Chapter 21 Jesper
jesper
. . .
It was possible that the Cult of the Blood Moon was trying to revive itself. It was a common occurrence for cults to attempt resurrection of their warped beliefs, and it wasn’t the first time we’d heard about a cult trying to reform after the Council stepped in and destroyed it.
A string of murders had disrupted Cursinia because many supernaturals were being drained of blood and marked with signs of other species’ kills.
Whether that be fae magic residue, shifter claw traces, siren bite patterns, and more.
It was suspicious, obviously. Especially since vampires were the only supernaturals capable of draining bodies of blood.
Basilisks could drink blood, but they weren’t known to drain bodies until death.
Their venom usually did the work for them.
The suspect was a vampire named Mikael. He was a charming philanthropist who hosted Blood Galas for vampires on the regular. Lysa, my intelligence analyst, had theorized that he was staging murders and blaming different supernaturals to ignite interspecies tension.
My squad’s goal was simple. We had to infiltrate the suspect vampire’s social circle, gather evidence of the murders, and uncover their next move before they kill again.
The terminal lit up, showing us the many rooms within the estate that I’d sent our spies to infiltrate during one of our suspect’s gatherings at his home.
Corin had hacked into it without Slater’s help, much to his displeasure. But the vampire was clearly too cocky for his own good. His security was lax.
The gala was in what he called the Crimson Hall. It was half-ballroom, half-blood feast. Blood-filled chalices were everywhere. Marble floors shimmered with etched runes, and the walls were lined with mirrors and portraits of ancient vampires.
My matebond to Rune hummed with contentment, but worry leaked through my professional facade.
It was the first time Rune had been glamoured to be a different species, but even though she looked different, I knew she was mine.
Her soul was mine, and it truly didn’t matter what shell she wore.
I loved her to my core, and I both respected and hated how good of an agent she was turning out to be.
Her dark green roots that ombre’d into neon ends had been changed to long jet-black curls, and her golden eyes were glamoured a sparkling red.
She was even taller than usual, at least a foot difference.
Fangs peeked out from her lips, but they were smaller, vampire fangs as opposed to her larger basilisk fangs.
She was still the most stunning creature I’d ever seen.
“I never thought I’d think a vampire was hot,” Slater whined, adjusting himself in the suit that showed his erection clearly.
I rolled my eyes. “Our mate is not a vampire.”
“She is right now,” he argued. “And she’s hot.”
“Nah,” Zuko stated lazily as he played with a dagger, his erection tight against his suit. It showed off the many piercings he had. “She’s my pretty little poison, vampire or basilisk or whatever she glamours as. I’m hard too.”
“Dimitri, you are the only true vampire, so you are tasked with all vampiric duties,” I reminded him, ignoring Zuko and Slater. “You cannot allow your squadmates to blow cover.”
“Copy,” he said easily, walking next to Bradley as they mingled with the other vampires.
It hadn’t been difficult to gain an invitation to the party, as it was a blood gala, which only vampires were interested in.
Rune, Cassie, Dimitri, and Bradley entered as vampires who grew up outside of Cursinia, and they really only knew each other. They hadn’t had contact with many other vampires.
“My parents are here,” Dimitri muttered, hate dripping from his tone. “Why am I not surprised?”
“Because your parents are entitled pricks,” Rune said sweetly into her comms.
Dimitri huffed a laugh, avoiding his parents in the room.
Nikolai and Morrigan Nocturnus stood with glasses filled with blood and smiles that showed off their fangs as they spoke to another couple.
Another woman stood with the couple. She had golden-brown curls and red eyes, dressed elegantly, but she looked incredibly upset.
According to my sources, the couple she was with were the Bloodkins, a vampire couple the Council had been searching for.
The woman had to be Mary Bloodkin, Dimitri’s ex-arranged mate that Sabine had tried to save.
Another squad had raided their estate and found the basement and home empty.
“Wanted: vampire couple and their daughter, who is a victim,” I said carefully. “Dimitri, it’s your for-show arranged mate.”
Rune gave a small gasp of surprise. “They’re here?”
“Yes. Jesse, you and Tobias be ready to grab them at the end of this gala,” I ordered.
“Copy,” they said.
“Mikael is approaching Rune and Cassie,” Slater muttered angrily. Snakey hissed at the screen from around Slater’s shoulders.
Koa walked up and frowned as he watched.
Zuko had a full view from the ground, and he tensed.
Mikael had black, slicked-back hair and red, glasslike eyes. He smiled and held his hand out for Rune first, his fangs peeking out. “Hello, ladies. I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting you before.”
