The Outcast - Act 2
Hobbs looked up from his sweeping as Birk walked in. His glance didn’t last more than a moment before he went back to sweeping. As Birk took a seat at the bar, Hobbs emptied his dustpan into the trash near the door. He walked casually around the bar and took a particular bottle off the shelf. “Birk, right?”
Birk’s eyes widened. “You remember me?”
The barkeep shrugged. “I never forget a face.” The drink was poured and Birk held it like a philosopher’s stone.
“Well, then you’re the only one,” he said forlornly. “No one ever remembers me.”
Hobbs raised a nearly disinterested eyebrow before taking a glass and cleaning it. “Oh? Why’s that?”
Birk sipped at his drink for a long moment before answering. “Cursed. Forgot some chick’s name at a party in front of her friends. Boom. I’m a nonperson.”
“That’s rough,” Hobbs nodded. He continued to act as though this entire heart breaking story were the tale of the night. “What d’you do now?”
Birk shrugged. “Wander around mostly, see if I can find someone who won’t forget me the minute I’m out of sight.”
“I remember you,” Hobbs suggested. “I never forget a face.”
Birk nodded but his lonely expression didn’t change. “Yeah, but you’re a demon. I’m looking for human companionship. I didn’t want to get involved in the underground. It just happened.”
“Plenty of nice demony people out there,” Hobbs reminded him. “Like myself for example.”
“If I could ever be happy mixing with your kind,” Birk snapped, “then the curse would extend to you too, wouldn’t it?”
Hobbs let the insult pass with a shrug. “Happiness is how you cut it.”
Birk lifted his glass to that. “To being cut.”
Niki sighed in exasperation. “That is so typical, Logan. How can you not take this seriously?”
Logan shrugged, innocently. “Why do you have to take it so seriously?”
Niki looked at him with incredulity. “You’re cheating on your wife, Logan, and you think I’m overreacting?”
Logan took her by the shoulders, but she shrugged off his grip. “Come on, Niki, we’ve been through this. It’s not the same between you and I as it is between me and Rachel.”
“But I’m expected to live your lie for you, while you don’t even tell her you don’t love her?” She scoffed. “How sick is that?”
Logan slowly dropped his gaze. “She knows I don’t love her... like that,” he lied. “But I do love her. In a way I could never love anyone else – not even you.” Niki crossed her arms. “As the mother of my child.”
Niki ground her teeth. “And if I told you to get a divorce or I’ll leave you?”
Logan looked up. “You’d never do that. I know that.” He dropped his gaze again. “Because you don’t love me enough for that.” Niki was silent for once. “You don’t really love me. You’ve never once said it. I’m just your boy toy. No more important to you than Stuff.”
Niki blinked. He’d nailed it dead on. “That’s not true,” she said quietly.
“Now whose lie are you living?” Logan demanded, turning the anger completely around. “You mean so much more to me....” he looked down sadly, “than a human could ever mean to a Slayer.”
“Oh grow up,” Niki said annoyed. “Dump the soap opera crap. Don’t you dare make me feel guilty because you had to go outside your marriage for sex.” Logan said nothing. “If you don’t have the constitution to either fix or end your marriage, what makes you think you’re something that I could love? Do you think I’m that shallow?”
Logan opened his mouth to answer but no words came out. How could she be so right? How could all the excuses he had invented for his life until now vanish just like that? What kind of sense did that make? “There... are different kinds of—”
“Oh, go fuck yourself,” she said dismissively, turning from the bedroom door to grab her jacket off the table. “Your ego’s the only one who’ll have you.”
She slammed the door shut behind her, walking quickly to the elevator and hitting the key several times, sure he would follow her. He did. “Knicks, I—” the elevator doors slid shut, cutting him off.
She was halfway down the block in the late afternoon sun before he caught up with her again. “Niki, wait!” his hand came down on her shoulder and she grudgingly turned. “What’s this really about?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” she frowned. “I have to have an ulterior motive for thinking you’re a jerk?” She tore away from his grip and continued walking. “Has it ever occurred to you that if the entire world thinks you’re an asshole, maybe it’s not the world that has the problem?”
“No, I can’t say that’s ever actually occurred to me,” he said sarcastically. “What I want to know is how the hell you can get so high and mighty with me — you’re no angel in a leather jacket.”
“I’ve got my problems,” Niki shrugged, “I’ve never denied that. But having them and embracing them is two different things. You defend yourself like...” she squinted in disgust, “like screwing me is some kind of reward for killing vampires.”
Logan’s eyes showed just how deep she had cut. He slowly fell back a step, looking at her in a completely new light. For a long, painful moment he said nothing. “Is that what you think of me?”
Niki fought down the guilt and shrugged candidly. “Yeah, a little.”
Logan blinked. With a small nod, he turned back to the apartment, where his car was parked, and ran straight into a man in a blue vest. “Excuse me,” he mumbled and brushed past.
“Hey, Logan,” Birk spun Logan around with a jovial grin. “Don’t sweat the petty things, man!”
Logan frowned. “Excuse me?” he asked harshly. “Do I know you?”
Now is was Birk who frowned. “Yeah, the other night, I saved you and your buddy’s butts from that vamp! Don’t you remember?”
Niki eyed Logan skeptically, then returned her attention to the man in the carmine shirt and navy vest. “I didn’t hear about this,” she said tersely. “Have you taken to involving humans in your fights to get back at me — or because you just can’t handle yourself?” she asked and Logan ground his teeth.
“I don’t have any idea what this guy’s talking about,” Logan said spitefully, glaring at Birk as he did. He then turned his attention back to the Slayer. “And just for the record – the last time I fought a vampire, you were passed out on the floor of my car, hopped up on some acid I can’t even spell.”
“Yeah,” Birk nodded. “I remember that too. You and the KISS fan were getting your butts kicked by a bad-ass vampire and I saved you... As I recall, you were at that club that night too.”
Logan exchanged glances with Niki who was not looking impressed. Logan shrugged and felt his anger growing. “Look, I don’t know who the fuck you are, or what you’re trying to do, but I’ve never seen you before in my life and I don’t need your help.” Logan turned and stormed off, not giving either of them a second glance.
Birk raised his eyebrows and sighed. “Well...”
Niki swallowed her anger. “Sorry about him. He’s having a bad day... and he’s an asshole,” she added loud enough for him to hear. “How do you come to know about vampires?”
Birk grinned. “Long... long story. But I’ve been dusting now for a good six years–”
“Hey, me too!” Niki broke into a grin.
“No kidding!” Birk flashed a wide grin. “We’re practically cousins,” he laughed.
Niki shared his laugh. “Hey, why don’t you come to the Nail Biter tonight. KISS fan and I’ll be there. I’m sure he’d be glad for some company.”
Birk smiled. “I’d love that, thanks.”
Niki nodded. “I gotta go, but I’ll see you tonight,” she turned to go, but he stopped her, setting a small white card in her hand.
“Here,” he said quickly. “In case you need to get a hold of me,” he closed her fingers around the card before turning and walking casually back down the sidewalk. Logan’s car was already gone.
Niki looked down to see the plain white card stamped Birk&Hatt, initialed in elaborate calligraphy B&H. The telephone number was printed on the back. “See you then,” she said under her breath.
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