Page 19 of Succubus Shadows (Georgina Kincaid 5)

We managed to snag a high-top table in the back. It meant standing the whole time, but at least we had a surface to put our glasses on. "Offer to buy her a drink," I hissed to Cody. The nice thing about playing Cyrano to a vampire was that his enhanced hearing meant I could keep my voice far below levels that Gabrielle could pick up. The noise in the room - even before the band started - also furthered the covert nature of all this.

Cody dutifully obeyed, and when Gabrielle started to dig out cash, he assured her the first round was on him. The smile she gave him seemed to boost his confidence as he headed off.

Seth leaned toward my ear. He stood on the opposite side of me from Gabrielle, and she was too entranced by the sights to even notice us. "This might be crazy enough to work," he murmured.

"Don't get carried away," I responded back, trying not to think of his proximity. "The night is young. Any number of wacky mishaps might ensue."

He smiled. "Those are your specialty, aren't they?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

Cody returned with the drinks, earning more approval from Gabrielle. She wasn't showing any romantic attraction to him whatsoever, but at least she knew he was alive. While I still stood firm that he shouldn't overdo the vampire/Goth thing, I realized we were going to have to work hard to get past the "ordinary" facade she saw.

"Talk to her," I told him. He'd slipped back to his place between me and Gabrielle. "Once they start, it's probably going to be impossible."

"What do I say?"

Seth, overhearing, leaned across me, and I wished I'd covered up more skin. His arm brushing up against me sent thrills through my body.

"Ask her if she's ever seen them live before," Seth said. "If she says no, tell her about this one time you saw them at...I don't know. A private party. If she says yes, ask her what she thought."

Cody gave an uneasy nod. He leaned toward her, and while I only caught bits and pieces of the conversation, she grew animated as she spoke. I leaned back to Seth.

"When did you become an expert in dating advice?" I asked incredulously.

"It's what O'Neill would do."

I scoffed. "You're using fiction to further Cody's love life?"

"Life imitates art, and art imitates life."

"That statement is ridiculous. And, you know, I've never really seen you utilize that advice."

"Well, that's O'Neill's advice. I have lots of characters I can draw from."

"Funny, I don't remember any introverted, stammering writers in your books."

"I don't stammer," he said defensively - though there was a smile under his words. "Besides, maybe there'll be someone like that in the new series."

"Ooh," I said, mocking his melodrama. "What's with the 'maybe'? I thought you had the premise for this whole fantastic new thing figured out."

"I do. But it can always be improved along the way."

"Introvert authors improve everything."

"Damn straight."

Laughing, I remembered that I should have been helping Cody, but he was talking to Gabrielle on his own, which I took as a positive sign. I turned back to Seth. "So does this mean you've figured out the ending to Cady and O'Neill?"

"No." He still held his good humor, despite a small frown on his brow. "One of these days, I'll have to - "

His words were cut off when the eardrum-splitting screech of a guitar ripped through the room. Blue Satin Bra had come onstage while I was talking (flirting?) with Seth. I hated stereotypes, but truthfully: they looked like what you'd expect from an all-guy metal band. Black clothing, piercings, and hair that ran in extremes: shaved or super long. The one thing that differentiated them was, well, the fact that they were wearing blue satin demi bras over their clothes.

Even above the deafening music that followed, I could hear Gabrielle shrieking, "Oh my God!" Her face was ecstatic, and when Cody said something to her, she lit up further and nodded eagerly at the band. My guess was - whether it was true or not - he was reaffirming how awesome they were.

The music forced Seth and me to lean close in order to talk. "You know," he said, "I'm pretty sure the bass player stuffed his bra."

"Nah," I teased back. "It's a push-up bra, so it just seems that way. They do amazing things for cle**age."

All things considered, Blue Satin Bra wasn't that bad. Metal might not be my favorite music, but I was still open to a lot of types. The setting and craziness that ensued throughout the night gave Seth and me lots of material to joke over. We were both in really good moods when the show finally ended and we walked out with Gabrielle and Cody.

"That was awesome," she exclaimed. "Thank you so much for sharing the tickets."

"No problem," I said. My ears were ringing, and I wasn't sure if I was still shouting.

"I think that was the best show I've ever seen," said Cody nobly.

Gabrielle clutched his sleeve, and his eyes widened. "I know! Which was your favorite song?"

Silence.

"Mine was that one were they kept saying 'My Armageddon scales will burn your post office,'" said Seth deadpan.

"Oh, yeah. That's one of their greatest," she said. "It's called 'Plywood Fuck.'"

"That's my favorite too," said Cody. I somehow doubted he'd heard any of the music tonight. His senses were all on Gabrielle.

Perfectly in sync, Seth and I glanced at each other and exchanged secret smiles, both of us amused at Cody's love. I wasn't as far gone as he was, but when our group finally split up, I found myself walking on air too.

"Interesting night," Roman told me when we got home. He'd been along in spy mode. "I think Cody might actually have a chance."

"Maybe," I said. "He's clearly smitten, but she only seems mildly interested. In a friendly way, though."

Roman rummaged through the kitchen and poured himself a bowl of Lucky Charms. "He's not the only one who's smitten."

I sighed and collapsed onto the couch. "Let it go, okay? We all know I'm a long ways from getting over Seth."

Roman gave me a sly look. "I wasn't talking about you."

I stared at him for a moment, my vodka-addled brain trying to make sense of his words. "Wait...you're talking about Seth? He's over me."

"Oh my God, Georgina. Could you be any more delusional?"

"He's getting married."

"That means nothing. If it did, guys wouldn't catch chlamydia at their bachelor parties."

"But he does love Maddie. And no matter what you think about his feelings, he'll be out of my reach once they're married."

"The fact that they're dating means he should already be out of your reach - but past evidence shows that's not true."

I scowled and kicked off my shoes. "Don't bring that up. I feel bad enough - and so does he. If you're just going to taunt me, then I'm going to bed."

But to my surprise, Roman didn't wear that mocking look that had become so typical for him since returning to Seattle. His eyes were serious, his expression - almost - concerned. "I'm not trying to taunt you. I'm just stating the facts. No matter what happens, you and Seth can't seem to stay away from each other. You should put in a transfer request."

"What, out of Seattle?" I asked incredulously. "I love it here."

"You'll learn to love some other place. Honestly, it's the only way you're going to be able to move on - the only way either of you can move on. You're in a situation where you see him every day - tonight being a prime example. He broke up with you, and then you broke up with him for some 'greater good' kind of goal. But if you keep hanging around each other, it won't matter. You'll never heal. You're just going to get your heart ripped out every day."

I was so stunned that I couldn't even respond for several seconds. The old taunt danced in my head: circles and circles. "I...why do you say that? Why do you care?"

"Because I already see it happening every day. You are getting your heart ripped out over and over, and it kills me to watch it happen."

Again, I fell speechless for a moment. "I thought...I thought you hated me. I thought you wanted to destroy me."

He finished his cereal and set the bowl down. I didn't have the will to shoo the cats away. "I don't hate you, Georgina," he said wearily. "Am I upset about what happened to Helena? Absolutely. Am I upset about you lying about loving me? Yes. Do I want some kind of revenge? Maybe. Honestly, my feelings change from day to day. Some days I do want something awful to happen to you. Some days...well, I know you did what you did out of some misguided sense of...I don't know. You thought you were doing the right thing."

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