Bloodlines Ch.07

Garth sat dejectedly on the bed, staring down at the crumpled note in his hand. He had read it dozens of times already, knew it by heart even though he wished he could erase it from his mind.

Where had he gone wrong? What had he done? Part of him knew and cursed his own stupidity, while another part cursed Erica for being afraid. He quickly squashed those thoughts to the back of his mind. He would NOT blame her. He had messed up, plain and simple. The question now was what he could do to make it right. If he could.

Bringing the note back up, he stared at it without actually reading, instead reciting it from memory.

'Dear Garth,

This is incredibly difficult for me to write, and I am not going to insult you with tripe like, it's not you, it's me. Plain and simple, this is getting too serious for me, and I need to get some distance and think. When you said you loved me, my mind soared with pleasure at the same time as panic gripped my throat like a vice. I lay here watching you sleep for hours while my mind raced, and I could never settle on any one side.

I think I love you too, but I am terrified of the commitment that means. I desperately want to avoid getting hurt again, to be told you don't love me some day. That fear cripples my mind, and more than anything tells me I am not ready for another relationship. At least not yet.

I am going back home, to think and talk to Alyssa, she deserves to know, at least some of my thoughts. I hope you do not hate me and that we can talk about this someday, but for now I need space and time to think.

I can understand if you don't want to talk to me anymore, and believe me when I say that fear is almost as crippling as the fear of being hurt again, but know that part of me loves you too, perhaps even the biggest part. The problem is I simply don't know yet.

Please don't hate me.

Erica'

Garth stared at the note, not really seeing the letters and words, instead focusing on the many blotches where tears had dripped onto it, making the ink run a little.

He wanted to curse her and hate her, but he could not make himself do it. He understood. Not fully, but he understood enough. Enough to know she was hurting just as much as he was.

He curled up on the bed, recrimination and self-pity scouring his mind as he clutched the note and breathed in the scent of her from the bed. He never even noticed his tears as he drifted off into an exhausted sleep.

Hours later, he woke to the low sunlight of late afternoon. His stomach growled and cursed at him, forcing him to stagger into the kitchen to look for something to eat. His bare feet slapped the floor as he staggered out from the bedroom, his mind fuzzy from grief and sleep. He saw that all of Erica's things were gone from their room, but the thought only barely penetrated his mind. It just filed itself away in his sub-consciousness. Garth opened the fridge and stared at its lack of contents with disappointment. There was nothing to eat, not unless he counted the limp pile of salad leaves and two spring onions.

There was beer, though, and not seeing any reason not to, he opened one while he started looking for some halfway clean clothes to wear. Mostly by habit, he downed some capsules of herb with the second and third swallow, his mind relaxing a little as the familiarity of his sense of his surroundings blossomed. Aside from his awareness of everyone's emotions, he felt the slight buzz of drinking on an empty stomach. He knew, on some level, that it was probably not a good idea, but he was beyond caring.

By the time he left the rooms in search of food, three empty bottles stood around the apartment, his head spinning pleasantly, though not enough to cause problems. With his inhibitions suitably lowered, Garth had convinced himself that another few beers was indeed a very good idea. Probably more than a few at that.

An hour later, Garth walked a trifle unsteadily from the small burger place he had come across. The burger had been decent, though not something he would recommend to anyone anytime soon. It did do its job of stilling his hunger, however, and with some food in his stomach, the light buzz from another couple of beers dimmed somewhat. Walking aimlessly, he wandered toward the city center in search of somewhere he could drown his sorrows.

Without even being aware of it, Garth used his extra senses to keep track of everyone around him. Once or twice, he saw girls look at him, their Interest spiking a little. He was in no mood for it though, and quickly suppressed their emotions so they would leave him alone. After half an hour of aimless wandering, he saw a quiet pub across the street, a short flight of stairs down to a plain door with a small sign promising cold beer. Garth steadied himself on the rail and walked down, pushing the door open to a dimly lit bar that ran towards the back of the building. This early in the evening, the bar was nowhere near full, but there were enough people to create a hum of conversation and laughter that almost drowned out the low sound of rock music and a sports event or other on a screen somewhere inside. It was perfect.

