Page 98 of Of Mercury and Mist

Ethan scrunched his nose at me. “Why?” He rested his arms on the table and sat back, the sight of me seemingly too much for his distinguished tastes. “These women are causing all kinds of trouble. You have heard, haven’t you? Don’t tell me you don’t know.”

Samuel glanced at me. “You hungry?” I shook my head, and he went back to his conversation. “Of course. I don’t care if she has magic in her blood or not. As it stands now, she’ll be easier to control. Look at her.”

He held his hand toward me and Ethan followed his gaze while I took another sip of my wine. My body sagged in my seat a little, my muscles relaxing and a pleasant buzz accompanying all the other physical sensations. It was like I was floating on the gentle waves of a pond.

My lips curve into a small smile.I think they drugged me.

I couldn’t bring myself to care though I knew I should’ve. Had they slipped me something, or was it because I was in some type of alternate universe? There was no way to know unless I asked.

I wasn’t going to ask.

Ethan snickered. “Okay, maybe.”

My stomach growled and I reached for the cluster of deep purple grapes, their vines tangling as they draped over the edge of a gilded platter and tore a stem from the bunch. Biting into one of the velvety orbs, the juices burst in my mouth, stimulating my taste buds that then rapidly cried out for more. I moaned out loud over the heavenly flavor. Hell had the best buffet I ever tasted.

Something caught the corner of my eye, and I twisted in my seat to see the woman beside me bouncing on the man’s dick. Her head was tossed backward and the man had her by the waist, helping her. His mouth was firmly fixed to her neck, and I spied a hint of red around his mouth.

“Do you like what you see?” Samuel’s nose nudged the side of my own neck, and I felt his hand smoothing down my arm before coming to a rest on my thigh.

I did like what I was watching. Very much. The heavy atmosphere weighed on me, urging me to spread my legs and allow access to the man beside me. But I clamped my legs together and reached for more fruit.

“I do,” I admitted. “But I don’t think I’m ready for that.” Would I ever be? I didn’t know.

“No magic but she knows how to protect her aura,” Ethan stated, grabbing a grape and tossing it in the air. He opened his mouth and captured it, staring at me while he chewed. “Some humans are smart like that.”

“I’m gonna go get Elijah. Diego should be back in here soon,” Ethan said after several seconds, pushing his chair back.

I ignored him, the words about my aura snagging in my mind. “How do you... What did he mean about auras?”

Samuel answered, “We can see your aura. It's like a fingerprint in many ways, helps us read you. You hide yours sometimes. You reign it in so its nearly invisible and I have to work harder to see it.”

“I didn’t know I could do that.”

He eyed me. “You have good instincts.”

I let out a short laugh. “That’s debatable. What am I doing here?”

He grinned. “How could you resist?”

“I can’t tell if I should be afraid of you or not,” I stated. “Why did you bring me here?”

“I want you to be mine. You have nowhere else to go. Why wouldn’t I bring you here?” His eyes gleamed. “By bringing you here, you’re luring in two men that have been sentenced to death. No one has to go get them, it’ll be nice and clean. Easy.” He thought for a second. “Not clean. You’re in for a treat.”

My hands trembled and I placed them in my lap. “What men?”

“Haven’t you been paying attention?” His brow furrowed and his lip curled. My thoughts were clouded, under the spell of this place. Time felt unreal, both suspended and rushing over me at the same time and assaulting me with the palace’s luxurious environment.

“Micha and Josiah. They killed one of our leaders in cold blood,” Samuel said, his voice low and menacing.

I shrank back as he pushed toward me and grabbed the sides of my seat. He snarled, “His scent is all over you. His flesh. His blood. His cum. He’s infected you with the very fiber of his being. Hewillcome for you, and we will cut him down.”

My pulse raced, and I could’ve sworn I felt the blood rushing through my veins, coursing past the fabric of my soul, nicking and scratching the very fiber that encased it. “But... but I killed him myself.”

Samuel laughed, his mouth opening wide as he threw his head back. “Silly girl. You wounded him; that is all. You got closer to him than anyone else ever has. Not even Anna.” I had to assume the woman was an ex-girlfriend; I’d never heard of her before.

“He trusts you and clearly, he wants you. He’s coming; there’s not a doubt in my mind. What will you do when he does?”

I couldn’t help it, I peered around the room, looking past the woman in the throes of an orgasm that had her crying out and convulsing before my gaze snagged on her lover. The man’s eyes glowed, burning into mine and causing me to falter.

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