Page 19 of Anarchy
“Do people really do cocaine off a stripper’s arse? I thought that just happened in the movies Ripley liked to watch.”
I was going to have so much fun corrupting this cat.
“I’ve done it before, but it’s not as fun as they make it out to be. Especially if she’s wearing body glitter. That one is. Dorian has glitter all up in his nose right now. Pretty much the only way to get it out is to set yourself on fire.”
“What is it with you and glitter, eh?”
“It makes me feel pretty. This world can be an ugly place. So if something makes you feel pretty, you should grab it.”
“I’ll toast to that,” he said, holding up his teacup.
I clanked my coffee cup with his, and we went back to watching. Dorian had all his rich friends there, but I could tell a lot of them were missing because Kaine had arrested them. It looked like there was expensive wine, caviar, and plenty of cocaine, but this was the kind of party I hated—too many pretentious people.
“Ripley wanted to put a stripper pole like that in the living room. She thought she’d take some classes to get into shape. It never panned out. We should talk her into it,” Felix said.
“Dude, I ambossat pole dancing. I also know silks and hoops. I could teach her.”
Felix cocked an eyebrow at me.
“Is there anything youdon’tknow how to do?”
“Oh, yeah. Totally, but since I’m my own boss and I’m the vampire Robin Hood, I just take classes if I want to learn something. I’ve taken plenty of classes and been shitty at something at the end, but me and the stripping arts just clicked.”
“You are so much more secure in your masculinity than I am, Balthazar. Men just didn’t do that the last time I was alive.”
“Yes, they did. They did everything I do and what you see now in this century. They just couldn’t do it in public because other people got butt ass offended about it, even though it was none of their business.”
“I’ll drink to that. I’m glad things are different now. Dorian is kicking his guests out.”
“It’s about fucking time. The sun is almost up. Those people are higher than the Queen of England, and they made a mess,” I said.
“Youdid notjust insult the queen in front of me, vampire!”
I started giggling. He was just so fun to poke at. He’d probably think up something to throw at me soon to get back at me.
“High people are just somessy.They didn’t even use coasters, and that coffee table is an antique.”
“I don’t think Dorian cares how much that coffee table costs or what goes on it. The stripper was draped across it while people were snorting cocaine off of her,” Felix said.
“Do you see the craftsmanship on that coffee table? Using it to hold up strippers and not making people use coasters iswaymore offensive than any insult about the queen.”
“Shut up. No, it’s not. Though if you’re in there before his cleaning crew, I wouldn’t touch anything in there. It’s probably sticky. Sweaty people were fucking everywhere.”
“I was kind of hoping Dorian was going to partake so we could have rated his performance,” I said, refilling my coffee. “I can’t imagine someone being alive as long as he has and still not be able to locate the clitoris.”
“Gross, Balthazar. He’s covered in bronzer. I don’t want to see if that’s a full body thing.”
“I’m a little curious. I have no-no places I don’t wear glitter, but I’m not nearly as vain as Dorian Gray.”
“Some people are staying behind. Look.”
I squinted at the screen and blew up that camera, so it took up the entire screen. I could get the camera feed, but not the sound. The people that stayed behind were shady as fuck and didn’t look like his usual crowd. I didn’t see them partaking in the cocaine and orgy festivities, and pretty much everyone was snorting or fucking. These guys had been lurking in the background watching.
If I were at an orgy where drugs were involved, and some creepers were hiding behind shit and watching, it would have been an instant boner killer. The old rich were a weird bunch. I was new rich from stealing shit, and I knew how to watch my back. I knew someone could swoop in and take it away at any point, even if it was all kept in an offshore bank account. Shit, if I were that stripper on the coffee table, I would have robbed those fuckers blind.
“Those have to be bodyguards,” I said. “I’ll bet they are demon touched. He’s not going to be taking any chances after he’s gotten this far.”
“Especially since his very human arse just wanted to be forever pretty. I can’t get over the sheer stupidity of that. If you’re a human and knowing about us doesn’t freak you out, why that? The witch summoned the demon for him, and Talvath was willing to cut a deal with him. He could have asked for magical powers. Instead, all he wanted was to be pretty and keep the party going for as long as possible.”
