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."