Their time together on the couch earlier allowed Conrad to taste his beloved and pushed their bond further. The draw was getting stronger, and he could see Evan's need and desire shining in his eyes, and it was beautiful.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  “Marek is on his way, sir.” Michael, one of Nik's security specialists, informed him.

  "Good, we need Evan trained as soon as possible. The longer we wait, the stronger that thing becomes." Nik walked over to the large window in his office and looked out onto the city sprawled out in front of him.

  "I called the Mountain Lodge this morning, and Josef informed me that the dark magic had begun seeping out of the city. It's following a path through the lowlands and is heading in the direction of the mountains. "The Allegheny Dragon Circle has been assisting us and has taken measures to stop or at least interrupt its progress in hopes the Charmer will be successful."

  "He's young, but he possesses the powers and influence of a Charmer of old. Charmers were tasked to contain horrors during the Middle Ages, so their abilities must be fearsome.” Micheal's interpretation of the situation was exactly what Nik needed, and he was right a Charmer was fearsome. Evan McCormick was much more than just the vulnerable little man that Killian found in the back shed. He had the soul of a Charmer.

  “Marek is waiting for you in the ballroom.” Conrad stated. “He will be training you and aiding you in accessing your abilities.” Evan sensed that Conrad was uneasy, and Evan felt his own confidence shaking. “Marek is a Cyprian Knight he will prepare you Evan he is a mighty defender of the innocent, and he has vanquished many magics and occultist.”

  Evan nodded but remained seated even as Conrad stood and held out his hand to him. They'd sat together drinking coffee and discussing many things, personal and situational, and although he felt he had a better grasp on what was expected of him, he still felt at a disadvantage.

  Evan took his hand and allowed Conrad to pull him to his feet. "Come, I will take you to him." Again, Evan nodded. Evan knew more than he admitted as far as his ability to counteract the power of magics. He'd been used as a weapon against other magics in the Toronto area by Sedric and Manfred. The title Charmer had never been used before, but from what Conrad had explained, it sounded a lot like what he was already doing.

  “I feel the pressure of everyone’s hope and expectation.” He didn’t know what he wanted Conrad to do about it he just wanted to vent. They stepped into the elevator and Conrad took him into his arms which he found soothed him better than words. He held him and Evan absorbed the man’s scent and his strength and suddenly he didn’t feel quite as vulnerable.

  “Cyprian Knights battle the darkness in all forms.” Evan commented. He overheard Sedric and Manfred discussing them a while back. They worried about having them so close in Pittsburgh and having the Toronto activities perhaps ending up on their radar.

  "The Cyprians are powerful, but so are you," Conrad spoke, his tone heavily laden with emotion.

  “I’ll be okay.” Evan squeezed him tight, and Conrad reciprocated. The doors opened and they remained like that for a few seconds before exiting the elevator. Conrad kept his hand on Evan’s back and stuck very close to him.

  They entered the ballroom, and Evan saw the impressive-looking man standing not far from the door. He walked over to them when they arrived. The instant read that Evan got on the man was that he was good a very good man.

  His strength and his authority were considerable very much like Master Hadden, although Evan sensed mystical energy from Marek whereas Hadden had universal energy like a legacy. Marek was capable and he didn’t doubt the man could teach him everything he needed to know about being the Charmer.

  "Evan, this is Marek, and Marek, this is Evan McCormick, my beloved." Evan felt empowered by the title and stood a little taller when he took Marek's hand in a quick shake.

  "Pleased to meet you." He said, and Marek reciprocated. He noticed that Marek was watching him. His eyes, which appeared to be many colors, were roiling and changing and looking right through him. He then shifted his gaze to Conrad with a pleasant smile.

  “I’ll take good care of him Conrad come back in a couple of hours. I need Evan’s full and undivided attention. You know that he is safe with me.” Conrad said nothing for a few seconds and then turned to Evan and pulled him into a full body hug which Evan did not mind at all. The touch of this man went far to ease his heart and mind.

  "You will be well guarded, and you can trust Marek." Conrad then bent and took Evan's lips in a brief yet firm and distinctly proprietary kiss. Evan loved his kisses and loved the way he made him feel. He felt his heart beating rapidly and his body heating up. This was marvelous, and he so wished that they had the time and were alone.

  "We will continue this later, my love." He pulled back and slowly let his hands drop to his sides. "I'll return in two hours." He said to Marek and then turned to Evan. "If you need me call me I won’t be far away.”

  “Thank you, Conrad.” Evan watched him leave feeling a distinct flattening of his mood and then turned to face Marek. The man was studying him again he could feel the energy of his stare as it took in every aspect of his mind, body and spirit. The Cyprian was very thorough.

  He gestured for Evan to follow him, and they walked toward the center of the room. Marek was dressed casually and yet he still appeared regal some people just exude class and confidence. Evan stood straight and tried to hold his own under the scrutiny of this man. He wished Conrad was still with him.

  "I'm not judging you, Evan. I'm just getting an understanding of your abilities and your inner strength. Both of which are necessary to carry out the mission you've been given." Marek stood in front of him slightly to his left and reached out, encircling the bracelet with his hand.

