Another night of sweaty bodies and pounding music still hasn't drowned out my thoughts. Another night of tequila and random men and women vying for my attention still hasn't distracted me from my past mistakes.

Self-loathing still rages through me, like a fire that destroys every happy memory in its wake only to leave ash and misery in its place.

That's what happens when you play a hand in murdering your brother.

I can't even say his name. I can't even face what my actions have caused, no matter how many times I try to convince myself that I didn't know. I didn't know what my cunt of a mother was planning. I didn't know she planned to...

So, I drink. I dance. I fuck. Anything to keep me from going over the edge and succumbing to the hell that pays rent in my brain.

I thought the best place to drink myself into oblivion would be New York City, home of the liberals and seedy businessmen and partiers.

There are other supernaturals dwelling here. Quite a few, in fact. With the amount of raw power I now have, it becomes very easy to mask my power and pass as a weak human. Nobody even questions my species.

The stool I'm sitting in creaks when I lean back to down shot number... 8? 9? I can't even remember. The familiar warmth spreads through my veins and beautiful oblivion greets me. This is the sweet spot, the best part of my nights. When my thoughts slow and the only thing I can process is the warm body of the stranger I choose to share my bed with.

Well, technically it's not my bed. I stole the apartment keys from a guy named Bradley Tyson and convinced him that he lived in a wonderful cardboard box across the street. He seems very happy with the new arrangement. It never fails to amuse me when humans get fooled by magic.

Don't feel bad for Bradley, he's had a lot of luck in other areas of his life. He managed to get acquitted of sexual assault and sexual harassment even when 5 victims came forward.

So I took the sleaze bag's apartment.

And it's a nice one.

Penthouse floor, nice white furniture, a lovely view of the city. All mine now using Bradley's fancy black credit card.

That same black credit card is swiped every night at different bars around the city. I can't be trusted to rely on my magic to deceive humans when I'm 9 shots in, so I make sure to thank Bradley for his endless supply of money as I enjoy myself.

I stumble off of the barstool and head into the crowd, bodies and hands touching me as I search for the center of the room- my favorite place.

A girl with bright pink hair and a nose ring gives me the eye. Her eyeliner is dramatic as fuck and I love it. The way her dress clings to her tits and ass makes it clear to me that I'm swinging that way tonight.

I share a feline grin and head in her direction, swaying my hips a little more just to keep her attention. I have to try extra hard not to stumble.

The next few minutes I black out. I remember blurs of color, lights flashing around me, and when I come to I'm in a VIP booth making out with the hot girl with pink hair.

I'm not complaining.

Her tongue is gentle against mine, hesitant almost. I take control of the kiss, thrusting my tongue into her mouth and attacking her lips with a bruising force. Her little moans are so satisfying. She even grips the booth below her to steady herself.

Smirking to myself, I lightly grip her throat and back away from her just enough to see the lustful glint in her bright blue eyes.

"Do you like it rough?" I ask, inserting a touch of roughness to my voice.

The human whimpers and nods repeatedly as my smirk widens.

"What do you say we-"

I don't even get to finish my fucking sentence before the pounding music is replaced by alarms.

Chaos. Complete and utter idiocy. Don't these people know that their fear and panic only makes the situation worse?

Fucking stupid.

The human I was planning on taking to bed tonight panics as well, clinging to me like I'm her lifeline. I shove her off of me and get up in search of an exit in a calm and timely manner. I make eye contact with the vampire bartender who was serving me earlier, and he looks distressed.

Okay, maybe this isn't your typical human altercation. I spotted quite a few supernaturals in here, and even though this club isn't specifically for supernaturals, we tend to flock to the same places.

At first glance, none of them would think I'm one of them. That I'm more powerful than every supernatural in this place, combined, and then some.

I'm just an innocent little human who wanted to have a good time.

When the gunshots ring out, I begin to sweat a little. At any other time I could easily block these bullets, but that last tequila shot is hitting me hard and I can barely stand up straight, let alone defend myself.

Fuck, maybe this wasn't the best idea to get this drunk by myself.

I have enough sense to get low and try to hide myself in the chaos as I try to get my bearings. I see a lone bullet lying on the ground and I pick it up to study.

Double fuck, they're silver bullets. Somebody's trying to murder supernaturals.

I don't care if I'm caught, I have to use my magic to portal out of here. I pull from the energy in my chest, feel for the magic in my blood, but nothing happens.

Note to self: your magic isn't reliable when you're blackout drunk.

Everyone is screaming and heading for the exits, and suddenly my adrenaline begins kicking in. I need to get the fuck out of here, fast. Bodies are dropping next to me, so I know the attackers are closeby.

