"Aren't I always?" I replied.
"You know," she winked at me as she walked away and said, "If you'd get your head out of your ass, you wouldn't have to be on your own."
Ignoring her, I made my way into the crowd. Astrid was insane. I was happy alone. Being mated would keep me from… all sorts of things I needed to do.
God damn it, I was going to avoid my cousin for a while.
I was greeted respectfully by many and checked my watch repeatedly. How long did I have to stay? A brief appearance should be sufficient. As Prince Ethan's second in command of the North American Dominion, I was expected to attend all formal functions. I grabbed a blood laced scotch from the bar and leaned against a column. I would stay until I finished my drink and then I was out.
"Heathcliff, darling," an exquisite Vampyre named Christina purred as she placed a perfectly manicured hand possessively on my chest. "I called you three times and haven't heard back. Are you avoiding me?"
She was stunning, but for some reason she left me cold this evening. We had dallied on and off for years. She was safe—wanted nothing but sex. But sex with her was not what I craved at the moment.
"Christina, lovely to see you," I said as I removed her hand and stepped back. "I've been quite busy, but I assure you I haven't been avoiding you."
Her eyes narrowed slightly, but she covered it quickly with a seductive smile. "Well then, what say you we meet after the party?"
"We'll see," I said distractedly as I became aware of an unwanted presence close by.
What was Raquel doing here? She never came to parties at the Cressida House. She was above the American need to socialize at the drop of a hat. Apparently, she was slumming it tonight. I felt my blue eyes turn green with desire and Christina very mistakenly assumed it was for her.
"I'll meet you at my place after the gathering," she whispered excitedly as she placed a wet kiss on my lips.
"Not tonight," I replied tersely. "I'm busy."
Her eyebrows rose in surprise and she stiffened. "Your loss."
"I'm afraid it is," I said as politely as I could muster. I moved away from her. She was becoming a bit too clingy which I didn't want or need. I had enough problems.
Where the Hell was Raquel? I could feel her and I was certain she could feel me. We were in a public setting and I was somewhat certain I was safe from flying objects—or so I hoped. She was a fucking flame and I was a moth. My thoughts were wild and I wanted to kill my cousin for putting them there.
"Hi Heathcliff, you hot sexy dead dude," a small voice announced from my shoulder. "Can me touch your butt?"
On my shoulders sat four Baby Demons: Beyoncé, Abe, Rachel and Ross. They stood about three inches high and caused more trouble than beings ten times their size. The miniature hellions belonged to Astrid and she let them have free rein of the compound. They were menaces with a fondness for ass grabbing and breast grazing.
"No, Beyoncé. You may not touch my butt," I said as I plucked them off my shoulders and put them on the bar.
"You no fun," she chastised me as she dove into a blood laced margarita.
"You a pooper party," Rachel added as she walloped her buddy Ross in the head. He went flying into Abe and the melee began.
"It's a party pooper," I said as I pulled Beyoncé out of the drink and separated the little nuisances. "If you can't behave, you’ll have to go back upstairs."
"But you need me help," Abe insisted as he took a covert swipe at Ross' head.
"And what exactly do I need your help with?" I asked as I quickly swigged down the rest of my scotch. Unfortunately, it was incredibly difficult for Vampyres to tie one on. It would take at least ten strong scotches for me to feel even slightly inebriated. I was going to have to deal with the Baby Demons and Raquel as a sober man.
"To help you get the girl," he answered without a grammar issue and without suggesting I touch a butt.
"What girl?" I asked as I signaled the bartender for another. This was turning out to be a long evening—and it wasn't even the evening yet. The sun still shone through the skylights in the ballroom. They were muted with protective glass since many Vampyres couldn't handle direct sunlight.
"You know what girlllllllllllllll," Rachel said slyly as she hopped over my shoulder, latched onto the tail of my tux and slapped my ass. "The one you luuuuurrrrrrvvvvvvve."
"I love no girl," I insisted and retrieved her before she took a dive into my pants. "And if I did, I am quite certain I could handle her on my own."
"Me no think so," Abe said as he spastically slapped at his lips.
The others joined his lip slapping antics and I watched perplexed. What the Hell were they doing?
"Me think you need loooooootssssss of help," Ross added.
"But if you no like girl here we take you to Big Sean's Booby Barn," Abe told me as he continued to slap his mouth. "Lots of girls be there."
"Um, thank you, but no." I said as I picked up my new scotch and downed it.
"Me wanna go to Booby Barn," Rachel squealed with bloodthirsty excitement. "Me hungry for bad Demons!"
"Outstanding idea," I said quickly as I scooped them up and walked them to the foyer. I did not need or want their help. The farther away they were the better.
"You suuuure you no wanna come?" Abe asked with a huge grin on his face.