Dumbstruck, Tyler stared at Samantha in shock. Her confession of love was the last thing he expected from her. Like, ever. Her emotional state compounded the strangeness of her words. ‘Ah….’ Nope. Still no words.
She blinked her big, brown eyes, red and puffy with tears that continued to flow.
‘But how? I mean, we’ve only known each other a couple of weeks.’ Not even enough time to make sense of my own feelings.
Pulling out of his grip, she turned away. ‘I… I’m sorry. It slipped out. Forget I said anything.’ Her tone did not carry resentment; nothing but remorse and anguish.
‘Hey.’ He closed the gap between their bare bodies, enfolding her with his arms. ‘It’s okay. I’m surprised and confused. I….’
‘It’s not okay, Tyler. I’m the last person on Earth you should be with. We shouldn’t be doing this.’
The cause for her concern started to make sense. His lack of reciprocation was not what upset her. Tyler placed a comforting hand on her arm. ‘I know I worried about delving into the forbidden before, but I’ve moved past those fears. I honestly don’t care if I lose my job over this, if it means I can be with you.’ He did not know if it was love yet, but those were some strong feelings. ‘You’ve grown on me, Sam. What I feel for you is deeper than—’
‘Stop it!’ she cried. ‘You don’t understand. I’m toxic, Tyler. This has nothing to do with your boss.’
Alarm bells rang out and dread festered in his gut. ‘What do you mean?’
‘I… I can’t tell you.’
‘Sam, please,’ he pleaded with everything he had.
‘I mean I… lit… rally can’t… ss-say. Just… please don’t… under the covers.’
Holy. Shit. ‘Non-disclosure spell?’
She blinked at him. Twice. It was all he needed to confirm his suspicions.
‘Fuck!’ Tyler leaped out of the bed and paced the room. Millions of questions formed in his mind, but there was no point asking her any of them. ‘I gotta find a way to break the spell.’ He paused mid-stride and spun to face her. ‘Would you stop me from lifting it?’
Her head hesitantly shook as if testing her limits. ‘No,’ she whispered.
Complete ignorance with dispelling such magic became the main problem. ‘I need some time alone to think.’
Samantha nodded her understanding with eyes full of sorrow.
After slipping into his jeans, not bothering with the rest of his clothes, Tyler shut himself away in his own room and collapsed on his bed. I ought to tell Jaxon about this, but that will mean admitting to my relationship with Sam. Not to mention the shit it would land her in. Being honest with himself, he realised that despite her betrayal, he still cared for Samantha. Gods, I am messed up!
But if I can’t turn to the Council for advice, then who? After racking his brains for several hours, the sun began to rise, and the answer came as his phone sprang to life with a text from Alannah: Hey, are you awake yet?
Not bothering with a written reply, he hit the call button. ‘Hi, beautiful. What’s up?’
‘Me. I couldn’t sleep last night.’
‘Thinking about him?’ Tyler was not sure if she wanted to hear the jerk’s name, so he played it safe.
‘Yeah. It feels wrong to burden Liam with this. I hope you don’t mind?’
‘I don’t mind, Lana. Not at all. What were you thinking about?’
‘How much I miss everything about him. I don’t understand why he left me.’ Her voice cracked.
‘Neither do I, gorgeous. There’s no way I would have.’
‘I was sort of wondering if…,’ her voice trailed off.
Tyler’s heart skipped a beat. ‘Did you want to see me again?’
‘Uh huh.’
His blood surged with the unspoken meaning. Tyler figured he must be an emotional masochist because what he wanted from Alannah was more than she could offer, but he would take what he could get. ‘Tell me a time and place and I’ll be there.’
‘Really? I mean, are you honestly okay with this?’
Tyler sighed, smiling to himself. ‘Yes, Lana. You’re a phenomenal woman and I’d have to be crazy to say no to any intimate contact with you. But more than that, I know you need a good friend right now. And frankly, so do I.’
