Summoning Destiny: A Divine Resonance Novelette Page 2

  “Welcome, my dear,” the man said with a smile. “I am Gabriel Rizel. I believe you have met my son.”

  I crossed my arms. “Yeah, the man who threatened me and followed me home.”

  “Not to mention rescued you from a ker,” Dominic added.

  I let out a loud sigh.

  Gabriel leaned back and rubbed his beard as he studied the two of us. “It seems we may have a mutual enemy, Miss Valentine.”

  “You having enemies, never would have thought,” I said.

  “I have many. What is more interesting is why there is one after you,” Gabriel said.

  “I just got attacked. How would you already know we were connected?” I asked.

  “We detected your recent summoning from two days ago,” Gabriel said. “Most likely, our mutual enemy sensed it as well and sent something after you.”

  “The séance.” A shiver ran up my spine. “I’ve done others before. How did you notice this one?”

  “You’re sloppy and virtually untrained,” Dominic said. “It was only a matter of time before you would slip up. I’m surprised it wasn’t more spectacular.”

  “Wasn’t it?” Something wavered in my head. “Maybe that’s what it was.”

  “Oh?” Gabriel asked.

  I pressed my lips together, staring between the two of them. “The séance didn’t go as it normally does. The demon I summoned—”

  “Daimon,” Dominic said.

  “What?”

  “They are daimons. Spirits from ancient Greece,” Dominic said. “They are supposed to be what was originally in Pandora’s box.”

  “You’re kidding, right?” I laughed. “That’s just a myth.”

  “Not as much as you think,” Dominic said. “There are forces out there that you haven’t even started to comprehend. Which is why you need some training.”

  This harping on my training was getting old, no matter how true it was.

  I shook my head. “Anyway. Usually, the daimon moves a few objects and answers some questions for the people who attend. This time I got a vision…of two men discussing some sort of takeover.”

  “What did they look like?” Gabriel asked.

  “One was young, red hair,” I said. “I couldn’t see the face of the other. He had some sort of hood on.”

  “Can you remember what they were saying in more detail?” Dominic asked. “Any mention of the Order.”

  “Maybe.” I rubbed my arms. “There was a lot of talk about an alliance, some sort of pyxis...and that the current heads had to be taken out. What is a pyxis?”

  “It means box, most likely Pandora’s.” Dominic glanced at his father. “Has to be a pandoran.”

  “A what?” I asked.

  “The descendants of Pandora,” Gabriel said. “We don’t get along since they want to lock our daimons up.”

  “Disturbing that someone is considering an alliance with the pandorans,” Dominic said.

  The two had lost me. “What does all this mean for me now?”

  “If these…conspirators sensed you, they will not want to risk being found out. Since the last attack failed, they will send another,” Gabriel said. “You will stay here with us with Dominic as your mentor and protector as he investigates this more.”

  “So, I’m trapped here?” My insides quivered at the thought of being caged anywhere.

  “Not at all. If you want to leave on your own, feel free,” Gabriel said.

  “For as long as you can survive alone,” Dominic said.

  Gabriel shot him a look. “What my son means is we have more information than you could obtain on your own.”

  I bit my lip. I had Tyche on my side, but from what they were saying, this could be someone who had the power to trap her. They already sent that thing to my apartment to kill me. I’d rather rely on Dominic’s physical and mystical muscle when the next attack happened.

  “Fine,” I said. “But my room better have an awesome view.”

  I woke to the morning sun shining through the window of my new, temporary room. The silk sheets caressed my skin as the warmth of the feather down blanket enveloped me. I raised my arms above my head and stretched, wiggling my toes. Sleeping in luxury like this was an upside to my attack last night. That and the hot guy that would bodyguard me while I was here.

  My stomach rumbled. I’d skipped out on dinner last night, thanks to the ker. My body wasn’t looking to miss another meal this morning. I tossed the blanket off and hopped out of bed. After a shower in my private bathroom and a change of clothes, I padded down the stairs in search of the kitchen.