Some of the patrons looked up as he walked across to the bar, but only mild Interest and Curiosity dotted their emotions, just another stranger at their local place, not really worth noticing. The bar was long, with ten or so stools covering the dark wood-paneled front, a slab of polished stone covering the top. Several taps and a well-stocked shelf behind the bar promised a wide variety of alcohol to help him reach his goal of oblivion. Despite himself, Garth smiled as he saw the expansive collection of aged whisky. A spike of Interest intermixed with a hint of Arousal penetrated his senses, and he focused on the bartender.

She was perhaps five years older than him, glossy black hair framing a sharply angled face that came just short of being beautiful, her looks not diminished in the least by a collection of piercings. Black leather suspenders that framed a pair of not too large tits held up her cut-off denim shorts. Her white tank top exposed her midriff, a small bejeweled ring twinkling in her bellybutton, and the studs piercing her nipples were obvious through the fabric. A spike of Amusement mingled with an increase in Arousal shook him from his observation. Garth's cheeks reddened a little as he realized he had been caught staring, but judging from her crooked smile he guessed she used her looks to secure a better tip and was not mad at all.

'Hi there, sweetie, what can I get 'ya?'

'Hi, uh,' Garth stammered, his blush deepening, 'I was just looking for a beer and a whisky.'

'I figured you were, with how you checked out the display of, bottles.' The slight pause made it obvious to Garth she had been about to say something else, and even through his hazy mind he could not help noticing how her nipples suddenly were poking through her top.

Garth was not exactly in the mood for flirting, but being nice was never wrong, he thought.

'Yeah, it's an impressive display,' he let his eyes roam down for a fraction of a second before looking at the bottles behind her. 'Is that a bottle of Croy Eighteen I spot at the top there?'

She nodded at his question, an approving smile spreading across her face.

'Great, I'll have a double of that and whatever beer you think will go best with it.' Her smile deepened even more at his suggestion she should pick the beer. It never hurts to let the bartender use their expertise, he figured.

Not really looking for conversation, he paid for the drinks and settled himself in a comfortable looking alcove towards the back of the room. As he sat there, watching the room and nursing the peaty whisky, he let his mind wander and unwind. The beer complemented the whisky perfectly, the aromas blending to become more than the sum of both, and he saluted the bartender with his glass and a broad smile. She smiled back knowingly and tapped the side of her nose. Garth just closed his eyes and drifted, focusing on not remembering, just being. He took in the wash of emotions from all the other people he could sense, not really doing anything, just sifting through them and taking note of anything that stood out. It became like background music, just another layer of his consciousness beside the sounds and smells he felt.

It felt good to just let his mind roam, almost like meditation. His shoulders lowered a little, the dull throbbing of a headache he had not really been aware of receding a little.

A while later, he sat with the almost empty glass in his hand and just observed the people milling about the bar. In the time he had sat there, the crowd had swelled, and another bartender was on duty. A sudden waft of perfume made him look up, just as the barkeeper from earlier rounded booth, a tray of empty glasses balanced in one hand.

'Looks like you're just about ready for another round?'

The question was obvious in her voice, and he nodded as he looked up at her. From his vantage, he had to look straight past her chest to meet her gaze, something he almost managed. The two prominent nubs poking the fabric kept drawing his eyes like magnets. She noticed his look and laughed throatily at him, no doubt having engineered the situation for that to happen.

'Back in a sec, love,' she winked and sauntered over to the bar. Not bothering to even try, Garth watched her firm ass as she walked, and when she turned a knowing smile at him before going behind the bar, he just met it with his own best smile. Her Arousal grew decidedly at that, his panty-dropping smile.

Erica was gone, and he could do nothing about it right now. What was the harm in having a good time? He knew it was the alcohol talking, in part, but he did not care.

She sauntered back a few minutes later with his drinks and put them on the table, balancing the tray of other patron's drinks with practiced ease.

'There you go, love, another round to help you forget.'

'Is it that obvious,' Garth asked, surprised. She just smiled at him and tapped her nose again.

'You have the look of someone trying to forget, and unless I miss my guess, it's a woman caused it.'

Garth could only nod, dumbfounded, his throat constricting at the sudden emotion welling up inside him.

