"Settle down, Marco," Laurent growled. "You're stronger than that."

The smell of Lily's fear riddled her sweet scent—so sweet. He'd smelled many amplifiers over the centuries, each unique, each impossible to forget. Not a single one had ever smelled quite like her.

Marco mastered himself, turning away. Laurent's muscles relaxed. He trusted his second completely, but instincts were instincts.

"Amplifiers are extinct," Marco said.

"And yet, here she sits—"

"Stop talking about me like I'm invisible! Will someone please tell me what an amplifier is?"

Laurent shot her a glare, irritated by her interruption, then turned back to his second.

"You realize what this means, Sarkas?" He didn't answer. "This could change everything."

"I am aware, assuming I plan to use her."

Lily's jaw dropped. "Use me?"

Marco turned to Lily wearing an arrogant smirk. "Your blood would make Laurent Sarkas the most powerful vampire in existence."

"What?" she choked, eyes darting between them.

"That's what amplifier blood does, pet. It amplifies power. For anyone. Laurent Sarkas is already one of the oldest of our kind. Your blood would make him unstoppable."

It was true, but Marco had left out one key point. Whatever power boost he would receive from Lily's blood would be temporary. It might last a day, two days, three. But it would fade. It always did.

Lily's face turned red with anger, pinning him with her piercing eyes. "You think I'll let you turn me into a vampire soda machine?"

Laurent blinked, caught off guard. He forced his lips into a flat line to keep them from twitching.

Marco scoffed. "Vampire soda machine? Certainly not. There'd be no refills, pet. He'd wait for the opportune moment. That's how he is—plays a vicious game. Don't believe me? Ask him what happened to the other amplifiers."

She whipped her head around to stare at Marco, blinking. Laurent listened to her heart, so beautiful, so quick, so fearful. Marco heard it too, smirk widening.

"All right, Marco, enough." He rubbed at the place between his eyebrows, sighing unnecessarily. There came a point when living lost its luster. More often than not, he wondered if he'd reached it.

Marco merely shrugged. Intimidation tactics were his specialty. It's why he did much of Laurent's dirty work.

Lily jumped to her feet, fists clenched. "You're all monsters. Fucking monsters. I've had enough. Let me go! Now."

Marco laughed. "Oh, she's funny. I like her already."

"Miss Shaw," Laurent drawled. "Sit down." He didn't will her. Didn't need to. It would have been easier if he had.

When the silence stretched between them, she finally sat. Her exaggerated glare reminded him of a tiny dog with a loud bark—pointless. Especially when he knew exactly how she felt. It was time to help her understand the situation.

"Miss Shaw," he said. "I find myself at a crossroads. Alive, you are a liability.. Dead, you even the playing field. How, then, should I proceed?"

Her mouth opened, only to snap closed.

"If this were up to you, you would request that I let you live, let you go home—"

"I vote for that."

"—except that my enemies would find you almost immediately. Your scent was all over the Yoshiki mansion. The demon I was tracking? He would hunt you down."

Demon? she mouthed, brows knitting together in disbelief.

"So, you see, that isn't an option. Instead, I must keep you alive and cared for, right here, under my protection." Her throat bobbed.

"If you're smart, pet, you'll thank him for bringing you here," Marco said.

"Accept what he's offering. You don't want to know what would happen if our enemies got ahold of you."

Her jaw tightened, eyes flashing with defiance.

"You don't believe me?" Marco lifted his eyebrows. "The witches would pay dearly for you, pet. They'd harvest your screams, rip them from your lips, keep you alive just enough to get rich off your blood. You'd linger for decades in that liminal place between life and death—"

"Marco," Laurent warned, sighing. He turned back to Lily. "Really, there are only two options before us. You may stay here, under my protection, or, I just kill you and be done with it. Dead, I need not worry about my enemies using you."

Her heart rate accelerated again. Laurent hesitated, listening to the music of it. All the while, her pale skin grew paler. His head tilted, studying her. She wasn't beautiful, per se, but she was rather pretty. Especially the longer he looked. As if studying her only uncovered one brush stroke after another, until each blended into an artfully painted canvas.