‘Shit! I’m such a selfish bitch. I didn’t even ask how you were. I’m sorry, Ty.’ The way she shortened his name did not escape his attention. And Gods help him, but he loved it.
‘It’s okay, beautiful. I know you’re going through a rough patch, and I want to be here for you.’
‘Thank you. What’s been bothering you?’
‘Christ! I don’t even know where to start.’
‘Are your troubles work related, or something more personal?’
Closing his eyes, he thought about how to broach the topic before giving up on the idea of sugar-coating things. ‘Both. I’ve managed to mess everything up big time. All because I couldn’t keep my pants on.’
Alannah made that adorable snort of hers. ‘Tell me about it.’
Tyler loved how well she understood him. So, he told her all about Samantha, from the way he had met her in Broken Hill right up to the two big bombshells she had dropped. And his new best friend listened attentively, giving him endearing noises of acknowledgement and words of encouragement as he went.
‘Wow. That’s huge, Ty. How do you feel about her?’
‘I like her a lot. I was on the verge of entertaining the idea of a serious relationship, but when she admitted to her deception, I instantly forced my heart to apply the brakes. Now I’m confused. I thought we were having a bit of fun, then she tells me all that. Before I can do much else, I need to break the non-disclosure spell. You don’t happen to know much about dispelling mind control magic, do you?’
‘I imagine it’s like nullifying any other spells. I don’t have a lot of experience with this stuff, but I’m guessing one could use nether, like how Richard negated your attacks.’
Tyler sat up surprised. ‘That was nether?’ He paused for thought. ‘Wait, how did you know?’
‘Promise not to freak out?’
‘Might be too late.’ Is Alannah dabbling in dark magic?
‘I’m attuned to nether, but it’s not as sinister as you might think. I don’t use it for nefarious purposes, and I have a safe way to channel it.’
‘What if it taints your soul, Lana?’
‘I guarantee it doesn’t. If you like, I could have a go at dispelling whatever magic is holding Sam’s tongue.’
‘Are you sure it’s safe?’
‘Yes, Ty. It’s perfectly safe.’
‘Then, yes please and thank you.’
Half a laugh slipped from her. ‘Hey, it’s the least I can do, considering what I’m asking of you.’
‘Believe me, gorgeous, that has its own rewards. Speaking of which, you haven’t named a time and place yet.’
‘I was thinking of meeting you at the hotel in Sydney. I’m sure you know the one I mean.’
Memories of his wild night with Alannah flooded his mind. ‘Mhmm. When?’
‘In two hours? Text me with the room number once you’ve checked in. You can introduce me to Samantha tomorrow.’
‘Will do. I’ll see you soon, okay Lana?’
‘Okay. And thank you, Ty.’
Tyler was like a tornado, rushing to shower and get ready. On his way out of the house, he knocked on Shane’s door.
Shane took one look at him and grinned. ‘Hot date?’
‘Damn straight. Would you mind keeping an extra eye on our charge today?’
‘No probs, man.’ Shane bumped fists with him. As Tyler turned to leave, he called after him, ‘Oh, and Quirky?’
‘Yeah?’
‘If you’re meeting who I think you are, please be careful.’
‘Of course.’
Walking the few blocks needed to reach their hotel room gave Tyler time to think about the two chicks at the centre of his life. Of all the women I take to bed, why do I have to fall for the ones I can’t or shouldn’t have? There was no way he was going to admit it to Alannah, but he was already drowning in the depths of what he felt for her. Problem was, she only wanted him as a best friend with totally messed up benefits.
As for Samantha? Knowing there was a chance Alannah could help break the non-disclosure spell gave him hope. Pending what his Firecracker had to say, he was prepared to forgive her. Not only were the last few nights with Samantha the best in his life, but Tyler felt a genuine connection with her. Smiling, he thought about Samantha the rest of the way to the hotel.
