I

August scanned the crowded room, smiling inwardly at the carefree, colorful auras of his guests while mindlessly polishing the dark wooden bar in front of him. It was a busy friday evening and the air was filled with chatter and the clinking of ice in glasses.

He loved working the ground floor- filled with flushed smiling human faces and the babble of conversation and laughter. He didn't mind having one of his staff take the evening off so he could pull himself away from the much colder creatures in the VIP section up above.

For such a small town, the Vampire population was massive- but under his watchful eye the people here were unaware of their presence, letting them enjoy their lives without fear and creating a nearly symbiotic relationship between the two species. He kept his human guests happy with drinks, and as long as their memories were quietly and efficiently dealt with- his vampire guests had their fill of drinks as well.

Content with the shine on the bar top, August moved to his next task when a nearly palpable presence swept over the room. He stopped cold. All went quiet as heads turned, and even peered over the balcony of the VIP section to the figure walking into the room.