Free Blood Flows Deep in the Empire by N. Isabelle Blanco Page A

that room? Especially the uber-hot one currently holding her up to his beautifully sculpted chest, damn it.
    “Thank you.” She smiled up shyly at him, returning his hug and stepping back.
    Liz clapped her hands. “Okay. What do you want to do first?”
    “Eat.”
    “I wasn’t talking to you, Cyake. It’s Ismini’s party.”
    “But I’m hungry.”
    Liz stomped her foot, her irises shuttering between gray and black like a camera lens. “You don’t need to really eat, motherfucker.” The lights in the room flickered, looking like they were about to burst before settling back to normal. She turned back to Ismini, eyes returning to their light gray shade. “Sorry, he drives me insane. Now, what do you want to do, hun?”
    Ismini swallowed heavily. “Food sounds good.” Eve came up to her and looped their arms, leading her toward a large settee.
    “How are you feeling?” she asked, urging Ismini to sit down.
    Shitty. Desperate. Confused. So angry at myself that I want to rip off my own skin. “I’m fine.”
    Evesse stared at her out of the corner of her eye. “Uh-huh.”
    Ismini forced herself to hold her stare. “What’s that supposed to mean?” She should’ve kept her mouth shut. Eve pounced on that question, sidling up to her and nailing her with a hard look.
    “What’s going on between you and Dyletri?”
    What the hell? Was it written on her face or something? That question sliced through Ismini, the truth behind the answer mocking her. “Nothing,” she mumbled under her breath. And that really was the truth, wasn’t it? It didn’t matter that she had been attracted to him for years before actually meeting him.
    It certainly didn’t matter that that attraction had now morphed into something that was both physically and emotionally catastrophic. She was on a path that meant certain death, no matter what.
    Eve was still giving her that disbelieving look. Annoyed, Ismini rolled her eyes. “He’s sacrificing me, as you now know. That’s all.”
    “And why are you just letting him do so?”
    “If he doesn’t, bad things happen. As in, millions of innocents might be hurt.” Bitterness was truly the type of emotion that could be tasted. Ismini took another sip of her soda even though its sweetness could do nothing to overcome the acrid flavor at the back of her throat. The look on Eve’s face didn’t make the situation any better. “Stop looking at me like that.”
    Of course, Eve didn’t.
    “I think it’s really funny how you think I’m just letting this happen to you.”
    Ismini sighed. “Evesse, let’s not talk about this anymore. Supersonic hearing abounds in this place.”
    “Whatever. I haven’t asked to be taken home because I’m not letting it happen. Period.”
    Zeniel came up to them, offering each of them a plate. His gray-blue eyes were slightly blood-shot, but he had a small smile on his face. Ismini nibbled on her lip, sneaking a peek at Eve as Zen handed her the plate.
    And, yeah, Evesse was avoiding his stare and there was a pink tinge forming on her cheeks.
    Zen knelt in front of them and stared up at Ismini. She met his stare, feeling a soothing fog descending on her head.
    “You really feeling all right? You gave us all a scare when you first got here.”
    Ismini nodded. She was having a hard time pulling her stare away from his. “What are you doing?” She shook her head. Nope, no go. She was still being held prisoner by what she knew was somehow coming off him.
    “Sorry.” Zen smirked and shrugged almost shyly. “Can’t control it. It’s what I do when I sense someone’s grid is off.”
    “Grid? What grid?”
    “You’re tranquility grid. I can sense and see that your emotions are . . . not calm, to put it lightly.”
    Ismini nodded, understanding dawning. “So you calm people.”
    Eve choked on her food. Coughing, she held a finger up and shook her head at Ismini. “I beg to differ. He’s infuriating.”
    Zen blinked slowly, trying to guard his