by Gina Rosavin
"Over two hundred years old. With magic that powerful, wizards and sorcerers can live for much longer than normal humans."
"And you? Can you live longer?"
"Yes, though not as long as my grandfather will. I will probably only live to be about four hundred. He'll live for many more years."
She gaped at him. "What is it with the men around here?" He stared at her, clearly confused.
"I only meant between you, your great-grandfather and Adrian…" She stopped when he stiffened. "I mean, it seems everyone I know lives unusually long lives."
His brow furrowed, but he said nothing.
"Tell me more about these levels. How long does it take to become a sorcerer?"
Changing the subject a little had to help the sudden tension. It did. Stefan's voice took on the tone of teacher as he patiently explained. "Many years, decades, and even then, you must put aside all other aspects of your life to focus only on the magic. It's a sacrifice few are willing to make. Most will stop at becoming a wizard, or in your case, a mage."
"What about my mother?"
"She is a witch. Olga has never desired more."
"And me?"
"The choice is yours. You can maintain your powers at a lower level, a little stronger than you are now, or you can continue to train, to make them more powerful. The added magic would increase your lifetime, although there are other factors involved."
"Like what?" She was fascinated by what he told her, it was more than anyone had shared before. And the more she knew, the sooner she'd figure out the puzzle that had become her life.
"Diet, lifestyle, the same as any normal human. Using your powers for dark purposes can also drain that life force."
She suppressed a shiver at the icy stare he directed at her. His warning was clear. "And using my powers for good purposes will lengthen my life?" He nodded, but said nothing more. She had more questions, but couldn't voice them as she processed what she'd already learned. The idea of living beyond the normal life expectancy intrigued her. She couldn't help herself. She supposed it came from being with Adrian. Knowing he was immortal had given her a unique perspective on eternity.
"Living longer must be exciting."
His features hardened once again, his lips tightening before he answered. "It can be a curse."
His words were somehow bitter, and she wanted to know more, but decided not to press him. His anger could ignite at a whisper, she didn't want to risk it now.
"I suppose. So how far does this sacrifice go if you want to be a sorcerer?"
"To the point of shutting yourself off from your family and friends. To having no other interest or purpose in your life than increasing your power. The danger is in assuming you can resist the lure of the darkness such power also offers."
She swallowed. "Darkness?"
His gaze pierced her. "Yes. The material and physical delights strong magic can offer are hard to resist. Giving in to those can have dire consequences." She had the feeling he accused her of feeling those urges. Or was it just because of Adrian? Stefan clearly bore the vampire a grudge, but why?
"I don't think I'm willing to take it that far."
He smiled, clearly relieved. "You are not alone in making that choice."
"Did you?"
He didn't answer for several moments, then nodded. "I was, am, not willing to give up those around me. I've seen what it can do to those left behind. It's not pleasant."
She sensed sadness in him, as if he was one of the ones he spoke of. Had it hurt him for his great-grandfather to turn his back on the rest of his family? "I'm not ready for something like that. I probably won't ever be. I've spent too much time alone as it is. And I need to learn everything I can, as quickly as possible."
"Yes, you do. You've come so far already, but you still have a long way to go. I've waited a long time, and I won't let you disrupt my plans." Katerina narrowed her eyes. "What plans? It sounds an awful lot like you knew what was going on long before I did, as well."
Stefan nodded. "I did. You forget, I trained your mother. It was then I learned I would someday train you. As I will train your daughter after you."
Those words left her momentarily speechless. "You can see the future?"
He nodded again, his dark eyes soft and warm. "It is one of my skills. Your mother has that gift as well."
"Do I?"
He smiled. "I haven't seen evidence of it yet, but you have many other skills, skills that you can, and should, someday use to save lives."
How could she hold that much responsibility? Other people's lives depending on her was more than she could endure. She wanted a normal life, a steady satisfying career, maybe a family. Instead, she was entangled with a vampire and learning her powers could wield untold influence. Why was this kept from her for all these years?
"I don't follow you. It seems my life has been planned out for me, so why don't you tell me what's expected of me?"
"You can command the elements, you know that. Imagine conjuring a thunderstorm like the one today where a wildfire rages. Or where there's drought."
Realization settled over her as she realized exactly what she could do with her magic.
"But what about the energy, the white light?"
"You used it to protect yourself. It can be directed to protect others. What you must learn is how to utilize the full strength of your power, but keep it hidden from normal view. And there are other things you will learn to do with the energy."
Intrigued, Katerina stepped closer. "Like what?"
"You can provide healing energy to the ill and make them well."
"Don't tell me I can cure cancer."
