Of Blood and Smoke

Chapter 30

THIRTY

Josiah

Micha sat across from me, clearly disturbed. We were in the limousine, on the way to The Mezzanine, Della and Ashley chattering away by my side.

I’d worked long and hard for this moment and everything was in place for Onychinus to be a runaway success. Exclusive contracts had been signed, so-called “back door” deals had been made, and soon we would be on to the next groundbreaking product. Our scientists were already busy, working hard developing new items.

Micha looked furious. I arched an eyebrow at him, and he shook his head, but not before I caught his quick glare at Ashley. Interesting . The girl hadn’t done a thing to earn his ire, and I couldn’t imagine what had his panties in a bunch.

Until I listened.

“So, sigma,” Ashley muttered dramatically. “Let’s bring the rizz.”

Della was laughing, holding her belly. “I can’t believe you have to read that stuff all day.”

“Ohio,” Ashley deadpanned.

“What?” Della’s shoulder brushed mine. “What does Ohio have to do with anything?”

Ashley shrugged. “Something skibidi? Ski-beady. Booty?”

Della’s friend was playing off her reactions, and Micha was so angry the atmosphere was as tight as a band. Neither woman had picked up on it.

“That’s enough.” Micha’s raised voice snapped harshly at the two of them, his fury barely restrained. “Ashley, contain yourself.”

Her mouth dropped open in shock and her face colored. Della gasped. “Micha,” I addressed my friend. He waved his hand lightly at me and glanced away.

I recognized both women were nervous about the big event, and I knew they were engaging in useless language as a distraction. Inane frivolousness wasn’t something Micha or I indulged in; it was much more a human trait based out of anxiety or juvenile silliness, than anything anyone of our kind engaged in. Unfortunately for the two women, Micha had spent even less time around humans than I.

Della sat back, wiped the underneath of her eyes where they’d watered from laughter, and placed her clasped hands in her lap.

Ashley scowled at Micha. “We were just having fun, Your Highness. Is that okay with you?”

He narrowed his eyes. “This is a work event and such behavior is unbecoming. I would think this conduct was beneath you, either way.” His gaze flicked down to her chest. “Cover yourself.”

Her face colored and she looked away, tugging at the top of her dress. A thread of something ran just under the surface of their exchange. I tried to catch his eyes, but Della interrupted my thoughts.

“I’m sorry, Micha, I think we’re both nervous and maybe we shouldn’t have drunk a half bottle of champagne already. We’re both lightweights. But thank you for that, by the way.”

I peeked down at her. She looked up. “He sent us some insanely expensive alcohol earlier,” she laughed, breaking the tension slightly. “It was good.” She giggled again.

Neither Ashley nor Micha would meet my gaze. It didn’t matter now; we had pulled up to the private entrance at the back of the hotel. It was showtime.

An attendant opened the door, and Micha exited first, holding his hand out for Ashley. She followed and batted him away the second both feet hit the cement. He warned me with his eyes not to question him. Out of respect, I wouldn’t.

We all filed through the door and into the building. Our security had arrived ahead of us and would shadow our group for the evening, staying far enough away to be unobtrusive, but close enough to assist if necessary.

Over the last couple weeks, I’d spotted multiple watcher-teams of Lesser demons observing us, and I’d even spotted a wraith in the park. No humans, unless they were an extraordinarily gifted psychic, would see a wraith but the Lessers blended in seamlessly with the crowds. Only one with non-human blood or possessing psychic abilities would be able to spot them. They’d continued to lurk on the edges of any activity outside our offices and I knew they were reporting back to the Ancients.

I feared it was only a matter of time before Ezra took drastic measures to try and rein me in. My security team could only do so much, and even then, all they could really do was sound the alarm.

I would make my stand when the time came; I wouldn’t let anything tear me and Della apart. I tried to keep life as normal as I could for her and not show her my worry. It was easy to forget the looming threat, getting caught up in life with her and running my business, along witheverything that entailed. It remained on the outskirts of my attention, but I was still cognizant.

Micha remained unaware I’d been asked to choose his bride, and I hadn’t noticed him being tracked by any of the Ancient’s spies. Eventually, I’d have to tell him what had been asked of me.

Gazing down at her with her hand on my forearm and dressed like the queen she was, filled my heart to bursting. Micha may complain, but there was nothing I loved more than hearing her laugh and seeing her happy.

Della was miraculous, so incredibly strong and loving despite the hardships life had thrown at her. She found joy in the little things, had an admirable work ethic and she put her family first. She wasn’t prone to disorder, and she took things in stride. How much better could it get? As I’d told her, she was made for me.