Now you’re mine. Brendan’s words resonated in Caleb’s damned, filthy soul, pushing aside all his fears, and arousing him more than he thought possible. The way Brendan’s lips savagely crashed into his own burned hotter than hellfire.
Wasting no time, Brendan dragged him out of the cocktail lounge and straight for their suite, kicking open his bedroom door with a terrifying force that excited Caleb. He threw Caleb down on the bed and literally ripped the clothes from his body.
Whether Caleb was born with his submissive nature, or if his sister had cultivated the tendency, he would never know. But he was certain Bridey had shown him how much he needed the pain, the humiliation, and most importantly, the loss of control. These were all things he knew Brendan could’ve given him once, but in the last two weeks he had seen circumstances—along with two certain women—crush Brendan’s soul, leaving Caleb to wonder if those fires of passion had fizzled. That night, he saw the spark of dominance rekindle Brendan’s flame.
The heat blazed. The physicality felt brutal. Unlike the first time, Brendan didn’t go easy on him, which made the night perfect. His Brendan—the man whom Caleb had fallen for before any women had ruined him—was back. Not only that, but this time he was making Caleb’s wildest fantasies come true.
With their carnal needs satisfied, Brendan’s nurturing side returned as he held Caleb in his arms and toyed with the tangled tendrils of hair falling around his shoulders. ‘Don’t ever pull away from me again, Thornsy.’
‘I’m sorry. I kinda freaked out.’
‘Why?’
‘Several reasons, but if I had to narrow it down, I’d say your inevitable rejection scared me.’
Pursing his lips, Brendan exhaled sharply, whistling as he did. ‘You’re already writing me off? How about giving me a chance to show you I can be serious?’
‘I said I’m sorry, okay. I honestly didn’t think you wanted more than sex. Not that I’m complaining about that. Especially this time. But—’
‘Wait up. What do you mean especially this time?’
Sprawling his arm across Brendan’s chest and entwining their legs, Caleb yielded further to the embrace. ‘It was exactly what I needed, what I desired. The violence, the complete surrender.’
‘Oh? You prefer it rough, huh?’
‘Gods yes!’
‘Good to know. Extremely good to know. Now, go on.’
‘Given I’m the first and only man you’ve fucked, I figured you were the bicurious one. I thought I was some passing phase and as soon as you were free of Bridey, you’d dump me and go back to being straight.’
Brendan sighed. ‘Does it matter if you’re the only guy I’m attracted to? The point is I am into you.’ His face transformed with a wicked grin as he leaned closer to Caleb’s ear. ‘Really deep into you.’ The gruffness of his voice sent Caleb’s mind reeling as goosebumps covered his body.
‘Brendan,’ he warned.
A hand clamped down on his mouth as Brendan straddled him. ‘Shoosh, Thornsy. Neither of us know what the future holds. Let’s make the most of our time together now. I want you, okay? And not just for that pretty little arse of yours.’
His eyes widened in surprise for the briefest of moments.
Claiming every inch of his body, Brendan ravished him again. And again.
Winters sure does have some stamina. ‘What else do you want me for, if not just my arse?’ Caleb asked as they collapsed hours later.
‘You, Thornsy. I want all of you. I get enough meaningless sex from your sister. The woman’s a relentless nymphomaniac.’
Caleb laughed. ‘I couldn’t agree more. What was the deal with the blonde broad in the orange dress? Were you trying to make me jealous?’
‘So, you were envious of her, huh?’ Mischief glimmered in his eyes. The same look had attracted Caleb the first time they’d met:
Caleb followed Locky to the courtyard where they claimed one of the lunch tables. They had clicked the moment they sat beside each other in homeroom and stuck together for the rest of the morning, helping each other survive their first day of high school. Where the goblin had grown up in the town, Caleb had recently moved there with his mum, so he didn’t know any of the kids in the area.
The moment he planted his arse on a bench, a foul stench emerged from behind, followed by a deep, taunting voice, ‘Hey freaks, you’re in our spot!’
