals to lovers #slow burn #urban fantasy #modern fantasy