Warlock's Son: An Andrew Moore Novel 01
Page 5
My mind panicked, and I thought desperately, what had she said? Take my power, if I could.
If I could.
I reached inside myself desperately, calling for my magic, my gift, my affinity with the infernal. Everything stopped as my power rose up, and I felt it reach through Lilith, and draw magic through her like a funnel. My soul rushed back into my body, and the pain and pleasure lessened. My knees weakened as I leaned against my succubus. I wondered why she hadn’t given me a better warning, but I found it impossible to be mad about it.
Almost all of my soul had returned that is, she’d kept a small piece of it, the channel and connection between us that would allow me to wield and channel the magic of the infernal plane. It was also the collateral for our pact.
Lilith squeezed me one more time and sighed in pleasure, then nudged me back. I withdrew from her body, and she turned and pulled me into a kiss. It was surprisingly tender and slow, as she caressed my face.
“I want more, but we should plan, and get things rolling. First, the Latin lessons I promised. This might feel a little strange.”
She kissed me hard, and demandingly. Then I felt her in my mind, and was overwhelmed by an outpouring of information. It was intense, and it hurt, then there was nothing but darkness.
Chapter Seven
When I came to, I was sitting on the leather chair behind the desk. I was dressed again, and Lilith also had clothes on. She was sitting on the desk to the side, with her legs crossed. She wore a demure red sundress, and black three inch heeled sandals. The conservative dress just showed hints of her curves and the delights I’d just taken pleasure from, which enhanced both her innocent fresh faced look, and the hint of sex appeal.
The magical lust was gone, but that didn’t mean her nearness didn’t affect me quite a lot. The idea of her riding me in the chair, or bending her sweet sexy body over the desk occurred to me.
She smiled in a flirty way, “You can fuck me again later, in fact, I will insist upon it, but we need to talk first, and plan. Sorry about that, sometimes that can be overwhelming. At least you’ll be able to read the books right now.”
I was confused for a minute, until I realized I knew how to speak and read Latin. Damn, if I’d have known about this I’d have asked her to teach me magic.
She giggled, “Sorry lover, but some things you have to work for. The way I see it, you have three major priorities right now. Learning your innate powers and studying magic, because sooner or later the Mages, vampires, and shifters will take notice of you. You need to be ready. Seattle was a good spot to go to though, all three of those groups are at each other’s throats, so you won’t have to worry about them joining forces on you while you find your feet.
“The second priority is you need a guardian for your family line.”
I frowned, “Guardian?”
She nodded, “Having heirs isn’t good enough, you need someone with power that is bonded to your family line in a pact, otherwise how will one of your heirs be given the information and opportunity? If you die, I lose my access to the mortal plane at the same time, someone has to be around to tell them about the opportunity. Plus, it never hurts to have a second bodyguard, someone that will watch your back for the rest of your life. The right type of person isn’t easy to find, they’ll have to be willing to bind themselves to your family line, and I imagine they’ll want a huge favor for doing so. The pact itself will guarantee their loyalty, remember that, if you don’t have a pact with someone, you shouldn’t trust them. Anyway, you’ll have to learn divination magic first, so you can find an appropriate person.”
That sounded a bit paranoid.
She shrugged, “It’s your immortal soul, if you want to take chances with it as well as your life be my guest, but I wouldn’t recommend it.”
Right, high stakes, a little caution wouldn’t hurt.
“How do I make someone immortal though? I mean they’d have to be to do what you’re suggesting.”
She said, “Well, you could choose a vampire, which I don’t recommend since you’d make an enemy of the local coven by stealing one of their people. Or, you can make a vampire yourself, from a human that will agree to serve.”
“Make a vampire?”
I felt like an idiot, every one of her statements brought up more questions.
She explained, “Vampires aren’t undead beings. They’re possessed by demons. Not self-aware and intelligent demons, animal demons. The way it works, is the demon animal grants the person power, fast healing, strength, and immortal life. All it asks in return for these gifts, is to feed on life force, which is why vampires must drink blood, to sate the demon within. They don’t have to kill, just drink blood which is loaded with life. If they don’t drink enough, the inner demon animal turns a bit feral, and forces them to. It’s not a bad trade really.
“So, vampires make other vampires by sharing a small portion of their demon’s essence, which after a few hundred years grows up to be another full demon animal. It’s why vampires grow in strength the older they get, and are so weak at first. You can do the same, except you would summon a demon animal from hell, and infuse it into the human who would turn. The advantage of doing that, is your protector will also be extremely powerful, as powerful as an ancient vampire, since they’d be starting out with a full-sized demon. Make sense?”
I frowned, “And people would be willing to bind themselves and serve my family?”
She laughed, “For eternal youth, power, and privilege? There are always some, and it may not even be that which drives them. Some desperate need perhaps, and there are some that like to serve others to make themselves feel useful and give themselves a purpose. It takes all kinds, and the world is filled with all types of people. Someone will work out for it, but you need to learn the spells for that, both to find them and to make a pact, and at the very least control your affinity abilities before we leave home.”
