Green Mage, page 24
part #2 of Mackenzie Green Series
“I’ve got a protection gig. We got into a tussle at a peace Summit, and I took a bolt to the shoulder.” I tried to downplay it.
“Who are you guarding?” Quinn’s eyes narrowed. I could see the calculation in his eyes. He wondered if, even though they came back early, he needed to cut his vacation short and come back to work.
“Lucan. The Mythos Triad and the Vampire Council are hammering out a treaty. The Protector had intel that someone might try and crash the party. The Triad brushed him off, so he hired some deadly arm candy for the event.” I gave the boys my sexiest pose. They both snickered. Jerks.
“The Triad got cocky,” Quinn said, and I had to agree. They’d treated it like it was a big party. The security had been laughable.
I cocked my head to one side. “Or they want an excuse for the treaty to fail. Then they’d have a legit reason to declare an open season on vampires.”
I’d been thinking about it for a while, but without proof, I didn’t feel comfortable bringing that particular suspicion to Lucan’s attention.
“That’s a thought.” Quinn’s brow furrowed as he mulled everything over. While he puzzled over the situation, I turned back to Alec.
“What are you guys doing here, anyway? You’re not due back until next week,” I asked as Alec moved the strap of my tank top to get a better look at my wound.
A blush crept up Alec’s neck and blazed across his cheeks. “Brooke and Tyr have been texting me. It sounded rough. Quinn said if I was going to fret so much, we should just come home.”
Guilt ate at me. I should have done better. Now Alec and Quinn had cut their alone time short to clean up my mess. My thoughts must have shown on my face.
Alec squeezed my good shoulder. “We’re not mad.” He flapped his free hand towards his mate. “And Quinn always has something to grumble about.” My brother shifted his eyes and avoided my gaze. “To be honest, I was getting antsy anyway. I’ve never been away from you guys for so long. I missed you.” Warmth spread through my heart. I’d missed him too.
I looked at Quinn. He was my best friend in all but name—and that was only because I had resisted defining our friendship for years—I didn’t want him to resent me for stealing precious time with his mate. Quinn met my eye and smiled. Relief crashed through me. We were good.
Blush gone, Alec adopted his healer tone. “The injuries occurred last night. Who healed you? It isn’t Tollas’s work.” When Alec got this interested, I felt like a bug under a microscope.
I smiled at the memory. “Alyssa Stone. She’s got some emergency healing training but is having trouble finding a mentor for her skill. I sent her to Tollas with a recommendation.”
Alec looked impressed. I was too. What she had managed on limited training spoke well of her potential.
Alec rubbed his hands together in glee. “Tollas will snap her right up. Do you know if she had the innate Stone shifter ability to set magic in objects?” I nodded. “And she’s been passed over by other healers? Dumbasses.”
My smile grew. Those were my thoughts as well.
“You know how some people are in this city. A box for everyone and everyone in their box,” I said.
It sucked that so many people were so short-sighted. I was glad to have met Alyssa and was able to help her on a path that would benefit many.
We moved to the living room and chatted some. A while later, I glanced at my watch and cringed.
“As much as I would love to stay here and catch up with you, I have to meet Lucan at the guild. We’re going to go over the FUBAR that was last night.” The boys nodded at me. “Alec, do me a favor. When Brooke gets home, try and get her talking. Ben messed with her head and I’m not sure how to help her.”
Quinn growled and Alec frowned.
“Sure thing. It’s why we came home after all.”
Buoyed by the knowledge that Alec would take care of Brooke, I hurried off. It was never good to keep the Dragon Protector waiting, even if it was funny.
***
Lucan was waiting for me in my small temporary office, and it felt like the space condensed to half the size with the six-foot-four wall of muscle pacing back and forth. As soon as the door clicked closed behind me, he pounced.
“You didn’t keep your word.” Arms crossed, the dragon in man shape radiated anger.
