Getting Out While You Can

Last Time I Wasn't Wearing Any Pants

Time was ticking on our delicate plan. When I said our plan, I meant Tatiana's. I only had forty-eight hours left before we needed to act. I felt a little uneasy as the clock ticked. But that wasn't the only clock that was ticking.

We had only been here for six days. And it was the longest six days ever.

Christian had asked if Dimitri and I were okay with him having people over for a New Year's Eve celebration. I had said I didn't have a problem, but I was starting to have a problem with the uninvited guest in the living room.

"Please tell me I'm not the only one who is seeing this," Fanny groaned as she slumped against the wall beside me. I looked up from my glass and it took a few moments to focus on her face.

"Huh?" I asked dumbly. I had indulged a little too much cranberry-orange whiskey sours and was starting to feel the heavy buzz in my veins. I was happy to see that Fanny was wearing something other than her uniform. And I could tell that Christian appreciated it too. The skinny jeans and violet halter top hugged her figure, and the colour made her eyes pop even more. She looked stunning and every bit of the young woman she was.

"That," Fanny stated, pointing across the room at our uninvited guest. I followed her finger and scrunched up my nose. Our uninvited guest thought that she was entitled because she was family, but I could tell that the host wasn't thrilled either.

I think the term he used was black sheep.

Anyways, the black sheep was throwing herself at anyone who would talk to her. Her current target; Dimitri.

"Just go up and suck on his face, that'll get the message across."

"We aren't dating," I said looking back into my drink, counting the specks of colour in my margarita. If Fanny ever decided that she didn't want to be Guardian anymore...well, when she wasn't a Guardian anymore, she should become a bartender. But not within walking distance to my house, or I'd turn into an alcoholic.

Fanny chuckled into her glass. "And yet, you sleep in the same bed every night."

I narrowed my eyes at her as I looked up. "Shut it."

Fanny snickered and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Have you boned yet?"

My eye widened and I gapped at her. "FANNY!"

Fanny laughed and pushed herself off the wall. "I'm just saying, get on with it!" she said as she walked to find Christian. I shook my head and regretted it as the room spun. I swallowed the last of my drink and wandered into the kitchen, picking up a handful of hors d'oeuvres and finding a big glass to fill with water.

I munched on them slowly, taking a breath as I did. This was the most 'day drinking' I had done in a long time.

"Hiding?"

I swallowed and turned, finding Eddie standing in the doorway. I shrugged.

"Not really. There's food in case you didn't notice."

Eddie laughed and came over, picking up a few things too. I swiped the last bacon-wrapped scallop and popped it into my mouth.

"Can I ask you something?"

"You just did," Eddie said with a grin.

I rolled my eyes and playfully elbowed him. "If you were a Moroi-"

"Oh God, I wouldn't ever want that."

I rolled my eyes again. "Humour me. If you were a Moroi, how would you fake your death?"

"What kind of question is that?" Eddie chuckled. I shrugged.

"If you wanted to go out in a way that people would remember, how would you go?"