He smiled. "No, even magic can't fix that. But you have empathic talents, you can feel others' pain, and take some of it upon yourself. Along with that you also have the power to detect auras. You can manipulate them, mend them if they need it. In some cases, with both of those skills combined and utilized properly, yes, you will cure illnesses."
The night Adrian had been wounded, both nights, the one long ago, and the one only a week earlier, she'd felt his physical pain. She'd taken the agony into herself, and it had dissolved in stabbing waves. She'd done that, without even realizing it.
"Tell me more about the auras." She forced her thoughts away from Adrian once more.
"Auras reflect a person's life force. An aura can affect mood, health, almost every aspect of life. It surrounds a person. You have the ability to see it."
She recalled the way she'd often seen hazy hints of color clinging to others, but she had always assumed it was the way the light had played tricks on her eyes. She began to realize it had been no trick.
"I think I know what you're talking about. Are auras different colors?"
He nodded. "Yes, people's auras can have many colors, depending on their mood, general well-being and other factors. As your lessons progress, you'll find you will start to clearly see auras, and you will know how to read them. It is a rare gift. You are blessed to have it."
The idea she could hold power over people, that she could practically see inside them, gave her a clear understanding of what Adrian might have intended. She could influence others for his benefit, to increase his wealth and power. The jabbing pain seared her suddenly again, as if she'd just heard the truth from him. Biting back an anguished cry, she turned and went to sit down.
Stefan's expression betrayed his concern. He followed, his tall frame blocking out the late afternoon sun that peered through the remnants of the storm clouds.
"What troubles you? Is it du Lac again?"
"I'm really getting tired of everyone reading my mind. The only difference now is I can tell when Adrian's trying to reach me. I still can't tell with you."
"I'm sorry. Your thoughts become very loud when you're upset." She stared at him. Adrian had said almost the exact same thing to her once.
At her teacher's horrified expression, she realized he was still in her mind.
"What, you don't like bein
g compared to Adrian? Serves you right for intruding."
Stefan turned away, and Katerina heaved a regretful sigh. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap. It's been a rough week, you know?"
Stefan spun back around, his eyes flashing in anger. "I did not come all this way to watch you waste your talent by moaning over that vampire. Don't you understand the value of your gift? You would rather throw it away on a monster than use it to help people."
Katerina leapt to her feet. "How dare you? No matter how much you don't like it, Adrian is involved. He's not a monster, though his intentions aren't always noble. And until I can figure out what to do about it, I can't be this super witch you keep talking about."
"Someday, you will regret that. Do not let the line end with you."
"What line? You make me sound like some kind of broodmare."
"Katerina, you are descended from a long line of witches, a bloodline which goes back hundreds of years, and is tied to many of the royal houses of the world, both past and present. You are the strongest of them all, and someday, your daughter will be even stronger."
"My daughter? Aren't you rushing things a bit?"
"You will bear a daughter, as your mother did, and her mother before her. As it has been in your family for generations."
Katerina was intrigued. She hadn't heard much about her ancestors, Olga had never really told her anything. Yet, this man, practically a stranger, was telling her all this.
"How do you know this?"
"Because I too, come from a deep bloodline. My ancestors and yours trained each other through the years. Many of them married, so in a way, we are distantly related. As it has always been between the Malinays and the Romanovs."
"Romanovs? But you said my mother…"
"It is my family name, not your father's."
Katerina turned to see her mother walking toward them. The older woman seemed anxious as she neared.
"Your family? But how?"
Olga smiled and placed her hand on Katerina's cheek. "It is our way. Come, you must be hungry. Your father is working late and I have made a large dinner. Stop the lessons for today."
Olga gave Stefan a hard stare before smiling once again at her daughter. Katerina's gaze darted between them. There was a tension between them, but why?
"Mama? What's the matter?"
"Nothing. Come, while it is still hot." Olga took Katerina's hand and led her inside. Stefan remained in the courtyard.
A thousand questions raced through Katerina's thoughts. Olga seemed to be trying to stop Stefan from sharing any more than he already had. Before she could voice them, the phone rang and Olga went to answer it. When Katerina glanced back, her teacher was gone. Damn. She needed answers and soon.
Chapter Eighteen
At the knock on the door, Katerina put down the spell book. She glanced at her watch. She'd been studying the tome Stefan had given her for almost three hours. The late afternoon sun had begun to set. She stood as the knocking began once more.
"I'm coming." She pulled open the door and hurriedly tried to reverse her action. Before it could catch, Joshua Taylor shoved it open again. Before she could do anything else, he stepped past her into the flat.
"I have to talk to you."
