Page 124 of Cosmic Power

“A slap wounds the pride.”

Void chuckled. “True. Getting bitch slapped is quite an insult.”

Zvetari continued as if there was no interruption. “If you’re prepared to fight with us, come here, to my estate in New York City. We will train you in the ways of the fae, their weaknesses and fight patterns, before we take our leave in two days’ time. If you do not have a mode of transportation, contact me or any one of my men and we will send a mage to collect you.” A dark mask of pure malevolence crossed Zvetari’s face. “Do not misconstrue my words as a choice. If there are not a sufficient number of you here in two days,we willtake matters into our own hands and come for you instead. It isallof our responsibility to fight for this planet. It would just be more beneficial if you came to that realisation on your own.”

With nothing else to add, Zvetari marched out of the room. Elias pulled his magic back and the mirror portal vanished. He swayed slightly on his feet, weakened from the constant stream of magic it took to broadcast the entire thing. He placed a hand on the wall to steady himself.

Lenore stepped down from the platform and made her way over to him quickly. She touched his shoulder, releasing a tiny burst of her magic. The current flowed into his body, recharging him slightly. Elias straightened, a small smile on his face. Lenore smiled back and offered her arm for Elias to lean on. He accepted and she led him out of the room

Vargas and Praxis turned around and exited the way they came in without uttering a single word.

Then all hell broke loose.

ChapterThirty-Five

It took hours for the pandemonium from the Ancestrals’ declaration to die down. There was so much confusion. So many questions. So much anger and fear curling through the air, tainting so many scents Luther found it hard to sense anything else.

Some supernaturals weren’t sure if they were being punk’d, like they’d just been a part of some worldwide prank. Others believed wholeheartedly the threat the fae posed was real, and they wanted no part in it. Fights broke out between each species. The shifters growled and snarled at one another. The mages used their magic to push and shove their way out of the grand ballroom. The demons simply blinked away, but not before ramming their fists into each other’s bodies. The vampires were a tad more diplomatic, though still cursing and snapping at each other.

By the end of it all, Luther wasexhausted. He, along with Draego—the Vampire Regent of America, Baizin—the new Shifter Regent, and Lucille and Bane—the Demon and Mage Regent, managed to finally calm the crowd down and answer as many of the questions as they could.

If Luther was honest, the situation pissed him off. It would have been easier for his maker to answer these questions, but Luther saw how much reliving the war on Alterra had affected Zvetari. Even though he tried to hide it.

He suspected no one else saw the unbearable pain and grief filling his maker up. But Luther did. He knew it took all the strength his maker possessed not to break down in overwhelming anguish. And honestly, Luther admired his strength. The brief glimpse he saw into his maker's mind madehimwant to crumble. He couldn’t even imagine how much it hurt to actually live through it.

“I just-I honestly can’t believe it,” Draego blew out, taking a seat after finally ushering out the last round of hounding supernaturals, desperate for more answers. The grand ballroom was now empty of civilians, only the Regents and their Elite Guards remaining. “I mean, this whole thing is just crazy.” He clicked his fingers repeatedly, and one of his Elite Guards brought him a glass of whisky. “Did you know? About all of this?” he asked Luther, pinning him with an accusing gaze.

Luther leaned his shoulder against the wall, swirling his own glass, filled with scotch. He looked at Draego before drifting his eyes over the others—Baizin, Lucille and Bane. They all sat in the front row, their chairs moved to form a small circle so they could communicate with each other easily. He’d met them all previously when he’d attended Regent Meetings here in America. He knew little bits and pieces about each of them.

Draego was tall, with an athletic build, thick, curly brown hair and dark eyes. He was a kleptomaniac. He had the propensity for taking shit that didn’t belong to him, like the small horse figurine he was trying to slyly slip into his coat. It didn’t matter what the item was. If it was able to be lifted, he tried.

Baizin was the new Shifter Regent, taking over after Barnabas’ demise. He was a bear shifter from a strong line. Like most bear shifters he had a body as big as a mountain. Usually, the role would fall to whoever Barnabas named as his successor, which Luther assumed was one of his sons. However, both Mathias and Braeden had fled the country after the battle with the fae.

Luther suspected after most of their pack had been wiped out, they needed time to recuperate their forces. Then, they’d most likely return to take the position back—by force, if Baizin was unwilling to hand the title of Regent over.

Their world wasn’t a democracy. Civilians didn’t get to choose their leaders, vote for who they believed would be the right fit. That just wasn’t how it worked in their society. Regency was given to those with enough power to maintain it. And if you wanted a position of power, you had to take it from another by force. Once you won that position, it was yours…for as long as you were able to hold it.

Luther had been challenged over the years for his Regent position by other vampires. Some were powerful and worthy of the position, while others were simply trying to make a name for themselves as the one to finally topple his reign. Every attempt failed. The only way he would no longer be Regent was if he gave his position up.No onewould take it from him.

Lucille was the Demon Regent. She had light red skin, the usual black eyes associated with her kind and sharp, black horns roughly four inches long jutting from her head. She had a temper, like all demons, but Luther found she was a bit more agreeable than other demons he’d come across. She was able to put her anger aside and look at things from a different angle instead of letting her rage overcome her.

Bane held the Mage Regency over America. He was younger than all the others—early thirties, Luther guessed—with long blonde hair that framed his face, light eyebrows and a face that screamed innocence. Bane had only recently taken over the position from his father, who retired earlier in the year. Luther had met him during his last trip to New York, but he had only been a child then. Fifteen at most. Now he was a man, and his power rivalled that of his father.

“Not until recently,” Luther finally answered, taking a sip of his drink. “Like you, I had no idea our Ancestors originated from another world.”

“It sounds like the plot of some bad Sci-Fi movie,” Bane said, shaking his head. “It’s all a little out there for my taste.”

“What, you don’t believe them?” Baizin levelled his golden eyes on the light mage. “They’re our Ancestors! They wouldn’t lie.”

Bane scowled. “I didn’t say that. I just think it’s a bit far-fetched, that’s all.”

“Because it is,” Lucille grunted, a puff of smoke blowing out of her nostrils. “It’s something none of us ever could have imagined. That doesn’t mean it’s not real.”

“I knew that fucker Barnabas was no good.” Draego clenched his jaw, red flashing through his eyes. “From the moment he proposed revoking the Exposure Law, I knew. I justknewhe was warped in the head.”

“I know right,” Bane agreed. “That dude was craaaazy.”

Lucille nodded. “He should have known such a thing would bring nothing but death for all of us. It was a stupid request to even make. Nothing but a waste of our time.”

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