“Untrue. I did exactly what I said I was going to do. I came here to get checked out.” I kept my stance relaxed as I moved around the desk and sat in the chair. “Unfortunately, the guild healer is away for a couple of days. I had planned to see Tollas Gryphos and have him look at my injuries, but it became unnecessary once I got home.” I pulled out some of my files from a locked drawer on my right side.
“My brother came home early from his trip and was able to patch me right up. Nothing more to be done but some food and a couple of good night’s rest.”
I laid the files on the table. Lucan's posture didn’t change. He was displeased that I’d played a word game with him.
“We agreed that you would go to the hospital.” He wasn’t just a dog with a bone. He was a pit bull with the last steak on earth.
I laced my fingers together and rested my chin on them. “I told you no hospitals. You told me to get checked out. I did that. Can we move on?”
Lucan grumbled. He certainly didn’t want to move on, but we were running out of time and had more important things to discuss.
“I’ll accept this change of topic for now, but we will be revisiting it.” He took the seat opposite me. When he had settled, he got to the matter at hand. “Last night was an epic cluster.” Leaning forward slightly, he wiped his hands down his face. “Everything I can find indicates the Triad wants this to work.”
I nodded. I still had my suspicions, but I kept them to myself.
“Both the Triad and the Council were arrogant. They thought their power was secure enough to prevent an attack.”
At his comment, I shook my head and snorted. Lucan gave me a quizzical look.
“There is a Vampire Master out there creating minions with no regard to the established laws, and a group of shifters wants to see your Clan segregated from the rest of the supernatural community. How the hell does that qualify as ‘being secure in their power’?” I emphasized the appropriate phrase with finger quotation marks.
“They were deemed insignificant threats. As far as I can tell, both parties were on the same page. A few nights of drinking and dancing, hammer out a few minor details, then make a big show of signing the treaty.”
A light smile teased my lips. “They scoffed at your warning, knowing full well there would be factions on both sides who wouldn’t be happy with it.” It was something Lucan and I had discussed before the first night. I hope he got in some well-deserved I told you so’s.
Lucan’s eyes darkened. “Yes, both sides were aware of the dissent. The Triad knew some of our nobles thought a show of force was the only way to get the bloodsuckers to back off. On the other side, a group of vamps, which are assumed to be puppets of this rogue master, are chafing at the stricter feeding laws this treaty will demand. Complacent in their arrogance, our leaders knew, and they ignored it.” Lucan’s anger went up a notch and he growled. It was a deep, animalistic sound.
“We almost lost three shifters last night.” His eyes glowed blue. The muscles in his jaw tightened. “Except for Toban, you were the worst. The Enforcer’s still unconscious, and we don’t know if your plant thing brought him back.” I winced. Here’s hoping I got to him in time. “FYI, the Triad wants to talk to you about that.”
Fear shot through me. There was no way I would explain to them the magic that went into my seed balls. It would raise too many flags.
“I’m good with plants and they were an experiment. Toban is the first field test. The rest will have to wait until after the Summit,” I said. That would give me some breathing room.
“Agreed.” He leaned forward. “But we will discuss it. It could save many lives.”
His intensity swamped me, but he was sticking to his word and keeping his magic sheathed.
“Right.” I fidgeted in my seat. “Did you find out who was responsible for last night’s attack? Shifters or vamps?”
“I did, yes. My empathic magic is the strongest in the Tribe. Until I’d met you, no one could keep me out. With a gryphon on hand to confirm the truth, we got some of the answers we needed.”
“Well, don’t keep me in suspense,” I ribbed lightly.
“Turns out, they are out-of-town mercenaries.” The scorn was back in his tone. He’d been careful lately when talking about my job—more tolerant. Evidently, I was now an exception to the rule. “Twenty-five hired to take out both the Triad and the Council. They’d receive a bonus for taking out as many Protectors, Enforcers, and Masters’ guards as they could.” The hard edge to Lucan’s tone could have cut a two-by-four like butter.
“Who stands to gain from this? Who would step in as Heads of the Triad? And would the Masters’ heirs automatically inherit?” I leaned back in my chair, rocking it on two legs.