"Get out." She held the doorknob, twisting it back and forth. Joshua ran a hand through his hair and stared hard at her.
"I can't. I came to ask for your help."
Katerina shook her head and closed the door, sensing he wouldn't leave until she at least heard what he had to say. "You are relentless, even if you are a fool. After what you did to Adrian, why would you come to me?"
"I know you're not living with him or working for him anymore," Joshua retorted. "It's clear you don't like him any more than I do."
"What I feel for him is none of your business." She folded her arms. "What are you doing here?"
The anger left his eyes and he sighed. "It's Sophie. She's…in danger."
Katerina shrugged. "So?"
"Damn it, she's a vampire!"
Katerina eyed him warily. She didn't trust him, and wondered what game he was playing now. "Really?"
He gave a disgusted sneer. "Yes, really. I wouldn't lie about something like that."
She couldn't fight the nagging suspicion there was more, but she did believe him. The distress evident in his pursed mouth and furrowed brow convinced her. "I see, you think Adrian did it. I highly doubt it, but even if he did, it wasn't anything she didn't…"
"Machiavelli did it!"
Katerina stared, then shook her head. Sophie's predicament clearly left Joshua delusional. "No, that's impossible. Machiavelli's dead. Adrian killed him. I saw it."
"Are you sure?" Joshua began to pace. "That night, when she didn't come home, I knew something was wrong. She didn't come back until the next night, and she was…different."
He paused then, and Katerina could see the sadness surrounding him, his aura tinted faintly yellow. Despite her loathing of the young man, she found the urge to offer comfort growing stronger. She clenched her fingers tightly. To befriend this man would be to betray Adrian. She couldn't do that.
"Go on," she prompted.
"Something wasn't the same, she wasn't the Sophie I knew. And she was afraid. She told me Machiavelli had caught her when she was leaving."
"I told you…"
"No. He isn't dead, du Lac didn't kill him."
"But he has to be." Katerina had seen the dust Adrian's enemy had left behind.
"He wasn't. Trust me on this. And now he's got Sophie."
Katerina couldn't breathe. She reached a hand out to the nearest chair to steady herself, her strength suddenly drained, her stomach rolling. If Machiavelli was alive, he would surely want revenge on Adrian. She fell into the chair, her hands shaking.
"I don't understand. Adrian staked him. In the chest."
Joshua raised his hands. "I don't know. He obviously missed the heart. But the bastard's alive."
"I have to tell Adrian. He needs to know."
"Wait, what about Sophie? I can't do this alone."
Katerina's mind whirled. "And what exactly am I supposed to do?"
"A couple of things. First, you're a witch."
"And you thought maybe I'd cast a spell or something for you?" Katerina did feel bad for him, but helping the two hunters would hurt Adrian. There was no choice.
"I need to get to du Lac."
Katerina's mouth dropped open. "You want me to help you get Adrian? You're insane!"
"No, I need to warn him."
Katerina rolled her eyes. "Warn him? I don't think so."
"I need him. He's got information on Machiavelli no one else does. But I can't get to him without you."
Katerina's disbelief quickly gave way to an overwhelming anger. How dare he make such a demand? Her fingers itched, and she fought to keep from sending something into his head.
"You're just like everyone else, just wanting to use me for what I can do for you." She snorted in disgust. "Why should I? So you and Sophie can kill Adrian? No way. You're on your own."
"I won't kill du Lac."
"Maybe not now, but once you have your precious little Sophie back…"
"Not ever! Damn it, the only reason she showed up at Machiavelli's is because she's in love with du Lac and thought she could save him. I won't kill him, because she wouldn't want it."
For the second time, the hunter left Katerina speechless. She'd been pretty sure Sophie had feelings for Adrian, but to hear it confirmed brought forth a fresh volley of emotions which left her more bewildered than before. "She didn't save him. I did."
"I know. She told me. That doesn't matter now. Machiavelli's got her, and I have to get her away from him."
"I don't know what you expect me to do. Adrian and I aren't exactly speaking."
"Maybe not, but there's another way you can get him to help." "Stop talking in riddles and tell me what you mean."
"There's a way for a vampire to be controlled, and I don't even
know if it would work on du Lac since he's so old, but your teacher can tell you how. And you can force du Lac to help us find Machiavelli and Sophie."
Katerina narrowed her eyes. "My teacher? How do you know about that? Have you been spying on me?"
Joshua nodded. "You're involved with du Lac. I make it my business to know everything about him. That includes you."
How much had he seen? Images of intimate moments with Adrian flashed in her thoughts. How many of those private moments had he intruded on?
