Chosen Mage: A Clutch Mistress Book 3

by Janelle Peel

  She startled, having been too engrossed in reading to hear my approach.

  Bex flicked one ear in annoyance. Her blue eyes opened and she snorted. Standing, she stretched languidly and kicked out twice with her back paw. Grumbling at my interruption, she trotted out of the large room.

  Rowe rubbed her face tiredly, “I found something, but I can’t really make heads or tails of it.” She tapped the book, “This is the Prophecy that Cooper showed me.”

  My eyes widened as I sat on the armrest beside her and read,

  ‘My Chosen will come to right the wrongs of the past. She will battle with the dark one; an evil only she can destroy. She will require help, and shall unite the nightwalkers and Shifters. The role of those gifted with Magic remains unclear… Only through her, will the darkness be purged and brought into the light’.

  My brow lowered. Blaze had said something about not being allowed in Her light… What was it? I struggled for a moment before finally pulling up the memory. It was just after I had given Sara back to the Goddess…

  Blaze had told me of a story about a Dark Mage that had lusted for eternal life. The Mage slaughtered people by the thousands; entire civilizations, to attain his goal. He’d drained countless beings of their magic, and had gained the All Mother’s attention. She’d given him a choice to stop his madness; be dammed and walk in the darkness forever without most of his magic, or die.

  Blaze had thought it was all conjecture… My eyes squinted as I recalled the last thing he’d said,

  Only one touched by the Goddess can bring the dammed back to the light.

  Goosebumps broke out along my bared arms as his words rang in my ears. Rereading the Prophecy, excitement lit through me, “Rowe? Did you find anything about a Dark Mage?”

  “Not a Dark Mage, no, but there was something. Just a sec,” she flipped through the book again to a dog-eared page.

  I cringed at the old tome’s mistreatment.

  “Here. It’s by the same Seer, Demetria. I guess it was written before the other one.” She shrugged, “I almost missed it because it was added after the other Prophecy, even though it had occurred before.” Tipping to book toward me, she read aloud,

  “Demetria, 412 BC

  A single Mage had gained the Goddess’s notice with his lust for eternal life. His last great massacre resulted in the death of 3,000 ancient peoples and the divide of Shifters from their sacred role of protection.

  Tasked with the choice of death by the Goddess, or to live in darkness forever without his magic, Mage Thais chose darkness eternal.”

  I connected the dots. Mel had also told me of a time where Shifters were protectors of Mages, that something had happened to change that. If all of this was true, we were finally getting somewhere! Turning to Rowe, I cupped her cheeks and kissed her full on the mouth.

  “Ack, what the hell, Sora?!” She screeched, pulling away.

  I giggled, “You’ve done it!”

  She smiled hesitantly, “Um, done what, exactly?”

  Sobering, I shook my head, “Nope. I have to speak with Blaze, first. I need your word that you won’t breathe a peep about this to anyone. This is very important, Rowe. Do you understand?”

  Her brow furrowed, “Okay, Sora.” Lifting a hand, she pretended to turn a key against her closed lips.

  Standing, I took the thick tome under my arm, “Good, now go get some rest. You look like you’re going to fall over.” Before she could reply, I flashed away to my room to text Blaze.

  Blaze

  He sat stunned as he reread the passages. “I thought it was just a story…”

  Sora smiled triumphantly, “It doesn’t appear to be.”

  His brows lowered skeptically, “And, what do you plan to do with this information?”

  Shaking her head, she pulled the tie from her braid and began combing the silver tresses with her fingers. “I don’t know, but I don’t want to tell Cooper, or anyone outside of you, Jackson, and Viv.”

  He nodded, “That’s wise. We have yet to see where Daisy’s loyalties lie.”

  “We still need to find out what the Council has to do with all of this. I see the connection with the Dark One and the Dark Mage, but I just can’t wrap my head around the Council’s involvement. I mean, obviously they’re evil, but what happened to make them that way?” Her nose wrinkled, “The Goddess said that this was preordained, and whatever is going on now, is Her fault. What are we missing?”

  Roping one thick arm around her shoulders, he kissed her temple softly, “Perhaps we should ask Cooper, once and for all.”

