We took the ‘vette to the restaurant, and thankfully, Alice knew exactly where to go. If we had been counting on my limited knowledge of the city streets to get there, we never would have gotten there in time for our reservation at six-thirty. She used to go there often with her parents, and while that did dim my hopes of a more intimate and romantic dinner, she was able to attest to the food there being well worth needing to reserve a table.

We arrived at our destination in the West End with five minutes to spare, or rather, the pay parking lot that was a few doors down. From the outside, it looked like an abandoned and boarded-up fast food place that had been gutted and abandoned for a decade or two, complete with barely legible faded signage that announced it as Cluckie’s Chicken. Once we stepped past the illusion and other spells meant to keep normies from taking an interest in the building, though, that appearance changed greatly.

The place looked fairly cozy and kind of like an upscale family restaurant. The walls were paneled with glossy dark wood up until waist-height, where they were painted a paler gold color. At least, I thought it was gold; it could have been cream, but it was kind of hard to tell with the somewhat dim lighting that gave the place a more intimate feel. Most of that wall space was also covered with photographs and what looked like framed newspaper clippings.

The floor was tiled in a black and white checkerboard style, and the place wasn’t exactly huge, but I counted a dozen booths total along the outer walls with six smaller round tables in the center of the room, leaving enough space between them to allow customers and waitresses to move between them. The back of the restaurant was mostly covered with a wood-paneled wall that had a large window so people could see what was happening in the kitchen, as well as a swinging door to the right leading into said kitchen and a short hallway to the left with signs indicating that that was where the restrooms were located. A big pink and purple neon sign above the kitchen window with cursive text proclaimed the name of the restaurant as Pookie’s Pizza and Wings.

Almost as soon as we stepped inside, a waitress approached us with a friendly smile, “Hi, I’m Becky, and welcome to Pookie’s. Do you have a reservation or are you here to pick up a take-out order?”

Becky was very pretty and had a fit figure with just the right amount of muscle tone, and she was definitely my type, if I wasn’t so smitten with Alice. She looked to be around our age, or somewhere in her early twenties, but given that my aunt looked that age and was over a thousand, I wasn’t about to hazard a guess. She had dark red hair, and I couldn’t be sure, but it looked like her skin had a pink tint to it. Her eyes were a bright orange hue that seemed to glow in the dim lighting, and she had cute little horns atop her head and a spaded tail swished behind her.

-Hey, Becky, we have a reservation for two, it should be under Alice MacArthur,- Alice replied cheerfully as she looped her arm in mine. -What’s the matter, Becky? Don’t you recognize me?-

Becky’s eyes widened for a moment, and then she grinned as she exclaimed, “Alice! I thought you looked familiar, but it’s been a while! The green hair and amber eyes are new, and you haven’t come here with your parents for quite a while.”

Alice smiled as she replied, -Yeah, it’s been over a year, hasn’t it? I kinda manifested late and had a few issues being on land for a while, and since then, I’ve been helping Raven here learn more about the Paranormal and teaching her how to shapeshift properly since she manifested a few months ago.-

“Welcome to the club, then, both of you. Manifesting can really throw you for a loop,” Becky said with a smile and a shake of her head.

-I should probably properly introduce the two of you,- Alice interjected. -Raven, this is Becky; her family and mine go way back. Our dads have been best friends since high school, so I practically grew up with Becky and her sisters. Becky, this is Raven, my roommate and my date for tonight.-

“It’s nice to meet you, Becky,” I offered with my best smile.

“Nice to meet you as well, Raven. Take care of Alice, she’s one of the good ones. Now, let’s see if I can find your reservation,” Becky offered as she pulled her cell phone from her apron and looked through some sort of app on it. I noticed that her fingers were tipped with black claws that were very similar to mine when her voice sounded again. “Aha! There you are! We have a booth ready for you, just follow me, girls.”

She then led us to a booth in the corner, near the kitchen, and then offered, “I’ll be right back with a pitcher of water for you and to take your drink orders.”

