Inevitable Attraction

Oliver awoke at 7pm to see the crimson colored sun sinking into the far away distance. Oliver had slept throughout the day in order to preserve his energy for the night, for he was a creature of the night. A man who lived under the dimly lit moon and moved only within the shadows. This was Oliver Page, the vampire.

Oliver got out of bed and walked over to the window to watch the waves of the ocean crash against the rocks. He watched as the ocean breathed in and out while trying to match its tempo with his own breathing. Oliver thought to himself how he had missed the days where he could walk for miles along the beach with the waves brushing up against his feet, the days where he could walk freely amongst the humans as one of them, the days before he was cursed. Those days were long gone, but never forgotten.

While Oliver looked out at the world deeply entranced by his own thoughts, his concentration was broken by the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs. It was Trevor, his loyal companion and servant, holding a glass of blood for his master.

"Good evening Sir, It's almost time for your meeting with Mr Arthur Keric," said Trevor.

"Why do you think Arthur has contacted me after so long?" Asked Oliver while turning to face Trevor and taking the drink from his hand. "He’s made me fly halfway across the world to come see him but he couldn’t even tell me what it was about."

"Mr Keric only gets in touch when it's important Sir. I’m sure he didn’t give you all the details for a good reason." "This doesn’t sit well with me. However, I cannot ignore it. Bring the car around Trevor, let us see what this immortal b*stard wants with me."

***

Oliver arrived at the bar where he was to meet with Arthur. He instructed Trevor to wait for him in the car and then made his way inside. The bar was called Millennium and was owned by another vampire by the name of Richard Stark. Every mythical creature knew of this bar for it held one of several portals that served as a bridge between earth and the realm of Albek, the realm in which most of the mythical creatures resided in, a place that Oliver had no interest in visiting unless it was of great importance.

The bar was dimly lit and barely had any people in it. Oliver looked around thinking of how it had been decades since he last visited the bar yet nothing had changed. Oliver was immediately noticed by Richard, the bar owner who invited him in and greeted him warmly.

"I have not seen you in a long time my old friend, what brings you here?"

"I have a meeting with Arthur," replied Oliver.

"What about?"

"Beats me."

"Well let me take you downstairs and you can ask him yourself."

Richard led Oliver through to the back of the bar where they walked through the kitchen and to the freezer that stood at the far end of the room.

"New door?" Asked Oliver.

" Yeah, the big shiny one was drawing a little too much attention," replied Richard sarcastically. Richard pulled out a key that was on a chain around his neck and unlocked the door. "I’ll see you on the other side, I just have to round up a few things here. Oliver nodded and walked through the door."

***

The Millennium bar was not just an establishment that held a portal within it that separated the two realms, but the bar itself lied on the borderline of the two realms and existed in both places simultaneously. When Oliver walked through the portal, he found himself walking through the same front door he had walked through when he first entered the bar on earth. The bar was identical in every way, except for the energy of the place. The place was filled with customers of all races: vampires, werewolves, Goblins and any other creature you might have believed to be a myth.

Once again, Oliver made his way to the bar, but this time it was to order a drink. When Oliver sat down at the bar, the bartender placed a napkin down in front of him with a scotch. Oliver a little confused, called the bartender back and asked, "what is this?"

"Well your drink was already ordered and paid for Sir."

"By who?"

"By me Oliver."

Oliver knew this voice. It had been over a century since he had last heard it, but it was something that he’d never forget. Oliver turned his body and looked to the man sitting beside him. the man wore a black suit with a black tie and a fedora that was slightly tiled to the side.

"How did you know what I was going to order?"

"Well I am an information broker so I have to know everyone’s business. But if I have to be honest Oliver, I’ve known you for years and you’ve always ordered the same thing."

Oliver drank the entire glass in one go and then signaled for another.

"Why am I here Arthur?"

"You might want to down that second glass first, then ask for the bottle and come with me."

The two picked up their drinks and made their way to a small table at the back of the bar, far from all the ruckus and all the types of pandemonium you'd expect to find in a bar like this.

"She’s back, Oliver."

"What do you mean? Who’s back?"

"Helena, Oliver...Helena."

Oliver looked down at the table feeling completely confused trying to process what he had just heard. Oliver gripped on to the glass in his hand so tightly that he didn’t feel the glass crack, and the shards of glass cutting into his skin. "Tell me everything!"

"If you insist."