Page 101 of Becoming D'Vaire
As Delaney left the kitchen and strode down the hallway, it was his dumb luck that he found himself alone with Duff.
“On your way to pretend you’re helping with the resurrections?” Duff asked as he stood blocking Delaney’s way.
“It’s a transfer of power. If I helped with the spell itself, I’d change my magic into the school of necromancy,” Delaney patiently explained.
“Going to give me a lecture on Magic 101?”
“No, you aren’t interested in learning.”
“Like anyone around here cares what I’m interested in,” Duff griped.
“Don’t make out like the D’Vaires haven’t been good to you.”
“It’s like I told that vampire you’re always holding on to like he’s about to run out the door, no one’s rezzing my parents tonight.”
Delaney had no idea how to respond. He started off pissed at Duff’s dismissal of his relationship with Grigori, but he was stymied by the end. Duff had been his friend once, and Delaney wasn’t heartless. He’d always known the shifter missed his folks. “Duff—”
“Not that I expect you to understand. You didn’t know your parents, did you? They probably dumped your ass in an orphanage the minute your mom left the hospital. They knew you were a freak and didn’t want you fucking up their lives.”
Delaney’s fists clenched, and he wanted to punch the jerk. One minute he had compassion for Duff and in the next, he wished they didn’t share a roof. “Look—”
“Oh, don’t get your panties in a twist. Do me a favor. Ask Alaric if he can get a sentinel to take me to a club. It’s later than I usually go out, but at least I’ll get some time to dance and get laid. I already missed last night,” he said. Delaney’s face must have perfectly translated his irritation, because Duff started talking again. “Come on, not all of us get to go to bed with a sexy vampire every night.”
“Talk to Alaric yourself,” Delaney retorted as he pushed past Duff.
As he resumed his journey to T’Eirick and Saura’s bedroom, he refused to allow Duff to ruin his mood. When he finally got to the right door, he rapped on it and a second later, it opened wide. Inside, the twins were all smiles as they hung long drapes over the windows. The Arch Lich was being instructed on where to place the throw pillows so they wouldn’t be in the way as the Lich Sentinel tucked the cord away on the vacuum cleaner. Under his feet was a dark area rug, and Delaney could hardly believe they managed to put it all together in a matter of hours.
“This looks amazing,” he offered as he closed himself inside.
“Mom’s going to love it,” Dra’Kaedan remarked. “Where’s your mate?”
Delaney shrugged. “Not back yet, I guess.”
Aleksander entered the room with Mac, Idris, and Vadimas, along with their familiars. They were going to be necessary to enhance their power. “Hey Alaric, Duff would like to request an escort to the club for the night,” the D’Vaire king said.
“I am afraid he will have to sit this one out, I’m not calling up one of my men in the middle of the night so he can go,” the Lich Sentinel responded.
“Yeah, that’s what I told him you’d say,” Mac replied. Delaney didn’t know why he was surprised Duff hadn’t given up after speaking to him, but he was.
“Who are we missing?” Renny asked as he sauntered through the door with two of the other warlock familiars, Lucian and Brexton. “Del, where’s Grigori? He and Scher decide to stay in Vegas?”
Before Delaney could explain once again that he had no clue, there was a knock and two more people entered the room. One was a warlock with a long ponytail and the other was the vampire who shared Delaney’s bed. Grigori smiled and strode over to his side. He offered Delaney a kiss. “You guys almost ready to start?”
Delaney shrugged in response. He didn’t have a watch on, and his pants lacked any pockets for his phone. It was Aleksander who glanced over at the clock on the bedside table. “I think we’re close to twenty-four hours.”
“It better be at least one minute past,” Dra’Kaedan said. “Otherwise I’m going to hear about it for the rest of eternity.”
“Let’s start getting ready,” Chander instructed. “If you’re not a sorcerer participating in the spell, I’m going to ask that you take a seat or stand near the sitting area in front of the window. Dra’Kaedan, are we using the familiars?”
Dra’Kaedan turned his attention to the Grand Warlock Familiar. “Renny, what do you think? My thought is that we don’t need that much power, so it’s not really necessary.”
“Yeah, I think we should just chill. I was thinking some soothing or calming spell, but it’s only going to increase the pain of the dark casters. Not beneficial in this case.”
“I’m guessing we’ll have Chand in the middle with warlocks on one side and wizards on the other?” Vadimas asked.
“Works for me,” the Arch Lich responded. “Kiss your men and let’s go.”
Grigori winked at Delaney; then their lips brushed. Along with the others not participating, he headed across the room and leaned against the window seat. Delaney waited for Chander to pick his spot and stood just to his left. Dre’Kariston strode over to his right, ready to pour his, Scheredin’s, and Dra’Kaedan’s power into the half-demonic leader of the necromancers—who unfurled his stunning two-toned wings from the special slits in the back of his loose tunic. The tips of his fangs appeared over his bottom lip, and the pewter of his eyes turned blood red.
