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“A taster?”
The woman gestured at the two bottles of wine sitting on the conference table. “When the heads of the royal families get together, they tend to send gifts ahead. Wine is a popular choice. But the demons wouldn’t be the main ruling family if they simply accepted what they received. Tasters like me have to take the first sip to ensure it isn’t poisoned.”
The idea of us being here for such a simple reason like that was enough to send shivers down my spine. “You said there were a few here before me. What happened to them?”
“They died.” Her hazel eyes fell away from the table. They took on a misty appearance as she struggled with the raging emotions within her. “They never seem to last more than one week at a time before a tainted bottle kills them.”
Although I yearned to keep my own emotions in check, I couldn’t put up much of a fight against the horror that tore through my veins. I shivered and backed up against the wall. It was only then that I noticed a heavy weight resting around my neck. Raising a shaking hand, I felt along the metal piece until I realized it was a collar. It didn’t matter how much longer I ran my fingers along the smooth surface, I couldn’t find where it had been connected.
The woman watched the horror grow on my face. “It’s enchanted. It won’t come off unless the demon lord who owns you deems it so.” She paused and cocked her head to the side. “Who bought you, anyway?”
A bitter laugh escaped me as I shifted my body just enough to follow the chain to a small hole in the wall behind me. A quick peek over in her direction revealed a similar setup. Neither one of us could go anywhere unless we were allowed to — until the thinner chain draped down our chest pulled us toward the table. Shaking my head, I reluctantly relaxed against the wall. “It wasn’t a demon lord.”
It took a moment for my words to sink in before her hazel eyes widened. “The prince?”
I nodded slowly. “Apparently so.”
She shivered, wrapping her arms around her knees. “I’ve never heard of the prince buying a prisoner before.”
“Funny. The lab rats were thinking the same thing.” Scowling, I surveyed the large room around us. There was only one long table taking up the center of the room, with two chairs at each end of the table and six more taking up the far side. It was enough for all of the demon lords and the prince himself to have a seat — and only one guest.
The setup alone deemed this room to be an advantage for them by numbers alone.
“Then that means you’re not here to be a taster.” The woman’s voice was soft again and I almost missed her words. If it wasn’t for the extreme sorrow that now came off her in waves, I wouldn’t have jolted out of my thoughts in time.
My eyebrows furrowed. “What do you mean? Why am I here, then?”
She shrugged. “I’m afraid that I don’t know… I’m sorry.” Drawing in a deep breath, she held a hand out toward me. “I’m Samantha.”
I slid my hand into hers, offering a brief shake before we pulled apart. “Aspen.”
Samantha’s hazel eyes swung toward the door as quiet thudding downstairs broke the tense silence around us. Her fair skin became a shade paler. “Well, Aspen… I hope you’re ready for this.”
I didn’t get the chance to admit how far from ready I truly was before the door burst open and several of the demon lords filed in. While most of them were already present for the impending meeting, there was a noticeable pair missing.
The crimson-eyed demon lord and the prince himself.
“Look at that, lads. The angels brought us a house gift.” The silver-eyed demon lord strolled up to the table and plopped himself down in his chosen chair. He snatched one of the wine bottles and popped the cork. He didn’t pour much into the wine glass before he raised it to sniff the wine. His lips pressed into a thin line.
“Something concerning, Santino?” The purple-eyed demon inquired, taking a seat on the left end of the table.
When Santino wrinkled his nose, the sight of the rage swirling within those eerie irises was enough to send chills down my spine. I shrank back against the wall and did my best to disappear. As long as I didn’t bring attention to myself, then maybe I would make it through tonight alive.
The demon lord scowled. “It smells foul.” Leaning forward, he set the glass down near the other edge of the table before he slammed his fist down on a red button in front of him. “Come do your job, taster,” he growled.
The front chain jolted, squeezing a frightened squeak out of me. Samantha merely threw a grim glance in my direction before she rose off the floor and ventured toward the table. Although it didn’t take her long to reach the demon lords, she hesitated with those hazel eyes locked on the glass.
All five demon lords honed in on her as she stared at it with fear engulfing her aura. None of them seemed willing to break the sudden silence until a solid minute had passed and she still hadn’t budged. Despite the irritation leaking out across Santino’s face, he wasn’t the one whose patience snapped.
The silver-eyed demon sprung to his feet, reaching out to seize Samantha’s collar. He jerked her against the table with a swift movement. “You’re still alive for one reason. If you can’t bring yourself to do your job, then I will send you to Nico. I am sure he’s created a few new methods he’d like to try out on a beautiful body like yours.”
She shook under his livid gaze. “N-No! Please…”
“Then drink the fucking wine.” He released her and eased back down into his chair.
Her back was to me, yet the sudden surge of sorrow leaking into her aura was all I needed to know that tears were escaping down her cheeks. The air caught in my throat as she finally reached out and wrapped her thin fingers around the base of the glass. My heart pounded in my chest, almost in perfect sync with every inch she raised it up toward her lips.
Samantha drank the liquid in one go and slammed the glass back down onto the table. Aside from her soft sniffles, there wasn’t another sound to break the returning silence. The tension didn’t remain for very long before her legs crumbled beneath her. She started seizing the moment she hit the floor. Her back immediately arched and her hazel eyes rolled into the back of her head. Foam built up in her mouth before it escaped down her cheek.
