Dangerous Diabolical: Book 1 (Iridescent) ✔️

Chapter 9 - Perfect blend | Edited

From his wrist glinted the gold of a watch, around his neck several types of chain and cord, and I did not doubt that, like Leofstan, they were a mixture of charms ready to deploy. On his thumb sat a heavy set ring with a black stone, and I had no doubts that it, too, held some kind of enchantment. Biting my lip, I considered what they'd look like on me; much better, of course.

Tilting his head, he regarded me curiously. "So you are Leofstan's latest anomaly." It wasn't a question. The door snapped closed behind us.

Grahame and Leo moved to take seats at the table. Instead of the dim, musty smell of the building, a freshness rolled over the room, leaving me questioning if the door was indeed shut. The room was too quiet for the air conditioning to be running, and I subtly inhaled to try and identify where the source of clean air stemmed from.

"This is Celandine Doukas," Grahame confirmed; the mention of my name brought me back into the room. His arms were crossed as he slouched back in his chair. Good. I'd had quite enough of him trying to wrap them around my neck; the bruises were starting to ache. Leo had chained his fingers under his chin, observing out of his peripheral vision. The unknown man still intently studied me.

"You're addressing the head of the council." Grahame supplied. Behind the vamp was a long console table, a black ornately carved box the colour matching the man's ring.

"You may call me Caesarius." The head of the council introduced.

I ran the name over my tongue, confident it had never passed my lips. He was as stocky as Grahame but as tall as Leo; even from across the room, an unarguable pressure emanated from him. This was the man they'd alluded to as being able to channel more magic than Leo when I was in the hospital.

I fought to keep my breathing even. My heartbeat threatened to speed up, and I desperately clung to the memory of being submerged in comfort under my duvet. An extra heart thump echoed, and I shuffled onto the other foot to hide it. I didn't know what powers he had, and considering out of the other two men in the room, one who had tried to kill me recently, and the other would if he knew what I was, I needed to remain confident. They could treat me like prey, but I would not act as such.

"Sure." I greeted him with a nod, trying to act casual. Was I meant to shake his hand?

He merely blinked slowly at me, "I would appreciate it if you stopped trying to remove all of the magic from the room." He was stern. "The enchantments in here are of a delicate nature."

A smirk crept into the corner of my lips before I quashed it. I wasn't sure how he'd noticed, but it was an impressive trick, even if it, unfortunately, placed my mission to absorb all of the passive Fae magic on hold.

"Thank you, " he acknowledged, gesturing to a seat. "Please join us." And there it was again; I knew I'd never seen him before, but the gesture seemed familiar. He moved with a controlled pace, slowly as if not to frighten but sharp as if short on time.

"We have not met before."

Freezing; had he read my mind?

"However, I appear prevalently on much of the SPCC branding and may have been on-site during any possible visitations. We have likely met in passing."

That was highly unlikely. If we'd met, I'd recognise his smell. It was slightly musty like the headquarters, but the freshness of ironed cotton and running streams. Without breaking eye contact, I slunk down into the opposite chair.

Caesarius continued, "I am informed you are the root of many of our current problems."

I couldn't help but throw daggers at Grahame.