“I don’t know off-hand, but I’ll have some of those answers for you tonight,” he said.
I nodded. “I’ll contact Master Dagmar and place a polite inquiry.” Hopefully, we’d have some answers, not more questions.
“Why would a Master Vampire take an inquiry from you?” His incredulous tone had me bristling, and I fought to keep mine even. We’ve been doing so well.
“I’ve done hunts for him in the past. He often requests me personally when he needs a rogue hunted down. What’s the worst he can say? No.”
Dammit, my tone had an edge of frost to it. Lucan’s jaw tightened. If I didn’t know better, I’d suspect him of being jealous.
“Fine. You follow your leads, and I’ll tackle mine. The ball tonight doesn’t start until nine. Let’s meet at the same time. It will give us two hours to compare notes before we’re required to be present.”
Lucan rose from his seat. I stood as well. “I’ve been meeting you at seven, but if we’re going to talk, it will eat into the time I need to get ready. We girls need time to primp before presenting ourselves to our dates. Let’s meet an hour earlier. That way, we don’t have to rush.” I started to walk toward the door. Lucan was still standing next to his chair when I opened the door. “Good luck finding the info.”
He nodded and left the room. I blew out a breath then ran a hand down my face before shutting the door behind him. What was it about Lucan that made me want to keep him close? And at the same time, punch him in the face.
I shook my head. I didn’t have time for personal musings. I had shit to do.
Chapter 29
Three hours wasn’t a lot of time to gather the information. Especially when I needed to get glammed up, but I was determined. After taking a moment to center myself, I bee-lined it to Chris’s desk. Despite dancing from foot to foot, I tried to project an air of patience. I wasn’t suicidal enough to interrupt the ex-Reaper when she was working. They still hadn’t found the body of the last guy who’d done that.
Chris took pity on me after only a minute of waiting.
“Hey, lady, what can I do for you?” A gleam shimmered in her pale green eyes. She was feeding off my nervous energy.
“Hey, Chris. Is there any way to get in contact with Master Dagmar? I wanted to chat with him about what happened last night, see if he had any information.”
Interrogation never crossed my mind. One didn’t make demands of a Master Vampire, especially a Master who also served on the Council. One asked and hoped they were in a good enough mood to answer. I was banking on the small rapport we’d built to smooth my way. In my head, I went through a list of things I was willing to trade. Whatever information he did impart, it was going to cost me.
Chris thought for a moment. “I can send Master Dagmar a message and see if he’s willing to meet with you or let me pass off his contact information. Give me a minute.”
She crouched over her phone—a massive device that took up a small desk to her right. Phones were one of the first non-essential things mages had recreated. Pre-Resurgence history contained vast amounts of technology that ceased to work after magic flooded the earth. Slowly, scientists and inventors were creating tech to survive in this new world.
Chris’s hands flew through her contacts. She settled on one and recorded her message. With another tap, the message was off. All we had to do now was wait for a reply.
“There you go. If you want, you can wait in the lounge. I’ll come to get you when Master Dagmar responds. It may take a… I’ll be dammed.” A chime sounded. “He’s responded already. Master Dagmar can spare you some time in thirty minutes. He’ll meet you downstairs.”
Still perplexed with the speed of his response, Chris didn’t notice the happy smile that lit my face. Not having to wait was awesome.
“Thanks, Chris, I owe you one,” I said as I turned back to my office. I would need some of my notes for the meeting.
Chris called out to my retreating back. “I’ll cash it in next time I need to talk to Master Dagmar. He never responds to inquiries from me that quickly.”
I frowned at the suggestive tone. There was nothing brewing between the vampire and me. At least not on my end.
Thirty minutes was a blink of time when you had lots to do. At the twenty-nine-minute mark, I was taking the stairs down to the basement two at a time. It was a miracle I didn’t trip and break my neck.
