The Council (Darkness #5)(21)

“What do you mean, it prolongs your life?”

His eyes widened in shock. “Did you not know? Wow, what a rare find. You are truly new to this whole scene, hmm?”

“Very, yes. As in, half a year or something.”

“Oh my, well, yes. Heavens.” He chuckled as he cut into an egg. “Well, yes, accessing magic and ingesting their blood prolongs life. It’s probably why this group of people last so long. Share blood with someone of high power ranking and it’s that much longer still.”

“Did you know that?” Charles asked Jessie. Jessie ignored him.

“Do you share blood with any of these males?” Harry continued.

“My, um, yes. I do. I’m not his pet—we have a mutual, um, thing.”

“They’ll be mated as soon as my clan accepts her as leader,” Charles butted in, a thick chunk of meat rolling around in his mouth.

“Oh, wow. Love, then. Wonderful.” Harry smiled at me in congratulations. “A very loyal people. Very good to the females—much better than humans. If you can stand all the dominance games, they are a treat.”

“Hell yeah, we are.” Charles pointed at Harry with his fork as he said to me, “Keep listening to this guy. He knows.”

“Did they take you from a play pen? Are you old enough to be out of the nursery unsupervised?” Jessie didn’t bother glancing at Charles, but it was obvious who he was talking to.

“Really, bro? And what’s your ranking again? Watch Guard, right? Instead of Captain, like me…”

“Right, okay. So here, though, they have blood circles? What is that?” I asked, getting back on track. Charles gave Jessie a dirty look.

“Basically, it’s an orgy where humans open their veins. They’re drained nearly dry, all in hopes that someone will give blood to them to prolong their life. It amazes me what humans will do for a fountain of youth. But then, I call myself a pet, so I guess I’m not one to talk.”

“That’s what all this is for? They endure all of this for a few more years?”

“For a hundred or more years, but… yes and no. Some are here to legitimately learn magic. Those who have a gift can learn from the best teachers.”

“Even though our magic is inverted.”

“Some people can learn from an instruction manual, unlike you.” Charles gave me a knowing look. I wanted to punch that knowing look.

I went back to Harry. “This all sounds like some freaky club. Like, a sex club or something.”

Harry shrugged. “Those exist in the human world, so maybe it is similar to that, yes. Like I said, I’m more interested in the mutual sharing of benefits. The second the balance is lost I’ll get back to my life.”

“And no one’s worried you’ll tell?”

His brow furrowed. “What would I say? I found what goes bump in the night? Who would believe me?”

Charles huffed out a laugh, spraying eggs all over his plate. I glared at him for a moment, trying to impress upon him that he was embarrassing me, before turning back to Harry. It took me a second to realize Harry’s whole bearing had changed, though. His back bowed and his face pointed downwards, like he was bending before a queen hoping not to get noticed.

Confused, I glanced up, and felt the breath being ripped from my lungs. An extremely attractive man stood in front of me with sparkling green eyes. Large-chested and muscular, like this whole species, his face could’ve been in a magazine. High cheekbones and a square jaw offset his perfectly white smile. He was really, really hot.

The eating area hushed as people noticed the man standing in front of me. No matter their race or sex, many hunched just like Harry had. I could tell by their bearing that they beheld someone high in status.

“Hello,” he purred with a medium-level tone. A perfect set of dimples enhanced his gorgeous face. “I don’t believe I’ve met you.”

“Sasha.” I half-stood to shake his hand. “Black mage.”

“Yes, of course.” His green eyes sparkled. “The one that helped capture Trek and Andris, is that right?”

“Something like that.” I cleared my throat, wishing it would also clear the red from my cheeks. Charles wasn’t helping by staring at me.

“I’m Rudy.” He pointedly looked at Harry.

When his focused stare was returned, Harry immediately stood with his plate half-full. “Excuse me. I must see to my mistress.”

Rudy stared at Charles next, arrogance and self-importance taking over the gaze. It wasn’t strength and power, though, like Charles was used to seeing. Rudy might’ve had status, but he didn’t get there through life trials and a commanding presence. Compared to Stefan, this guy was left wanting.

Something Charles made obvious as he leaned his elbows on the table. “I know you’re hinting at something, bro, and I get that you’re trying to push your weight around, but I don’t answer to you. I answer to the Boss. You have a problem, just shout that right out. Otherwise, I have some food to finish, and after that I might get seconds, so I’d appreciate if you’d stop staring.”

Charles had been spending too much time with Jonas.

“Interesting.” The light in Rudy’s eyes shifted. One second, charmer who owned the room. The next, snake that was coiled and ready.