Bloodmagic (Blood Destiny 2) (22 page)

He snorted.  “We need something to make sure you toe the line.  You don’t strike me as the type who takes orders easily.”

I opened my mouth to protest but he held up his hand.  “This is non-negotiable.  I will already have enough trouble as it is for offering you this olive branch.”

I was somewhat surprised at this statement.  My experience so far had done nothing to indicate that the Ministry was run as an absolute dictatorship.  The idea that there were mages who would disagree with their ‘Magnificence’ did not quite gibe with what I’d seen.  Still, as I’d been more successful than I could have hoped for, I decided that I’d just have to grin and bear it.  I had the horrible feeling that it would be Mrs Alcoon who would suffer the most from this however. 

I looked challengingly at the Arch-Mage.  “And the Lord Alpha?”

“I will ask him to leave.  Although it might be better if you spoke to him yourself so that he is aware you are not being coerced.”

“I can’t meet him face to face,” I said, “I might be able to use the Voice, though.  That should be enough.”

For the second time, the Arch-Mage appeared startled.  “You can use the Voice?  Not just to answer an alpha but to initiate contact?”

I nodded. 

“Are you sure you’re not a shifter?”

I just stared at him.

He looked puzzled, but shrugged.  “Very well, I shall lift the nullifying spell that prevents such contact from taking place.  Only for five minutes you understand though?”

Ah, I’d been wondering why Corrigan had not tried to use his Voice on me just yet.  In fact that probably explained how he’d known where I was in the first place – his previous communication after I’d left the restaurant had been abruptly cut off, probably because of my proximity to the College.  It must work in a similar fashion for Solus.  I nodded my acquiescence at the mage who moved towards the door.

“Wait,” I said suddenly.

He turned and looked at me questioningly.  I guessed that not many people demanded that the Arch-Mage wait but things were kind of going my way.  “How long will the training take?”

He smirked.  “It usually lasts for five years.  It depends on the trainee, really.”

“Five years?” I screeched.

“It’s possible we can fast-track you.  It will depend on your progress and abilities.  Do you have a choice?  Or somewhere else to be?”

I stared at him mutely.  He smirked again.  I thought about Solus; I couldn’t disappear for five whole years and expect him to continue to look after Mrs Alcoon.  Sure, time moved differently in Fae-land and five years for him would pass by in the blink of an eye, but the Fae were fickle.  I’d have to talk to him first and solidify our agreement.  As for Mrs Alcoon, I’d just have do my best to complete the training as quickly as possible so that she could be freed.  What the local police in Inverness would make of her suddenly reappearing after five years’ mysterious disappearance, and after an even more mysterious fire, I had no idea.  I’d have to think of something to solve that problem.  Perhaps if I played the willing student for a month or two, then the mages would have more faith in me and release her early.  I could only hope.

“I will need to make some arrangements first,” I said cautiously.

“Arrangements?”

“If I am going away for up to five years, then there are things that I will need to sort out first.  I will do what you want, but you need to give me a day to clear my affairs.” Such as they were.  “You have my word that I will return here in twenty-four hours.”

The Arch-mage was silent for a moment, clearly mulling it over.  Then, to my relief, he nodded.  “Fair enough.  You’ve got five minutes now to make your Voice contact with the Lord Alpha then, after he has left, someone will come and fetch you to escort you from the building.  I will expect you to return here by this time tomorrow.  Goodbye, Miss Mackenzie.  But, one other thing before I go.”

“Yeah?”

His eyes grew dark and cloudy.  “Don’t fuck up.  Or I will kill you.”  Then he turned and left.

Chapter Nineteen

After the Arch-Mage left, I pulled myself up to my feet.  My hand instinctively went to my cheek.  The blood had dried but I had no doubt that the over-eager guard had left a considerably visible bruise.  The flesh under my eye was tender and swollen.  I sighed and dropped my hand to my side.

Mackenzie?

Here we go. 
I’m here.

Would you mind explaining to me what the fuck is going on?

I wondered if I was imagining the worry in his Voice. 
As I believe I’ve mentioned before, I’m no longer part of the Pack.  This is not your concern.

It’s my damn concern when the Ministry takes a shifter off the street and holds them against their will.

