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, orsomething, 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.
