Black Spark (Dark Magic Enforcer Book 1) (19 page)

Ankine Luisi's Tale

"You know her history, right?" I nodded. "She's as old as time, Spark. Maybe older. You think of me and even Taavi as old, and he is a lot older than me, but it's nothing. A blip. Meaningless. Even some on the Dark Council are millennia older than him or I, and we are but still children. Imps, trolls, fae, elves, the true Hidden, they are the ancient ones. Creatures of the world, or the world behind this facade we find ourselves raging against, at any rate."

"Magical creatures."

"Yes. Magic was here long before humans, and will be long after we are gone. It's why it hurts so much, but you know this. It isn't our place, not really, but we are human so, as usual, we force the issue. Such is life. Our nature is to push the boundaries, and you can't blame us for wanting to use magic any more than you can blame a troll for eating chalk."

"Haha, they do love that stuff."

Rikka ignored me—he was on a roll. "And in ages past, the succubi, and incubi, have always thrived when mankind thrived. More people, more superstition and magic, always meant more of their kind. They have many names in many cultures. Qarînah in Arabic folklore, Yakshini in India, the list goes on. Succubi are always depicted as beautiful, voluptuous women who take what they want from men in their dreams, or by their power over the weak minds of males. Ring any bells?" Rikka smirked at me.

"Yeah, maybe," I mumbled.

"Of course, they are all just stories, but as with all myths they are based on the truth. Ankine—"

"You gonna be long? I got stuff to do." Oliver leaned against the dining room door, smirking. Plum was next to him in a flash, ready to fight to the death if need be.

"Get out. NOW!" Rikka would put up with a lot, but failing to show respect for the man he was, not just his position, would never be tolerated. Especially by what he saw as nothing but the lackey of a truly evil creature.

Oliver bowed and left. "Touchy," he said, reappearing for a second.

"He's got to go. I mean it, Spark."

"I know." Like my day wasn't bad enough already.

"Now, as I was saying. Ankine Luisi is an ageless succubus. She has known many names and many countries. Has known countless men and given birth to innumerable children. But, for us, and for as long as anyone from either Council can remember, she has been the Armenian. She has always done as she wishes, and nobody dares try stop her as she cannot be stopped. Until recently Armenia remained her home."

"Shame she didn't stay there."

"That was good for us, but not good for them. You have to take a global view of things these days. No country is isolated any more, and it makes life a lot harder for us all. But it is what it is. For years now, hundreds, she has roamed the world, locked to this realm. She has visited us for so long that she is now part of it. She belongs here and cannot just come and go as she pleases and appear in men's dreams then vanish.

"Those times are long behind her, have been for centuries. She is locked out of the true Hidden world. She stayed here too long, too often, and this is how she survives now—as a physical entity that has to obey the laws of travel. I hear she even eats and drinks now. Even has an interest in fashion and home decor if you can believe it. Such is the modern age."

"Rikka, I know all this. I know what she is. What I want to know is what she has done."

"My dear boy, have patience. Indulge me. It's important you know the details."

"Sorry, Rikka." He was covering old ground, but maybe it was just his fatherly instinct—which I was amazed at him for sharing—rearing up and wanting to ensure I could be as safe as possible.

"We, the Council, none of us normally know where she is or what she is doing. She is secretive, moves like a ghost, and one minute she is mixing with royalty in some unheard of small European country, looking like she will be the next Queen, the next she pops up living a seemingly normal life as a secretary in some city or other. She gets bored, craves new experience. New men. She is still entirely a magical being, but she remains here, in physical form, showing her true self only to the man she has chosen."

"And you sent me to deal with her. Goddamn!"

"Only because I knew you could. Or at least convince her to stay away from the man she currently has enthralled and under her control."

About time. "Who is this guy? Why now? She's been around forever, as you say, so why the urgency now?"

"Because, my dear boy, she has taken a shine to Mage Teppo Quimby, Ambassador of the Finnish Dark Council, next expected Head, and both Councils are less than happy about the situation. Neither her impertinence, nor his foolishness to be so easily enamored by the likes of her. It does not bode well for his future, even if you extricate him from this mess, but it bodes even worse for him, and us all, if this continues much longer. Who knows what he has told her already. It doesn't bear thinking about."