  Cooper

  A soft hand ran up and down his back, slowly drawing him awake. He groaned in contentment as Daisy’s palm followed the contours of his hip and disappeared beneath the thick duvet. Sucking in a sharp breath, his member hardened instantly under her ministrations.

  He was just getting ready to roll over and return the favor when a knock sounded at the door.

  With a disappointed sigh, she released him and pulled the blanket up to her chin.

  Grumbling, he tucked his hardon beneath the waistband of his sweats and stormed to the door. Turning the handle, he growled, “This had better-”

  Nat’s green eyes widened as she inhaled. Snickering, she said, “Bad time, Cooper?”

  Unashamed, he grinned, “You know it is.”

  She laughed, “Yeah, sorry to rain on your sex parade, but Sora and Blaze want you in the rec room.”

  He jerked his chin back toward the bed in silent question.

  “Nope, just you. I’ve got guard duty until you get back.”

  He gritted his teeth, dammit. Of all the lousy timing…

  “Tick tock, lover boy,” she snarked.

  Closing the door on her mockery, he stalked back toward the bed. “You heard?”

  Daisy answered from her large blanket fort, “Yes. What do you think it’s about?”

  Pulling a black tee over his head, he sighed. “Who knows. I won’t be long, though. Want me to bring you back anything?”

  “Breakfast, please.”

  “Alright,” he bent and kissed a random body part through the blankets.

  It was never a good sign when you walked into a room and everyone stopped talking. In fact, it usually meant they were talking about you.

  Blaze stood on the other side of the bar pouring whiskey into four rocks glasses. Sora sat at the bar, inspecting him with her star flecked irises. Viv and Jackson studied him while leaning against the pool table.

  Cooper quipped, “Is this an intervention or something?”

  Sora patted a stool beside her, “Come sit, Cooper. We have some things to discuss.”

  Confusion shot through his veins. Why were they looking at him like that? Doing as he was asked, he strode across the thick carpet and sat.

  Fidgeting with her water bottle, Sora said, “So, has Daisy spoken to you?”

  He shook his head, “No. She didn’t want to.”

  She nodded, “Daisy wouldn’t talk to me about anything either. Unfortunately, that puts you in the middle. I need you to tell us everything she has told you.”

  “Okay,” he said, snagging the whiskey from Blaze’s offered hand. Taking a sip, he savored the burn and began at the beginning. He told them all about her discovery with the Prophecy and her interactions with the Council. They listened to his every word until he began to detail her description of the two Mages she’d encountered near the Archives.

  “Wait,” Sora held up a hand. “What did they say? The Council is draining Vampires, Shifters, and Mages?”

  His fist flexed around the glass, “Yes. She also told me about the guy she had stolen the key to the Archives from, and what they did to him.” That explanation took even longer.

  Finished, nothing but silence met his ears. He lifted his empty glass toward Blaze for a refill.

  Blaze

  Grabbing the bottle, he filled Cooper’s empty cup to the brim and topped off his own. With a growl, he said, “They’re kill
ing their killing their own kind to increase their magic?”

  Cooper nodded, “It’s my guess that they not only destroyed the LA Clutch, but they drained them first. Why else would they travel all this way?”

  His thoughts turned, weaseling out every detail. The Council was just a short distance away. They had just feasted on a large Clutch… The only thing that didn’t make sense was, why they had sent Daisy back. Unless…

  The glass in his hand shattered, breaking the silence as everyone stared, shocked by what he’d done. His voice sounded like tumbled stones rolling across a sheet of ice, “Leave us.”

  Cooper looked from Sora to Blaze, then Viv and Jackson.

  Sorrow shone in Sora’s eyes, “Go,” she whispered.

  His brows lowered and hurt flashed across his chiseled features.

  Sora lifted a hand and gently placed it on his arm, “It’s okay, I promise. Once we have things figured out, we’ll come get you.”

  He jerked his head and stalked out of the room.

  Turning on her stool after Cooper had left, Sora glared at him, “Couldn’t you have handled that better?”

  He showed absolutely no emotion, “No. I don’t know who I can trust. This information does not leave this room.”

