The Hollow by A. C. Bell

Author:A. C. Bell [Bell, A. C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: urban fantasy
Published: 2019-09-08T04:00:00+00:00

***

I couldn’t believe how nervous I was about Slade’s meeting with the rest of the Viesci. It couldn’t be that bad, right? I was only the product of a taboo love affair in their culture. I stood with my arms tightly crossed before the large front door of Renenet’s Estate. It seemed bigger, more imposing somehow, knowing what lay behind it today. I pulled my lips between my teeth and gnawed on them, holding fistfuls of the sleeves of my cozy coat as I worked up the nerve to ring the bell. My nose and cheeks were turning pinker from the cold by the second. Eventually, I sighed.

“You’re being stupid,” I said to myself. Finally, I yanked on the doorbell chain and waited. Renenet grinned cheerfully when she pulled it open.

“Good morning, Adeline. Slade said to expect you.”

It was exceedingly warm inside and I peeled my coat off as soon as she shut the door behind me. She wove a hand over her shoulder as she sauntered around me and I heard the lock of the door click into place. The sorceress led me to the second floor. I could hear several dozen voices behind one of the doors before Renenet pulled it open for me.

“Thanks,” I said with a smile.

She nodded with a grin and didn’t comment when I hesitated to go in. Of the dozen people I could see seated in rows of cushioned folding chairs, half turned to see who had arrived. When they didn’t recognize me, they whispered to each other to see if their companions knew who I was. I pulled a deep breath into my lungs and stepped across the threshold before letting the air back out. The heads swiveled back around to face forward. No one turned to welcome me or ask my name.

After a scan of the thirty or so people in the room, I deduced that Slade wasn’t here. No sign of Kendra, either. Walking into a room full of strangers, I wasn’t sure where to sit. But not all were actually strangers. I found Raiden in the last row all the way at the other end. Four empty chairs were beside him as no one had deigned themselves to sit beside the outsider. He was dressed to impress the family and friends of his oldest friend in true Raiden Christopher Lewis fashion, attired in light grey slacks and tucked in, white button-up shirt, sleeves rolled up to the elbows. Staring absent-mindedly forward, he didn’t notice my approach.

I crouched beside his right ear and slid my left hand along his chest and under his dark blue tie in somewhat of an embrace and pressed a kiss to his right cheek. Tension eased from his features and he smiled, turning to touch his lips to mine in a pleasant greeting kiss.

“Is this seat taken?” I asked sarcastically, tipping my head toward the one beside him. He laced his fingers with the hand I had on his chest and tugged me around the chair, scooting over to give me his seat.

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