Fate of a Blood Moon (The Hades Blood Moon #2)

Chapter 6

Andrei

W e arrived at my Atlanta office not long after leaving the museum. Liam and Jackson followed closely behind me as we walked through the large, empty building. Most of the other workers of my shell companies had departed for the day, and no one remaining was there for any legal operations. Once we entered the office overlooking downtown, I locked the door and sat at my desk. I pulled the gleaming black stone from my coat pocket and slid it across to Liam. He quickly picked it up and pocketed it inside his cloak. Then I waved for both men to sit.

“I wanted to thank you personally, not only for assisting us in retrieving the key but also for saving a member of my clan,” I said, inclining my head. Liam gave a brief nod in acknowledgment.

The Black Onyx Coven still hadn’t learned that Jase was my younger brother, only that the supposed rogue vampire who came to New Orleans to stop the dhampir from raising Valentina was now working for my clan, the Black Blood Diamond.

After Rachel fled with her mother that night four months ago, the plan that I carefully crafted on the floor of that desecrated church sprang into action. The coven eventually caught up with us. And since Jase was with me, they brought us all to trial. Accused of orchestrating the resurrection of Valentina and allowing her to escape, I, as Rachel’s guardian, faced a difficult position. However, we convinced those witches with our well-crafted lie. We spun a tale so convincing, so perfectly tailored to their fears and suspicions, that they bought it without a second thought.

Meredith, Jackson, and I corroborated Rachel’s actions. Honestly, the witches had no reason to doubt us; after all, why would a clan of vampires defend an outcast, a stranger?

Though Jase faced repercussions for abandoning the coven two hundred years ago, taunting them with photos of Rachel and putting her on edge, as if he was toying with prey, they didn’t punish him. Instead, he had agreed to work with my clan to complete every task they hired us to do. His skills as an elite predator made him a valuable asset to the coven in their mission for power, and they wanted to exploit him as much as they had exploited everyone else they had trapped in their net.

In the end, they spared Jase. Rachel was at fault, and the coven backed off.

“Look,” I started, “I know you’ve made a home for yourself here in Georgia, but I’d like to propose that you return with us to New Orleans.”

Liam raised an eyebrow.

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the desk. “We’ve always had witches working with us, assisting in areas where our vampire abilities fall short. Of course, this might require some persuasion with your superiors—especially Helen—since you’re one of her newer protégés. But I assure you, we’ll compensate you generously, and you’ll find more satisfaction with us than with them. You’ll come assist us when we need you, while still maintaining your position with the coven. It will just be in New Orleans instead of here. Black Onyx owes us a significant debt after tonight. The key will not only save lives, but it will benefit the coven as well.” I paused, meeting his eyes. “The sooner they grasp our clan’s values and strengths, the quicker we can complete our tasks. They’ll also be more likely to let you join us on more missions like this.”

Liam folded his arms and cleared his throat. “What makes you think I would want to leave home and come work with vampires? Tonight was just an assignment the coven leaders forced on me. I don’t give a fuck what happens to the lot of you….”

“Yet you saved Jase from the Cerberus. Why bother doing that if you didn’t give a shit about … the lot of us?”

Liam shrugged. “It was my job. Can’t retrieve an artifact if everyone is dead.”

“True,” I said, glancing at Jackson. “By the way, Elena Kozlov, a medical student at John Hopkins. She’s your younger sister, yes?”

Liam’s eyes darkened, and his lip peeled back in a seething sneer. It was very clear he knew what I was implying. I sat back in the chair and ran my hand through my hair.

Checkmate.

“I’m not a monster. I’m just a vampire who gets what he wants. And I was hoping you could work with my clan. The coven sees me as an asset because I’m willing to get my hands dirty for them. I’m not afraid like they are. But I’ve done my research, as always, with anyone who enters my circle.”

Liam scoffed. “Of course you did.”

I shrugged. “You can’t be too thorough in this business. Your bloodline is very impressive, and your magic is exactly what we need. You sign a contract with me, and I’ll take care of Black Onyx, ensuring your return to their fold once we’ve completed each assignment, no questions asked. Why not have both the coven and a powerful clan standing behind you? I’ll compensate you ten times what they pay you, and I guarantee your sister will have everything she needs for schooling. That is how we take care of our family.”

