We stepped into the building with confidence. It was expected from Oliver, who looked as though he lived to be different from everyone else. But to feel the grace in my own step beside him, to step into the sight of strangers without withering or halting, felt like something else altogether.

Oliver had kept his arm around my shoulder as we entered the party, reaching out to snatch a glass from a passing waitress before drinking the thick red liquid within swiftly. Eyes lifted from their conversations, taking in our appearance with both a lack of surprise and distain. The members of the party were adorned in fashionably formal outfits; suits and dresses among glittering jewelry galore.

"Oliver," A voice greeted him, a lilt of disapproval among amusement in the name. Oliver steered us both to face the woman who had called him. She was beautiful. Her hair was red like fire, almost artificially so. Her skin was pale and creamy. And her eyes were just as black as the men I was currently housing with. As I glanced around the room, I noticed many of the eyes were that same black color; soulless and dangerous. They were vampires, with spots of humans between as nothing more than guests of said vampires.

"Scarlett," Oliver greeted her in kind, "I got your invitation." He smiled deviously.

"Yes. I see that you didn't bother with the formal part of the equation," The woman, Scarlett, noted while observing his casualwear. Her eyes moved over him and landed on me. "You brought a pet? How unusual."

"She's just a snack for later," Oliver answered simply, brushing the woman's interest of me away as if I were the least important person in the room. For some reason, this bothered me despite the fact that I knew it was to prevent anyone assuming I was something more than human. I bit my tongue, turning my eyes towards the other people wandering the party.

"Come, Oliver. I have someone for you to meet. He's interested in linking up with Sebastian," Scarlett turned and waited expectantly. When Oliver hesitated, throwing me a glance from the corner of his eye, she raised a brow in curiosity. "Your snack can wait, I'm sure."

"Fine, but I think your guest would prefer talking to someone like Levi or Miles. I just do the deliveries," Oliver sighed and reluctantly removed his arm from my shoulder before allowing Scarlett to lace her arm through his. She seemed to take no heed to his words, leading him away from me determinedly. I watched him disappear through from the room, his eyes on me until the moment his sight was separated by walls.

Once I was alone, I felt significantly more vulnerable. I stepped carefully from the entrance, aiming to move between the conversing persons throughout the building. There were several vampires in separate groups, but between them were also humans. The most obvious way to tell the difference besides their eyes not being the same black coals was the fact that many of the humans were being fed on there within the room.

A waiter paused in front of me, holding out a platter with glasses on top expectantly. I hesitated, but thought it was considered rude to ignore the request. When I reached for one glass, the waiter tilted the platter away, turning it so that a glass next to it was presented to me. When I hesitated to grab it, the waiter smiled kindly.

"I'm assuming you don't want blood," He merely suggested, waiting for me to grab the glass he was offering. Realizing I must've reached for a glass of blood originally, I smiled nervously and grasped the other drink quickly. The waiter didn't wait for words of thanks before disappearing through the crowd.

I looked at the contents of the glass suspiciously. When I sniffed it, an aroma of alcohol floated to my senses. I knew what alcohol did and I most definitely knew I didn't want to become drunk in this setting, but a curious part of me wanted a taste. I leaned forward to take a sip, the liquid only just tracing my tongue before causing me to nearly spit it back up. It tasted absolutely horrible; like a fruit trying too hard to be sweet that it had gone sour.

"So, you came here with Oliver, did you?" A woman's voice interrupted my discovery.

Within the time that I had wandered aimlessly among vampires and tasted alcoholic beverages, a group of three women vampires had swarmed around me like vultures. The woman in the center had olive skin and curly hazelnut hair that framed those dark eyes. She had also been the one to address me.

"I did," I responded innocently enough. As a way to avoid eye contact, I looked at my glass curiously and swished the liquid around within it.

"Well, explain yourself," The woman demanded condescendingly. I blinked up at her in surprise. I guess I should have expected someone to directly ask me what I was to Oliver, being that he had warned me in a way, but I found I didn't quite like being under this stranger's spotlight.

"I'm his..." I hesitated, the options crossing my mind, "lover... pet... friend?" Realizing I completely blew it, I took a drink from the beverage in my hands, forgetting that it tasted absolutely horrible. The woman narrowed her eyes, but then smiled slyly as she looked at the two women beside her.

"He hasn't bound her, the idiot," She told them, causing a resulting round of snickers to respond. I frowned at the statement, the phrase seeming familiar to me.

"What does it mean to be bound?" I asked curiously, causing their attention to round on me once again. Instead of answering, the woman stepped forward and reached for me. All I saw was her claw-like nails painted red like blood before her hand was on my face and her eyes were seeking mine. I wasn't sure where to look at first, but she seemed to want me to focus on those dark eyes of hers and so I decided to be agreeable. When I stopped fidgeting, she smiled and continued to stare down my eyes with her own.

"Dance for me, little puppet," She ordered me, the request most unusual. She released her grip, her eyes still on mine with focus. But I felt no urge to answer neither her touch nor her words; nothing at all like how I felt when I was near Oliver and the others. Even Theo could call something from me that she couldn't.

