The grand ballroom of the estate had been transformed.
The estate was alive with the heavy-hitters of the underworld. High-ranking vampires stood in tight circles, whispering. Regional heads from the logistics sectors leaned against the pillars, their eyes scanning the room.
Even a few old allies of Lucian's father had emerged from their private mansions—old, withered predators who remembered a time before corporate wars.
The tension in the room was alive. Word had traveled through the encrypted channels : the warehouse bloodbath, the execution of the kidnappers, and most importantly, the fact that the Director had moved a human into his private residence.
Then, the heavy double doors at the head of the hall swung open.
Lucian entered first. He was dressed in a suit of deep charcoal that seemed black, his white shirt a stark contrast. He commanded the room by simply existing within it.
Half a step behind him, was Adrian.