I nodded, “You said three priorities?”
She shrugged, “You have a full year before the first soul pacts come due, I’d suggest you focus on other things first, like establishing yourself as a known and feared power in Seattle. So those can wait until later. I would suggest that your third major priority is to get one of those heirs going. So, in short, protector, heir, and study. Obviously study first, powers and spells to accomplish the other two. You should also read the general book on casting. There are important things in there you need to know before you face another wielder of magic.”
I nodded, a bit overwhelmed, but I’d figure it out, and take it a step at a time.
She said, “Why don’t you get started with that studying part. I’ll go make us lunch.”
I tilted my head, “You’re going to make me lunch?”
She smirked, and slid off the desk, and then crawled up on the chair and straddled me. She kissed me lingeringly, and my cock stirred when she sighed into my mouth in pleasure.
“I’m your servant in this life remember? Protector, lover, confidant, and advisor. I’m not in charge until this life is done. Plus, don’t complain, with an eternity of life behind me, I’m a very good cook.”
She ground down against me a little, “Later, work now, pleasure later.”
My eyes followed her as she got up and sauntered to the door. I knew her words were advice only, not orders. If I asked she’d be riding me right now, but she was right.
Then I had a thought, “What about my father’s enemies? Shouldn’t that be a priority, won’t they still be after me?”
She looked over her shoulder and smirked, “No, they won’t. You are no longer his heir, and my sister has no claim on your soul. You are mine now, and I am yours. Your father’s enemies no longer have a reason to attack you.”
I frowned. That was too easy, wasn’t it? She disappeared before I could ask her another question, like who those enemies were, but I supposed I had enough new trouble to worry about. I may have had power, but I needed to learn how to use it. Also, heirs, family line prote
ctor, and finally I’d need to build an accommodation of some sort with the local vampires, shifters, mages, and who knew what else would rear its head. Then I could worry about soul pacts, and what kind of life I wanted to lead the rest of the time.
Given that intimidating pile of goals, I guess I shouldn’t complain that I’d no longer be hunted by whoever sent Celeste and the demon goon, but something about it didn’t feel quite right. I felt like I was missing something. But… I had other more solid things to worry about, and I had no reason to doubt Lilith’s advice.
I’d better get to work. Lots to learn.
It was all rather ambitious, wasn’t it? Fuck, I really did miss Katia…
The head alpha barely restrained himself, as he held Gina up by her throat.
“Where is her stuff!”
After returning from his hunt last night, Carmine had informed him that he was unable to find any of Julia’s things. Without something to focus on, a personal object like a hair brush, toothbrush, or even a pillow case, the mages wouldn’t be able to find her in the city. Which meant he couldn’t send his team in to extract her from vampire territory.
Gina looked terrified, and was gasping for air through her constricted throat. It made him a little hard to see the panic in her eyes, she was a hot little thing and he loved it when she struggled. Curly golden blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and a voluptuous body built for sin. He hoped he didn’t have to kill her, she’d been his second favorite fuck toy after Julia, but if he had to make an example of her, he wouldn’t hesitate.
Gina’s eyes flickered behind him, and he tossed to the ground and turned. A fireplace.
Shit!
“Tell me you didn’t burn all her things.”
Gina said haltingly, “Julia took most of her personal stuff in a backpack, she burned the rest of it.”
“You stupid dumb bitch, why didn’t you stop her?”
Gina said, “It didn’t occur to me, I figured she was dead already.”
He grunted, “She might be at that, but you better hope not, because if I can’t make an example of her…” he trailed off menacingly.
He turned to Carmine, “Take apart the bitch’s bathroom if you have to. Find one of her hairs, shower drain, sink drain, I don’t care. She was in a hurry, and had to have missed something.”
He turned back to Gina, “Don’t make plans for tonight, you’re mine.”
Gina nodded, the fear clear in her eyes, along with a twisted desire, and he turned and stomped out the house. Stupid wolf, did he have to think of everything? Carmine better not screw this up, again. He wanted Julia to pay, and to do so in front of him…
Julia woke up in the alley, curled up like the cat she was, with her head resting on the old man’s leg. She didn’t move at first, and enjoyed the way his hand was petting her hair. So gentle, so unlike a shifter. She was enjoying it. She just wished there was something she could do outside of waiting to die. She’d give anything to see the end of that bastard Bennington. She also longed to be respected for more than her sexual appetite, and to find a true purpose. Surely being a sex slave for ten years wasn’t all her life was worth. Of course, that was just silly dreams and ideas being born from the gentle attention of a human, she pushed them down.
She was a little surprised the vampires hadn’t found her yet, but maybe her crazy idea had more validity than she’d thought at first. Most vampires were far too fastidious to enter the poor part of the city, where the homeless generally congregated.
She scented the trouble moments before it arrived, humans with violence on their minds. The old man startled when she rolled up to her feet in a smooth fast movement, and turned toward the entrance of the alley. A gang of young men came in, walking arrogantly with mischief on their minds. She could also scent the metal of the knives and guns they carried.
