“A bit overwhelming, isn’t it?” Tate’s voice said in my ear.
I spun to face him. “Uh… yeah. I mean, I’ve heard about college parties, I’ve watched movies and such, but…”
He grinned broadly. “It doesn’t really prepare you for it, huh?” Tate glanced down at my cup and then held his own out to me. “It’s easier if you’re drinking.”
“What’s the point?” I took the bottle from him. “Can you even get drunk?”
Tate tapped the bottle in my hand. “This isn’t human beer. This is a witch’s brew. It’s ten times as potent.”
“Really?”
“Believe me, when supernaturals want to get drunk but can’t, they find a way.”
I took a tentative sip and grimaced. The bitter liquid slid down my throat, settling in my stomach making my head tingle. My eyes widened.
“See?” Tate took my water cup from me and put it on the bar. “Hey, Sam, two more.”
Lifting the bottle to my lips again, I took another drink. A familiar feeling of someone watching me prickled my neck. Swallowing down the liquid, enjoying the way it made my body warm and fuzzy, I searched the crowd until my gaze locked with a dark pair.
Kyren.
The vampire lounged on a tall back chair, one leg crossed over the other, his eyes watching every move Tate and I made.
“Your master.” I tilted my bottle toward the vampire. “He’s a bit intense.”
“Oh, Kyren? He’s just shy.” Tate chuckled, lifting his own bottle to his lips.
“He licked me.”
Tate smirked. “Can you blame him? You are pretty lickable, especially in that dress.”
“Yeah,” I groaned. “Xinyi and Iris dressed me. Apparently, my clothes weren’t party ready enough.”
His heated eyes swept quickly over my form before he inhaled. “Well, I owe them a big thank you.”
I giggled.
Wait. Giggled? I hadn’t giggled since… I swallowed, pushing the memories down.
“Come on,” Tate grabbed my hand without asking this time, drawing me through the crowd.
Once more, the crowd split for him. I tried to listen to the surrounding conversation, but the buzzing in my head made it too hard to focus on just one set of words.
Tate collapsed on a set of couches a few feet away from where Kyren sat, drawing me down into the seat with him. “So… Jaquelynn.”
“Jack.” I huffed. “Don’t call me Jaquelynn. Only my dads call me that.”
“Okay, okay. No full names.” Tate leaned against the edge of the couch, one leg drawn up, his eyes lazily lingering on me. “I want to know all about Jack.”
“That Durand bitch.”
My body jolted. “What did you say?” I squinted at Tate and then shook my head, trying to clear it.
Tate pushed my leg with his shoe. “I said, did you grow up here?”
Blinking through the fog in my head, I tried to make my eyes focus on him. “Uh… yeah. Hereabouts.”
“In the old days… could just nip anyone… no hunters.”
