Chapter Five – Death at Arcane

The Council, established over two centuries ago to keep their kind safe from the humans, and to keep the humans safe from their kind. From previous experience, it did no one any good to know there are beings with extraordinary abilities. When they exposed their kind to humans a little over two hundred years before, humans hunted them down, called them witches, and slit their throats. So, their kind ran scared. They disbanded and scattered throughout the world, some trying their best to live normal lives among humans, hiding their abilities from society. Others joined little hideaways across the globe where they could be themselves. It didn’t matter where or how they lived, there were rules and the council enforced these rules.

The building Arcane called home was nearly as old as the Council itself. The block structure of red bricks and white ornate trim stood proudly among the acres of land it rests upon. Luscious trees and soft, green grass seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see. But Devyn knew there was a limit. An imposing red brick wall kept them secluded from the outside world. He remembered with fondness of the days where he had a brother who still would play many silly games with him while their father conducted business inside. One would play enforcer while the other an outlaw, their own version of hide and go seek. Upon capture of the outlaw, they would switch roles and play the day away. Later, when the real enforcers left on assignments across the world and the council sat down for their formal dinner, the kitchen staff would call and have a little feast spread out for the boys in the kitchen. After dinner, they would sneak into the Grand Hall as the members were still dining and gawk at the magnificence of the High Table. Their father said that the twenty world leaders sat there. The rest sat in church-like rows behind the leaders. The enforcers. Tasked with finding the rule breakers and bringing them to justice for their offenses. At eight and ten, they weren’t privy to what happened to men and women who broke the rules. Now, he was one of the voices that would forgive or condemn.

Devyn believed in the Arcane Council because his father did. Vincent Vichter is a good man and made his way through life with checks and balances. He is a fair man and a wonderful father, they just had to find him. Jaxon is convinced they no longer had a father, but Devyn didn’t share his opinion. In their father’s absence, Jaxon, as the eldest, is to take the seat. He did, for nearly a year, and then told the council, in no uncertain terms, to fuck off. So the responsibility now belonged to Devyn. As much as he resents Jaxon for flicking off something that was so important to their father. Secretly, it thrilled him to walk this path; he felt a stronger connection to his father here.

It used to be an aspiration of both the brothers to become enforcers one day. Instead, Devyn sat at the High Table and Jaxon wanted nothing to do with them. His brother blamed the council for their mother walking out on her family when he was ten and Jaxon twelve. He had convinced himself that Ivy Vichter was sick and tired of Vincent putting the council before their family and put herself first for a change. Looking up at his older brother, Devyn used to blame them as well. Until he got older and realized with devastation, that Jaxon might not be correct in his scorn. Their mother had the freedom of choice and used it. Devyn could hardly blame Arcane for her selfishness. He had moved on and it was time for Jaxon to do the same. He needed Arcane’s support and resources to find their father. Their missing father was just another reason Jaxon wanted Devyn out of the seat.

Arriving later than he wanted to, Devyn quickly parked his Audi and hurried up the steps. The release of Finn Bailey took a turn for worst when he spotted Kai hulking down the stairs, he promptly passed out from absolute terror. They had to bring him around twice, and eventually, Kai had to go back upstairs for the beady-eyed midget to stay conscious long enough to walk out of Creed with his own two feet. Poor bastard though Kai came to pummel him to dust.

Devyn joined the members still milling about outside, the enforcers scattered around, waiting to head inside after the High Table took their seats. He was just about to apologize to Neil Harris for being late when a shrill cry pierced the civilized chatter around him and had ninety-nine men all trying to rush into the hall at once. Ninety–nine, as the one-hundredth sprawled across the high table and his bowels leaking out on the mirrored gloss table below him. Because Devyn and Neil were closest to the door, they got there first. It was too late. Felix Stokov was long past any help, medical or otherwise. The young girl who only wanted to deposit the pitchers of water was still whimpering as someone tried to calm her down. Devyn picked up the bloodied note from the table and all color drained from his face.

Jaxon heard his brother come in and without so much as a glance as an acknowledgment, he continued with his work. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Devyn, still dressed in his suit, sit on the couch. The silence only relieved by the occasional swish of a page became telling. He glanced up at his brother; he was pale and staring intently at his folded hands. Alarmed, Jaxon shot up from behind his desk and pulled Devyn from the couch. “Where are you hurt?” he demanded. “Where?” he asked again, as fear as cold as death crept up his spine. He shook his brother “What the fuck happened?”

“He’s dead, Jax.”

“Who?” Growling at his own impatience, Jaxon shook him again until their eyes lined up. “Who is dead, goddamnit?”

“Felix Stokov. They gutted him, left him on the High Table for all to see.”

“Who killed him?”

“Don’t know, but there was a note.” Something tingled at the back of Jaxon’s mind. Note. Hadn’t that beady eye fucker also gotten a note?

“What did it say?” Jaxon looked into the clear blue eyes of his younger brother and could almost taste the horror in him.

“One by one,” Devyn repeated.

“Fuck that!” Jaxon exploded. “You are quitting this council even if I have to do it for you.” Devyn was about to protest, but Jaxon wasn’t in the mood for a debate. “So help me, Devyn, I will lock you in the basement to keep your own stupidity and misplaced loyalty from killing you.”

Jaxon was going to pay a little visit to the council himself. It was time they stopped fucking with him and his. Stalking out of his office, he motioned to the head of security and ordered his closest friend to babysit his brother while he got the Arcane off their backs for good.