Right. You could easily attribute my behavior to emotional turmoil. 

Not even three days ago, I had orchestrated the plan to turn the hurricane, and my inability to leave Helen behind meant she had killed Reid. 

Sweet, innocent Reid. 

I reach for another glass only to find he quickly takes it out of my hand, saving me from myself, I suppose. Holding it out of my reach, as I stretch on my toes to grasp it, I resist the urge to inflict violence on him. If he wanted to paint me as the drunkard, I could rise to the occasion.

 "Don't be an ass!" I complain. 

It was even more difficult when I knew I needed to stop, to get a handle on my drinking, but it's easier than dealing with my problems when I had liquid encouragement. For the last six months, I had been running from my issues, hiding behind the bottle. 

 I want to be Nic again, and the drinks help me accomplish that. 

"Mmm... I think you've had enough." Verando hands the glass off, sighing at me as one does when their children misbehave.

It made me flinch, listening to the murmurs behind me that maybe Verando didn't bring me around because I had a drinking problem.

Did I? History would dictate that I appreciated my wine; I couldn't help but feel that drowning myself was the only way I could sleep, as a piece of my soul was betraying me. I'd lived without my other half for six long months, and I'd been completely alone every night for half of a year. 

Jerry's wife hides her laughter, and yet her eyes bore into me as if I were a scandal waiting to happen, "Mr.Mercer, your fiancée is delightful. A king, what a silly thing to say. Is that a joke in Romania?"

I narrow my eyes at her and open my mouth to speak, only to hesitate as he pulls me firmly to his side. The joke, to me, was these peasants and their mock party; a true Galla would never be so boring. 

Desperately wanting to point it out, his grip tightens on me, a silent plea to get a hold of myself. 

The heat rises to my cheeks, and I push away from him, dragging a hand through my hair as I fight through the haze. Verando had to come up with an excuse, but he didn't have to remind me that I was the reason Reid was dead. Though a sober version of myself might have been able to think around that, it was all I could focus on in my current state. 

"Oh yes. Romanians are very funny with their... humor.. and what have you. If you'll excuse us." Verando drags me away, and I resist the urge to call back to them that it wasn't a joke despite the revelation that being from the past would be quite the scandal. 

My body feels heavy as I sway against him. Recalling those moments on the front lawn when he was shirtless before me, I entertain other forms of relaxation as I toy with the button on his jacket. If he wanted me to be the bad influence, I could indulge. 

"When did you start drinking like this?" Verando demands, his demeanor changed, confirming my suspicion that I was acting out of line. It makes me smirk, a chuckle leaving my lips as he considers abandoning me here. 

"How many have you had?"

I take in his scent, pressing impossibly close as I turn around in his arms and reach for his neck. "I'm more fun when I drink, you used to like what I'd do for you when I was drunk." I chuckle at myself, closing my fingers behind him and catching my lower lip in my teeth. "You should come down to my level. I'll tell you a secret." I hit him with my best smolder, raising an eyebrow as I tempt him.  

Rolling his eyes at me, I know him too well; he felt he was my babysitter more than I was enticing him to be my lover once more. 

"I'll have none of your secrets, thank you. Nobody with an expression like that has anything good to say." 

A group passes us, and he carefully slips out of my arms to avoid the prying eyes. The distance wounds me, and I resist the urge to reach for him, to beg him to forgive me, that I hadn't meant to plummet so far. 

Life had been cruel; he was seemingly thriving even if he was miserable, and I'd found myself a vice that he found distasteful. I'm sure he was weighing his options, wondering if taking me home was the better bet, or if risking being seen with a drunk fiancée was a hit his persona could take. 

"They're serving dinner in the other room; perhaps we can sober you up with some actual food. I'd rather not leave just yet, though, if you're going to keep blurting that you're a King..." He trails off, allowing me to draw my conclusions. 

"Nobody cares here; they're practically drooling over seeing you with a man, so why are you avoiding me?"

 Guiding me through the crowd with a healthy gap of air between us. "Because our relationship is not a spectacle." Every turn we take, people stop us to recognize his various talents, and it seems to be the same conversation on repeat. 

People are amazed by his accent, then equally so by my dialect. The conversations prove him wrong, where we were rejected in our own time, these people applaud our relationship. Some are calling it 'sexy' as if we're doing it for the publicity, which is something I couldn't even fathom, although it does strike a chord in my drunken state. 

We could truly be together, at a public event; it was quite a novelty if I allowed myself to appreciate it. The more people see us, the more times I hear my introduction, and the more I  pine for the man who requested my hand more times than I could count. Something as silly as pride shouldn't keep us apart, we were built for each other, weren't we?

"Senator Campbell." Verando nods to a graying man who appears to be in his mid-fifties; his physique surprises me, considering most people in this room don't seem to prioritize fitness. 

"Delilah." His wife extends her hand for me to shake.

