Page 11 of Blood Caged

He gestures to a lithe woman with sharp eyes, her fingers flying over a keyboard. “This is Elena, our tech expert. She handles all surveillance and communications.”

Elena gives me a curt nod, barely looking up from her screens. I can sense her focus, her dedication to the task at hand. It’s also immediately clear that she’s human, which surprises me. Humans often consort with vampires, but I’ve seldom heard of any working with them.

“Viktor here is our head of physical security,” Grayson continues, indicating a mountain of a man with scars crisscrossing his arms. Viktor grunts in acknowledgment, his eyes constantly moving. He’s alert, ready for any threat. A formidable opponent, should it come to that.

Grayson then turns to a lean, silver-haired vampire with an unnervingly calm demeanor. “And this is Dmitri, our interrogation specialist.”

I can’t suppress the internal flinch at those words. Interrogation. A polite term for torture, no doubt. Dmitri’s serene smile does nothing to ease my discomfort.

As I assess each team member, noting their strengths and potential weaknesses, I’m struck by the efficiency of this operation. They’re good at what they do, which only makes this situation more troubling. They’ve been working together for a while.

How long has this been going on?

A thousand details are clicking into place in my head. The stories of witch abductions have persisted for centuries. There’sbeen no denying them, but I’ve always assumed they were random events. Not something like this. I’ll have to take it up with Maxwell later.

Grayson is sweeping an arm toward the banks of monitors that take up one wall. “As you can see, every inch of the place is closely monitored. Each cell has cameras in it, as well as every hall and access point.”

I nod, running an eye over the screens that show rows of dimly lit rooms. Shadowy figures move within them.

Blood almighty!

Witches. There are dozens of them. Some curled on bare bunks, others pacing restlessly, some standing staring out of the small windows of their heavy cell doors. One room stands out, bare and clinical, its contents stark beneath bright lights. A plain white bunk in the center. Machinery along a wall.

“What’s that?” I ask, pointing.

“Medical center,” Grayson says curtly.

“Medical center?” I press.

“Yes.” He nods. “The activities there are logged in the daily report feeds, which you now have access to. Dimitri can tell you more.” Grayson doesn’t elaborate. I frown at the room on the screen, then turn my attention back to Grayson, who seems to be standing at attention.

“And the new arrival?” I ask.

“Her quarters are there.” He points at the screen. “Would you like to inspect them?”

“She’s not there yet?”

“That operation is set to commence shortly, sir.”

I’m grateful I haven’t been compelled to take part in the abduction itself. The thought of actively participating doesn’t sit well with me. Still, being here, overseeing this operation…it’s a fine line I’m walking.

You’re doing it for Maxwell. For the others whose lives are on the line.

“Walk me through the plan,” I demand. “I want no mistakes.” The last thing I want is for this to be bungled and put everyone at risk.

Grayson’s posture straightens, all business. “We’ve been monitoring her movements for several weeks now, sir. We’ve identified the optimal time for extraction with minimal risk of detection.”

I arch an eyebrow. “And her magic? If she’s as powerful as you say, how do you plan to overcome that?”

A smirk plays at the corner of Grayson’s mouth. “We have that covered, sir. Our inside man will ensure a smooth operation.”

As if on cue, the door swings open. A young man strides in, exuding arrogance and barely concealed nervous energy. My eyes narrow as I take in his appearance – the subtle aura of power that surrounds him.

A witch.

My lip curls in distaste. This traitor, this turncoat, is one of their own kind. Disgust rises in my throat, bitter and acrid.

“Lord Daire,” Grayson says, “allow me to introduce Heath Moonshadow. He’s been instrumental in our planning.”

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