IncuBUST

Black Tie

"I'm pretty sure you three aren't on the guest list," the man at the entrance to the hotel ballroom said eyeing us distastefully. Quetz was wearing nothing but a pair of shorts, my tank top was even more distressed than it had originally been and my skinny jeans had grass stains. Barapha was wearing ratty pair of harem pants and an old tie dye shirt with the logo of his ice rink on it. We definitely did not look like we belonged on the guest list for a black tie party.

"Classism even among Mythics...ridiculous," Barapha muttered shaking his head. He wound his arm around my waist and bent down to whisper, "Do you want to handle this or should I?"

I took a step towards the doorman and before he could react I took his hands in mine and poisoned him with sweet manipulative heat.

"Are you sure we're not on the list?" I asked smiling softly and the man's face went pink and he stammered incoherently. I may have put in a little too much effort. I hesitated for a moment and then shrugged and walked right past the man closely followed by a chuckling Barapha and a nervous Quetz.

"Wait!" the man finally shouted spinning around. "I love you!" I smiled. I knew he didn't mean it but it was still nice to hear. I'd reverse the effects when I left.

"Hmm, I love a crowded room," Barapha murmured and I saw the air shining around him as he sucked minuscule bits of warmth from the people around him.

"I don't," Quetz mumbled and I glanced at him smiling slightly and saying, "Me neither." I suddenly caught a familiar scent among the overpowering mix of Mythic and spun around to see my sister standing next to Taylor in her long, sparkly green dress sipping champagne and smooth talking celebrities and agents alike, brushing her perfectly manicured fingers casually along their arms and hands passing just enough heat into them to make them putty in her hands.

"Oh, my sister!" I cried loudly pushing my way through people so I could tackle her with a hug. She stumbled back under my weight nearly spilling her champagne and Taylor had to catch us both.

"Are you drunk?" Sissy asked with a laugh and I giggled replying, "Not yet. Thank you." And I plucked a glass of champagne off a tray as a waiter walked by.

"So this is the brother you've been speaking about," one of the women surrounding Sissy said. I let go of Sissy and drained the glass of champagne. Sissy nodded and replied, "Yes, Catalina, it is. He's usually a little more composed."

The woman held out her hand to me and said, "I've never met and incubus before. My name is Catalina Malikov." After a brief pause I took her hand in mine. It was soft and cool.

"Pleasure to meet you, Catalina," I said and I instantly recognized the veiled disappointment on her face. I ground my teeth and asked, "Is there a problem?"

"Chase," Sissy warned. Catalina pulled her hand out of mine and shook her head saying, "It's nothing. It's just when I shook your sister's hand earlier I...but everyone's different, right?"

I forced myself to smile and I nodded snatching Sissy's glass out of her hand just as she was about to drink from it and I handed her my empty glass.

"You were probably expecting something like this, right?" I asked draining Sissy's glass and taking the woman's hand in mine once again stroking the back with my thumb and staring into her eyes.

The woman all but moaned and would have dropped her glass of rosé if I hadn't caught it. She took a step towards me and murmured, "Yes, something like that." I let go of her hand and stole her drink. I was beginning to remember why I didn't much like parties. People and their expectations. I wasn't just an incubus, I was a person! Where were Quetz and Barapha? I wasn't quite high enough to enjoy myself at an event like this.

"Oh my, an incubus and a succubus in the same room? This should be fun," a low drawling voice said and I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach. I turned to see a tall handsome black woman with a bald head and a clever smile. Her eyes were the color of thunder clouds.