Scarlett: (GxG)

Chapter 3

After rejoining the festivities I tried to push the interaction clean out of my mind. I was embarrassed, more so than I'd been in quite a while and almost to the point where I wanted to laugh out loud at my stupidity. But that wasn't a possibility right now. Stepping back into the throng of vampires, I tried hard to make my expression passive yet polite. I wasn't able to keep the perfect mask like they all were, still it had never stopped me from trying.

The wine helped my nerves so when it came to carrying on conversation with those I didn't know, which was most, I felt like I held my own. Even when my vampirism was questioned, as if I were an object to be studied, I was able to answer just enough in order not to seem rude.

Eventually Omari begrudgingly approached me. Something told me my father had, at some point, pressured him to greet me. Like with Rian, the bodies parted for him like a sea. With a chiseled jaw and angled brows, my brother forever had a look of boredom about him which in turn caused others to flock to his side for some reason. Mina, his human servant, and another woman trailed behind him like a shadow.

"I'm glad you decided to come home," he said when he reached me. "It is an important time for the family to be together."

An accent clung to his words. Omari's French lineage was hard to ignore and served as another source of his alluring aura.

"Did my father tell you to say that?" I asked, making sure to keep my smile.

His indifference cracked momentarily while he gave the smallest chuckle that was almost lost in the sound of the party around them.

"Sorry if that sounded too scripted. You of all people know hellos and goodbyes don't interest me." He looked me over, not bothering to hide it. "The weight looks good on you."

As much as I wanted to feel completely insulted while nearly spitting my wine back into my glass, I knew what he said was meant as a compliment.

"Well this is what a 9 to 5 at a desk gets you."

He nodded slowly.

"What is it you do again?"

"Accounting..."

A thick brow rose as he glanced at his entourage of women.

"Accounting," he repeated. "Fascinating. You certainly left us for a fast paced life."

Before I could reply he motioned for the nameless woman at his hip to approach me.

"I may be a terrible brother for not greeting you properly. But I'm not without manners when they suit me. Please, partake..."

The woman swept back a curtain of golden hair, exposing a perfect swan-like neck as she inched closer. I could smell the flowery perfume on her skin before she even got close enough to touch. My hand squeezed the stem of the wine glass hard until I was nearly making a fist.

"I shouldn't."

"I insist." He shrugged. "She is sweet and savory."

Fingers so delicate and soft touched the top of my hand. The woman smiled at me in a way that spoke more than words. I knew that look all too well. A wanting to be tasted, eager for that touch of pain and strange pleasure. Whoever she was, she'd definitely been trained. All it took was her touch and her gaze for me to contemplate throwing away everything I'd gained over the years. What she wanted was exactly what I wanted to give to her at that very moment.

"I haven't drank a drop in years."

I looked past her to Omari who immediately went still.

"And I don't plan to change that."