Page 72 of Dark Reckoning
“I don't like being confined to my home while monsters ravage my territory. If you have a way to stop this, it is my duty as king to do my part. I have to protect my land and people,” Damon said, and that answered my question.
I was grateful he was willing to help. When we teleported this time, we landed inside the Lounge and immediately, I felt a calming influence wash over me.
“Woah,” Damon said, and I kept my arm around his slender waist to help him steady himself.
“I know, it's not pleasant,” Salino said.
“Indeed,” Damon agreed. I released him and he walked over to the chair, taking a seat.
I looked to see that Salino was lounging on the sofa, eating caviar and drinking wine. Well, it would seem our guests were being wined and dined a damn sight better than we were. During the time we studied the grimoire, we ate roasted chicken, veggies, and twice-baked potatoes. Nothing fancy like that. However, it had been delicious. I turned to see Shi and another being, and could tell she was a shifter, wolf. She must have been the one Kakashi brought here. His old lover.
“Hi, ummm, my name is Adrian,” I said, introducing myself.
She nodded. “Don't take too long getting set up in there. I don't want to be here any longer than I have to be.”
Okay, so she didn't introduce herself and she was bossy. Couldn’t say I was surprised. She had dated Kakashi. I looked at Shi. “How are you hanging in there?”
“I'm fine. Just want this to be over,” she said.
I nodded. “We'll get you soon.” I left and went to the room I knew we were all gathering in. Not everyone had returned and we couldn't do anything until we were all present as the spells needed the full Council. “Do you need me to do anything?” I asked.
“Yes, why don't you set up the spell for you and Sage, because as soon as we're done with making the weapon, we'll be doing the locator spell. Also, I think Rene could use some help with the recovery potion,” Maryanne said. She and Xirsi were drawing a huge sigil on the ground.
Her protection spell that would need the power of four light mages. I decided to do what I could until everyone returned.
Chapter ten
“Doyoutrustthem?”I asked Salino, since he knew Adrian and Sage better than I did. I had settled into one of the chairs opposite a female lion shifter. I knew she belonged to Sage's pride, but I wasn't sure of her name.
“I trust them,” Salino answered.
“With your life?” I asked.
“I do,” he said.
“It's not like you have any choice anyway. We're needed for this spell,” said the female Alpha.
“I just want to make sure I'm not being lied to. Adrian said the spell wouldn't kill us,” I stated.
“Then it won't,” Salino said. “Adrian is honest, almost to a fault. Now, had my child been the one to bring you...” He smirked. “He may have lied simply to get you on board. Sage doesn't care for you much. I doubt if he'd be concerned if you lived.”
Under any other circumstance, it would be impossible for me to be in a room with so many supernals and not want to rip them apart. By nature, we were very territorial. And also, I didn't like Salino and didn't really know the other two. But there was just something about this room that kept me calm and I was pretty certain that there was a spell cast upon this room to make us feel this way. I supposed that was smart. I looked at the ambassador, Zendel. “Is this room under a spell?”
“Yes, a calming one,” he replied.
Well, there was my confirmation.
I pulled out my cell phone to look at the YouTube videos that were popping up, especially since all network news channels had been offline for the last twelve hours. The whole world was in a state of emergency. I watched a video of soldiers shooting at monsters that used to be humans and other supernals right before the camera went out as the soldiers were attacked. None of the weapons the humans had were doing much damage. Even from the reports of my hit squad, just facing off with one of those things took everything they had. And even still, I'd lost another griezel in the take down. The only good thing was that I still had him locked up in the cell that was strong enough to keep him contained. I hoped they'd be able to reverse this curse upon us. That was why I was so willing to help. I just hoped whatever spell they used didn't take my life.
I looked at Salino and normally, I'd at least growl at him, but I didn't have the animosity. The spell they cast was a strong one to suppress my detest of the vampire. “Do you know why we're in this situation?” I asked him.
“A contract was broken that allowed a Dark God to come through,” Salino said.
“What contract?” I asked.
Salino remained silent.
“The one between vampires and the Dark God. That one over there wanted to save his brother and friend, so he had his little mages sever the line between the original vampire emperor and the Dark God, then reconnect the line to him, linking the vampires of that line to him. In doing so, he broke the original contract and the fine print of that was the part where a Dark God gets to come to earth and fuck up everyone's weekend,” said the female alpha.
