Page 187 of Magic of the Damned

Magic gathered into a black cloud. Orange coiled around the cloud, making it bob erratically for release. Areleus was not impressed. Releasing force like a cannon, Areleus’s hand countered and sent her magic back at her. A quick rotation and sidestep took her out of its pathway. Instead, it hit the wall, making an explosive cloud of drywall and wood.

Ileana’s eyes narrowed on him. She shook her head and a look of disappointment swept over her face. “You’re not going to honor your word?” she said in a tepid voice.

“We agreed he’s not the same and that his human may be his fall.”

“Or his redemption. One I thought I saw in you last night. I gave you the Book of Umbra in good faith. My hope was that you wouldn’t use it against us—against your son to obtain greater power.” Well that was a damn lie. She delivered it with such sincerity and authenticity, I doubted I’d ever trust anything she said again. She shook her head. “I thought we also agreed about the dangers. In the wrong hands, it’s a danger to us all. Dominic sacrificed his magic. I thought we’d agreed we’d sacrifice the book. Allow it to be destroyed with the Diax.”

Although she seemed to be taking his tight-lipped quiet as contemplation, I saw it as indomitable defiance. Her voice softened to an entreat. “You are well positioned, and even in his weakened state, do you doubt Dominic’s ability to be a force and a needed ally? If you do this, your future will be at risk. Don’t do this,” she warned.

Making the choice for him, she continued with the spell without waiting for an answer.

A simple swipe of his hand across the air, and the Book of Umbra was in his hands. “We agreed,” he asserted again.

With a sharp look that warned against stopping him, his mouth moved fervently. Ileana’s lips drew back in a sneer of challenge, and her fingers made sharp rote movements. The Diax and Book of Umbra were ripped from his grip. He tossed a spell and moved in equal measure to snatch the objects back. The battle of magic left the objects hovering in the air.

“Father, don’t,” Dominic said. The room quieted. Areleus’s eyes widened for just a second at the reverence in Dominic’s voice. “Nothing good will come from this. I’m warning you.”

But Areleus’s cold, avaricious eyes couldn’t be reached. In an act of desperation of a person who no longer had magic, Ophelia made an unsuccessful lunge at the Book of Umbra and the Diax. She was stopped by Anand, who dragged her and Peter back and placed them in a cell. Even if she’d managed to get the objects, without her magic, it would’ve been in vain.

“Warn.” Areleus scoffed. “You’ve put yourself in a position that your warnings mean nothing. Soon you won’t have any power or influence. Are you stronger than a witch now? Can you defend yourself against a shifter?”

He sneered, the shock from the display of familial feeling gone. “Will you be a match against vampires?”

Dominic moved with preternatural speed, slamming his father against the wall, his forearm pressed against Areleus’s throat. Dominic suffered the pain of Areleus using one claw while he held on to the Diax.

Icy blue waves tugged between them, their eyes locked. I tried to determine who was producing the magic or if it was a combination of them both. When it vanished, Areleus’s hand trembled as he attempted to release the Diax without success. His eyes dropped to the symbols that crawled up his arms, similar to those that had marked Helena when her magic was restricted.

When the Diax fell from his hands, anger washed over his face. Realization soon followed when both the Diax and the Book of Umbra began to crumble into dust.

Lowering Areleus to the ground, Dominic glanced down at the wound he’d acquired that was undoubtedly healed. He grabbed his father’s fisted hand before it could connect with his face. The ease with which he did it left Areleus dejected. He no longer had the speed and strength that came with magic.

“I warned you. When has Mother ever fallen for your charms? You didn’t persuade her to allow you to see the Book of Umbra. She gave you the opportunity to be your own undoing. You were the sacrifice of magic.” He stood and stepped back, extending his fingers to reveal his claws again with a smirk.

“You asshole,” Areleus spat out, his fingers lashing out to summon magic that he no longer possessed. It would take him time to get used to that.

“Exactly. When I need to be, I’m worse than you are. I didn’t concede out of weakness or veneration for you. It was only a matter of time before the opportunity arose where your thirst for power and hubris would blind you to the flaws in your actions that would destroy you.”

With a whirl of his finger, one of the cell doors opened. Dominic grabbed Areleus’s arm and twisted it behind his back, depositing him in the cell.

Turning from his father’s yells, curses, and promises of violence, he nodded at his mother before taking my hand. His eyes traveled over every exposed inch of me, looking for injuries.

“I’m fine.” More than fine because it was over. Really over. Breathing a sigh of relief, I averted my eyes from the bodies that remained.

Following my gaze, he held me tighter. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”

Seeing it wasn’t as bad as being there when it happened. I wanted to go into the cell and knee Peter in the crotch again. Positioning himself to obscure the sight of the fallen guards, Dominic guided me to another exit and led me back to his room where he told me he’d return soon. I doubted it would be soon; he had a great number of things to take care of.

Including his father.

CHAPTER 17

As I’d predicted, Dominic didn’t return soon. I’d showered and fallen asleep and was awoken by the earthy aroma of cedarwood and the hints of bergamot that lingered from his bodywash as his damp chest pressed against the back of the shirt I’d borrowed from his closet. Turning to face him, my fingers traced over his sharp jawline. I kissed him and when I pulled away, he pulled me closer, wrapping his arms around me as he deepened the kiss. He moved away with a sigh and a sharp, scrutinizing look. His hand found its way under my shirt, delivering soft tranquil strokes over my back and the curve of my ass. Dominic’s eyes were a contrast to his touch.

“I don’t know if you are incredibly brave or naively optimistic,” he said gently.

“I’m a healthy dose of both,” I teased. My response rounded off the edges in his keen eyes, but the look of consideration remained.

“I didn’t think your father would betray you,” I admitted. I did but wanted to believe he wouldn’t. After Dominic conceding to never challenge him and seeing Dominic sacrifice some of his magic to save Helena and rid the world of the Dark Casters’ magic, I thought Areleus would be satisfied. Not opt to betray his son and try to steal his magic and that of the Casters. It was a response to what I believed he had to be thinking. How could he not?

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