Chapter 182: Give Them Back To Me

Natalia walked through the streets of First City. taking a car would've been easier but she preferred to stretch her legs.

What use was it being a vampire if she was stuck behind desks all day?

She got to her destination, eyeing the building. One of Itachi's pet projects. A restaurant serving both vampires and humans.

She walked in, using the concealed entrance which led straight to the elevator. She entered, taking it to the top floor reserved for vampires.

She stepped out, walking to the reserved room. She entered to see her informant already waiting. Good.

If she had been made to wait, there would have been consequences.

The peacekeeper rose from her seat at her entrance. "My lady."

Natalia waved and they both took their seats. "You said you had the information."

"Yes, my lady." The peacekeeper answered. "But it will cost you."

Natalia didn't bother to keep the disgust off her face. The peacekeepers in First City were a joke. Everyone knew that they could be bought for the right price. They were useful but to be held at arm's length.

She reached into her personal dimension and pulled out the money she had prepared. She slapped it onto the table, meeting the eye of the peacekeeper. "Speak."

The lady's eyes were drawn to the money, her eyes reflecting her greed before she finally began speaking.

"The vampires you seek can be found under the protection of the Arbiter." The peacekeeper answered. "She doesn't allow them to leave her building."

"Are you sure?" Natalia leaned forward. This was news. This meant that the Arbiter had been behind the Blackthornes. That didn't make sense.

"Of course, my lady." The peacekeeper answered with pride. "My information has never once been wrong."

"Very well." Natalia stood. "No one must hear of this."

"Yes, my lady."

Natalia left without another word of acknowledgement. Griffin had to hear of this. There was only one way in which all this would make sense. The Arbiter had taken the Blackthornes to deprive them of the location of the Ascension well.

She swiftly left the building, this time, finding an alley to teleport from. Time was of the essence.

*********

Lilith stood from the table, sweeping up the money and counting it. The door opened and the captain stepped in.

"Captain." Lilith stood and snapped up a quick salute.

"Sit." Helena waved.

Lilith sat and paused. "I can keep the money, right?"

Helena nodded. "You can. You deserve it."

Helena turned and left. She had pointed Griffin at the Arbiter. Let the two giants fight and ignore the rest of them. She just has to find her key.

********

Griffin sat silently in the car. This was not the time for amusing oneself. The Arbiter had stolen from him and he was on his way to get back his possessions.

The car stopped and before X could even announce their arrival, he swept out of the car. He slammed the door, looking up at the structure of the Arbiter's personal domain.

The color of the building's glass surface blended in with the night. A feature commonly seen in high-end apartment buildings like this one.

Without waiting for X, he walked into the building. It was trivial to get past security with a brief use of his Aura.

He passed through the lobby, not sparing a glance for the expansive atrium and it's beautiful waterfall.

He almost kicked away an autonomous service robot that glided silently into his path but restrained himself. He was a count and wouldn't lower himself to a petulant child.

He got to the elevator and by that time, X had caught up to him. They rode the elevator in silence and when they got to the required floor, he walked into the entrance hall and made a beeline for the door leading to the Arbiter's domain.

"My lord." X spoke, his tone reminding him to keep calm but Griffin ignored it. He reached out and flung open the door, striding in.

Behind the open door was an expansive office, the Arbiter currently occupying the seat behind the desk.

"Haven't you heard of knocking or setting up an appointment like a civilized person is beyond your capabilities?" The Arbiter sneered. S~eaʀᴄh the nôᴠel Fire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"Yuri." Griffin snarled. "I am here for the Maguire coven. They have been taken from under my care and I want them back."

"Under your care?" Yuri raised a brow like Griffin was an ignorant child and it infuriated him. "I sincerely doubt they were receiving a lot of care from you."

"They were my prisoners." Griffin stated, trying to calm himself. "They have been taken from my custody and that is an affront to my authority."

Yuri paused, watching him. "Is Solomon aware that his subjects are prisoners under your care?"

Griffin was silent and the silence was damning.

"I thought so." Yuri leaned back in her chair in satisfaction. "You presume much, Griffin. The Maguire coven was taken from you because their imprisonment was unjust. You had no right or authority to imprison them. They are not your subjects."

Griffin's fists clenched at his side, his Aura leaking from him. His voice modulator amplified the sound of his breathing, making it fill the silence.

After a moment, he spoke. "You interfere with matters that do not concern you, Yuri. The Maguire coven is important to my plans, and their loss is unacceptable. You will hand them over to me."

"Or what?" Yuri smirked. "You'll attack me?"

Griffin's Aura erupted from him to cover the room and Yuri's Aura erupted to counter it immediately.

"You forget yourself Griffin." Yuri's gaze hardened, a flicker of warning in her eyes. "My role is to ensure balance and justice within our society. Your actions disrupted that balance. The Maguire coven will not be returned to you."

"Do not threaten me, Griffin. You are powerful, but you are not above the law. This… is your final warning."

For a moment, it was as if the world held its breath. Griffin's anger was evident in his Aura and his desire to lash out could be seen in his eyes but Yuri didn't back down.

Her calm, unwavering stance only fueled his fury, but he knew that a direct confrontation here would not help him in any way.

With a barely suppressed snarl, Griffin stepped back, his modulator emitting a harsh static. "This is not over, Yuri. You will regret crossing me."

Yuri's expression remained unchanged at the threat. "Consider your next actions carefully, Griffin. Leave now and never come here again."

Griffin turned sharply, X following behind him as he stormed out.

The Maguires and Blackthornes were out of his hands.