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“No, but a glass of milk would be great.”
“I’ll get it for you.” Conrad went to the kitchen and poured the glass of milk and included an assortment of semi-fresh cookies just in case he was a little hungry. When Conrad returned to the living room Evan was fast asleep and he looked like a total angel in repose. He returned the milk to the fridge and came back and took a seat next to Evan on the sofa.
It wasn’t long before Evan gradually moved and laid his head on Conrad’s shoulder and draped his arm across his middle. Conrad was careful not to wake him as he slipped hisarm around him and tucked him up close. Evan was clearly more exhausted than he realized, and a little rest would do him good.
Having his beloved in his arms also did Conrad a lot of good easing his worry and furthering their connection. Conrad had to admit that he was still shocked that it happened, and that Fate chose him for this young man and he also could not be happier. Master Hadden was aware of their connection and others were probably made aware once the Master put the young Charmer in Conrad's custody.
Evan McCormick was a man he knew nothing about and yet would gladly lay down his life to protect. It was the power of Fate. Young Evan needed someone on his side, someone to love him and protect him from everything that was coming.
His beloved hasn’t had an easy life, but he maintained his dignity and self-respect. He’s cautious and watchful but still accepting of others. If it was the goal of his family to break him then they failed and they would never get another chance. This beautiful blonde headed young man belonged to Conrad Smith a highly skilled vampire warrior and one of the Master’s guard.
Conrad held his beloved and stayed alert as he slept. Evan had many tasks that lay before him, and he would need his strength and focus. The idea of his seemingly vulnerable and slightly built beloved going up against the powers holding the Hadden Center was difficult for Conrad to think about. He would be there for Evan in any way that he was needed, and Evan would never again walk alone.
CHAPTER THREE
"He's here and as an added feature he happens to be Conrad's beloved." Nik spoke with Josef, keeping him informed and up to date regarding the Charmer.
“So, the Charmer is going to become a coven member.” Josef chuckled.
“It would appear so our only problem at present is the fact that he is an untrained Charmer. He has no clue as to his powers and has never taken on the form of Charmer.” Nik explained the conditions they found him in and the suppression and control he suffered from his family. “They have an enchanted bracelet on his left wrist that he cannot remove that quashes his abilities.”
“Have you removed it?” Josef asked.
“Not yet, not until we have a better understanding of what it controls. Batiste says Evan can short-circuit magics in people and the atmosphere within a five-hundred-yard radius when not wearing the bracelet.” Nik found the possibility quite exciting.
“That’s amazing.” Josef too found the news exciting. “If he’s as powerful as we believe him to be, we will never have to worry about magics in our city again.”
"It's a wonderful thought, but first he has to be trained, and then we have to see whether he is capable of cleansing the Center. That's a tall order for such a small man and fragile-looking man, and I can't imagine Conrad will be thrilled having his beloved take on such a forceful enemy."
“No, I can’t imagine he would be feeling good about this.” Josef concurred. “Who is going to train him?”
"I thought Batiste, but after seeing them together, I don't think he's the best choice. Evan plainly does not trust him, and we don't have time to try and develop a rapport, so I'm thinking of Marek. The man exudes confidence, trust, and strength. I'm sure Evan will be comfortable with him.” Nik also didn’t trust Batiste to follow through. His reliability was much better than it used to be, but he still had a tendency to wander off.
“I agree Marek is the better choice.”
Evan remembered sitting on the sofa and Conrad covering him with a blanket and offering him milk and that was all he could recall. When he woke he was draped across Conrad cuddled up to the handsome, warm vampire. He should pull back and give the poor man some space, but he just couldn’t convince himself to move.
When he looked up at his companion he noticed that Conrad was not asleep he was awake and watching him. “How long was I asleep?” He asked.
“Two hours and forty-five minutes.” Evan made to move away and stop using the man as a body pillow but was stopped by the arm that Conrad held around him.
“Stay and relax you have a long day ahead of you so sleep while you can.” Conrad tucked the blanket back around Evan and gathered him close.
"Why did you come for me? No one has explained what it is I'm supposed to do for you. Master Hadden is a powerful and very important person, and he wouldn't have shown up on my doorstep without good reason." Evan decided to seek some answers and clarification since they had the time, and it was just him and Conrad.
“This is not the home of the Hadden Coven. We outgrew the Imperial Club many years ago. The coven resides in the Hadden Center downtown in the financial district. It's forty floors of architectural glory, but several months ago, we had to leave and run to safety." Evan listened closely and could feel the tension in Conrad's tone.
"The young, the old, the weak, and the vulnerable were taken to the Mountain Lodge, a location in the Allegany Mountains, and they are protected by the second in command, Josef McQueen, along with soldiers and guards. The rest of us, with the leadership of Master Nikolas Hadden, remain in Pittsburgh fighting back the darkness that has infected the Hadden Center and threatens the city." He paused for a moment, and Evan just let the silence remain. He could see that Conrad had a lot more to say.
“A skilled witch or warlock, I’m not sure what he was apart from a traitor, infiltrated the Hadden Coven and set a curse upon the land and the structure. It was formed in a manner that once it was set, it would continue to grow, and its effects would be felt throughout the city.” He paused again and turned so as to look Evan in the eyes. "It's an ancient hex, and the bastard who placed it was killed before he could be forced to remove it."
That answered most of Evan’s questions he understood magic even though his family thought he was clueless. He kept to himself and didn’t contribute so they assumed he knew nothing of what they were doing.
Sedric was a mid-level warlock with some power but nothing fancy or interesting. His brothers were similar although Wren had more ability than either Landon or Sedric, but his abilities were simple earth magic and nothing deadly.
Manfred on the other hand was dark and he feared Evan, but he refused to let Sedric send him away. It was a strange situation that he called keeping his enemy close. He hated Evan but he needed to watch him and humiliate him knocking him down at every opportunity. Manfred would have to be dealt with at some point, just as Killian predicted.
“I think I understand what you need from me.” He approached the conversation carefully still not completely trusting of this vampire but definitely leaning in that direction. He seemed genuine and Evan was a good judge of people. “You want me to enter the Center building and cancel the magics existing there.”