"Blimey." In other company I would have used a strong expletive, but in many ways Rikka is a throwback to times long gone, and he will not abide what he calls base language. It's not in his nature to use vulgar vocabulary when he still revels in the joy of language and all it has to offer. I think he can speak almost every language there is, so refuses to accept swearing as part of a modern and educated person's conversation.

"Yes, blimey, indeed. Teppo and I go way back. Way, way back. I've known him for centuries and he is a good man, if a little wayward now and then. Teppo is an accomplished mage, with strong connections to the Empty, and he is from the homeland. But, and this is strictly between us, Spark," I nodded, "he is not Head material, and this proves it. He is too wild and reckless. Never thinks enough about business, and has repeatedly failed to do as he is told by his Council or the Hidden Council. He thinks he knows best sometimes, and he likes to drink and party. He's probably blown his entire career. Almost seven hundred years and he still hasn't learned how to act like a grown-up. Well, it is a shame, but you were sent to bring him to me, so I could arrange his passage home and give him a talking to."

"A talking to?" This did not bode well for Teppo. A talking to from Rikka, with all Council's agreement, was not something you wanted.

"Yes, a talking to." Rikka stared at me with those eyes of his, those intelligent, fat, sunken eyes wise beyond even his nine hundred years, and had to say no more. We both knew what it meant and it would not be good for Teppo.

"You were to go get him, and deal with Ankine Luisi."

"Oh, so just another enforcer job?" I said, wishing I had never woken from my dream-state of the morning that already felt like a lifetime ago.

"No, Spark, definitely not. This is important. To me, to you, to all of us. Why do you think I chose you?" I stared at him blankly. He sighed at my ineptitude. "Because you're the best, Faz Pound, that's why. You act like a right idiot at times, you and your suits, and your wisecracks, but you are the best enforcer I have ever had. I trained you."

"Wow! Um, thanks."

"So don't blow it twice," he said, leaning forward and staring at me. "There will be no more chances after this, Spark. I won't be able to protect you if you fail. This is out of my hands, an international affair, and there is no way the Council, or the vampires, will let you off. They won't care about the consequences. Taavi will punish you for failing, for leaving unfinished business that you have been tasked with. You know how it works."

I knew how it worked all right. If you were given a job it was your job. It didn't matter who else got involved, or how you dealt with it, as long as you abided by our rules. The only thing that mattered was the job got completed. There are records, there are Laws, there are many things we can do, but there is no forgiveness. There is certainly no mercy.

"I think I'll get going now. Lots to do, people to see, wizards to save and succubus to capture."

"That's my boy. And he's a mage, Spark, a mage." Rikka gave me a weak smile and put his half-eaten sandwich back down on the plate. I hadn't realized things were quite that serious until then. "Don't forget your sidekick," warned Rikka.

"I won't."

I left. I even forgot to ogle Plum. It was becoming a habit.

As I dodged wayward undead and made my way back to the car where I could see Oliver waiting, I wondered what to do about the vampire. Rikka had made his instructions clear, and it was unlike him, as usually he did what he could to maintain the peace.

It's always a delicate balancing act with the vampires as they are so hot-headed and prone to acting before thinking. Rikka usually keeps well out of their way as there is nothing to be gained from becoming embroiled in their business. And besides, they will have nothing to do with the Dark Council, thinking it beneath them, having their own Vampire Council, with Taavi as its Head.

They have their rules, the rest of us have ours, but all creatures of magic follow a few basic Laws that have remained unchanged for as long as anyone can remember. You stay Hidden, you do not interfere with the business of other races or species, and the Hidden Council has final say. Always.

Even Taavi acknowledges the Hidden Council. If he and other Heads throughout the world didn't, well, vampires would be wiped off the planet quicker than you could say sorry.

For Rikka to basically tell me to eliminate Oliver was pushing the boundaries a little. It would cause friction unless I had an extremely good reason for interfering.