I paused at the bottom. I needed to get my heart rate under control before I entered. The last thing I needed was to give a Master Vampire the indication I was in a rush. It would make bargaining all that much harder.
A few deep, calming breaths later, and I was ready. At three o’clock on the dot, I pushed open the door.
Curtis had built the meeting room with Master Vampires in mind. Older beings had a greater appreciation for things that came from their periods. Not that many people would have the exact dates when a vampire was born, but it was a safe bet that filling a room with antiques, especially Pre-Resurgence antiques, would provide a comfortable setting for them.
Along one side, a giant fireplace loomed. It was large enough for two people to stand in and not have to duck. Mage fire danced as the only light source, and it caused shadows to play along the opposite wall. Opposite the fire, bookshelves ran from wall to wall and floor to ceiling. Containing Pre-Resurgence volumes, they covered a variety of topics, from science to science-fiction. While Curtis kept any tomes regarding magic in a separate library, this was one of the city's largest private collections of mundane books.
A long table ran down the center of the room. Eight chairs lined the sides, with one at each end. The deep, aged wood was polished to a glossy shine—it was a fortune in timber.
The stone floors had been artificially distressed to give the illusion of age. Whoever had done it was an artist. The worn tiles spoke of feet that had never crossed them. No one would guess it was only fifteen years old.
At one minute past three, the false wall on the opposite side opened. Master Dagmar crossed the floor and took a seat at the table. I moved and sat in the chair opposite him.
“Thank you for coming. I know you must have many demands on your time with tonight’s event looming.” I laid the folders I’d brought out on the table.
“Since you were instrumental in taking those mercenaries down, it was the least I could do. Why don’t we dispense with the pleasantries and get down to the nitty-gritty of why you asked to speak to me.”
For the first time, I was conversing with Master Dagmar, and he wasn’t smiling. It was throwing me off my game.
“Very well. I appreciate your willingness to save time.” I opened the top folder, pen ready to make any notes. “Last night was, in blunt terms, a cluster fuck.” I paused. Maybe that hadn’t been the most tactful way of putting it, but Master Dagmar didn’t flinch, so I took it as permission to continue. “I’m gathering intel on who might benefit from the downfall of both the Council and the Triad. Perhaps someone who wanted to cause chaos in both factions enough that they might miss another agenda.” I looked up. “An individual or group not associated with the disgruntled factions.”
Master Dagmar leaned back in his seat. “What information are you seeking?”
I took a deep breath. In the wrong hands, this information could destroy the vampire hierarchy. Chaos would reign. “Who would take the Council's place if you died?”
His closed look took on a glacial tone. “You don’t know the damage that information could cause.”
I was pretty sure I had a good idea. The human government used me to do this exact thing when I’d used the name Terra.
I laced my hands together, the pen still dangling from my fingers. “Maybe you’re right.” I hadn’t expected him to divulge that information, but my actual question would now seem quite reasonable. “Can you then tell me who would benefit the most from this disruption, anyone at all? It may be someone on the Council. It may be an outsider. What is your gut telling you?” That got me a surprised look.
“You play the game well.” A statement.
“I learned long ago that life’s not a game. It’s war. Survive or die.”
I held his gaze. The deep-seated paranoia that lived in my chest screamed at me. You’re giving away too much information. But I knew, to get information, you had to give some. It created a connection, made people less likely to lie to you. Not that I thought for a moment that Master Dagmar wouldn’t lie to me if it was in his best interest. I simply hoped he wouldn’t.
Master Dagmar leaned forward, our faces inches apart across a field of wood. Had he wanted to, he could have broken my neck in the time it took for me to blink. His crimson eyes glowed in the low light.
“You are wasted in this profession. Someone of your talents and intelligence would blossom in the right environment,” he stated. No, thank you!
When I didn’t take the bait, he went on. “I have been thinking that very same question since last night. You were right earlier. Last night was a ‘cluster fuck.’ Multiple people brought concerns to both the Triad and the Council. Your date, the Protector, was most vocal about the possible threats.”