  A group of three men and one woman stood in the foyer chatting and laughing together. One of them, a man in his fifties with salt and pepper hair, glanced my direction and then shot me a smile. It caught the attention of the woman in a black Louis Vuitton dress that probably cost more than my rent each month. She eyed my ankle length, bohemian skirt and turquoise tank top with a wrinkle of her nose.

  “It seems like the standard of service has gone down around here.” The woman’s spoke in a cultured English accent. “If we are made to stand here, the least you can do is ask if we’d like some drinks.”

  What a stuck-up bitch. I looked her up and down. Her blonde hair hung in a smooth set of loose spirals, not like my mess of brown waves I’d barely run a brush through. This was the world I’d stepped into. Still, I didn’t plan to bow down to her—or anyone.

  I smirked at her. “You’ve got two hands. You can pour your own drinks.”

  Pink colored her cheeks. “Well, what nerve.”

  “Ava isn’t working here.” Dominic walked from the open doorway to the right of Gabriel’s study. “She’s my protégée.”

  The woman’s expression changed from scorn to shock. A man with graying blond hair gave a loud laugh that wiggled his belly. The other two men joined in.

  “Finally mentoring, Dominic?” the last man asked. He had thick black hair and a Latino accent that sounded like his words ran together. “What a surprise.”

  “As is your choice.” The woman sidled up to Dominic. “Is this why you haven’t been answering my calls?”

  “It’s a recent decision.” Dominic cleared his throat and stepped forward. “Ava, this is Larissa Rivans.”

  She held her hand out with a smile that looked like she smelled something gross. “Pleasure.”

  I took her hand. “Yeah.”

  “Aaron Barnez.” Dominic pointed to the blond man. “Victor Ramsey.” The man with salt-and-pepper hair. “And Xavier Marte.” The black-haired man.

  I nodded to each one and smiled. “Nice to meet you.”

  “Indeed,” Victor said.

  “Always good to have new blood.” Xavier took my hand and lifted it to his lips.

  Dominic’s warm hand rested on the crook of my arm as he glanced at the four. “My father is waiting for all of you on the veranda. I believe you know the way.”

  With parting smiles from the men and a glare from Larissa, they filed through the living room. A few moments later, the back door shut behind them. Dominic’s hand remained on my arm and I was aware of almost every molecule that connected us. My breath caught as our gazes locked and the fluttering in my stomach started again.

  I took a step back and let out my breath in a whoosh of air. “Who are all those people? They were pretty intense.”

  “They are a few members of the High Council. Sharks circling my father’s position,” he said.

  “Hmm, Larissa seems to be circling you,” I said.

  He raised an eyebrow and smiled. “Jealous?”

  I blew a laugh through my nose. “Of what? The only thing I’m interested in is breakfast.”

  He chuckled. “Let me make you breakfast.”

  He believed me. Good.

  “You can make breakfast?” I grinned. “A man with many hidden talents.”

  He led me through the living room to a large kitchen with cream colored wallpaper. I slid into one of the cushioned stools, resting my e
lbows on the island, as he began opening cabinets and hauling out pans.

  “Omelets sound good?” He pulled out a carton of eggs, milk, and vegetables from the stainless-steel fridge

  “Sure.” I glanced out the window at the group of five out on the veranda. “Could any of them be the guy or girl we’re looking for?”

  “Perhaps. Many on the council would love to see my father fall and take his place.”

  “Great. We have motive. Now we just need to figure out which one would go through with it.” My stomach growled at the scent of melted butter.

  He glanced back at me from his position at a cutting board. “We’re not figuring out anything. You are going to be studying, while I look into things. It’s my job after all.”

  I scowled. He wanted to take all the fun out of my life-threatening situation. “What exactly is your job anyway?”

  “I’m Head Inquisitor of the Order. It’s my job to investigate possible threats to the High Warlock.” He moved onto the eggs, mixing them some of the vegetables in a bowl.