  Jackson flashed to his side, concern written in every line of his body. “What is it, Brother?”

  Blaze stared intently at his beloved Mate. The glare slid off her face and her eyes softened in response. He took her small hand and tucked it inside his large one, “They’re draining Mages and Vampires, Sora. Who is the most powerful Mage the world has ever seen?” Her eyes widened in alarm as her face lit with comprehension. “A living legend, in your world and mine. Dhampir, Chosen, two sides of one coin. A new species. You could level the world ten times over without tiring.” Her brow furrowed and the stars shining inside her eyes began to turn in agitation. “Why would they send Daisy back, Sora? If she came back on her own, why won’t she talk about what happened? What is wrong with their magic?” His voice lowered, “They sent her back to bring you in. The ultimate power, wrapped up in one package. How could they possibly resist?”

  She tugged her hand from his, “What about the Dark Mage, then? Where does he fit into all of this?” Standing, she paced a circuit around the room.

  Viv answered, “Is he even alive? We can’t assume they’re related. Just because this same Seer spoke about both things in her Prophecies, doesn’t mean they’re connected.”

  “No,” Jackson growled. “That’s exactly what we have to assume. It’s is a much better strategy than being caught unawares.” He looked to Blaze, “What do you propose?”

  Sora stopped pacing and also looking to him for the answers.

  The grin that took over his face was definitely not the look of an angel…

  Daisy

  Cooper came back in an absolute shit mood. I’d repeatedly asked what was wrong and he had shrugged me off at every turn. He’d been pacing the length of the suite for almost an hour now. Every so often, he’d stop and mutter to himself, shake his head, and continue his never-ending circuit.

  Unimpressed with his attitude, I got up and dressed. I was hungry, dammit. Maybe I could get my guard to take me for some food.

  “I’m going out,” I muttered as he stalked by the bed again.

  He paused, removing his hand from his disheveled hair, “What? Where?”

  I rolled my eyes, “Food, remember?”

  His face took on an abashed expression, “Shit. I’m sorry, I totally forgot. Okay, just let me put some jeans on.”

  Twenty minutes later, I was just stuffing the last bite of a warm scone into my mouth when Sora walked into the small kitchen.

  She nodded, “Daisy.”

  I tongued my bite aside, “Sora.”

  Her fingers drummed on the countertop, “So, I was wondering if you wanted to see the courtyard with me? It’s not as pretty at night, but it’s still neat to check out.”

  I swallowed, “Um, okay?”

  Her face lit with a smile, “Good. Cooper can bring you, if you want.”

  Shaking my head, I answered, “No, I’m done. We can go now.”

  Sora jerked her head at Cooper in dismissal and gestured for me to walk beside her.

  A few minutes later, we were approaching what looked to be an infinity pool, when she asked, “So, how have you been?”

  I rolled a shoulder, “I’ve had better days.”

  She stopped near an artificial lagoon just below the glass wall of the pool and sighed worriedly, “Me too.”

  Curious, I asked, “How did you and Blaze meet, anyway?”

  “Ah, there’s a story.” Her face softened into a grin, “I guess he was at a bar I went to. He attacked me, but I didn’t remember it at the time.”

  I sucked in a sharp breath, “What? He attacked you?!”

  She chuckled, “Yeah, something about my scent. Anyway, now he’s my Mate.”

  This entire thing seemed wrong on so many levels. “Sora, are you in thrall?”

  “No!” She laughed, “No.” Clearing her throat, she continued, “I’m some weird hybrid. He couldn’t put me in thrall if he tried.”

  My brow lowered, hybrid? What the hell did that even mean?

  “My mother was bitten by a Master while she was pregnant with me.” She rolled a shoulder, “I have all of their strengths and none of their weaknesses. His bite awoke my magic.”

  “Right, the dhampir thing.” I nodded, “Seems you got a pretty sweet deal, then.”

  She sobered, “I don’t want this, Daisy. As far as I’m concerned, I could do without my magic and,” her hand waved through the air helplessly, “all the crazy. The only thing I would keep, is my family. Truly, I have found that here. I didn’t ask for anything else.”

