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“Thanks for being there for Arya. It’s nice to know she has a friend at the school.” Shea’s smile was so big that it was contagious.

“No problem. She’s there for me, too.” Ashlyn gently shoved her elbow into mine.

Shea put her hands in the back pockets of her jeans, rocking back on her heels. “So, anyone know what happens at a shifter party?”

And as we both shrugged our shoulders, Shea could only shake her head. Standing in between the two of us, she hooked her arms with ours and straightened her back.

“Three misfit-teers. What better way to make an entrance?” Shea led us inside with the confidence of an Emmy-winning actress, the boys trailing us inside.

“Here goes nothin’,” I muttered, hoping this night wouldn’t have disastrous consequences like my last party.

Chapter 17

Arya

“This is the best. Night. Ever!”

Shea was practically bouncing to the pumping music as she dragged me to the counter to grab some drinks. But the smile on her face and the spring in her step had more to do with the good vibes she was getting from the crowd than the beat.

She’d spent the previous hour mingling, performing interesting fire tricks, and telling jokes that had everyone roaring with laughter. She was the life of the party. My plan was working out perfectly so far.

Well, one of my plans at least.

When Tobias had invited me to this party, I hoped it would be a turning point in our hot-and-cold relationship. He had seemed almost desperate for me to come with him tonight. It had been really cute, actually.

But now that we were here, he was treating me like a cootie-covered kid sister he was forced to drag around with him. He was polite enough to keep my drink full, like a gentleman, but he rejected every opportunity for us to get close.

And I was getting tired of it. What the hell was his deal? He kept pushing me away, only to pull me back in when I got tired of his shit.

I took a swig from my red plastic cup as Shea skipped back to her adoring public. Tobias was standing against the wall, looking all dark and broody in his perfectly fitting jeans and just-snug-enough black t-shirt.

Smoking hot.

After seeing his fight with Caesar yesterday, that was the phrase that would now always come to mind whenever I saw him. Why did he have to be so appealing and yet so distant?

Maybe I just wasn’t being obvious enough. Clearly, he hadn’t intended this outing to be a date, as he had invited his guy friends, and really, nothing romantic had ever been discussed between us. I needed to take a note from Shea’s playbook and go for what I wanted, lest I end up like poor Ashlyn, pining silently over a guy who might never know how she felt about him.

Emptying my cup and slamming it down on the counter with purpose, I sauntered up to Tobias, swaying my hips in time with the hip-hop beat, and took his hands.

“Dance with me,” I purred enticingly, giving him my best lash flutter.

“Oh no, I don’t dance,” he objected, shaking his head and pulling his hands back.

“Sure you do,” I said, tugging him gently and playfully toward the dance floor. “Come on, I’ll teach you.”

“Seriously, Arya, I’m not the dancing type,” he said, removing his hands from my grasp completely.

His rejection burned. It was as if one of those fireballs had found its way right to my chest. And it really pissed me off. Iopened my mouth to slur some alcohol-fueled come back at him but was interrupted.

“Not a very noble thing to do, Dracul,” Kendall said as he appeared at my side. “Refusing a lady’s invitation to dance. I, for one, would be honored if you would dance with me.”

Kendall’s handsome smile and unabashed attention were like cool water over my singed ego. Not to mention that grinding on the hottest mer guy in school might show Tobias what he’s missing.

“Yeah, let’s dance,” I said, glaring at Tobias as I spoke.

I let Kendall take my hand and guide me to the middle of the living room, where people were dancing. We fell into step with everyone around us.

“What are you doing with thePrinceanyway?” Kendall asked as he swerved around me.