A Way Out

(Originally posted in r/WritingPrompts, inspired by this prompt: https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/1exp3ec/wp_a_female_vampire_selects_her_next_victim_in_a/ )

It was a typical Friday night. The club was packed with people, both singles and couples alike. A perfect night to make some extra cash and potentially score a meal. Sure, given the choice I'd much rather meet my needs via almost any other method, but selling my body a few times a week was enough to pay rent, and enough of my clientele ended up being shady enough people that I could usually keep myself fed without feeling bad about it. And, as a vampire, I didn't have to worry about catching any diseases from my clients either. Since my devastating beauty is the only thing going for me, I may as well use it to my advantage. However distasteful I may find it.

A man approached me. Probably a homeless guy looking for a night of bliss to distract him from his miserable existence, from the looks of him. Unkempt hair, ragged clothes, smelled as if he hadn't bathed in a while. Not very appealing. But then again, neither were most of my clientele. Beautiful people didn't have to hire a prostitute for a night of passion. They could get that for free.

"Hello," he said, sitting down next to me at the bar. "You look beautiful. Of course, you probably already know that."

A weak attempt at flirting. But an attempt nonetheless.

"The compliment is appreciated all the same," I said with a charismatic smile. "I'm Elizabeth, by the way."

"That's a really pretty name," the man said, his cheeks flushed. "I'm Alex."

"Pleased to meet you, Alex," I said, shaking his hand.

"Gosh, your hands are like ice," Alex said. "Are you alright?"

Curious. That's the first time a potential client has ever shown what seemed like genuine concern towards my well-being.

"I get cold pretty easily," I said with my best imitation of a shy smile.

"If I had a coat I'd lend it to you," he said apologetically.

"I doubt a coat would help much anyways," I said, shaking my head. "But I appreciate the thought."

"So...uh...what do you do for a living?" Alex asked.

Did he seriously not know?

"This is my job right here."

"Oh, if you're on the clock right now, I can leave you to it. When do you get off?"

Geez, this guy was dense.

"I don't work for the club. I'm...self-employed."

"What do you mean?"

I sighed. "I'll play it straight for you. I'm a prostitute. People pay me money, and I give them the night of their dreams. A night of passion."

"You mean...people pay you...to spend time with them?"

"Usually it's a bit more than just casually spending time with them, but yes."

"In that case, I'll just...I'll get out of your hair," Alex said, looking slightly disappointed. "I don't have money."

"You don't have money?" I raised an eyebrow. "Like, not even a little bit?"

"I mean, I have a $10 in my pocket, but I was gonna use it to buy myself some food."

I paused for a moment. Never in my life had I worked this cheap. But since this guy didn't even know what a prostitute was, then perhaps this night might actually be a pleasant one. I wouldn't have to surrender to anybody's weird kinks tonight.

"I'm...flexible with my prices, you know," I said. "It doesn't necessarily have to be money that you pay me with."

"I don't really have anything else to give either."

Should I reveal myself? People don't trust vampires due to their reputation. But perhaps this man would be different. He seemed quite naive. Perhaps he didn't even know our reputation.

"I'm gonna tell you a secret," I said hesitantly. "Can you promise not to tell anyone?"

"I'm not sure why you're choosing me, of all people, but sure."

I leaned in closer and revealed my fangs. "I'm a vampire."

"Well...that...explains some things," he said, nodding. "I'm guessing my blood is the...payment you were referring to?"

Finally, something I didn't have to explain. "That's exactly what I was referring to. I don't normally work without monetary payment. I need to be able to pay my rent somehow. Otherwise I'll have nowhere to go when the sun comes up. But given what I am, it's also quite difficult to keep myself fed."

"How about a trade, then? I give you some of my blood, you give me a place to stay for the night. Does that sound fair?"

"I think you've got yourself a deal," I said with a smile. I offered my hand. "Shall we?"

Alex blushed a little as he took my hand. Despite his lack of outward attractiveness, I couldn't help but take a liking to him. Not only that, I also felt a sort of protective instinct start to form towards this man. So innocent. So trusting. Not every vampire had moral standards. Heck, most of my clients didn't have moral standards. It was a miracle he'd gotten this far without someone taking advantage of his naivety.

"Your place looks nice," Alex said as I invited him in.

"It's not much, but it keeps me safe from the sun," I said, shrugging.

"Don't be so modest," he said with a grin. "It's wonderful. Truly."

"Well, I'm glad you like it," I said. "Feel free to make yourself comfortable. I keep the fridge and pantry stocked up with food for my guests, so feel free to eat as much as you like."

"You mean it?"

"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it. Besides, a full stomach speeds up the recovery process after a blood donation. You'll need it."

"Thank you," he said, nodding gratefully. "You're very kind."

I smiled in reply.

"So...am I the first person who's offered to donate? Or have there been others?"

"There've been a handful of others. But you're the first one to not make it sexual. Quite refreshing, to be honest."

"I don't know how anyone could see giving blood as a sexual thing."

"You'd be surprised by how many people are turned on by the mere thought of it."

"Forgive me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like you're not very comfortable with sexual intimacy."

"You're right," I sighed. "I'm not. But that's what most of my clients want. So that's what I provide."

"You shouldn't have to submit to something like that if you're not comfortable with it."

"I don't really have much of a choice. If I could survive being homeless, I'd take that in a heartbeat over having to use my body for other people's entertainment. But I quite literally can't survive like that."

"I'm sure there's some place that would hire you."

"I wouldn't get paid nearly as much in any of the places that I'm qualified for. This is the only legal job that's lucrative enough to provide for my needs."

