Page 47 of Of Blood and Smoke

Due to my extended absence from the Second Realm, I had to go through the check-in process and be searched for weapons and unauthorized magic. The palace and realm kept up with the technology of multiple other realms and I was subjected to biometric scanning in addition to the typical astral search for contraband.

Once the unpleasantness was over, my assigned guards relaxed, and their duties changed to now being subject to my own authority. It was now their job to obey and protect me from interference, from this point forward. I thanked the lovely gentleman behind the desk and proceeded, my security detail in tow, to the conference room.

The man behind the desk was a stark reminder of what happens when one such as me engages in an intimate relationship with a human. He’d been installed after I’d had to take the life of Eliana, the previous receptionist. The golden-haired beauty had been my companion, and I’d held some affection for her, until we’d learned she’d been a spy. She’d been bedding high-level members of other, smaller, courts and selling information, after she’d contracted to be in my service and pledged herself to the High Court. I hadn’t been able to bring myself to dine on her sacrifice, but I did try to make her death as swift as I could.

I could only imagine what they’d have me do to Della, whose crime was capturing my heart and possibly diluting their elite image with her inferior DNA. It was possible they’d strike at me to force my compliance.

The greatest problem was the fact me and Della would never have children, thus lowering rather than increasing theirnumbers. It was my duty as a crossbreed to do whatever I could to encourage the birth of another so they could be of service. My heart had decided that wasn’t going to happen.

After I calmed my thoughts, I glanced around. The furnishings and decorations in the palace had remained unchanged with the massive gray blocks, intricate black iron work and moldings, and soaring ceilings I lived under for hundreds of years.

As we passed through the front areas and down a cavernous hallway, a few heads turned, and I recognized vampires and demons I hadn’t seen since before I’d taken my exit. We exchanged quick greetings, and I continued on my way.

The atmosphere was thick with menacing air and a sense of decadence, and I let the familiarity cling to me with comfort. I detected no undercurrents that would set me on edge, nothing that indicated I should be wary. My confidence increased, buoying my soul. Perhaps I had feared for nothing? I would be victorious; I was in my element.

We stopped at a set of double doors which then opened without assistance, revealing the opulent meeting room.

The two guards that accompanied me stayed by the entry standing tall and at attention. Looking forward, I took in the space.

The Ancients represented a mixture of races and species, and the five men stood from their seats. Each of the men represented either Crossbreeds, high-level demons including royalty, angels, Lesser demons, or Mid-level demons.

Ezra stood in the center; his blond hair smoothed back from his head to cascade down his back. Anthony and Noah were on his left, and Vernon and Diego to his right. The immense amount of power emanating from the group was formidable and no one knew just how much magic each individual contained. There’dbeen much speculation over the years, of course, but the secrecy was a matter of self-preservation.

Occasionally, the collective would trade species responsibility in the pursuit of fairness and equity. No one wanted to be stuck with a lower class such as the Lessers for eternity.

Ezra had been assigned to crossbreeds for a very long time, likely due to a combination of our extraordinarily low numbers and his vast knowledge of the scant population. Other than him, it was unclear which man represented which species, currently. There were no outward signs of responsibility, no emblems or jewelry that would denote their wards.

Gossip and rumors stated the men could levitate, turn people to stone, extinguish enemies merely by thinking about it, and cause others to spontaneously combust. No one in their right mind wanted to find out for certain. I had witnessed a criminal being consumed by flame once, from the inside out, at a formal yet private execution. I suspected most of the stories were true, although to what degree, I could not say with confidence.

I was uneager to test the validity of the stories, hence my arrival in front of the revered board upon request.

As was expected, I knelt before my superiors, keeping my gaze downcast. I heard Ezra softly padding across the black marble while I stared at the veins of red jade swirled into the flooring. The swirls appeared as blood, a fitting symbolism for the brute strength of the Second Realm.

His hand touched my right shoulder. “Welcome, Josiah. You may stand and join us.”

He held his hand toward the empty seat on the near side of the long, wide rectangular table. The piece of furniture was crafted of red jade, the color matching that of the floor. The walls of the room were formed of aged oak, painted with a shiny black lacquer designed to appear a perfect match with themarble flooring. The deception was strategically placed as many a protective spell lay within the cellular matter of the wood.

Ezra returned to his seat as I slid into my own and then uniformed low-level demons brought in and served beverages.

“Josiah,” Ezra began, dragging out my name. “You have met with much success, have you not?” He didn’t give me the chance to answer, but it wasn’t necessary. My success was clear through the profitability of my company and my illustrious record of faithful service to the Court. “Are you happy? Joyous?”

“I am, thank you,” I responded before lifting my glass to my lips. Before taking a sip, I scented and examined the contents. While it was highly unlikely I’d be sabotaged, the possibility remained. Suitably reassured, I drank.

“We understand your new product, Onychinus, will be much sought after,” Noah remarked, “due to its effect."

This was what we expected with the drug, that its unique capabilities and effectiveness on human behavior and emotions, coupled with lessened negative outcomes would prove enormously popular. An important side effect for us supernatural creatures was the atmospheric food the released emotions would provide. The more food, especially for demons, the more power and riches there were to be had. Negative frequencies could be more influential, but all were valuable.

“That is what we anticipate. We expect higher-end bars and clubs will find it increases business as well as making life easier for the vampires and demons who have made their home in the Third Realm,” I stated.

The men exchanged glances before Diego spoke. “It has been a while since the unfortunate business with Sem.”

The man was referring to a conspiracy between a demon High Lord, Sem, and a demon God, Julian, that I’d been partially responsible for resolving in the past. I preferred to stay uninvolved with such antics, but Sem had been going againsteverything I stood for and was putting me at risk with his games. Their ultimate plan was to replace the Ancients with themselves, and I’d exposed the subterfuge and ended Sem myself.

I’d never inquired after Julian other than to know he was gone, another being likely having ended him, and I’d begun a new existence in the Third Realm. None of this was anything I cared to spend much time thinking about. It was in the past; it didn’t matter anymore. Those who deserved death were extinguished.

Vernon spoke up. “While we appreciate your foresight, it should be permanently noted you did not clear your actions with the collective.”

The rustle of paper disturbed the silence as Diego rifled through a stack. “It was recorded,” he said, eyeing me and then busying himself again.

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