Into the Wild Dark

CHAPTER 12 - MAL

"What does this mean for Supernaturals?" The brooding vampire sampled his drink.

"Several regions are preparing for the possibility of invasion or encroachment, even if the threat remains decades off. However, Distefano believes there exists a prophecy of the exact date this turning point will reach critical mass. He's in search of it, hoping to avert disaster by getting ahead of the shift.

"In the meantime," I went on, "he's working closely with other regional leaders to keep humans from discovering our kind. Hence, his concern about high visibility Supers like Ravani and you drawing attention to our world... OASIS is surveilling you."

"You wait until now to reveal this to me?" Darcy thundered. He lurched to his feet, almost toppling a fern from its pedestal beside the armchair. His chalice spilled across my cream carpets.

I sucked my teeth in annoyance. "What threat can the secret service pose to you, Darcy? It's imperative that you not jump at every shadow and derail your own best laid plans. If you strike out against Distefano's spies, the president might refrain from rigging the Battle Royale, which would jeopardize our chances of finding the Map of Destiny.

"Only after Jack becomes Alpha can you gain full access to the Ravani lands where the map is hidden. With it, your path to control over the Council of Overlay Affairs and OASIS, alike, will be secured. You're ten steps ahead." I gave my manicure a blithe perusal before meeting his intense gaze. "Do you doubt me?"

"Why would I ever doubt you?" His dark chuckle raised the hairs on the back of my neck.

I was invested in Darcy remaining level-headed. Certainly, he had a loophole in our contract to keep us bound if need be. The map was the sole reason he was willing to let my sisters and me go. Given an instrument that unfailingly led to one's heart's desires, who needed djinn?

I rang for the maid to attend to the vampire's mess. "We stick to your genius plan," I said as I left the settee for the window where a sliver of sunlight speared through the drapes. I thought of throwing them open. How much damage could I do before the vampire attacked? Suppressing a sigh, I shut out the light.

"As for that backstabbing Distefano, he just signed his death certificate," Darcy muttered. "How dare he sic his agents after me! We'll worry about the rising human consciousness problem when we get to it. Everything else is going as I intended. Not only have we secured Jack, but I've found the Edison girl."

"The director's daughter? Which one? Why do you need her?" I retrieved my phone and consulted the casefile on his latest indiscretion. "Speaking of which, our law firm will block Detective Ravani from pinning you with that hit-and-run. Of course, having two high profile teenagers crash your party and one of them wind up splattered wasn't the best of luck."

"Yes. Where were you when I needed you?" he deadpanned. When Darcy fixated on a woman, she rarely survived. Delilah Claibourne. Detective Ravani's sister, Yalina. The vampire procured another drink from a quaking servant. "Aurie Edison is my new Holy Grail. The ancient cartographers sealed the Map of Destiny with an enchantment, fearing the peril of it getting in the wrong hands. It can only be unsealed by a powerful mage or witch. I'll need a resurrection."

"Outside of a djinn's purview, unfortunately, but I know a guy."

"We both know the Baron." Leering, he raised a glass and paced as he strategized aloud. "While you keep Ravani off my case on the human side, Distefano will stall the Supernaturals from investigating. That should buy me time until I get our ghost where I want her. Incidentally, how are things with our boy Jack?"

I outlined the success of our latest shopping spree without mentioning Sunny. "When you see him again, you won't even recognize him. The counterfeit Ravani heir looks the part."