The Blackout

Excerpt from: The Blackout

I was sweating again. We had cranked up the air conditioner when we’d woken up, but it wasn’t working fast enough for me. I had wanted to keep it on all day while we were unconscious, but I was told that that was a waste of energy during the current “weather crisis”. So now I was suffering for listening to that jackass instead of doing what I wanted to do in the first place. That was not going to happen again anytime soon.

“I need a shower before we go to the pub,” I said.

I was standing in the kitchen with my lover, Taryn. We had agreed to meet a friend for drinks tonight, but it was so ungodly hot out that I dreaded leaving the house at all. Though to be honest, it wasn’t much of an improvement over being outside anyway.

“We are supposed to be conserving water. There is a drought going on, Mary Ann.”

“I don’t care. Let the mortals worry about their own damned water. I’m sweaty, and I think I’m starting to smell. And it’s your fault for turning off the damned air this morning. So go to hell.” I smiled then kissed his forehead. “Don’t worry. I will be quick.”

I ran through the shower as fast as I could, though because my hair is almost down to my ass and very curly, it does take a while to wash, condition and rinse, but I did my best to hurry. I dried off quickly, putting my hair up in the towel while I went to get dressed.

I skipped the makeup, knowing it would all just sweat off and leave streaks down my face if I even attempted it. So I just threw on a pair of jeans and a tank top, ran my hands through my hair in lieu of trying to brush the curls straight, then went to find Taryn so we could go.

“What time is Christian meeting us?”

“He’s already there,” he said. “Are you ready, or do you still have to dry your hair before we go?”

“It will probably be dry by time we get to the pub. August around here works better than a blow dryer.” I slung my purse over my shoulder and followed Taryn to the car.

Traffic was light so it only took a few minutes to get to the pub. It seemed most people were staying in their cool houses instead of braving death by dehydration out in the world or at least the vampire district with us. Usually finding parking around any of the vampire pubs in the area was a bitch. Apparently the general public was hot and bothered enough by the weather that they didn’t need to get hot and bothered by our kind tonight.

We had agreed to meet Christian at Prism, a small pub that encouraged mortals to mingle with vamps. It was a convenient set up for everyone. Vamps could always find willing blood donors and mortals could safely mingle with the “dark side” of society.

We walked in the door, and hit a wall of cool air. The short walk from the car had left a sheen of sweat on our faces so the air conditioning felt like heaven.

I made Taryn grab a table under a vent, and he ordered drinks while I scanned the room looking for Christian. I found him standing in a back corner and waved when he noticed us. A girl walked up to him, and his attention was momentarily diverted from us. I turned to Taryn smiling.