Ready

Pretty Boy

**Lydia**

"Lydia Aribella Montgomery!" The first two names, I've had all my life. The last, I've adopted recently. I've gone through six surnames in my life, but with recent developments, I shouldn't have to change it anymore. We're "out" now, so no more disappearing, starting over, making up a whole new backstory for myself. Unless I want to, of course. At the moment, I didn't want to, but I was still pouting over Amara here and there, so who knew how long that was going to last.

"Lydia!" Theo (Teodoro Tavas Talbot, also not his "real" last name) was shouting at me from across the crowded room, trying to get my attention. I wasn't ignoring him, I was just taking my time responding. It made him crazy. I smiled at the bartender (no fangs) and ordered a couple of shots. They sloshed onto the sticky bar as he put them down, and I smiled again (okay, for that, he got fangs) before picking them up and slowly making my way to the booth in the back where Theo was holding court. He laughs when I call it that, but believe me, there's no better term.

As usual, he was in the corner of the wrap-around booth, arms draped over the back of the blue cushioned bench, bookended by two or three pretty boys and girls on either side. And as usual, he looked at me like I'd left him all alone when I sauntered up and put the shots down in front of the two girls to his left. "Parting gift, ladies. You're in my spot."

Theo smirked, and shrugged at the girls when they looked to him, obviously hoping he would tell me they could stay. "She's head bitch around here girls, better do what she says."

They pouted and stalked away, leaving the shots behind. I slid into the booth and put my feet up. "You make me sound so scary."

"One of us has to look out for your reputation," he said as he slid the shot glasses to the other side of the table, offering them up to any of the remaining "decorative humans" on his right. "Decorative humans" might be another term that makes Theo laugh. But as far as accurate descriptors go- bullseye. These aren't the kind of people who are good for much else. Well, maybe one or two other things. These were the kind of pretty, vacant faces we would seek out when it was time to "bed or get fed".

I wasn't interested though. I'd had more than enough blood to keep me going for a while, and as for bed, well, it was cold and empty and I intended to keep it that way for a bit, because I've always been sort of a drama queen. Theo however, I was surprised at. There was a guy leaning heavily on the table not ten inches from him who was, simply put, mouthwatering, and Theo hadn't even given him more than a cursory glance.

"You're acting weird." I narrowed my eyes at him.

"I promise I'm not." He shifted closer to me and brought his arms around my shoulders.

I raised an eyebrow, even though he couldn't see my face, busy as he was nuzzling against my neck. "You're ignoring Pretty Boy over there, and that's not like you."

"He bores me," he whined. "They all do. They're all the same." If any of the remaining people in the booth were offended, they didn't show it. Aside from Pretty Boy, there was a raven haired woman who looked like she had no idea where she was, and a blonde who hadn't stopped staring adoringly at Theo since I'd sat down. Probably since before then too. He's pretty, I'll admit.

He has bone structure I would give my right arm for, and green eyes that are a shade somewhere between "mischief" and "cunning". His perfectly tousled hair is currently a rather eye-catching shade of blue (I've seen his natural hair color. It's just been so long I can't remember exactly what shade of brown it is), and between his eyebrow, nose, and lip, he has about five extra holes in his face. But rather than being distracting, his piercings just sort of highlight his good looks. Asshole. Like he needs help in that department.