Demonic Pornstar System novel Chapter 412

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.

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