Page 12 of A Seduction Of Death (Umbra Hunters #4)
TWELVE
Meyer
“ H e said that?” Orcus murmurs, leaning forward in his chair, elbows propped on his knees, as I recount the events that occurred after Elaine's death. “That Inanis is your Grandfather?”
“We knew that, didn’t we? Or at least that Meyer was of blood descent,” Creed asks in confusion, turning my hand so we can all see the red mark that has been suspiciously dark since I returned to the castle.
“We did, but not that she was so… closely related. Maybe from a child of his that had been lost during the war. Several of his descendants fled after he fell.”
“Why didn’t you hunt them down?” Nox asks, voice rough as he looks at his father in question. “Wouldn’t they have been cause for concern? What if one of them wanted to continue their father's mission?” Orcus shakes his head and sighs, pinching his nose between his thumb and forefinger. He looks so much like Nox does when he’s stressed that it's a little alarming.
“No. The opposite, actually. Inanis sired hundreds of children in his lifetime, breeding his own personal stock of magic he could harvest for himself. By the time Varick and I managed to end him, there were only three of his children left, or that we knew of at the time. Two we discovered when we found them locked in his dungeons. They were pulled from a room filled with dead children. All Inanis’ that he had gathered, then butchered for his own gain. The fact that they survived was a miracle. One lived for about a year after the wars but ended up passing due to the lack of magic already harvested from him. The other is still alive, though he has no use of his legs. His spine had been snapped. Then there was a younger child who was in Inanis’ personal chambers…” Orcus trails off, looking away from us with a pained expression.
“Jesthren,” Valen whispers and Orcus nods.
“I pulled him from his dead mother's arms, sobbing and covered in her blood. Your mother and I had been trying to conceive a child for years. When I brought Jesthren home, she took to him immediately and demanded we keep him as our own son, which I was happy to do. However, as he grew, he became more… powerful. He had strength that no Demon child should possess at that age. He accidentally hurt Valen during–”
“The hunt,” Valen whispers, eyes widening, arms tightening around me as I look up at him, seeing the color drain from his face. “That was Jes?”
“What happened?” Nox asks, brows furrowing, but Valen shakes his head, a grimace on his face as he recalls the memory.
“I was told it was a magic spell, a trap left over from the wars. It not only attacked me physically but immediately drained my magic reserves. I only survived because I hadn’t fully come into my magic yet. I wouldn't have made it if Father hadn't been there.” I inhale sharply at the thought and hold Valen a little tighter, resting my head on his chest and letting the sound of his heart calm me.
“Harvest magic?” I ask, Orcus’ words about Inanis standing out in my mind. “Didn’t you say some Demon Lords had died while we were in Versipellis? That their magic had been harvested?”
“Yeah, there were what?” Creed sits up and looks at Nox. “Three of them?”
“Six, actually,” Orcus corrects and sighs.
“You think Jes did it?” Nox asks.
“Um, I hate to point out the obvious, but he is Inanis’ son! So, yeah, I think it’s safe to assume it was him. Why didn't we know about that before now? Kinda important information to have,” Creed grumbles, looking at their father.
“Jesthren didn’t even know who his father was. That information is not something I want traveling around the palace. It would have been a risk to Jesthren’s safety!”
“That’s a moot point,” Valen mutters, cutting off Creed, who had opened his mouth to continue arguing with Orcus. “Jesthren knows who his birth father is. He said as much to Meyer. But him being the one who killed the Demon Lords does make sense. As far as I’m aware, no other Demon possesses such magic. I thought that particular trait had died off with Inanis.”
“No,” Orcus snarls and shakes his head. “I bound his magic myself after you nearly died. We were just about to have Raz and Arch living with us full-time and I wasn't about to risk you or the boys’ lives. Jesthren’s magic has been locked for over a century, and only a small amount is accessible to him so he wouldn't be defenseless. Jesthren can't harvest magic; he no longer has the ability.”
“That’s not true,” I whisper as I slowly piece together what Jesthren did to Elaine. “I felt Elaine's magic. She died, but her magic was still there.”
“It’s not possible,” Orcus says with a frown. “I’m sure something happened to your friend, but–”
“She’s right, Father,” Valen cuts him off. “I tracked Meyer up to the cave. I felt her magic along with Elaine’s. I could tell something was off about it. It had been altered but was still there. When a Hunter dies, all traces of their magic leave with them. I found the cave the morning after we came back. Elaine died the day before. There shouldn't have been a trace of her magic left by that point.”
Orcus stares at Valen in shock, then leans back in his chair, a breath wheezing between his lips as he shakes his head in denial.
“Wait, does that mean Meyer can harvest magic?” Creed asks, and I tense, looking at him in shock.
“No,” I clip out, shaking my head in denial. I’m not sure what harvesting magic actually entails besides stealing magic from another person, but I’m pretty sure I don’t have that ability. Creed looks at me and shrugs.