"My Fiancé, Nicolas." I note the slight wince on his face, the way he seems to squint away from the light. "Are you feeling alright, Senator?" Verando questions, his voice low. 

The man nods, waving him off. "Must have stood too close to the band. Beautiful singing, Verando. I appreciate the donation of your lovely voice. Could I encourage you to do us one more favor?"

"It would entirely depend on the task." It makes Senator Campbell chuckle, shaking a finger at him. 

"This one. Not going to pull the wool over his eyes. It's harmless, a simple.. er.. date. A couple of us gentlemen are going to auction ourselves off, which should bring in a healthy sum and assure our Mistress can come to our land safely and continue her work." 

"I'm not so sure that's the best idea." Verando frowns, "I think you'll find I'm very little fun."

"Oh, come on, you don't have to sleep with them! You have to have dinner, take a few pictures,  and be on your way." Suddenly, Senator Campbell pauses, his eyes falling on me. "Do I know you? Haven't I seen you before?"

 I hedge; my hair color and skin tone gave me away, as there aren't many men who look as I do, despite the attempts of fashion to catch up.  

Verando quickly clears his throat to draw attention back to himself. "That would be fine, Johnathan, go ahead and sign me up. Who am I to deny a woman the pleasure of my company?" He smiles sarcastically, his voice dripping with contempt. 

Senator Campbell nods, distracted. "Join us for dinner, the event is about to begin, and maybe some food will help eliminate this headache. I do wish to speak to you about your political interests, what with early voting coming along and the world looking like it might not end..." 

"Oh, we really-" Sitting across from someone who recognizes me might not be the best idea.

"I insist!" Senator Campbell cups his hand behind us, gesturing us forward. 

I take a deep breath, flashing my warlord a warning glance, before I put my hand over my mouth. "Oh no! I think I'm going to be sick!" I blurt out. 

Verando holds me at arm's length, rejecting the idea of being vomited on, yet catching onto the look in my eye, he seems to accept my scenario, much as I'm not the best actor. 

"Excuse me!" I quickly rush off through the crowd, and I hear Verando excuse himself as I rush towards the restroom and push through the door hurriedly, pausing to see myself in the multitude of mirrors. 

What a strange place, with the tile and the strong scent of artificial flowers. My flushed cheeks and slightly unbuttoned shirt give me quite the appearance as I run my hand through my hair. I could get used to this era; it wasn't often I felt so confident, despite the sway of my vision and the slur of my words. 

Verando shoves the door open behind me. 

"That was close... damn, I wanted to talk with him, but we can't risk him getting too deep into your identity just yet. He's hard on his alcohol, we might have an another oppertunity if we wait just a bit longer-- Why did you come in here? Are you actually sick?" 

Watching him in the mirror, taking him in with the gentle lighting and his eyes playing off the depth of the color in his suit, I swallow my pride as I turn to face him. My hand grasps his tie, knotting it once around my fist as I near him. Verando takes a step back for every one I gain.

 Walking into him, I press him back against the door, reach over, and lock it. 

"I'm feel just fine." I breathe. 

The tall man meets me with an unamused expression, glancing around casually as he takes inventory of our surroundings. "As romantic as a restroom is, I'm afraid to inform you that you are quite intoxicated."

"Mmm, it just means we won't need much foreplay." I pull him down towards me with a firm tug; his body threatens to yield as my hand unbuttons the front button of his jacket and slides up the planes of his abdominals. I relish the feel of him, warm under my fingers. "Or are you telling me you haven't been undressing me with your eyes all night?" 

Savoring every inch of him, I frown as he deliberately places his hand over mine to stop my exploring fingers. 

"Must you tempt me? How am I supposed to--" I can sense the weakness, that he wants me just as badly as I desire him. "If you weren't drunk, you wouldn't be hanging on me as you are now. You're suggesting I defile you in a public restroom? Have you no shame?"

I shake my head, stretching up to place a kiss on his jaw, purposefully missing his lips as my teeth drag over his skin. "Shame is overrated. Don't act like this doesn't turn you on, or would you rather I beg?" My thigh slides between his legs, my palm plunging towards his groin as I roll my body against his. 

Verando growls low in his throat as his lips hover over mine. Finally, when I feel as though I might burst from the anticipation, he dips as he claims my mouth with his own. Slow at first, but building each time our lips met. 

"Gods, I've missed you." He exhales.

I writhe against him as he invades my mouth with his tongue, leaning on his tie to deepen the kiss, forcing him to lift me onto his body if he wishes to remain upright. 

"You're really tall," I complain, gasping in discomfort and desire as my back presses against the door.

"Keep quiet." His voice is rough with restraint as his mouth find my neck, dragging his tongue from the base of my neck to my ear before giving me a firm bite that elicits a somewhat feral response in me. I moan, clutching at him, and he chuckles at me. 

"Hush!" He commands, and I put my hand over my mouth, panting as I cling to him. My body feels as though it's on fire, I'm coming apart at the seams like a cat in heat. "For the love, how much did you drink?"