"I don't feel much like dancing," I answered simply, causing her and the other women to widen her eyes with surprise.

"You're no snack," The woman argued suspiciously, "What exactly are you?" Noticing that I was completely veering from the track Oliver had specifically ordered me to stay on, I thought about the best way to backtrack.

"I'm just Oliver's pet, that's all," I answered quickly, looking around for him.

"Everyone knows those Genesis boys don't have pets," The woman answered, another tone entering her words. She stepped closer to me, inspecting me slowly. She reached forward, taking the glass from my hands almost quicker than I could see. She observed the unfinished drink carefully, as if expecting it to be blood despite the fact that my eyes were a sharp contrast to that of a vampire's. "You can't be that important or else he would've told me about you already." It took me quite a moment before I could register her words.

"Who are you?" I asked uncertainly. The way she addressed Oliver made me feel as though she were someone close to him. She smirked at the question.

"My name is Delilah," She answered slowly and deliberately, "Unlike you, I'm actually Oliver's lover." I felt my stomach drop at the statement, though I wasn't sure why. Another feeling crept behind this one like fire, sending a heat through my veins that sounded like an ocean in my ears.

"Oliver's never mentioned you," I somehow managed with care. Delilah appeared satisfied with my reaction and I realized now that she had been suspicious of me because she considered me as competition. It was clear by her expression that she didn't consider me to have a chance of winning whatever competition she was running.

"Well, we haven't played in a while. Not since last night, at least," Delilah sighed dramatically, rolling her eyes to me and then behind me. Her expression brightened significantly, but I didn't need to look to see why. I could feel Oliver's presence like sunlight on my skin, making his way lazily through the crowd towards us. But my face was trained on Delilah's, realizing that the entire time I had been left alone the previous night she had been the one graced with his warm touch; a touch I craved more than anyone else.

Delilah lifted my own glass to her lips, intending to take another thing I considered mine even if it wasn't particularly good. Without thinking, I targeted the glass and in a split second hissed, "Etign."

It was as if the ugly heat that had been pulsing within me had engulfed the drink in her hand. A flame almost blindingly bright erupted violently and then attacked Delilah's face. Whatever product she had twisted into her hair apparently fueled the flame further, causing it to wrap around her just as quickly.

Many things happened all at once. Delilah screeched in alarm, terror clear in her voice that for some reason pleased me. Oliver, who had just approached us, completely choked on what blood he had begun to down from a separate glass. The women next to Delilah attacked her, patting at her to put out the flames I had caused. Everyone in the room turned to stare, confusion riding their features. My cover had been blown.

Oliver snaked an arm around my waist. With supernatural speed, he carried me through the building, up some stairs, and into a groove within the hall before releasing me rather roughly against the wall. I gasped, feeling as if my mind was trying to catch up to my body.

"Are you insane?" Oliver demanded, leaning forward to press his hand against the wall beside me in order to prevent me from trying to run off. It was unnecessary. I had no intention of running from him. I looked up into his raven eyes, finding a fire within them unlike anything I had been able to see from any other vampire at this party. And still, I felt that ugly emotion painting my soul at the memory of Delilah's words.

"I should set you on fire, too," I responded, my voice surprisingly sharp. Oliver narrowed his eyes dangerously, but I only stared him down bravely.

"Go on and try. It'll be the last thing you do," He threatened, the words sounding foreign and unlike him. It rang like a false threat and I couldn't find an ounce of fear within me in response.

"Etign!" I snapped, causing him to jerk back suddenly. When nothing happened, I smiled at him most innocently. I could try to hurt him over and over, but I knew even before saying the words that they wouldn't work against him or any of the others he resided with. Theo was the only exception, but I knew I wouldn't be able to hurt him if only because it would hurt me too.

Oliver was leaning over me just as quickly as he had backed away, obviously having his ego bruised at being taken off guard by my false attack.

"You minx," He growled, his voice mischievous, "I thought you were an innocent angel when I claimed you as mine. Now I can see. You're a little devil with an angel's face." Despite his words, he sounded positively pleased by his discovery. He brushed his fingers over my face and the warmth that resulted felt like a sweet release. I had to struggle to keep my mind.

"You left me alone last night to be with her," I stated, my words softer than I intended under his touch. Oliver hesitated, watching me as though I had caught him off guard once again. He recovered quickly, clearing his face of expression.

"Are you jealous, little devil?" He asked me curiously. In a move I thought I would be incapable of, I turned away from his touch stubbornly. He obviously didn't like it and so he grasped my chin quickly, pulling me to face him dominatingly. "I have to be careful with you, Katia. And I don't like to be careful. You should be thankful."

I disagreed with his comment completely. I frowned deeply despite his warm touch. For a moment, he only watched my expression almost curiously, and then he sighed.

"Fine, I'll say it," He told me, looking away momentarily as if I was demanding him to admit something embarrassing, "I didn't touch her, okay? I haven't desired another woman since the night my fingers brushed over that dainty little ankle of yours. Are you happy now?" For a moment, I wanted to consider he was lying to make me feel better, but something about his words felt true to me. And even though it made no sense to me, his confession made me just that; completely happy.