'While I'm happy to sell the drink, I think I should warn you it doesn't actually help, at least not much. If you wanna talk, I get off in another thirty minutes? If only to take your mind off of things?'

Garth looked up at her, seeing that small half-smile and several interesting emotions swirling through her. He really had no intention of doing anything other than getting drunk, but something about her intrigued him.

'I suppose you're right,' he said. 'I probably shouldn't be alone, even if that's what I wanted. Let me know when you get off, and we'll see? I'm Garth, by the way.'

'Carrie.'

She held out her hand and he shook it. Without really meaning to, he stroked his thumb along the inside of her wrist as he let go, her eyes widening slightly at the unexpected sensuality of it.

'I'll bring you another beer before I go, and maybe I'll bring my own as well.' Her voice was a little unsteady as she said it, a prominent spike of Arousal dominating her emotions.

Garth sat back in his chair and watched her ass sway as she walked back to the bar, considering what he wanted to do. A part of him was weary and wanted nothing more than to hide in a dark corner. Another part was angry and wanted to lash out at Erica, to get even. She had given up any claim she had on him, and if he wanted to grab any opportunity to feel something other than anger and sadness, he was free to do so. He could fuck anyone he wanted, thank you very much. Erica and her excuses could rot, for all he cared.

By the time he was halfway through the beer, he had convinced himself to see where this went, maybe Carrie would prove to be a good distraction. Without even realizing it, he had started subtly manipulating her emotions to wind her up as the end of her shift approached. Five minutes later, she came walking towards him with a tray and another two beers.

Carrie set the tray down and slid into the seat opposite him in the booth, arching an eyebrow as she looked at him. 'So, should I take my drink elsewhere, or would you like some company?'

'Now what kind of gentleman would I be if I forced a lovely lady like yourself to drink alone?' He asked and winked at her. 'Please, sit. Talk.'

She smiled a slow, seductive smile and grabbed her glass, raising it in a toast to him. Garth mirrored her, increasing her Arousal as he watched her over the rim of his glass. Carrie's eyes closed briefly as if fighting to stay in control, her nipples hardening visibly under the tank top.

'So what gave me away,' Garth asked as he set down his glass. 'How did you know I was trying to drown my sorrows with beer?'

Carrie smiled at him and set her drink down as well, then put her elbows on the table and leaned forward. 'When you've been tending bars for a few years, you learn to recognize the look. That slightly haunted look, combined with an apparent desire to be left alone to your own thoughts.' Garth nodded and tried not to stare at her tits as her arms pressed them together before him. He was only partly successful, however, and when he looked up, she winked at him and squeezed them together a little more.

'In my experience,' she said, and leaned back. 'It's rarely a good idea to try and drink away your problems. It's almost always better to talk about them, air them out and get some perspective. I've had to escort more than enough drunk divorcees out because they drank themselves silly. You're way too young to have to do that, and way too cute.'

Garth smiled up at her as she said that, and as their eyes met, she slowly licked her lips.

'You're right of course, it's a girl. I thought we were doing great, but then she up and left me.' Garth said, and gave brief, heavily modified version of his recent few weeks with Erica. He left out most details, instead talking about their relationship and how she had fled because of her fear of commitment. Carrie watched him throughout, making appropriate remarks and small comments now and then, but mostly just let him talk. Garth kept a steady pull on her emotions as well, gradually winding her up more and more as he talked.

Halfway through his tale, Carrie started fidgeting with her suspenders, pulling them sideways across her firm nipples as if toying with them.

As he finished off with the last part of his tale, Garth simply watched Carrie as she sat across from him, her eyes half closed and squirming a little in her seat as he manipulated her deftly, pulsing her Arousal and Lust in time with her suspenders as they flicked across her nipples. Deciding she was ready for a little more detail about his and Erica's relationship, he leaned closer to her and lowered his voice.

'Erica likes it when I'm being dominant, when I tell her what to do. Do you like that as well, Carrie?'

'Yesss,' she hissed and looked at him. 'Confidence is always sexy, I love it when a man knows what he wants.'

'I'll be honest with you, I noticed how sexy you were the moment I walked in here. You like it when the men are looking, don't you?'

'Mhm,' she confirmed, her eyes smoldering as she looked back at him. Her right hand cupped one of her breasts, thumb and forefinger twirling her nipple. She turned slightly away from the bar, into the alcove.

