Blood Thirsty

Ch. 14: Just be yourself, Anthony

Grabbing a crystal glass off one of the waiters' trays, Anthony smiled and thanked everyone for their hard work. He glided through the crowd, enjoying the high-quality blood, the beautiful live music, and the excited guests going through their party favors. Instead of Knox and Anthony being the ones to receive the gifts, Anthony arranged gift bags to the guests and Anthony liked the look at the emptying table by the door. Dressed to the nines, people were getting their portraits taken in front of one of the many ice sculptures set up at the party.

It was last minute, but Anthony managed a descent winter wonderland theme with waiters all dressed in white, fake trees littered the walls of the room among the ice sculptures. Snowflakes hung from the ceiling, tinkling underneath the light of the large chandeliers. The best part of this ballroom, other than the checkered marble floor and the hand carved detailed in every corner, column, and trim were the floor to ceiling windows looking out into the city.

Anthony didn't recognize over half the people here, but he didn't have to know them. He just knew they weren't at Flynn's party down the hall.

Slipping past a few bodies, Anthony approached the true reason for this splendor, Phoebe Easton. He saw her from behind first, her waterfall of honey brown hair and strappy heels. Nobody passed this creature without giving her a second look. If she noticed, she never cared.

"It's such a shame," Phoebe said in the middle of conversation to a group of people. Her voice resembled a tired cat, stretching inside a sunray. Everything about her screamed she was talking to these people because wanted to and that she didn't do anything she didn't want to do. She practically purred. "I just can't believe he's throwing a party after, well you know..." she feigned a small gasp as she noticed a few confused looks. "You haven't heard?"

Her enraptured audience rumbled in shock and awe as she waited, leaving them to suffer with some anticipation. She took a whole sip of her drink, a beautiful crystal glass filled with the best tasting blood money could buy.

Quietly, but not really, Phoebe leaned in and said, "Flynn Kline was caught with a declined card. I'm not sure what's happening in the Kline house, but I think they might be hiding a few skeletons underneath those shopping bags."

"I did hear several waiters switched to this event because of problems paying them." Another guest added, glancing around just in case others were listening. It wasn't quite true. It was on the edge of being true. Flynn could pay them, but Phoebe could pay more and tip a little extra to support these rumors. The waiters seemed delighted to play along.

"Phoebe," Anthony spoke up and let the crowd disperse to spread the gossip like wildfire. "You work faster than the devil, you know that?"

"Thank you," Phoebe said and accepted a quick side hug. "For a beautiful party, you look absolutely miserable." Phoebe never pulled her punches. She faced him and the rest of her outfit was revealed, a little strappy black dress with a dangerous slit up her thigh. Her heels were higher than Anthony's will to live. Her honey brown hair was shiny, stuck straight, but waved on the side that touched her heart shaped face. She had glossy pursed lips and the sharpest cat eyes. Behind her ear, the smallest exception was a strip of pink hair.

She decked out in jewels with a clutch so tiny it must've only held her lipstick.

Anthony sighed, accepting her peace offering, a glass of blood from a passing tray. He took it with no plans to drink it. Anthony pre-gamed Knox's blood for a reason. Something about this mutation made everything else taste stale, or worse tasted rotten inside his stomach as if his body was rejecting it.

"I haven't even seen Knox. Are you two already fighting? Anthony, you have to get to the honeymoon phase before you leave it," Phoebe said, digging in and twisting the knife.