Page 16 of Claim of Blood (Blood Bound #1)

Chapter Nine

Adam

Adam sat in his home office, staring at his inbox with growing irritation.

Twelve missed meetings sprawled across his calendar like accusations.

Eighty-two urgent emails blinked with the kind of desperation that suggested the senders believed their problems were the only ones that mattered.

Half a dozen video calls had gone unanswered, their notification badges glowing like tiny red wounds on his screen.

The digital chaos pulsed with infuriating persistence—each notification a reminder that the world refused to pause for his personal revelations.

And gods help the world for that.

His gaze drifted to the time stamp in the corner of the monitor. For a moment, he’d half-expected it to read days. Maybe even a week. The intensity of what had transpired between him and Leo felt too significant to have occurred in mere hours.

No. Only two in the afternoon.

He didn’t need sleep, not in the traditional sense, but he’d lingered in the guest suite far longer than necessary. Watching Leo’s face smooth into peaceful vulnerability. Grounding himself in the reality of what they’d shared. What they’d begun.

Eventually, even he had to emerge and face the mounting digital chaos, his responsibilities, and the inevitable wrath of Maja.

A live feed glowed at the corner of his screen—Leo, still sprawled across burgundy silk sheets, one leg tangled in the fabric, the other stretched across the mattress.

Naked. Vulnerable. The antique Persian rugs and mahogany furniture gave the scene a timeless quality, as though Leo could have been sleeping in any century.

“I’ve rescheduled the Morrison meeting for next week,” Maja announced, setting a fresh coffee on his desk. Her movements were crisp, efficient, but he caught the subtle tightness around her eyes when another notification blinked to life.

“Morgan is handling the Singapore video call,” she continued. “But Mr. Chen specifically asked to speak with you about the quantum encryption protocol updates.”

Adam made a noncommittal sound.

“Chen is still our largest client in Asia,” Maja reminded him, her tone carefully neutral. “And Morgan looked... concerned when she checked in this morning.”

Of course she had. Morgan was one of only two vampires Maja had ever turned—created during that brief era when his longest companion had sought distance from him.

Less than a century later, Maja had returned, Morgan in tow.

Now, Morgan was to Maja what Maja was to him—indispensable.

A steady hand. A listening ear. The one who knew every whispered word in every corner of Nocturne.

If Morgan was concerned enough to show it, the ripples of last night’s claiming were spreading faster than he’d anticipated.

“The entire office is...” Maja paused, weighing her phrasing. “Uncertain how to proceed. You’ve never missed a day without warning. And the rumors are already spreading among the supernatural community. Especially the Court .”

Every supernatural being in the mansion had felt his power surge the night before. They’d dropped to their knees at his command. And now they were talking. Whispering. Messaging contacts around the globe.

Adam exhaled slowly. “Have Morgan rearrange my schedule. I’ll be working from the mansion for the foreseeable future.”

Given what Lander had described of his parents—how even centuries hadn’t dulled their need for proximity—he suspected time away from Leo might prove... challenging.

“Keep it light. Delegate to the VPs as needed.”

“As I’ve been suggesting you do for the past decade,” Maja said dryly, one brow arching. “But yes, I’ll pass that on to Morgan.”

“Anything else I should know?”

“Raj messaged from his flight. He plans to return for the Solstice.”

Adam groaned, letting his head fall back against the chair. Perfect. His siblings were hearing about it already. It hadn’t even been twenty-four hours.

“Gossipy vampires,” he muttered. “Anyone else?”

“Not yet,” Maja said. “But I suspect we’ll be hearing from others soon. Word travels fast in our circles.”

He rubbed at his temples, the pressure behind his eyes flaring. “Thank you.”

Maja nodded once and slipped out, the soft click of the door marking the return of solitude.

He turned back to his inbox. At least this, he could still control.

The next few hours passed in a blur of emails and calls, each one more mundane than the last. Adam handled them mechanically, his attention split—one eye always drifting to the feed showing Leo’s bedroom.

Leo hadn’t moved. Still lay sprawled on the sheets, one leg hooked over the blanket, skin pale. The sight was... distracting.

By the fifth time he had to ask a client to repeat themselves, Adam conceded that working from the mansion might be more complicated than he’d anticipated. Every few minutes, his gaze slipped back to the sharp lines of Leo’s body, to the marks still fresh on his throat.

At six, Maja reappeared with a covered tray and a knowing look. She said nothing about the way his attention kept drifting. Just set the dinner down and disappeared again.

