Page 1 of Dark Reckoning
Chapter one
Thepowerfulmembersofthe Echelon Imperial glared at us from their respective places behind the ornate table. I could feel their impressive auras and I knew they were in a class of their own. As I glanced at each one, I got to the end of the table and noticed there were two new spots that were vacant. The front of the table where the other sigils were engraved was blank. I pointed at the two seats.
“Is that for Sage and me?” I asked.
Kakashi nodded. “We must act quickly and that is why the both of you will join the Echelon Imperial today.” Like before, he spoke with full authority. So much so, it sent a chill down my spine.
“And what does that look like, us joining you?” Sage asked. I turned to see that his jaw was tight, which I'd come to learn was him barely containing his rage. We'd been transported once again, against our will, to face the Council and I knew that pissed Sage off big time. He was a man who was used to being in charge and twice now, the Council took that power from him.
I reached out, taking his hand into my own in my attempt to calm him. I felt his fingers tighten around mine and it gave me some reassurance.
“You will undergo a binding ritual where our magic is linked,” said the Irish red-headed, female mage who still hadn't offered her name.
Sage scoffed. “This sounds like some bullshit to manipulate us into giving you our powers.”
“An ignorant, rank amateur mage like you would see it that way,” said the mage with the long chestnut brown hair and eyes. His French accent sounded as snobby as he was.
Sage pointed at him. “That was your last motherfucking time talking to me like I ain't shit. I don't know who the fuck you motherfuckers think you are, looking down on everyone from your perch with your self-inflated egos, but I am not the one you fuck with,” my lover warned.
“Enough!” Kakashi snapped, raising his hands. “Whatever issues we have with each other... they end now. We must be in union moving forward. A Dark God is now walking this earth.” He looked at us, then at his fellow mages. “Do you even know what happened the last time a Dark God roamed Earth?”
“Humanity spiraled into chaos?” I asked. I wasn't trying to be a smart ass, but it just seemed like that was where he was going.
“So, basically, a regular day of the week,” Sage added with a healthy dose of sarcasm as he was still bristling at what the arrogant mage had said to him, the insult. “There are always people willing to harm others for personal and financial gains. Why is this so dire?”
“See what I mean? Ignorant,” scoffed the chestnut-haired mage with a dismissive gesture toward us.
“And foolishly arrogant to boot,” added the black, female mage.
Sage attacked then, snatching his hand from me and sending two powerful fireballs at both mages, who had to react quickly. The mages put up a barrier that blocked the intensity of the fire that flared out against the invisible barrier and evaporated. The room vibrated from the energy of the magic displayed and the other mages were in an uproar, some leaping to their feet and yelling.
“You bastard!” the black, female mage roared.
“I warned you to stop insulting me,” Sage shot back.
A black, male mage slammed his hands on the table. “You're too uncouth to be a member—
“And yet, you want us to join. You need us,” Sage snapped, interrupting the mage who was speaking with a Somalian accent.
I felt caught between my mate and the Council's more irate members going at it and I didn't know how to calm either side down. I looked at Kakashi and he was sitting there, his eyes closed, and I wondered what he could be thinking.
“Because we need you to clean up the mess you created,” retorted the red-headed, female mage.
“Bullshit, you fuckers were twisting our arms to join you before that because you fear our power,” Sage snapped.
“Fear you? Don't be ridiculous! The two of you are like children with access to a nuclear weapon. You aren't responsible enough to have such magic,” the male, Somalian mage with the dreadlocks chimed in. His voice was deep and authoritative.
“You don't get to make that decision,” I snapped. Finally unable to tolerate any more from them. “You have the nerve to sit there in judgment of what we've done. Everything we did was to help someone else. Or to save our own lives because we were under attack from a whole coven of mages. And not one of you bothered to lift a fucking finger to help us or protect our clan. We were nearly wiped out! And you sit there and act like you have the right to tell us that we aren't worthy. Be honest, you're just jealous that our power is greater than yours.”
“Don't be so quick to think that, boy,” said the chestnut-haired mage.
“We blocked your spying and nullified your magic that prevented us from using our own magic in this room. And you had no idea. My mate is right. It's about time you put some respect on our names,” I said, then jerked in surprise when Sage slapped my ass lovingly.
“Not only are we extremely powerful mages, but I'm the first and only of my kind. Mage, shifter, and vampire,” Sage said.
I nodded. “And I'm no longer just a human mage. I'm something stronger. I can heal faster and I may very well be immortal, as I am now linked to Salino. The new vampire emperor.”
“Talk shit now,” Sage challenged the mages, who looked at us with a mixture of annoyance and some fear, even if they didn’t want to admit the latter.
