“Or treat?” Elora asked as she stepped up next to Cassie.

Cassie realized then just how much she had had to drink because she snorted at Elora’s comment. Elora’s lips twitched at her friend but Trik’s eyes narrowed.

“Are you intoxicated?” He asked, his scowl deepening.

Cassie scowled back. “No. Maybe.” She paused, thinking, and then finally nodded, “definitely.”

They continued to glare at each other. Elora finally cleared her throat.

“So, hate to interrupt the death stare, but your victim is turning blue.” She motioned with a nod of her head towards Todd. “I didn’t know if you were intending to kill him in front of all these witnesses or not.”

Trik broke the stare with Cassie and turned back to Todd.

“Stay away from her,” he growled

Todd made a small nodding motion with his head. Trik finally let go of him and Todd stumbled back. Cassie moved to hel p him but Trik intercepted her and the intensity of his silver eyes made her freeze. Trik looked away from her to the rest of the room. Suddenly it was quiet. Somehow, the music just stopped. She heard the room gasp and Cassie realized for the first time that she saw him in his natural form and, judging by the reactions around her, so did everyone else. He looked around the room and, in a voice as cold as the air had become, he spoke.

“Get. Out.”

No one had to be told twice. They were up and moving, a stampede of humans, all trying to stay as far from Trik as possible.

Trik looked at Elora when she made no motion to leave and Elora folded her arms across her chest, a clear challenge that if he wanted her to leave then he would have to physically remove her. Cassie, even in her inebriated state, knew that she needed to intervene. She stepped in between Trik and Elora just as Trik took a step towards her best friend.

“What do you want?” Cassie met his stare and though she wanted to back away from the fury she saw there , she held her ground. She felt Elora standing at her back.

Trik laughed and it was so evil that her skin crawled.

“What do I want?” He snarled. “I want to know why my Chosen is drunk, half-dressed, and with another male?”

Cassie looked down, remembering her skimpy Halloween outfit. She turned to look back at Elora who shrugged. “How the hell was I supposed to know he was going to show up?”

Cassie’s head swung back around to Trik. She mimicked Elora’s shrug. “Too bad.”

Trik gestured impatiently. “Too bad what?”

“Too bad, so sad,” Cassie snorted out laughter at her words.

Elora patted her on the back trying to cover her own laughter. “Hold it together a little longer lightweight.”

Trik still looked confused and that made Cassie laugh harder. She wiped her eyes as shebegan to calm down.

“Too bad, we don’t always get what we want Trik,” Cassie felt herself begin to sober just a little at the memory of what Syndra had told her. “I didn’t want to hear about you touching another woman but you know what, Trik, I didn’t get what I wanted. I didn’t want to hear about another woman putting her lips on your neck or about how you let her, but that’s exactly what I heard, so you don’t get to know why I’m dressed like a slutty butterfly or why I’m smashed or why I let Todd put his arms around my waist.” She paused, she could practically see the steam rising from Trik’s head. “And you don’t get to know if I would have stopped him from shoving his tongue down my throat.”

Cassie felt Elora lean close behind her. “You were doing great ‘til that last part.”

“Too much?” Cassie whispered.

“A teensie bit,” Elora told her, holding her hand up to indicate with her fingers the small amount.

Cassie folded her arms across her chest as she glared at a very pissed off dark elf assassin.

“I think you need to leave,” Cassie motioned toward the door.

“I’m leaving,” he started to walk past her, but then grabbed her hand at the last minute, “but not without you.” He didn’t break stride as he pulled her behind him and right through the living room window. Cassie heard Elora’s voice behind her and then silence.

They emerged on the other side in a dark, lush bedroom. Candles lit the room and bathed it in a soft glow. She jerked her arm from his grasp and ignored his glare as she looked around at her surroundings.

“Where are we?” She asked as she looked at the large, ornate wood bed with a black comforter and a ridiculous amount of pillows strewn across it. Her eyes continued to roam the room. There was a large fireplace along one wall. A fire suddenly flickered to life in it. Her eyes widened but she refused to be impressed. Along another wall was a large desk and built in above and around the desk was a bookshelf that lined the entire wall and around the rest of the room. The floor was hardwood and a white, fluffy rug lay in front of the large bed. Finally, having no other place to look she met his eyes.

“What do you want Trik?” She asked trying hard not to slur her words.

“You. And you want me.” He told her in his usual confidence unbothered by her anger.

“No I don’t. Did you not just see that I was on a date, and it wasn’t with you?”

He took a menacing step towards her but Cassie knew that he would never hurt her.

“It would be wise, if you wish for Todd to live, to not bring him up again.”

Cassie rolled her eyes. “Fine, whatever. Can I go now?”