Where everybody knows your name

The bar was called **The Hollow Bell**.

Which Joey immediately decided was either the coolest name he had ever heard—

or the absolute worst.

“There is no middle ground,” he announced while staring up at the ancient neon sign flickering above the alley entrance.

Crystal looked equally uncertain.

“This place looks like someone sells cursed antiques out of the bathroom.”

“They do,” Greta answered casually while pushing open the heavy black door.

Joey froze.

“…They WHAT?”

Greta grinned over one shoulder.

“Relax. Only on Thursdays.”

Inside, the place was somehow both classy and deeply concerning.

Dim amber lights reflected off dark wood walls. Jazz music played softly somewhere in the background. Expensive liquor lined the shelves behind the bar.

And absolutely none of the patrons looked normal.

Joey spotted:

• A man with glowing blue eyes drinking something smoking out of a martini glass.
• A woman whose shadow moved half a second too late.
• Someone in the corner who definitely had horns.
• A bartender polishing glasses with four arms.

Joey stared.

“…I need everyone to understand I’m trying very hard not to panic right now.”

“You’re doing amazing, sweetie,” Crystal said, patting his shoulder.

Valerie immediately slid into the booth beside Joey like a predator spotting fresh entertainment.

“You smell nervous,” she purred.

Joey nearly choked on air.

“THAT is not a normal sentence.”

Valerie laughed loudly.

Up close, the werewolf hunter somehow managed to be even more unfairly attractive. Her silver-streaked dark hair fell over one eye while she leaned comfortably against the booth, completely invading Joey’s personal space.

“You fought pretty well for a human,” she said.

“He hit a man with a screaming machete,” Crystal added helpfully.

“That’s hot,” Valerie decided.

Joey turned bright red instantly.

Across the table, Cassandra narrowed her eyes.

“Careful, wolf.”

Valerie smirked lazily.

“Oh relax, vampire. I’m flirting, not stealing him.”

Crystal snorted into her drink.

“That somehow feels MORE threatening.”

Greta arrived carrying an entire tray of drinks one-handed.

Including something glowing neon green.

She set it directly in front of Crystal.

“What is this?” Crystal asked cautiously.

Greta sat beside her, enormous compared to the booth.

“Something that will either put hair on your chest or let you see through time briefly.”

Crystal stared at the drink.

“…I hate that I can’t tell if you’re joking.”

Greta winked.

“That means it’s working.”

Meanwhile, Malcolm sat silently at the end of the booth looking like an exhausted mountain.

Elias was enthusiastically explaining magical ward geometry to a bartender who clearly regretted asking.

“And THAT,” Elias declared proudly while drawing symbols on a napkin, “is why your anti-poltergeist rune collapsed!”

The bartender blinked slowly.

“…I literally just asked if you wanted fries.”

“Yes, loaded if possible.”

Joey laughed despite himself.

Which Cassandra noticed immediately.

Her expression softened slightly.

The tension from the fight earlier had finally started leaving her system.

Joey could feel it through the bond.

Relief.

Possessiveness.

Affection.

And maybe a tiny bit of jealousy every time Valerie touched his arm.

Which she kept doing.

A lot.

“So,” Valerie said, casually sliding closer again, “you and the vampire officially together?”

Joey nearly inhaled his drink wrong.

Crystal answered immediately.

“It’s complicated.”

Cassandra took a slow sip of dark red wine.

“It is not.”

Joey looked between them nervously.

“The way I heard it, you took a knife to the leg and still had the balls to hit a magically enhanced hunter with an anti-theft device.” Valerie chuckled at that one. “Then you let her feed on you willingly. That’s basically supernatural marriage.” Valerie winked. “I just wasn’t sure if it was an open marriage or not.”

Greta nodded seriously.

“She’s right.”

“PLEASE stop making it sound legally binding,” Joey groaned.

Crystal was openly laughing now.

Valerie leaned forward onto the table, chin resting in one hand while openly staring at Joey.

“You know what your problem is?”

Joey blinked.

“I have several.”

“You still act surprised anyone finds you attractive.”

Joey opened his mouth—

then closed it again.

Because honestly?

That one landed a little too accurately.

Valerie reached over and squeezed his forearm casually.

“You’ve got confidence now, and just as importantly, you back it up with action. People notice that.”

Crystal pointed dramatically.

“I HAVE BEEN SAYING THIS.”

Cassandra smirked faintly into her wine glass.

Joey rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

“This has been a weird week.”

“A weird week?” Crystal repeated. “Joey, you got:

• a vampire girlfriend,
• a supernatural situationship,
• hunted by **** cultists,
• attacked with silver knives,
• handed a haunted machete,
• and now a werewolf keeps trying to climb you like a tree.”

Valerie raised a hand.

“In my defense, he smells amazing now.”

Joey froze.

“…What does THAT mean?”

Every supernatural person at the table looked away simultaneously.

Joey pointed immediately.

“Absolutely not. That was suspicious as hell.”

Cassandra sighed dramatically.

“The bite changed you slightly.”

“Slightly?” Greta barked a laugh.

Valerie grinned with too many teeth.

“You know how amazing Cassandra looks and smells? Like no matter what?”

Joey nodded blankly.

“You have the same thing going on now. Albeit less pronounced.”

Joey looked around wide-eyed.

“…Really?”

“Very,” Valerie confirmed happily.

Crystal lost it completely, nearly falling sideways in the booth laughing.

“Oh my GOD. Joey smells goth now.”

“I do NOT smell goth!”

Cassandra leaned over calmly, pressing one cool kiss against his cheek.

“You absolutely smell goth.”

Greta nodded solemnly.

“Like expensive candles and bad decisions.”

At this point, even Malcolm looked amused.

Joey buried his face in his hands.

“I’m never emotionally recovering from this conversation.”

Valerie slung an arm around his shoulders immediately.

“I can help with that.”

Cassandra’s eyes flashed red.

Valerie grinned wider.

Crystal looked between all of them and sighed happily into her drink.

“You know,” she admitted, “for a group of violent supernatural lunatics…”

She glanced around the table.

“…you guys are kinda fun.”

And somehow—

despite the hunters,

despite the danger,

despite the impossible insanity of all of it—

Joey realized she was right.