The booth was roomy with a sturdy wooden table in the middle, and each side had well-padded benches upholstered with red vinyl. As I took a seat on one side and Alice sat across from me, I found that the benches were very comfortable and had enough room on the seat to not be too constrictive for people with tails or other rear-facing appendages. I also got a closer look at some of the photos and framed news clippings adorning the walls.

I had almost expected the photos to feature famous people, but to my surprise, they were all Paranormals in their true form, usually enjoying a meal here in this very restaurant. As for the news clippings, I was a little bit confounded. “Are these articles from supermarket tabloids?” I asked Alice just as Becky showed up with a tray to place a pitcher of ice water, two glasses, and a pair of menus on the table for us.

-Yeah,- Alice replied as the chiming sound of her giggling rang in my mind. -Sometimes the best way to cover something up is by telling people the truth in a way that they’ll never believe. Those tabloids are great for that, and there are a couple here in Canada that are overseen by the PDA. They run a mix of the usual brain-dead garbage and real stuff that was almost exposed and then made to read like brain-dead garbage.-

“The ones on the walls here are some of the local ones. Mom thought it would be funny to display them and show some paranormal and civic pride at the same time,” Becky added.

-Becky’s parents own the restaurant and do most of the cooking,- Alice quickly explained. -Becky and her two sisters help them run the place, so it’s a family business.-

“Yup, family owned and operated,” the waitress agreed, “and proud of it. So, what can I get you girls to drink? I’m gonna assume your friend here isn’t a Vampire, though she really is rocking the look.”

“Thanks,” I offered with a nervous laugh as I tried to keep it casual while my heart thrummed in my chest. “I’m definitely not a Vampire, though. I just figured that since I’m pale and dark-haired and I have these claws and fangs, I should just lean into the whole Goth thing. I’m a quarter Demon.” Was this the equivalent of Alice bringing me home to meet her family? Or were we truly just here because the food was so good?

“Calm down and think, it’s not like that, or her parents would be here too. Besides, I’ve already met them,” I mentally chided myself. No, it was far more likely that Alice just enjoyed the food here enough to want to share it with me on our first date.

“Hey, so am I! Demon-blooded girls represent!” Becky enthusiastically cheered as she raised her free hand for a fist bump. I didn’t leave her hanging, mostly because I was relieved that this probably wasn’t a big a deal as my overactive nerves were trying to make it out to be. “So, what can I get you girls to drink?”

I managed to order a Pepsi without any obvious awkwardness, and Alice asked for the same. Then Becky left to get our drinks and to give us time to decide what we wanted to order for our meal, as I looked over the menu. The smells from the kitchen were so damn tempting, and my empty stomach growled in protest. Thankfully, it didn’t seem that it was loud enough for Alice to hear over the conversations and general business of the restaurant happening around us.

-I know you’ve mentioned not being sure about eating anything that had wings, and Lydia has been kind of avoiding making anything like that at home. They have really good pizza here, too, if you’re not interested in having chicken,- Alice suggested as we looked over the menus.

“Actually, I can smell the chicken cooking from here, and it smells really good,” I admitted as I looked over my menu. “I also realized recently that I was being kind of silly about that whole thing.”

The tinkling of Alice’s laughter once again filled my mind. -Yeah, I wasn’t going to say anything since it was your decision and all, but it was a little silly. Sure, I got pretty sick of seafood after being down below for so long, but I still enjoy it and wouldn’t say I’ll never eat it again.-

I looked down at the table as my cheeks flushed. “Yeah, like I said, I was being silly. My aunt seems to have no problems eating chicken and the like, and I eat beef, pork, and stuff often enough. They’re mammals and much more closely related to people, so if I don’t have a problem eating those, why should I have a problem with poultry? Lydia used to make chicken a lot; it was one of my favorite foods before I Manifested, so I might have been overreacting a bit.”

