Agent Dark- Vegas Read online

  “Market green salad with grilled salmon,” Vesper said.

  “That’s pretty healthy. You feeling OK?”

  Vesper grinned between bites of salad. “Tomorrow I fully intend on gorging on all sorts of bad choices. Tonight, I’ll be healthy and give my body a rest before I abuse it.”

  Kat laughed. “Now that I believe.”

  A knock at the door interrupted them. Kat took one last longing look at Vesper’s food before heading to the door.

  Dexter stood outside the room. “Ready?”

  “Yes. Your timing is impeccable. If you’d been five minutes later, I might’ve killed Vesper for her salad.”

  “No, you wouldn’t,” Vesper yelled from the kitchen. “Two minutes and this bad boy will be gone.”

  “Don’t worry. I thought you’d be especially hungry after all the magic you’ve used in the last few days, so I arranged for our meeting to be a dinner meeting. How does a forty-four-ounce porterhouse steak sound?”

  “Like heaven. Let’s go.”

  As they entered the elevator, Kat was glad they had it to themselves, at least for a few seconds. She wanted to know what was going on. “So why the meeting?”

  “The Council is in town for the trial, and it made sense to connect with them. They’ve been requesting a meeting for a couple weeks now, but I’ve been putting them off.”

  “Why have you been putting them off?”

  “The Council is anxious to know more about you, but I don’t want them putting pressure on you. You’ll figure out your magic on your own time, not theirs.”

  “Thanks, Dexter. But I think I’ve had a bit of a breakthrough on that front. Spending time at Safe Haven with Daemon was very helpful.”

  Dexter raised an eyebrow. “He teach you something new?”

  “More like he made me realize I didn’t need my training ring anymore. It was holding me back.”

  The elevator opened and Dexter led her to Scarpetta, an Italian restaurant.

  “Reservation for Dexter Duvane.”

  The maître d’ checked the list. “Yes, come this way. The other members of your party are already here.”

  The young woman led them to a corner table, where Kat spotted Bern Mevdi and another man sitting with him. Bern was as elegantly dressed as he’d been when they first met, and the second man was wearing a suit, but one that seemed like it might’ve been bought off the rack, whereas Bern’s suit looked like it had been custom cut. Both rose as they arrived at the table.

  “Dexter, Kat,” Bern said. “This is Mazidern Joharn, a... an associate from Unreha.”

  “A pleasure to meet you both,” Mazidern said. “Please call me Mazi.”

  “Nice to meet you, Mazi,” Kat said. Mazi, as he called himself, was a dark-haired man who looked to be in his early forties. If he’d been from Earth, Kat would’ve said he looked Mediterranean with his olive skin tone, but as he was from Unreha, she had no idea if this was his true form or if he was using a glamor to look human.

  Once they all sat down, Bern Mevdi turned to Kat. “I asked Mr. Duvane to arrange this meeting to discuss your bloodlines. As you know, ever since we found out that there was a draia here in America, we’ve been trying to figure out which family you might belong to.”

  “Yes, I know that. Have you found something out?” Kat asked.

  “Yes. Indeed, we have. As you know, the MBI has been keeping us informed of your activities, and the most recent reports indicated you’d discovered an ability you referred to as... spider spunk?”

  Dexter shot Kat a look.

  Kat blushed. She’d forgotten the she’d put that into her report. At the time she’d been more than a little freaked out about her new ability and had called it much worse, but usually had managed to keep her more colorful comments out of her official reports. That one must’ve slipped through the cracks. “Yes. I suppose I did say that. But that isn’t accurate anymore.”

  Bern raised one of his eyebrows. “Care to elaborate?”

  “I’ve been training with another MBI agent and we explored using my magic without the training ring. The results were far different without the ring. Instead of thin little lines of magic that reminded me of spider webs, it is now more like sticky snow ropes that bind to who or whatever I fire them at. It also seems more effective against demons than it does other paranormals.”