“You don't know that, Lemon Drop. You obviously have some kind of magic. Ever since that mark showed up on your wrist, you went from nothing, not even Hunter abilities, to possessing Demonic magic. Actually, it's even stronger since returning to the castle.” Creed frowns and leans forward, studying me and making me feel like a bug under a microscope.
“Stop it,” I bat at his shoulder, shoving him back a few inches.
“He’s not wrong. You have more than you did,” Nox agrees, and Orcus sits up, studying me.
“Her magic has been growing steadily for weeks. But it has had a boost. I simply chalked it up to traveling through the rift. She had a boost when she went to the Demon realm, so I figured it was the same results returning here,” Valen admits, and I look up, finding him staring at me with concern on his face.
“It would make sense for the first to happen. She returned to the origin of her magic. The Demon realm would have strengthened her as it does all of you. But not the other way around. Her magic should have returned to how it was before you came home, not strengthened. Have there been any other events that might have triggered magic use? Have you felt anything more since coming back to the human realm?” Orcus asks, and I shake my head and then frown. Shit, there was that showdown with Jesthren and the whole freezing the Beastia bit that I forgot about with everything that has happened.
“What about dreams? I’ve been monitoring them and haven't seen anything out of the ordinary,” Valen admits, and I sigh as I look over Nox’s shoulder to where Razar sits, watching me with a smirk on his annoyingly handsome face. He knows something happened with Jes; he had been there and fought his brother off at the end of it. He also knows that Nox is about to be super pissed off that I didn't mention that part to him, which is why he’s giving me that smartass look.
I mean, I did tell the guys the bulk of all the information I had. It’s not like I was keeping secrets. They knew Jesthren had threatened their lives and that he needed me to come with him because Inanis wanted me. I told them how Jesthren’s magic had confused me and I almost forgot what had happened, that Razar had shown up and chased him off before he could take me. But honestly, I forgot about the Beastia part and had no idea how to explain the rest of it. I planned to ask Valen after everything with Elaine was done, but it looks like my time on the subject has just expired.
“I… uh, there might have been something,” I admit, then cringe when Nox’s head whips in my direction, his expression darkening, and he leans forward, green eyes locked on my face as he glowers at me. Valen goes rigid under me and not in the good, fun way that I typically enjoy. Shit, I’m going to get in trouble. Razar’s smirk turns into a full-blown grin, and I fight the urge to flip him off again. I huff, choosing to ignore the giant prick and look up at Valen. “I was going to talk to you about it because I wasn't sure exactly what happened,” I try to explain as Nox jumps to his feet with a growl, striding forward until he towers above me.
“Calm down,” Creed chides, though he looks no happier than the other two.
“Explain,” Nox grinds out, and I roll my eyes, knowing he’s already assuming the worst.
“It’s not like that! I told you all what happened, and I didn't keep any important information from you. But there were a few things that I wasn’t sure how to explain… or if they actually happened,” I mutter with a grimace. I had been tired and fucking wrecked at the time. I wasn't thinking clearly and still unsure what happened or how it occurred.
“Like what?” Creed asks, pushing to his feet to stand by Nox, looking down at me. I wiggle in Valen’s lap, not liking them towering over me, but choose not to say anything, given they look pretty upset at the moment.
“When Jesthren was trying to take me before Raz showed up, there was magic floating in the air… uh, I guess maybe my magic?” I say with a shrug, the idea that I have any kind of magic seeming absurd. But hell, the idea of having claws would have freaked me the hell out a few weeks ago, and given I scratched the shit out of Nox’s back while he fucked me only a week ago, I guess I need to try and keep an open mind here.
“And?” Nox grits out.
“I’m pretty sure I attacked him for trying to mindfuck me,” I admit, though I honestly have no idea. “This thing got all glowy and shit,” I hold up my hand with the mark on my wrist. “Then red magic was everywhere. Black magic and some other colors joined the party, and things got kind of heated?” I try to explain.
“In what way?” Creed asks, crossing his arms over his chest as his brows knit together.
‘It literally felt like I was on fire. I could feel whatever magic was coming from me wrap around his wrist like it was holding onto him. I was angry.. What happened with Elaine was still so fresh in my mind, and he was threatening you guys.” I shake my head, not sure what else to say.
“You grabbed onto him? Not the other way around?” Valen asks in surprise, and I nod.
“Yeah. He told me to stop. Mentioned dying or something,” I grimace and shrug. “Everything after that's a bit foggy. I woke up finding Raz attacking him; you know the rest from there.”
“Woke up?” Creed asks, eyes widening. “You fucking passed out and didn’t mention that?”
“I’m obviously fine,” I grumble up at him as he looks at Raz, who winces and I grin. Oh, he thought I was the only one in trouble here, but he totally knew I passed out and didn’t tell his brothers, and by the look Creed is giving him, he’s now in deep shit too.
