Party(1)

"Here, this is where I keep the good stuff! Just go easy on it." Killian led the group into a billiard room, where he directed Alex to a small bar in the corner.

"Thanks, but do I really have to go through all this?" He took a glass from his friend and appreciated the aroma wafting from the strong booze.

"Can't I just socialize with my classmates like all the other graduates?" He reached out and picked a pool stick from a rack on the wall. "Why can't I just keep my head down and spend the night with you guys?"

Vikki jumped up on the billiard table centered in the room; the red felt beautifully highlighting her figure dressed in black. "But, Alex, we worked so hard putting your party together for you, couldn't you try to enjoy it? For me?" she twirled her hair around her finger and batted her eyes at him.

"Listen, you're not the shy, nerdy twerp that asked my sister out four years ago!" Killian moved towards the rack and selected a cue for himself.

"Now you're just a nerd, and I mean that in a good way!" He raised his glass toward Alex, meaning no offense.

"You have to take this opportunity to get your foot in the door with some of these assholes," Killian added.

The young silver-haired man seemed to be the only person in the room taking the situation seriously. "And Vikki, get off the table! You'll ruin the felt!"

[Plus, Alexander, it will be an excellent opportunity to see who supports the vampires.]

[The Copperlands are well connected.]

[You can use this for when you have to kill them.]

'Why do I have to kill them again?' Alexander was struggling with this constant "quest" he was given. He already knew it wouldn't be possible to destroy the factions; his relationships wouldn't allow it.

[Alex, they are the enemy!]

[You've known that for years.]

'No, you've chosen that!' He directed his focus away from the system's racism. He wouldn't blindly hate the factions!

"Come on, Vikki, let's see if Trent made it!" Layla chimed in, perking up at the thought of enjoying the party. "Maybe he'll be man enough to entertain us!"

She grabbed Vikki's wrist and pulled the petite goth into her embrace, giving Alex a seductive look.

Alex was thrown off at the sudden scene and nearly dropped his drink. He coughed slightly as his mind wandered at the possibilities.

A loud crack resonated throughout the hall as a pearly white cue ball met the rack of balls on the other end of the table.

"You can't seduce me with my sister…" Killian cringed as he pulled the cue back to his body, indicating that his turn was over.

"Just a minute, I forgot my phone!" Vikki struggled out of Layla's grasp in an attempt to return to the center of the room.

She bolted straight toward her lover and jumped into his arms. The sudden impact nearly caused him to trip to the floor. Not slowing down, she wrapped her legs around his waist and kissed him passionately, leaving him breathless.

"Don't forget about me," she whispered into his ears, causing a smirk to show on his face.

Even though she was visibly red from the display of affection, Vikki smiled toward Layla. She climbed off of Alex and picked up her phone before heading back to the door and leaving.

…

Silence overtook the room. Alex was too embarrassed to speak as he was afraid Vikki's words of encouragement had been overheard by Killian.

Yet, Killian allowed him to remain silent because he thought it would be best for him to prepare mentally for the political, financial, and other influential figures present.

Only the sounds of colliding billiard balls and refilling glasses could be heard.

Due to the awkwardness, the were-rex dove into his system. Never being alone had its perks.

'So, how do I get him in my herd?' Alexander had been dwelling on the same question for a few months now.

"I'm stripes again. This sucks! Stop cheating!" Killian was superstitious when it came to playing and preferred to be solids.

The herd had remained the same size since Jimmy was added to it 6 years ago.

Unfortunately, that was because Alex had promised that he wouldn't grow the herd until he was an adult that graduated High School. Jimmy didn't want him to throw his life away on a mission that would never end.

The next candidate had already been identified, which helped ease the difficulty. Navigating the addition of this member would be the last step before officially establishing his herd, which would increase his responsibilities.

[Just talk to him]

[You're basically family]

"We're just calling the last shot, like usual, right?" Alex confirmed the house rules as he toyed with a response in his mind.

'Oh, yeah… Excuse me, would you like to join my family?' His [Charisma] may have improved, but it didn't give him superpowers!

'Oh, by the way, we'll help you turn into a dinosaur!' He chuckled in his mind as he thought about his own transformation.

It had been years since he had undergone his terramorphosis. The only things keeping the memory fresh in his mind were the constant nightmares as well as this system stuck in his head.

Without that, he may not even have believed it was real anymore!

Killian took a long drink and offered him a flask, "Whatever makes you comfortable, man, we're just killing time."

[You've got your parent's house]

[Perhaps you need a roommate]

[It might be more believable]

'That's a good point.' Alexander finally agreed with the system on something!

'We were close friends in high school, but that doesn't mean I should invite him into the family so easily.' He recalled his initial thoughts on his herd. It made sense not pursuing his goal as a child.

Initially, it made sense to gain as large of a faction as possible to oppose their enemies. As he grew, his thoughts regarding friendship seemed to grow alongside him. He understood that it would be more beneficial to have quality members rather than mere numbers.

They wouldn't be as big as the other factions, but they would be more powerful individually.

The herd had fallen every time that it had been established in the past, to the point it was almost extinct. They didn't need to establish global control, they needed trust.

If the leader invited someone into the herd that couldn't be trusted, it would put everyone at risk.

"8-ball, corner pocket," Alex called his final shot as Killian looked on.

'Trent will have to wait!' He made up his mind.

'He meets all the qualifications and has a paleo lineage, but that's not enough.' Analyzing the situation seriously, he realized that he knew Trent, but he didn't really know him that well as a person. It was possible they would be incompatible outside of spending time together.

I'll invite him to move in after the party.' The 8-ball skirted the corner pocket before it decided to settle into its new home.

The two of them continued playing pool. Each of them had won and lost a few rounds, but, most importantly, Alexander had relaxed slightly. The clock ticked by on the wall as time slowly passed.

"We should probably find the girls before they get in trouble," Killian suggested.

He noticed that Alex was loosened up and would be able to handle the crowds without being so intoxicated that it would be dangerous. Placing the cues back on the wall rack, Killian led Alex toward the hall.

He could tell the man was still nervous, but this was the best he could do for his friend.