Turning to face the troll, Caleb gulped at the sight of the guy’s enormous tusks. Still he wasn’t about to let a bunch of bullies push him around. He made a show of sniffing the table. ‘Funny. I can’t smell your scent here. I guess it’s been a while since you last marked your territory and since there aren’t any reserved signs, I’m thinking it’s fair game.’
The troll lifted Caleb up by his collar, exhaling putrid fumes that made him feel dizzy. ‘Listen up faggot! I know ya new in town, so I’ll give you one last warning. Take your green boyfriend and fuck off outta my spot!’
‘Yo, Chad! It’s time you and your buddies took a hike back to Hicksville.’
Looking over his shoulder, Caleb spotted two guys. Judging by their auras they were both magical, although the shorter one oozed so much power that he could only be a pure mage.
‘What the fuck do you want Winters?’ Chad dropped Caleb and he scrambled to regain his footing.
Winters… where have I heard that name before?
‘You hard of hearing old man?’ asked Winters. ‘I told you to get lost, scram, beat it, piss off. This spot now belongs to me and my friends. Oh, and next time I hear you spouting homophobic nonsense, I’ll make you and your mates all fall in love with each other so hard you won’t be able to resist fucking each other to death.’
The troll gaped at him. ‘You wouldn’t dare? The Council frowns on that shit.’
Winters grinned slyly, and something twinkled in his emerald eyes, stealing Caleb’s breath in the process. ‘Screw the Council. Besides, who would they believe? One of their own, or a bunch of low life trolls?’
Chad huffed and marched away with his friends in tow.
Sitting at the table, Winters stretched out across the bench, looking like a fucking sex god with his long limbs sprawled out and his beaming smile. ‘Ignore those wankers. They think anyone who doesn’t conform to their drab sense of fashion is gay. I swear to the gods they are more conservative than the Council. Just don’t let ’em get you alone off campus, yeah?’
‘Cheers man.’ Caleb sat opposite Winters. ‘I wasn’t too worried about Chad. I can hold my own in a fight, but you probably saved me from getting detention on my first day.’
Winters snorted and glanced at Locky over Caleb’s shoulder. ‘Hey Munroe, you gonna take a seat, or do you plan to hover about behind the new kid like his shadow?’
‘You do realise Caleb and I are unseelie, right?’ Locky asked timidly.
‘Dude, my best mate here is cursed.’ Winters gestured to the guy with long black hair who was now sitting beside him. ‘Does it look like I give a fuck what race you are?’
Upon closer inspection, Caleb realised that the guy with long hair also had luminescent eyes. Like a vampire. Hot damn. If those guys are lovers, I really hope they let me in on some of that action. Locky slumped into the chair next to him and Caleb sensed him fidgeting. Is he just as turned on by them as me?
‘So, Caleb, right?’ Winters’ silken voice brought him back to the moment and he nodded. ‘I’m Brendan Winters, and this surly fucker is Austin Pearce.’
Caleb’s thoughts returned to the present and he considered Brendan’s question of jealousy. ‘Maybe a tad. Although, I’d be a hypocrite to expect exclusivity.’
‘Right! It’d be impossible with Bridey around.’
‘Exactly. But you’re evading my question, Winters. Come on man, she was hot as. Were you genuinely flirting with her?’
‘Of course I was. Although I think she only wanted me for my vote rather than my mad skills in the bedroom.’
Caleb sat up. ‘Wait, what? She’s running for the boss’ job?’
‘Yup.’
‘So, how are you intending to vote?’
‘I….’ Brendan bit his lip to hold his tongue, worry evident on his face.
He caressed Brendan’s designer stubble, loving the masculine feel of it against his skin. ‘It’s okay. I won’t tell her. But you’d better prepare for the fallout when Bridey doesn’t find your name among the list of people voting for her.’
‘Shit! It’s not a blind ballot?’
