The Vampire's Luna
Chapter 119: Adele - Someone Like You

Chapter 119: Adele - Someone Like You

Gabriel turned slowly.

"I was beginning to think you had forgotten about us," the voice continued.

Gabriel’s gaze swept over the room and landed on the man hunched in the shadows—skeletal, bitter, eyes burning.

"I never forget my investments," Gabriel said smoothly, finding a seat across from the man. fre eweb\(n)ovel(.)co(m)

"Investments," the man spat, leaning forward. "Is that what I am now?"

Gabriel tilted his head. "Don’t be dramatic. How have you been?"

"How do you think?" The man’s lip curled. "As well as I can be in this cursed human body."

"I hope you’ve been keeping your head down."

"I’ve done exactly what you said," the man replied. "Followed your rules to the letter. Not a single spell, not a whisper to anyone, not even when that fool Luciver walked right past me and had no idea it was me."

Gabriel nodded slowly, fingers steepled in thought.

"But you," the man hissed, "you haven’t held up your end of the bargain."

Gabriel leaned forward slightly, shadows deepening around his sharp features. "Careful, friend. Impatience is a poor trait. I haven’t forgotten you."

"You promised me vengeance," the man said. "You said Luciver would fall. You said the werewolves will be wiped out. All I see are parties, and that mutt of a princess mated to the prince.

"I told you, when the time is right."

The other man paced the dusty floor. "I have waited years. When will the time be right?" he snapped, baring his teeth.

"Soon. Everything seems to be falling in place," he said smoothly, as if speaking to a spoiled child who needed to be soothed. "And when I need a distraction, then you can have your revenge against the werewolf kingdom."

The man scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Distraction? I’m not some firework you light and toss into the enemy’s backyard. I want blood, Gabriel. I want chaos. I want their forests burned to the roots and their Alpha king strung up by his own pride."

Gabriel raised a brow, amused by the theatrics. "Poetic. Just like your father."

"We have two men down, though," the man added grimly. "I can always replace them if you bring me new bodies."

Gabriel’s fingers froze mid-tap. "How did that happen?"

"They got hungry months ago and ventured out. Never returned."

A beat passed. Gabriel stood. "I thought you trained them to control their thirst. What if they had gotten caught?"

The man shrugged, utterly unapologetic. "If they had, you would have heard, wouldn’t you? Besides, if you dropped by more often—provided us regularly with a taste of blood—we wouldn’t have them going off, would we?"

"Excuses!" Gabriel hissed, slamming his hand down on the stone table. Dust scattered into the air. "No one would have even known of your existence if you weren’t so obsessed with the werewolf territory. I told you to lay low, to wait for my signal, not to keep sniffing around their borders."

"They’re the ones who took everything from me," the man growled, eyes glowing faintly. "I’m not going to wait forever while you play political chess."

Gabriel’s eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. "The prince—Damien—has been helping them raise their defences. He knows you lot are here, just doesn’t know where. You’re making it easy for him to find you." .com

The man smirked, leaning on the table now, unbothered by the rising tension. "Maybe I want him to find me."

Gabriel’s lips curled in a mock smile. "Oh, I’m sure you do. But if he finds you before I’m ready... you won’t even live long enough for your stupid revenge. Do you know what happens when a trueblood vampire prince is cornered? He doesn’t run. He doesn’t beg. He rips you apart from the inside."

The man’s shoulders tensed just a little.

Gabriel exhaled slowly. "Now... keep your remaining men in line. I’ll bring you what you need. But if one more of your little experiments goes missing or causes ripples I can’t explain to the council, I’ll personally stake you through the heart."

The man grinned. "Kinky."

Gabriel groaned and turned toward the exit. "You’re insufferable."

"You need me."

Gabriel stopped at the door, casting one last look over his shoulder. "I need logic. I need strategic minds who don’t think with their thirst."

The man bowed mockingly. "Then you shouldn’t have made a deal with a monster."

Gabriel didn’t answer. The door creaked shut behind him, echoing through the stone halls.

*****

The Royal Clinic’s parking lot was usually well-lit and buzzing with healers and nobles moving about with purpose. Tonight, however, it was deserted. Doctor Mira barely had time to register what was happening before two cloaked guards grabbed her by the arms and dragged her through a narrow alley beside the clinic.

"What do you want? What have I done?!" she protested, her heels scraping the concrete.

But her words were ignored. The guards said nothing, simply pulled her into the shadowy section of the lot, then unceremoniously dumped her at the feet of Seliora.

She stood there dressed in white, all elegance and venom. The color should have evoked purity, but somehow on her, it was theatrical. The gleam in her eyes was sharper than any scalpel in Mira’s medical kit.

"Leave us," Seliora ordered, not even glancing at the guards.

With synchronized bows, the guards turned and vanished into the shadows.

Doctor Mira scrambled to her knees and then up to her feet, brushing herself off with trembling hands. "Lady Seliora," she started. "Have I offended the crown that I’m treated like this?"

Seliora’s reply came cold and precise. "Yes."

"My lady..." Mira tried again, swallowing her pride.

"You were supposed to help me conceive," Seliora hissed, stepping closer. "But for years, you have failed."

If she weren’t the prince’s concubine—and terrifyingly unhinged—Mira would have unleashed a stinging retort wrapped in medical jargon. But she liked her head where it was. Mira exhaled and said evenly, "My lady, I did my best."

"And yet..." Seliora raised her hands as if presenting the empty night sky above. "Here we are. No baby. No heir."