But the fae also adored human technology, investing in some of the biggest tech companies on earth. To them, our phonesweremagic, and many of the fae had attempted to integrate with humans— with varying levels of success.
This fae appeared almost human, with white-blonde hair and unearthly pale skin. But when I dropped my shields, I could barely feel any power from him. A member of the seelie or ‘light’ court then. But not high fae. If he was high fae, he would’veseethedwith power. And he wouldn’t be driving a Lyft.
His eyes met mine in the rearview mirror as we pulled up to the tower.
“Stay safe,” he said, and I nodded, closing the door behind me. I tipped him and then slid my phone into my purse as I gazed up at the obsidian tower.
A healthy percentage of Durham residents had protested when Samael began building this tower several years ago. To make way for the obsidian monstrosity, he’d demolished some of the last standing reminders of life before the portals opened— the Lucky Strike water tower and neighboring smokestack.
The protests had made no difference. In a city where the tallest building had been under 400 feet, the colossal, 2000-foot tower was a huge ‘fuck you’ to anyone who had a problem with it.
It was also a warning. The Mage Council may be in charge, but they ruled only with the demons’ permission, and that could all change in an instant. Samael began construction six months after a rogue mage let a spell loose. The mage was retaliating against the council after he failed testing to move up the ranks. Four thousand people had died, and the ballpark was nothing but a crater.
Weirdly enough, since the demons had moved downtown, things had been quiet. Funny that.
I forced my shoulders to relax, pasting a smile on my face as I handed the gold invitation to the demon on the door. He ran his scanner over it and gave it back to me with a nod. My heels clicked as I crossed the dark marble floor to the elevators. Unlike last time, I didn’t need to join a line of humans and paranormals waiting for the elevator. I slid inside with a couple of demons, watching careful as they shifted around each other, hunching their shoulders awkwardly.
I couldn’t see their wings, but I knew they were there. Unlike lesser demons, high demons automatically kept their wings hidden carefully away from prying eyes. I wasn’t sure if it was because humans would be terrified if they could see the wings that made them so different, or if it was because their wings represented a vulnerability.
I was guessing both.
The elevator was still the most spacious I’d ever seen. From what I’d heard, Samael had a short list of people he allowed to land on his roof and balconies, and I wondered if his insistence on making sure creatures with wings ended up cramped and uncomfortable in his elevator was a strategic move. From the little I knew about him, I was guessing he’d enjoy putting visitors to his territory on the back foot.
While I’d never seen a high demon’s wings, I’d briefly brushed my hand over Samael’s when we’d danced. I’d expected them to be leathery membrane— similar to the lesser demons I hunted almost daily. But they’d been downy and soft and my hands had itched to explore more.
I shivered at the memory and one of the demons glanced at me, his eyes darkening. I forced my thoughts elsewhere. No need to provide the demons with a snack.
Last time I’d come here, the elevator had stopped at the 70thfloor. I’d seen the ballroom, with its expansive white marble floors, French windows, and orchestra. That room was a farce, created for the humans and anyone else stupid enough to offer themselves up for the demons’ consumption. Today, the elevator stopped on the 51stfloor. This,thiswas the truth.
I followed the demons out of the elevator and my head immediately began to spin. Something magical was being pumped through the vents. It made me dizzy, and far too relaxed. I was tempted to lower my shields a little and clear my head. But using magic here would get me noticed. And if I got noticed, I’d get dead.
Blinking a few times, I attempted to clear my vision and moved away from the elevator, leaning against one of the dark walls as I surveyed the huge club.
Music pounded, the base rattling my bones as strobe lights danced amongst the gyrating bodies. A few feet away, a werewolf laughed, eyes yellow as a witch beckoned him closer, her face carved out of lust. Here and there, I caught glimpses of dark feathers, but they were always gone the moment I turned my head. Demons danced with high fae, witches grinded on werewolves, and humans joined the debauchery with wide eyes and faces twisted with feral hunger.
The walls were a deep black which matched the gleam of the floors. But one entire side of the club was open, the huge doors pushed back, revealing an expansive balcony where people were enjoying the fresh air. To the left, a long, dark bar gleamed, and six human bartenders poured drinks.
The skin along my spine prickled in awareness. There were eyes on me, and standing here would only draw more attention. I strode forward, disappearing into the crowd, where I began searching faces. A demon grabbed for me, and I ducked away with a teasing smile. “Later,” I mouthed, and he nodded, his eyes hungry as his gaze slid over my skin. I ducked around a couple of fae who were making out so heavily they’d drawn a crowd of demons who inhaled their lust, eyes flaring.
The music changed, and the crowd howled as the DJ yelled something I couldn’t catch. Okay. I could do this. From the little research I’d done, I found it difficult to believe Vercan would be grinding against a stranger on the dance floor.
There. Those guys looked important. They were walking through the club with the purposefulness of traveling businessmen who needed to get to their gate before a flight. I shoved my way through the crowd after them, catching a glimpse of their wide shoulders as I squirmed between a couple of demon women.
“Watch it, witch,” one of them snapped, slamming her invisible wing into me. I stumbled, cursing as I lost sight of the men. They hadn’t looked like they were here to feed or dance. They’d looked like they were about to attend a business meeting.
I scowled and headed in the direction I’d seen them walking, aiming for the wall, where I leaned a hand out to take some of the weight off my aching feet. The wall disappeared, and I stumbled as it spat me out, sliding shut behind me. I caught my balance and gaped at the huge, elegant room. This was where the real business was done. I forced myself to keep walking as if I belonged in the pristine space.
Thankfully, most of the creatures here seemed too busy to pay me much attention. The marble floor gleamed with veins of gold, reflecting the light from the ornate chandeliers. Leather sofas and armchairs were scattered across the vast space, and another bar— this one much smaller— covered one of the walls, and scantily-dressed waitresses carried drinks on trays and took orders from the paranormals gathered in groups around the room.
I drew in a deep breath and my head was immediately clearer. Whatever magic had been pumped through the vents in the main club had disappeared. For the first time, I could think properly, and I forced myself to keep moving toward the end of the room, where the bathrooms beckoned me.
There were a few more dimly lit alcoves on the way to the bathroom, some of them with their thick, blood-red curtains pushed back, and others with them closed.
In the first alcove I passed, two demons sat, their voices a low hiss as they argued. I averted my gaze and kept walking. I gaped as I made my way past the next alcove. A female demon was riding a werewolf, and he had his head thrown back, his claws digging into the table in front of him.
Do you, boo.
I picked up speed, my shoulders slumping as I made my way to the bathroom where I splashed water on my wrists and rolled my neck.