‘Not exactly. The votes are cast with magic. The candidates will only know if you selected them.’
Brendan closed his eyes as he considered Caleb’s words. When they opened again, something devious flickered in his dark, sinister expression. ‘Voting isn’t compulsory, right? I can tell her I refused to vote.’
‘It’s an option, but she’ll still crack a fit. Personally, I’d rather not risk her wrath, so I’ll be voting for her.’
‘Yeah, but you’re in love with Bridey. It makes sense you’d want to back her.’
If only things were so simple. ‘Honestly, I’d rather she didn’t take on the Boss’ job. It’d mean less time to spend with her and more pressure on all of us.’
‘I didn’t consider that. I’ve got enough on my plate with the Cult. Yet another reason to vote against her.’
Caleb shook his head. ‘You’re a braver man than me, Brendo.’
Brendan huffed. ‘Hardly.’ The room fell silent as they both lost themselves in thought. After what might have been half an hour, possibly more, Brendan propped himself up and looked down into Caleb’s eyes. ‘Humour me, here, Thornsy. And please don’t freak out or take this question the wrong way. But hypothetically speaking, if you had to choose between me or Bridey, who would you stay with? Like if I were to leave your sister’s service next week, or even next month, for example, and you were forced to make the decision.’
Oh hell. How could I not take it the wrong way? ‘Brendan,’ he whispered, ‘I don’t think I can make a choice.’
A smile tugged at Brendan’s lips. ‘Does that mean you love me as much as you do Bridey?’
The sly bastard! I gotta hand it to him though. ‘Yeah, it does.’
Tyler felt like he was living in a fantasy role-playing game when he awoke well-rested. He rarely slept soundly; less so when worries plagued his mind, and he had plenty of those. But holding Alannah Winters and talking to her between bouts of passion compounded with sex-induced fatigue produced a full-night’s sleep.
The dark-haired angel stirred in his arms, opened her eyes, and smiled at him. ‘Morning.’
‘Afternoon, gorgeous.’
Alannah groaned. ‘Already? Damnit. I’m not ready for reality yet.’
Tyler sat astride her, hovering close to her face. ‘I’m happy to keep pretending. What if we run away to some remote island paradise together?’
Her arms encircled his waist. ‘Sounds tremendously tempting, but I have a boyfriend back home who would miss me.’ She sighed. ‘And I’d feel guilty pulling a Brendan on him. Not to mention all my other responsibilities. Besides, you have Samantha to worry about. I want to help the pair of you.’
Leaning in closer, he kissed the soft patch of skin beneath her ear. ‘You’re an extraordinary woman, Lana.’
She quivered in response to his light touch. ‘Okay, maybe once more.’ Her voice became breathy as her fingernails dug into the firm muscles of his backside.
Pulling back a hair’s breadth, Tyler gave her a serious look. Things felt more real in that moment, as though she was seeing him rather than her ex. ‘Are you sure?’
‘Yes, Tyler. I’m sure.’
Tyler’s heart soared at the sound of his name on her lips. He wasted no time tearing open the foil packet and preparing himself to sink into her.
Once Alannah caught her breath, she laughed. ‘Gods, I think I’m addicted to sex with you, Ty.’
His wide grin failed to hide the thrill her words gave him. ‘Well I’m not gonna complain, although your boyfriend might.’
When she rolled on to her side to look at him, there was an impish gleam in her eyes. ‘What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.’
Tyler’s eyes shot open wide with shock. ‘Liam doesn’t know you’re with me?’
‘Hell no! He’d lose his shit. The first time was okay because things were still in a state of flux. But I doubt he would be so cool about it now.’
‘Fuck! So, where does he think you are?’ This was indisputable cheating and Tyler was complicit. Yet the fear of Liam’s wrath was much stronger than any hint of guilt.
‘He thinks I’m visiting my old Melbourne friends.’
‘If Liam catches us….’
