It was perched in more or less in the invisible part of Dematire, where those who didn’t quite fit in the more Christmas adorned parts of the city thrived. The neighborhood was barren by nine o’clock, with no one with any intentions of bad or good out in the twisted alleyways and cement-paved streets. No druggies, no gangs, no homeless people, not even the simple passerby. In fact, the only sign of life appeared to be in a small pub crammed between two empty businesses, whose closing times had come nearly six hours before. The bar was as strangely placed as an ice rink in Hell.
Around its doorway pulsed a warm yellow light from the few light bulbs illumining the pub. The name on the door read The Stain engraved into the old wood, the edges of the decoration scathed and unpleasant. Inside was a rather strange environment; mist from a smoke machine covering sprawled across the floors, tables polished black wood, greatly resembling satanic mushrooms emerging from the dusky fog. Pounding music, the bass heavy enough that it makes the occupants of The Stain vibrate in time with the beat, slammed from a large speaker in the corner of the room. It was populated almost entirely by teenagers who dubbed themselves rebelious, sitting at the tables with faux I.D., drinks, and cigarettes. Behind the counter, the bartender didn't seem to mind, since his attention was reserved for a particularly large-breasted female flirting with him.
Serena laid her head down against the counter, also made of black wood, occationally lifting it to take a shot. She herself didn't know whether she drank to simply blend in, or that she just liked the taste. All she knew was that the alcohol searing through her corpse seemed to enlighten her. She observed the teens, laughing, smoking, and slowly intoxicating their bodies. Serena smoked casually as well, but why did these humans? They had lives to live, and she envied them deeply.
The vampire took another shot. She held the liquid in her mouth for a few moments, as if to ease her thoughts. Though since she had no human bodily functions, the alcohol seemed to be stealing what little remained of her sober conscience.