  My brow lowered, “You would give up your magic for them?”

  Her fangs dropped with a snick, “They are mine.”

  It seemed wise to ponder her words later, so I changed the subject, “Do you miss the Stronghold?”

  The crease of her brow smoothed and the sharp points of her teeth retracted, “I used to, but now? No.”

  Incredulous, I pressed, “You don’t miss your family?”

  She scoffed, “No. If they had loved me at all, they wouldn’t have thrown me away like trash. I could never do that to my child.”

  I shook my head, “But you will never have children, now.”

  Her eyes lowered and she tipped her head in acknowledgement, “That’s true, but I still wouldn’t change a thing.”

  We stayed away from any and all painful subjects after that. If I was honest with myself, it was kind of nice. No expectations, no interrogation… It was also strange. Was she trying to win me over? Just what was her end game?

  Sora sat on a stone bench. “I have someone I’d like you to meet.”

  I hesitated. Did I want to meet anyone? Shrugging, I sat beside her. How bad could it be?

  “Bring her out, Nat.”

  My mind snagged on the name, Nat. Wasn’t she the guard that had interrupted Cooper and I?

  I stood, absolutely shocked, as a massive, black Wolf prowled out from behind a group of palm trees. Silhouetted by a tall lamp, her fur seemed to glow with a silver shimmer. Impossible, my mind screeched as pink flames broke out across my skin.

  Sora grabbed my wrist and tugged me backward, “I wouldn’t. Put them away.”

  I looked from the large Wolf to Sora’s sapphire eyes. While I watched, small, luminous stars began to swirl in their depths.

  “Now, Daisy.” Her tone left no room argument.

  Gritting my teeth, I released the tether on my magic.

  Slowly, the black Wolf approached. Her green eyes flashed just before she turned her shaggy head and looked behind her. Yipping softly, a white blur blew past her tall form. The Wolf rumbled a warning growl and the blur checked its speed.

  Bright blue irises met my gaze and I sat down hard. I’d never seen a Wolf pup before.

 
Sora nodded, “Daisy, meet Bex. She’s 6 months old. The large Wolf is Natalie, and she’s a Mage.”

  My mind stuttered to a stop as I was shocked once again. How could a Wolf, be a Mage? I looked to Sora, opening and closing my mouth like a fish without the ability to form words.

  “Nat was accidentally bitten by Bex. Her heart stopped,” her brows rose to see if I was following. At my jerky nod, she continued, “Then she turned. It was the Goddess’s will.”

  The nod quickly turned into a head shake. This was impossible. It went against everything I’d ever known.

  Silver light flashed, drawing my attention back to the Wolf. Only, she wasn’t a Wolf any longer. A beautiful young woman stood naked and proud where the black beast had been. Her nipples hardened in the cool evening air before she lifted the strands of her raven hair to cover them. Her green eyes glowed as she lit her hands with a silver flame, proving Sora’s claim. She wiggled her fingers in a greeting and extinguished her magic, “Daisy. Well met.”

  I couldn’t form a coherent thought, much less a hello.

  “Just give her a moment, Nat. I think she’s in shock,” Sora said in an amused tone.

  I snapped my gaze to hers with a glare, “It isn’t funny. This,” I flipped my hand out, “is impossible. I don’t… I can’t…” I bit my lip, hard. “She’s a beast.”

  Sora drew back with a hiss, “She is mine.” Her eyes changed to liquid mercury and her hair danced in an unseen breeze. She rumbled, “Apologize, now.”

  A sharp yip punctuated her words. The little white Wolf lifted her upper lip menacingly and growled.

  Nat just watched, seemingly prepared for my reaction.

  Confused, I did the only thing I could do. Standing, I walked back inside the covered pool area. I couldn’t breathe; nothing made any sense.

  The sharp clack of nails sounded behind me and I turned on my heel, ready to defend myself. Nat’s green eyes brightened in warning.

  Assuming she was my guard once more, I rolled my eyes and made a beeline straight for Cooper’s room.

  The suite was thankfully empty as I slammed the door. I didn’t understand anything that had just happened.