Oops?

I blinked at the woman as she walked toward me, her heels tapping on the wooden floor with a purpose. My eyes widened as I looked around the room, trying to find another Head that she might be looking for, but it quickly became apparent that I was the Head she was referring to.

I might be a 200-year-old monster that can kill anyone with a simple thought, but that woman terrified me.

The tablet was cradled in her arm like it was a child and she was tapping away like it had the answers to life.

"Hello, Stephanie, long time no see," I smiled through my teeth, knowing that it hadn't been nearly long enough for the sake of my sanity.

"Too long, Head," sighed Stephanie, not even bothering to look at the guys seated around the table. "First thing we have to do now that you are back is prepare a dress for the ball. We can't do it on the Vernal Equinox, but that is fine. We can have a ball just for fun. I've resent all the invites to let everyone know that it will be held on Friday here at the mansion. I was going to ask Van Helsing if he could provide security, but I will pass that matter on to Sasha. You will get me an answer within the hour. Correct?"

Stephanie finally paused long enough to take a breath and turned her attention to Sasha, who had a fork full of eggs partway to his lips.

He lowered the fork, cleared his throat, and looked at me wide-eyed.

I shook my head. Oh no, he wasn't throwing the ball back to me on this matter. Her attention was off of me, and I was happy with that. If it meant that I was throwing him under a bus, then I would gladly pay for his funeral.

"Um, yeah. I can ask The Van Helsing for extra security. When did you say the ball was going to be?" stuttered Sasha. The poor baby. But like my dad always said, 'better him than me'.

I looked down at my bagel and refused to meet anyone's eyes.

"If you were listening, I said that it was this Friday," smiled Stephanie, all bubbly and happy. But I was quickly learning that the happier she was, the scarier she was. Especially when I tended to disappear every so often, leaving her to do the job as a Head of House.

Sasha cleared his throat and looked around wide-eyed. "But that is tomorrow. I am not sure if we can arrange something so last minute."

"Ah, but it wouldn't have been last minute if you all hadn't decided that you just had to go to LA for a few days. You would have known all about it because you would have been here. In this house. Doing what you were supposed to be doing."

"If Van Helsing isn't available, I would be more than happy to offer my men," smiled Nicholas as he gently wiped his mouth with the cloth napkin before putting it back on his lap. He turned his full attention to Stephanie, and I watched her freeze.

At first, I had to smirk at her reaction to my big brother, but as the seconds stretched on to minutes, I got less happy and more pissed off and jealous.

Nope. Not impressed at all.

"Nicholas," I snapped at him for the first time in my life. A small part of me felt guilty for acting like a jealous lover, but an even bigger part of me needed him to bow his head and apologize.

Only I knew the man wouldn't. Not for something as stupid as unintentionally seducing my personal assistant.

"I am sorry," replied Nicholas, bowing his head at me. I was stunned but happy at the same time.

I smiled at him, letting him know I wasn't really mad. Jealous as hell… but not mad.

"Right," said Stephanie, shaking her head as she snapped herself out of it. "And you are?"

"Nicholas Tesalor," replied Nicholas, answering her question and introducing himself at the same time. "And I am Head of House Diavol if we are going by the old rules. But I'm afraid there hasn't been a House Diavol in almost a thousand years."

Once again, Stephanie just blinked at his answer before turning her attention back to her tablet. "We are going to put you down as being under House Tesalor. I don't think our guests would… appreciate knowing that demons are looking after them as much as they should."

"You mean they would be scared shitless and not bother coming," smirked Michael as he, too, wiped his mouth before turning his attention to Stephanie. "Don't worry about hurting the man's feelings. I've known him forever, and I can assure you, he has none."

Seriously?!? This was how my breakfasts were going to go from now on?!?

"I'm sorry, and you are?" asked Stephanie, turning to look at me with panicked eyes of her own. Welcome to my world, chickie, welcome to my world.

"Ah, how rude of me. My name is Michael Inger. But you can just call me Michael. It has been a while, but I am from the House Inger," smiled Michael like he hadn't just ripped the fictitious carpet out from under Stephanie's feet.

Once again, she turned to look at me, but instead of looking panicked like before, she looked like she would cheerfully jump over the table and strangle me.

"We have both an angel and a demon living in the mansion, and you didn't think to inform me of this?" she asked through clenched teeth.

"Oops?"

"Oops, that is your response. Oops." I swear, if Stephanie was a cartoon cat right now, she would have steam coming out of her ears.

"Does that mean the ball can be postponed for a while? Like a year or hundred?" I smiled innocently.

"You wish. Get up, we are going dress shopping. I am going to assume that the rest of you have something appropriate to year to the Gypsy ball?" Stephanie turned around and looked at all of my guys, a tight smile on her lips.

"Of course," smoothed Greyson as he stood up. Dom and Levi were quick behind him. "Is our dress uniforms acceptable?"

"Do you have one that is acceptable to eat in?" demanded Stephanie. Huh, I didn't know that there was different uniforms for different things.

"We do," assured Levi, the smile on his face made Stephanie relax just a bit.

Huh, I might have to find a new personal assistant if this kept up.

I was not good with sharing and they were mine.