The Blood Contract

The echoes of light laughter and casual conversation that had filled the grand living area of the Draven estate fell into an abrupt silence the moment Lucian stepped inside. A thick wave of unease spread through the room as if his mere presence had sucked the warmth out of it.

Darrell and Dr. Marlowe, who had been seated comfortably a moment ago, shot to their feet.

"Boss."

"Mr. Draven. You're back."

Both of them greeted him in unison, their voices measured, their postures rigid. Lucian acknowledged them with a curt nod, his gaze settling on Dr. Marlowe.

"Give me a few minutes. I'll be with you soon," he stated, his tone firm, leaving no room for discussion. Without another word, he turned on his heel and strode toward the grand staircase, his footsteps echoing against the marble floor.

Darrell waited until Lucian disappeared up the stairs before shifting his attention to Adrian, his expression tense.

"How did it go?" he asked cautiously.

Adrian let out a heavy sigh and sank into the plush leather couch, rubbing his temple as if trying to ward off an impending headache.

"Awful," he admitted, his voice laced with frustration. "I fear we may get punished by the council soon."

"Punished?" Dr. Marlowe blurted out before Darrell could respond, his eyes wide with disbelief. "For what exactly?"

Adrian exhaled sharply and ran a hand through his hair. "He ordered the hand of a council member to be cut off. And it was cut off."

The weight of his words settled like a stone between them, leaving both Darrell and Dr. Marlowe momentarily speechless. Darrell's brows furrowed, his jaw tightening as he exchanged a look with the doctor.

Meanwhile, Lucian had reached the top floor of the mansion, his steps slowing as he approached his room. Just before he pushed open the door, his gaze flickered toward the other room at the far end of the hallway. A muscle in his jaw twitched, his expression unreadable. But he didn't linger—he turned back, entering his own quarters.

The dim lighting of the spacious bedroom cast elongated shadows across the dark walls, giving the space a somber yet intoxicating allure. Lucian had barely taken a step inside before he noticed the presence of a woman he was familiar with.

She stood near his bed, wine glass in hand, dressed in a sheer, lacy black lingerie that clung to her curves in a way that left nothing to the imagination. Her lips were painted blood-red, her dark eyes shimmering with expectation as she met his gaze.

Lucian's expression darkened. "What are you doing here, Mitchell?" His voice was calm, but there was a dangerous edge beneath it.

The woman frowned slightly, tilting her head. "You sent for me," she murmured, her voice carrying a sultry lilt as she took a slow step forward.

Racking his brain, he finally recalled sending for her earlier in the day, but that was before Ferris' and the Council's issue came up to ruin his night.

"I no longer require your services tonight," he stated plainly as he took off his coat and tugged at his tie. "You may leave."

The woman stiffened, her brows knitting together in disbelief. "Leave?" she echoed, her voice rising slightly. "I came prepared, Lucian. How do you expect me to leave just like that?"

"Don't worry about your payment," he added, his voice unwavering. "You'll receive it in full in the morning." He advanced toward the bathroom.

The woman hesitated, a flicker of something desperate flashing in her eyes. "But what about this fire that's starting to burn inside of me?" she whispered, her voice dripping with frustration. "How do I quench it? I just took a pill."

Lucian paused his advance, his eyes narrowing. "You did what?"

"The pink pill," she admitted quickly, her breathing uneven. "I took it to get my body ready for you."

Lucian turned around, his entire demeanor turning colder, more dangerous. "You swallowed the pill in my absence," he repeated slowly. "Who were you expecting to quench the fire if I had not arrived just now?"

The woman's lips parted, but she quickly shook her head. "I only swallowed it a few minutes ago—when I saw your car pull into the driveway," she defended, pointing to the small surveillance screen mounted on the wall.

With slow, steady steps, Lucian approached her, only stopping when he was merely a breath away from her. He studied her for a while, before grabbing her chin. "Are you lying to me?"

Her throat bobbed as she swallowed, her hands curling into small fists at her sides. "No," she whispered. "Why would I?"

He exhaled slowly, stepping back as he, once again, continued toward the bathroom. "You are free to relieve yourself," he said. "You'll get double your payment in the morning as compensation."

"But, Lucian—"

"Leave."

His command was final.

For a moment, she stood frozen, disbelief and frustration swirling across her face. Knowing that there was nothing she could do to make him change his mind, she dressed up and walked out of the room, and away from the house, without paying any attention to an obviously surprised Darrell.

Minutes later Lucian came back downstairs.

"Let's talk in my office, Marlowe," he said without pausing, and Dr Marlowe followed him after giving a nod.

"These are the files you requested for," Marlowe slid a stack of files toward Lucian, after they had settled in the office. "The Council of Vitae is trying to develop a very terrible bioweapon, which can be used for mind control. They are also developing a serum that can give super strength and longevity of life. As at when I stopped working with them, they had not made much progress because they are lacking a vital ingredient, which can currently only be found in one person's blood. Serena Alaric." Marlowe explained, pausing for a moment to let what she said sink in before she continued.

"When I was coming here this evening, I had the intention of telling you that we are still safe, and still had time to figure out their current plan, and put an end to their madness. That's because I still had confidence in the fact that they had not found her. But the fact that they now have her in their grasp means that everything has changed. We will be in trouble if we don't move and act fast."