Page 47 of Dark Reckoning
Sage shrugged. “All I know is that it's a dark spell.”
“So, therefore, it may require...” I let my voice trail off as my gaze shifted to Adrian, who was sitting there with a frown on his handsome face. I cocked an eyebrow and pointed at him. “You will not interfere,” I warned, because this spell was important. This wasn't the time for his moral dilemma.
Adrian rolled his eyes. “I'm not going to. Sage has performed several dark spells and I haven't interfered yet. I know that's how his magic works. I'm not even going to ask what it all will entail just to pull off this spell for you tonight. I don't want to know... ever.”
I nodded. “That's wise. In this case, ignorance is bliss. Are you hungry?”
He blinked as if surprised I was concerned enough to ask him. “Yeah, but not for your blood. Just food.”
“Nakago, please give Adrian whatever he wants. Have it prepared to his preference,” I ordered.
“I'm on it,” Nakago said, then he walked to the door and motioned for Adrian to follow him.
Before he left, he turned to me. “I think I'll stay away from all of you until that spell is done.”
Sage rose and walked over to him, taking him by his arms. “Are you sure you're okay with me doing this?”
Adrian gave Sage a sigh and nod. “I know it needs to be done to make sure we all live. I just want it over with. Frankly, I don't care about those other emperors with their panties in a twist because they can't have more power. Fuck them. They have been terrorizing humans and killing decent vampires to appease the Dark God for thousands of years. If they can't live and let live, then they have left us no choice. We have more pressing matters then their rage and thirst for petty vengeance.”
Well, hearing Adrian—of all people—say what he said, I began to understand him a lot more and why he and Sage were mated. Opposites attract, but there was something about the both of them. Adrian wasn't all good, and Sage wasn't all bad, so to speak. That was why they could be together and not judge each other the whole time. A perfect union and one that benefitted me greatly. I had no complaints about destiny's choice.
Sage kissed his man. “Thank you.” Adrian nodded, then left with Nakago. Sage turned to me. “You're one lucky son of a bitch.”
I smiled. “As are you.”
Sage chuckled, then looked down at his cell. “Kakashi and Aldéric are ready and need access. I can lower the barrier.”
“I'll have one of my vampires greet them.”
“All right,” Sage said, then he closed his eyes.
It took only a few seconds, but I felt it when the barrier was lowered. Sage then texted the mages to let them know they could enter. I sensed a spark of energy that tingled throughout my body right before Sage put the barrier back up. I really loved this new security feature. I contacted Renate telepathically and told her to meet the mages and escort them to my office.
“I wonder what the hell this spell—Oh shit!” Sage jerked and jumped back.
I leaped from the sofa, and hissed, my fangs bared as two figures I'd never seen before in my life materialized in my office.
“Fuck, Kakashi,” Sage said, his chest heaving as he frowned at who I now knew were the mages I'd been expecting. Their presence reeked of arrogance that was common among extremely powerful mages. To be so bold as to invite themselves in my office this way instead of being escorted as any house guests would have been spoke volumes. Now, I was even more concerned about what they'd demand of me for this “favor”.
I retracted my fangs and adjusted my clothing, as I had been prepared to fight. The mages looked at Sage, humorous expressions on their faces.
“Soon, you'll learned how to do that,” said one of the mages and by his French accent, I knew he wasn't the mage I'd heard on the phone, which meant the tall Japanese mage was the one named “Kakashi”.
“You almost got attacked,” Sage said.
Kakashi brushed his long, jet-black hair from his intense brown eyes and waved dismissively. “I wasn't worried.” My goodness, did he have a presence that almost made me feel small. He radiated confidence and his beard and mustache made him look even more regal. He then turned to me and I watched as Sage rolled his eyes. It would seem that my youngest child may have met his match with someone more obnoxiously cocky than he was. “My name is Kakashi Okumra, the Magi-Grande of the Echelon Imperial.”
The other mage went next. “My name is Aldéric Garnier, a member of the Echelon Imperial,” he introduced, and he was quite beautiful as well. Long chestnut brown hair and eyes that held more mischief in them than I liked. By his French accent, I could tell he had a Southern Marseillais dialect, which had a cadence I enjoyed.
“I am Emperor Salino Laurant,” I stated.
Kakashi smiled. “No doubt a rank you enjoy.”
I winked. “I don't hate it.”
Kakashi nodded, then made another dismissive gesture. “Allow me to skip past all of the appetizers and get right down to the entrée. You want to annihilate all of your enemies and bring their combined armies under your line. This can be done, but not without a price.”
“Magic's Price... what's the cost?” I asked.
