A canon-adjacent Harborview Immortals flash fiction about Officer Brian learning about his new job from his new boss and meeting the sexually generous son of the club’s owners.

Copyright 2015 by Emma Peterson/CLI

Cover image by Scott Rodgerson on Unsplash

2012

“I trust you understand the significant risk that comes with this position.”

Brian Goodridge stared at the vampire in the Buddy Holly glasses and willed himself not to laugh. Significant risk? Talk about the understatement of the century. Going to war was a significant risk. Playing Russian roulette was a significant risk. Intentionally surrounding oneself with bloodthirsty beings on a near nightly basis? That was practically suicide.

However, suicide or not, there was no way in hell that he was about to turn down a six figure salary.

“Yes, I understand,” he responded dutifully.

The vampire, Elliot, looked up from the single sheet of paper that highlighted all of Brian’s qualifications. Although Brian hadn’t been a police officer for long, he had already proven himself to be quite capable when it came to the job. When the owners of the club reached out to his superiors to fill the spot that had been recently vacated by a gentleman who decided that he would rather become a vampire than guard them, Brian’s name topped the list of all possible candidates. Being a single man with no immediate familial attachments had tipped the scale in his favor. If he happened to succumb to any “significant risk,” it would be far easier to cover up.

“The job is a simple one, really,” Elliot said as he rested his arms on top of the desk where he sat. “Although this particular area sees very little in the way of human traffic, we do get the occasional straggler. Usually homeless. You are responsible for keeping them out. If it turns out that they have nowhere else to go, you should direct them to the farm—excuse me, the shelter. The important thing is that they do not linger on the property. To allow them to do so would be… a very bad idea.”

To say the least. Brian was all too aware of the looks he’d received when he followed Elliot to his office. While he usually didn’t mind being ogled, the vampires had looked at him like he was nothing more than a piece of meat to be devoured. Literally.

“Although you will technically be off-duty, we prefer that you use your squad car,” Elliot continued. “Most humans tend to be deterred by the sight of that alone. You are free to wear civilian attire as long as you are properly armed. You will also be provided with weapons more suitable for non-human threats, though that will be more for your own protection than anything else. No one expects you to intervene should a conflict arise between two vampires. We have additional security for that, gentlemen who are far more capable of dealing with that sort of situation. Now then, do you have any questions for me?”

“Do you think that I will ever need to use these non-human weapons?” Brian wasn’t a fool. Yes, he knew the job was potentially hazardous, but he also expected Elliot to be straightforward about what he should expect.

Elliot removed his glasses—did he even need them anyway?—and contemplated the man in front of him. Brian couldn’t help but notice that he was much better looking without them.

“Despite what most stories say about us, we are not monsters, Officer Goodridge.” Elliot paused for a moment, his lips curving in a humorless smile. “Well, maybe some of us are. But I don’t think that you will find any here at the club. Dominic and Jacob have worked very hard to provide vampires with their basic needs so that they won’t resort to… other measures. While humans are not allowed here, I would like to think that they would be safe if they were ever permitted to—”

“Ellie!”

Brian turned around to see the cause of the interruption and found a young man standing in the doorway. Tribal tattoos ran up his arms like thick black veins, disappearing under the sleeves of his too-tight black shirt. Along with the earrings and spiked blond hair and long legs encased in tight blue denim, he looked like he would have been right at home in a punk rock band. Brian had never met him before but immediately knew who he was all the same.

This was Xan, the human son of Dominic and Jacob. Brian had heard a number of things about him, namely that he was extremely fond of sex.

“Oh, sorry. I thought you were alone.” Xan entered the office without waiting for an invitation, his blue eyes studying Brian intently.

“Always a pleasure to disappoint you,” Elliot mumbled, putting his glasses back on. “What do you want now, Xan?”

“The same thing I always want. You, naked and spread out on top of your desk. Except for the glasses. Keep those on.”

Brian had to admit that he wasn’t exactly opposed to that idea himself.

Elliot glared at the human. “Don’t hold your breath.”

“You don’t know what you’re missing.”

“And yet I’ve somehow managed to survive.”

Xan chuckled and turned his attention to Brian, not even bothering to hide the way he looked the officer up and down. “Xan Dawson,” he said, offering his hand. “Bartender, son of the owners, and love of Elliot’s life.”

“Brian Goodridge.” Brian shook his hand and tried not to show just how much he was affected by the thumb that slowly and teasingly grazed the top of his hand. If the gleam in Xan’s eyes was any indication, his efforts were useless.

“Officer Goodridge will be handling the human end of security from now on,” Elliot explained.

“Then I feel safer already,” Xan purred.

The vampire shook his head. “Get back to work, Xan. And Officer Goodridge, I think we’re done here, unless you have any other questions. You will start tomorrow evening.”

“I’m good,” Brian replied.

“Are you?” Xan asked. He let go of Brian’s hand and took a step back. “Come on, I’ll walk you out. Bye Ellie.”

“Are you ever going to stop calling me that?”

“Are you ever going to stop asking me to stop calling you that?”

Brian thanked the frustrated vampire and rose from his seat. He followed Xan out of the office, his eyes trailing down to the young man’s backside. Those tight jeans left nothing to the imagination and right now, Brian was imagining plenty.

“It doesn’t bother you, working in a place like this?” he asked as they weaved their way through the crowd that swayed to the sensual beat of the music.

“I’ve been around vampires all my life,” Xan told him. “So it’s not really something I worry about. Plus, you know, my dads and all.”

Brian was hardly in a position to judge Xan’s decision to work at the club, considering he was about to do the same. And if the rumors of Dominic and Jacob’s overprotectiveness were true, then only a fool would ever try to hurt Xan in any way.

He was so busy trying to keep up with Xan—and still staring at his ass—that he didn’t realize he had been led astray until they reached the back room.  “What are we doing here?”

“I just wanted to show you where the bathroom was.” Xan stepped into a small room located between a supply closet and what Brian presumed to be an electrical room. “Just in case you ever need it. For things.”

The meaning was crystal clear. Brian watched the other man fold his arms and lean invitingly against the doorway. Although his cock was already starting to respond to the offer, he still had enough common sense to hesitate.

“I… I really should probably go.” He swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly dry. “Like you said, you’re the son of the owners.”

“My parents are almost never here,” Xan reassured him. “They don’t need to be because Elliot runs this place like clockwork. By the way, don’t ever tell him that I gave him a genuine compliment. It’ll ruin my rep.”

Brian smiled. Maybe it was the erection talking, but for having only known this guy for five minutes, he was already starting to like him. “Mum’s the word.”

Xan lowered his arms, his hand conveniently sliding over the substantial swell in his jeans before resting against his thigh. “So… are you coming?”

Weighing his options, Brian stared at Xan. To think that he could have that tall, lean body bent over the sink in a matter of minutes.

It really was a bad idea to start his new job by fucking the bosses’ kid.

But oh, how good that bad idea would feel.

“I don’t know,” he murmured, inching towards Xan until he was right up on him, close enough to feel the heat and desire coming off of him. “That depends on you.”

With a devilish grin, Xan grabbed Brian by the shirt and pulled him into the bathroom.

“Believe me, you won’t be disappointed,” he promised as he closed and locked the door behind them.