I tugged at my ponytail, irritably. 
I came here of my own free will.  I’m not a prisoner.

There was a momentary silence before his Voice filled my head again. 
So tell me why you are here.

The imperious tone was starting to get annoying.
No.  It’s got nothing to do with you and nothing to do with the Pack.  It’s time you left me alone.

I will not allow a rogue shifter to wander around the streets of London making unauthorised deals with the mages!  There are rules, Mackenzie.

Screw your rules, Corrigan, and get with the programme.  I left so get over it.  Go play with the shifters who want you.

Well that’s funny you say that, kitten, because I could swear that when you materialized in my bedroom you wanted me too.

I stiffened. 
You’ve been Lord Alpha for too long, Corrigan.  Your ego is letting your mind play tricks on you.

I don’t think so, sweetheart.  But why don’t you come and prove that to me in person.  We are in the same building after all.

I’m busy. 

He exploded in frustration. 
Goddamnit, Mack!  I need to see you to make sure that you’re alright.

I didn’t quite know how to answer that.  I tried very hard to ignore the surge of warmth that his words had caused, quite different to the angry heat of my bloodfire that I was used to. I licked my lips and took a deep breath. 
And I’ve told you that it’s not your concern.

You’re not feeling ill in any way?

I assure you that I am perfectly fine and I thank you for the thought.  But it’s not necessary.  Now, with all due respect, fuck off.

I broke off the link.  The Arch-Mage would be re-instigating the block any moment now anyway.  Sinking back down to the floor, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of utter dejection at Corrigan’s words.  He cared for me.  He wouldn’t have interrupted whatever he was doing to come over and threaten the leader of the freaking mages if he didn’t care for me.  I wondered if it was just because he was enjoying the chase.  He was effectively a cat after all – the feline shifters back in Cornwall had often spent more time and effort on chasing the objects of their lust than they had in actually fulfilling the relationships that were created afterwards.  I wasn’t just playing hard to get though: there was still no doubt in my mind that if he found out I wasn’t what he thought I was he would rip me from limb to limb and then do the same to everyone else who knew I didn’t have a were.  The memory of him sitting in the pub back in Cornwall and dismissing Nick as ‘just a human’ was still remarkably fresh in my mind.  For a moment I considered what would happen if things were different.  Would I be some piece of eye candy on his arm right now if I really was a were-hamster?  It seemed faintly ridiculous.  No, I just got under his skin because I’d walked away, that was all.  I leaned my head against the wall, suddenly feeling a wash of fatigue flood through me. 

There was a noise at the door and the knob turned.  It was Alex, looking rather sheepish.

“Hey, Mack Attack,” he said weakly.

“Hey Alex.”  I didn’t think I had the strength to say much more to him.

He came and crouched down beside me.  “Mack Attack, dude, I hope you’re not pissed at me.”

I raised my eyes to his.  “No, Alex.  You stood up for me, that was enough.”

“I feel like I shoulda done more, y’know?”

“I get that feeling a lot.  I’m sorry I gave you up to your boss.”

He reached out and gently brushed the wound on my cheek.  “We can take care of that for you.”

“No, it’s okay.  It’s only superficial – I’ll live.”

He nodded.  “So, turns out you can do magic as well, huh?”

“So it seems, Alex.”

“Dude, that’s pretty freaky.  Can you show me?  What else can you do?”

“I’m not a performing seal,” I said irritably, then regretted it.  If it hadn’t been for Alex then I wasn’t sure that the Arch-Mage would have given me the time of day.  “I’m sorry.  I’m just tired, that’s all.  It’s not a really big deal anyway, I can’t do that much.”

“You’ve not had any training.  Maybe the academy will uncover even more.  You’ll become some major kick-ass super-hero.” He deepened his voice dramatically.  “Mack Attack, the protector of the people.”

I just looked at him.  He shrugged and grinned.  I couldn’t help smiling back, despite the energy it seemed to take.  Leaning over he grabbed me in a bear hug and squeezed tight, whispering in my ear.  “I’m glad you’re okay, Mackenzie.”

I whispered back, “I’m glad too.”