  Bern cursed under his breath and then turned to his associate. “It seems you might be right about your theory, Mazidern.”

  Mazidern nodded and looked at Kat again. “The magic that you are describing, this spider spunk or snow magic, it is actually called silver thread. It is the magic of one of the royal bloodlines.”

  “Royalty? But why would a royal family abandon me in America?” Kat asked.

  “The history of Unreha is filled with upheaval and conquered peoples, not unlike your world’s history,” Bern Mevdi said. “The royal bloodlines Mazidern speaks of are not in power at this time. In fact, they are in hiding and being hunted down.”

  “Which explains why you’d be hidden in this world until you came of age,” Mazi explained. “A young draia with your powers could change the balance of power, depending on which royal parents you have.”

  “Officially, the Unreha Council does not recognize you as being of a royal bloodline,” Bern Mevdi said. “Your description of spider spunk cannot be taken as a sign of royal blood and as such my part in this conversation is over. If any more official documentation of your heritage arises, I shall be in contact again. I’ll be retiring to my room now.” Bern got up and with a quick nod left them.

  Kat was confused, and it must’ve shown on her face, as Mazi smiled. “It’s OK. Bern is doing us a favor. Politics in Unreha are as complicated as they are in this world, and by not recognizing you as royal blood, Bern doesn’t have to notify anyone of what he’s learned here. But he also had to step away from the conversation so that his involvement is minimal.”

  “I see,” Kat said, even though she didn’t fully understand what was going on. “How do you fit into this situation?”

  “That is a story unto itself. Mr. Duvane, I’m led to believe you originally came from Unreha. Is that correct?”

  “Long ago, but yes, it is.”

  “Could you please describe Unreha politics to our young friend?”

  Dexter nodded. “Yes, I suppose that would be helpful. Kat, politics in Unreha are far more complicated and dangerous than in our world. The important families have spies everywhere, and if another family threatens their position, assassination is a preferred method of dealing with problems. I don’t know much about the draia families, but what Bern said makes sense. If you are of a royal bloodline, you will have many enemies, and Bern, as a member of the Unreha Council, will have to report back to the Council and their allies in Unreha. The more he knows about you, the more your enemies know.”

  “OK, but that doesn’t tell me anything about you, Mazi.”

  “No, I just wanted to make sure you understood the danger you are in, and the danger I am in by meeting with you. The decision to come here and see for myself if you are who I think you are was not one made lightly. As Bern Mevdi may have informed you before, the draia have no council right now. We’re a fractured people. Several prominent draia families have made alliances with outside factions such as the Fae High Court, the Elven Council, and others. They are all vying for influence and don’t want the traditional royal draia council to rise to power again. The Joharn family, my family, has been loyal to one of the royal families even though it has cost us much influence and bloodshed. We’ve kept our loyalty, but also have had to keep that loyalty hidden. The royal family that we protect is the Derkami family—one of the oldest royal bloodlines of Unreha, but also one of the smallest families. When the Derkami family lost the throne to betrayal, the family was hunted, and till this day they are in danger.

  “You believe I’m a Derkami?” Kat asked.

  “Derkami translates to ‘protectors of the dark.’ And
one of the matriarchs of the family was named Katherine. I don’t find it a coincidence that you’ve been given the name Katherine Dark.”

  Kat took a deep breath and ran a hand through her hair. She’d always wondered about the origins of her name. It had been on the paperwork given to the orphanage she’d been dropped off at. But that had been the end of the information—no address, no family members, or any other details. Just that her name was Katherine Dark. “Do you know who my parents are, then?”

  “I believe your father is Carelle Derkami. Who you mother is? That is a different question, as your father has never married and there are no records of a child.”

  “What makes you so sure that this Carelle is my father?”

  “He’s the only member of the Derkami family that fits the profile. There are several male members of the Derkami family that are the right age to have borne a child at that time, but they are families that already have children and are not a threat to others, as they aren’t direct descendants of the royal family. Carelle is one of the last descendants of Derkami bloodlines who could claim the throne, until you.”

