Page 46 of Of Blood and Smoke

My father was a full-blooded demon, and my mother, a vampire. Together they’d miraculously created a crossbreed—me. I knew I would have to visit them once I completed my business with the High Court; it had been a while. Neither of them had ever left the Second Realm during my lifetime, being content to stay home.

“What will you do when you are instructed to cease your relationship?”

Micha’s question pulled me away from my thoughts. I’d always obeyed and enforced orders, never having stepped completely out of line. When necessary, I’d found ways around rules and laws, but I’d never acted with such direct defiance as now.

My compliance was built solidly within me, it was my nature due to my vampire half where loyalty and honor were virtues of the highest order. Those two qualities were the strongest parts of my character, and I suspected it would’ve been so even if I were a full-blooded demon, due to the Court’s training.

My demonic side often bucked against being told what to do but I only allowed the rebellion to trickle through my veins in the smallest amounts.

“I’ll do whatever I have to,” I answered simply. A deep part of me railed against my disobedience and I had to shove it back down. The High Court had given me everything I needed to be the man I was today; the fact couldn’t be dismissed though I tried.

Micha laughed. “Sounds promising.”

I couldn’t help the smirk that crossed my face. “We shall see.”

After Micha and I went over some business matters and he left, I went and laid down on my bed. Sleep wasn’t an absolute necessity for me, nor was it for any creature such as myself. We could last for long periods of time without the need for slumber. Lying in my bed was oftentimes just a matter of getting somephysical rest, or as it was right now, mental preparation for departure.

I hadn’t been in the presence of the High Court in a while and although it would be nice to be home, I was not looking forward to it. My intuition was telling me the meeting was regarding Micha’s interest and relationship with a human woman.

If I enforced the ban I’d be a hypocrite, but giving Della up was an impossibility. There was no way I’d be able to do so without eternal regret.

There was much to be done to acclimatize her, such as informing her as to what I was, but I had to make sure she was ready before having that conversation. Forcing her to believe was always an option, but I didn’t want to cause her any more distress than what she would experience after being told.

Not a single human here in the Third Realm knew what I was. I was aware that Mid and Lesser level demons knew of the existence of crossbreeds, and I knew they talked and speculated.

Their lifestyle was different than Micha’s and my own, having found a living indulging in street or organized crime, and other ways that brought them money and power. Our paths didn’t cross very often.

The royal and founding demon families had bases of operation here in the northeast of the United States, as well as Europe and other areas, but they had spread out over the country as of late, moving on to conquer more territories.

There were some vampire clans in northern New England, and a larger one in western Canada that I’d heard of, but I didn’t associate with them. Recently, the angels that’d taken up residence on the west coast had started moving into the area surrounding New York.

Change was afoot, in many ways, and I would have to convince the Ancients of the wisdom of loosening the reins a bitand allowing for even more modernization of thought in all our lifestyles.

My mind wandered back to Della and her new home. I had the feeling I was going to have to deal harshly with her friend, Brett. He appeared unwilling to back down and I’d be more than happy to show him the folly of his ways. I wasn’t concerned about him in the slightest, but I didn’t want Della harassed by the man. When I returned from Court, I’d take a closer look.

Closing my eyes after assessing everything going on, I began visualizing the precise location of where I wanted to enter the Second Realm. With a clear picture in mind, I placed myself there. Often referred to as “transitioning,” the process used to be much smoother for me.

At one time I could blink and relocate myself to any realm with ease rather than deal with the delayed and occasionally rough shifting that befell my kind now. We also used to be able to transition within realms, instead of solely between.

This was what happened when one engaged in disobedience.

The magnitude of my impending defiance shook me when I finally stood in the gardens of the High Court. Quickly, I tried to collect myself, clear my mind. Any aberration in my spirit would alert my superiors and depending on multiple factors, they would not hesitate to imprison me for my crime—even if I had not yet acted upon what my tell-tale aura would indicate I was thinking or feeling.

I began following the path to the main entry, under a muted sky. The realm’s native orange fog drifted in the stratosphere, thicker in the distance than around the palace’s buildings. Lush green grass spread from the sides of the pathway lined with heavily etched and carved onyx park benches. Fragrant Bloodmoon flower blossoms scented the air, their unique liquid pollen dripping delicately from the centers of the buds giving the appearance of bloodletting.

Plucking a bloom, I inhaled its fragrance letting the rich scent fill my senses and allowed the memories to flow.

When I was very young, I’d played in these gardens, chasing the birds and tugging the ends of the tattered cloaks of the park wraiths. Sometimes I’d hide under a bench and yank on a wraith’s hem, disturbing and harassing them for my own entertainment. That went on for a while until my mother was summoned to court and spoken to about the proper behavior for children.

Children were a rarity, and rules were made up on the spot as nobody had considered them for many, many years. The very act of my birth raised my parents’ standing in our society and in the eyes of the court, such was the novelty of a crossbreed being born. I had responsibilities.

It didn’t take long for the palace guards to approach me as I wandered. I tucked the flower into my suit jacket’s upper pocket and was escorted inside.

I felt as if I were marching to my own doom, flanked by the mute and heavily armed soldiers. Their weapons of war were likely coupled with whatever minor magical abilities they might have been gifted with, ready to be utilized should I have second thoughts about keeping my appointment. There was no doubt I could defeat them, but I needed to know what the Ancients wanted from me.

It was quiet outdoors, other than a few people enjoying time in the gardens and with the silent park wraiths drifting about, busy with whatever tasks they’d been assigned. Colorful songbirds fluttered about with flashes of yellow or red feathers as they dipped and dove, lighting on the flowers for sips of crimson nectar.

A few curious gazes were sent my way by those traversing the narrow paths between scattered trees and shrubs. There wasn’t a soul present whom I recognized, and I ignored the probingglances. I wasn’t overly social in general so ignoring the interest was easy. While my escorts would’ve humored me should I have stopped, I thought it best to be as expedient and cooperative as possible.

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