'Why don't you show me what you've got there. Pull your top up.' He put a note of command into his voice. Carrie's eyes widened a little before she quickly looked around to make sure no one could see her. Satisfied she was hidden from view, she pulled the fabric up slowly, baring the underside of her breast. With a pop, her tit sprang free and bounced slightly. Garth smiled in appreciation as he took in her obvious arousal, her areola like a ridged landscape around her rock hard nipple. A steel bar, capped on either end by a tiny cone, pierced her nipple. Carrie closed her eyes as she pinched her nipple and twisted it, a spike of Pain telling Garth she was going rough on herself.

'Very nice,' he commented. 'I look forward to tasting it. Tell me, Carrie, are you wet?'

'Soaked,' she mumbled through gritted teeth as she pulled and twisted her nipple savagely.

'Show me!' The simple command sent a shudder through her. She looked around again. The room was beginning to fill up quite a bit, but their booth was in a corner and out of any direct view of the other patrons. She quickly put her hand down the front of her shorts; a gasp escaping her lips as she no doubt inserted one or more fingers inside of herself. She took her time, with several more gasps as she fingered herself before she drew her hand out. She held it up before his face, a thick coating of her pussy juice making them glossy in the dim light. Garth grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand to his nose, inhaling the musky scent of her sex. He looked her straight in the eyes as he took her fingers into his mouth, slowly licking her sticky juice from her fingers. She tasted slightly salty and sour, with hints of something flowery. He hummed his appreciation and subtly pulled her towards him as he leaned back.

Carrie slid around the table in a smooth motion and fell towards him landing next to him in the booth as their lips met in an intense kiss. Her hands slid all over his body, feeling his muscles and stroking his thighs as they worked closer and closer to his cock, now rock hard in his pants.

When her hand closed around him, her eyes widened at the size him, her kisses intensifying as she stroked and kneaded him. On some instinct, Garth looked up as Carrie leaned down to inspect his bulging cock closer. Behind the bar, the two bartenders on duty were looking their way, seeing him clearly across the room. The two young men were smiling and shaking their heads slightly in wonder. It would seem Carrie was doing more than enticing her customers, and Envy radiated from both of them. Garth just smiled at them and leaned back as Carrie leaned ever closer to his cock, her fingers fumbling with his fly. The two men gave him a mock applause and bowed ever so slightly in his direction, their Envy subsiding as Amusement and Awe took its place.

Garth looked down as a draft of cold air told him Carrie had succeeded in freeing his cock from its fabric prison. She gripped him at the base and shifted his cock around to admire it.

'Oh. My. Word. Do you have a permit for this? That's a damn weapon!'

'Careful, or you'll get hit by it,' Garth joked as she slowly stroked his cock, her tongue constantly wetting her lips as she looked back between his face and his cock.

'Is that a promise?' She said in a throaty voice. Garth just smiled and grabbed a fistful of her hair and pushed her mouth onto his cock.

Garth sat back and admired her mop of black hair as it bobbed up and down, her lips firm around his shaft as her tongue danced around his head. She had slid away from him to lay across the alcove's seat, her head and his cock partly hidden by the table. The other bartenders would see her if they looked, but they were busy serving drinks, and with the pent up frustration he felt, Garth knew he would not last long in any case. They could always go somewhere else afterwards and continue.

Garth slid his hand down her backside, stopping briefly to massage the small of her back before sliding his hand under her shorts. Her buttocks were smooth and firm, hinting at regular exercise and a healthy diet. Just when he thought he would be unable to fit more of his hand under her waistband, she quickly opened her fly, and he had full access. With two fingers, he forced her globes apart and smiled at her groan when his middle finger probed her puckered ass. Pushing farther, he met with the swollen wetness of her pussy. Carrie convulsed slightly as he pushed two fingers inside her wet folds, her pussy contracting around his fingers as he pushed into her. She started sucking him with increased vigor as he slowly finger-fucked her in time with her sucking. Soon, Garth felt the tingling in his balls that signaled he was about to come, and twisted his hand around to move one finger to her sphincter. Just as his balls contracted, he pushed into her ass in one smooth movement and pulled on her Arousal to push her over the edge.