Chapter 18: Meeting at the Crypt

Chapter 18

The next morning

Thane’s POV

‘’Did you find out who sent those men after us last night?’’ I asked Lucas immediately after he got into the driver’s seat and slammed the door shut behind him.

My eyes were still glued down to the opened file in front of me, a long list of printed words concerning the meeting we were to be having this morning.

‘’Yeah, they were sent by the mafia boss of city Z. He’s probably still mad at you for busting up his hotel for human trafficking, i’m just wondering how much he had to pay to send vampires after you,’’ Lucas replied, his voice casual. He started the engine, pulling out and speeding towards the mansion’s slowly opening gates.

‘’We left so early. Have something arranged for the human to eat and have the house stocked up with things humans need to survive,’’ I said after a long while of silence, my eyes just running over the rows upon rows of words in the file.

‘’It’s good to see you now including her in your plans,’’ Lucas chuckled, and I looked up from the file to meet his gaze in the mirror, my eyes holding a clear glare.

The car soon came to a stop in front of The Crypt, a huge, black monolith where all meetings were held concerning vampire development in the human realm.

I left his remark without a response as the car continued speeding up in total silence before it slowly drove underground into the parking lot of the Crypt. As soon as the car came to a stop, I came down, slamming the door behind me and strolling over to the elevator in the distance.

‘’Mr. Ice,’’ a vampire dressed in all black greeted me, his voice respectful as he pressed the button on the elevator. I stepped inside with Lucas following closely behind, and the elevator began its silent descent.

‘’Get Ash over to the house, the human should feel better with another human female around.’’ I muttered as i cleared my throat while Lucas chuckled by my side but i ignored him and stalked out of the elevator and down the hallway.

‘’You are finally here, Thane!’’ the voice of Cassius, the second in command, reached my ears, his voice carrying a slight tone of mockery as the doors to the meeting room was pulled open for me.

I paid him no heed as I walked on forward, past the seven seat heads who controlled the Crypt, and headed for the chair that sat at the head of the table. It was where I belonged. I was the strongest, so naturally I should rule.

‘’Sit,’’ I ordered them immediately after I was settled in, my eyes running over the faces of all the vampires seated.

‘’Yesterday, there was yet again another large number of humans vanishing into thin air. I suppose you all have gotten wind of it by now… Lyra?’’ I called out and looked over to the middle-aged female vampire.

She was the fifth in command, with pristine white skin and bold makeup, her long white flowing hair packed in a tight ponytail. She had been assigned to investigate the disappearances.

‘’I’m still working on it. I suspect there is a witch on the loose,’’ she said smoothly, as she looked up to meet my gaze. ‘’I heard that you visited the scene yesterday, my lord. Did you perhaps find something that can aid my search, since the building was burned down to ashes last night?’’ Lyra ended, a subtle challenge in her tone.

Silence filled the room, and I could feel the pressing gaze of the rest of the vampires as they waited for me to speak. ‘’No,’’ I replied briefly, as I leaned back in my chair.

‘’Let’s move on to more important things, shall we?’’ Valois, the third in command, suddenly spoke up as he clapped his hands, signaling for the slaves to move on and share the documents that had been stacked up to one side all this while.

‘’Crime has been on the rise within the humans recently, and it is really hard keeping a tag on them. Humans have been going missing without a trace, so we have come up with this brilliant tracking system for the humans. With it being enforced, it would be easier to keep track of them and also on the other vampires and creatures roaming around to preserve the lives of the humans…’’ Valois ended with a short, cold laugh that did nothing to hide the real intent behind his words.

‘’What a brilliant idea, Valois. What do you think of it, my Lord?’’ Cassius asked, his thick voice filled with a mocking tone.

He kept his eyes on me, waiting for my reply, but I ignored him and focused on the file that had been passed around. I went through the proposal, and I couldn't help but scoff in my head. What were they playing at? This was not for the benefits of the human race at all.

‘’Lyra, what do you think?’’ I asked instead, with a casual smile on my lips as the black pen in my hold twirled around my fingers. I tossed the file onto the table and looked up at her as she seemed to still be going through the contents of the file.

‘’I believe this would come out as aggressive to the humans and I don't really see the need of putting tags on them,’’ she finally spoke up, her voice smooth and even. ‘’We are only but visitors here, we should try to remember that.’’ she ended.

‘’Nice thinking. This would not be necessary,’’ I nodded, and from the corner of my eyes, I could see Cassius’s hand fold into a fist as he exchanged a quick, angry glance with Valois. I pushed my chair backward and stood up to head out, but Cassius’s voice stopped me in my tracks.

‘’I heard the council had sent you a new slave days ago. As she has managed to survive this long, don't tell me you have grown attached to her. That would be ridiculous,’’ Cassius immediately said as he stood up and walked towards me. I stilled in my tracks before turning calmly to face him, my gaze filled with a cold warning.

‘’I decided to keep this one for a while longer, just to honor the council’s decision…’’ I said, picking my words slowly and deliberately as I held his gaze. A sharp, cold laugh echoed through the room as I turned away from him and stalked out the door that had been immediately held open by some vampire guards on the other side.

‘’There will be a party tonight! She should be introduced formally to the heads!’’ Cassius said through gritted teeth, his voice filled with venom, but I paid him no heed and instead walked out of the meeting room without a glance backwards. The sound of his anger was a sweet music to my ears but his words had also put me on guard.