The Vampire King And His Angel

Crystal

Fuck, I’m late. I hurried out of my apartment, glancing at my wristwatch. It was already 7:15 a.m.

I groaned internally.

Just great! Fifteen minutes late and counting. Mr. Williams was definitely going to give me an earful today.

I sprinted to the bus station like my life depended on it. If I missed the last bus, I’d be in even deeper trouble.

Thankfully, I made it just in time, boarded the bus, and arrived at the restaurant, practically breathless.

“Good morning, Mr. Williams,” I greeted, bracing myself for his reaction.

Mr. Williams, my boss, gave me a once-over, shaking his head slightly before checking his wristwatch. “Do you know what time it is, Crystal?” he asked in that familiar stern tone.

“I’m so sorry, Mr. Williams. I overslept—it won’t happen again, I promise,” I said, my voice filled with pleading.

He deliberated for a moment before letting out a heavy sigh. “Let this be the last time, Crystal. You’re on your final chance.”

“I understand, sir. It won’t happen again,” I replied quickly, bowing my head.

He gave a curt nod before walking away, leaving me to release the breath I didn’t realize I was holding.

My life was a mess. At 21 years old, I was broke and barely scraping by. The orphanage I grew up in had done its best to send me to middle and high school, but after I turned 18, I had to leave and fend for myself. Dreams of furthering my education at a university had become a distant memory.

I didn’t have anyone…not a single friend. Well, except for Derek. He had been my best friend, my only friend, and we’d grown up together in the orphanage. But after high school, he vanished. No warning, no goodbye, just gone.

I’d tried calling him, but his number didn’t work. When I visited his apartment, it was empty. The only thing left was a note taped to the wall. “I’m going far away. Don’t worry about me, Crystal. Take care of yourself.”

I cried for days. How could he leave like that? He was the one constant in my life, and just like everyone else, he abandoned me. Even now, three years later, I couldn’t fully let it go. I prayed he was safe, wherever he was, but the betrayal still stung.

I worked multiple part-time jobs to make ends meet. Last night, I worked at the nightclub until the early hours of the morning. A group of entitled assholes in the VIP lounge partied until dawn. I’d spent the entire night serving drinks and dodging their lewd comments.

The memory of it made my stomach churn with anger. My life was nothing but a series of endless shifts, loneliness, and frustration. I hated it.

Maybe it was my fault. Everyone I cared about seemed to leave me. My parents abandoned me. Derek abandoned me. Maybe I wasn’t worth sticking around for.

People said I was beautiful, but I never felt it. At 21, I was still a virgin with no dating experience, largely because I didn’t trust men. Not after what happened at the orphanage when I was younger.

A young man who worked there once cornered me, trying to force himself on me. I screamed loud enough for the entire building to hear. Thankfully, Derek had been nearby and got security involved before things went further. The man was arrested, but the experience scarred me.

Since then, I’ve kept my distance from men. I couldn’t trust them. They all seemed the same, only wanting one thing before walking away. It was easier to keep my guard up than risk being hurt again.

I sighed as I carried a tray back to the kitchen, but I wasn’t paying attention. The tray clattered loudly onto the counter, earning me a sharp glare from Mr. Williams.

“Sorry about that,” I muttered, giving him an awkward smile and a slight bow.

He shook his head but didn’t say anything. I was skating on thin ice, and we both knew it. Please, just let me get through today without screwing up, I silently prayed.

That night, I headed to my second job at The Hive, a trendy nightclub. I still didn’t understand how I’d managed to land the job with no experience. The manager had taken one look at me and offered me the position on the spot.

“Don’t be surprised,” Tom, one of the bartenders, had said during my first shift. “You’re eye candy. Nobody would’ve been able to say no.”

I hated that he was probably right.

At the club, I changed into my skimpy bartender uniform and made my way to the bar.

“You’re early today,” Tom said, fixing up some drinks. I nodded silently.

“Here, take these to the VIP lounge,” he added, handing me a tray of drinks.

I took a deep breath and headed upstairs. The VIP lounge was always a gamble—either nothing happened, or it turned into a complete disaster.

Maybe tonight will be different, I thought. Maybe something exciting will finally happen.