“Hmm, that's troubling. Has the mark given you any problems since that event?” Orcus asks, waving Creed off when he tries to get angry with us. I shoot Creed a smile, hoping to soften him up a bit before looking around Nox to see Orcus and shake my head in response to his question.
“The mark’s been dark ever since. Nothing’s happened.”
“Good. That’s good,” he mutters more to himself than to us.
“Pup,” Razar growls, and I turn, startling at finding him standing by my side. What the actual fuck. How is he so quiet? “You forgetting something?” he asks, and Nox groans, grabbing a chair to sit down.
“There’s more?” Creed groans, shooting me a look that tells me he’s highly unimpressed.
“I’m going to have a panic attack before this night’s over,” Nox complains. “What else happened, Meyer? The whole fucking story, so I don’t have a damn heart attack. Please,” he tacks on the end, running a hand down his face and looking a little sick.
“Right, uh, well… I might have controlled the Beastia when they tried to attack Raz,” I admit, making the room fall into complete silence. I hold my breath and wait, then wait a little longer before Creed starts to curse and pace in front of us.
“How?” Orcus asks, standing from his chair and looking far too interested in this new discovery. “How exactly did you manage that?”
“No,” Nox growls, cutting him off, shoving himself to his feet, and stepping in between us. “It doesn’t fucking matter how or why the answer is no!”
“Lennox, you know as much as I do what this will mean for our world, for the protection of our kingdom and people!” Orcus snaps, his eyes never leaving me as he nods, shoving his son out of his way as he gets closer. “Tell me.”
“I don’t know. One of them was jumping for Razar and I told it to stop, and it did,” I whisper, looking at Nox in confusion.
“No!” Nox snarls as Orcus looks at Raz who nods, confirming my story. My eyes bounce between Nox, who looks seconds away from Demoning out, to his father, who looks… relieved? Okay, what the hell am I missing here?
“It’s not happening,” Creed says, stepping next to Nox and glaring at his dad.
“What’s not?” I ask, trying to figure out what they’re talking about.
“You know as well as I do that this answers our problems. Someone is controlling the Beastia, and they are killing innocent lives. She is the answer to that problem. If she can get close enough to control them–”
“This is not your choice. Meyer is my mate!” Nox bellows just as Creed elbows him in the side with a glower, and Nox curses but instantly corrects himself. “Our mate. You don't get to decide what she does.”
“Neither do you,” I point out, not liking how he’s acting like I’m a possession for him to control. I roll my lips together to hide my smile when I’m met with two angry glares, and I shrug, not sorry for the words. Sure, I’ve been more cooperative with them lately because, let's face it, I’ve put them through hell with all the worrying. But they need to remember they can’t control every aspect of my life. Ultimately, it’s my decision what I do.
Orcus smiles at me and nods. “See, she wants to help.”
“She didn't say that,” Razar growls, surprising me by jumping into the conversation. Typically, he’s the silent observer, hiding in the shadows, but he looks as upset with Orcus as Nox and Creed. I look at Valen and find him staring at me with an apologetic smile on his face.
“Do you want me to cut in and separate them?” he asks, nodding at Orcus, then Nox and grins.
“You would do that?” I ask, and he nods. “Have I ever told you that you're my favorite?” I tease, batting my eyelashes at him and making him chuckle, just as a deep growl cuts through the air and Razar whacks me upside the head. It's not a hard hit, in fact, I hardly feel it at all besides the shift of my hair, but it takes me by surprise all the same. Tilting my head back, I glare at the fucker. “Did you just smack me upside the head?”
“No favorites,” he growls back, glaring at Valen, who starts to shake with laughter under me.
“I’m going to cut your balls off, and don’t think I won’t, because Creed taught me how,” I snap when he gives me a disbelieving look. “Why are you such an ass today?”
“How would you feel if I had a favorite?” he rasps back, his frown deepening as he leans down, bringing his face closer to me so only Valen and I can hear him. Creed and Nox’s voices raise as they continue to argue with their dad, Nox saying something ridiculous about being in charge of me that I mentally shelve for a later date so I can kick his ass.
“You do! It's Nox,” I point out, making Raz pull back and blink at me in surprise. “You would save him before anyone else.”
“I–” Raz stalls, looking like a deer caught in the headlights just as Nox loses his shit.
“I said NO !” Nox roars, tugging all of our attention back toward him. Horns curl from Nox’s temples, twisting back into his long black hair as his fingernails lengthen into deadly sharp claws.
“Aw, fuck. Is it too late for that intervention you were talking about?” I ask Valen, who nods and gives Nox an unimpressed look.
“Valen,” Razar growls, stepping forward, his eyes shifting from green to black in seconds as he watches their father with an intensity that makes me think his Beastia is slowly taking control. I gasp when I’m suddenly lifted into the air, my head spinning at how quickly we move as Valen nods and carries me from the room.