As I got to the car I changed my mind. Oliver sneered at me in that condescending way he has, like he was better than me—all too common with vampires—and I would have happily blasted him to hell right there and then if I thought I could get away with it.

"Get in. I've got business to attend to."

"Hurry up, I'm hungry."

"Tough. Not my problem."

"It will be if you don't get your troubles sorted soon."

I turned to Oliver and got in his face. "If you threaten me ever again, I mean ever, I will rip that smug smile right off your face and feed you to the zombies piece by little piece. Do I make myself clear?"

Oliver showed his fangs and sneered again.

I got in the car. He got in behind me. I can tell you now, having a vampire sat behind you is seriously freaky. It makes the hairs on your neck stand on end and it's really hard to focus on your driving.

I ignored him best I could and headed back into the city.

A Coffee Break

"Me again. Fancy grabbing a coffee? I can make up for earlier." I didn't expect her to say yes, but it was worth a shot.

"Sure, sounds nice. Not that I was trying to have a sleep or anything."

"Oh! Whoops, sorry. I thought you would be out and about, um, burning off a little, er... Sorry."

"Burning off some what?"

"Nothing, my mistake. The usual? I'm back in town after a little diversion."

"Sure, give me fifteen minutes and I'll see you there. Is you-know-who still there?" I could almost hear the shudder.

I glanced over at Oliver who was scowling at the people walking by like they were dirt. More than anything, I hate the condescending attitude many older vampires have. It's as if they forget they were once human too. I tried not to think about Kate and what she might become. I had faith in her. I knew, and still know, that she is better than that. "Yeah, but just ignore him. I do."

"I'll try, but he's bad news, Faz. And he leers."

"Tell me about it. You still coming?"

"Sure. Get me a caramel macchiato. I fancy something different."

"Um, okay. Bye." She hung up. I had no idea what a caramel macchiato was, and still don't. These coffee shops freak me out. I always just end up ordering a filter coffee. It's like I've missed out on lessons that everyone else in the world has taken.

A cappuccino this, a dolce latte whatever. Flat whites, macchiatos and mochas—the words make me shudder. Whenever I look at the menu board in these places I'm struck dumb and then some guy or girl, who call themselves a barista, whatever that is, will ask what I want and I say coffee and feel all eyes turn to me like I'm from another planet.

How did everyone else learn this stuff? I just want something hot and strong.

I was amazed Kate wasn't off doing who-knows-what after her feed, but I guess I underestimated her and should have known she wouldn't be running around half-crazed, hyped up on blood magic and maybe skipping through an orgy of vampires, naked and covered in fluids too numerous to mention.

Loitering outside until she came felt like a very good idea. Screw ordering, I would wait, and Champion Slayer of Demons, Mighty Wielder of Infinite Power, Puncher of the Hidden, Slapper of the Silly, and Stutterer at Sexy Vampire Friends could have a girl get him a coffee.

I also had an ulterior motive.

After a quick trip home to change, leaving Oliver the Glum waiting outside, and a few unanswered calls to the Finnish Embassy, followed by a little over-the-phone enforcer charm of the ever-so-slightly magical kind, I managed to trace who had been working there and dealing with the day-to-day running of the place.

It took a while, as I had to go through several contacts, eventually ending up talking to one of our Hidden agency people—hey, we all have to earn a living—and convinced her to give me the number of the woman who used to work there. The name sounded familiar.

I was right. It was a Cardiff girl I'd met a few times before. One of us. Hidden. She was a young witch, still learning the ropes, and it would be many years before she could truly take the title. But Grandma knew of her and liked her, and I'd met her there a few times when I'd popped in, retreating as quickly as I could when confronted with a kitchen full of women arguing over the relative merits of St. John's Wort as opposed to whatever the alternative is—I zone out at such talk.

Those kind of get-togethers are not for the likes of me. A room crammed full of ancient women, some fun, others as serious as a vampire who hasn't fed for a century, all with a bunch of young, wide-eyed girls at various stages of learning, is enough to make the most hardened of enforcers go weak at the knees and hightail it before they can force-feed you potions—because it will do you good—or ask once again why you don't settle down and get married. And would I like to meet their granddaughter, she is quite pretty.