  “Why hasn’t he done it, then?”

  “Assuming power in Unreha requires many things. You have to have the right bloodlines, power, and allies. You can rise to power without the bloodlines if you have the power and allies. But the bloodlines without power are nothing.”

  “And my father, Carelle, doesn’t have power?”

  “No, he doesn’t. He was forced into a situation early in life where he had to choose between magic and family. A trap was laid, and to save a family member, Carelle literally used every bit of magic he had to save her. He basically burned himself out. He can still use magical weapons and trinkets, but his draia magic is basically gone.”

  “Are you sure about all this, or is it just conjecture? Have you spoken to Carelle? Asked him if he was my father?”

  Mazi shifted nervously. “No. Your father is in hiding. I would like to find him, but it isn’t a simple task. Whether you are his child or not isn’t certain, but what is certain is that you are of the same bloodline. Your silver-thread magic proves that.”

  “OK. Saying that I am of this royal bloodline, what does it mean?”

  “It means you’re going to be hunted,” Mazi said. “There are too many alliances that don’t want the Derkami to rise to power. That you exist, a Derkami offspring, and from all accounts, a very powerful one, threatens those alliances.”

  “Even though I have no intentions of going to Unreha?” Kat asked.

  “Just being alive threatens the balance of power, I’m afraid. That is why you were put into foster care in this world. Not because your parents didn’t love you, but to protect you. Everything you’ve gone through in this life is nothing to the pain and suffering you would’ve gone through growing up in Unreha, assuming you lived long enough to suffer.”

  Kat frowned. Whoever Mazi truly was, he wasn’t a bringer of good news. That she was some sort of royal offspring sent to Earth for her own protection might explain a lot of things, but it also opened a door into a world she wanted nothing to do with. Unreha could deal with Unreha’s problems. She was content to live in Boston. She finally had friends and a purpose in life, and she’d read enough history books to know that it never worked out well for the bastard child of royalty when they were removed from power. “Assuming I believe any of this, what are you expecting of me?”

  “Nothing,” Mazi said. “I’m here to warn you. You might’ve gained the majority of your powers now, but you’re still a babe in the woods when it comes to using them. I’m here to warn you that it is only a matter of time before your enemies come for you. As I said before, politics in Unreha are complicated. I can’t openly support you in any way, and can’t acknowledge who you truly are.”

  “I suppose that’s fair. But am I just supposed to go into hiding now? Wait for some mysterious assassins from Unreha to knock on my door?”

  “No. Quite the opposite,” Mazi said. “I think you should keep doing what you’ve been doing. Work with the MBI, continue to hone your skills, but you also need to learn to embrace your dark side. You need to truly understand your relationship to the underworld. That is your only hope of surviving.”

  “What do you mean by that? Embrace the dark side? What am I? Some sort of fucking Jedi?”

  Mazi looked confused. He turned to Dexter. “I don’t know this term, Jedi. What does it mean?”

  “It means Kat watches too many movies. Ignore her comment and continue explaining.”

  “Very well,” Mazi said. “What I mean by dark side is your family’s royal gifts. All draia have a special connection to the underworld. You already have felt this. Demons are drawn to you, and you can track them. Your silver thread powers can both be a weapon and a way of restraining demons. But that isn’t the only powers you have. Royal draia can call on demons to serve them.”

  Kat shook her head. “Oh hell no. I’ve seen what demons do. There’s no way that I’m going to call on demons for anything.”

  Mazi sighed. “You’ve seen a fraction of the demons and spirits from the underworld. The ones you’ve encountered thus far have been low-level demons that are easily corrupted and ones that are basically animals. Nothing more than base creatures who desire to hunt and cause pain. Not all demons are the same. Many demons have a higher intelligence and even a moral code equivalent to any being from Unreha or Earth.”

  “You’re saying there are good demons?”