Think.

What should you do to escape?

I head for the bar, crawling through broken glass and spilled liquor until I make it to the back. I open the swinging doors and find myself in a storage room. I think I'm finally alone and free to leave through an employee exit when the vampire bartender from earlier hisses at me.

I roll my eyes. It's not like I walked into his private property or something. He can calm the fuck down.

His red eyes and fangs don't intimidate me. Vampires are so low on the supernatural totem pole, at least in my eyes, that this man doesn't pose a threat. Even in my drunken state. He notices my bleeding hands and knees that still have glass pieces stuck in them and he licks his fangs.

I've never understood why they do that.

I'm expecting him to launch himself at me, but he only scrunches his eyes closed and backs away from me.

"You need to leave," he says, his voice straining with the effort.

How cute, a righteous vampire.

"I'm trying to, hot stuff. In case you weren't aware, there are people shooting up the place out there. Just point me to the employee exit and I'll be out of your hair."

The poor vamp is shocked that I'm not frightened by his vampiric state.

"Trust me, you're not the first supernatural I've dealt with," I say just so I can be amused by his clear shock.

Humans aren't supposed to know about the supernatural, and right now my scent is all human.

"B-but, you-"

"I know. You're a human! How do you know about the supernatural and why aren't you afraid of me?! Yada yada. Look can you help me or not-"

The swinging door is now a gaping doorway. Hulking Fae enter the space- three of them. Of course they're all male, because they're all idiots and think they can intimidate me.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't a vampire and his human blood bag," one of them teases as he cracks his knuckles.

The vampire pales even more, and I decide that it's time to play human.

"V-vampire? What do you...?" I cover my mouth with my hands as I try to mask my amusement. Said vampire is really fucking confused at first, but he begins to pick up what I'm doing. Every moment I spend here, the more sober I get. My magic is slowly starting to react again. Not enough to portal out of here, but I can definitely beat their asses.

"Yeah, sugar. That thing there is a bloodsucker. Come with me and I'll save you," the second Fae says while puffing out his chest.

I can't keep in my laugh anymore, so I let it out. I cackle and snort and grin because I'm still tipsy and these men are fucking hilarious if they think they can "save me" and then take me to their bed.

"I'm sorry, but does that ever fucking work?"

They begin to get angry and the vampire behind me reeks of fear. They're only Fae, so they can control the elements. I can control magic itself, so I win.

The one Fae that hasn't said a word to me yet ignites a fireball in his palm. He steps closer to me.

"I would watch the way you talk to us, you human scum."

"I agree that humans are scum," I add, "but I'm insulted that you think I'm one of them."

They all reel back, then snarl and throw their puny elements at me. Fire, Water, Earth, Air, it doesn't matter. I block their magic with a simple hand in the air. I don't even need to say the words to spells anymore- a single thought is all it takes for me.

I'm the most powerful witch this world has ever seen. Only my mother rivals me, and as soon as I find out where the fuck she is, she's dead for what she did to my brother.

Their elements bounce off the protective barrier like harmless pebbles.

I release my aura of magic, and only then can they finally tell who they're messing with.

I snap my fingers as they scramble to escape, but they're instantly on the ground, writhing in pain.

"What the hell did you do to them?" the vampire dares to ask me.

I turn my head to the side to find him wide eyed and trembling, yet still attempting to be strong.

"I broke their spines. Hopefully the right people will find them, question them, and take them to prison. Or kill them, I don't really care."

I quickly mask my aura and begin searching for the exit. I tip to the side and my shoulder knocks into the wall.

Guess I'm still tipsy, then.

"Are you okay?" the brave vamp asks as he follows me down the hall. At this point, the screaming from the club has stopped. I'm guessing the High Council has been informed of this terrorist attack and is currently wiping the minds of any human who has seen too much.

My cue to leave.

"I'm fine. Still drunk as fuck, though," I laugh, proving my point.

"Y-you did all that while drunk?" Awe and fear battle in his gaze. I guess he's over his bloodlust.

"Listen, buddy. I don't want to have a fucking conversation with you. I want to leave." I turn and finally find the exit, but before leaving I have to wipe his memory.

However, there's a small piece of me that feels, ugh, empathy. That's been happening more and more, and I can't seem to figure out why I suddenly have a heart.

If I think about it, Eli will come up, and I'd rather not hate myself even more than I already do.

Groaning to myself for being nice, I inform the vamp that if he tells anyone about me or what I can do, I'll rip out his intestines and make him a nice pretty bowtie to go with his dress shirt.

He all too willingly agrees to stay silent.

