Page 16 of Blood Bound

“Fuck it,” I mutter. I should have handled it differently. I should have—

“I thought I’d find you here,” Marcus’s voice cuts through my thoughts. “How did the meeting go?”

I turn to face him, my lips twisting into a bitter smile. “It was a shitshow.”

Marcus raises an eyebrow, waiting for me to elaborate. I sigh and roll my shoulders. “Rowan thought she’d killed me. When I walked in, alive and well, she panicked and ran. I tried to explain, but…” I trail off, remembering the accusation in her voice, the way she recoiled from my touch.

“She didn’t take it well, I gather,” Marcus says, moving to stand beside me.

I let out a humorless chuckle. “That’s an understatement. She accused me of manipulating her, of being involved in her sister’s disappearance. And now…” I pause, the gravity of the situation weighing on me. “Now she’d rather kill me again than listen to anything I have to say.”

Marcus remains silent for a moment, processing my words. “And what about you?” he finally asks. “How are you holding up?”

I tighten my jaw, feeling the hunger gnawing at me. “I need her blood, Marcus. After healing myself, I’m weaker than I’ve been in centuries.”

“I’m guessing the arrangement you had with her is now off the table?”

“What do you think?” I aim a level stare at him.

Marcus eyes me for a moment, then says, “Yeah, I’d say that ship has sailed.” He leans against the parapet, his expression turning serious. “Speaking of ships, Lucien’s been making waves.”

My interest piques. “What kind of waves?”

“It seems our dear friend has been busy making new alliances,” Marcus says. “Word is he’s been courting some of the more…disgruntled elements within the clans.”

I frown, crossing my arms. “Disgruntled how?”

Marcus sighs. “The usual complaints. Younger vampires feeling overlooked, older ones who think we’ve gone soft. And, of course, there are those who agree with Lucien’s stance on witches.”

“Shit,” I mutter. “How much traction is he getting?”

“More than I’d like,” Marcus admits. “He’s playing on their fears about the Bloodbane, promising solutions if they back him. And with the recent attacks on the witch community, tensions are high. It’s creating a perfect storm for Lucien to exploit.”

I start pacing, my mind racing. “We need to counter this. Fast. If Lucien gains too much support—”

“I know,” Marcus cuts in. “That’s why I’m worried. His influence is growing, and with it, the threat of a full-scale conflict with the witches.”

I stop, turning to face him. “Have you heard anything specific? Any plans or meetings?”

Marcus shakes his head. “Nothing concrete yet. But there’s a buzz in the air, Darick. Something’s coming, and I don’t think we’re going to like it.”

I mull over this for a moment, my mind churning with the implications. The hunger gnaws at me, a constant reminder of my weakened state. I try to focus on the task at hand.

“What about Selene and Elias?” I ask. “Any word from them?”

Marcus nods. “They’re still on board. Selene’s been discreetly reaching out to her contacts, trying to gauge the mood among the other clans.”

“And Elias?” I prompt, my gaze drifting back to the moonlit gardens below.

“He’s been diving into the archives, looking for any historical precedents that might help us. Says he’s found some interesting leads; he’ll fill us in when he knows more.”

I nod absently, my thoughts straying back to Rowan. It feels like a lifetime ago that I had her wrapped around me, her flesh warm against mine. How could so much have changed in just two days?

“Darick?” Marcus’s voice cuts through my reverie. “Are you alright?”

I blink, forcing myself to focus. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just…thinking.” I turn back to him. “What about the younger vampires Lucien’s courting? Any names we should be watching?”

As Marcus starts to answer, I feel my attention slipping again. The hunger is getting worse, making it hard to concentrate. I need to feed soon.

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