Chapter 1: The Bar

Logan

Ruby, the only bar with my kind, was loud and crazy tonight, and very popular with both races, humans and those from the underworld. I stayed away from the humans as I went ahead of the line, the bouncer didn't even try to stop me as I walked into the bar. The smell of adreneline, sex, and anger filled the air and I felt excitment pass through my body. I squashed it just as soon as I felt it. It never ends well when my excitment gets out of control. I smirked as I noticed eyes landing on me as I stared into the huge crowed. 

I've lived my life in constant fear and the staring eyes of the hungry werewolves, vampires, and other fae doesn't work on me. As I moved threw the crowd, I took notice of all of those stares directed at me, including the bartendar, standing just a few inches taller than me with short black curly hair, bright glowing blue eyes with a purple ring around the irise alerted me to what he was. As for the stares and the hatred towards me, I've pretty much grown inmune to it and I've worked hard to make sure my domanice is known when others are around. I don't stand for being told what to do. I do what I want, when I want, and if anyone should try to stop me, just as this bartendar was going to, I always get my way or they pay. 

He grinned at me with yellow crooked teeth, "Sorry sweet-stuff, can't serve to youth." I knew this already and I hadn't even asked for a drink yet. I wasn't planning to either. Drinking was the last thing on my mind.

I narrowed my eyes at him, my vision becoming clearer and the fog lifting from my brain from the adeneline and excitment, "I ain't here for the booze, sweet-stuff." I used his nickname back on him, making his smile fade, "I'm here for the tempory part-time job that was posted in the newpaper." 

He raised an eye at me, his glowing blue eyes glancing behind me before landing back on me, "I see. You got a resume?"

I signed, "I would be lying if I said I did. I ain't got much experience, but I need the money and I'm a fast learner." I tapped my sharpened nails on the counter, waiting for the right response. They weren't completely pointed, but I could make them as sharp as necessary if needed. 

The bartender sighed, "I ain't got time to train some newbie. I need someone with experience and someone that knows how to make a cocktail at least." He gestured to the nails, "Put those away, darling. I ain't gonna do anything."

I grinded my teeth together, rage slowly seeping out of my pores but I put the nails away, "Like I said, I'm a fast learner. I can't gain experience if ya'll don't let me work." I've tried so many other places before this but they all baiscally said the same thing, how was I suppose to get experience if they don't let me work though? That just doesn't make sense to me. 

He clicked his tongue while washing out a pint, "It ain't me you got to convince." He gestured behind me. "He's the one who owns and runs this place. Talk to him." 

I followed his finger to a man sitting in a round booth with a bunch of females of all sorts in skin tight outfits dancing on the tables. His bright blond hair and hollow green eyes told me he wasn't human, but using a disguise as to not scare off others. I could see he was a high rank demon from the way the other males avoided him. With broad shoulders, slender build, and toned muscles, I could understand the attraction from the ladies, but men have and never will interest me. Companionship gets you nowhere in life. 

Walking up to his table, the other females felt my presence and quickly stopped what they were doing and moved away, out of reach from my dangerous arua. He glanced up at me and I saw his eyes flashed with surprise, almost like he wasn't expecting someone like me to approach him. 

"You the owner?" I asked, my voice rough with irritation and annoyance. 

He didn't like the way I approached him, but he didn't call me out on it, "I'm Markus Ruby. I own the Ruby. What can I do for you?" He curled his lip in disgust when asking the question. 

I could see that this was going no where. I signed deeply, lauching into my explanation, "I saw in the newspaper your hiring for a temp part-time bartender. I'm a fast learner and I know my way around a kitchen and the cleaning room." 

He let out a low growl, "Why would I hire yet another demon to mess up my bar? Joseph does that enough for me!" He gestured to the bartender behind me, and just like that, something loud crashed behind me. I glanced behind me to see Joseph picking up pieces of glass and apologizing profusely to others around him. 

I raised an eye brow, looking back at Markus, "Why did you hire him in the first place? You do realize that he's a luck demon right?" The purple iris was the one thing you could tell that it was a bad luck demon. If his eyes were blue with a pink ring, then it would be a good luck demon, even then though, good luck demons are extremely rare and they don't gravite towards crowds. 

Markus rolled his eyes, "Exactly! I needed some luck so I took a gamble and hired him. He promised me that he would bring luck to the bar."

I shook my head, "Thats not what it means. A luck demons eats away at your luck, and when they are running low on luck, they become clumsly, causing bad luck in their own way."

I felt the heat in the room skyrocket and when I looked back down at Markus, his eyes were glowing red and there were patches of fire all over his body, melting the leather and plastic couch he was sitting on. 

I gestured to this seat and table, "If you keep burning, you'll melt your own table and couch, causing you to spend more money." 

Markus looked surprised and quickly patted out the fire on his body. "My anger is a trigger for my ability. Unfortunaly, fire demons don't have the best control." 

I shrugged, "We all have our own flaws, but that doesn't mean your any different or should be treated differently."

Markus started at me for a minute, and pursed his lips, "Alright! Your hired, but on one condition." He leaned forward, giving me his best death stare, "I need a manager, someone to handle this clown show while I'm not here." 

I gave him a baffled look, "I'm barely 20 years old. I have no idea how to be a manager."

He smirked, "You learn fast, you said. I'll show you of course." 

I needed the money and I needed the job. This city is crawling with demons which allows my scent to be hard to find. I'll be able to stay here for longer and maybe learn a few things from Markus. Maybe then I can learn to protect myself a little better when shit hits the fan. 

I nodded at Markus, "Alright. I'll do it. 

Markus smirked, "Let's have some fun, shall we?" 

For the next two weeks, Markus trained me on how to be a hardass and even put Joseph in his place behind the bar. I ended up laughing my ass off when Joseph's mouth feel open when he heard that I had got the manager's job. It felt good to finally have something, even something like a job. Now, I had a chance to finally change my life, even if it's for my demon side. 

Markus showed me the ropes, how to do inventory, how to order more food and booze, how to hire more people if needed, how to manage shift change and create schedules. Markus even created a checklist that he laminated for me to use daily for opening, closing and clean up. As Markus and I worked together more, my began to relax a little bit. I noticed that since he is a high level demon, no one really fucks with him, and his employees, which I loved. It gave me peace and mind that while I'm in the club at least, no one would fuck with me, including those men.