The old man startled her, by standing up and pushing her behind him, “Run girl, they’ll take you if you don’t.”
She laughed, a tinkling laughter so full of joy it shocked her back into silence. The old man’s gentle kindness had touched her more than she’d thought, maybe she wasn’t broken after all.
One of the men said, “Hey old man, whatcha got there?”
The old man said sternly, “Nothing for you boy.”
The young men laughed, and the guy in the lead pulled a switch blade and thumbed it open with a well-practiced move.
“This is our city old man, you’re going to regret that. Besides, we just want to get to know the young lady, isn’t that right lads?”
The other men crudely laughed, and she could scent their arousal and excitement, at both the idea of violence and getting their hands on her.
She kissed the old man’s cheek, and stepped around him, “You should all leave boys. Now.”
The leader whistled in appreciation as he ran his eyes up and down her voluptuous waspish body, and the beauty of her face.
“I’ll tell you what bitch, if you come with us all nice like, I’ll let the old man live.”
She shut her eyes and relaxed, and took in their rising scents of anticipated violence. She smiled and opened her eyes. She may not be able to handle the head alpha, but these idiots wouldn’t even make her work up a sweat. She lunged forward almost faster than they could track, grabbed the leader’s arm, and disarmed him as she flipped him over onto his back.
The rest of the gang reached for weapons, but it was already too late. She moved with catlike grace and speed among them, taking all of them down in moments. She hadn’t killed any of them, but they were all unconscious. She’d also enjoyed it. She bent down and started to disarm them all.
“What the hell was that?” the old man asked.
She could scent his disbelief, lust, and uncertainty.
She smiled back at him, “Time to move for the day?”
He barked a startled laugh, and shrugged, “I think I’m hallucinating, but a walk sounds nice, especially with a beautiful woman like you.”
She winked, and tossed all the weapons in a pile. She grabbed one of the cell phones they had, dialed nine one one, and dropped it on the leader’s chest. They’d be out for a while, long enough for the police to find them amidst a pile of weapons.
She walked back at the mesmerized old man, and held up some cash she lifted from the gang, “I’ve worked up a bit of an appetite.”
He grinned, “I know just the place.”
She took his arm as they walked down the alley and toward a nearby food place. She had a high metabolism, hopefully she’d be able to get enough to eat with the money she’d… liberated. If not, she’d figure something else out…
Chapter Eight
I’d worked hard the last few hours.
I watched in fascination as the green balefire licked along the skin of my arms, and over my hands. The affinity abilities weren’t all that hard to get working, now that I had access to infernal magic. It was an act of will really, I just had to want it to happen, and remain focused on it. If I lost focus, I’d lose the effect. Right then, I was shielded as well, and could feel Lilith’s magic in the kitchen with detect magic.
It wasn’t hard for me to focus on three things at once, I’d always been rather good at that sort of thing. I was very good at poker in college because of it, keeping track of the cards, keeping track of the other players’ tells, and suppressing my own all while keeping track of a conversation and having fun. Who knew poker night would come in so handy for training my mind to use magic?
I’d also read through the recommended book on basic spellcasting and dueling. Which was a bit complicated, but not too bad. The protection spell through my affinity would protect me from everything, but it took a lot of magic to do so. It was overkill to use and ate up a lot of magic, and meant for emergencies. There were separate spells that were both focused on a particular threat, and did so far more efficiently magic wise. Protection from fire, earth, air, water, general magic, which was something like a sleep spell or curse, and physical attacks.
Then in a duel, I could attack with spells, or with my affinity. For every attack, there was a counter spell which would interrupt it, and cause feedback to drain the enemy’s magic and even hurt them with their own magic. A countered spell would drain their magic quickly through their minds, and possible burn it out. So, it was wise to attack with a spell and drop it quickly, and then attack with something different while chipping down the opponent mages power.
So, on top of the seven thoughts to hold the protections, eight if I was using detect magic too, I’d have to cast offensive and counter spells, each one taking another thread of thought and concentration. Things got very complicated in a duel of master spell casters, there could be fifteen or twenty things happening at once. Which raised the difficulty from merely impossible, to ridiculously impossible.
Except, the first spell I learned was partition, it was in the spellcasting and dueling book itself. What it did was partition the mind into multiple segments, all with their own will to maintain spells. It was a bit weird at first to feel multiple copies of my mind, in my mind. According to the book the spell split the primary mind between two and five times, meaning three to six separate partitions, which could each hold separate spells at a time. The amount of splits when cast were dependent on how good the original mind was at multi-tasking, which for me was holding five thoughts at once, so I got five minds in total, each able to hold five thoughts.
So, in total, twenty-five threads of thought was suddenly possible. My head could get rather crowded. There was only one more level of expertise in the spell partition, six minds holding six thoughts for thirty-six in total, and I imagined it would take a lot of effort and practice to reach it, and that would take time. Still, I was starting off at a really good level, higher than the expectations in the book, so I’d take it.