Liam took a deep breath and leaned back against his chair. I could see the wheels turning, but he knew there was only one answer I’d allow.

With one nod, he said, “Alright, give me the contract.” Jackson pulled a stack of papers from the folder he had tucked under his arm and handed them to Liam.

“You’ll see the tabs where you need to sign and initial,” I explained. “But first, I need to have a word with Jackson. Please head down the hall to the kitchen. Meredith will be waiting for you with a cold glass of whiskey.”

Once Liam bowed and exited the office, I returned to Jackson across the desk and cleared my throat. I pulled out my phone and opened my tracker app. After staring at the map and the flashing blue dot for a few seconds, I slid the phone across toward him.

He leaned down to look at the screen. “Still in Italy?”

“Still in Italy,” I confirmed. “She’s our top priority, but I’m worried about Jase being involved.”

Jackson tilted his head and cocked a brow. “And why is that?”

I ran a hand over my face. Jase had been acting oddly since I mentioned our plans to travel overseas to catch Rachel. We had too many pressing matters to settle before we could act, including retrieving the key. But Jase and I needed our magic back for our plan to work. Now that we have Liam as a part of the plan, it could be crucial: a witch who could wield Spirit magic alongside our Fire magic.

Jase, however, was against this strategy and urged me not to go. I couldn’t understand why. He was the one who was so adamant about tracking them down within the first couple of weeks of them leaving.

“Just keep a close eye on him, alright?” I asked. “You’ll report everything, and I mean everything he does to me.” Leaning forward, I added, “Keep an eye on Liam, too. I believe he’ll be an excellent asset, but he’s an outsider and has to earn our trust.”

Jackson nodded and rose to his feet but stopped at the door. “What about Lucy?”

I shook my head, taking my phone and slipping it into my pocket. “I haven’t decided about her yet. Taking her with us to Italy would make approaching Rachel a lot easier, but she is still too wary of me and hates Jase with a passion. But if Jase comes with us, she’ll learn to play nice.”

Jackson nodded in agreement. “She’s waiting down the hall in the smaller office. Do you want me to send her in?”

I nodded, and he left to get Lucy. We had brought her along to Atlanta because I couldn’t trust that she wouldn’t run away the first opportunity she got. I needed her close by as bait for Rachel.

Five minutes later, Lucy entered and stopped at the door. She swallowed before stepping closer to my desk and sitting in the chair across from me.

“Yes?” she said, tucking her straight black strands behind her right ear. She seemed somewhat nervous, having no idea why I brought her to Atlanta. The gesture was so human. It was as if she wasn’t a vampire like us.

I initially hesitated to keep Lucy at the lair with me and the others after Jackson brought her back from Rachel’s apartment. Since Jase had joined the clan, she had avoided him at all costs. She hated him for turning her into a monster, and after what happened in the church, I wasn’t exactly her best friend’s favorite person.

But aside from that, I was the best chance she had at survival in a world that still hadn’t entirely accepted us. To our surprise, Lucy had proven to be a valuable addition to our clan these past few months. Her hotel bar experience and managerial tasks were beneficial for nightclub operations. Lucy still refused to embrace all of her vampire traits, and having her feed from my personal suppliers was always an arduous event. Lucy would only to go government-run feeding clubs. She wanted to ensure that the person was completely on board with it.

I did gain some trust when I agreed to go with her to see her mother, helping her by sharing with her mom what she was and how it changed nothing. Of course, Gabriela was initially afraid, but after seeing that her daughter was still Luciana Morales, her baby with the heart of a saint, she accepted her. Lucy stayed in regular contact with her mother, and I allowed her to visit whenever she wanted, as long as a member of my staff went with her.

Building loyalty and obedience is done brick by brick.

“In the next few weeks, we’ll travel overseas to Europe. I’d like you to come with us.”

Lucy’s eyes widened, and her mouth parted in shock. “Is it Rachel? Do you know where she is? Is she all right?”

I held up a hand to stop her questions. I couldn’t very well tell her how I tracked Rachel down or for what purpose. For this trap to work, Lucy must be a willing lure for her best friend.

