Page 16 of Blood Match

“The blood will flow if he has his way,” I say, my voice ominous. “It always does.”

I turn to the window, staring out at the city lights below. I’ve seen this before – the rise of tyrants, the fall of empires. And always, always, there’s blood. Especially where Lucien Marlowe is concerned. An image flashes through my mind of a blood-soaked battlefield. Tattered pennants fluttering in a night breeze that wasn’t strong enough to blow away the stink of decaying corpses.

Lucien Marlow has a lot to answer for.

“We need to analyze which clan leaders might side with him,” Marcus says, interrupting my dark thoughts. “Isabella Montague seemed…receptive to his ideas.”

I snort. “Of course she did. Anything for more power and influence. The Tenebrians have always put their own interests first.”

“And Victor Valmont?” Marcus asks.

I frown, considering. “Victor’s a wild card. He’s more interested in his arcane research than politics, but Lucien might be able to tempt him with promises of new knowledge.”

“What about Lady Ravenscroft?” Marcus suggests.

I shake my head. “Arabella’s too tied to tradition. She won’t support anything that could destabilize vampire society. But…” I pause, a thought occurring to me. “She might not actively oppose Lucien either. She’s always been one to sit on the fence until the last possible moment.”

Marcus moves to the liquor cabinet, pouring us both a glass of blood-red wine. It’s a useless gesture – alcohol hasn’t affected me since I was turned – but I appreciate the familiarity of the ritual.

“And Stone?” he asks, handing me a glass.

I dip my nose to the rim of the glass, savoring the rich aroma even if I can’t taste it. “Alaric’s pragmatic. He’ll side with whoever he thinks will come out on top. We need to convince him that Lucien’s plan is too risky.”

Marcus nods, his face grim. “That leaves Elias Thorne and…Selene.”

“Elias will be against it,” I say with certainty. “His whole purpose is to heal and protect. He won’t stand for anything that harms witches or humans…or anything else, for that matter.”

“Selene?” Marcus asks, a hint of something I can’t quite identify in his voice.

I raise an eyebrow. “Your sister? You tell me.”

Marcus sighs, running a hand through his hair. “Selene’s…complicated. She’s a diplomat at heart. She might try to find a middle ground.”

“There is no middle ground here,” I growl. “Either we find a way to coexist with the witches, or we go to war. And if we go to war…”

I don’t finish the thought. I don’t need to. Marcus and I have both seen enough battles to know how this ends.

“Lucien’s influence is growing,” Marcus says softly. “The younger vampires, especially…they’re drawn to his strength, his certainty.”

I nod, grounding myself as I pull in a deep breath. “It’s always the same. In times of crisis, people flock to those who offer simple solutions, no matter how brutal.”

We stand in silence for a moment.

“What’s your thinking on this, Darick? What do you have in mind?” Marcus finally asks.

I set down my glass, wishing for the hundredth time that I could still feel the burn of alcohol. “We watch him,” I say simply. “We gather our allies, we make our case, and we watch every move that motherfucker makes. If he tries anything, we stop it.”

Marcus nods, his eyes hardening with resolve. “And if we can’t stop him?”

I turn back to the window, staring out at the city below. Somewhere out there, witches are going about their lives, unaware of the storm that’s brewing. Unaware that their very existence hangs in the balance.

“Then we prepare to fight,” I say grimly. “And pray that we’re strong enough to weather it.”

5

Chapter 5

Rowan

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