Into the Darkness (Darkness #1)(29)

I pushed the wind out of my lungs in a huge sigh of relief. The Boss. Then I moaned, leaning against the wall in utter misery. Even if it had been Jonas, I wouldn’t be able to do much. I wouldn’t even be able to move off the toilet.

A horrible bang permeated the door to the bathroom, a follow-up chorus of wood splintering. Male shouting competed with my moans of agony. My vision wavered and my thoughts muddled. I was getting worse.

The door next to me burst open, the hinges cracking and frame splintering. I barely heard the thud even though I was three feet away, shivering on the toilet. The Boss stood over me, some sort of accusation on his lips, before his eyebrows dipped low over his eyes.

“While this situation probably couldn’t get much worse, you are certainly making it ten times more awkward,” I slurred, barely able to keep my eyes open. My arms hung loose at my sides, dragging my shoulders down like weights.

“What’s happened?” He bent to me, opening my right eye with his big thumb and finger.

“Careful,” I warned, trying to pull my head away.

I felt my head clutched in his mighty paw before I, once again, lost consciousness.

“C’mon Sasha, take a sip. Just a sip, Sasha, c’mon.”

My head lolled across a large shoulder. I couldn’t feel my body. It was light outside, the sun’s rays filtered through heavy curtains, sprinkling my face.

“C’mon now, sweetie, drink a little.”

What felt like skin pressed against my lips, a warm liquid dripping into my mouth. I tried to move away from the salty, metallic taste, but I had no strength. More of the substance oozed between my lips, my throat involuntarily gulping it down to clear it from choking me.

More dribbled into my mouth, filling it up, before I swallowed again. And again. Warmth started to spread throughout my chest, making my limbs tingle.

“That’s enough,” a man’s voice said to my right. “She is unused to this. We don’t want her body to reject it. She’ll surely die, then.”

I knew a moment of panic before sleep gobbled me up.

Chapter Fourteen

Stefan sat down at his desk, tired and strung out. He should get some sleep; it’d been over twenty-four hours since he last lay down. But there was work to be done.

He rubbed his eyes and stared down at Jameson’s report. They’d lost over a dozen men and women—decent fighters, but not the best. It was nowhere near as bad as he’d thought. As far as his people could tell, most of the injuries had come from blades in the hands of mortals, not the Dulcha. It was as if magical creations had lost interest in the battle half-way through.

Stefan shook his head and leaned back. He needed to call a council. They needed to train someone to fill Stefan’s clan’s mage role. The E.T. were the biggest upstarts wanting to expose themselves to humans in a great many years. Stefan was fighting lopsided without a strong magic thrower to compete. All Trek, their White mage, did now was hone his craft, readying his crew to take out Stefan and reach out their hand. This turf war would become a national war quickly, with everyone seeking grandeur stepping up by Trek’s side. It would be damned hard to stop him, especially since the Council, which should’ve already stepped in, were a bunch of old fools waiting around and hoping for a peaceful resolution to fall out of their asses.

“Boss?”

Charles stood in the doorway with a plate of food.

“Yes, Charles, come in.”

The young male approached the large desk and laid the tray of stew to the side. He took a seat in one of the visitor chairs facing Stefan. “You wanted to see me, sir?”

Stefan willed himself wakefulness as he beheld the eager warrior. “Yes, Charles. I’m assigning you to the human. I want her watched at all times. She very nearly died from excessive magic usage, which means she has it in large enough supply to pose a threat. We will want to test her, see if we can train her; use her. Until then, however, we’ll need to make sure she doesn’t harm herself or anyone else.”

Charles looked like he’d just swallowed a slug. “And the boyfriend?”

“Will lose his memory and never be touched again; is that clear?”

“Absolutely! Yup, yes it is. I didn’t even want to in the first place—guys aren’t really my thing. I mean, yes, they’ll do in a pinch, but if I had—“

Charles stopped babbling as Stefan hardened his stare. The other male’s eyes found the floor in a hurry.

“You will need to change your schedule to match hers. I want to be updated on all large goings-on. I want her kept away from here, by force if necessary, and I do not want weapons at her disposal.”

Charles bobbed his head in acknowledgement.

Stefan matched the nod with one of his own. Then sighed. “It is a damned irritating distraction at a time like this.”

“Can I take a shot at her?” Charles asked sheepishly. “I’ve wanted to since I saw her.”

A sudden flash of rage burst through Stefan’s insides. He had to stop himself from clenching his fists. “It seems we can’t beguile her, though I plan to test that theory, and she’s hung up on this boyfriend of hers. I doubt she’ll have you. But…” He let his breath out in a controlled exhale. “You’re welcome to try, so long as you don’t push her boundaries in any way.”

“Yes, sir.”