Succubs on Top Page 0,94

Not yet.

"Just tired," I lied.

We shared a dish of gelato and then returned to my apartment. We had just set up the Scrabble board when I felt immortal signatures approaching.

I groaned, not wanting to deal with this. "Hail, hail, the gang's all here."

Seth looked puzzled until we heard the knock at the door. I opened it, letting in Hugh, Peter, Cody, and Bastien.

"You are alive," said Peter cheerfully, smothering me in a hug. "We tried calling you tonight."

"And I've been trying to get a hold of you all day," added Bastien pointedly.

I was perfectly aware that he had called me many times. I had purposely not answered my phone.

"Sorry," I said to all of them.

"Hey, Seth," said Cody, clapping the writer on the back. The vampire and the rest of the immortals spread themselves out around my living room like they lived there. I gave their giggling and careless behavior a withering glance.

"You guys been barhopping?"

"Yup," said Hugh with pride. "You - both of you - could have joined us."

"Fortunately, the night is still young," declared Bastien. He strolled around the living room, arching an appalled eyebrow at the Scrabble board. "When you didn't answer, we decided to come issue an invitation in person."

"We're going to go shoot pool," explained Cody happily. "Over at that place in Belltown. You guys should come along." He gave Seth a conspiratorial grin. "Georgina's a wicked pool player."

"Thetis is good at everything," Seth murmured automatically. I could tell by his body language he wasn't comfortable with a bunch of drunken immortals in the room. I also knew he didn't want to go out.

"Sorry, guys," I told them. "We've already been out. We're staying in."

This earned snide remarks and groans of disapproval.

"Oh come on," begged Hugh, trying to get Aubrey's attention with a cat toy on a string. She didn't fall for it and hissed at him instead. "We always get better service when you go with us."

"Besides," said Bastien nastily. "It doesn't look you're doing anything else exciting. You should be grateful we came along. We're giving you something. Something you couldn't otherwise get."

I remained calm, but I think the others picked up on the sudden tension in the air. "Sorry," I repeated. "We're staying in. You guys can hang out for a little bit, but then I've got to kick you out. We're doing our own thing. "

"I wasn't aware you guys did anything at all," muttered Bastien in a voice only I heard. Maybe the vampires too, with their superhuman hearing.

"You got anything to drink?" asked Peter, gently nudging me toward being a good hostess.

I was still locked in a battle of wills and eye contact with the incubus. "Yeah, I just bought a six-pack of Smirnoff Ice."

"Oh," said Cody. "Score."

He and Hugh raided my refrigerator, passing out bottles of prissy malted beverage to everyone except Seth and me. We abstained. Lounging around, conversation on silly topics soon ensued, although Bastien, Seth, and I did not participate. Seth stayed quiet because he always stayed quiet in such settings. Bastien and I stayed quiet because we were pissed off at each other.

I excused myself for the restroom and found Bastien waiting outside the door for me when I finished.

"Alcohol runs right through you, huh?" I asked, pushing past him.

He blocked my way, backing me up against the wall.

"What the hell's wrong with you?" he demanded in a low voice.

"Nothing. Let me go."

"Bullshit. I left you like a hundred messages. You're avoiding me."

"So? It's my prerogative. Just like that song."

He snorted. "Let me guess. You're having some sort of melodramatic moral crisis over what happened last night. That's so typical of you lately."

"Don't talk to me about last night. You shouldn't have done what you did."

"Is houldn't have? My God, Fleur ,don't act like you're the victim here. Nobody forced you. You more than consented. In fact, I daresay you enjoyed it."

"It was a mistake."

"And so avoiding me is going to fix it? Don't delude yourself. It wasn't a mistake. It was good for you. I helped you. I gave you something you would have never gotten otherwise. You'll remember it for the rest of your life."

"Gee," I said, dripping sarcasm. "How kind of you. Because that's really all there was to it, wasn't there? You only did it to help me. Nothing more. You certainly didn't do it just because you could. Because I was 'beautiful and I was wonderful and you wanted me.' "

"Listen to me - "

"No. You listen to me.