Blue doe eyes were framed in a heart shaped face. A straight nose took his gaze downward towards her lips. They'd been swollen earlier but had returned to normal. The top was plumper than the bottom, and together, they mirrored the shape of her features. Her tongue darted out, wetting them, snagging his gaze, before his eyes ultimately landed on the pulse jumping in her neck.

He almost snorted. Five hundred years younger, he'd have gotten a rise just looking at her. Knowing she was his to possess. Now...nothing.

"Let's make a deal, you and I," he continued. She stared at him, eyes filled with mistrust. "Cooperate, and I'll see that you are cared for, pampered, even. Luxury accommodations, pretty clothes, fine food. Isn't that the sort of lifestyle you're used to?" He motioned towards her—towards her designer gown.

"Like a lamb for slaughter—"

"Marco," he growled, glaring at his second. Marco believed he would do with her what he'd done with all the other amplifiers. Certainly, he could, but against his better judgment, he knew there was a better use for her. A more dangerous use. One he was afraid to consider, and yet, more eager about than he should have been. One that kept her alive and well, and right here in his grasp.

"You've just got me all figured out, haven't you?" Her eyes glittered with hate. He shifted in response, scalp prickling. "Except that I don't care about being pampered. I want to go home."

"Didn't you listen to my warning about the witches–" Marco said at the same time as Laurent said, "I am not in the business of giving you what you want."

"And if I don't cooperate?"

"Then I'll be forced to kill you." She flinched. "Which will it be, Miss Shaw?"

He waited for an answer. Her mouth opened and closed, but only small squeak came out.

"I can see this is too much for you. I'll give you the night to think on it. I expect an answer come the morning. He sighed. "It's late. I'll show you to your rooms."

Her cheeks splotched with red, but she stood.

"Marco, you know what to do." His second nodded, then departed.

Laurent escorted Lily through the manor, finding it difficult to keep his eyes from darting towards her face. In the span of an evening, he'd seen a range of emotions cover her features. At the moment, she simply looked coiled tight—ready to spring.

"What happened to the other amplifiers?" she blurted.

He stopped, spinning to face her. For the first time in a long time, his gut twisted with guilt,ut only a thimble full. "I killed them. All twenty-nine."

Her expression didn't waver. Impressive. But the slight hitch in her breath, the faint scent of fear, gave her away. What had she expected? Good news? "You were entirely correct in your accusations, Miss Shaw. There is no part of me that isn't a monster. I've done things you couldn't imagine in your worst nightmares. Think about that, when you contemplate your next move."

She offered a manic laugh. "And you expect me to believe I'll be safe here? After a statement like that? That I won't be your number thirty?"

He flinched; the motion was too small for her to notice.

"Cooperate, and you have my word. You will be cared for, safe. The choice is yours."

"Is that the choice you gave to your other amplifiers before you killed them?"

"No, actually, I never gave them any choice at all."

Her snort was soft. "I hope you don't expect me to fall on my knees and thank you."

He reared back. His craving for her intensified. He swallowed, mouth watering. An unexpected scene flashed through his mind, her falling to her knees before him, unbuttoning his jeans, taking his cock into her mouth. Fucking-fuck. He had no idea where that had come from. He pushed it away and said,"If I wanted you on your knees, Miss Shaw, I'd have you on your knees. Surely a girl like you is well familiar with the position."

She made a choking noise in the back of her throat. Several expressions washed over her face. "How dare—?"

"Come," he said, cutting her off. "I tire of this."

She threw him a withering glare. He ignored it, leading her to the suite beside his chambers. He opened the door and all but pushed her in.

"I'll have Zola check in on you, to ensure you have all that you need." He glanced around the room. It was a comfortable space, with a bed, sitting area, and small dining table. He spotted the tea tray and small sandwiches. Vittorio was nothing if not thoughtful. Even for a vampire.

A door opposite them led to an en suite bathroom, and another was locked, leading to his own rooms. Lily seemed to take everything in quickly, eyes darting over her surroundings, lingering on the windows.