-You’re cute when you’re being silly, and when you get all blushy like that.- The comment only made my cheeks redden further, and her giggling tinkled merrily in my mind for another moment before she calmed down and asked, -Do you see anything you want? Given how much you eat lately, I would suggest that we maybe share a large pizza and a platter of wings and wedges. We can have a bit of everything, and it should be enough to fill you up.-

I considered that as I looked at the menu in front of me. While their specialty seemed to be their chicken, potato wedges, and pizzas, they did have a variety of salads, desserts, and appetizers as well. Still, looking at the options, I figured that she was right. The platter she was talking about came with three dozen wings and enough potato wedges to feed three people, even if one or two had a hearty appetite. That and a large pizza would probably be enough to fill me up, even with Alice having a share, and if it was too much or we wanted to save room for dessert, then we could always take the leftovers home.

“Yeah, sure, that sounds great, Alice,” I agreed.

With that decided, we just needed to figure out what kind of pizza we wanted, and we chose the deluxe since it had a fairly wide range of toppings and would probably be the most filling for me. We were left with a small problem, though, after Becky came back to take our order. Neither of us could figure out what to talk about at first.

I think the problem was mostly because we lived together, so we already knew one another fairly well. I mean, I was no expert on dating since I had zero experience so far, but I figured that usually, first dates were mostly about getting to know one another, and we already knew quite a lot about each other’s likes, dislikes, family background, and all the other talking points that I could think of. Social interaction was not my strong suit, but I wanted to at least try not to be a boring date.

“So, this place seems pretty popular with the Paranormal crowd,” I said in an attempt to break the awkward silence.

-Yep, the food is some of the best in town, at least for places geared toward Paranormals, and the prices are good too. It’s why they started requiring reservations, in fact,- Alice replied with a smile as she seemed to visibly relax. -If they didn’t do that, they would have a line outside the door at peak hours, and that would risk getting the place noticed by normies. This is my favorite place to eat out, and not just because the people running it are like family. I thought you would enjoy the food here too, so it’s one of the reasons that I wanted to bring you here for our first date.-

“One of the reasons?” I asked.

-Yeah, the food was definitely the biggest reason, but there was another reason as well. I kind of wanted you to meet Becky, her sisters, and their mom, Hilda, too, and not just because they’re like family to me. I’ve been trying to figure out a way of bringing it up without ruining this whole date, so I probably should have thought this out better,- she said, wringing her hands nervously as a frown painted her face.

I reached across the table, taking one of her hands firmly in mine before pulling it toward me and tenderly kissing it. “Just talk to me, Alice. I think I know you well enough to know that you wouldn’t say anything to intentionally hurt me.”

Alice sighed, but nodded as she told me, -You see, there’s a bit of a stigma among Vancouver’s greater Paranormal community about Demon-blooded since they were a big problem in the city before your mother sealed Baerahn, and I don’t want you to think any less of yourself for having Demon blood. I don’t, and I’m sure Erin doesn’t either. Just like Becky, her sisters, and Aunt Hilda, you didn’t ask to have Demon blood, and it doesn’t make you evil or anything. They are some of the sweetest and most caring people I know, and so are you. It’s part of why I’ve fallen for you. I thought knowing you’re not alone might help when you start feeling down about being part Demon. I know that Aunt Hilda and the girls would be willing to talk to you if you ever need to vent about it, too.-

For a moment, I was confused as I asked, “Why would I think less of myself over something I have no control over?” Honestly, it wasn’t that much different from being gay. Sure, there were some things about it that could be uncomfortable, but it wasn’t like I asked for it. I didn’t think it even affected me all that much, either, since Aunt Lin told me that I was one hundred percent Valkyrie with just some Demon abilities and features thrown in.

