Up until this point, Odessa seemed thoroughly engrossed with watching the humans at the bar between quick glances. She at least had the mind to not outright stare--besides, she was still waiting for dear Friedrich and she didn’t want to draw anyone else to her for the time being. So best not to stare. But it was getting awfully late and she didn’t know how much longer she wanted to wait. It was a foreign feeling for her to be stood-up--no one had ever dared! Especially not Friedrich, he was always so punctual--early even. It was one of her favorite qualities--well, besides his blood and his attentiveness in bed. The vampire’s mouth trembled at the thought, hungrily eyeing the closest human to her. No, this would not be good. The longer she waited the more her throat nagged. Perhaps she could drag one away quickly outside, to the back of the building? Just a little taste, nothing more. Something to make the awful waiting a bit more bearable. But how she detested being kept waiting like this.
Running her tongue along her teeth, she began to feel a touch self-conscious. How pathetic she must seem, sitting here alone at the bar. It was odd enough that no one had approached her yet--well, save for that rude bartender. Usually, the men would be clawing at each other for a seat next to her. And that seat was available. No--they couldn’t possibly be avoiding her, could they? No, no, no, that was very unlikely. This was Friedrich’s place, they were seen together surely--maybe everyone knew to leave her. Maybe Friedrich had staked his claim and threatened anyone who thought otherwise? Unlikely. Friedrich didn’t have the gall for that sort of thing. Odessa squinted at the wall, pressing her fingertips to her temple.
Why was it all so fuzzy?
No, it was time to make a decision. She would count to six hundred (at a human’s pace) before leaving--she had to do something to distract her from the steady heartbeats ringing out against the din of the bar. This would be Friedrich’s last chance--she would not be made a fool of again. She could almost hear the snickering at the bar--or was it whispering? It was impossible to tell, the sound lingering just out of reach of discernment.
twentyfive...twentysix...twentyseven...
There was another sound, closer. But maybe it was her imagination. It was terribly distracting and she couldn’t be made to lose count. She had made a decision to wait for the allotted amount of time. Friedrich had exactly five hundred and sixty-three seconds to appear or she would leave. Odessa’s eyes drilled into the door, expecting him to cross through at any minute, all apologies and clinging to her knees, begging her forgiveness. Begging…
“Odessa?”
She whipped around suddenly, not expecting Friedrich to be appearing next to her--she thought he wasn’t here yet!
“Fri--” No, that wasn’t Friedrich. Was it? The man before her wavered, face melting between three different past aquaintances as Odessa scrambled to figure out who had addressed her. She squinted for a quick beat before her face shifted noticeably into a mask of politeness.
“Ah, Pierre?” She began quickly in old French “It’s been quite some time! How long have you been in America? Tell me, how was Portugal?” She flashed her fangs in a wide smile, skin stretching taught across her face. Ah, yes, Pierre. He looked quite different now, nothing like she had remembered.