  “Why’d someone as high up as you come see me then? Shouldn’t that be a job for a beat Inquisitor?”

  His shoulders shook with a laugh as he poured the egg mixture into the pan, though my gaze was more attracted to the firm mounds of his ass. “Usually. However, my father insisted I look into you personally. It’s a good thing I did. Who would have saved your life if I hadn’t?”

  Opportunist, Tyche whispered.

  “Yeah.” I rested my chin on my fist. “So, that means you have to take me along while you investigate. You’re my mentor and protector, right?”

  “And the best place for you to be is in the library.”

  “Wait,” I said. “As great as all this is, I’m not sure how safe I feel in a house with people I barely know who may just be the ones trying to kill me and your dad.”

  “This isn’t exactly a fun time for me, either. We both have to live with it.”

  “Living with it might be easier if I knew more about you. At the moment, you’re just my dark, dangerous, and sexy bodyguard.”

  “Sexy?” He glanced back at me and his eyebrow twitched.

  I shrugged and leaned back in my chair. “Don’t act like you don’t know that. Especially the way that Larissa chick had her claws out.”

  “Fine.” His voice held a hint of a laugh. “What do you want to know?”

  I looked around the kitchen. “This is a pretty big house for your dad and you. Where’s you mom?”

  “In Europe. Paris, I think.” He turned and set a plate filled with the steaming omelet in front of me. “She divorced my father years ago. It’s hard to keep up with her. She and I don’t really get along.”

  “Is she a witch too?”

  He nodded. “My family prides itself on keeping our bloodline strong. What about your family? I’m not familiar with any Valentine witches.”

  I picked at my eggs with my fork. “Not sure, really. I’m adopted. Never knew my real parents.”

  He crossed his arms. “It would take a powerful witch to break through the enchantments our culprit has up. Even my father couldn’t do it. One of your parents was probably from one of the Ten Families.”

  “Is that like the Mafia?”

  “In a sense. They serve as the ruling council for the Order.”

  I scratched my eyebrow. “Secret councils…old families. I’ve really stumbled onto the Illuminati, haven’t I?”

  “The Illuminati wish they were what we are,” he said. “Eat up. You have a long day of reading ahead of you.”

  Joy. It was summer, yet I managed to sign up for extra classes without trying.

  Dominic banished me to the library each day for the next two weeks to read while he went investigating. Though I didn’t stay there for long. I’d taken to practicing on the beach near the estate. My main focus had been attempting the banishing ritual Dominic had used against the ker.

  I stretched and yawned, flopping my head down on the open book in front of me. Tome would be a better word. The thing was as tall as my torso and as thick as both my forearms.

  “I don’t think you can learn that way.” Dominic’s voice came from the doorway.

  He was dressed down today in jeans and a white t-shirt that showed off a perfect set of abs that one could grate cheese on. My tongue darted out to wet my lips and I sat up straighter, clearing my throat.

  “I could if I had a demon to just give me the knowledge,” I said. “I’m sorry, daimon.”

  “I highly doubt that’s what your daimon does,” he said. “Or you wouldn’t be here.”

  I sat back and crossed my arms. “So, have you learned anything from your search?”

  He moved to sit down across from me. “I’ve narrowed it down to the four that were here.”

  “How can you tell that?” I asked. “Couldn’t they just hire someone, or summon a daimon to handle if from a distance?”

  “My father has protections around him and the estate to protect against attacks,” he said. “It’s why you’re better in the house.”

  “I’m stuck here for the rest of my life?”

  “Would it be a bad thing if you stayed? I could think of a few ways to pass the time.” His eyes smoldered as his lips curled with a smile.

  Heat flushed through me. “As much as I would love to know what those are, I do have college and a life to get back to.”

  “Is it a life worth going back to?” His gaze remained on me as his fingertips brushed my hand.

