When the night rises... *book three*

Poison

I'm sat with Elliot in a sitting room, when one of the girls walks in and looks at Elliot.

She takes him out of my arms and holds him.

She looks at me, "sorry... I just miss holding a child in my arms..."
"Did you have one?"
"I did... he... he was only a baby and my husband dropped him off of a balcony because he wanted me to get rid of it..."
"I am so sorry."

She smiles down at Elliot, "that's why I divorced him. But I'm afraid to have my own child... for fear that they'd be killed again..."
"Well... during our stay, we can spend as much time together as you like."
"R-really?"
"Of course. He may not be your child, but he is your nephew."

She kisses his forehead, "what milk do you give him?"
"We've been giving him baby formula stuff?"
"Oh, okay."

She sits down, "he's hungry..."

She runs her thumb along his cheek.

"He is?"
"Yes..."
"You can feed him if you want, it's not like I can."
"I can?"
"If you want. Would you like me to leave?"
"You don't have to... but if you feel uncomfortable, you can leave..."
"I'll probably just sit over there with a book."
"Okay."

I pick a book of the shelf and sit down.

Luckily, most of the books are in foreign languages.

This book is in German.

I start reading it...

We're all at the dinner table.

They have servants and maids.

The servants are putting dishes and drinks on the table.

"Now, what drinks would we all like?" Kira asks, "I think I'll have some champagne."

I'm the only one who asks for red wine, a dark drink.

The rest have light drinks, and Mia asks for apple juice.

Sam goes with just water.

I take a sip of my wine and look at the food on the plate in front of me.

"Not hungry, DayJay?" Kira asks

"Not really... no... sorry."
"Oh, don't worry! It's perfectly fine. Enjoying the wine?"
"Yes, it's quite nice. I think I've had it before."

I finish the glass and someone brings the bottle back.

"Any more, Ma'am?"
"Um... Go on then... just a glass."

They refill my glass and I finish it quite soon.

I begin to feel drowsy and there's a tight aching feeling in my stomach.

"Can... can I be excused... please?"
"No, you may not go. This is one of the only times in a day when the whole family is together!" Kira protests.

"I just feel a little drowsy..."
"You seem perfectly fine to me."

Sam takes my hand, "just go, love."

I get up and my head starts spinning.

I stumble out of the room and find the nearest bathroom, where I throw up into the toilet.

I've been poisoned, I'm sure.

Sam runs in after me, "Damien, are you alright?"
"You know how to test for poison, don't you? Check that glass for me?"
"O-okay, do you need help?"
"Not Right Now, Just take the Glass away, hide it, and get it tested at some point, okay? I'll be fine. It won't kill me, it'll just weaken me a bit."
"Okay. Be careful, you got that?"
"Yeah, I've got it."
"If it was anyone in that room, they may have swapped the glasses around to confuse you, so find the glass with the traces of red wine. I was the only one who got a dark drink."
"Got it. You staying here?"
"Until I stop vomiting, yes."