I push my way through, careful to use my free hand instead of the scythe, just in case it activates and I ash someone on accident. That would probably be a party foul.
After only taking several steps, I get swallowed up in the throng just like Taz did, and I’m immediately feeling claustrophobic. Demons keep trying to stop me or reach out to touch my wings. I’m surprised when the appendages snap out at people aggressively, like they’re pissed someone would have the audacity to put their grubby fingers on them. That seems to keep people from wing touching, which is fine by me. I push ahead, moving in the general direction that I think one of the large fountains was situated. If I can get up there, then I’m hoping I can see over the crowd and spot my guys.
It takes me fucking forever to go a very short distance.
By the time my shins hit the sides of the fountain, I’m panting, sweating, and my nerves are pretty much shot from too much attempted touchy-touchy and talky-talky.
I climb up the smooth gray fountain, but the thing is really a pool in its own right. In the center, there’s a statue of Tazreel, buck naked, water shooting out of the tops of his wings and landing in the receptacle below him as he glares austerely. Clearly, my sperm donor is very fond of himself, because when I stand up to my full height and look around, I can see that every fountain and sculpture is made in his likeness. I have to be very vigilant not to look below the face. I do not need to be scarred for life any more than I already am.
Standing on the edge of the slippery fountain is very hard in heels. And even with the added three inches, it’s still difficult to see over everyone as they dance and talk and smoke and drink. There are just so many of them. Every time a flash of blue catches my eye, I turn, but it’s not Iceman. Dark skin, but not Jerif. Blond hair, not Crux. Tattoos, not Echo.
“Delta! Delta!”
People call my name, holding drinks and hookah-looking pipes up at me, but I just wave them away and try to turn full circle to continue to look. It’s so damn loud in here, made worse with the pulsing music, the atmosphere making me slightly dizzy. Or maybe that’s all the Stupor smoke people keep blowing toward me.
Where are they?
For some reason, I grow more and more frantic. Red’s words come back to me, and I can’t help the sick feeling that rolls in my stomach like rocks covered in biting acid. What if they are...imbibing in the sins like Red said?
Where else could they be? Either the Abdicated are fucking liars and led them away, or the guys are down here somewhere, joining the party. Otherwise, wouldn’t they have been waiting for me at the foot of the balcony stairs?
Tightening my hold on the scythe, my eyes scan to the right, snagging on the demons gathered around what look like maypoles. There are eight in total, all arranged in a large circle, and the black poles are at least fifteen feet high. They all have multiple red silken ribbons hanging from the top, and there are beautiful demons below them, all naked, dancing, using the ribbons and the poles and each other.
In the middle of the circle of maypoles, there’s a giant orgy. Skin. Movement. Mouths open in ecstasy. Thrusting, curling, bending, arching. They’re just a writhing, living piece of erotica. I have a hard time looking away.
Could my guys be in there?
It’s definitely possible. It looks like there must be at least a hundred participants, and that’s just this orgy. I know I saw more of these groupings from the balcony. Some of the participants are winged, some not, and my eyes bounce around from body to body, but when my eyes get caught on a tanned, muscular, wing-free back with shaggy blond hair, I freeze.
Crux?
The acidic rocks in my gut soften and curdle like soured milk.
I watch as he thrusts into someone right there on the ground, next to the maypole dancers. It hurts me more than I anticipated, and my eyes burn holes into his head.
I just got them back. They just returned from the dead. After my vocal claiming inside, I thought that Crux would at least be intrigued. He’s let me know right from the start that he’s interested.
But