Page 49 of Dark Reckoning
Kakashi shrugged. “Well, for one thing, I wasn't alive for a good portion of that. And when I realized who I was and the power I possessed, I did my part to protect you both until the day came when you came into your power. I had a vested interest in keeping you alive, remember.”
“What about Adrian's family?” Sage asked.
“Honestly, I didn't care. It wasn't until I realized that his line was connected to yours that I began to intervene. I saved his grandmother, long enough for her to give birth, then for her daughter to do the same, until Adrian was born,” Kakashi said. “Then I protected him, as his mother lacked magical ability.”
“How?” Sage asked and he sat down in the chair to make himself comfortable.
Kakashi sighed and sat down beside Aldéric on the sofa. I decided to sit as well, because this conversation was more in-depth than I thought it would be.
“It wasn't easy to find you, but when I did, I placed a spell on your birthmark to seal your identity from other mages. I did the same to Adrian's grandmother until she was discovered. I also did it to Adrian when he was four. You don't remember because I took on the guises of people you trusted. But that is what protected you... well, it did until you decided to ruin the seal with that very stylish tattoo over your birthmark,” Kakashi said, then waved. “Doesn't really matter, I was going to remove my magic anyway since Adrian had come of age.”
“Why remove it?” Sage asked.
“Because it was time. The only way to get you and Adrian together was to let the magic do what it was meant to do. You were fated to meet, after all. Fated to be together. I had no idea you'd be shot with a magic bullet, or that Adrian would find a spell to save you the way he did. I would have intervened with a spell of my own to save you, but my spell would not have turned you into a vampire. It would have just been me using dark magic to counter the poison and cleanse it from your body. The spell Adrian used was exactly what I needed to get you into the place I needed you to be. And it was a spell that only Adrian knew. When he performed the spell, I cast a bit of my own magic into it. That is how you became linked to Salino.”
Sage shook his head. “You are a devious son of a bitch.” He looked at Aldéric. “And what about you? What's your part in all of this? What do you gain?”
“Immortality, strength, speed, and some of the abilities of a vampire... without having to cast spells. And quite frankly, we're preparing to take on a fucking Dark God, one who is extremely powerful and it's not anything any of us have experienced. I want all of the advantages that I can have in order to survive,” Aldéric said.
Well, I couldn't fault that logic.
“As you can see, I've been doing you favors for a long time now,” Kakashi said.
Sage threw his head back and laughed. “Oh, go fuck yourself, Kakashi. Everything you've done has been for your own self-interest.”
“And yet, you have still benefited... you, Salino, and Adrian,” Kakashi said. “And here I am, willing to do you another favor. Should I not get something in return? Remember, you came to me with this dilemma.”
“So, you're the reason why I'm a vampire, but not why Adrian is linked to Salino?” Sage asked.
Kakashi nodded. “Correct. What happened to Adrian was Magic's Price. The Dark God being released was Magic's Revenge. Now, we have a lot to do. You know what I want, but let me tell you more.” He turned to me now. “Salino, in addition to becoming stronger, you will become immune to fire, you and every vampire. That should appease any vampire upset that they didn't grow in power.”
Well, that did perk my interest. “And how will you do that?”
“Sage's most lethal power is fire. He is linked to you. I can manipulate that so you'll be protected from his power,” Kakashi said.
“This is all sounding too good to be true. What is the downside?”
“Well, if you do die, I am not planning on dying with you. Your link to the magic my power grants you after we perform this spell will die with you. It will be the end of vampirism. Every vampire will become human,” Kakashi said.
I rose then and walked over to the window, because what he said both excited me and terrified me. No longer would my life be linked to every vampire in a way that would protect me. If I die, vampires would just be human again. Some, I knew for certain would love that. Most, though, would detest the idea of being merely human, so that was the silver lining. If I accepted this spell to link me to all vampires, I'd be giving up the only security I truly had, but really, did I have a choice?
“I know what you fear,” Kakashi said and I turned to face him.
“Oh, and what do you think you know of my fears?” I asked him.
“You don't like being vulnerable, but you already know you're going to accept my price,” Kakashi said, and a chill ran down my spine at his accuracy.
“What you're asking me to agree to... it is... unnerving,” I said.
“Well, that is the risk, however, you will be more powerful than any vampire alive. You will have the most powerful mages of the Echelon Imperial at your side. Anyone would be a fool to seek to do you harm,” Kakashi said.
“So, does this spell make everyone on the Echelon Imperial Council immortal?” I asked.
Kakashi shook his head. “Only Aldéric and I will gain in power.”
Sage laughed again. “Well, isn't that just more of the same from you? Why not? Aren't all of our powers linked? Aren't we a team or some shit like that?”
“Did you not pay attention when I explained how our powers worked before? If one of us were to die, the Council would lose the link, but that is it. What happened to one of us, does not happen to all of us,” Kakashi explained.
