@ask-cerus
Shannon already seemed ready to implode, especially as Mikaela claimed his free arm with all the air of someone who had a right to that-which,of course, she did. “I’ve never heard of you, actually,” the woman still made a valiant effort. “New in town, I take it,” it wasn’t really a question and there was a bite to the words.
She shot a look at Cerus who smiled back faintly, a smile that revealed absolutely nothing. “I didn’t realize…Well, you see, you weren’t really supposed to bring a guest; each invite was personal,” she informed him, though, despite her effort to sound casual, she sounded more like a petulant child.
Cerus hummed thoughtfully at the information, raising an eyebrow. “I did not realize that.”He glanced back to Mikaela. “Perhaps we should leave?”
Shannon shot the other woman a winning smile. “Well, Cerus, darling, you were invited,” she pointed out.
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“No, not exactly new,” Mikaela replied, a smile light on her lips. “Perhaps I have been laying low too much lately though, if you have not had the chance to hear of our–mm.. thing.” There was a playful glint in her eyes as she pulled Cerus a bit closer, as though she was playing a game. The more annoyed Shannon was, the higher Mikaela’s score would be. “Well, you see, between my job and this man–” she purposefully batted her eyelashes at him, “–I admit I haven’t been able to socialize often these days. He keeps me too busy.”
If the other thought her words could rattle her, she was sorely mistaken.
“My.. if I didn’t know better, I would’ve thought you were unhappy to have me here, Shannon.” Mikaela’s smile was sweet, and her voice unbothered. “But I understand.. if every invite brought uncounted guests then that would only make it a disaster for the party hosting, wouldn’t it?”
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Cerus expertly concealed an amused smile at Mikaela’s response. Of course she’d picked up the gauntlet here, he thought, and seemed pretty damn determined to deliver the killing blow.
Which might actually be somewhat easy, he thought, as Shannon turned somewhat livid, a fact that wasvisible even under her heavy makeup. “Well, since you’re here now, it would be rude to ask you to go, wouldn’t it?” The woman said, the words coming out forced,on edge. “And no, I had no idea about your little thing,” she shot Cerus a semi-hostile, semi-petulant look.
