Ascendant Path of a Lustful Vampire

Chapter 451 451: I do you and you do me

There were uneasy grumblings among the Leopold council members right after that as they shared worried looks. A suspicion of vampire activity in the Capital was not new but this went beyond simple suspicion.

A Taskforce meant the City Guards' higher-ups were convinced of Vampire activity and were determined to sniff it out.

What would that mean?

Well, there will be investigations. Extra scrutiny of the denizens of not just Capital City but the Capital at large. If things spiraled far enough, no noble family would be safe from scrutiny.

The Leopolds were able to return to the Coven with the use of their influence and the fact that they governed their own territory. Those were what had enabled them to keep their centuries-long secret thus far. But this potential Taskforce would have the right to ignore all that and remove that layer of protection.

Soon, eyes were turning toward Caius who frowned but didn't particularly have anything to say or note that they weren't all already saying or thinking.

Interestingly, Lorton spoke first.

"Come on, everyone," he said with an attempt at a chuckle, "There have been deaths so of course, the City is on edge. Of course, there'll be murmurs of a Taskforce. Still, I expect this all to blow over in a few days when tensions are not so high."

Caius sighed.

"I'm afraid that might be too optimistic," he said,

"I'm sure the talks of a Task Force didn't start today. Let's not forget that Brogan has had his vampires causing problems in Capital City for weeks."

Lorton opened his mouth but then shut it. He saw reason in Caius's words and felt like any counter he could offer would just make it seem he was being cavalier about the gravity of the situation.

"Well," Caius eventually said, "No use being so downed by this. Brogan succeeded in turning the eyes of the authorities on vampire existence in the Capital but he didn't get everything else he wanted. We won today. Let's not quickly forget that."

"Would have been nice if we got away with some loot for all our troubles," a Leopold Council member mumbled and then seemed to realize that might sound like a criticism of Caius so he quickly added,

"I meant no offense, My Lord."

"None taken," Caius said with levity, "Brogan's minions did have some good stuff."

With the delicate truce they needed to broker with the Hellsingers, they couldn't sift through the dead for loot because they had to leave quickly and Caius had to admit that was a bit of a loss.

"We don't really need those," Kerwin countered the Council member, "We can buy anything we require."

"It's not really a matter of wealth. It's a matter of trophies. Something to identify us as victors."

Caius smiled.

"If it's a treasure you want, what could he better than a second Vampire Noble in our ranks?"

At that, members of the council such as Lorton who hadn't joined the operation looked confused.

"A second Noble?" They asked and Caius only now remembered that they hadn't spoken of that development at the Council yet. He looked to the side at Kerwin who looked quite proud of himself as he exuded his Noble Authority.

As Kerwin reined the authority back in, the look on the faces of the Council were those of awe and a sudden rush of confidence. Vampiric nobility might not be all that helpful to face a Taskforce of humans but it certainly bolstered all-around confidence for the future.

"My Lord," Kerwin said then, his expression going from pride to serious contemplation,

"The questions you asked Brogan. Do you suspect someone told him of you?"

Caius frowned.

"I'm… not sure what I suspect. If someone told him or me, they could have told him so much more. They could have told him exactly who I am and made things very easy for him.

Why tell him about me and only tell him he can beat me? Why did Brogan trust that information even though he wasn't told of my identity?

I'm thinking about it and it doesn't make sense just yet."

Caius's suspicion had lain with Athenodora at first. Not only was she the only one who knew he was a Noble—because she performed the rite herself—but she also had a precedent for putting Caius in danger to achieve a goal. Like how she got him kidnapped by Anton so she'd be able to enter his Manor and kill him.

But what would Athenodora have to gain from setting Brogan on him? Was this a test?

Caius would have liked to ask her but hadn't been able to get her attention for a while. Still, he couldn't just settle on her as the culprit. Even if she was the only one who made sense to suspect right now.

The council went into deep thought following Caius's words but they were clearly not making more progress than Caius was. After all, they had less information on the matter than he did.

"We'll adjourn for the day," Caius said then in a grand tone of voice,

"Tomorrow, we'll learn what more is happening with this Taskforce and think about what to do.

We did great work today, everyone. We defeated an annoying enemy and gained a boon. And I strongly believe it's the first of many victories."

•••

Caius couldn't return to the Von Helsing Estate that night and the Leopolds were all too eager to provide him with chambers to rest for the night. But 'Chambers' seemed a weak description for what they gave him.

The underground Coven stretched for miles and was so deep that there were tall buildings all about. Caius was given an entire tower all to himself with study Halls, a library, a lounge, a massive bath, and an even larger bedroom. As far as he could tell, this was recently constructed. Probably built specifically for him after he took over the Coven.

A bath had already been prepared and he simply dropped his cloak and the robes he had on underneath and waded into the warm waters where its magical properties destroyed every molecule of dirt on him.

Caius's ribs still ached from it cracking after Alexia's attack but the water soothed his pain a bit. He spread his arms on the rims of the bath and leaned his head against the edge. His hope was for relaxation but his mind quickly launched into thoughts of matters bothering him.

But then, he heard the sound of the water being disturbed and without opening his eyes, he knew already who it was. It would be a bit terrible of him to not remember someone he had spent… intimate hours with so recently.

Roxanne waded in the bath, the water slick on her nude body, causing her milky skin to glisten. The underground Coven was cut off from the moon shining in the sky but there were glowing crystals on the Cave ceiling that simulated the atmosphere nicely. Hell, they did even better by providing an even more… interesting lighting.

"Well, isn't this a surprise," Caius said but his tone suggested it wasn't a surprise at all. He and Roxanne didn't make plans for this but it seemed expected that she'd visit.

He wasn't complaining of course. Even with his eyes closed, his other senses were very aware of her presence and when her fingers trailed across his skin, the shiver that ran through him was intense.

"You've worked hard today," Roxanne said in that seductive voice of hers, "I thought it fit to help you relax."

By now, she had grabbed Caius's arm, pulling him away from the edge of the bath just so she could wade around him and place her fingers on his shoulder, working out the kinks in his tense muscles.

"You worked harder than I did," Caius said, "The only thing I did was give orders."

"Hmm. You know what? You're right," Roxanne said in a tone steeped deep in desire as she bit his earlobe gently and whispered,

"So how about this, then? I do you and you do me."