Page 62 of Claim of Blood (Blood Bound #1)
Adam sat at the head of the table, with Leo to his right and Lander to his left. Bai and Jian had been placed next to Leo, while Raj sat beside Lander. Gaspard, Oren, and Ilona completed the gathering, spread strategically around the table.
“Maja sends her regrets,” Lander announced as they settled. “She’s meeting with Nathaniel about arrangements for the solstice.”
Raj sighed dramatically. “Alas, spurned again. After centuries of devotion, I might soon begin to take it personally.”
Adam watched his brother’s performance with amusement. Raj had been playing this game with Maja since her turning—a flirtation that had become something of a tradition between them. Whether Maja was truly unmoved or simply enjoyed the dance of rejection was something even Adam couldn’t determine.
Servers brought in the first course—a crimson consommé that shimmered in the candlelight.
Others followed with crystal decanters, pouring deep red bloodwine into goblets for the vampires and a fine Bordeaux for Leo.
For Leo’s meal, they placed a different dish, a traditional human soup with no trace of blood.
Adam noticed Bai’s slight grimace at the accommodation, her disapproval barely concealed as she sipped her bloodwine.
The sight sparked irritation in Adam’s chest. Leo was his Claim, deserving of basic respect regardless of his humanity.
“Your mansion remains quaint,” Bai remarked, sipping delicately from her glass. The condescension in her tone was subtle, but unmistakable.
“We can’t all live in skyscrapers occupying entire city blocks,” Raj countered smoothly. “Some of us prefer homes with actual character.”
Jian smiled thinly. “Not all of us wish to live in veritable palaces on private islands, collecting art like children collect toys.”
“Speaking of my palace,” Raj replied, waggling his fork at Jian with completely unsubtle sexual undertones, “you really must visit Singapore. I’d be delighted to show you my... collection. In exquisite detail.”
Adam caught the way Jian’s pupils dilated slightly before he looked away, focusing intently on his meal. Interesting. His nephew wasn’t as unaffected by Raj’s charm as he pretended.
“The situation,” Oren said, mercifully changing the subject. “What precisely have your people heard?”
Bai placed her spoon down with precision. “Coordinated hunter movements across multiple regions. Unusual supply purchases. Communications suggesting a major operation.”
“Targeted at Courts specifically?” Adam asked.
“Not just Courts,” Jian interjected. “The supernatural world as a whole. There’s talk of ‘revelation’ and ‘demonstration.’”
Leo shifted in his seat, clearly uncomfortable as the conversation focused on hunters.
Adam placed a hand on his knee under the table, a small gesture of support.
Throughout the meal, he noticed how both Bai and Jian directed their conversation around Leo rather than to him.
Raj, by contrast, repeatedly drew Leo into the discussion, asking about his adjustment to Court life and his impressions of vampire society.
As the main course arrived—medallions of rare beef floating in a reduction sauce primarily composed of blood—Jian turned to Gaspard. “The arrangements are adequate, though my team has concerns about the underground accommodations.”
“Your ‘adequate’ accommodations required a complete reorganization of the entire mansion without notice,” Gaspard replied, his usual diplomacy strained. “Perhaps next time, a warning would be appreciated.”
“Operational demands don’t always allow for advance planning,” Bai said coolly.
“Fifty-seven people don’t materialize overnight,” Oren countered. “Even with operational demands.”
The tension at the table thickened. Adam observed the subtle shifts in body language, the way conversations fractured and reformed around invisible fault lines.
His siblings had always maintained complex relationships, but tonight, something felt different.
The usual rivalries and alliances seemed charged with new energy.
Adam set down his fork, commanding attention without saying a word. “The solstice is four days away,” he said finally. “I trust everyone has prepared for the necessary rituals?”
This launched a discussion of solstice traditions, safer territory that carried them through dessert—a delicate mousse marbled with blood that resembled raspberry swirls. Leo’s version contained actual raspberry, Adam noted, with appreciation for Marie’s attention to detail.
As the evening drew to a close, and guests dispersed, Adam noticed Raj lingering. Once the others had left, Raj approached him, his usual flamboyance tempered.
“Your hunter is charming,” Raj said quietly. “Though my dear sister and her protégé could stand to learn some manners.”
Adam’s jaw tightened. “You noticed.”
“Hard not to. I heard them earlier as well—their suites adjoin mine in the north wing. They weren’t particularly careful with their opinions about your choice in companions.”
A cold anger settled in Adam’s chest. Four hundred years of family dynamics, and they still thought they could question his decisions in his own home. “Thank you,” he said sincerely. “For making Leo feel welcome.”
Raj waved a hand dismissively. “He’s good for you. Anyone with eyes can see it.” He glanced toward the door. “Is Maja truly meeting with Nathaniel, or is she hiding from me in the stables again?”
Adam smiled slightly. “The stables. East paddock, specifically.”
Raj’s face lit up. “You’re a terrible brother, but an excellent wingman.” He squeezed Adam’s shoulder before departing with a spring in his step.
Leo approached as Raj left. “Should you have told him where to find Maja?”
“Maja can handle herself,” Adam replied. “And Raj is harmless. It’s a game they’ve played for centuries.”
Lander joined them, looking exhausted. “The staff situation is sorted for tomorrow, but we’re still short for tonight’s rotation.”
“We’ll manage,” Adam said, suddenly feeling the weight of the day pressing down on him. The chaos, his siblings’ disrespect, the underlying threats—everything felt like variables spinning beyond his control. He needed to regain his center, to feel grounded amid the uncertainty.
“Come upstairs,” he said, his voice carrying a note of command that made both men look at him sharply. “Both of you.”
They made their way up the grand staircase, Lander slightly ahead while Adam guided Leo with a hand at the small of his back.
The simple contact helped, but it wasn’t enough.
When they reached the master suite, Adam closed the door behind them and took a deep breath, letting the familiar space settle around him.
“Strip,” he commanded, his voice dropping to a low growl that made both men straighten. “Both of you. On the bed.”
Leo immediately began unbuttoning his shirt, eyes darkening with desire and understanding. Lander hesitated only briefly before following suit, his movements more measured but equally compliant.
Adam watched them, feeling the tension of the day transform into something primal and possessive. These two were his—his to protect, his to command, his to cherish. Whatever chaos tomorrow might bring, tonight he would remind them all of that fundamental truth.
As clothes fell to the floor and two very different but equally beautiful bodies moved toward the bed, Adam felt equilibrium returning. In this room, with these men, he was exactly where he belonged. For now, that was enough.