For a split second, I let my guard down to peek at her in her truest form. She was a sparkling and glowing vision, and I was besotted. Her aura drifted in her signature unique pastel tones, with tell-tale shades of fuchsia by her loins and a lighter pink around her heart and it was all for me .

I stopped in the middle of the back hallway, holding up the line and pulled her to me, grabbing her ass and pressing the length of my body flush with hers before I wrapped my hand around her neck and kissed her. I thrust my tongue in her mouth and feasted, licking, sucking, and nibbling on her lip until I heard Andy clear his throat and say, “There you guys are. I was looking for you.”

Della glanced up at me and bit her lip, her cheeks flushing, before she grabbed my hand. “Let’s go in,” she said.

Andy went to Ashley’s side and pressed a kiss on her forehead. Micha growled lightly but I was fairly certain I was the only one who heard it.

If he wanted Ashley, as I’d begun to suspect he did, it was all the more reason I’d stand my ground concerning Della. The Ancients knew how Micha and I felt about each other, and they’d be fools to try and take on both of us. The sense of duty I felt toward the Court tried to rear its ugly head, reminding me of my so-called responsibility and I pushed it back down. I wanted to enjoy the night, and my success.

“Go with Ashley, I’ll meet up with you in a moment,” I nodded toward the end of the hall and Della quickened her pace to join her friends. I waited until I spotted our employed guards following them.

Grabbing Micha’s shoulder, I blocked him. “Ashley?”

He shook his head. “I don’t like Andy, and she’s Della’s friend. Just asking for trouble. We must be mindful who is around us.” He pushed my hand away and brushed past me.

He had a point, with Andy and Brett being part of the same social circle as Della. I still needed to address the blackmail situation with the man, but Della had assured me her friend hadn’t been around for a while.

When I made my entrance, there was clapping but no photography. Cellphones and other devices had been claimed at the main entrance in keeping with Ipomoea’s strict policies. I walked to the front of the room where Micha and a select few of my company’s managers stood while scanning the crowd.

As I walked the perimeter, I sensed a change in the atmosphere and heard a mild commotion near the entryway. My superior hearing was the only reason I noticed the disturbance. A quick glance at Micha, and I knew he’d picked up on it as well. Security was doing its job, being discreet, and we would be unbothered.

Coming to a stop at the front of the room, I addressed the seated guests thanking them for their efforts and dedication and promising our continued success. A few members of the crowd stood and clapped, but the majority remained seated, clapping with polite enthusiasm, and raising their champagne glasses to a toast.

Della leaned over and pecked my cheek with a quick kiss when I joined her. “Good job,” she said, smiling at me. “I would’ve dropped in a faint.”

I chuckled. “I highly doubt that.” I squeezed her hand. “I have to go greet my guests and mingle.”

She followed me as I traversed the floor. Some invitees were still seated at the tables, but many were beginning to cluster into groups.

I found the CEO of a rival corporation, Mores, which had a promising branch focused on medications for mental illness. Alan Mores had founded the company when he was only twenty-one years old and now indulged in copious amounts of cocaine and thievery of intellectual property in addition to producing groundbreaking pharmaceuticals.

“Josiah,” he exclaimed, clasping my hand and shaking it a little too vigorously. “Well done, sir. I’ve heard good things.” He flicked a glance at Della and smiled. “Keeping him young, are you?”

Della’s forehead wrinkled in confusion for a brief moment. “Of course. Nice to meet you.”

We exchanged further pleasantries until Alan pulled a man into our fold. “Have you met Ilya? He’s the one heading up Fulgere Industries these days, you should see their marketing, use them. We do.”

It took me a quarter of a second to compose myself and let my mask fall into place. The man was demon royalty. I’d of course heard of the infiltration of the species here in the Third Realm, but I’d been such a recluse I hadn’t run into him. We nodded at each other but didn’t shake hands. Then he pulled out a cigarette and lit it.

“Gross,” I heard Ashley mumble from somewhere behind me.

The man took a long drag and blew a smoke circle her way before winking at her, giving me a long look, and then turning on his heel.

“Thinking about selling?” Alan asked, grinning ear to ear.

He wasn’t the first shark to sniff around for blood. I made a mental note to look for weaknesses in his company—with his habits, they were likely prolific. “No, but if I do, you’ll be the first I call.”

“You’re not serious, are you?” Della whispered as we walked away.

“Of course not. I’m going to buy him out.”

She looked up at me curiously. “Why?”

“Did you not see the way he was looking at you?” She was so naive sometimes; it was cute. “And I don’t care for the friends he appears to be making.” In retrospect, I should’ve been more careful when I’d asked Christina to invite the who’s who of New York.