“I received some information from a contact that she may be there,” I explained. “I can’t confirm anything, but it needs to be investigated.”

“Then why wait weeks before finding her?”

“Unfortunately, the Black Onyx is watching us very closely, and if we suddenly disappeared, it could raise suspicions. They would find Rachel and kill her for what she’s done. We must move carefully.”

Lucy balled her hands into fists. “Those bastards are the reason this all happened in the first place. They lied and manipulated her; she would never do something so rash without a reason.”

I nodded. “While I agree, we can’t risk any bloodshed. I’m asking you to come with us because Rachel will need a friend. I may have been her boss, but we never had a close relationship. She will need you to reason with her to return home so we can protect her.”

A whip of wicked desire sent a burning lust between my legs, causing my dick to swell.

Lucy went silent for a moment, clearly contemplating the information. She soon looked up, her dark eyes shining. “Okay, I’ll help.”

“Good. Please tell Jackson to take you back to the apartment. We’ll return to New Orleans soon. Once preparations are in place, we leave for Europe.”

Lucy nodded before rising and exiting the office. I leaned back against the chair and closed my eyes. I let my hand trail down to my slightly stiffened cock and growled softly.

With the window open behind me, I heard every patron from the bar across from my Atlanta office stumbling drunkenly out into the late night. Scents of booze, perfume, and lust still hung in the air, wafting through the breeze. I stood up and walked to the back wall, where I had the bar installed, grabbing an unopened bottle of Japanese whiskey from the top shelf. Now seated comfortably on a deep leather couch, I took another long sip of the deep, smokey amber liquid.

While the burn of alcohol was welcoming, it couldn’t take away the cold stone of my anger. I leaned back and stared at the ceiling while my left hand clenched tightly. Memories of that night in the church, after that damned Hades Blood Moon—after Valentina had risen from the dead, and they fled—filled my mind.

Though the implanted tracker showed Rachel’s coordinates, the guardian bond remained intact. I could still sense her fears and sadness, though the connection wasn’t as strong as when we were closer, within range of one another. It almost felt like she was pushing me out—unknowingly—and trying to sever the bond.

I knew I should have chased after her, even with her despicable mother just across the train tracks. I should have taken her, stolen her away after fucking her in that bathroom. But my cowardice got the best of me, and I let fear cloud my judgment. I let her go.

Right now, I needed to hold on to the emotions I sensed from Rachel when she popped into my mind—the lust, the sadness, the pain—which were intertwined with mine. They all came with the bond transferred from Tony. I couldn’t explain the strange sensation of Rachel existing in two planes—here with me but distant, like a ghost.

Tony and the coven had kept so much from her to keep her submissive and obedient. I smirked at that thought.

I leaned forward and refilled my tumbler with more whiskey. After taking another drink, I took out my phone and reopened the tracker app.

Zooming in on the map, I watched the little blue dot blink over a small building in Mira. I turned on the Google Earth feature and examined the grounds. It looked like a massive villa with several gardens and tall shrubs surrounding it. Rachel had been staying in that area since she’d arrived, coming and going throughout the day as she pleased.

I closed the app and clicked the phone icon. It hadn’t taken long to extract Rachel’s burner phone number. While Lucy prepared for her trip to see her mother, Meredith distracted her, snatched her phone, and found the number under a false name. She was careless. I tapped the number into my phone and pressed the call button.

I leaned back on the couch and swirled my glass clockwise.

Then I waited.

After thirty seconds, the call moved to the automatic voice, telling me to leave a message after the tone.

I hung up and tossed the phone on the table.

What the fuck am I doing? Why am I calling her when I need to catch her unaware?

My fingers reached for the phone again. I needed to hear Rachel’s voice, even for a moment. The predator within me wanted to listen to her fear, her terror at the knowledge that I was one step ahead of her. She needed to know that it was only a matter of time before she’d see my face again.

Pushing aside the memory of her icy azure eyes and full, red lips, contorted in a mix of hate and pleasure, I redialed the number.

“Come on, my little dhampy,” I whispered. “Pick up the damn phone.”