"You have on too many clothes." I remind him desperately, shutting my eyes as I melt into the feeling of the stubble grazing my skin, only to inhale sharply as he grinds into me. My hand swings over my head to support myself, slamming into the door to produce an echoing bang that earns me the look I've been craving. 

His eyes meet mine, the burning intensity conveying back what I've been feeling since he stepped foot into this room. "Take me." I plead as I kiss him, panting, desperate as I slip my hand into his pants. "You're already this hard?" I snicker, shivering as he growls against my ear.

There's a firm knock on the door, making us both jump. "Is everything alright?"

Verando curses under his breath, and I sigh heavily as I resist the urge to bang on the door and tell the intruder to get lost. "Yes. Just had a bit too much to drink."

I grope him through his pants as he presses his lips to the top of my head in defeat, fumbling with his belt despite his attempts to stop me.

"Oh! Mr.Mercer! Well.. ahem-  this door isn't supposed to be locked, sir."

"Right. My mistake." He allows me to slide down his body, and I feel deflated, denied something that I didn't even realize how badly I wanted until it was right in front of me. We both catch our breath, breathless from the intensity of such an adolescent make-out session. "You're like a horny schoolgirl. Control yourself." Verando mouths to me. 

 I pull him to me by his tie, my hands knotting in his hair; I find his mouth and plead against his lips to ignore the man at the door. "Wear more ties. This is so damned hot..." I pop the buttons in the center of his chest, kissing the exposed skin and raking my teeth over his pectoral. 

"Breath, Nic." Verando manages, cursing once more as he tangles his fingers in my hair.

"Go to hell." I retort, unwilling to release him just yet. But, I must; the man outside won't wait forever. I reach to unlock the door, giving up on the fantasy of christening this unworthy restroom. "I'm not finished with you, Mr.Mercer." 

His hand fists, yanking my head back to meet his gaze. "Do you have any idea how much restraint this is taking? Must you press me?" The expression he responds with does not convey that I'll get what I want out of him at the end of this night. I can't allow myself to think about it right now as I fasten the buttons back to their assigned holes obediently. 

"Nicolas... I don't think we should do this sort of thing-" He's interrupted by a scream, and he's out the door before he can complete his thought. Pulling me along, we rush through the crowd towards the dinner hall, where Senator Campbell is writhing on the ground, clutching his stomach as he screams again.

"Help! Someone has poisoned him!" Delilah sobs.

Verando freezes, taking a slow inhale. "He's not been poisoned. He's..." his voice lowers as we near the man. I feel the heat coming off of him in droves, fighting against the drunken haze, though I found myself more sober than before I'd run to the bathroom. Kneeling beside the man, Senator Campbell practically snarls at him, only to pause when he sees who it is.

 "It's alright, Johnathan. Just take a few deep breaths and try to calm down."

"What.. Verando? Ugh. My head.." He clutches his temple, gritting his teeth.

"I know, it's going to get a lot worse before it gets better." Verando's hand rests on the man's wrist. "Pulse is elevated." He murmurs to me. 

"Do you think he's trying to shift?" My voice is barely audible.

"What..? Shift?" Johnathan responds, flinching once more.

We both stared at him in shock that he could hear me. Verando pulls him to his feet, "Delilah, please come with us."

"My husband needs a hospital!" She pleads as Verando shoulders the writhing man. I gather Delilah as we drag him out into one of the rear rooms of the building, followed by a crowd of people and the press. Flashing lights surround us as we're asked a barrage of questions, and Verando slams the door behind us.

"Your husband doesn't need a hospital; he needs to get a hold of himself." Verando scowls, grabbing the man by the collar and yanking him to his feet. "Why didn't you tell me you were a lycan?"

Johnathan cries out, shutting his eyes tightly. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Do you feel your body temperature rising? Feel that burn in your bones? That's the wolf trying to come out; when did you get bitten? Who sired you?"

"Stop! No one 'sired' anyone! My husband isn't a beast!" Delilah shouts at us. 

"Randy, maybe he's not a lycan? Maybe you're wrong?"

"No, he's a lycan, alright, I can smell it. A bloody coward is hiding in this vessel while the world burns." Shoving the man to the ground, he stands over him. "Or maybe he's rabid, and we must put him down." He pulls out a gun, and Delilah screams; I grab onto her firmly. "What's it going to be, 'Johnathan'?"

"Please! Don't hurt him!" I cringe at the shrill scream in my ear.

"Alright!" Senator Campbell pants. "Alright... please.. if that is what this is, I truly don't know. It's been happening for a few weeks now. I get these horrible headaches and... I'm not sure how to describe it. Hot? Is that what this is... is this what you are? I'm a monster?"

Verando stares him down for a moment longer before relaxing the gun. "You're a lycan, just as I am. But you're not a bloody monster. What do you mean it only started a few weeks ago?"