Tales of the Bartender - Part I

BY: Gigs

Disclaimer: As usual, some of the characters aren't mine, some are...such just showed up. I guess we didn't RSVP and what the heck, the more the merrier, right? And apparently I get to be color commentator between acts, so without further ado. Tales of the Bartender Part 1.
Rating: PG (Imagine that)

"Baclava?!" I stared at Tamara's amused face in dumb astonishment. "Why in the world would we be serving Baclava at a party who's theme is Arabian Nights? Isn't that Greek?" Tamara was chuckling as she nodded, "Apparently its one of Luce's favorites, so Kash added it in." I began flipping frantically through my 'Bartending for Dummies' guidebook, "Well, what the hell goes with Baclava?" I mumbled.

Tamara patted my shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry about it. I'll ask Luce when he arrives what he would like. That seems to be the best route anyway." I looked up and could have popped myself in the head. Kash's anxiety about making everything go perfect was rubbing off on me. My shoulders relaxed and I nodded. "That's sounds good." Tamara looked up, "The guys are arriving. You'd better get those drinks ready for backstage." I could feel Asher's presence enter the building. I mentally reached out and immediately was wrapped in warmth and security like a soft blanket which made me smile.

I got busy putting together a "Sex on the Beach" for Crystal, a "Long Island Ice Tea" vamp-style for Lyza, a Lemon Drop and Tom Collins for Tanya, and a few other specialities for the other girls that I'd noticed them drinking at the bachlorette party. While Tamara went out into the main tent to make sure the guys were finding their "seats" comfortably and taking drink, I slipped a drop of the tears into each of the glasses. "Here's to the night, ladies. Have fun!" I also made a seperate drink for Sarai which I pointed out to Tamara on her return. "Is it virgin?" she asked. "Well, no not really. It's kinderbeer like what they give out in Germany to the children. It IS alcoholic, but not enough to be seriously damaging. Sarai can have her own little cup o' sin so she doesn't get curious about sampling the other girl's drinks...and her mom doesn't shoot me for sending her daughter home drunk. That's the plan anyway. " I smiled at Tamara and she returned the smile with a sparkle of michief in her eye before bustling off the dressing room with the tray balanced high in her hand.

Oops, I'd forgotten one for Chrys. Couldn't have our emcee clean and sober, now could we? I poured a little Blood Mary...or in this case, Bloody Cherry. Egad, but that conjures up mental pictures, now doesn't it? Adding a little drop of the tears, I sauntered off to the backstage area and handed Chrys her drink. She looked a little tense, but given our history of having opposing views on Asher's love life, I didn't want to push it too far. Instead I went for the jovial angle saying O+ was on tap tonight. She'd probably crap a brick if she knew WHO's O+ it was. I smiled as I headed back to the bar. 'Bad kitty. Very bad kitty.'

Once back in the tent, I noticed I'd sloshed some of the drink on my hand and licked it up real quick. Just a taste. It shouldn't send my beast off the net that bad. Then I wiped my hands on the bar towel and took a brief break. I slid through the velvet and satin strips that seperated the bar tent from the main tent, smirking at the rather elicit sensations it sparked over my skin as I went. Wow, and I'd only had one Bahama Mama enhanced drink. Better lay off or I wasn't going to make it through the night before Ash got the ravaging of his afterlife. I gazed around the tent, taking in the glittering velvet walls and shiny black stage surrounded by jewel-toned pillows. A handful of the guys had arrived and were smiling at me like I was some sort of pre-show delight. I stared down at my jeans and sleeveless cotton white button down shirt which I had tied just under my boobs. "I don't think so, boys." I laughed and some of them laughed with me.

"Actually, I think they're kind of hoping to sneak information out of you about what the girls are doing before the show." came a mischevious voice behind me. "Not a chance, wolfman. Kylie has sworn me to secrecy." I laughed as Jason squeezed my midsection. "Well, are we at least going to get to see YOU shake your thang tonight?"

"Only if you can tear your gaze away from the stage long enough to wander into the bar where I will be shaking my best 'Tom Cruise Cocktail' imitation, babe." I wiggled my way out of his grasp and wandered back into the bar, purposefully butt wiggling as I went along, smiling as I looked over my shoulder before disappearing and noticing the entire male population's attention attached to my derriere. 'Hmmm, not sure what possessed me to do that...but it sure felt good.'

I perused over Kash's appetizer list and wrinkled my nose. 'I can't even pronounce half of this stuff.' I mentally complained to Tamara. I got a chuckle for my effort. 'Bint al Sahn? Ma a'mool B'Tamer? Sfiha? Labneh Maklous? What in the world? Leanese coffee. Ginger coffee. Red Rosewater cordial. Hmm. Well, Anita would be happy there was coffee anyway. Not black like she likes it. But it has the word coffee attached which I understand is the only real requirement she looks for. The rest of that list made me think, 'I'd better get these boys stinking drunk...and I'd better get them there...FAST!'

Tamara and I worked feverishly for the next 40 minutes or so, fixing up drinks for the guys as they came in, re-filling drinks for the more enthusiastic, and passing around Kash's appetizer trays. Interestingly, they came back more empty than full. Just goes to show, if its finger food and etible, chances are guys will eat it. Either that or I'm less cultured than Caleb. Perish the thought! After a while I really got into my job, pouring and swinging, I even tried a bottle flip or two which a even managed to catch to polite applause by a couple of the guys who came into chat before the beginning of the show. The hard thing was trying to remember who'd already had their drop of "medicine" and who hadn't. 'I wonder if demons would be effected the same way normal preternaturals would? Better give them an extra drop.' I mused as I sucked a drop of somebody's drink from my finger absently.

I smiled brightly as Tamara came dancing back through the strips laughing. "It's really crowded out there. I think Chrys is about to start the show too, which is good cause I'm a little out of breath." She rubbed her tummy absently and sat by the bar a minute. "Gigs, could I get some orange juice before I run and change please?"

"Sure," I nodded. For some reason, it was getting really warm in here. I couldn't quite focus on her face and my skin tingled all over like it had been asleep. Still I pulled the orange juice from the little fridge under the bar and poured before handing it to her. Better not give her any enhancement. Wouldn't know what it would do to Jewel and I didn't want to take the chance. Chrys's voice began to ring through the other room loud and clear followed by Tanya's music. Ah, the opening act.

"What cha wanna bet Pug and her don't make it to the end of the night after the little routine she's got planned. She looked so cute in her angel outfit. Pug is gonna drop his jaw."

"Baby, I bet she don't make it back down to the bottom of the ladder." I answered her. Tamara looked at me with a sparkle in her eye. I looked right back at her with probably a similar look. We both cackled in wicked glee.



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