Chapter 46

ADAM'S POV

The streets of the Quarter pulsed with life, shadows shifting just out of reach, and secrets woven into the cobblestones like spells. I strolled through them like a king—unbothered. Chloe had done well. The girl had a knack for following instructions, even when she didn’t know she was doing it.

Her blood still hummed on my tongue. Sweet. Naive. Addictive.

The moment I reached the steps of our manor, Elijah was waiting—leaning against the doorframe like some tragic poet from the 1800s, arms crossed, one brow arched in that silent judgment he wore like a tailored suit.

“Adam,” he greeted with that measured voice of his, “Please tell me you haven’t fed on the mayor’s daughter again.”

I gave a sharp laugh, pushing past him. “Oh come now, Elijah. You say that like I drained her dry and left her in a gutter. She’s alive. Unharmed. Mostly.”

His footsteps echoed behind me. “Your recklessness will cost us. The mayor’s family is not to be trifled with. If something were to happen to her—”

“I know,” I snapped, spinning to face him in the corridor. “Believe it or not, I’m not as careless as you think. I’ve got other plans.”

I flicked the ivory card between my fingers—the one Chloe had so sweetly handed me after compelling her way through daddy’s precious office. Her handwriting was terrible, but that only made it more authentic. I held it up.

“Elijah, dear brother, this little piece of parchment is the beginning of something bigger. And you, being the visionary you are, should recognize an opportunity when you see one.”

He eyed the card, then me. “You plan to infiltrate the council.”

“I plan,” I said, stepping closer, “to burn it from the inside out. But yes, infiltration comes first.”

Elijah’s smirk was slight. “Then I’m coming with you.”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way.”

We split paths after that. I descended into the courtyard and retrieved the key hidden beneath the old stone planter. No one ever came down here. Too many bad memories. Too much silence.

Perfect for the things I didn’t want seen.

The cellar door creaked open. My eyes adjusted to the dim, and there he was. The freshling.

He’d been human two days ago—needle scars on his arms, skin pale and bruised from addiction and self-destruction. Death was already in his marrow when I turned him. All I did was make it useful.

“Time to shine, darling,” I muttered as I dragged him out and dumped him into the trunk of the Bentley.

He snarled once, but I snapped my fingers, eyes locking on his. “You’ll attack Caroline. The mayor’s wife. But you will not kill her. Do you understand?”

He twitched, resisting. Newborns always did.

I leaned in, whispering the compulsion deeper. “You will make it messy. Just enough. You will not take her life, or I will rip your spine through your throat myself.”

That seemed to do the trick.

I slammed the trunk shut and drove off.

The bar was already buzzing when I arrived—rich folk clinking glasses over corruption and fragile egos, politics dressed in Prada and power. I slipped inside like a shadow, ordering Jameson from the counter, nodding politely to the bartender who clearly recognized me but didn’t dare ask questions.

“Adam!” A warm voice bellowed.

Ah. Edmond.

He approached with a glass in hand and the smug confidence of a man who believed the Elvadors were simply old money and good breeding.

“I was just telling Harrison that we’d never have pulled off the children’s hospital fundraiser without your family’s generous donation.”

I smiled—tight and false. “We do what we can, Edmond. The city is... special to us.”

Caroline appeared beside him, elegant in silk and diamonds. She smiled when she saw me.

“Adam. How wonderful to see you again.”

I bowed my head slightly. “The pleasure is mine, Mrs. Hastings. I hear you’re the real force behind the mayor’s success.”

She laughed, and Edmond beamed like a fool. “I’m just a wife with a clipboard.”

Moments passed, full of meaningless chatter. I sipped whiskey and played the role they all expected. Polite. Cultured. Safe.

Then, Caroline leaned to her husband. “I’ll head out. There’s still so much prep left for the gala. You’ll be alright without me?”

He kissed her cheek. “I’ll be home within the hour.”

Perfect.

I turned to her. “Mind if I walk you to your car? I’ve got an early morning.”

She accepted without hesitation.

As we stepped outside, her heels clicked against the pavement. The air was thick with the scent of blood—fresh, sharp, familiar. I tensed just before we turned the corner.

The freshling was already feasting—tearing into a security guard near her car. Blood pooled on the pavement.

“God,” Caroline gasped, freezing in place.

Of course she didn’t scream. Of course she didn’t collapse. She reached into her purse—hunter reflexes kicking in. So she did know. Or at least, she suspected.

But she was too slow.

The fledgling, wild with hunger, lunged toward her.

I moved in a blink, pulling the wooden stake from my bag and plunging it into his chest with a sickening crack.

The body dropped at her feet.

She stared. Wide-eyed. Heart racing.

I stepped in front of her, placing steady hands on her trembling shoulders. “Are you alright?”

Her lips parted. “How... how did you do that?”

I gave her a tired smile. “My family... we’ve always had a history with creatures like this. We believe they’re demons. We were raised to fight them.”

Silence.

Then, slowly, she nodded. “That... makes sense. The Elvadors do have quite a legacy here.”

She pulled out her phone. “I need to call Bryan.”

Ah. The sheriff. Another piece of the puzzle.

“Good idea,” I said smoothly. “He’ll want to clean this up quickly.”

As she made the call, I glanced at the dead guard and the crumbling vampire. The pieces were falling into place. Fear, confusion, gratitude. Caroline would remember this moment for a long time.

When she hung up, she turned to me. “You saved my life tonight. Thank you, Adam. I think we have... much to discuss.”

I nodded slowly. “Yes. We do.”

I stood beside Caroline as the night swallowed the last remnants of the mess I’d made. The council door had opened. I’d earned my seat at the table.

And Chloe? She would keep doing as she was told—because I made her believe she wanted to.

I stared into the shadows and smiled.

This city wouldn’t know what hit it.