Page 51 of Claim of Blood (Blood Bound #1)

Felix blinked. “He showed up the morning after you didn’t come back.

Told everyone to pack up—the First Cat crew, too.

Your father got the call and left immediately.

I saw Stefan speak with your mother, but I couldn’t hear what they said.

The cousins were furious—though not about you, sorry.

They were pissed about leaving Adam’s doorstep behind. Will and Max were livid.”

Felix’s voice dipped, frustration bleeding in. “But Sabine overruled them. Stefan had final say. So they left.”

He looked at Leo again. “I didn’t. I couldn’t just... leave you.”

Leo’s body tensed. “My father got the call and just left?” His voice cracked. “Didn’t try to find me?”

His breathing turned shallow. “And the cousins, my mother... they just gave up? Because Stefan said so?”

Leo’s breathing grew shallow, rapid. “What happened to ‘leave no one behind’? What happened to family?” His voice rose, years of ingrained loyalty crashing against the reality of abandonment. “I spent my whole life believing that meant something!”

Felix’s enthusiasm faltered completely, his expressive face crumpling like a child’s. “Leo, I’m so sorry, I tried to argue—”

“You tried?” Leo’s laugh cracked. “You tried, but everyone else—my father, my mother, my brothers—they just decided I wasn’t worth the risk? That I was expendable?”

Adam felt the tremor that ran through Leo’s body, felt the way his claim’s breathing turned shallow and rapid. This wasn’t just hurt—this was the shattering of everything Leo had believed about family, about loyalty.

“I... I wasn’t told about the plan—” Felix started desperately.

“What plan?” Adam’s voice cut through the room with deadly quiet. His power stirred beneath his skin, responding to Leo’s distress, to the need to protect what was his.

Felix’s mouth opened and closed, his earlier enthusiasm completely gone.

He glanced nervously around the room, hands twisting in his lap.

“I... I probably shouldn’t... Uncle Stefan made it very clear that sharing hunter intelligence with.

..” He gestured vaguely at the assembled supernaturals.

“Well, with anyone outside the family would be considered treason.”

Nobody spoke. Felix swallowed audibly.

Lydia leaned forward with a conspiratorial smile. “Tell us about the plan, and I’ll explain exactly how our tactical vests protect against both silver bullets and stakes. The material composition is quite fascinating...”

Felix’s eyes lit up instantly, his internal conflict forgotten. Adam felt Leo’s bitter laugh vibrate against his chest—even now, Felix could be bought with the promise of knowledge.

“Well, you see,” Felix began, hands already gesturing, “Uncle Stefan had this idea—apparently you have a type? Pretty boys? Which, honestly, looking at the evidence...” He waved at Leo in Adam’s lap. “Not wrong.”

Adam saw Leo flinch.

The words tumbled out faster now. “Friedrich had been following Leo and saw him get taken. When Leo didn’t come back that morning, and his tracker showed he was in the mansion, they just..

. packed up and left! I argued—I mean, who leaves family behind?

But that’s when they finally told me about the tracker. ”

Leo’s fingers clenched in Adam’s shirt. Adam could practically hear his claim’s thoughts—leave no one behind, the family motto that apparently came with conditions Leo had never known about. Adam’s hand found the back of Leo’s neck, thumb stroking soothingly.

Felix barely paused for breath. “The readings were bizarre, though; everyone assumed there must be dungeons under the stables, but I looked at the architectural plans and the geological surveys, and that’s completely impractical.

If you were going to build dungeons, are there dungeons?

No, never mind—they’d logically be under the mansion. ..”

Adam found himself oddly impressed by Felix’s ability to speak without breathing.

“I tried to convince them that something was wrong. I mean, a chicken coop? Leo hates chickens! But they wouldn’t listen, and I—”

“Were they ever going to come back for me?” Leo’s quiet question cut through Felix’s rambling.

Adam watched Felix’s expression crumble, all that manic energy draining away. The man’s face was like an open book—every emotion written in neon.

“No,” Felix whispered. “I begged, I swear I did. When they packed up to move to Chicago, I stayed behind. Been dodging retrieval units ever since, but I had to know you were okay...”

Leo turned into Adam’s shoulder, fingers clenching in his shirt. “I knew,” he whispered. “I knew they weren’t coming back, but hearing it confirmed...”

Adam held him closer. He hated that some part of Leo still hoped. That he had to mourn them now, one betrayal at a time.

“Hearing it confirmed is different from just knowing,” Adam said softly, his voice pitched for Leo alone.