  Mazi shrugged. “Good and evil are constructs based on one’s own morality and sense of right and wrong. The underworld has different rules from this world, as does Unreha. And the heavens aren’t all saints and innocents as your religions claim.”

  “Let me guess. It’s complicated,” Kat said.

  “Indeed,” Mazi said. “The gods are complex, as are the children. You humans are no less complicated than any of the other realms. Do you judge all humans by the actions of a few?”

  Kat took a deep breath. She felt like she was getting accused of racism against demons. “OK. I get what you’re saying. Not all demons are created equal. But what does that have to do with me? Why do I have these powers? And how am I supposed to use them?”

  “That you are royalty doesn’t just connect you to Unreha—it also means you are royalty in the Underworld. The draia are responsible for maintaining the balance between worlds. A few human mages bringing demons into this world to do their bidding is meaningless in the big picture, but if a rift between worlds were to occur and too many demons entered Earth or Unreha, it could change the natural order of things. Historically, humans have done a good job of dealing with demons, so there has been no need for draia here. But as I mentioned, the royal bloodlines aren’t just able to track and kill demons. They can command them, by force if necessary, but depending on the type of demon, many gladly serve a royal draia for the experience of being on Unreha. Earth would be an equally appetizing reason to serve. Other demons would serve you simply because they understand the purpose of draia and believe that the balance between realms must be maintained.”

  “You’re still not telling me how to use those powers.”

  “You’ll have to learn how to develop those powers on your own. They are innate powers like your silver thread. I’m not of royal blood, so I cannot explain how to do it. But I’m told you cohabit with a witch, is that not correct?”

  “I do live with a witch, but we aren’t a couple if that is what you mean.” Kat said warily.

  “I mean witches can call on creatures of the underworld. You should call on a spirit that would willingly serve you, build a bond with one of the demons so that you can better understand the bond between you and the underworld.”

  “Wait. You want me to bring a demon to Earth to be buddies with? Are you crazy?”

  “I’m suggesting that if you want to survive, you will embrace your family’s gifts. A demon spirit can possess the body of a lower-level creature. You would have a demon-s
pirit pet.”

  “Oh, that’s just great. You want me to take some poor puppy and inject a demon spirit into it?”

  “If the idea gives you pause, consider an animal that’s near its death. The demon powers will take over the body and remove any pain the creature is feeling. You’d be doing the animal a favor.”

  “All right. That doesn’t sound so terrible. I’ll consider it. But what about my friends and the MBI? Won’t they be in danger from the demon?”

  “No. The danger your friends and fellow agents face is from those who’d hunt you.”

  “That is danger we accept,” Dexter said. “None of your friends are going to abandon you because of your situation. You’re not going to face this alone, Kat.”

  “I have to admit this is all a little overwhelming,” Kat said. “I don’t know what to do.”

  “Why don’t we do nothing? After this meal is done, you go back to your room, get some sleep, and then have that girls’ day tomorrow. Blow off some steam, have some fun, and we’ll figure things out from there,” Dexter said.

  “Your companion is right, Kat. I’m afraid there isn’t much more I can do to enlighten you about your situation. During the trial, I will be here, but after that I won’t be returning. It would draw too much attention to you. Bern Mevdi is trustable, but he will likely also be the one who reveals your true nature. It is his job to report to the Council, and he can only hide so much. Eventually, news of your exploits will reach the Council, and then your enemies. There is little that can be done at this point other than continue to train and learn your abilities.”

  “Thank you for coming, Mazi. I’d like to speak to you again before you return to Unreha if that is possible, but first I need to think about everything you’ve said.”

  Mazi smiled. “Of course. And know I will do what I can to help you. My family’s loyalty is to the Derkami. I will do what I can to protect you, and when the time comes, follow you if you choose to take your rightful place.” Mazi then rose. “I should go now. The longer I’m here, the more likely someone sees us together. Always be on guard, Kat. Your enemies could come at any time. Use your connection to the underworld to defend yourself.”