Page 95 of Of Blood and Smoke

For the sake of conversation, I asked my guide, “Were those weapons ever used?”

“Yes, they were,” was the only insight I received from the man.

We took a turn and began down another hallway. The walls were formed of large, gray bricks with paintings and other artwork tacked to them. As I looked at everything around me, taking it all in, my thoughts wandered to Josiah. How was he going to get me out of here?

Nothing overly threatening had happened to me so far, other than being put to sleep artificially. It wasn’t that bad being in the suspended dream-state, it was more like a relaxing vacation than anything else. There was no way these people would keep me here; I was a regular person with no magic or supernatural DNA. They would let me go; I couldn’t believe what Josiah said about humans not leaving or I’d lose all hope.

I was a boring, ordinary human. Not a threat.

The doors were opened to a grand hall with artifact-lined walls and in the center, a long table with chairs. A throne sat at one end of the room, on a short dais, with red liquid running down the wall behind it. It could’ve been dyed water, but I highly doubted that was the case.

To add to the grim ambiance, the faint orange fog or mist I’d noticed outside clung to the far corners of the vast ceiling. The hall was both beautiful and foreboding at the same time, with a deep, dark current of decadence permeating the decor and design.

The dining table was a shiny wood glinting underneath huge chandeliers that appeared to be a mixture of bronze and oak. Candelabras dotted the surface, entwined with garlands of greenery and sparkling golden-toned flowers interspersed with white blossoms. The air was heavily fragranced with a strong, sweet floral scent coupled with what may have been grapes. The fruity smell was unexpected, and I looked around for the source until I spotted rich, purple clusters overflowing gilded bowls.

In the very center of the table, there was a wide open empty space to make room for the food that would be brought out. The guard who had escorted me led me to a chair as other diners began trickling into the room.

“Della, our beautiful, honored guest of the evening,” Ezra purred, walking up to me.

Taking a step back, I gave him a smile and said, “Thank you for having me.”

“It is quite an honor.” Ezra reached toward me again, and I avoided him by seating myself. Once I was situated, I flashed him a huge grin then straightened my gown over my knees.

More guests started gathering around the table, picking places to sit and enjoy the evening meal. Men sat on either side of me, though I’d been hoping for at least one woman. My hands remained in my lap in an effort not to fidget.

Ezra finally moved away, and I spotted him speaking with what I assumed were servants or waiters before he took his seat at the head of the table.

“I bet the food here is good,” I said to the man sitting beside me.

His gaze flicked to my face before it began to skate over my body. “It always is,” he said, his eyes glowing a faint orange tint.

He didn’t seem to want to say anything else and just stared at me, so I looked away. A hand gripped my thigh from the otherside, and I whipped my head around. This man was biting his lip and he then clasped me tighter.

“Let go,” I complained, keeping my voice politely low. I attempted to pry his fingers away, but he wouldn’t relent.

Glancing at Ezra, I tried to silently plead for help, hoping he’d catch on to my distress. He didn’t seem to notice the struggle, and no one else noticed either, when my arm jarred the table as I tried to fight the man off. My eyes then sought Jude, the man who’d brought me to the place to begin with, but he was nowhere to be seen.

I had no allies here and I knew it was ridiculous to look to anyone present for assistance, but I was out of options. Josiah had said to blend in and wait for him, but I had no idea how I was going to do that. What if the man touching my leg was putting a spell on me or something? There was no way to tell.

The man started gently massaging my leg and I relaxed slightly, thankful for small mercies. He kept his hand in one spot and didn’t try to take it any further. As long as this uncomfortable situation stayed exactly as it was, I could deal with it and bide my time.

Mentally, I berated myself for not taking things more seriously before it came to this. I’d been confident in my security and safety, and I’d treated my relationship with Josiah as if everything was relatively normal—despite the things I’d seen. If I could’ve gone back in time, I would’ve started reading everything I could on vampires, demons, and the occult. I’d done none of that.

This wasn’t to say that Josiah hadn’t told me some things—of course he did. The problem was I’d been too focused on my dad, settling into my new place, navigating a hostile work environment, and just enjoying my new life and its perks. I’d left everything in my boyfriend’s hands.

I’d had a one-track mind—survival—for so long that I dove headfirst into just living. As much as I’d tried to keep total control over my life, I’d failed at some of the things that really mattered. I’d handed over my fate when it was convenient. First to Brett, and now to Josiah.

The Second Realm Josiah had told me about had seemed like a distant fantasy, not like anything I’d have to deal with any time soon. I should’ve done my homework.

Ezra began speaking, interrupting my racing thoughts. “Dearly beloved, tonight we’ve been lovingly honored with the presence of a special dinner guest. May I present, Della DuBois.”

He held his hand out, making a sweeping gesture toward me, and the pressure of a hundred eyes fell on me. Smiling lightly, I bowed my head and then looked at Ezra. “Thank you for having me,” I said.

“Are we ready for the main course?” Ezra asked the table. There was low murmuring and then he said, “Pour the wine.”

Servants stepped forward and began filling our crystal glasses with a red liquor. Peering across the tabletop, I searched for water bottles or any liquid other than alcohol, preferably in a sealed container, but didn’t spot anything I could classify as safe.

Expecting serving dishes to appear any moment, I glanced at the doors hopefully while my stomach growled in anticipation. Glancing at my full glass, I considered sipping some. Would it taste different than the drinks back home? Wrapping my hand around it, I pulled it closer and sniffed it, like I could tell if it was poisoned. As I huffed a laugh under my breath, the chairs on either side of me skidded backward and the men stood up. Momentarily distracted from my perusal of the drink in my hand, I tried to watch them.

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