I stumble into the alleyway, waiting for my magic level to return to a point where I can portal. I could definitely portal somewhere, but I could end up anywhere from a zoo to the mall or worse... a port-a-potty.

That was an awful mistake my eight-year-old self never made again.

I make it to the front of the club and see red and blue lights trailing the sidewalk. I'm sure some of the cops are supes, and there's probably at least a few council members here, so I need to tread carefully...

And of course I have to bump into someone. A tall someone. All I see is his back. A strong back. Then he turns around and oh my god...

He's perfect.

Dark hair. Even darker eyes. Golden skin and a cleanly shaved beard. And he's talking to me.

"Mate," he whispers, his eyes dilating ever-so-slightly. His voice has an accent to it, I think it's Russian, and-

Wait. Fuck. He said mate.

What is it with werewolves ruining shit for me? First that cocky Alpha Grayson who involved me in his war with my mother, now this guy? I don't want anything to do with werewolves after...

Don't think about that now, I tell myself. Focus on something else. Like that one piece of hair falling right in front of his eyes...

Nope! I'm leaving.

"I gotta go," I mumble, turning to leave. He reaches for me and pulls me to his chest in a desperate move to keep me close. Normally I wouldn't allow this, but I can't seem to stop him.

"You're human," he mumbles to himself, but I still catch it. Thank you, universe! He still thinks I'm human because of my magic blocking my scent from other supernaturals. It's interesting that he can still tell I'm his mate.

Mate. Shit, I hate the sound of that.

"Councilman," some smaller, rounder supe interrupts. "It seems that the rest of the attackers have been subdued, somehow. They were mysteriously left with broken spines, if you can believe that-"

The wolf gripping me growls out his disapproval for being distracted, and I'm once again reminded why I hate these possessive, mangey beasts. Why the fuck is he so angry? I'm the one being held against my will.

It takes me another moment to process that my apparent "mate" is not only working with the council, he's a fucking High Council Representative. The one werewolf representative on the council. Possibly the growliest, most annoying werewolf of them all.

I have to get out of here.

I don't even say anything, I just shove out of his arms and run. I don't know where I'm going, but all I know is that I need to get out of here. The world around me spins and tilts, but I keep on running. Even in heels.

The wolf yells for me to stop, but I don't listen. I can tell he's running after me. My only chance to escape is to portal out of here. I have about five seconds before he decides to use his supernatural speed that I don't possess and I'll be stuck with him.

I can't reveal that I'm one of the witches he's searching for. And I know he's searching for me because that bitch Grayson reported that coven attack on his pack. They're searching for my mother even though I told him to let me handle it.

I want to be the one to kill her, to watch the life drain from her as I tell her how disgusting and worthless she is.

I'm sure the High Council wants to find me so that I can answer for my "crimes" and aid them in finding my mother. Like I know where she is.

I turn down the first alley I can find, heart racing and pounding and screaming, and I focus all of my energy on creating a portal. I don't even care if I end up in a port-a-potty this time, I just need to get away, get away, get away.

I don't care that the wolf can most likely sense my powerful magic. For all he knows, the witch he's searching for just popped up and took his mate or something.

I really don't give a fuck.

I focus on Bradley's apartment, picture the clean sheets and tub of ice cream waiting for me.

And I portal.

I reappear in the bedroom and almost cry in relief. I rip off the stilettos I was wearing, then the tight dress that doesn't leave much to the imagination.

I toss both of them in the trash. I don't need a reminder of tonight, and thanks to Bradley's black credit card, I can buy whatever the fuck I want legally.

Well, I guess I'm stealing, but Bradley's a sex offender and I don't care. I have to stay under the radar, which means using as little magic in public as possible.

I change into a matching set of silk pajamas, grab the rocky road ice cream, and watch a re-run of my favorite guilty pleasure, The Bachelor.

The guy and the girls are hot on that show.

As I stare at the screen watching girls sob as they didn't receive a rose from their "dream guy," I can't help but think about the wolf. My mate. I hate referring to him like that. I don't even know the guy and he's supposed to be my future?

No, once he finds out who I am, he won't want anything to do with me. And I don't want anything to do with him...

Or so I try to tell myself.

The more I think about it, a plan unfolds in my brain. A stupid, reckless plan, but lately I've been stupid and reckless.

Maybe I can mask my scent around him and act human. Then, I can figure out that I'm not into his growling and possessiveness, reject him, and move on with my life.

Yeah, that sounds like a plan.

But how do I act human?

Easy. I'll just have to kidnap my favorite human and have her teach me how to be "scared" of my mate in an adorably innocent way.

Tomorrow, I'll find Thea.

Tonight, I'll watch The Bachelor.