Page 37 of Cosmic Power

“If there haven’t been any changes to the hierarchy, it would be Gideon and whoever replaced Thane after Zamorra killed him,” Void replied, putting the broom, still in his hands, away.

Luther downed the rest of his glass and placed it on the counter. “Do you know who that could be?”

“There’s a few options. From what I remember, Griffan, Matt and Samuel were a few of the other high-ranking Betas in the pack. It could be any one of them.”

Luther nodded. “Would they be with Barnabas?”

“Most likely. If not with him, then they’ll be with Zamorra, guarding her. Why? What are you thinking?”

“If we can get a hold of one of them, could you get them to talk?”

Void frowned. “You mean—”

“Get them to tell you her location. I’ve tried torturing a few of them to get the information myself, but each one refused to talk. They wouldn’t even tell me where the pack estate was.”

“No. Barnabas runs a tight ship. Since Orion’s betrayal, he’s only ever kept the most loyal of his shifters as his warriors. Who did you torture?” Void asked, slightly curious.

Luther shrugged. “I didn’t ask for their names.”

Margaret returned to the kitchen, Ophelia and Darius following close behind.

Darius rubbed his eyes, a sleepy expression on his face. His hair was dishevelled, clothes crumpled and untidy. “My Lord,” he yawned, bowing.

Luther shook his head, chuckling slightly. “Go get some breakfast.”

Darius nodded and headed towards the fridge. He plucked out a blood bag and using the tips of his fangs, ripped off a corner and gulped vigorously.

Ophelia’s appearance was, as usual, perfection. There wasn’t a single wrinkle in her clothing or a single hair out of place on her head. She was pristine.

“My maker,” she greeted, bowing slightly.

“Have you eaten?” Luther asked, inclining his head to the fridge.

She nodded, avoiding his eyes.

“Good. Make sure you get your fill. You’ll need your strength in case we run into trouble tonight.”

“What’s happening tonight?”

“We’re going to hunt some more shifters. Specific ones who may know where Zamorra is being held.”

The air around her snapped taut. She kept her gaze downward, giving off a submissive vibe, but her tone and words were anything but. “Again? It’s been nearly a week, Luther. Isn’t it time to give up? She’s probably dead already and you have a country of vampires to run. As Regent, you have responsibilities and you being here hinders your ability to adequately handle them. If you’re that intent on finding her, leave someone here to continue the search for her dead body.”

A deep growl echoed around the room. “She’s not dead,” Void snapped. “Barnabas would never kill her. She’s too valuable to him.”

Ophelia’s green eyes locked onto Void’s deep brown ones. Her fangs lowered with a hiss, but she didn’t say anything back. She knew she was on thin ice. She had to behave accordingly.

As much as it frustrated Luther to admit, Ophelia did have a point. As Vampire Regent of Australia, it was his job to keep the vampire population in line and if he wasn’t there to do so, they could run rampant. He had to be a constant dark presence, a reminder of what lay in wait for them should they break the rules.

Not every punishment was left until the monthly Regent meeting. If there was an issue that only involved one type of supernatural, like vampires, the Vampire Regent could handle that problem any way they saw fit, either with an instant, private punishment or a public one. A lot of the public ones were executions. That way, others could see the severity of the punishments to be expected if they broke the most sacred law.

Dark magic tainted the air, making a shiver dance down Luther’s spine. A large transportation portal opened up in the middle of the kitchen, red lightning popping and crackling around it like a dangerous thunderstorm.

Ophelia and Darius jumped into action, crowding around the portal. They crouched low, claws and fangs at the ready, eyes blazing red. Void called on the power of his werewolf and his arms shifted, powerful six-inch claws exploding from his hands in a single second. Margaret grabbed Sarah and blurred her out of the room, returning a moment later with her claws and fangs out. She might not be one of his warriors, but she could fight if the occasion called for it.

Luther strengthened his stance and prepared himself for whoever was on the other side.

The dark mage who walked out of the transportation portal made him sigh.

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