Page 25 of The Vampire's Storm

“Jesus, I don’t think I’ve ever heard you say those words.” Vincent let out a rough laugh.

“Me neither.” Craig huffed out his own laugh. “Now excuse me. I need to go get the prince.”

As he strode out the door and it shut behind him, Vincent met Ari’s stare.

“Once we do this, there is no going back,” the ancient vampire said.

“The time has come, uncle,” Vincent said, knowing how huge this decision was. For over fifteen hundred years, Ari and Gio Moretti, their creator and first king, had kept the race hidden.

They had all followed in their footsteps.

“The time has come, and while we’ll endeavor to do it discretely, my first priority is ensuring Brayden remains alive, and that means retrieving Willow and Isabella,” Vincent added.

“You don’t think I should have let him go.” Ari crossed his arms.

“I don’t think you could have stopped him.” Vincent laughed and sat down in his chair. “We both know that.”

Ari shook his head.

Whether that meant he disagreed or not, Vincent wasn’t sure, but now wasn’t the time for such conversations. Now it was time to show these gangsters who was more powerful.

As a race, they had swallowed their pride on many occasions to protect the greater good by remaining an unknown species living on earth.

At least they had many world leaders already partially educated on their species and some relationships in play.

It would help.

But it was still going to be a fucking mess if exposure happened.

“We aren’t going to war with humanity. We are taking down the mafia,” Vincent clarified. “The Russian mafia and anyone who is on their team.”

“You forget my team has been aware of the crime world for much longer than we’ve been dealing with this situation with Nikolay,” Ari said. “The mafias and cartels are ruthless and will die to defend their families.”

“So will I,” he said firmly.

“You will not fucking die, Vincent.” Ari’s power rose to the surface. One he kept hidden from almost everyone, but as king, Vincent felt it.

He wasn’t stupid.

He knew his uncle was a powerful vampire. Just how much more powerful he wasn’t sure.

Ari was a Moretti.

The only remaining original vampire.

Vincent had wondered many times what that meant.

One day, they might find out.

For now, his patience was waning.

He was king. The end.

“I have no intention of losing my head or my heart. But I need Brayden back here and I need those motherfuckers dead, Ari,” Vincent boomed. “Now!”

Ari’s eyes flickered in response. A wildness within them as the warrior in him came alive. He wasn’t used to taking commands from others, but in war there could only be one man at the top.

Vincent.

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