She walked out of her bubble and left the room. Upon reaching an emergency exit, she pulled the alarm. The hotel was immediately bathed in a banshee’s shriek along with bright pulses of light. That would hopefully prompt people to evacuate. Clara pushed past the fire doors and found herself on the outside.

Less than a minute later, the sun broke over the horizon, and an orange flash appeared from within her bedroom. With any luck, the authorities would link Smiley with the altercation at the pub. Investigating that mess should keep them off my ass for a while.

“Do you know what’s going on?” an elderly couple asked.

The old woman was still in her nightgown. While Clara felt a twinge of guilt for the inconvenience, at least they were safe.

“I’m not sure,” Clara said. “I heard it was a man with a severe sunburn.”

“I could cut off your fingers, rip out your fangs, gouge out your eyes, or fillet your hand’s favourite friend,” Clara said.

“Go ahead,” Smiley said. “You won’t get anything out of me.”

“What?” Clara asked. “Why would I ruin this outfit?”

“Then what are you going to do?” Smiley asked.

Clara smiled, mimicking the one he sent her way last evening. The vampire furrowed his brow, unsure of the message she conveyed, until that ocean breeze rolled in from the Atlantic.

“You’re just going to let me fry?” Smiley asked.

“You said it yourself, why waste my time?” Clara asked.

Clara pointed a finger at an overhanging light. A blue bolt filled the expanse between the two points and caused every light in the pub to overload. Everyone was bathed in a shower of sparks. To her left, the breaker box by the bar caught fire.

“Nicely done!” Sparky exclaimed.

“Don’t encourage her!” Ethereal snapped.

Vampires hated fire but did not fear the dark. However, Clara was using this tactic as a distraction.

It was time to give up her plain Jane persona, Clara’s blouse tore at two points, and her wings spread out in the shadows. She grabbed the pistol from her clutch while time slowed around her. It was just enough to make it fun and go toe-to-toe with their kind.

“I haven’t seen one of your kind in almost a century,” Smiley said.

“Sounds about right. What gave me away?” Clara asked.

“That religious trinket of yours for one, and your scent,” Smiley said.

“No fair!” Clara exclaimed before pouting. “I showered.”

“At least there will be plenty of alcohol coursing through your veins,” Smiley said as they converged.

“Oh, I doubt that,” Clara said in a steady voice.

Her eyes came to life once more, flooding the room in electric-blue light.

“What can I get ya?” The bartender asked.

“Do you have a dry stout?” Clara asked on a whim, given that it fit the decor.

“I’ll have that,” Clara said after returning in sync with time. “Say, what’s the special for tonight?”

“Tonight we have braised lamb shanks stew, and pan seared sea scallops and mushrooms,” the bartender replied.

Those options drove home how much she missed having a kitchen of her own. In the end it was her stomach that voted. The odour of the lamb shanks wafting in from the kitchen sealed the deal.

“That lamb shank stew sounds devine,” Clara said. “Please and thank you.”

A part of her wanted to mimic his accent but held back. Getting involved in an in-depth conversation on what part of the island she was hailed from would complicate matters. He wouldn’t believe the answer.

“Coming right up my darling,” the bartender added with a wink.

Through all that cacophony, there was something off. When drowning in stimuli, it often paid to focus on what was missing from the equation. There are fewer hearts beating here than people. Despite her best efforts to stick out, no one gave her a second glance. 

“Why would anyone ever notice a plain girl like you?” Silver asked.

It took her a moment to get a feel for the layout. She checked the website prior to coming here, but wanted to tie it all together in her mind. The most important details for any hunt were the exits and potential areas of risk. Odd… that door doesn’t line up with any known exits…

She spotted an empty stool at the bar and smiled. As she manoeuvred past the tables and patrons, she noticed that several moved out of the way, including those facing away from her. It reminded her of water moving around the hull of a ship as it made headway. Few appear to be aware that they are doing it.