Page 61 of Claim of Blood (Blood Bound #1)

Chapter Thirty

Adam

Thursday brought chaos.

Adam’s phone buzzed at dawn with a frantic message from Gaspard: Emergency. Meeting room. NOW.

When Adam entered the meeting room, he found Gaspard staring in horror at his tablet, while Oren spoke in terse sentences on the phone with the gate team.

“What’s happening?” Adam demanded.

Gaspard thrust his tablet toward Adam. “Bai and Jian’s advance teams just called. They’re arriving together in twenty minutes.”

“And?”

“And they’re requesting accommodations for fifty-seven people in total. Fifty-seven.” Gaspard’s voice rose with each word. “That’s more than quadruple what protocol dictates.”

Adam kept his expression neutral, though internally he shared Gaspard’s frustration. Four centuries of Court protocol, and his siblings still found ways to create mayhem. “This wasn’t coordinated in advance?”

“Not a word,” Gaspard confirmed. “We’ve been completely blindsided.”

Lander entered mid-conversation, his face shifting from confusion to alarm. “Did you say fifty-seven?”

“We don’t have enough rooms prepared,” Gaspard said, running a hand through his usually immaculate hair.

Adam’s jaw tightened. The solstice was days away, with other Courts arriving throughout the week. This level of disruption could destabilize everything. “Reassign accommodations immediately. Lander, contact additional staff.”

“I’ll call Emilia and Nathaniel. Again,” Lander replied.

The next few hours passed in a state of organized chaos.

Adam coordinated with Oren on expanded protocols, while Gaspard frantically rearranged the room assignments.

Leo assisted where he could, helping inventory available space and supplies.

The household staff moved with practiced efficiency despite obvious tension, reorganizing entire wings of the mansion.

During a brief lull, Adam retreated to his study to review the updated security layouts, when a soft knock interrupted his concentration.

“Come.”

Lander entered, closing the door behind him. In his hand was a small velvet box, deep midnight blue with silver corners.

“The seal is finished,” he said simply, crossing to the desk.

Adam set down his tablet, a welcome distraction from the morning’s upheaval. Lander placed the box before him, and for a moment, neither man moved.

“May I?” Adam asked, though his fingers were already reaching for the box.

The seal was exquisite. The onyx scarab sat at the center, wings spread wide in perfect symmetry, its surface polished to mirror-black perfection.

Leo’s ruby—the single stone salvaged from his family crest—blazed like captured fire at the scarab’s heart.

Golden bands circled the design, and twin sapphires gleamed like ancient eyes, wise and eternal.

“It’s perfect,” Adam said, voice rougher than intended.

Adam lifted the ring briefly, admiring the craftsmanship before placing it carefully back in its velvet nest. After the solstice, he told himself. When his siblings departed and the chaos settled. When he could give Leo the ceremony he deserved.

“Thank you,” he said, meeting Lander’s eyes. “Truly.”

A brief smile touched Lander’s lips before duty reasserted itself. “Oren needs you in the security office when you’re ready.”

Adam nodded, closing the box and securing it in his desk drawer.

By mid-morning, a procession of armored vehicles began streaming through the front gates—sleek black SUVs with tinted windows and reinforced frames, obviously rented from a high-end service.

No identifying marks were visible on any of the vehicles, giving the convoy an ominous, anonymous appearance.

Adam stood in the main hall with Gaspard and Leo, watching the feed on the tablet as the vehicles approached.

“Raj’s people are in the north wing,” Gaspard muttered, fingers flying across his screen. “Most of Bai and Jian’s teams are in the underground complex. The rest are doubling up in the south wing.”

“Oren’s assessment?” Adam asked.

“He’s handling it, but he’s not happy. Every additional person is another potential vulnerability.”

Adam nodded, watching the vehicles pull up to the entrance. He placed a hand on Leo’s lower back, guiding him forward. “Stay with me,” he murmured. Leo nodded, nervous but determined.

The lead SUV came to a stop at the entrance.

Both Bai and Jian emerged from it. Bai wore a sleek charcoal suit, her long black hair pulled into an immaculate chignon.

Jian, by contrast, embraced modern American fashion, wearing designer jeans and a cashmere sweater that probably cost more than most people’s monthly rent.

Behind them, personnel in matching black suits began forming a protective perimeter.

“Sister, Nephew,” Adam said, stepping forward to greet them. Leo remained at his side, shoulders squared.

Bai inclined her head slightly. “Brother. Your home is as lovely as ever.” Her gaze finally settled on Leo, cool and assessing.

They embraced briefly—a formality rather than affection. Bai had always maintained a certain distance, even from her siblings.