‘He won’t. It’s why I came to Sydney. Please don’t worry about him, or me.’ She left the bed and walked toward the bathroom. ‘Let’s shower and go deal with your girlfriend.’
‘She’s not my girlfriend, Lana.’
When she reached the door, Alannah paused as she gripped the handle. Glancing over her shoulder, she offered a spectacular view of her perfect porcelain skin and the womanly curves of her hips and backside. ‘Not yet, she’s not.’
After checking out of the hotel, Tyler took Alannah to the safehouse in Darlinghurst. He was relieved to learn Jaxon was out with Tanya.
Shane’s eyes remained glued to his game of Overwatch when they entered the living room.
Tyler laced his fingers with Alannah’s and squeezed her hand as he approached Shane. ‘Where’s Samantha?’
‘Moping in her room.’ The brief distraction proved lethal to his game’s avatar. He flung his controller onto the coffee table in a huff and looked up at them. ‘Holy. Shit! Alannah?’ He leaped to his feet and pulled her into a bear hug. ‘It’s great to see you again.’
She laughed. ‘You too, Walshy.’
‘What are you doing here?’
‘I’m about to make Tyler’s threesome fantasies come true.’ She winked.
Tyler spluttered. ‘Shit! How’d you know about those?’
Alannah linked her arm with his and grinned. ‘Oh, come on, you’re nothing if not predictable, Ty.’
Shane’s jaw hit the floor. ‘Can I watch?’
This could make for a convenient cover story. Tyler turned and called over his shoulder as he guided Alannah towards the stairs, ‘Maybe next time, Walshy.’
Canned laughter permeated Samantha’s closed door, so he pounded his fist against the timber.
‘Come in.’
Tyler felt his cheeks flush at the sight of Samantha sprawled out on her bed in a pair of blue satin boxershorts and matching camisole.
Her focus shifted from the television to the woman standing beside Tyler, and she visibly tensed.
Closing the door behind him, Tyler approached her cautiously, unsure if she was about to strike out like a cornered animal. ‘Sam, this is Alannah. She’s here to lift the spell.’
Samantha’s eyes darted between Tyler and Alannah several times before settling on him. ‘A bloodline mage? Are you for real?’
‘It’s okay, Sam, you can trust Lana. She’s not exactly on speaking terms with most of the Council right now.’
Alannah smiled. ‘Hi Samantha. Tyler’s right. I don’t play by the rules. I can see you’re a dark mage and it doesn’t bother me. I want to help you.’
Samantha eyed her sceptically. ‘Why?’
‘Because I care about Tyler, and he cares about you.’
Her eyes drifted back to Tyler. ‘Really?’
‘Yes.’ He closed the rest of the distance between them and sat on the bed. Up close, he saw evidence of prolonged crying in her bloodshot eyes. His heart melted for Samantha, prompting him to bring a hand up and tuck several strands of vibrant red hair behind her ear. ‘I’m not going anywhere, Sam, but I need to hear what they’ve roped you into.’
‘Okay. What should I do?’
Tyler directed a questioning gaze toward Alannah.
‘Sit cross-legged on the bed for me.’ Alannah retrieved a large white crystal from her handbag. She sat in front of Samantha, mirroring her stance with their knees touching, and placed the crystal in her lap. ‘Lean forward and close your eyes.’
Samantha obeyed without question. Tyler was not prepared for what came next and almost embarrassed himself when Alannah grabbed Samantha’s neck, pulling her face in close to her own. At first, he thought they were about to kiss, but Alannah simply pressed her forehead to Samantha’s. Wishful thinking, I guess. They still looked incredibly hot together and Tyler’s imagination was running wild.
Several minutes later, Alannah leaned back and looked at Tyler. ‘I think it worked. Ask her a couple of test questions.’
‘Sam, have you been working with the Cult even after coming into our protective custody?’
Remorse showed in her eyes as they met his. ‘Yes.’
‘But we blocked all of your telecommunication channels and heavily warded the house. How are you in contact with them?’
