Page 100 of Claim of Blood
Then she swept into her car and drove off, leaving Leo blinking after her. The others disappeared inside—Oren and Gaspardalready talking shop again—and he found himself alone at the bottom of the stairs.
The workday had ended. Which meant the thoughts he’d been pushing away were back, pressing in around the edges. Lander’s words. His hands. The low, vicious growl against Leo’s throat.
Leo climbed the stairs, slow and deliberate. His thighs ached. His breath felt off-kilter again.
Halfway up, he froze. Nathaniel had been right behind him earlier. Had he smelled it? Had he noticed?
Leo swallowed hard and kept walking.
Maybe shifters had their own version of vampire diplomacy—pretending not to notice what they obviously did.
If so, he was grateful.
He needed a shower. And he needed to figure out what the hell he was going to tell Adam.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Adam
Adamloosenedhistieas he stepped through the heavy oak doors, footsteps silent on polished stone. The familiar blend of blood, linen, and magic grounded him in the heart of his Court. For the first time in days, the tension in his shoulders began to ease.
Movement caught his eye—Carlos and Lydia emerging from the kitchens, tactical gear stark against the mansion’s refined interior. Each carried a hard case, the scent of blood pouches and pastry lingering in their packs.
They noticed him at once, tilting their heads in unison. “First,” they murmured.
“Evening,” Adam replied, noting the mixed magazines clipped to their belts—silver-tipped and standard. “Heading out?”
“Yes, First,” Lydia said, adjusting her grip. “Evening patrol with the PDC Pack. Oren assigned us to the northern route.”
Adam raised a brow but didn’t question it. Oren’s kin—third generation, trained to the hilt. If he’d redrawn the rotation, therewas a reason. “Stay sharp,” he said, watching them disappear toward the basement access and its tunnels.
As their footsteps faded, the low hum of voices drew him toward Oren’s office. Inside, the security chief and Gaspard stood over a broad desk, deep in discussion. Blueprints and maps were spread out before them, corners weighted down with reinforced schematics and color-coded tags.
Adam paused in the doorway. “Carlos and Lydia are gearing up.”
“Earlier patrols are prudent,” Oren said without looking up. “Your phone.”
Adam blinked. “Pardon?”
Oren extended a hand, tone flat. “Security update.”
Adam handed it over without argument, watching as Oren plugged it into a compact black console on the desk. His movements were crisp and mechanical, all efficiency, no wasted motion.
“Three-minute sync,” Oren said. “Encrypts your key and ties it to the internal loop. Leo knows the rest—he got the full briefing.” The faintest twitch of his mouth suggested amusement.
Adam’s lips curled faintly. “Anything else I should be aware of?”
“We’re rolling out the full perimeter system. Equipment installation should take four days. Emilia wants time to align the wards with the land’s magic.”
Gaspard nodded, indicating the proposed patrol routes and points where small huts would be installed. “Leo can go over the permits once they’re ready,” he offered, then paused. “If that’s acceptable?”
“Of course.” Adam smiled, pleased at how seamlessly Leo was integrating into Court operations. “It’ll be nice having someone take on some of that burden.”
“Excellent.” Oren turned back to Gaspard, already refocused on their work.
Adam left them to their planning, following the sound of laughter and shuffling cards to one of the entertainment parlors. The rich scent of aged whiskey mingled with the click of billiard balls as he entered. Elisabeth, Johan, Maja, and Ilona sat around one of the card tables, a game of Euchre in full swing.
“Evening,” he greeted them, smiling as Johan quickly tried to hide his terrible hand.