“I’m so sorry,” Felix offered, his earlier enthusiasm completely deflated. “I really did hope to sneak onto the grounds without being spotted, but...” A weak smile flickered across his face. “Looks like the security is already being updated from the first test...”

“Test?” Adam’s voice held a dangerous edge. “The camera loop?”

“Well, yes,” Felix admitted, his hands already starting their elaborate dance of explanation.

“Though that was more to test your security response than anything else. Just to see how quickly you’d notice and react.

” He brightened slightly. “Worked quite well, actually. Your security team didn’t notice the loop right away. ”

Adam watched Felix’s gaze sweep the room, taking in the assembled vampires, shifters, and witches. The hunter’s enthusiasm faltered as reality seemed to hit him—he’d just bragged about infiltrating the security of people who could kill him without breaking a sweat.

“Felix...” Leo sighed into Adam’s neck. “Not the place.”

Felix shifted on his feet, looking properly chastened. “Right, sorry.”

Adam’s eyes narrowed. “And the Over/Under? The ‘wannabe’ hunters?”

“Oh, that was a completely different test,” Felix said, waving his hand dismissively. “More for them than your Court. And if they managed to take out an ancient vampire like Kenneth...” He trailed off, then brightened. “How did that go, by the way? Not all of them were bad sorts—”

“Kenneth kept a pet human. Joshua,” Adam stated flatly.

“Oh! Joshua!” Felix’s face lit up with genuine warmth. “I liked him—nice guy, terrible circumstances. Family can really—”

“Felix.” Adam’s tone could have frozen flame. “Tell me more about Stefan’s plans.”

“Right, right.” Felix’s enthusiasm dimmed. “Stefan wants your Court gone. With Merytre still missing...” He mimicked his uncle’s gruffer tones. “‘Now is our best chance at decimation.’”

Adam felt the Council members’ reactions ripple through the room—sharp attention, calculated glances. Leo pressed against his chest, tears tracking silently down his cheeks, but Adam could sense him listening now, processing. Beside them, Lander sat unnaturally still.

“Decimation of the Court?” Emilia’s voice carried something darker beneath.

Felix shook his head, looking troubled. “From what I understood, it was more than that. Though how much more...” He spread his hands helplessly. “I wasn’t exactly included in the strategy sessions. Family black sheep and all that.”

His gaze drifted to Leo, his face still pressed to Adam’s shoulder. “I wish I could be more help...”

“Your notebooks,” Leo murmured without lifting his head. “Do you have them?”

Felix straightened indignantly. “I never let those out of my sight! Well, often, anyway. Couldn’t exactly bring them on a stealth mission. They’re back at my room in the Fourth Cat.”

“Which hotel?” Oren asked.

“Not exactly a hotel...” Felix fidgeted. “It’s a brothel. A Union one!” he added hastily. “I support all unions, local and national!”

“Which brothel?” Oren’s patience was wearing thin.

“Red Brick Road.”

Oren rose smoothly. “Key.”

Felix hesitated.

Lydia casually withdrew her stun gun, examining it in the light.

Felix’s eyes went comically wide. “Are those runes? They look like they enhance the effect of—”

Lydia tucked the weapon behind her back. “Room key. Now.”

The card key appeared in Felix’s hand so quickly it might have materialized from thin air.

Adam made a mental note never to trust Felix with any secrets. Ever.

Oren accepted the key and stepped out, while Lydia continued rolling the stun gun between her hands, Felix’s muttered commentary a steady stream of appreciation.

“If you’re that curious about magic,” Emilia’s voice carried a smile, “I’d be happy to teach you about the runework that holds them in place.”

Felix’s face lit up like Christmas had come early. “I would love that!”

“Is that all it takes to buy your loyalty?” Lander’s voice dripped venom. “Things?”

Felix’s expression shifted to something harder, more defiant. “No. I would never betray those important to me.”

“You abandoned your clan easily enough.”

Felix gaped for a moment, like a fish suddenly finding itself on land. “I never wanted to be a hunter. I just... never had a choice.” His gaze found Leo’s. “But Leo was always kind to me, never treated me differently... kept my secrets.”

Leo sank further into Adam’s embrace, turning to face his cousin properly. “About that... I might have told Adam and Lander about your vampire fetish.”

The brilliant red that bloomed across Felix’s face could have given a stoplight competition.

Nathaniel and Charles snickered from their couch as Felix’s blush deepened to impossible shades.

“So,” Lander spat as he rose, moving with predatory grace to stand before Felix. “You like to study supernaturals and fuck vampires?”

Adam watched the patrol scatter—shifters drifting to flank Nathaniel and Charles, while Carlos and Lydia melted behind his position. Even his own people could sense the tension building.