As time passed, the vampires scoured the city, searching and searching, yet they were unable to catch even the faintest trail of where Marcus had gone. Their frustration grew by the hour, and eventually they had no choice but to report back to the man who had been placed in charge of this particular mission.
That man was none other than Bryce Cain, the current First Vampire Leader. Bryce was still seated inside the auction house, within one of the few rooms left unbroken after the chaos. The space was eerily quiet now, broken glass glittering faintly under the dim lights as Bryce sat with his legs crossed, listening in silence to the report the others gave him. His crimson gaze was calm, but there was an edge beneath the stillness, like a predator holding back the urge to strike.
“That person wasn’t in any state where he should have been strong enough to escape on his own,” Bryce said flatly when they finished. “I had already pleted my share of the tasks required of me. I thought you could at least succeed with the last one percent. Yet this... is the result in the end?” He exhaled, the sound more like a hiss. “I suppose I’ll have to make my report.”
Far away, at an unknown location, a man sat in his throne shrouded in near-plete darkness. Behind him stretched a massive wall of glass, towering from floor to ceiling, and beyond that glass sprawled a breathtaking, otherworldly landscape, jagged black peaks that cut into the sky like claws, and a glowing crimson river that wound its way across the land like a vein.
Within the shadows of the throne room, the man’s red eyes glimmered faintly, sharp and unblinking as he rested his chin against a closed fist. He was deep in thought. This man was Lucien Scutter, the current Vampire King. His expression was unreadable, carved from stone, until the massive double doors creaked open and a figure strode confidently inside.
“Oh, Rowa,” Lucien said without moving from his throne. “You know there’s no need to deliver the reports to me personally. I can always get them from the Eight Families.”
“If I did that, Your Majesty,” Rowa replied, stopping just short of the throne before lowering into a precise bow, “then I wouldn’t be able to discuss these important matters with you directly.” When he rose, his golden eyes gleamed faintly in the darkness. “Here is my report.”
Rowa began with the matter concerning Bryce Cain and the others. He described how their mission had been a success in eliminating the Dark Guild, their strikes swift and merciless, cutting through the organization’s structure like a blade through silk.
However, he added, their victory had not been total, the leader of the Dark Guild had gotten away. Despite continued pursuit, it seemed increasingly unlikely they would manage to track him down.
“That is good news,” Lucien said after a pause. His voice was low and steady, yet carried a subtle undertone of menace. “They had been growing their power for far too long. We removed the Altereds at precisely the right time, and we broke the White Rose. The only human power left that posed any true threat was the Dark Guild. If they had been allowed to continue unchecked, there was a chance they could have bee a serious problem in the future.” He waved one languid hand. “I would not worry too much about their leader. He is only one person.”
Rowa gave a small nod, though there was a flicker of doubt in his expression. He had another report to give, one that seemed to weigh far more heavily on his mind. “There is also a matter concerning the two Alpha packs,” he said carefully. “We have received reports that the Howlers have managed to defeat the Lupus Pack.”
Lucien’s head tilted slightly at that. The casual slouch in his throne disappeared as he straightened, interest sharpening in his gaze. “Is that so?” he murmured. “I knew he showed talent... but to have been able to defeat all of Lupus’s group? He has done far better than I expected.” A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. “Perhaps that one is more dangerous than I gave him credit for.”
“That is not all, Your Majesty,” Rowa continued, his tone tightening as though the next part might stir even more surprise. “According to the sources closest to the scene, the remnants of the Lupus Pack have been absorbed into the Howlers. They are now a larger and stronger force than they were before the battle. Most of those who perished in the fighting were regular humans on the Howlers’ side, while the surviving werewolves have all been assimilated.”
Lucien leaned forward slightly, his elbows resting on the carved arms of his throne as he steepled his fingers. Rowa pressed on. “As for the second matter... it appears that both Gary and Lupus have disappeared. No one knows if they killed each other or if something else happened, but at present both packs are without their Alpha. With this information... don’t you think this is the perfect time for us to strike?”
Lucien’s red eyes flickered like dying embers as he considered the thought in silence. The chamber was so quiet that the faint hum of the glass wall seemed deafening. After a long pause, the king finally spoke. “It is a hard time for us,” he said slowly. “We have only just established everything in the new settlement. There is no reason for everyone to remain here on Earth any longer. The most important factor was to stabilize the situation, and that is what we have done. With Gary... I believe he is someone who can maintain control.”
“What?!” Rowa blurted, his posure cracking. His voice echoed through the cavernous throne room. “Are you saying for everyone to just leave Earth? That makes no sense, not after everything you’ve already done to reclaim this territory! We are, right now, the closest we have ever been to controlling all of it! And you should know not everyone is satisfied about having to abandon our home. Why are we, the strongest beings alive, expected to run away?!”
His words were fierce, his hands clenched at his sides, and for a heartbeat the air itself seemed to quiver under the force of his emotion.
Lucien only regarded him coolly from the throne. He understood Rowa’s fury. Many of the vampires would share it. Change was always difficult. It always drew resistance, especially from those who had bled for their conquest and now feared it would be thrown away.
“There is one more thing,” Rowa said, his voice dropping lower. “Are we really going to let him go? We never managed to locate Vincent either.”
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