The beautiful Mermaid sitting across from me sagged in her seat as she breathed a sigh of relief. -I wasn’t sure if you felt that way or not, but I still figured that having some people you could talk to who are part Demon couldn’t hurt. It’s just… whenever you speak about your grandfather, there is so much hate and anger there. I think today was the first time I’ve actually heard you admit to being part Demon to anyone since you got tested. I was worried that you might be ashamed.-

“Well, of course, I hate that Archdemon prick,” I hissed in a carefully controlled tone as I tried not to raise my voice or squeeze Alice’s hand too hard. “He’s responsible for my parents’ deaths, he wants to invade Earth with a Demon army, and his lackeys tried to kill me and Erin and invaded my dreams for months. I’ll be happy if he spends the rest of eternity sealed. I don’t hate Demons or those with Demon blood, though. I was raised by Lydia, and my dad was a fucking hero, so I know better than to judge people like that.”

-I’m glad. Just remember that if you ever need to talk about anything, I’m willing to listen and be there for you. You’re never alone,- she told me as she gently squeezed my hand and gazed into my eyes.

I knew that, of course, I had Alice, Erin, Lydia, and now my aunt as well. Still, the emotion that I could feel behind her words warmed my heart. “Thanks, Alice. I appreciate that, and everything that you’ve done for me and Erin since we Manifested.”

-I was happy to help and to get to know you both. I’m so glad that we met that night, Raven, and even more glad that I asked you out and you accepted.- Her amber eyes shone as she spoke, in a way that made my heart flutter. There was so much emotion there, and she felt that way about me. Then she took a quick look around before adding, -You know, if you want to be yourself, it’s probably safe for you to let your wings out here. I’m going to let my tail out; Don’t worry, I made sure I wore enchanted clothes on my lower half.-

As much as I would have liked to do that, I wasn’t sure that it was a good idea to let out my most distinguishing features in a public place, even if it was only for Paranormals. Not with the bounty still on my head, it was for that very reason I had Alice make the reservation in the first place. I couldn’t risk exposing myself to someone who might know about that bounty and decide to collect on it.

It wasn’t that I didn’t trust Becky and her family, especially since Alice seemed so close to them, but I couldn’t be sure about any of the customers. What if somebody recognized me and attacked? I didn’t want to risk hurting any innocent bystanders, and I certainly didn’t want to damage the restaurant, especially after learning that the people who owned it were like family to Alice. Maybe I should just…

Alice apparently saw what I was thinking, as if it was written on my face, because she sighed and shook her head as she asked, -You’re doing a danger assessment right now, aren’t you?- When I sheepishly nodded, she smiled and squeezed my hand gently again. -Take a good look around. It’s all families with small kids in here right now, we’re the only couple.-

“That’s what I’m worried about, someone could get hurt if…”

-Raven, listen,- she said, her musical voice calming my nerves. -You don’t have to let your wings out if you don’t want to, but you are free to be yourself here. I wouldn’t have mentioned it if I didn’t think it was perfectly safe. One of the reasons the food is so inexpensive here is that they give a discount to people who show their PDA registration cards. The people who frequent Pookie’s are 99.9% legally registered Paranormals. The people who would know about your bounty, and might try to cash in on it, are exactly the type of people who wouldn’t register.-

It made sense, and this seemed like a very family-friendly place, so I took a deep breath, nodded, and set my wings free. “I guess you’re right, sorry, I was just worried about…”

-About the people around you,- Alice finished when I trailed off. -That is admirable, and one of the things I really like about you.-

My wings were only a little cramped. Thankfully, the seats and booths here were friendly toward people with extra appendages by having plenty of room for them. A backless seat would have been better, but not as comfortable, and more awkward for Paranormals with a more standard biology. Still, after that, I relaxed a bit more and our conversation flowed into something more easygoing as we talked about our day until Becky arrived with the food.

Becky may have given my wings a curious glance or two, but she didn’t pry. Alice said they had a policy not to ask their customers about their heritage, background, or anything else that a Paranormal might get sensitive about. If that information was volunteered, it was a different story, though, and they often chatted with customers that they were familiar with and friendly with, like Becky was with Alice. So, other than those curious glances, Becky was a total professional as she delivered our meal and then left us to eat in peace after telling us to call her if we needed anything.

