Page 62 of That Mafioso Magic
“Sounds like you’re practicing your stand-up routine. Come at me with a better number that’s not a fucking lame ass joke,” I shot back. No fucking way was I about to come off forty percent of my earnings a month.
“I’m sorry, did I look like I was playing around when I said forty percent?”
“Here, I’ll tell you what I’m willing to pay. Five percent.”
“I’m letting you keep your territory instead of putting it all under my umbrella. For that courtesy, I want forty. This is non-negotiable,” Salino said, then crossed one leg over the other.
“Everything is negotiable. You need favors from me—”
“Your lover and I already made deals on what I want from you. Also, as my child, I can make you perform magic for me any time I want,” Salino said.
I licked my lips and adjusted my suit, which had more blood on it than I was satisfied with. The suit had cost me ten grand. I hoped the launderer would be able to get out the stains. I loved nice things that were sometimes expensive. Didn’t mean I was wasteful. If I could salvage it, I would. But enough about my suit. I had to deal with this fucking snake sitting across from me.
“Let’s get one thing straight, Salino. It’s true, you have your influence over me. But we both know you don’t have it over Adrian. And you’re going to need the both of us, because he is the yin to my yang. You want us to break the link between you and your maker—”
“The Emperor is not my maker,” Salino stated.
“Fine. Whatever. We’ll sever the link. I know it’s because you’re planning an attack against him. Why else would you need us to work a spell of that caliber? And if you could find a mage powerful enough to do it, you would have already. So, you really need us.”
“Don’t presume to know my ambitions,” Salino said.
I held a finger up. “Let’s say you win and become the head of the line. Who’s to stop those vampires stronger and older than you from taking your head?”
Salino’s jaw tightened as he looked at me, but he didn’t say anything. Wise on his part. He could see where I was going.
“With that link gone, I’m sure every vampire will be clamoring for the title. You’re going to need help and that is something Adrian didn’t promise you. And like I said, what’s to keep them from killing you if you take the crown… the entire blood dynasty? You’re going to need that link put back in place. Adrian didn’t promise you that and I can’t do it without him. So, yeah, you may have me by the balls, but you don’t have him. And if I don’t want him helping you, he won’t… Are you ready to make sensible negotiations now?”
I could literally hear his teeth grinding and I smirked, because I had some leverage, enough to get him to back off a little.
“Twenty percent,” he offered.
“Six percent,” I countered.
“Fuck you… fifteen and no less. And let me say this, Sage, I may not be able to force Adrian to help me, but he has friends I can harm that might make him change his mind. And you do too. I could make you kill your pride, one by one until you comply, so don’t think you won this little tit-for-tat.” He leaned back, putting both arms on the edge of the divan. “I just want you to know that I can be reasonable. Fifteen percent monthly tithes. Take my offer and be satisfied. And when I need you… the both of you… I expect full cooperation. Do we have an accord?”
I didn’t like being threatened, not in any way, and I wanted to rip his head from his shoulders, but I couldn’t. Not only was I a man of my word, so I would fulfil the promise Adrian made for his blood, but I also knew I couldn’t kill him or use any magic against him. It was Salino’s will. I didn’t feel like I’d won per se, but I didn’t feel like I’d lost, either. And now that I knew he would dare to use our friends and my pride against me, Adrian and I would have to come up with a contingency plan for him. I rose from the chair and adjusted my suit again.
“It’s fair.”For now.
“More than fair,” Salino said, then gestured to Yolanda’s body on the floor. “Don’t forget to take your future child with you. Complete the transition and then send her to me. I’ll finish training her, as you aren’t equipped to. I have to train you as well.”
“I’m not going to call you “sir,” just so you know,” I stated.
He rolled his eyes, then waved his hand. “Save face if you want. We both know who is in charge.”
I guessed that was nice of him, fucking asshole. At least, I knew he was going to train me more because vampires had all kinds of abilities. And I was curious to learn how many I had inherited. I reached down, picking Yolanda up with ease. “Adrian and I are working on some cases… So, I’ll have Nadia drop her off tomorrow. I’ll be busy.”
Salino nodded. “Come to me then, when you’re free. And you better not die.”
“Dying wasn’t in my plans,” I said, then turned, leaving out of the room. I walked past all of the vampires milling about. Some were giving me looks of disdain, like I gave a fuck. Once I was on the elevator, I did have to lean back against the wall. That whole meeting was more intense than what I had been expecting. I looked down at Yolanda and wondered how I was going to break the news to my pride. She looked to be sleeping and at peace. I’d never turned anyone I didn’t know personally. Some of the females in my pride had worked for me as humans. Others were born shifters like I was and joined my pride because I was a powerful king. Lion prides were rare among the shifter community and male lions were even rarer. In any case, I may have seen some of Yolanda’s memories, but she was still a mystery to me.
The elevator doors opened and I stepped out. No one said anything to me as I walked past security and the receptionists. Shi was waiting in the car, which was still parked out front, thank goodness. Shi jumped out of the car and came sprinting around to where I stood waiting for her to open the back door.
“What the hell? Who is this?” Shi asked as she opened the door.
I leaned in, placing Yolanda on the leather interior. Then I climbed in the front passenger seat. “I’ll tell you on the way home.”
Shi closed the back door, then came back around to the driver’s side and slipped in behind the wheel. “Okay, what the fuck happened up there?”
