Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 85552 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85552 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Women sauntered in lovely satin gowns and held lace parasols with jewels dangling around the rim.
Men pranced along, sporting silver-tipped canes and wearing expensive silk suits with ostrich feathers outlining the collars.
I looked at him. “Are they all going to Octavia’s party?”
“If not hers, someone else’s,” Xander replied. “All they do is party, smoke, and drink blood.”
The wagon paused at the end of a crowded road.
A long line of vampires and humans stood near a hole.
Two muscular men wrapped in silver leather pants and vests flanked the hole.
One-by-one, they climbed down into it.
What is this?
It looked so ridiculous—people wearing heels and elaborate outfits crawling into a sewer hole.
Masks, hoods, veils, and large hats hid their identities. Although so many people came and knew about them, the King still forbade parties.
No one wanted to be seen going into one.
Ty removed his arm from Victoria’s shoulder. “Here we are.”
We left the wagon and headed to the hole and two guards.
The guards moved their views to us.
One spoke, “Disk?”
What?
Xander unclasped a velvet pouch from his belt, reached into it, and pulled out a large black disk. It was three inches in diameter and framed with a coiling silver snake.
Queen Regina’s mascot.
Xander gave the disk to the guard.
The guard took and assessed the disk, flipping it over. A second later, he nodded, handed the disk back to Xander and gestured for us to climb in. “Welcome.”
Okay. That went well.
Unlike the ladder to Xander’s sewer, which was hot and coated in waste, carpeted steps led into Octavia’s.
Xander climbed down first.
I followed.
The smell of the mushrooms grew stronger with each step.
Ty and Victoria entered after us.
When I got to the bottom, I took in the entire space.
This is quite. . .a party.
The massive round chamber was warm. The mood was sultry and voluptuous.
A blindfolded orchestra played a fast-tempo song in the corner with instruments that were unfamiliar to me. The notes clanged and clashed like swords going through the motions of battle.
Couples danced with supernatural grace—leaping higher than a human would and twirling so fast I became dizzy just watching them.
Xander took my hand and guided me forward.
We entered another room where laughter and conversation filled the space.
Here, a pungent cloud of Zumayan mushroom smoke hung heavy in the air and mixed with the acrid stench of freshly spilled blood.
A few steps further in, the putrid smell of decaying flesh assaulted my nostrils.
Then, I saw a gruesome sight that shook me to my core.
Oh no.
I knew that this vision would haunt me till my last day.
Gleaming long tables lined the opposite wall, and upon them lay naked human men and women on full display. There must have been twenty of them.
A pool of thick, crimson blood pooled beneath the tables, mixing with spilled entrails.
It was a human buffet for vampires. A brutal, despicable vision of carnage and gore.
The elegantly dressed vampire guests fed from them, gorging and feasting. The space echoed with their sloshing cries of pleasure as they drained the men and women.
I shuddered.
Dear Ambi.
Blood glistened down the humans’ naked backs and chests, breasts and thighs.
One human man lay dead in the corner. The final moments of his terror forever frozen in his wide, lifeless eyes. His chest ripped open, and insides unzipped and gutted. Many of his organs lay in a heap of pink, raw meat next to him like discarded scraps of flesh.
My stomach twisted in disgust. Feeling my knees weaken, I leaned against Xander and turned away unable to see anymore.
I have to get out of here.
Xander entered my head. Do not worry. You will not be their feast.
Ty and Victoria got in front of us, not appearing the least bit alarmed or disgusted.
Victoria gazed at me. “Are you alright?”
I nodded, too queasy to speak.
Ty turned to Xander. “We should separate and not continue forward as a group, just in case something happens. It will give us the opportunity to give any possible attacker a surprise.”
Xander scanned the room. “I agree.”
Ty continued, “Victoria and I will be off on the side. Signal when you need me, Xander.”
Victoria stepped forward. “Don’t forget these underground parties always have several escape routes, just in case the Royal Guards arrive.”
Victoria yanked a red sheet of paper from her jacket. “I made a map of possible routes out of this particular sewer.”
Xander waved it away. “I’m the best Path Finder in the city. I don’t need a map.”
“Correction.” Victoria laughed. “You’re the third best.”
Victoria and Ty rushed off, chuckling to each other.
“Please, stay next to me the whole time.” Xander clasped his hand on mine and led me away from the human buffet.
I tried to make a joke to calm myself. “Well, I’ll try, unless there’s another vampire prince that catches my eye. Then, I won’t be able to help myself.”
“Very funny.” He nipped at my chin as we ventured into another room.