"My ankle isn't dainty," I muttered behind a stifled smile. Oliver leaned further towards me, his lips just over mine. I held my breath almost immediately, feeling a wave of intoxication follow him over me. Oliver moved slowly, tilting his head to the right but keeping those teasing inches of space between us. I felt like he could tease me for as long as he liked and I still wouldn't be able to take a proper breath until the moment he closed that distance.

"Oliver," Scarlett's voice prevented us from finding out how long Oliver could make me hold my breath. Oliver released me, but kept his arm against the wall beside me in a way that shielded me from Scarlett almost protectively. I could feel the heat of his touch fading along with the words that had formed with it. I wondered if he meant to block the discovery of the words on my skin, despite the fact that no one else would be able to see them anyway.

"Delilah will be fine, it's just a bit of fire," Oliver told Scarlett, waving the issue away before she could comment on it. Scarlett smirked, obviously amused even though the fire had interrupted her own party. But then her face set back into one of intensity.

"I came to warn you, friend to friend. Desmond is here," She told Oliver carefully. Oliver physically tensed against me, becoming someone I had never seen before. For once, a taste of fear crept into my veins though I wasn't sure why. Who was Desmond?

"You invited him and didn't tell me?" Oliver asked, his voice dangerously quiet.

"You know me better. He comes uninvited. If you leave now-," She began in a hushed voice. Oliver didn't even let her finish. He abruptly grabbed my wrist and pulled me from the groove along the wall and down the hall speedily. My heart leaped to my throat at his sudden desperation, knowing whatever bothered him who seemed unconcerned about most things had to be serious.

We almost made it completely through the main meat of the party without notice. It was when Oliver was just about to lead me through the front door that I accidently side stepped, bumping into someone. I pulled my wrist from Oliver's grasp in order to gain my balance, failing miserably before stumbling and landing solidly on my behind with an oof.

Whoever it was I had run into merely scoffed before moving away without a word. Oliver moved quickly to help me back onto my feet, still intent on us escaping. And then it happened.

I turned towards the exit and found it blocked by a tall, impressive man. My eyes trailed from his suit, a few of the buttons torn from the neck down as if he had become impatient with the proper attire during his time here, up to the features of his face. His chocolate brown hair was long, almost to his shoulders, and looked uncared for beyond a simple run through of his fingers. His eyes were solid darkness; the eyes of a vampire. They looked at me curiously, familiarly, as if I had known him before I had existed similar to how I knew Oliver and the others.

Oliver stepped in front of me, pushing me behind him protectively as he stared down this mysterious man.

"Desmond," Oliver greeted the man with a low, hateful voice.

"Oliver, I heard you were going to be here," Desmond answered, his tone much more pleased. His eyes were watching Oliver with intelligence, as if this entire scenario was exactly as he expected.

"I was just leaving," Oliver stated, but he didn't move for the door. His hand had my wrist behind him tightly, as if he were afraid I'd be snatched from him if he let go. I looked from the man to Oliver and then to the room around us where vampires were watching the scene discreetly among their own conversations. Before I could look back at Desmond, Oliver had suddenly stepped around me almost a full circle, yanking me from my spot to another.

I gasped, looking up to see Desmond had moved from his area in front of the exit and was now directly in front of Oliver who was immediately in front of me. It looked like Desmond had tried to get behind me while I wasn't looking and Oliver had intercepted just as quickly.

"Who is this?" Desmond asked most curiously, trying to look over Oliver's shoulder.

"None of your business," Oliver snarled, taking a step back and forcing me to do the same. My own curiosity was beginning to overtake my fear, as I didn't understand what it was about this familiar vampire that got Oliver so on edge. Desmond looked as though he was about to make another attempt to catch me when Scarlett appeared next to him.

"Desmond. Oliver. You're interrupting my party. Again," Scarlett declared with quiet irritation. The men didn't look away from one another, Oliver's body tense and ready while Desmond appeared calculating. "Don't make me throw you both out."

"I'm leaving," Oliver declared once again, "I don't want to see your face again, Desmond. Stay away from us." For a moment, I thought he meant us as in him and me, but something about his statement seemed to have more history. Perhaps he meant the others...

"It's a small world and we have an eternity to live in it," Desmond replied slowly, a smile rising behind his words, "I'm sure we'll meet again, Olly." Oliver narrowed his eyes, but didn't answer. He made us take another step back and then moved ahead of me to lead me towards the exit once again. I moved to follow him when I felt a brush of fingers catch my own, causing me to pause and glance from my arm to my hand as if it had betrayed me.

"Perhaps we'll meet again as well, mystery pet," Desmond said to me, his fingers only lightly holding onto mine delicately. He only had time to look down at the glove over my hand curiously before Oliver had yanked my hand from his protectively.

"Get your own snack," Oliver snapped, finally pulling me away. I let him lead me from the party, only glancing back once more to peer at this mysterious Desmond who made Oliver so angry just with his presence. His smirk slid from his face dangerously just moments before the doors shut behind me.

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Music: Raise Hell by Dorothy