Page 48 of Of Blood and Smoke

I bristled but kept my mouth shut. I didn’t bother reining in my errant aura, which I knew was flickering, expanding, and displaying my temper.

Ezra chuckled softly. “I believe he felt time was of the essence,” he addressed the men beside him, turning his head to the left and then the right, as he defended my actions. “Had the outcome been different perhaps some of us wouldn’t be here right now.”

He was subtly letting me know I would be the one to have been absent. While I hadn’t been transparent with my ultimate objective of remaining in the Third Realm when I’d left, it had been tolerated due to the fortuitous outcome with Sem and Julian. That coupled with my mostly exemplary history when many became overly ambitious or greedy had ensured I wasn’t dragged back and punished.

“Seeing as Josiah is here regardless of the past, that brings us to the next order of business,” Ezra stated, clapping his hands together and signaling for beverages to be refilled.

Vernon glanced at me, a disdainful glare in his eyes before he schooled his expression and nodded. The conversation paused while waiters approached with lead crystal carafes, efficiently bringing us fresh blood.

“You will be visiting your parents while here in the Second, will you not?” Anthony finally spoke.

I nodded. “If time allows, yes.”

The servers disappeared back into the shadows and Ezra took over again. “It has come to our attention that your companion, Micha, has been entertaining a human woman.”

He leaned back in his seat. “What do you know of this?”

“I haven’t met her, but he has mentioned spending time with a woman.” It would do me no good to deny the truth. Ezra appeared thoughtful for a moment, and then I felt everyone’s eyes on me.

“You are in a position to marry,” Ezra stated, and I held my breath. “We have gathered some candidates whom you will meet with later today. Choose one for Micha as well.”

Deep inside my spirit plunged, my energetic field whipping and snapping into place down in the recesses of my heart. There was no way the creatures before me didn’t sense my anger. They must have known I wanted to throw myself across the table and rip their spines out through their throats. How dare they expect me to betray my closest friend or tear out my own heart? They’d given me no warning and took advantage of my absence as well as my inherent sense of duty.

Anthony cleared his throat. “Your affinity and weakness for the humans has been noted since you removed the female infant,” he remarked pointedly.

I had forgotten about the tiny girl, a female whose father I’d befriended years ago. She’d contained witch’s blood, and her father had been someone who used to deliver intel to me. For the most part, I had no use for humans other than as food and cattlebut for some reason I’d grown fond of the man, and in turn saved his child after he and his wife had been murdered. It’d been an impulsive move, and unlike me.

There was also the matter of the woman who’d been employed here, Eliana, as a receptionist. I’d had an intimate relationship with her, as much as I could under the circumstances. She’d sworn her loyalty and fealty to the High Court, and I’d strongly favored the human. I’d been ordered to execute her due to her actions. I did, and publicly, but not without argument behind closed doors as I fought for her pardon, first.

I’d proven myself multiple times and yet not received any grace. And now, it seemed, my past actions had given me the stain of a less-than-ideal reputation I hadn’t realized.

Against my better judgment, I offered an option. “It may be that Micha would prefer to choose his mate himself. May I suggest summoning him to peruse his options?”

“You may not. You are his superior and know what is best for him.” Ezra polished off his drink. “You will select a woman for yourself as well and we will begin the rituals.”

Noah began rolling up the scroll he’d had placed before him before glancing at me. “Neither of you have claimed the women you were entertaining; this should be easy.” He stood up, bowing to his fellow members. “Please excuse me, I have an important matter to attend to.”

I bowed my head, “Thank you.”

Ezra softened his voice just the slightest bit. “This may not be the future you want but it is the future you expect. This concludes our meeting.”

In my attempt to win Della’s love, I hadn’t claimed her, not fully. I’d wanted her to come to me willingly, to beg for me, plead for me, and in my consideration for her feelings I’d only hurt myself. I’d never been so enthralled, never had my heartheld captive with more than a fleeting infatuation until her. I couldn’t explain the draw to her, the obsession, either to myself or to another living soul. My whole body had cried out from the moment I first saw her, as if she were the sole reason for my existence. She was my match.

While I craved her physically, I also desired her mentally. This made me more vulnerable, I knew, but I couldn’t stop myself. Very few people were worthy of my care or interest and those who’d ensnared me in that manner were stuck with me for life. I was either all in, or one did not exist. There was no in between.

Would things have been different with the Court if I’d just taken Della? If I’d claimed her on my cock with my teeth planted firmly in her neck? There was no way to know for certain, now.

What was I to do with her? I could keep her as a mistress and as a blood donor, which was a slightly common practice among demons. I’d heard of crossbreeds doing similar but thanks to the vampire blood we contained, more than one devasting war had been waged due to the dishonor of such actions. The women we loved deserved more respect than that.

The idea of brutality to get what I wanted appealed to my lower instincts and my gums started to ache. My dick then began to harden over the brief thought of mass violence and bloodshed.

Shaking myself internally, I brought my attention back to the men who’d just determined my fate and slashed my dreams. “Thank you, your honors, for your time and thoughtful consideration.”

My words rang hollow, and my head buzzed with an agony that resonated all the way down through my chest. Pushing away the insistent gory visuals that kept popping up, I stood, bowed at the waist, and took my leave.

TWENTY-FOUR

Josiah

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