Chapter 46 A Piece of Cheesecake #2
Asmodiel took a seat on the couch in a sitting area by an unlit fireplace.
My dad and I stood behind him, hands tucked behind our backs, while the other four demons took spots along the wall.
Another assistant came in with a tray holding a teapot, cup, saucer, and a selection of tea bags, then scurried back out, leaving us alone.
No one said anything as Asmodiel prepared his drink.
After what felt like an hour, but was probably no more than a few moments, sound from outside the door caught my attention. I picked up Victor’s voice immediately, but there was another one.
Soft, yet… strong.
Very strong.
I couldn’t even make out the words, but something about the tone and cadence made the hairs at the back of my neck stand up.
It was disarming, at a time when I couldn’t risk being disarmed.
The doors opened, and Victor strode in, looking healthy and glamour free, and Sage…
My throat tightened, my chest constricting as the scent of her washed over me.
My Sage.
My mate.
She shuffled behind him, her eyes downcast. Dressed in a high-neck, billowy blouse tucked into a pencil skirt. Her scars artfully covered. Her hair tamed. Her makeup subtle yet refined.
She’d never looked less like herself.
As much as I didn’t want to keep my eyes off her, the owner of the other voice came in next, and suddenly it became difficult to breathe for an entirely different reason.
I had no words for the type of Magik before us. I couldn’t even tell what he was—he didn’t fit any Magik race, and he carried no scent to determine his designation. Everything and nothing all at once. A face hidden by a black priest’s robe, his skin gray and pallid.
What the hell was going on?
“Asmodiel, so good to see you,” Victor crooned, extending his hand. Asmodiel stood to take it, and the doors shut tightly.
No cameras, no reporters. This was a private meeting to discuss a serious matter.
Apparently.
“Victor, you’re looking well. I suppose you owe it all to your mate?”
Victor beamed.
Beamed.
Beamed as he put his arm where it didn’t belong around Sage’s shoulders, pulling her forward. “Yes, this is Sage. Sage, this is Premier Asmodiel Hellmora.”
She bowed her head. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Even her voice was wrong. Cut off at the knees and weakened.
When her face raised, her nostrils flared, and she zeroed in on me. Her eyes widened in shock and recognition.
And maybe fear.
We weren’t telepathic or anything, but I willed my thoughts towards her in strange hope that she might receive the message.
I have my army. I’m storming the gates. I’m here to rescue you…
Please forgive me.
The Premiers took their seats. Victor pulled Sage onto his lap, while the man—at this point, I wasn’t even sure I could call the figure before us a man—stood behind him.
His one dark priest to our six demon gangsters-slash-guards.
Victor was not a careless man. If he thought he only needed one person to be his security, he was probably right.
Another unknown variable.
Fuck.
I bristled as Victor spoke to Asmodiel, his hand running up and down Sage’s back like she was nothing more than a cat on his lap. A kept pet for his amusement.
I cracked my knuckles.
Asmodiel leaned forward slightly, fingers steepled. “Best to get down to business. We’ve completed the sweep of the Basin. The bodies of the non-omega students have all been located, examined, and returned to their families.”
Victor’s gaze flicked toward Sage. “And the omegas?”
“Still missing,” Asmodiel said evenly, his voice smooth but sharp.
“The others… well, they’re dead. But there are no wounds, no magic traces, and nothing visible.
It’s as though someone, or something, sucked the life right out of them.
” He paused, letting the words settle. “I would almost attribute the attack to a nest of vampires suffering bloodlust, as it seems more like your Magik’s MO.
But these victims’ bodies are intact and bear no marks at all.
It’s like they all just fell down dead at the same time. ”
Victor’s dark eyes narrowed, clocking the insult yet saying nothing.
My jaw clenched and my fists itched. I kept them tucked behind my back, though, keeping steady. Breathe. Eyes. Focus. I couldn’t look at Sage, because then Victor would notice, and I needed to wait, needed to be ready.
I counted every exit, every item in the room that could be used as a weapon: chair, lamp, plant, table leg, Asmodiel’s leg…
Asmodiel took a sip of his tea and continued, his voice clipped but polite. “We’ve also hired a witch specializing in locating missing persons. She’ll work alongside our search-and-rescue teams to trace any lingering threads. We need to find the omegas before anything else happens.”
“Discreet?” Victor asked. “I don’t want this turning into a spectacle.”
“As discreet as possible,” Asmodiel confirmed. “No press allowed, and all statements are coming from my office.” He glanced briefly at Victor, then returned to his notes. “If these students were truly targeted, we cannot afford mistakes or delays.”
I watched the subtle deference in Sage’s posture, the way her head dipped slightly toward him while her eyes were drawn down, avoiding me.
Breathe, I reminded myself. Keep focused.
Timing. Angles. Cover. Every piece mattered.
Victor’s hand stopped at Sage’s lower back, drifting around her side as he pulled her in closer. I suppressed the growl threatening to be unleashed. “Good. Keep me looped in. I want those omegas found. Alive, if possible.”
“They are a precious resource.”
The whole room hushed as the dark priest spoke.
“Resource?” Asmodiel asked, the word we all wanted clarified.
“Yes,” he replied, his creepy hand landing on Sage’s shoulder.
It made my skin itch.
“So pliable. So accommodating. They make the perfect mates. Don’t you think so, Victor?”
Her expression slackened, but I couldn’t tell if it was a natural response or something the dark priest was doing to her.
“Yes, Sanguiel certainly blessed me with my omega mate.”
Now I really wanted to throw up. Mates could be between any designations, and the fetishization of omegas, of Sage, was getting to be too much. If Asmodiel didn’t drop the signal soon, I was going rogue.
“I’m sorry,” Asmodiel said, his voice tentative. “I don’t think we’ve been introduced.”
The dark priest gave a low bow. Almost too low, crossing the line from respectful to mocking. “Arch-Hierophant Vorthain, at your service.”
Arch-Hierophant? What a stupid fucking title.
“Vorthain has become my most trusted advisor,” Victor explained. “He’s helped me in several matters, not least of all in developing my mate bond with Sage.”
He ran his nose along her neck, and she closed her eyes. Why wouldn’t she meet my eyes?
Look at me, please.
“Our bond is unconventional, to say the least. We had some growing pains, but Vorthain saw us through them.”
Even my dad shifted uncomfortably next to me. If this situation could manage to creep out Kenzo Oniguro, you knew it was fucked up.
“I wasn’t aware mate bonds were something that needed assistance,” Asmodiel replied, saying out loud what we were all thinking. What was painfully obvious about Victor’s lies.
Vorthain smiled. “I simply wish to correct a system which is far from perfect. But enough about my success here. Please tell me more about this witch whom you’ve hired.”
As Asmodiel gave a brief rundown, I finally caught Sage’s eye, and my heart pounded so hard, I thought it was trying to escape through my chest just to be closer to her.
“In any case, preliminary reports from the witch should be ready shortly. Now,” he said, clapping his hands. “Before I leave, I’ve been dying for a slice of Noctis cheesecake.”
Fire lit under my skin.
Showtime.