The Vampire's Luna
Chapter 193: Bring The Maid Here Secretly

Chapter 193: Bring The Maid Here Secretly

Talon’s brows furrowed but he said nothing.

"Bring the maid here secretly," Luna continued. "And situate her here, in this building."

"Yes, Your Majesty," he said quietly, already calculating the most silent routes through Blood City, the right time to pull the captain aside without drawing attention, the best entrance into Ebonheart without triggering vampire suspicion.

"Who is this woman? Friendly or foe?" Talon asked, his voice calm but tinged with wariness as he studied the queen’s face.

"Depends on how you want to look at it," Luna replied coolly. "But keep her here, see to her needs. Do not let her out of your sight. Whatever she needs, let her have."

The queen’s gaze was unflinching as she gave the command, and Talon nodded slowly.

"Yes, Your Majesty," he said, lowering his head slightly in reverence. Then, after a beat, he offered, "I will walk you back to the prince’s castle...I mean the king...ugh..whichever?"

She shook her head gently. "No, I can manage."

"Your Majesty," Talon interjected softly, concern evident in his voice. "Roaming around in the middle of the night—"

"The prince mustn’t know I left," she said quickly, urgency flaring behind her eyes. "It’s better if I go back alone."

And then, she turned.

He knew he wasn’t supposed to disobey an order from the queen. He couldn’t in good conscience allow her to walk alone.

He waited until she was far enough not to notice, then moved like a shadow. Silent, swift, ever-watchful.

He trailed behind her, keeping a careful distance.

Only when she slipped back into the building, did he finally breathe again.

Duty done.

He headed for the captain of the royal guard. There would be no rest tonight.

*****

Gabriel was positively giddy with excitement.

He twirled the stem of a wine glass between his fingers, lounging on a chaise as though he were the centerpiece of some decadent royal painting. His shirt was unbuttoned halfway, revealing pale, toned flesh.

He was so satisfied with himself he didn’t even mind that Williams had snuck into his home again.

Everything was going exactly as Gabriel had planned.

Let them try to protect their secrets. He already knew more than they realized.

And soon, all of Blood City would burn with revelation.

"I am guessing it went well with the prince and his mate," Williams said, stepping further into the study.

"Oooooh, it went more than well," Gabriel replied with a devilish grin. "I saw the way he was uneasy at the coronation party. It was right there in his eyes. He has met her."

Williams raised a brow, intrigued.

"And now," Gabriel continued, pouring himself another glass of bloodwine, "he will begin to pull away from his wife."

He let out a loud, unrestrained laugh.

"And then what? Because honestly," he said, "I have never known you to be this patient and guarded with your plans."

Gabriel stilled, the smile never leaving his face but his eyes growing dark. "Because this time," he said softly, "I cannot afford failure. Because this time... it is the throne or nothing."

He swirled the glass in his hand slowly. "And well," he added, almost as an afterthought, "the mutt can die in the process."

"You forget what I get from it all," Williams said, reminding him with a casual tone that masked the gravity of the words.

"I didn’t forget," Gabriel said, waving his fingers as though brushing away a fly. "It’s just that these people have dug themselves into holes so big with their secrets... secrets layered upon secrets. And when I finally start tearing them down, I’ll be taking a lot of pieces off the chessboard. That makes me so very happy."

His smile returned, more vicious than playful now. He drained his glass in one elegant motion.

"So what’s next then?"

"Well," he said slowly, savoring the moment, "I need him to mark the true mate first."

"Why?"

Gabriel’s gaze hardened, lips curling upward. "Because once the bond is sealed with her... once his blood is tied to hers... he won’t have as much will left to fight for his mutt. That fragile thing he calls love with Luna will crack under the weight of what fate demands."

"And if he doesn’t?" Williams asked, his voice sharp as a dagger but laced with genuine curiosity.

"Why wouldn’t he?" Gabriel replied, attempting to sound unconcerned, but there was a slight tremble at the edge of his voice. "Marking her is his salvation. Why won’t he take it?"

"Because the man I heard speaking at my father’s house was determined to stay true till the end," he said. "Whatever my father did to create an artificial bond between the king and the queen... it is strong."

Gabriel’s eyes flicked up, sharp and assessing.

"My father is a great sorcerer," Williams added, shrugging lightly. "This just proves that."

"Well," Gabriel finally said, his voice cool again, "we give it a bit of time. And then we give them a little push."

His tone was dismissive, but the tightness around his mouth betrayed his frustration. He hated improvising, hated when pieces didn’t fall exactly where he placed them. Patience was a tool, yes—but also a curse.

"All these before the child is born?" he asked quietly.

Gabriel sighed, a sound more weary than he intended. "Did you come here to be my gloom?" he asked, trying for levity but sounding more tired than annoyed. "I was excited that we had gotten the first stage right—and you come here with your dark clouds."

"I’m just trying to stay a few steps ahead," Williams replied calmly.

He meant it. If Gabriel fell, Williams had too much invested to walk away unscathed. Playing prophet to Gabriel’s god-complex was not something he relished, but it was necessary for revenge.

"Then stay close, Williams. Because the storm hasn’t even begun yet."

*****

Isolde opened the door to her hotel room, the tiny one her mistress Lady Sharona had lodged her in for the duration of their stay in Blood City. This part of Ebonheart Hotel was reserved for lower-tier guests—the nobles kept to the upper floors, where the ceilings sparkled with starstone chandeliers and the walls whispered music as they walked.

(On a scale of 1 to 10; 1 being mild menace and 10 being chaos god; rate Gabriel’s villainy this week.)