Page 10 of The Blood Master

"It's about time," Victor commented. "I've wanted that group of shit-eaters out of our city for years."

"They're helping Cassius, so they deserve the same," Conall stated.

"Cassius must be truly desperate to call in the jackals. They don't work for free." Victor chuckled at the thought of what they might do to Cassius if he couldn't pay. "His clan is gone, and he's on his own, so there is no one to save him from his hired muscle if things continue to go badly for him."

"I'm sure he made them promises, and we'll make sure he doesn't keep them." Conall closed the call and instructed Ethan to keep him posted on the cleanup and the pursuit of Cassius. He then headed out, eager to get back to his waiting beloved.

It had been a couple hours since he'd left his sweet love, but he half hoped the man was still in bed. If he were, Conall planned on joining him. He entered the elevator, and it was then that he felt the panic hit him. It was not his emotion or reaction it was coming from outside.

He stopped the elevator and headed to the garage. His instincts were telling him the panic belonged to Joel, for he'd never felt something like this so clearly before. It was the bond that was warning him, and his vampire senses were telling him to go to the garage. The moment he stepped out into the garage, he could smell his lover's jasmine saturating the area. Joel had been there not long ago. He stopped one of his soldiers, who was on guard.

"Amon, have you seen the human Joel Penny? Was he here in the garage?" He asked.

“Your beloved?” Amon clarified. Obviously, the news had traveled.

“Yes, my beloved.”

"He was here a few minutes ago. He stepped outside." Amon indicated where he'd exited. It was the door that opened to the alley behind the Blood Rose. Conall rushed to the exit, flung the door open, and stepped out into the alleyway. His beloved was not there, but he could still smell his jasmine, so he followed.

At the point the alley met the main street, he felt the sinking feeling of shock and fear, a combination that went straight to his heart. He looked up the street and down and surveyed the immediate area. Joel was not there, and his scent was dissipating. Wherever he'd gone, he hadn't gone on foot. His trail was broken at the edge of the sidewalk and the street. His beloved had been taken.

He notified Ethan and asked for a surveillance video of the area, which Ethan sent immediately. In the video, he clearly saw Joel standing with his face in the wind, enjoying the air and looking beautiful. Then, the black car belonging to the jackals pulled up beside him, and he was taken. They had to have been watching the Coven House for them to be on hand for such a timely kidnapping. It was time for the jackals to die.

He then received a call from an unknown number, and he answered knowing full well who was calling and their intent. "Hello, Conall." Cassius drawled. "It would seem I have something that belongs to you." Cassius laughed, but Conall did not comment. "I heard that young Joel here is your beloved, and I believe it now that I've seen the bonding scar on his shoulder." Conall could feel his blood begin to boil at the thought of Cassius laying hands upon Joel, but he remained calm and waited for theask, for there was definitely going to be an ask. Cassius wanted something.

"You've taken everything from me, Conall, and I've taken the most important thing from you." He paused and then went for the conditions. "I may be persuaded to return your little pet if you sign over the Blood Rose to me completely and legally, along with five hundred thousand dollars for my pain and suffering." He laughed and then put Joel on the phone to seal the deal.

"I'm sorry, Conall, I'm such an idiot; I'm so sorry." Joel was crying, and it was all Conall could do to not lose control and tear the very heart out of this city.

“It’s okay, love. Stay calm and wait for me." He soothed, and Joel responded.

"I will, forever, if need be." The phone was snatched back, and Cassius concluded the call.

"Meet me at the remains of my club where you met your beloved. I believe we should end things exactly where they started. Come alone, or I'll kill him on the spot." He closed the call.

"Cassius and the jackals have abducted Joel and are holding him in or around Spring Street at the location of their former club." He spoke to Victor, who was livid at the audacity and correctly mirrored Conall's feelings on the matter. He didn't ask how he was taken but went straight to how to extract Joel without him getting hurt.

"He instructed me to come alone, so you and Drakon and your men need to fall back," Conall told him, and Victor quickly spoke up.

“If you go alone, they will kill you. I know you are capable of taking many, if not most, of them out, but in the end, with thenumber of jackals that I predict will be present, you cannot win Conall." Victor implored.

"I will not risk Joel's life, so this may be a gamble I have to take," Conall answered.

"We can remain hidden, Conall; those dolts will never know we're there. If you die, so does Joel." Conall realized that his emotions were clouding his thinking, and his need to kill everyone who even looked at his beloved was stirring a rage in his thoughts and mind.

“Meet me there.” He said and closed the call. Victor was right, he had to handle this like he would any dealing with the jackals if his beloved was to survive. Blind rage would not help him reach his desired goal. He would appease that rage later when Joel was safe.

He gathered the items requested, finding the amount of five hundred thousand dollars to be rather cheap considering the prize he held. Conall would gladly pay ten times that amount to get Joel back. Cassius was always a small thinker with limited vision and ability.

Cassius backhanded him as soon as he hung up the call with Conall. "Your lover boy isn't going to save you, so don't get your hopes up, boy." He sneered at Joel and walked over to lean against the car. Joel looked around and saw nothing but ashes and rubble. The club that he'd spent nearly two months in slaving away for the likes of these monsters was now nothing but dust and garbage. It had always been dust and garbage in Joel's mind, so there wasn't much of a difference.

"Stay where you are," Cassius yelled at Joel when he started to move to the edges of the destruction nearer to theroadway. "I want him to see you clearly when he arrives." He laughed. "It will enrage him, and that's just what I'm hoping for." Cassius was a big talker, but Joel doubted he was much of a match for Conall, even an enraged Conall.

"He will kill you all," Joel said slowly and clearly and kept his eyes on the ground.

"He is Master Conall Rose; the Blood Rose is what they call him, and he will be showing you your entrails today." Joel wasn't sure where he was getting this defiant strength, but he liked it, and it seemed to set them back just a little.

"Shut up," Cassius screamed, and Joel looked up and pierced him with a knowing stare that caused him to step back. A large black SUV pulled up next to the debris and stopped. Joel watched as the love of his life stepped out of the vehicle, looking handsome and just as deadly as hell. He took in the area in one glance, just as he had at the club. He could sum up anyone in a glance.

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