He breathed in her scent, holding himself still, to keep from moving closer.

"Is there anything else you might need?" he asked, surprising himself. She whirled towards him, her expression disgusted—answer enough. He shouldn't have bothered. "Very well, Miss Shaw. Good night."

She didn't didn't respond, instead walking across the room to look out the windows. He backed into the hallway, closing the door behind him.

Marco was already waiting, back in his study. "Everything's taken care of?" he asked, eying his second.

Marco hummed, setting Laurent's fountain pen back on his desk. "Extra patrols are set. Six in total, staggered about the property. If anyone discovers she's here, there will be attempts." Laurent grunted in agreement. "I cleared out the youngest from the house. Sent them to stay with some of your older children in the city. Only myself, Astrid, Demetrius, Kian, Lixin, Vittorio, and Zola remain. For now."

Laurent's most trusted family members.

He rounded the desk and sank back into his chair, sighing. They stared at each other for long moments before he let his head fall back against the chair, blowing out a breath.

"Fuuuuck," he managed, staring at the ceiling.

"Did all of that really just happen?" Marco asked. He grunted. "Thought so." Marco hesitated, bringing Laurent's gaze back to him. "Think she'll stay put?"

"No. In fact...I'd be disappointed if she didn't try to flee least once." She carried a mixture of fear and anger—enough to drive her from the manor. "It might get her killed, but then, that would give me one less thing to manage."

He said the words, even if he didn't mean them. He was calculating. He'd spent centuries protecting his house, making sacrifices to ensure it thrived. Power, ultimately, kept them alive.

"And if the behavior continues?"

Marco didn't need to elaborate; none of them had time to play babysitter.

"Then I'll kill her myself."

"Even if she behaves..." Marco sighed. "Perhaps it is better to kill her now and be done with it."

Laurent scrubbed a hand over his face. "I tracked the dealer to the Yoshiki mansion," he said, changing the subject. "Naturally, I didn't get further than that, considering..."

"Naturally."

"I was close—would have had him until I smelled her."

"I would've made the same call." Marco's head tilted, eyes narrowing. "What happened when you found her?"

"Lost my fucking mind. But just for a moment."

"And now?"

"I'm fine. I can control myself." He'd always had a weakness for amplifiers. His second knew it. "And you, Marco?"

"She's the most delicious thing I've ever smelled." Laurent tensed. "Don't worry, Sire, I won't touch her. None of your older family would dare."

They knew what happened to those who disobeyed his command. His regime had never been soft. You couldn't keep a house alive with softness.

"We used to hunt them down and round them up like trophies," he mused, mind tripping over the past. For the second time tonight, he felt that little prick of guilt gnawing away at him. "They were merely cards, to be played at the earliest convenience. The house with the best hand won."

"Until we hunted them to extinction."

Laurent shrugged. "It was easy to ignore the obvious."

"We are a greedy bunch."

"No one stops to consider fleeting resources when power is at stake."

He'd been the worst of them, burning through more amplifiers than any other vampire in existence. He'd find them, tuck them away, use them when he needed to. Over the centuries, he'd become a master of the art, timing things perfectly, draining an amplifier just before he anticipated the need for greater strength. It had always happened during pivotal moments. Now, those moments stretched out behind him like a historic tableau.

The entirety of his success had come from strategic moves like that. But the result was always the same. Taking blood from an amplifier killed them, simply because of a vampire's pure inability to stop once they started. Drinking blood that held that kind of power was impossible to pull away from. After amplifier blood was consumed, it only lasted within the host for a fleeting period.

He'd spent time and effort researching it, early on. He'd learned that some amplifier blood was stronger than others. Some lasted longer in his body. He'd also attempted other ways of keeping them alive beyond a single use. He'd tried simply finding it in himself to stop, which had never once happened. He'd gone so far as to elect accountability partners, to pry him from the source. That had been impossible. He was simply too strong, no match for anyone once his power was amplified. Not a single vampire had successfully come between him and the amplifier from which he'd fed.

In the end, he'd accept that this was simply the way. Until two centuries ago. When word reached him that someone had been successful. "Nemati found a way to do it."

