The grand lobby of the hotel was dimly lit, an eerie silence settling in after Kadir's earlier surge of Flux. The energy clung to the air like static, crackling just beneath the surface. Harvey Ross glanced at Kadir, who stood with his hands loosely at his sides, his aura calm but commanding.

“You always make an entrance, don’t you?” Ross said, his voice low but edged with a smirk. “Subtlety not your thing?”

Kadir tilted his head slightly, his gaze distant as though he was already reaching out with his Echo Flux. “Subtlety is wasted on Conrad. He knows we’re here.”

Ross crossed his arms. “Good. Saves us the trouble of knocking on his door. What’s the plan, then? We splitting up?”

Kadir’s lips curved into a faint smile. “You’ve already decided to head toward the Sky Lounge, haven’t you?”

Ross shrugged. “Lawrence is on his way there, and the kids—Kyon and Sia—are holding their own, but they won’t last much longer. Fifteen hunters waiting to swarm them on top of the ones they already dealt with? That’s overkill.”

Kadir’s gaze sharpened, locking onto Ross. “You think they need saving?”

“Not saving,” Ross replied, his tone measured. “Just leveling the field. Besides, someone has to keep the hunters busy while you deal with Conrad.”

Kadir’s expression didn’t change, but his aura rippled slightly, a subtle acknowledgment. “And what of Conrad and Elijah Gerard? You know they’re watching us.”

Ross snorted. “Elijah might be 800 years old, but he’s no elder. He’s got an agenda, sure, but he’s not your problem right now. Conrad, though? A 3000-year-old vampire isn’t exactly an easy mark. You sure you don’t want backup?”

Kadir’s voice was calm but firm. “Conrad is mine. You focus on the hunters. Lawrence will need you more than I will.”

Ross nodded, his smirk returning. “Fair enough. But if things go sideways, don’t hesitate to yell. I’ll come running.”

Without another word, Ross turned and strode toward the stairwell, his footsteps echoing faintly in the cavernous space. Kadir watched him go, then closed his eyes, reaching out with his Echo Flux once more.

High above, in the penthouse control center, Conrad leaned back in his chair, a bemused smile playing on his lips as he watched the security feeds. Every angle of the hotel was laid bare before him: Kadir standing motionless in the lobby, Ross moving toward the stairwell, and the hunters maneuvering through the floors above.

Elijah Gerard stood near the window, his hands clasped behind his back. His dark eyes were fixed on the skyline, though his mind was clearly elsewhere. “They’re here,” Elijah said quietly. “I felt the surge.”

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“So did I,” Conrad replied, his voice smooth and unhurried. “Flux grandmasters always make an impression.”

Elijah turned to face him, his expression tight. “What do you plan to do, Conrad? You’ve got two of the most dangerous Flux users in your building. One of them is a grandmaster, and the other is Harvey Ross—the man who’s killed over 400 of our kind.”

Conrad’s smile widened. “I plan to do nothing. At least, not directly.”

Elijah frowned. “You’re not taking this seriously enough. Do you think they came here for idle conversation?”

Conrad’s fingers steepled under his chin. “Of course not. But a direct confrontation would be… unwise. For both sides.”

Elijah raised an eyebrow. “Unwise? You’re a 3000-year-old elder, Conrad. Are you saying you’re afraid of them?”

Conrad laughed softly, a low, dangerous sound. “Not afraid. Strategic. If I move first, Kadir will have no reason to hold back. Do you know what happens when a grandmaster unleashes their full power in a confined space like this?”

Elijah didn’t respond, but his silence spoke volumes.

Conrad leaned forward, his hands moving over the control panel. “No, I’ll let my vampires do the heavy lifting. Blood Link is a wonderful tool, isn’t it?”

Closing his eyes, Conrad sent out a silent command. Across the building, his vampires stirred into action, their movements synchronized and purposeful.

“Find the boy,” Conrad ordered. “Bring him to me.”

Elijah’s frown deepened. “Using your underlings as pawns? That’s beneath you, Conrad.”

Conrad shrugged. “It’s practical. If they succeed, I win. If they fail, it costs me nothing.”

Elijah moved closer to the control panel, his voice cold. “Why not handle this yourself? Surely it would be more efficient.”

“Efficient, yes,” Conrad admitted. “But also reckless. If I intervene personally, it escalates the situation. Kadir is already locked onto me with his Echo Flux. One wrong move, and we’ll all be caught in the crossfire.”

“And the boy?” Elijah pressed.

“The boy is the key,” Conrad replied. “As long as he’s in play, Kadir and Ross will hesitate. They can’t afford to act rashly if it means putting him at risk.”

Elijah’s gaze darkened. “And what about Cahill? You think he’s not watching this?”

Conrad chuckled. “Oh, he’s watching. Through satellites, drones, all the little toys humanity has invented to keep an eye on us. But as long as I stay out of it, he has no excuse to act.”

Elijah’s lips thinned. “And if you’re wrong?”

Conrad smiled. “I’m not.”

Elijah turned back to the window, his eyes narrowing as he looked out over the city. “You’re playing a dangerous game, Conrad. If Cahill gets even a whiff of us violating the treaty—”

“Then it’s my head on the chopping block,” Conrad finished, his tone light. “Yes, I know. Politics is a delicate art, isn’t it?”

Elijah’s lips twitched in a humorless smile. “Delicate, indeed. As long as it’s the lower-level vampires doing the killing, there’s no problem. But the moment you—or I—step in…”

“We give Cahill the excuse he’s been waiting for,” Conrad said, his voice dropping to a murmur. “It’s a game of chess, Elijah. And right now, I’m three moves ahead.”

Elijah glanced at the monitors, his gaze lingering on Kyon and Sia as they fought to find a way out of the Sky Lounge. “And the boy? What if Kadir or Ross reach him first?”

Conrad’s smile returned, sharp and predatory. “They won’t. One way or another, the boy will come to me. And when he does, this game will take a very different turn.”

For a moment, neither spoke. The tension in the room was palpable, an unspoken understanding passing between them. Outside, the city glimmered under the night sky, oblivious to the battle brewing within the hotel.