"Don't you think it's time for you to move on, Adrian?" Malice dripped in the less than subtle message.

"Now why ever would I want to do that, Bianca? Still can't catch your quarry with me around, huh?" I could be just as malicious.

Annoyance flashed in her eyes, showing the mark hit its intended target. Laying her hands on the table, she leaned on it, her gaze flitting from me to the glass. "Seems he wants me around more than you, or haven't you noticed?"

"I think you should can the friendly girl to ooy chit chat, Bianca. It doesn't become you. Doesn't really work either." Yeah, I had my problems, but she had more than I did. Getting passed over must’ve be a bitch.

"You really can't be that stupid not to notice what's going on. You aren't his Favored One anymore. Tough luck."

"And you'd be the first one to recognize those signs, right?" If I didn't stop laughing, I was going hurt myself soon. I just couldn't take her seriously one on one. She sounded like a bad soap opera.

Her features twisted in anger at my remark. Looking like she was about to hit me, she spat out, "You'll figure it out sooner or later, if I have to slice it into you."

Whirling around, she stalked off towards the bar.

I could feel Ash's eyes on me as he leaned against the bar counter. Pretending not to notice him, I picked up the glass, swirling the dark crimson liquid. Marcus stood at attention nearby, seeming to ignore the rather tense atmosphere he found himself in. His neutral gaze watched as Ash pushed off of the counter.

Ash stalked over to my table and pressed his palms down on it, his features hardened as he stared down at me. "What are you doing?" His eyes flit to the glass in my hand and then back to me, continuing without giving me the chance to answer. "Fine, go ahead and pitch your fit about a mark on your body that only other vampires can see. It's only meant to protect you and nothing else. You're being just as much of a spoiled little brat as I was."

I opened my mouth to get on his case for even pretending to understand my position, but the past tense he used had me questioning his words instead of yelling at him. "What are you talking about?" I glared right back at him, wishing everybody would just stay out of this.

"Where are you going to go once Gabriel decides to stop bending to your every desire? Do you think I could take you under my wing? Or Indy? Or anyone else you know? My Fa-," his words cut off as he shifted his hard gaze away from me.

His voice dropped as he stared down at the table with a determined look on his face. "Nikolai would kill anyone who tried. He is your only other choice. So go on and keep up with your stand off with Gabriel. Maybe you'll find out what it feels like to be Nikolai's puppet on a string for a hundred years, only to be disowned for wanting to protect your own ass from one of his bloody rampages." He straightened from the table, his gaze pinning back on me.

"At least Gabriel lets you out of the dungeon." With that said, he walked away.

I set the glass down, blinking in shock. I wasn't sure what should sink in first. The primary point that hit me was the word disowned. It had me slowly seething more than Ash's berating me. I stared at his retreating back as he disappeared to the back hall. A multitude of thoughts clamored for attention in my mind, making it extremely hard to think.

The less than pleasing view of Bianca, moving to hang on Gabriel as he walked out from his office, made the thoughts spiral completely out of control. He had been spending inordinately large amounts of time with her the last several nights. I knew because Indy had been bitching to me about it. Bianca gazed up at him adoringly, and he smiled down at her, laughing quietly at her comments. The moment he saw me still sitting at the table, the relaxed lines of his face took on a hard, austere look.

The scowl on Blade's face deepened as he caught sight of Bianca. I knew he hated the bitch and never bothered to hide his dislike of her. After one look between all of us, Wolf and Allie stayed behind the bar out of the way. The tension within the room had reached a breakable level.

It was one thing to deal with the melodramatics Bianca spun out. It was another to watch Gabriel and still see his anger. In reaction I stood, my hands gripping tightly to the edge of the table before I deliberately tipped it over. The table fell, taking the glass of blood with it, but I didn't care. The emotions that rode me were out of control.

The loud clatter brought Bianca's attention to me. A satisfied smirk curled at her lips, echoing the triumphant gleam in her eyes. The cold, emotionless look remained on Gabriel's features as he watched the temper tantrum.

First I was going to kill Nikolai and then I would come back and kill Gabriel. The vicious thoughts spun in my head as I stared at both of them. Suddenly a false calm descended over me as I spoke. "Just send a bottle to my house, Garland. Then we can avoid these ridiculous encounters."

I was beyond hurt and lashing out in my own way; I knew it was wrong, but I couldn't help it. The lost feeling enveloped me as I whirled around. "Mind if I get a moment of your time alone before I leave?"

Walking towards the door, I wasn't sure if he would follow or not. The rest of what Ash had said sunk into my head. Part of me realized how wrong I was about that mark, and I wanted to apologize to Gabriel for that before I took off for Colorado to deal with Nikolai.