Marco snorted. "Yes, Nemati managed to keep his amplifier alive, and look where he ended up?"

"Desiccated?" Laurent's brows lifted.

"Only because they captured his amplifier and bled him dry of secrets. You're not going down that road."

Laurent lifted a shoulder. "These are different times."

"You're not going down that road," Marco repeated. "It isn't worth it. You hold more secrets than anyone, except, perhaps, Bardanes."

He scoffed. "Val Bardanes can go fuck himself."

"You're not going down that road, Sarkas."

"Saying it three times doesn't make it law," Laurent drawled. "And anyway, there's too much to deal with before I consider the option."

Except, he already had considered it. Multiple times now, since he'd taken her. He'd considered what it might be like to have an unlimited power source at his beck and call. All he had to do was take the biggest risk of his life: give his memories to something weak and insignificant. A party girl, no less. A spoilt brat who probably cared more about shopping than the finer things like music and art.

He clenched his teeth, pushed the concern away, and said, "Hassan's blood was at that party tonight."

Marco jolted. "What?! You're certain? Did you—"

"I tasted it to confirm, yes. And no, I didn't get enough to get answers. A few memories from his days on the streets in Marcian, centuries ago."

"Fuuuuck," Marco expelled a long breath. "So, this is our target then? This dealer? Kath'ur?"

"This is our target." His fingers tapped an impatient rhythm on his desk.

"And Hassan?"

"I couldn't discern if he was still alive. I didn't get enough for that."

Marco leaned forward, bracing his forearms on his thighs. "Can we get more?"

"I don't know."

"If we have enough, we're bound to sift past something recent, perhaps the location where he's being held? Something that explains what happened? Answers?"

"He's been missing two weeks. I have prepared myself for the worst."

"You owe it to him—"

"I fucking know!" he roared, surging to his feet, hesitating, then walking across the room to the liquor cabinet. He poured himself a drink, shooting it back. "I know." His voice came out quiet this time. He rarely lost control like this.

If he lost Hassan, it would be like losing Lio all over again. He knew better by now. And yet...

"What do you need?" Marco rose to his feet.

"Go back to the party." He glanced at the clock. "See if you can track Kath'ur's scent. Reach out to our contacts, bribe them, if you must. Get more blood, if it means answers. I want Hassan found, Marco. If he's alive...I want him found."

Marco stood. "All right. I'll be back in a few hours."

"Call me if anything comes up."

"I will." Marco disappeared.

He hesitated, then, "Vittorio!"

A few moments later, his study door opened. "Yes, Sire?"

"Find Zola. Have her check on our guest. Make sure she's settling in and has what she needs."

"Of course, Sire. Anything else?"

"No, just—good work with the tea service. That was thoughtful. I'm sure Miss Shaw will appreciate it."

Vittorio hesitated. "Of course, Sire." He left the room.

Laurent walked across his study, stopping before the chair Lily had occupied. Breathing in deep, he allowed her scent to settle over him. His body began to change. He clamped down on the transformation. The mere smell of her left him ravenous.

It had been nearly a week since his last meal, and normally, that would have been more than all right. At his age, he could go a month, longer, even. But there was an amplifier in the house, now.

He glanced at the clock again. Dawn was several hours away. He considered leaving, going in search of a fresh body. The idea was discarded just as quickly. Only a careless warrior left their sharpest blade sitting out for anyone to use.

He left his study and strode through the manor, descending to the kitchen. Behind a latch, stairs took him into a cellar. There were two. One for his rare collection of wines, the other for his more exotic tastes.

House Sarkas had a massive reserve of blood. Humans might consider it a horde of zombie apocalypse proportions. He didn't care much what humans thought. Did the wolf concern himself with the cares of a deer?

He sifted through the frozen bags, finding his preferred age, sex, and type. He slapped them down on the metal warmer, glaring at them offensively. They'd have to do for now. But he knew without a doubt, this diet wouldn't keep him sated indefinitely. He'd need to find a better solution, or he'd be drinking from Lily's neck, and no amount of control in the world would be able to stop him once that happened.