Asa suppressed the urge to scratch. He itched everywhere. It felt like the time he had gotten lost in the woods as a child, and suffered from dehydration. His whole body ached from ravages within his very tissue and bones that he didn't have the Blood to heal. He wandered through Avalon, senses heightened as the Sheriff had taught him. Ostensibly, the owner was checking on clients, making sure they were happy. In reality, the predator was evaluating prey.

He knew that some might consider him soft, or even picky, about his feeding habits -- even the way he treated Olivette. How refusing to feed from dirty thugs or spill blood into buckets like an animal made you more of a vampire, he had no idea. Asa stopped a waitress taking a tray full of sweetly pungent fruity drinks to a group of women.

A bachelorette party.

Of course there was the bachelorette, already shit-faced, her fat friend, the ice princess who fed her ego by being friends with less attractive girls, and the plain jane best friend.

How typical.

Asa instructed the waitress to extend his invitation to the VIP room, and he went to have champagne bottles and tapas prepared.

It didn't take long. The delighted foursome was flattered to be noticed by the club owner, and liberal use of his Gifts soon had them all languishing in the throes of the Kiss. A bit here, a bit there. Touching their memories, spread the word about what a [b]fantastic time was to be had at Avalon[/i], he smiled to himself. A little PR with feeding never hurt.

Asa left the room, and the girls. Light-headed from alcohol and blood loss, it hadn't taken much to convince them that they'd had the time of their lives.

At least the itching was beginning to fade.