He’d barely finished the last bite when his phone lit up with a video call. The ID read “Claudia Visconti,” and the location pinged as Vancouver.

Of course it did. She’d probably been in Panama this morning.

He exhaled once, bracing himself. Claudia never called without disruption trailing behind her like over-saturated perfume.

He accepted. Claudia’s face filled the screen—blinding pink hair framing classically Roman features: strong nose, dark eyes, cheekbones that had inspired a hundred painters.

He was fairly certain it had been a more natural red the last time they’d spoken.

Behind her, the glass curve of the Vancouver Aquarium shimmered.

“Brother!” she practically bounced in place.

“You finally did it! You claimed someone! A hunter! This is amazing! Are you going mad with possession yet? Johan said the first month was the worst—or the best, depending how you look at it. Is he pretty? He must be pretty. You always did have excellent taste. When can I meet him? Oh! We’ll come for Solstice!

We were going to skip this year because Nico wanted to chase the auroras in Svalbard, but this is much more interesting! ”

Adam couldn’t help it—he laughed. Of course, she’d called Johan first. Claudia always liked her facts straight before launching into her interrogations.

“How long after hearing the rumor did you wait before calling Johan?”

“Twelve seconds!” She beamed. “I needed details, brother. Johan said the possessiveness was quite intense at first. Are you experiencing that? The need to keep him close? Oh! And what about the displaying? Johan said that was unexpected—is that why everyone felt your power surge? Were you showing off your claim?”

“Chasing auroras? Really?” Adam tried dryly, hoping to redirect.

“You’re no fun at all,” she declared, waving a dismissive hand. “They’re incredible! You stand on a frozen lake, the sky alive with color, ice cracking beneath your boots like the world’s trying to wake up. And if you take the right mushrooms, it’s like watching the gods dance.”

She leaned closer to the camera, conspiratorial. “Besides, you never know who you’ll meet out there. The wild ones hide where civilization thins.”

Adam smiled faintly. That part, at least, he believed.

It was exactly in those places—the last vestiges of wilderness—that Claudia had found most of her Court.

Travelers who never returned to their families.

Some were reported missing, but they weren’t truly lost. He’d always assumed Claudia lured them like a siren.

But maybe they’d found her. Maybe they’d recognized something wild in her and decided to follow.

“I’m plenty of fun,” Adam said, “just not at temperatures where Fahrenheit and Celsius agree.”

Claudia grinned. “Now, no more stalling. Tell me everything about your hunter. Is he there? Can I see him? Why isn’t he with you?”

Her dark eyes glittered—relentless.

“He’s sleeping,” Adam said, glancing at the feed. Still unmoved.

Her energy shifted. “How much blood did you take?”

“What?”

“Blood, brother. Johan and Elisabeth exchanged it constantly during their claiming—oh, the stories were scandalous.” Mischief flashed in her eyes before narrowing again. “But your little lamb can only give, can’t he? He has no way to take back what you’ve drawn.”

The words struck like a blow.

Adam looked back at the screen, but this time he truly saw it: Leo, unmoved, pale, too still.

He should have thought of that. Should have measured the risk. But all he’d done was take—again and again—until Leo lay boneless and silent.

Claudia’s laugh tinkled across the line. “Oh, look at you. The mighty Amenemhat, swept away by passion.”

“This isn’t amusing.”

“Calm down. Just summon a witch to check on him. He probably just needs fluids. Humans are remarkably resilient—even if they’re distressingly fragile.”

“I’ll do that immediately.” Adam was already reaching for his second phone. “Farewell, Claudia.”

“We’ll see you at Solstice!” she chirped. “Tell your little lamb I can’t wait to meet him.”

The screen went dark.

Adam exhaled, already dialing Emilia. She answered on the first ring.

“Adam,” she greeted, voice warm. “This is unexpected.”

“I need a witch to examine Leo. I expect he’s only tired, but my sister suggests I may have... erred.”

“Ah.” He could hear her smile. “I have someone perfect. Dr. Elias Wright. Powerful witch. Medical doctor. Pediatric specialty, but excellent with trauma cases.”

“Pediatric.”

“Best at treating patients who can’t always say what’s wrong. He’ll be there within the hour.”

“Thank you,” Adam said, and hung up.

He tried to return to work but failed. His gaze kept drifting back to the monitor.

When the door opened again, he was almost grateful for the distraction—until he looked up and saw Gaspard.