The campus bar was cramped. The four Senior students last in the queue reluctantly brought out their wallets to barter favours between one another for transport, before their new best friend books a fully stocked party cab. The locations are a blur of lights and rhythmic dance, but the trust fund kid makes sure no one is hurting for cover. They talk about their respective struggles in education; their hopes for fulfillment and fortune; the thrills they've found in this new city. One of them suggests they archive this surprise adventure, and another shows Garrett how to use his smartphone's new interface, laughing drunkenly as they fumble the buttons.


The Dragon grins as the flash lights up their faces and teeth in a captured moment. Garrett contemplates the screen of the device: electrical signals shattering light into the millions of pixels, where everyone can be a digital Impressionist. Innovation was a delight in his frozen state, and he reveled in every reminder. “Your turn!” one of the girls says, causing him to squirm a bit as she pulls him in for proof of their friendship with her own camera. The other three crowd in, the victory of college exams worn with sweat and liquored breath. The cloying scent of blood and vigor roused a familiar spirit as Garret gripped his new friends a little too tight around the shoulders. He pulled a face to ruin her glamour shot, just as she signaled the camera with the angle just so. The other snorted with laughter, and blushed with second hand embarrassment at the puckered face.

“Oh my gosh! Delete that!” she begged, her friend relenting as they assessed its quality.


Garrett winced as he smelled the male before he saw him deliver a new tray of shots. His eyes tracked their movements excitedly, knowing it would be way too easy to bait this dance for another hour; to reassure his control. He was not a hungry dog, but the grace period was beginning to strain. It was not like he was above propriety, but his reassuring smile twisted as he recalled the Courts during his time in Europe. America was different, however; new beginnings and all that. Reluctant or not, his dues had not been met, and brilliance never emerged in the echo chamber. The students noticed the shift in his demeanor as he ended his little experiment.


Time to work.

-1 Vitae for Blush of Life.