Page 105 of Of Blood and Smoke

Della

Josiah came and picked me up, his eyes swirling with black smoke. He was drenched in blood and other debris I didn’t even want to begin to guess the nature of. He cradled me in his arms, let me know he’d neutralized the flower poison on his clothes, and told me to keep my eyes shut. I snuggled against him, ignoring the damp feel of his leather shirt, and just let him hold me tight.

He took us through the tunnel system before the sounds told me we were outdoors. I could hear raised voices and rushing footsteps, and then the noise of gravel crushing under his feet. After a few minutes, I fell asleep.

When I woke up it was light outside and I was in an unfamiliar bed. I rolled over just as I felt the bed dip to see Josiah in a cranberry-colored dress shirt tucked into black slacks. He sat beside me and gently moved my hair behind my ear. “How are you feeling?” he asked.

“Tired but I’m okay.” I pushed myself up and leaned forward, resting my head against his chest. “How are you feeling? Are you hurt at all?”

Shoes scuffed just outside the door of the room we were in. “Josiah? Is she awake? Bring your girlfriend downstairs.”

“In a moment, Mother,” he called back to her. “I’m fine. I was, but my mother treated me.”

“Oh? What’d they do to you?” I pushed the blankets off my legs and started to get up, but Josiah wrapped an arm around my waist.

“Josiah!” a male voice boomed. “Get a move on, we have things to discuss.”

Josiah gave me an apologetic look. “My father. I’ve left a bit of a mess in the High Court. Ezra injured my shoulders; they’ll be sore for a little while. It's nothing to worry about.”

“A mess?”

He stood up. “I removed one of the Ancients—it's never been done before, that I know of. Not during my or my parents’ lifetimes.”

“So, what’s going to happen?” I slid off the bed and glanced down at the loose, white night dress. “This is pretty.” My head was a mess and the last thing I knew, I was about to be experimented on.

“The bathroom is right there; my mother put some things in there for you to use last night. Nothing’s going to happen, not to you or me. The Court will replace him I’m sure. Do you want me to wait for you?”

Glancing in the direction he’d pointed me in, I answered, “No, you don’t have to. I think I’ll be able to find you downstairs.” I laughed. His parents seemed pretty lively; all I’d have to do was follow the noise.

“Hang on,” I said, crossing the room to where he now stood by the door. “What happens now? Where does everyone think we are? What do I tell Ashley?”

“We took a vacation.”

“She’s not gonna buy that; I didn’t tell her a thing, and she knows I would’ve.”

Josiah took my hands in his. “It was a surprise vacation, with no cellular service.”

“But where do I say we went?” My brain scrambled, panicking thinking of how I would explain everything. How do you tell your best friend your boyfriend is a murderous blood drinking vampire that rescued you in an alternate dimension? She would know something didn’t add up, no matter what I told her.

“You’re worrying too much; I can see it all around you.” Josiah tugged me against him. “I have the feeling Ashley will be fine when you tell her I took you on a spontaneous trip.”

I didn’t see how that was possible, but I’d deal with it when the time came. “What about us, are we in danger?”

He let out a low laugh. “No, not at all. One day I expect the Ancients will seek retribution, but today is not that day. I’ll kill anyone who comes near you.” He grasped my cheeks and pulled me in for a kiss, prodding my lips apart with his tongue.

Catching my breath, I asked, “They see you as the bad guy now, probably?”

“I’ve always been the bad guy; nothing’s changed. Don’t worry; you’ve seen for yourself what I’ll do.”

Bad guy. I’d never thought of him that way before and with what he did, I was sure many would be after him

“Well, you’re my personal villain,” I said smiling up at him, before shaking my head. “That didn’t come out right.”

“Go get ready before my mother comes storming in.”

Josiah shut the door, and I went into the bathroom and looked around. There was a change of clothes, multiple toiletries, and a toothbrush in a small package. His mom had thought of everything.

After I cleaned myself up and put on the pair of thick leggings and blouse laid out for me, I trekked downstairs.

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