Demonic Po*nstar System

Chapter 412: Drugs & Women

The smoke burned blue as it filled his lungs. He coughed once, then exhaled a massive plume that drifted up toward the rafters.

A loud laugh erupted from across the fire. One of the warriors, broad-shouldered and bare-chested, raised his cup toward the blond man.

”Don’t be a corward, Pale One! A big man needs a big huff!”

Jack’s grin sharpened. He flexed one arm in response, earning a roar of laughter from the gathered warriors.

Then he inhaled again. Deeper, longer, until the glowing herbs within the pipe flared bright red. When he finally released the smoke, it poured out in a heavy wave, drawing another chorus of approving shouts.

Kaiden understood that declining even a single whiff would be taken rudely. Yet he was reluctant to do it.

”I can take some if you don’t want to,” Thomas spoke up.

Kaiden glanced toward Thomas. The man’s eyes gleamed with interest at the pipe, but Kaiden simply shook his head once.

If he let Thomas smoke first, it would look as if he were deferring to him, as if he were the follower. And in this place, in front of a man like Varek, image mattered even more than back in the civilized world. Every move, every gesture, every flicker of dominance or submission would be read and judged.

He was honestly a little surprised that Caitlyn had let Jack go first. But perhaps she already knew that among these people, a woman’s status wasn’t much higher than a concubine’s, no matter what. The tribe’s women wore revealing garb that left their bronze skin glistening in the torchlight.

If that wasn’t enough of an indication about the lesser status of women, then the fact that the married ones sat far from their husbands in the outer circle and that the elders were all men told her all she needed to know.

Thus, instead of inhaling first, she visibly elected to use Jack as her lab rat. The man did not seem to care, though he probably did not even notice it in the first place.

Kaiden, who also used the oblivious muscle head as his lab rat, took the pipe after seeing that the man was more than fine after inhaling. He knew that it might bear its effects later, but if it was such a slow drug, then he could cure it with anti-poison potions. He did not see a reason to worry about the many failsafes he had put in place.

He lifted the pipe toward Varek. The tribal leader’s lips curved upward in a satisfied smile before he raised his own drinking horn in mirrored salute. A gesture of mutual recognition, predator to predator.

Kaiden inhaled slowly. The smoke was hot, sharp, and spiced with something he couldn’t quite name. It bit at his lungs, burning through his chest before exhaling in a thick, azure mist. His body didn’t react much beyond a tingle in his limbs. His Vitality stat absorbed the drug-like properties effortlessly.

All it served to do was let him relax a bit, though not at all enough to impair his decision making.

He lowered the pipe, nodding once. He had no intention of passing it to any of his girls. As far as he was concerned, his gesture spoke for all of them. They were his family, and he was the head of the family. Varek should find no problem with them not smoking.

Thus, he handed it toward Thomas, who was visibly eager.

Thomas grinned and took it with both hands, inhaling deeply before releasing a heavy cloud that drew a few approving whistles from Varek’s men.

That was when the chieftain clapped his hands twice, releasing a thunderous sound that echoed through the great hall. It was his announcement that something new was coming. His warriors followed, stomping feet and drumming hands against tables and the dirt floor in rhythmic unison.

From the outer circle, movement began.

Dozens of women entered the space, some from adjoining corridors, others simply rising from where they’d been sitting quietly. Their anklets jingled with each step, the soft chime blending with the deep drumbeat that one of the older men began to pound out.

The scent of smoke and sweat filled the air.

The women began to dance.

Their bronzed bodies shimmered in the firelight. Not just because of their natural complexion but also because their skin was painted with oil to ensure their skin glowed brightly, drawing a great deal of male attention.

Every motion of theirs was deliberate and sensual. Hips rolled in perfect rhythm, feet gliding over the packed earth. Cloth strips fluttered, offering teasing glimpses of their female forms beneath. The sway of their thighs caught the torchlight with every step. Their movements were hypnotic and primal.

The men cheered and beat their fists to the rhythm. Laughter and raw male energy filled the room. Though some quickly began looking more like horny beasts than trained warriors.

Jack was one of them. He leaned forward to get an even better view of the nearest woman to him. The swordsman of his group and Thomas followed suit.

The tempo of the drums deepened. Their beat seemed to echo in the chests of every man present. The dancers moved closer, their steps synchronizing with the rhythm of heartbeats and heavy breathing alike. What began as a performance now felt more akin to a ritual.

Two of the women drifted toward Jack and Thomas. Without a word, they sank gracefully before them and began dancing right in their laps, grinding their asses against their crotches. They let the hands of the men wander all over their bodies as they continued dancing to the rhythm, though calling it a dance might be too generous. It was more like a mating call.

Laughter and cheers erupted again as the men indulged, lost to the intoxicating haze of smoke and scent.

Kaiden felt the pulse of the room shift. The heat, the rhythm, the hungry eyes. It was a feast unlike anything he’d seen before.

Then he saw her.

One woman, the most striking of them all, stepped forward. Her bronzed skin glistened under a sheen of oil, catching every flicker of light. She approached him directly with her gaze lowered. Every line of her body radiated careful submission.

Kaiden didn’t move. The hall felt quieter somehow as she neared. When she reached for him, he raised a hand.

”Not me. Entertain someone else.”

The woman froze. The color drained from her face, and her eyes widened with naked fear. She looked as if she were fearing for her life.

It was obvious what was going on; she’d been put up to this by Varek himself.

She was not only the most beautiful of the women, but she was also the only one who approached a man who did not show interest in her. It was obvious that she was under direct orders to seduce him.

Kaiden refused the offering, which meant she failed in seducing her target. She failed to fulfill the order of the leader.

And now she feared retribution.

Still, she did not give up just like that.

The woman stepped closer, pretending not to hear his words.