  “I’m going to remove this and we’re going to see what happens.” Marek kept his eyes locked with Evan’s holding him immobile while he broke the clasp with the presser of his grip and slipped the bracelet from his wrist.

  Evan waited for the flash and burn to swamp the room which was always the case whenever the bracelet had been removed in the past, but it didn’t happen this time. Instead, a wave of energy soft as a breeze wafted over them and throughout the room and beyond. Marek closed his eyes and seemed to be immersing himself in it.

  Evan always enjoyed the feeling of release that came when the bracelet was removed but of course the initial burn was never pleasant. “Every other time there was a flash and burn sensation that everyone felt. The room would light up bright orange that would then turn to blue and fade out. I felt it too initially and then I’d feel a sense of release and tranquility after.”

  Marek took a few steps back and tossed the bracelet away. Evan watched it skid across the floor and impact the wall. It wasn't in a condition to ever be put back on, and he wondered what the plans were.

  “There was no flash and burn because there is no magic in the area. The level of reaction is based on the volume and potency of the magics present.” That was the same thing Conrad had told him.

  "I've never experienced this before, only ever the burn."

  "You lived with magics, so that's not surprising." Marek crossed his arms on his chest and began a volley of questions. All were reasonable considering what they were dealing with, but Evan wanted to get to the training and get it over with because he was seriously missing Mr. Conrad Smith.

  Their time on the couch was filling his thoughts and he couldn’t wait to take it further and hopefully Conrad was feeling the same way. His instincts told him he was. He shut down the daydreaming and turned his attention back to Marek.

  “If there are no magics present, then your energy is simply energizing.” He smiled. The bracelet caused a backup of the force within you and then when removed it rushed out in an obvious and tangible wave. Without the bracelet you will experience a more measured release unless there are magics near and then the effect will be based on the size and force of that magic.”

  “Makes sense.” He remarked. “How does all this translate into what Master Hadden is calling the Charmer?”

  “You’ve never heard of a Charmer? Your family has never referred to such powers?”

  “No, never. They’ve called me a disrupter, but the word Charmer was never used. I don’t think they were aware of it.”

  "Charmers are ancient beings who have the power to put down the great evils of magics and casters, not just the minor wiccans and their little spells but also the ferocious, hungry conjuring of the most powerful in the world of magics." That sounded impressive, and Evan wondered how such a strength and capability existed within him. He was seriously concerned that perhaps they had the wrong man for the job and that they had been misled.

  "The power that you experience now is a small portion of what a Charmer can do. They were plentiful in the Middle and Dark Ages when people were desperate and bartered power was all the rage. There was darkness; it was an evil unlike what they had known before. It was stronger and grew, taking control as it moved through an area. The Charmers were raised to do battle." This sounded to Evan like a fairy tale or legend.

  "They were average villagers or nobles. From the poor to the rich and entitled, the Charmers were chosen. They beat back the blight of evil and freed people from the curses set down." Marek had lived through this he was speaking from an eyewitness point of view which was incredible.

  "They died out over time as the evil darkness and the dangers receded, and their influence was no longer needed. It's been centuries since a Charmer was known to exist, and now there is you. The worst of the magics is rising once again, and so are the Charmers." He turned to Evan and reached out his left palm forward. He was feeling for something, feeling the air, and Evan could see small sparks from his palm and from Evan's chest. "The Charmer is within you, Evan, just waiting to be called forth."

  “Why can’t a Cyprian Knight banish the darkness growing in the Hadden Center? I know some of what you are and what you can do.” That question has been bothering him.

  “Cyprians do not have command of all the elements and the supernatural as does a Charmer. A hex or an old world curse that combines forces that are beyond our capabilities. We can handle the individual or the horde, but not when the forces of nature and the supernatural are called down and fettered in a manner not seen in over seven hundred years." Marek spoke of horrific things, and yet he did it calmly and matter-of-fact. This was so much to take in.

  "You'll do fine Evan the universe has prepared you for this." Again, he sounded so confident. Evan took a deep breath and flexed his grip, appreciating that the bracelet was finally off.

  "That thing hasn't been off in years." Evan pointed to the bracelet lying next to the far wall. His mind was filled with so much that between discovering that Conrad was his Fated match and being called a latent Charmer, he wondered what was coming next.

  "You never have to wear it again. It serves no purpose for your destiny. You've been chosen, and you are part of the bloodline of old." He patted Evan on the shoulder. "The time for Charmers to once again rise up and defend the world has begun, and you are the first."

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Conrad forced himself to leave that room as everything inside of him was shouting for him to not leave his vulnerable beloved's side. He was making his way to the dining hall for a cup of coffee when Micheal came up beside him. "Come with me, Conrad."

  Micheal took him to one of the surveillance rooms on the second floor. "You can keep an eye on Evan from here. You won't be able to hear what is spoken, but you will be able to ease your mind and know that he is okay and being treated properly." Michael queued up the ballroom on the screen, and just like that, his beloved came into the frame looking utterly ravishing.