Further exploration of the room revealed other beings I did not expect. I ran into an archangel, another high-level demon, and then a couple vampires. The latter which I now found myself seated with at a semi-private table, along with Micha.

They introduced themselves as Nicholas and Kiam. The two of them had traveled from Canada to be here, at my event.

Micha wasted no time. “I don’t imagine you are here strictly for altruistic reasons.”

Nicholas answered, “Perhaps not, but not in relation to you.” He sat back and swirled his glass, the cabernet sauvignon and blood mixture set aside for VIP guests releasing a heady fragrance into the air. “We’ve heard of your ambitions, Josiah.”

Instinctively, I searched for Della and didn’t relax until I saw her huddled with Ashley and Andy, and the two guards, Bryan and Moses. “Yes? What of them?”

“Relax, we mean you and yours no harm.” He sipped his beverage, and I saw his nails were shaped for optimum violence, coming to a steep tapered point.

“You are rebelling against the thorn in our side, the collective. This is unprecedented,” he mused.

Staring at him, I waited. When he didn’t say anything else, I relaxed in my seat and crossed my legs, setting an ankle on my knee.

Kiam spoke up, not engaging in the silent stand-off. “We’d like to offer our support.”

Micha’s shoe scraped the carpet, his only outward sign of surprise.

“And why is that?” I asked.

“Did you really think you were the only one who fell in love with a human and was restricted?” Nicholas asked.

“It is common knowledge vampires and humans mate,” Micha stated. “Since when did that change?”

Kiam chuckled under his breath. “The higher vampire clans are forbidden from the union. It is an effort to keep our bloodlines clean. I assumed you were aware, having identified more with your vampire roots than demon. If you were demon-based, we would not be speaking with you.”

I’d known of the rampant racism and prejudice between the two species, but I was not aware of the restrictions Kiam mentioned. By letting me know the privileged information, it was a sign the vampires had accepted me. It was an honor.

Tilting my head in a nod, I replied, “Thank you.”

He copied my motion and Nicholas said, “Once the pure bloodlines began becoming too watered down, the edict was set in place. Neither Kiam nor I are natural born, despite our standing.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because neither of us believe it should matter. What one is, is what one is. Behavior matters more than matter of birth.”

Micha retorted, “And yet you would spare no demon your blade nor your bite.”

The two vampires exchanged a glance. “Mind your role,” Kiam spat. “You know not what you speak of.”

Micha shrugged. He was a moody fucker at times. “I’m assuming the two of you have met your matches and are being prohibited? Why come to me?” I politely asked.

Nicholas pressed his lips together. “Not I, but Kiam...perhaps. I am already mated.” The other man kept glaring at Micha, the two men daring the other to act on the baser instincts of violence. Micha wouldn’t, not tonight.

“Our being here is a welcome, of sorts, and a show of support. For both your material pursuits and matters of the heart. We wanted to let you know you can call on us if needed, and we would like the same in return.”

Both the introverted and controlling sides of me balked at the offer. It’d only been recently that I’d started making more public appearances, thanks to Della. I knew I couldn’t stay in seclusion forever, no matter how appealing the idea was, and I didn’t want to accept outside help. Too many things could go wrong.

And I had no idea who’d invited the two men, but I imagined our public relations team, along with Christina, invited every corporate giant they could think of. I declined the urge to ask Nicholas and Kiam what industry they represented but it went without saying it was in the medical field due to their need of blood for sustenance.

Already, I was tired of the noise and chatter. I didn’t want to be here; I’d had enough of politics at the Court. If I had my way, I’d take my Little One to a faraway fortress, and we’d never leave the bedroom. I’d shower her with flowers, jewelry, and luxury, spending my days between her legs licking her juices and drinking her blood, never coming up for air.

While that was my idea of heaven, it wasn’t realistic. Life beckoned, and it was the entire reason I’d left the Second Realm—to experience it and everything it had to offer. To spread my wings, so to speak. But dealing with these things would ensure I had a secure life here in the Third. I let out a deep breath.

Micha met my gaze, and I knew him well enough to know he found their offer acceptable. Ultimately, the decision was up to me, but I respected his input. “That is acceptable,” I said.

Kiam held up his glass, followed by Nicholas, and we raised ours, signaling our friendship.

Refills were brought quickly by the specially selected staff we’d detained, and we began to relax.

Nicholas set his glass down and turned his head at the same time I swiveled my own. “Well, there’s no time like the present,” he drawled, his eyes gleaming.

There was another commotion by the front entrance.