Do not embarrass thy family name
Crystal glasses clinked. Diamonds sparkled. Heads were thrown back in raucous laughter. But it was all fake. Every single thing here. Fake smiles. Fake alliances. Everyone at this goddamn party would bury a knife to the hilt in the person they sat next to...or a set of fangs.
And I didn't care. The threat of death was a joke here...to most of us at least.
It's what happened when you were the most powerful Vampire family in the city.
I sat at the table in the center of the room, bored, counting the carats in Glorian's ring across the table and then sighed. Anything under ten was considered lowly at these dinners, and she was sporting a measly five.
Pity.
I kinda liked her.
The others at this dinner would eat her alive...and if you think I was kidding...I wasn't.
She wasn't mortal, so it wasn't against the pact. Still, all the killing and the biting bored me to tears. I just wanted to be normal. To have a normal boyfriend, and a normal family. Instead I got this...this shitshow which was my life.
"Hermond," Mom cried out as the dark blur slid through the glitz and the glamor. She rose from the table, clutching the train of her body hugging blood red chiffon dress.
I grabbed the dagger we used as cutlery and spun the sharpened blade on the table. The tip stopped at the same mark…once…twice…twenty fucking times. God I was bored.
"Over here!" Mom called stilling my hand. I lifted my head to see the most powerful Vampire in the city. He was the reason we were here...he was the reason for this whole thing tonight.
I scanned the packed tables of the gala, catching all heads turn, especially my father's, and felt my stomach sink. Panic sent a shiver through that undead thing in the middle of my chest. I scanned for a way out...to slip between Dad's four close protection bodyguards and the pain in the ass Demon who was always one step behind him, like a goddamn lap dog.
That particular Demon turned his head, dark eyes glinting with power—hungry madness and smiled at me. I swallowed a shudder and forced a smile.
Thorin. Ugh.
He'd been trying to get me on my own all night. Greedy hands sliding along my thigh, sulphur—foul breath whispering all kinds of sick shit in my ear. Power. The kind that made him hard and me cringe.
"I'm deeply honored you could make it," Mom gushed to the head Vamp and reached for his hand.
Her pale skin almost sparkled under the overhead lights.
Keep your head down. Don't make eye contact.
Maybe they'll leave me out of it…pretend I'm not here.
The tip of the silver dagger slowly spun, coming to a stop, pointed at me. I shifted on my seat, sliding my ass lower. Maybe I could just slip under the table? No one would know I was gone.
"I'd love to introduce you to my daughter."
I stilled and inwardly groaned with those words. I tried to ignore them. Pretend I didn't hear her. Yeah, good call. I was a statue. I wasn't here.
Until she cleared her throat.
Energy danced along my skin like the sting of a thousand ants. I sucked in a breath
for effect really
and then forced myself to rise with a fake ass smile on my lips.
I met the Vampire's stare and swallowed the harsh bark of laughter. He was a walking goddamn cliché; long raven black hair cascading along his shoulders, ending in a widow's peak in the middle of his forehead.
Cold, dead eyes stared at me as he lowered his head in a small bow and lifted his hand, the monstrous red jewel hanging like a goddamn tumor in the middle of his finger. I winced at the sight. I was expected to lower my head, an inch lower than his and kiss...that.
My stomach rolled with the thought. Still the Vampire waited.
If we were the most powerful Vampires in the city, then this dude was the most powerful across the eastern seaboard. Don't do it. My stomach clenched in warning, and acid reached higher along the back of my throat.
Mom's dress shifted. Pain cut across my shin, with a sharp kick from Mom.
If I had to do this shit...I was doing it once. I closed my eyes, praying I didn't coat his precious clan ring with tonight's dinner, and pressed my lips. Anger mingled with a burst of retribution. I lifted my head, meeting the Vampire's gaze. "Nice to meet you. My name's Weiner Livingstone."
"Weiner? Isn't that a…" The Vamp boss shot a look of disgust at Mom.
"No!" Mom cried out, stuttering. Her eyes widened as she barged me aside. A high pitched bark of maniacal laughter broke free. "She means Morwenna. Ha! Weiner, always joking. Aren't you, Morwenna?"
Mom cut a steely gaze toward me.
Damage control.
I was in so much trouble.
I smiled sweetly and caught the shake of the Vampire's head. "If that's all you need from me, Mom?"
"Yes," she answered fast. "That will be all."
And with a slow nod I stepped away. Limped actually, and winced, fighting the urge to reach down and rub my shin. Mom sure had one helluva kick.
"Mor." Thorin stepped close.
He glanced at Mom as she turned to him. There seemed to be an unspoken conversation between them I wasn't privy to. Didn't matter. I'd done enough for tonight.
"What the Hell do you think you're playing at?" Thorin fell in step and snarled in my ear.
"Not playing at anything," I growled softly and worked my way through the battleground of the Immortal elite, putting as much distance between him and me as possible
"Mor! Mor, can we get a close up?" screamed a paparazzi from the edge of the cordoned off area.
The flare of a flash followed, camera shutters snapped. The glare, blinding. The family ring on my finger encased me with a kind of enchantment that held my reflection in a mirror and made me appear in photographs.
I winced and turned my head as the thunder of footsteps followed. There was a shout and then a scuffle and the hunter with a camera was gone.
"Are you okay?" Thorin slid his hands along my arms, trying his best to pull me against his chest, and pretend he cared.
I shoved my splayed hand against the hard swell of his muscles and shoved away. "Of course, I'm fine. This is my damn life, isn't it...all on fucking display."
"What's got into you?" he snarled and cast a panicked gaze across the rest of the party behind us.
He didn't understand me. Didn't even like me really. All he saw was my name...Morwenna Livingstone, daughter of the royal line...heir to all this…
But I didn't want it.
None of it.
Thorin's fingers dug into the flesh of my arm, grinding against bone as he tried to pull me closer. I scanned the others, searching for a way out of this damn mess and caught the red eyes of a Goblin. They were all here...anyone who was anyone.
Except for the Wolves.
There was no way they'd be invited. Our clan hated them above any other immortal, especially Dad. So fucking pretentious. I'd set fire to it all if I could.
"Nothing," I snarled and shoved away from the boyfriend I never wanted.
We need to look perfect, Morwenna, Dad's words rang inside my head. We need to look every bit as powerful as we are. Power breeds power, and you my darling daughter are the envy of every Vampire girl in the city...no, in the clan.
I stumbled away from the laughter and the murmured voices, shoved away from the steel grip around my arm. Still, he haunted my steps as I made for the open French doors to our home.
"You can't leave the party. We haven't been seen together," Thorin growled.
I reached up, yanked the small diamond tiara from the top of my head and winced at the sting as strands of my hair tore free. "Stand there with your dick in your hand for all I care."
"You really are a bitch," he growled, his eyes darkening.
I stilled, narrowed my gaze, and then slowly turned. "You know, that's probably the most honest thing you've ever said to me. Congratulations for finally finding your balls."