Alex paused a moment, lost in thought. Then his eyes lit up. "Maybe if we both could get jobs we could split the rent between the two of us."

"That's a big if," I said, shaking my head. "Not to insult you or anything, but I don't think anyone would hire you with...that sort of attire."

"That's...a fair point."

I thought for a moment. "Perhaps if I were to pay for a nice set of clothes for you, and maybe let you use my shower, you might have a decent shot at getting a job somewhere."

"You'd do that?"

"It would be an investment, for sure, but I think that's a risk I'd be willing to take."

Alex smiled.

"You know, you're the first person I've ever met that's ever shown any level of compassion towards me," I said.

"You're serious?"

I nodded.

"I'm sorry you've had rotten luck with that," Alex said. "You deserve way better than that."

"You're not just saying that because you're attracted to me?"

Alex blushed again. "I mean, it's not the only reason. The biggest reason is because of my mother. She taught me that everyone deserves compassion. Everyone deserves a chance to prove themselves."

"That kind of thing could get you killed in this cutthroat world."

"You might be right about that, but I also know that acting like a jerk will make you a bigger target."

"I suppose you're not wrong about that. To be honest, in the absence of a willing donor, I'll often go after the meanest, most depraved members of society to sustain me."

"Exactly. Kindness may not always be the smartest decision, but it won't earn you any enemies."

"There's a difference between being kind and being overly trusting, though. You're lucky I have a moral compass. Not all of my kind do."

"I suppose that's true," Alex said, "but I'm not about to judge someone based solely on what they are. I mean, I don't doubt you're capable of killing me, but I also know that we've been alone together for the past half hour at least. If you wanted to kill me, I'd already be dead."

"Not necessarily. For all you know I could just be waiting for you to get showered off so you smell more appealing."

"You know, I never really thought of that. But since you brought it up, that's even more proof that you weren't actually planning on that."

"All I'm saying is that you ought to be careful who you trust. You got lucky this time. But if you're not careful, your luck will run out."

"I'll keep that in mind," Alex said, nodding. "Thanks for looking out for me."

"Of course," I said with a smile. "I've got the bathroom ready for you whenever you're ready. There's a clean robe you can put on after you're done. You can leave your clothes outside the door and I'll wash them for you."

Alex smiled in thanks before clearing his plate and heading to the bathroom.

It was a strange feeling, having a guest over that had no expectation of sex, even though I knew he was attracted to me. A refreshing feeling, to be sure. But strange nonetheless. And I had to admit, the prospect of being able to get a normal job was exciting. Not having to get on my back for breadcrumbs. Realistically speaking, I'd probably have to keep this up for at least a few weeks while trying to look for other employment, but nonetheless I had hope.

Hope. Another strange feeling. I couldn't remember the last time I'd had it. Hope always seemed foolish. Believing in something too good to be true. And yet, this was true. This was real. I finally had someone in my life who saw me as a person, rather than just a tool for sexual pleasure.

"Gosh I can't remember the last time I had a hot shower," Alex said as he exited the bathroom. "It feels good to be clean."

"I'm glad," I said.

"I think it's time I fulfilled my end of the bargain," Alex said, his eyes betraying a hint of nervousness. "I'm not exactly sure how this works, though."

"Have you ever donated blood before?"

"I haven't."

"Well, there's a few different ways of going about this. First of all, you won't want to be standing up for this, otherwise you'll likely faint."

"Makes sense," Alex said, nodding. "Do I just sit down or should I be laying down?"

"It would be easiest for me if you were laying down, but it's also a bit more vulnerable of a position for you. If you're not comfortable with that, I can get you an armchair to sit in. Whichever you prefer."

"I trust you," Alex said. "Besides, I'll be sleeping here anyways. Might as well lay down."

"Alright, then. Let me show you to the guest bedroom, and you can make yourself comfortable."

Alex followed me down the hall and to the guest room, laying down on the bed.

"Is that comfortable for you?" I asked. "Do you need any more pillows or blankets?"

"This is perfect," Alex said, relaxing into the mattress as he pulled the covers over himself.

"Alright," I said. "Now would you rather me take your blood through your wrist or through your neck?"

"Is there a difference on how it feels?"

"A bite to the wrist tends to be a bit more painful than a bite to the neck, but it also leaves you less vulnerable."

"Is there a chance you might lose control and take too much?"

"No," I said. "I'd have to go without blood for over a week before that starts to become a possibility."

"Then I'm okay with you talking it through my neck."

"Alright then," I said, kneeling down next to him. "You can expect to feel a sharp pain as I bite down, but it'll go numb pretty quickly. You may notice your heart rate start to speed up. Once you start to feel a little dizzy, let me know and I'll let go."

"Alright," Alex said, tilting his head up to expose his neck. "I'm ready."

Ever so gently, I bit down into his neck, drinking at a slow and steady pace. His blood was sweet to the taste.

After a couple of minutes, Alex gently squeezed my arm. I took that as my cue to let go.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"I'm okay," Alex said, his voice slightly strained.

"Here," I said, handing him an electrolyte drink. "This'll help you recover more quickly."

Alex tried to sit up, but his strength failed him.

"Let me help you," I said, sliding my hand underneath his upper back and easing him to a sitting position.

"Thanks," Alex said after drinking about half the bottle. He grinned. "If there was any doubt as to your trustworthiness before, there certainly isn't now."

"Do you need anything else? More snacks, perhaps?"

"I'm okay for now. I think I'll just get some rest."

"Alright," I said, nodding as I stood back up. "Holler if you need me. I'll be right across the hall. Oh, and before I forget my manners, thank you."