For the meeting with the lycans, Anastasia had a buffet of blood and raw meat prepared.
The blood is for us vampires. The raw meat is for the lycans.
Not long after the buffet starts, a man with a thick beard walks over to us.
Anastasia told me quite a lot about him before this meeting.
His name is Klaus Blackfang, the head of the Blackfang family — one of the most powerful and influential families in the lycan faction.
"I wasn't expecting this kind of welcome, Anastasia Bloodshade. Especially considering the history between our families. But then again, business is always easier to discuss on a full stomach," Klaus says, chewing on a mouthful of meat.
"I'm glad it's to your liking, Klaus Blackfang. Let's hope it's a good omen for a productive meeting."
As Anastasia's lips leave the rim of her flute, a drop of blood slips from the corner of her mouth.
It trails down her chin before dripping onto her chest.
I don't miss a second as that thin streak of blood follows the curve of her massive tits.
Damn… if we were alone, I wouldn't waste a second burying my face between them and licking the blood right off her skin.
I guess this isn't exactly the best time for that, though…
Klaus's cold, serious gaze shifts to me.
"You must be Darko. The one who'll inherit the Bloodshade clan someday. I've heard quite a lot about you. You must be a sharp kid if Anastasia decided to take you under her wing."
I just nod without saying a word.
Anastasia told me to keep my mouth shut and my ears open, and that's exactly what I intend to do.
Klaus turns his attention back to Anastasia.
"Whether this meeting turns out to be productive or not is up to you."
Red Hook, home to one of the most important commercial ports in all of New York.
Today's meeting is about control of that strategic area.
Anastasia told me that vampires, lycans, and humans have been fighting over Red Hook's waterfront district since before she was even born.
The losses on all sides have been incalculable.
A bloodbath that's dragged on for decades without accomplishing a damn thing, since no clan has ever managed to take full control of the area.
Well, hopefully this meeting actually leads somewhere…
Anastasia clears her throat before speaking.
"Here's my offer, Klaus Blackfang. Pull your men out of Red Hook and make sure the other lycan bosses do the same. In return, I'll hand over control of Blissville. I won't take no for an answer."
Klaus bares his teeth in a vicious snarl.
"You've got to be kidding me! You dragged me all the way out here just to make me an offer that ridiculous?! How the hell do you expect me to give up Red Hook for a worthless district like that?!"
I hate disagreeing with Anastasia, but damn… the lycan has a point!
Blissville is nothing more than a mess of run-down shacks and abandoned warehouses.
A district like that is more of a liability than an asset, and Anastasia knows that full well.
So… why make an offer like this?
Unless…
"I said I wouldn't take no for an answer. Apparently, you weren't listening…"
She and Viktor exchange a brief glance.
"…Too bad for you. Since you won't give up Red Hook willingly, we'll do this the hard way."
"We'll see about that, you bloodsucking bitch!"
In the blink of an eye, Klaus transforms into a werewolf with silver fur, long fangs, razor-sharp claws, and glowing yellow eyes.
Anastasia taught me that you can judge a lycan's strength by the color of its fur.
The weakest have brown fur. Next are the ones with silver fur, and at the very top are those with black fur.
Which means Klaus is only a little stronger than your average lycan.
Perfect.
Nothing I can't handle.
The instant Klaus transforms, a wound opens across my palm.
The blood spilling from it rises into the air around my hand. In the blink of an eye, it forms into a crimson sword.
Klaus swipes at Anastasia, and I move immediately to protect her, but Viktor beats me to it.
Anastasia's brother steps between them and blocks Klaus's claws with his solid-blood saber.
When I rush forward to help him, Anastasia grabs my arm and pulls me back.
She just shakes her head, and I obey.
She wants me to stay out of it, so that's exactly what I'll do.
As expected, the other lycans don't just stand there and watch. They all transform into brown-furred werewolves.
The villa's garden instantly turns into a battlefield between the Blackfang clan and the Bloodshade clan.
A spectacle of blood, furious snarls, and agonized screams that Anastasia and I watch from the sidelines.
It's incredible how my mother can stay completely unfazed by all that brutal disemboweling.
I'm not gonna lie, it grosses me out a little. Not to mention all the blood and guts spraying all over us from every direction.
But I guess she's so used to this kind of thing by now that it doesn't even faze her anymore.
I have to make a serious effort to keep a straight face and avoid embarrassing myself in front of my clan.
Especially in front of Anastasia, the woman I love more than anyone else in the world and would gladly give my life for.
On average, a lycan is stronger and faster than a vampire.
But thanks to our advantage in numbers, the fight is over within minutes, with relatively little difficulty.
All thirteen lycans are killed at the cost of only four of our own, with several others seriously wounded.
Viktor is among the injured.
Klaus didn't make it easy for him, and he had to work hard to bring him down.
But hey, we're vampires.
No matter how serious our injuries are, all we need is a little blood, and they heal in an instant.
And I'd say there's more than enough blood here to make everyone good as new.
The feeling of Anastasia's soft breasts pressing against my back and her arms wrapping around me from behind pulls my attention away from the massacre.
"We're covered in blood from head to toe, my sweet little Darko. Let's go take a nice hot bath…"
She whispers it in such a sensual voice that a shiver runs through my entire body and my cock instantly gets hard.
"Y-Yeah, Mom…"