Alice was not exaggerating when she told me how good the food was. The chicken wings were nicely breaded, just a little spicy, and crispy on the outside while tender and juicy on the inside. The potato wedges were lightly breaded and spiced as well, without being overcooked or dry, and the platter came with sides of gravy, ranch dressing, and hot sauce for dipping. Whatever recipe they were using for the gravy, they should have bottled it and sold it, because it was thick and flavorful without being overpowering and complemented the wedges perfectly.

The pizza was delicious too. Usually, I prefer a good meat-lovers because I find that too many veggies make a pizza too soggy for my liking, but that wasn’t the case here. The crust was thick and fluffy, there was a generous amount of both sauce and cheese without going overboard, and it didn’t fall apart when I tried to take a bite.

I enjoyed it so much that I might have overeaten a little, though that could be due to me having two much smaller meals than I was used to at the mall earlier. Even though it was mostly my doing, we completely finished both the pizza and the platter and even shared a chocolate mousse for dessert. I thought that we might end up coming here, or at least getting takeout, fairly often in the future. The food was too good not to eat here again, and Alice did have ties here.

Once Alice paid the bill, she promised Becky that she would bring me back some other night before closing to introduce me to the rest of the family, though that likely wouldn’t be until I got back from my training trip with Aunt Lin. She suggested that we might even bring Erin and Lydia along and make a night of it. For now, though, the night was still young, and we were still on a date.

Alice was taking this first date very seriously, because after dinner we went to see a movie. While both of us usually liked action or comedy films, we decided to take in a romance that neither of us had heard of before. I think Alice wanted to set the mood, especially after I told her that I had never watched a movie in a theatre before. She teasingly told me that she wanted me to have the whole experience.

So, armed with a shared tub of popcorn and a couple of sodas, we went to watch When the Roses Bloom. I don’t remember much of the movie beyond the previews because, honestly, we were sitting in the back of the mostly empty theatre and making out for most of the movie with our hands vigorously exploring underneath one another’s tops. Well, we did take some breaks to occasionally watch the screen, talk quietly, and snack on the popcorn, but mostly we were just kissing and getting to know one another more intimately.

If I had any doubts about who would wear the pants in our relationship, they were settled then and there. It would definitely be Alice, but I guess that made sense since she was the one who asked me out. She seemed to be the one taking charge and setting the pace, mostly because I was afraid of pushing things too far and hurting her somehow. I guess she had more dating experience than I did, too, since she had dated a few boys before realizing she was gay when she was sixteen.

I was the first girl she dated, or even worked up the nerve to ask out, though. I could sympathize since I knew how strong the fear of rejection was, especially if you didn’t know what the girl’s orientation was. She had only worked up the nerve to ask me after asking Erin and getting the confirmation that I liked girls.

So, now she was the one taking charge of things while I tried to give as good as I got and keep my poor gay heart from leaping out of my chest every time that she kissed me or one of her fingers brushed against a nipple. Damn, she was hot, and I found myself wanting more. Neither of us was quite brave enough to go any further than we did in a public theatre, though. Still, we were both smiling, giggling, and very happy as we left the theatre.

To finish off the date, we went for a long moonlit walk on a secluded stretch of beach that Alice knew about. Sure, it was a bit cold and a little drizzly, but we both had our leather jackets to keep us warm and most of the rain off. Besides, it gave us the excuse to stop and snuggle once in a while.

I barely noticed the rain anyway; it was light enough not to be too much of a bother, and all that mattered to me right then was that I was with Alice. There was still enough moonlight poking through the clouds to make it feel romantic as we walked arm-in-arm, occasionally stopping to kiss and hold one another. It was well past midnight, and we both had our makeup thoroughly ruined, by the time we made it back to my car so I could drive us home.