‘Through dream telepathy.’
‘I….’ Tyler stammered. ‘I didn’t know that was even a thing.’
‘It’s definitely a thing. The nightmare you woke me from was one such dream.’
He glanced at Alannah. ‘Have you ever heard of dream telepathy?’
‘No.’
‘It’s dark elf magic,’ Samantha explained. ‘And something unique to those of the Cult. They like to guard their secrets well.’
‘Are they actually the Obsidian Cult?’ Tyler noticed Alannah jerk back in surprise. I guess I left that detail out of the briefing.
‘Yes, although it’s a name they created to inspire fear in the wider magic community while hiding their true identity.’
‘Who are they?’
Samantha shrugged. ‘I don’t know. Only first tier members are privileged to that information. My master is one such elf, but I am only second tier, which is as far as mages can advance. The inner circle restricts access to pure blood dark elves who are born into the ranks.’ Her eyes moved to Alannah. ‘Like with Council mages.’
‘Are they also misogynistic arseholes, like the Council?’ Alannah’s question made both Tyler and Sam chuckle, easing the tension in the air.
‘No. The Cult has as many women as men.’
Tyler took a deep breath before asking the big one: ‘What do the Cult want with me?’
Samantha’s hand slipped into his and squeezed it hard. ‘They want to recruit you and corrupt your soul.’
A single laugh burst forth from Tyler. ‘Right, how do they expect to achieve that?’
‘By using me to get to you; to make you think you are going undercover to expose them. Once they have you, they can use mind control to trick you into performing dark magic.’
‘Christ!’ Tyler stared at her in shock. ‘Why me?’
‘Because you’re a doppelganger.’
The Dark Syndicate sure knew how to party, and they did it hard. Lots of sex, substance abuse, and loud music. All day and all night. By the time Sunday afternoon rolled around, Brendan felt wrecked. He had done well to avoid the politics and make the most of the fun times. Problem was, the situation at hand called for intellect and strategy.
It was time to vote. They all assembled in the conference centre where the three candidates sat on the stage awaiting the results. Lady Violet, Lady Amber, and Lord Slate were their options. The administrators mandated complete silence. A large wall clock marked the seconds, filling the auditorium with a merciless ticking, reverberating with an eerie echo.
As soon as Bridey shifted her gaze from Brendan’s general direction, he withdrew the enchanted parchment and quill pen given to him upon entry. After sharing a look with Caleb, who sat beside him, he pierced his thumb with the nib. An unfortunate aspect of being a Syndicate member was the need to participate in blood magic, but it was the only way to cast his vote. He wrote Lady Amber on the paper, watching as the writing disappeared from the page. He popped them in his pocket and turned an anxious eye to the timepiece counting down the last few minutes until the deadline.
A bell chimed at 6pm and the returning officer, a short, grey-haired dark mage, rose from his seat on the stage. ‘All votes have been cast. You have chosen our new leader.’ He produced three old-fashioned scrolls and eased each one apart, keeping the room in suspense longer than necessary. After comparing the results, he looked up at the crowd. ‘Your new elected official is Lady Amber.’
As Brendan breathed a sigh of relief, Bridey gasped, grabbing for the scrolls. ‘Give me those.’
Frowning, the old man pulled back. ‘Lady Violet, please. Show the respect and decorum expected of someone with your title.’ He handed her the one scroll she could see and gave the others to their respective owners.
‘The stage is yours, Lady Amber.’
‘Thank you, my Lord.’ The knockout blonde rose and took the microphone. ‘I am honoured most of you continue to put your trust in my family. My sister was an excellent leader before me, and with the help of my great nephew, I promise we will do our best to fill the shoes of a powerful woman.’ She gestured toward Brendan.
What. The. Actual. Fuck?
‘So, without further ado, I would like to introduce my Second in Command, Lord Jet.’
All eyes turned on him, but none of them worried him more than Bridey’s lethal glare.