Part 6
The gem should have come to him. It should have been in his possession. The power should have consumed Dagan, given him magic to control that he had never dreamt of.
The Century's Star should have been in *his* family. Not the pathetic piece of scum of Jessica Caldwell. He could probably trace back the line to the point where the Caldwells had stolen the Century's Star, but didn't feel like wasting his time.
He'd heard from one of his sources that the original coven of New Salem had disbanded, they didn't practice anymore. But someone had screwed up the info trail there.
Dagan smirked to himself, lounging in the leather recliner in his upscale New York apartment. Half the coven was off at university, the others were left behind. That he had had taken care of.
"And she's there now?"
"Yeah, she arrived this morning." His current girlfriend was limited in her magic skills. Her only power seemed to be the occasional touch of telekinesis. Not that it really mattered, she made up for it in the looks department. He certainly wouldn't have anyone more powerful than him on his arm (like *that* would happen anyway, he thought).
Ariel was stunning with skin like coffee with cream, ebony hair shimmering around her slender shoulders. Her eyes were the colour of moonstones, her lips full and desirable. She was standing beside him, cool hands massaging his shoulders, dressed in a strapless white leather dress. "Gianna says she's getting her teeth in quite well."
Dagan chuckled. "Well at least *someone's* doing what they're supposed to."
He hadn't been all that surprised Reiko and Jelana had screwed up. He didn't know where Ariel had found Reiko. She'd insisted he was useful, but he'd turned out to be a complete waste of space and time.
"If tradition follows, then the gem will go to Jessica's sister - " Ariel reached out and the pad on the coffee table floated up into her hand " - Cody."
Dagan sat up and looked at her, frowning. "But Jessica - "
"Is dead. They got *that* bit right, and managed to make it look like suicide."
So they had some brains. Maybe he shouldn't have vanquished Reiko so fast.
"So what do we know about the reactivated coven, then? I'm assuming it's - "
"The New Salemers." Ariel looked at her note pad again. "Yes. These new ones are the children of the descendants of the Master's generation."
Dagan frowned. "The Master is gone. They destroyed him. As his only living relative I should be in charge of that coven. I should be in possession of the Century's Star." He watched magic spark from his fingertips and hurled the purple light at a tall standing lamp, breaking it into pieces.
Ariel's arms wrapped around his shoulders. "And you will be," she muttered, lips brushing against his.
Dagan wasn't in the mood. He pushed her away. "Go make use of yourself and call Hayan."
Ariel moved away, looking at him in surprise. "I thought you hated Hayan."
Dagan made a face. "Just do it."
He did despise his cousin, but he needed someone to take care of the witches at the university. Jelana was getting the Century's Star for him. Gianna was destroying the witches left for him. He couldn't help a satisfied smirk. Ultimate power was within his grasp. Things were looking up fir him.
* * *
The gem should have come to him. It should have been in his possession. The power should have consumed Dagan, given him magic to control that he had never dreamt of.
The Century's Star should have been in *his* family. Not the pathetic piece of scum of Jessica Caldwell. He could probably trace back the line to the point where the Caldwells had stolen the Century's Star, but didn't feel like wasting his time.
He'd heard from one of his sources that the original coven of New Salem had disbanded, they didn't practice anymore. But someone had screwed up the info trail there.
Dagan smirked to himself, lounging in the leather recliner in his upscale New York apartment. Half the coven was off at university, the others were left behind. That he had had taken care of.
"And she's there now?"
"Yeah, she arrived this morning." His current girlfriend was limited in her magic skills. Her only power seemed to be the occasional touch of telekinesis. Not that it really mattered, she made up for it in the looks department. He certainly wouldn't have anyone more powerful than him on his arm (like *that* would happen anyway, he thought).
Ariel was stunning with skin like coffee with cream, ebony hair shimmering around her slender shoulders. Her eyes were the colour of moonstones, her lips full and desirable. She was standing beside him, cool hands massaging his shoulders, dressed in a strapless white leather dress. "Gianna says she's getting her teeth in quite well."
Dagan chuckled. "Well at least *someone's* doing what they're supposed to."
He hadn't been all that surprised Reiko and Jelana had screwed up. He didn't know where Ariel had found Reiko. She'd insisted he was useful, but he'd turned out to be a complete waste of space and time.
"If tradition follows, then the gem will go to Jessica's sister - " Ariel reached out and the pad on the coffee table floated up into her hand " - Cody."
Dagan sat up and looked at her, frowning. "But Jessica - "
"Is dead. They got *that* bit right, and managed to make it look like suicide."
So they had some brains. Maybe he shouldn't have vanquished Reiko so fast.
"So what do we know about the reactivated coven, then? I'm assuming it's - "
"The New Salemers." Ariel looked at her note pad again. "Yes. These new ones are the children of the descendants of the Master's generation."
Dagan frowned. "The Master is gone. They destroyed him. As his only living relative I should be in charge of that coven. I should be in possession of the Century's Star." He watched magic spark from his fingertips and hurled the purple light at a tall standing lamp, breaking it into pieces.
Ariel's arms wrapped around his shoulders. "And you will be," she muttered, lips brushing against his.
Dagan wasn't in the mood. He pushed her away. "Go make use of yourself and call Hayan."
Ariel moved away, looking at him in surprise. "I thought you hated Hayan."
Dagan made a face. "Just do it."
He did despise his cousin, but he needed someone to take care of the witches at the university. Jelana was getting the Century's Star for him. Gianna was destroying the witches left for him. He couldn't help a satisfied smirk. Ultimate power was within his grasp. Things were looking up fir him.
* * *