Chapter 55: Chapter 55

The vampires brushed past him and descended the stone steps into the basement. They left the obnoxious chattering of the humans behind and entered a wholly different area of the bar. The room they found wasn’t big. It held a few old pieces of furniture, as well as a table that was occupied by two people who were drinking beer and conversing quietly.

Once Felix and Sophie noticed their visitors, it was already too late to escape. Felix’s cigarette fell out of his mouth as he recognized Ryder. “Fuck,” he hissed. His first instinct was to grab his gun from the table, but Chump left him no chance. He snatched the gun before the human had even moved. Fast like lightning, he returned to his original spot next to Edgar. Now armed with a gun, he aimed the barrel at Felix and then at Sophie. Chump’s lips formed a malicious smirk.

“Fucking leeches,” Sophie growled under her breath, her hand inching towards the knife she kept hidden at her belt. But the subtle motion didn’t escape Ryder’s sharp gaze. He clicked his tongue and waited for her to throw the weapon at him. It was easy to foresee her actions. Without the advantage of an ambush, these hunters weren’t worth a dime. The woman hurled the knife at Ryder, letting out an angered cry. He evaded the weapon and let it smash against the wall behind him.

“What do you want?” she snapped, not daring to get up from her chair. The atmosphere in the tiny basement was laden with tension and danger. There was no doubt the vampires would rip their throats out if they angered them. The hunters were defenseless and at the mercy of their enemies.

“You have caused my clan lots of problems,” Edgar said. His expression remained neutral, though his voice held a threatening edge. Beneath the surface, the composed vampire simmered with rage. “One of us nearly died thanks to your involvement. We demand you pay for your mistake.”

“If you want to kill us, get it over with,” Felix spat.

“We won’t grant you a quick and easy way out if that is what you think,” Edgar countered. “It all depends on your willingness to cooperate with us. Tell us where Steph is hiding, and we will spare your lives on the condition you never interfere with our business again.”

His heavy words were followed by silence. Chump growled when the hunters didn’t give an immediate answer. He pointed the gun at Sophie’s head and walked up to her until the cold barrel touched her temple.

“Speak,” he demanded. “Now.”

Ryder’s patience waned. These humans were wasting his time. Mercy was something they had to earn, and if they didn’t reveal the bastard’s location, their lives were forfeit.

His boots produced a dull sound on the concrete as he walked up to Felix. An ice-cold hand grabbed the human’s chin like a vice, tilting it up. “Where is he?” Ryder growled with bared fangs, feeling a strong sense of satisfaction once he saw the raw fear in Felix’s eyes. Ryder could smell his terror—its stench polluted the air in the room.

“Staten Island,” Felix uttered breathlessly. Sweat gathered on his forehead when Ryder’s grip became tighter, threatening to shatter bones. Rapidly, the hunter added the address of Steph’s new residence, repeating it three times before Ryder finally let him go.

“If you spoke the truth and we find him, your lives are safe,” Edgar said. His soft tone changed, freezing like ice. “But if you lied, we will hunt you down until you’re dead.”

The vampires left them no chance to respond, knocking them out. Their limp bodies slumped on the table.

“They won’t wake up for at least two hours,” Chump muttered, keeping the hunter’s gun as a souvenir when they left the basement. “Until then, we should have tracked him down…”

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Staten Island was hidden under a curtain of heavy rain. Not many people were around at this hour. The few ones who had been surprised by the rain hurried home, passing the three vampires without sparing them a glance. Unlike humans, they were not bothered by the rain. They didn’t mind the cold or the darkness of this particular night. It reduced the possibility of leaving behind witnesses.

Steph had chosen a flat in a regular apartment building. It was nothing fancy and didn’t stand out. The windows were lit up, proving he was at home. Ryder could taste sweet revenge on his tongue—all they had to do now was force their way in. An easy feat for three pureblooded vampires. They entered the lobby and took the stairs to one of the upper floors, reaching the door to apartment 34—their destination.

Ryder kicked down the front door. The vampires rushed in. As they took their first steps inside, they immediately spotted Steph, but the wizard had sensed them from afar. He was not unprepared. Shards of ice shot towards the three of them. Had they been regular humans, they would have been skewered. Instead, they dodged the wizard’s futile attack.

Chump and Edgar seized him, holding on to his arms and forcing them on his back. However, Steph wouldn’t go down without a fight. He summoned his ice magic, freezing the fingers of both vampires. Ice crawled over their skin, but they were not deterred.

“Break his wrists,” Ryder ordered. “It should solve the problem.”

Two loud cracks were heard, followed by a pathetic wail and a curse. Steph no longer fought the vampires’ hold, the pain overwhelming him. He nearly fell on his knees. In such a state, he couldn’t concentrate enough to use his magic.

“What do I owe the pleasure of your visit?” he snapped sarcastically. Sweat gathered on his forehead, his attractive features twisting in pain.

“You know why we’re here,” Ryder spat.

“Ah, is it because of your slut?”

Chump growled, grabbing his broken wrist in retaliation and earning a gasp. He could tell that Ryder was about to lose his mind in rage. The black-haired vampire snarled at the wizard, fangs growing and eyes glinting in a dangerous shade of red. For that comment alone, he should have ripped Steph’s throat out so he could never speak again.