  “Thank you, sir.” Conrad took a seat and felt his body begin to relax now that he could see Evan and assess his wellbeing. It was bizarre but just that short separation had left him anxious and irritated and now after laying eyes on Evan he felt like himself again.

  "Don't try to figure it out, Conrad. I never could." Michael told him as if reading his mind. "They are our other half, our Fated partners in life, and they fill our every emotional thought and need. Until you've completed the bond, it will just get steadily worse." Michael laughed and patted Conrad's upper arm.

  “I believe it.” Conrad stated. “Since I met him the burn in my soul has just gotten hotter and hotter and my mind will focus on nothing but his wellbeing.” He felt out of control and highly focused at the same time.

  "It's all worth it." He noticed a serene look fill Micheal's features. "Cole has made my life so full, and Evan will be everything that you need." Conrad had no doubt that Evan was his ideal match; Fate was never wrong.

  Just looking at the gorgeous man and having spent time with him left Conrad feeling blessed. It was Evan’s current circumstances that caused the fear and uncertainty in his heart and mind.

  “I know you worry for him, but Fate brought you together at this point in time because she knew that he needed you.” Michael’s words were welcome and helped him calm his fears.

  “They’re asking so much of him.”

  “It will work out, Conrad. He has you and all of the Hadden Coven backing him up.”

  “Yes he does.” Conrad relaxed and cleared his head. Micheal was right Evan couldn’t have better support that what he will get at the Hadden Coven.

  Michael left, and Conrad settled in. The monitor provided a clear picture of what was taking place in the ballroom but with no sound. It didn't matter since Conrad was able to read Evan's emotions well.

  Evan was unsure and tensing up until Marek broke the bracelet from his wrist and tossed it away. The relief that Evan felt was palatable, as was the rush of energy that filled the room. Evan was powerful, which was certainly made clear, and now he just needed to learn how to take control and focus that power. Conrad was in the surveillance room for well over an hour when he received a message to meet with Master Hadden in his office.

  Evan was safe he told himself. Conrad was aware there was no danger while he was in the company of Marek but still it was hard to pull his eyes away from the screen and leave the room. When he entered the Master’s office Killian was also present.

  "Sit down, Conrad." Master Hadden gestured to a chair in front of his desk. Killian was seated off to the side to Conrad's right.

  "Evan McCormick is your beloved, and as such, I wish to keep you fully informed of our actions and the changing aspects of the situation that we are all in." The Master made his opening statement and Conrad braced himself to remain calm no matter what he might hear.

  There was nothing to be gained by losing his shit in front of the Master and Killian. If he had his way, he would grab his beloved and run until he couldn't run any further, but that was not possible.

  “If I were you, I'd want to run too." Master Hadden commented, having heard his thoughts.

  “I realize the difficult position that you were placed in, and I want to assure you that we will do everything to keep your young man safe. But with that said, he is our only hope to clear the Hadden Center of the curse.” He stood and walked around the desk and took a seat in the chair next to Conrad.

  The closeness brought comfort and helped to further relax the tensing he hadn't realized was taking him over. His Master understood what he was feeling, but this had to be done. His beloved was their only possibility of release from the evil that had taken over the Center and was slowly moving through the city and beyond.

  "I understand, sir, but it doesn't make it easy," Conrad responded truthfully.

  "No, it doesn't." He acknowledged. Silence fell for a few seconds, and then the subject changed. "Earlier, Killian warned that the one called Manfred was destined to be a problem, and it appears that he was spot on with his prediction." Killian remained silent and did not comment.

  "Evan said much the same after I took him to my quarters. He told me that Manfred was not going to give up." Conrad interjected, and he noticed Killian give a slight nod.

  “We know now that he was grooming Evan for his own ends. Manfred was well aware of Evan’s latent powers and intended to be the one to control the young man.”

  “How did you find out?”

  "The Toronto Kindred contacted us, not wanting to get on our bad side, as they put it. They didn't wish to be blamed for his actions or behaviors."

  “They should have controlled him. What are they, simpletons? A kindred is supposed to have power over their numbers.” Conrad remarked sharply.

  "They decided it was easier to make him our problem, and yes, they are simpletons," Killian stated plainly.

  “He is our problem now regardless, and he’s headed this way if the kindred have their information correct.” Master Hadden began.

  "Manfred is a conjurer, not a particularly skillful magic, but what he lacks in skill, he makes for in sheer evil intent. He is more proficient in the arts than Evan's family but hid his ability and took a subservient position in their household, which gave him access to Evan. Evan was around eight when Manfred took control." Master Hadden was filling in all the blanks.

  “He knew Evan was a Charmer?” Conrad asked.

  “No, but he knew he had suppressed abilities. The bracelet they made Evan wear gave him his first suspicions that the boy had more power than the family was aware, and he believed that it only needed to be nurtured and directed.”

  "Does he really believe that he can come here and take Evan from us?" Conrad was incredulous, and Killian chuckled.

  "You never know with these magics. I never had a clue what Nathan was up to until he almost destroyed us, so we take this very seriously. If Manfred is spotted, I have ordered that he be killed. Do not pause and do not question death is to be delivered immediately." Master Hadden was taking no chances.

  “Yes, sir.”