Rituals

Havok was atwitter with the fact that Monte was near her.I just kept groaning whenever she made cutesy faces at him and he grinned back at her.It was making me sick to death and Clayton just kept grinning at me mouthing 'Admit it.' to me and I just wanted to punch him despite him being my best friend.

"Coffee for your thoughts?" The barista for the Nightmare Cafe tapped the counter in front of me and I snapped out of my thoughts.She'd quickly become my tour guide for the Nightmare Complex after it was made blantantly obvious that everyone here decided that Monte and I were mates and that he should be given as much respect as I was, which was rather confusing.Monte waved it off but it bugged me.Everyone seemed to expect us to be lovey dovey like mates would be and it was just weird.Samie'd obliged me more than once over the past three days and I didn't mind at all.She wasn't exactly ugly yet not exactly beautiful.Years ago from what I'd gathered from bugging TJ about her, she'd once been the most beautiful woman on the East Coast but she had a bit of trouble with drugs and her magic rebounded and fucked her up a bit.

"Nah, Samie.I'm fine." I chewed on my lip rings and she just gave me this look.

"The whole thing is bugging you about everyone assuming you are mates isn't it?" I looked across the bar at her and she shrugged and began working her way around behind the counter. "Why Colt didn't explain it to you is beyond me."

"Explain what?" I tilted my head to the side and tucked my hands underneath my chin, giving her what Amir called my tell me look.Being green eyed apparently came with the advantage to bring people to their knees and get any information I wanted.Brown eyes were too common, blue eyes were common enough, hazel eyes apparently managed to creep people out depending on how blue or brown they were and green eyes were rare enough to work.I honestly thought my eyes were more blue green than emerald, but hey, let them think what they want.

"Not tricking me, Max." She grinned and gave me a little head tilt that I'd learned was her own little fuck you. "If you want to know, ask Kim.He won't bite at all, though you'll find a very amused Colt up there with him, probably boning away." Apparently the look on my face was that of a fish since she burst out laughing. "Yes she knows you guys are here and no she's not going to work on correcting everyone's perception of you and that pretty little chinchilla."

"Samie, telling stories again?" I groaned and nearly faceplanted because Michael showed up out of nowhere.It seemed like he decided to follow us and Monte had been pissed a bit off since Michael was supposed to to be back in California looking after his dog and Monte's dog. "Soy Chi Latte, my dear witch." He flashed her a grin and turned to me. "What is up with how all these vampires are bowing to you and my brother?It's weird being around Bryan and having them part like the Red Sea."

"They think we're mates." I wished that I had taken the coffee offer so I didn't have to look at Michael.He chuckled and made a motion to Samie and I got a black coffee with a few hints of blood set down in front of me and I gave her a grateful look.

"Will one of you grow up and just get on with it?God.You both are in love with each other and you need to grow a set and learn to man the fuck up." Michael threw his money down on the counter and turned around on his heel. "I'll be back down for another, Samie.You make the best lattes."

"Haha.Mikey ships it." Clayton popped up at my side and Michael gave him a death glare over his shoulder before moving on and out the door.When did my life come to the point where this happened?