I enter the hotel for my first day official day, having gone through a 'trial week'. I'm not naïve, I know that I'm working with... 'interesting' clientele. Vampires would sniff me out, beastmen would try to scare me, demons would encourage me to make a deal with them. My favourite was a succubus who specifically requested I 'look after' her and attempted to get me to sell my body to her. I actually wanted to entertain her, but company policy is we don't get 'too personal' with guests, which I told her. She promised she'd meet me after work one day.

Anyway, none of this bothered me, I saw it as a challenge and a way to expand my knowledge of the world. I took everything in stride, and now I'm ready to start for real. I'm caught off-guard, however. A skeletal figure stands right in front of me. "Come to my office please, Myers." I follow the being.

I try to figure out what's happening, then it clicks: I was told that the boss is impatient and unkind, and as a human I'm in a lot of danger. Now, if it were just a skeleton, I would brush it off as hazing.

I enter the office first, taking a seat in the chair. I hear the door deadbolt shut behind me. I gulp, knowing I could die, right here, right now. As he sits across from me, I can no longer hold it in:

"You're a lich, aren't you?"

"Very clever, human. Your co-workers tried hard to act like they didn't know, but I received lots of feedback mentioning a human. I knew it had to be my new hire."

I nod slowly. "So is this where you kill me for my life essence or something? Silence me AND maintain your immortality?"

He chuckles, his bones clacking loudly together. "Ordinarily, yes. I've had humans hired by accident before. Always makes me tingle with excitement, but..." he puts a folder on the desk. "As I mentioned, your 'type' was mentioned in reviews. You were quite popular."

I open the folder. 'Best service I ever had, and it came from a human! - 5/5' 'Who knew a human could be so fun to chat with? No fear whatsoever! Would have liked fresh sheets though - 4/5' 'Fun and respectful employees, especially that human who was prepared to let me feed - 5/5'

I look up. "I was very impressed by your results, Myers. Why should I kill such a great employee? Not only is it hard to find good workers these days, but you've already become popular! It would be a terrible idea to get rid of you! With that being said, the hotel's secrets CANNOT get out. How much do you value your soul?"

I shrug. "If I valued it much, I wouldn't be so unbothered being here."

The lich laughs. "You really ARE a strange one! In which case, you'll want to get yourself comfortable living among our kind."

"Can you make arrangements for my accommodation?"

"I don't think I need to." He turns a couple pages and points a bony finger at a specific review. 'Too bad I couldn't get closer to that human; he was charming, cute, funny, and I'd come back just to see him! - 5/5'

I smirk. "The succubus?"

"Yes. I heard a little rumour that you were considering her offer... well done for sticking to policy, but outside working hours is YOUR business. Of course you could say no to one of my best customers; I could also change my mind on letting you live."

"You wouldn't?" I'm scared, but I want to try to catch him out if I can, 'establish' myself, so to speak.

The lich grins. "Are you trying to test me?" He stands up, a hand reaching out.

I shrink back. "Well... kind of? I didn't mean to offend..."

"Very bold. I like your style. But I did mean what I said. After all, what will you do for living arrangements without the succubus? Take the offer, or I can't trust that you'll figure a way to live with us. So?" He tilts his hand from a shoulder-grabbing position to a handshake position.

Realising that my life really IS on the line, I dive for the hand. "I'd be honoured."

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