Witness [A First Contact Romance]-COMPLETE

66. Hostess

Ashby Virtual Hotel District, 

The Ephemor Federation

2027

Rory gasped in a breath so deep that it felt as if it shredded her lungs and opened her eyes to Jace doing the same right in front of her. The dazed and utterly lost feeling she felt was reflected back at her in his own eyes.

"Where are we?" Jace looked down at his body and touched his chest. "Why am I not injured?"

One moment, Rory had been covering Jace and then as instantly as waking up in the morning, she was standing here, in this large lobby with a glass chandelier hanging above her head and artwork hanging on the walls. There was no heat like normal transportation.

"Some things happened while you were unconscious," Rory said. "I think that Vehru may be responding to what I did."

"Some things? What things, Aeryn?"

"Welcome." Rory twisted at the voice and saw a woman in a black uniform standing beside them with her hands cupped in front of her. "I apologize for the concern you must be feeling. I know how difficult these transitions can be for our new guests."

"What the fucking fuck." Jace turned in a circle with his fists tightening and the muscles in his arms bulging like he actually had someone to fight.

"Vehru did something to us. She said she needed to use us." Rory faced the uniformed woman and noticed her name tag. That was when she realized that the lobby they stood in looked very much like that of a hotel, complete with a check-in counter across the room. "Where are we?"

"Welcome to the Ashby Hotel." Pride flooded her smile. "We look forward to taking care of you during our stay."

"Exactly how fucking long will that be?" Jace growled.

"Sir, please. This is a public space. Children could come through at any moment. We could move somewhere private if you would like."

Desperation and rage widened Jace's nostrils and raised his voice. "I'm not playing any of Vehru's mind games. Tell us what is going on, now."

"I don't think she's human, Jace." Rory was confident that this woman was a hostess of the hotel and that it was likely the only role she'd ever played in her existence. The stranger continued to smile despite that Jace looked seconds away from trying to rip her head off her shoulders, and that with his hand mods glowing and muscles tensed, he appeared very capable of doing so. "Can you please explain who you are and what the Ashby Hotel is?"

"Most certainly, ma'am. My name is Deliliah and I will be your host during your stay. The Ashby Hotel was established during the age of–"

"No." Rory groaned. "I don't need the history. I need the basics."