  Images of my parents and college friends passed through my mind. “It’s a pretty good life.”

  He pulled his hand away. “Don’t worry. You need to stay just long enough for me to ferret out the traitor. Which should give you plenty of time to become a halfway decent witch.”

  “I am halfway decent. More than capable,” I said. “I even have a daimon that can help figure it out. It’s a fortune teller.”

  “You mean the one that lied to you and said it was a demon,” Dominic chuckled. “They are consummate liars.”

  “Tyche’s never lied. She’s just cryptic. I never actually asked the daimon thing directly. I just assumed from the book I got. It called them demons.”

  “Let me guess. A book written by Aleister Crowley?”

  My shoulders stiffened. “Yeah. So?”

  “Aleister was a warlock who infiltrated the Golden Dawn, a group that managed to get a hold of a set of rituals that belonged to us. They could never get them to work before him, because they didn’t have the blood.”

  “The blood?”

  “Despite our enmity, we share a deep tie with the pandorans. We are all descended from Pandora.”

  “So, pandorans can summon too?”

  “No, their powers are different. Somewhere the line split. No one has been able to figure out where.” He stood, resting his hands flat on the table. “Anyway, Crowley used his power to write books that twisted the truth of us. This is all the more reason for you to stay here and study.”

  “No, it’s a reason to stick to you.” I stood up and followed him towards the door. “I’ve learned more in the last ten minutes than days with these books. Come on, let me have some hands-on experience.”

  He turned, leaned close, and his thumb caressed my jawline. “There are plenty of hands-on experience I can give you, but it has nothing to do with this case.”

  I rose up so that my lips were inches from his. “Why can’t it be with both?”

  He laughed. “How about we start with dinner tomorrow? I have a few things to take care of tonight.”

  I grinned. “Sounds like a date.”

  He stepped back and wagged his finger at me. “For now, keep up the studying.”

  I gave him a two-fingered wave as he disappeared. He wasn’t the only one with things to handle tonight. My night started with a small conversation with Tyche on the location of my vision.

  Thanks to Tyche and Uber, I snuck out of Chateau de la Hex without getting the dogs called on me. I stoo
d across the street from my destination, an upscale cocktail lounge known as The Revere. Oh, how Bostonians loved our founding father.

  I scurried across the street in between the grouping of cars made by traffic light timing. The doorman standing guard in his three-piece suit, hands behind his back, eyed me with a stoic expression that held a hint of distaste.

  “Are you lost?” he asked. “McGreevy’s bar is two blocks over on Boylston.”

  “Um, no. I’m good, thanks.” I moved to grab the handle, but he stepped in my way.

  “Sorry, but this isn’t the place for you.” His gaze traveled down my knee length paisley skirt and purple halter top.

  I glanced down. “What, no flip-flops?”

  “Ava?” Dominic’s voice traveled from the sidewalk two buildings over.

  Crap.

  I rubbed my hands against my outer thighs as he approached. “Oh, hey. What brings you all this way?”

  “Why aren’t you at the house?” His glare pinned me in my place.

  “Oh, I needed a night out.”

  “And your night out leads right to where my lead is?”

  The doorman pointed to us. “Could you two take your conversation somewhere else? This is a reputable establishment.”

  “I would like to get in,” I said.

  He gave me a bland smile. “Sorry, but this really isn’t the place for you.”

  Dominic sighed and rested his hand on my shoulder. “She is with me, and I have a standing invitation from the owner. You should know the name Dominic Rizel.”

  The doorman cleared his throat and stood straighter. Then he pulled open the door. “Of course, sir. Please enjoy.”

  We walked inside the dim club. Orange light played off the cherry wood bar where three men sat chatting up the female bartender. Half of the white clothed tables were occupied with groups of laughing people sipping pints of beer and glasses of wine. A few couples swayed to the jazz music on the dance floor.

  “The place we’re looking for is upstairs in the VIP area,” Dominic said.