“Uncle Adam,” Jian said, arms spread wide for an embrace. “It’s been too long.” His eyes flicked to Leo with mild curiosity before dismissing him entirely.

Adam accepted the hug, noting how Bai’s face grew slightly more reserved at the display of affection. “Jian. We weren’t expecting you until after the solstice.”

“Plans change,” Jian said cheerfully. “When I heard about the potential threat, I couldn’t leave Bai to handle it alone.”

Adam gestured to Leo. “This is Leopold von Rothenburg. My claim.”

Bai’s gaze returned to Leo, her acknowledgment brief and formal. “Mr. Rothenburg.” The words carried no warmth.

“A hunter,” Jian remarked, offering a perfunctory nod rather than his hand. “Bold choice, Uncle.”

Adam’s jaw tightened fractionally. Centuries of Court protocol demanded basic courtesy toward a ruler’s consort, yet his siblings treated Leo as barely worth acknowledging. Leo’s posture remained steady despite the obvious slight, his hunter training serving him well in hostile territory.

Before Adam could respond, movement at the top of the grand staircase caught their attention. Raj appeared, dressed in an impeccably tailored suit that somehow managed to look both ancient and modern at once. The fabric rippled like silk as he descended, drawing all eyes.

“Sister! Nephew!” He embraced Bai warmly, then turned to Jian with a critical eye. “Good heavens, Jian, that sweater. Eight thousand dollars for something that looks like it came from a shopping mall? Your taste remains... consistent.”

Jian’s smile grew strained. “And you remain trapped in the last century, Uncle.”

“Children,” Adam interrupted smoothly before the exchange could escalate further. He’d witnessed enough of their legendary spats over the centuries. “You’ve brought quite the entourage.”

Bai’s demeanor remained unchanged. “Precautionary measures. We intercepted information suggesting a threat against you specifically.”

Adam raised an eyebrow. “Against me?”

“Against the Court,” she clarified. “But as you are its head...” She left the implication hanging.

“We have everything well in hand,” Adam assured them, even as his concern deepened. “Oren has implemented comprehensive protocols.”

Bai nodded, but her eyes suggested skepticism. “I’m sure. Nevertheless, we brought additional support. I’d like to settle in. The flight was tedious.”

“Of course,” Adam replied. “Gaspard will show you to your rooms. Please join us for dinner this evening in the main dining hall. Eight o’clock.”

As Gaspard led Bai and Jian away, Raj moved to Leo’s side.

Unlike the others, he extended his hand warmly.

“And you must be the famous hunter who’s captured my brother’s heart.

Enchanted, truly. My apologies for not greeting you properly last night—my flight arrived abominably late, and I was hardly fit for civilized company. ”

Leo smiled, visibly relieved at the friendly reception. “It’s an honor to meet you.”

“The honor is mine,” Raj replied with a theatrical bow. “Anyone who makes my usually dour brother smile has my eternal gratitude.”

Adam cleared his throat. “Raj—”

“Don’t worry, I’m being perfectly appropriate,” Raj said, winking at Leo. “For now.”

“Perhaps we could adjourn to the parlor?” Leo suggested, looking between the brothers. “There are still a few hours before dinner.”

“Excellent idea,” Raj agreed enthusiastically. “Does that antique billiards table still dominate the west parlor?”

“It does,” Adam confirmed, guiding them toward the room in question. “Though I wouldn’t recommend playing against him, Leo. He’s a shark.”

Raj placed a hand over his heart in mock offense. “Me? Why, I haven’t played in years.”

“The last time you said that, you cleared the table in one turn,” Adam reminded him dryly.

“Pure luck,” Raj insisted, his eyes twinkling.

The afternoon passed pleasantly, with Raj regaling Leo with carefully edited stories from Adam’s past while they played several rounds of billiards.

Adam won none, though he came close twice.

To everyone’s surprise, Leo won a game, though Adam strongly suspected Raj had deliberately missed several easy shots.

“Beginner’s luck,” Leo said with a grin.

“Indeed,” Raj agreed, casting a knowing look at Adam. “Pure luck.”

By the time they needed to prepare for dinner, the initial tension of the day had eased somewhat. Still, as Adam dressed for the evening, he couldn’t shake a lingering sense of unease. Something about the day’s events felt off—a subtle wrongness beneath the surface that he couldn’t quite identify.

The main dining hall’s vaulted ceiling and massive chandelier created an atmosphere of grandeur reserved for formal occasions. Tonight, the long table gleamed under subtle lighting, crystal glasses catching and refracting the candlelight from antique silver holders.