On a Razor's Edge (Darkness #3)(7)

“We fight completely different than the Mata. We command, and follow commands, differently.”

“We don’t anymore, actually. As you will find out, because you will bridge that gap. It is necessary.”

Might as well learn to fly while I’m at it.

Stefan barely acceded, causing Dominicous to tilt his head a fraction. It was a thin and dangerous line Stefan walked, but he wasn’t having an easy time bowing to another male. Especially since Stefan could take him. It’d be one hell of a fight, but in a dead heat, Stefan could crush him and rip his mantle out from under him.

All in due time. He had to ensure Sasha’s safety before he took any steps.

“We will discuss the details tomorrow. Now, let us see to this claim of black power. Bring her in.”

Stefan rose easily, relaxing his body as he moved. If Sasha didn’t wield black, she could still wield a form of white, which meant she was still mage material. He knew for a fact that her power level exceeded his. He’d felt it both in her blood, and when she used him for an offshoot to sucking all the power from the room. She could download magic like a giant computer could data.

Why the hell was he so worried?

Worried. Another word that would get him beat up.

“Bring her,” Stefan barked at Jameson as he poked his head out the door.

When he’d returned to his seat, Dominicous said, “Tell me about the mark. It is a clever business move that might bite you if I take her for my own.”

A surge of pure rage shot through Stefan. He stared at the Regional, not bothering to disguise the challenge. He would lose everything, including his life, before he allowed this male to take her like some piece of property. He had wanted to do this delicately, to try to explain matters, but under this sort of pressure, Stefan only knew one course of action. Kill!

“I see,” Dominicous said quietly. “Not business, then. Interesting. We will return to this challenge at a later date, should it prove necessary. Now, this is her—ˮ

The Regional cut off, his eyes widening in surprise. The unexpected hitch finally dislodged Blondie’s constant, flat stare, his attention swiveling toward the entrance.

Sasha stood there, awkwardly, inching closer as though afraid to confront a room full of vipers. She unclasped her hands long enough to give a strange little wave, her face turning bright red. “You called for me?”

Her beautiful eyes met Stefan’s and his heart swelled, love and heat filling the blood link they shared as they took comfort in each other’s closeness. The world fell away for a moment, one half of a soul meeting the other, before their surroundings again took solid form. It was a strange occurrence that seemed to happen each time they met after any sort of distance.

“Please, come in,” Dominicous said, rising.

The door closed behind her, making her jump, before her eyes rose to meet the Regional. Her brows furrowed and her head tilted, meeting his stare not with fear, as one might expect, or even anxiety for her fate, but as though she knew his face and was trying to place him.

“Please,” the Regional said as he gestured her forward, his voice an octave higher, rising as though talking to a child.

Vague confusion bled through the link as she took a couple more steps, her curiosity having her glance at the other male in the room.

“Oh, my God!” A grin lit up her face. “He’s not…?” She pointed at Blondie and excitedly looked at Dominicous. “He’s not a vampire, right? He’s one of you guys? One of your kind, or whatever?”

Blondie finally had someone new to stare at.

“What is your name, please?” Dominicous asked in a soft voice. He seemed too damn near demur to her. Stefan expected flat or distant, since she was a human, but this was throwing him for a loop.

“Sasha.” She tucked a strand of flyaway hair behind her ear.

“Sasha, I am Dominicous, and this is Toa.” Dominicous extended a hand out toward his partnered mage. “He will be testing you. If you have a certain level of power, he will remain in this area and train you. If not, we will decide what’s next. Does that sound acceptable?”

Sasha nodded mutely, studying Dominicous’s face with squinted eyes, as if she was looking into the sun and remembering a dream at the same time. “Fire away.”

Chapter 3

I watched as Toa stood gracefully, moving his body like a ballet dancer. He glided in front of me, almost hovering. If this guy wasn’t a real vampire the myths absolutely came from him! Porcelain face almost devoid of all color, smooth and soft, he had pink lips and long black lashes. There was an ethereal look about him. His defined body oozed sensuality, almost feminine in its overtones, and definitely feline. Graceful and lithe, I was totally looking for giant fangs stained with blood.

“Call the elements, please,” he requested in a musical voice.

I couldn’t get over it! The guy was a vampire. He had to be. Stefan had missed some important details about the magical world, I was sure of it.

Back on track, though still distracted, I drew in all four elements, stopping at red like I usually did.

“Fill up, Sasha,” I heard Stefan instruct.

A look at him had me sighing. Having all that power at my disposal freaked me out, especially because it had to go somewhere, and usually ended up in some sort of creative magical experiment that Charles had to then kill.