“My name is Lianna.” Rune smiled brightly and gave him her hand. He brought it to his lips and kissed the back of her hand softly.
Raw, unfiltered anger hit me, and I had to fight the urge to shift and squash the vampire under my foot.
Zuko and Slater snarled.
His gaze narrowed on her as she pulled her hand back, and disgust flooded the bond from her end.
“There aren’t many vampires I don’t know,” he continued, greeting Cassie in the same manner. “It’s fascinating to meet unfamiliar faces.”
“Well, we grew up in the Bizarre,” she lied smoothly. “Lianna and I are sisters.”
“Sisters?” He tilted his head. “Interesting. Would the two of you like to stay for the after-party? There is a true purity in being reborn under the blood moon.”
Dimitri stilled. “Cult of the Blood Moon.”
“Of course,” Cassie answered with a flirty tone. “We would love to.”
“Fantastic,” he murmured. “I must introduce you to my protégé. His name is Tye.” He waved over another vampire, who had a smirk plastered on his face.
His hair was slicked-back like Mikael’s, but his was white-blond. He still had red eyes, but his demeanor was wholly different from Mikael’s.
He grabbed Cassie’s hand first, then Rune’s. He only kissed the back of Rune’s hand, though.
Scales formed and vanished from my arms as I watched.
“Can I cut his hand off?” Zuko growled.
“And his lips,” Slater muttered.
“Perhaps,” I said in a growl.
“The next offering’s at midnight. It’s a girl from that agent academy this time,” a guest whispered to someone else.
I tensed. Apex Elite Academy was the only agent-training academy in Kalista that I knew of. No student had been marked missing, though.
My instincts told me something was clearly wrong.
“Lysa, double-check for any missing students from Apex Elite Academy,” I ordered.
“Understood,” she said.
“Rune, win Tye over,” I muttered begrudgingly. “He’s interested in you. See if he knows anything about the murders. Cassie, do the same with Mikael.”
Rune and Cassie smiled innocently at their targets and moved forward, taking their arms.
Tye smiled brightly at Rune. “You seem like the type of vampire that has been deprived of vampiric society.”
“Is it that obvious?” Rune laughed softly, taking a chalice of blood from a waiter.
“I over-heard your conversation with Mikael.” He shrugged. “I’ve had my eye on you all night.”
“Ask about the offering tonight,” I told her, my muscles taut.
“Oh?” Rune’s smile curved her red lips, flashing her fangs. “You know, I’ve heard something about an offering tonight. Mikael invited my sister and I to the after-party. What are they talking about?”
Tye leaned close, brushing a piece of Rune’s hair behind her ear and whispering, “All our gatherings end in a feast. Blood running from the veins is so much better, don’t you think?”
Dimitri’s chalice shattered under his strength, and blood and glass hit the ground where he stood. “Let me interrupt.”
“I want you to,” I admitted. “But she’s getting information that we need. Cassie isn’t doing as well with gaining intel. We need her.”
Dimitri snarled, and he turned to handle the mess he’d made.
Disgust funneled down Rune’s bond. “Of course. So, does that mean we get to partake of a willing blood donor?”
Tye laughed, leaning back. “Willing? Do you know any supernatural willing to be murdered?”
“Murdered?” Rune’s breath hitched.
Tye’s face blanked as he studied her. He reached out and cupped her cheek. “Does that bother you?”
“Um.” Rune blushed, but it wasn’t from nerves like she was acting. Her bond lit up with revulsion. “It seems too good to be true, really. I mean, murder is against the law. But, my instincts...”
“Your instincts tell you that the unwilling prey tastes best, yes?” he hummed, thumb tracing down her neck, feeling her pulse. Her mate marks were glamoured, but I wished they weren’t in that moment. “Perhaps you and I could...”
“Tye,” Mikael called. “Come here a moment.”
Tye let out a harsh breath and dropped his hand. “I will be back soon, Lianna. Don’t miss me too much.”
“I’ll be here.” She plastered a smile on her lips, but as soon as he turned, she did, too.
Her gaze sought Dimitri out, and relief hit the bond as Dimitri walked over.
“Are you well?” he asked, trying not to blow their cover.
“Better now,” she admitted. “Did you get an invite?”
Dimitri shook his head.
“Shit,” she muttered.
“Be safe for me, lethal darling,” he whispered, his fingers twitching to touch her.
“You too, overachiever,” she said before moving through the crowd to mingle some more.
My instincts screamed at me to pull my mate out, but my professionalism knew that Rune was a more than capable agent.
She was our best chance at blowing this case open, but I hated her interacting with other supernaturals who clearly wanted her.