He pulled me up to my feet.  “Lord Shifty has vamoosed back to his lair.  His Magnificence has said you have twenty-four hours and then you need to get back here.”

“Why do you call him that?”

“Huh?”

“’His Magnificence’, ‘Your Magnificence’, whatever you say.  Why do you call him that?”

Alex looked puzzled.  “He’s the dude in charge.  That’s what we call him.”

I thought about what the Arch-Mage had said about having trouble with dissension in the ranks.  “Does everyone, I mean, all the mages, do they all do what he says?  Without questioning it?”

“Dude, I can’t…” Alex’s voice trailed off.

I felt sorry for him and changed the subject.  “Never mind.  Are you going to escort me off the property so I don’t beat anyone else up?”

He reverted back to cheerful mode.  “That’s the plan, Mack Attack, that’s the plan.”

“Can I get my daggers back before we go?”

“Mack Attack?”

“Yes, Alex?”

“Don’t push your luck.”

I raised my chin slightly in acknowledgement, sending a silent apology to Solus for my incredibly brief possession of the weapons, then placed my hand on Alex’s forearm.  I wasn’t entirely sure that I could make it all the way to the exit of the College without collapsing but I was damned if I was going to let any of those mages see that they might have managed to beat me into that state.

Once we left the little room, and the cage behind, we emerged onto another corridor that was identical to the one that I’d entered from the garage.  This time, however, rather than being impressed by the soft, sinking carpet, I was worried that I’d just trip over it.  My whole body was aching now.  There was a particularly painful surge in my right leg every time I placed it down on the floor as I walked.  One day I’d get that guard back, I vowed.  He’d thought that he was being a hero by attacking someone who was in no position to even defend herself, let alone fight back.  Well, he’d pay.

We turned right at one point and a small staircase was in front of us.  I gritted my teeth, clinging on to Alex and made my slowly up.  At the top we came out into a lobby area.  There were several mages hanging around there, silently watching our slow progress.  None of the faces were friendly and for once I was glad to have some protection by my side.  In my current state I probably couldn’t defend myself against a kitten.  That thought immediately flooded my mind with a floating image of Corrigan but I quickly pushed it away. 

We were almost at the front door that led outside when a voice called out from behind me.  “Wait!”

Both Alex and I turned.  I stiffened to see Martha, the mage who’d attacked me at Clava Books, jogging up to us.  The other mages clustered round watched us carefully.  I realised that her hair was now shorn short, a side effect no doubt of the fire.

Let’s go,” I muttered to Alex.

“No, wait,” Martha said.  “I want to….” Her voice trailed off for a moment then she jerked her chin up and looked me in the eye.  “I want to thank you for what you did.”

I must have looked confused because she quickly elaborated.  “In Inverness.  You could have left me there and let me burn, but you didn’t.  You don’t have many friends here, but if you ever need anything…well, I’ve got your back.”

“Uh, okay,” I said, somewhat pleasantly surprised.

Martha wrinkled her forehead slightly.  “Understand that this doesn’t mean that I like you.  But I owe you and I won’t forget what you did.”  She held out her hand.  “I’m Martha, by the way.”

I carefully took my hand off of Alex’s arm, and shook hers, concentrating hard on not falling over.  “I know.  I’m Mack.”

She smiled crookedly.  “I know.”

We both stared at each other for a moment, acknowledging what had passed between us, before Alex said softly, “We need to go.”

I blinked in acknowledgement, moving my hand back to his body for support.  Then we turned and headed out of the door.

We were at the front of the building when we reached outside.  I could just make out the row of terraced houses and the abandoned wreck where I had attempted my weak version of a stakeout.  Alex walked me down the driveway then waved a hand at the large iron gates which slowly opened with a creak.

“You’re using magic to open these now?”

“Mmm, yes.  It appears that using technology might have been a weakness in our security system.  The trouble is that it takes energy to maintain the gates and the perimeter.  The electrical system was more convenient.”

“But not exactly secure,” I commented, unable to keep the slight note of satisfaction out of my voice.

“Don’t get cocky, Mack Attack.  You’ve been incredibly fortunate that you’re getting out of here alive.  You didn’t even have to tell His Magnificence that you’re really a…”