Page 64 of Claim of Blood (Blood Bound #1)
“Of course,” Leo replied, though Adam noticed the slight tension that returned to his posture. Meeting each new Court member was still a test, each introduction a potential source of conflict.
The three of them made their way to the main hall, where Asili awaited with his Court, another precisely twelve members in the traditional configuration. Adam watched as Oren supervised their arrival from a careful distance, his body language rigid and formal.
Asili stood tall and dignified in the center of the hall, his dark skin contrasting with the crisp white linen suit he wore.
Despite being in his maker’s territory, he carried himself with the quiet confidence of someone who had built his own power base and earned his place among vampire royalty.
His people arranged themselves behind him in perfect formation—respectful but not subservient.
“Victoria!” Asili exclaimed, his face lighting up at the sight of her.
“Asili!” Victoria broke protocol to embrace him warmly, her formal demeanor dissolving into genuine affection. “It’s been too long since New Orleans.”
“Three years,” Asili agreed, returning her embrace with equal warmth. “The French Quarter misses your particular brand of chaos. The jazz clubs are still talking about your last visit.”
Victoria laughed, the sound echoing in the entrance hall. “You mean when I convinced that blues singer to perform at midnight in Jackson Square?”
“The one who thought he was serenading a beautiful woman, not a vampire?” Asili’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “He still asks about you when I pass by his club.”
Adam watched this easy familiarity with interest. The friendship between Victoria and Asili had developed over decades of mutual support—two rulers who had carved out territories in human-dominated cities and understood the unique challenges that brought.
Adam stepped forward. “Welcome to PDC, Asili. Thank you for coming.”
Asili clasped Adam’s offered hand firmly, his grip conveying both respect and equality. “The honor is mine, First. Your solstice gatherings are legendary.” His gaze shifted to Leo, curious but not unkind. “And this must be the hunter who’s caused such a stir across the Courts.”
“Leopold von Rothenburg,” Leo introduced himself, extending his hand without hesitation.
“A pleasure,” Asili said, inclining his head slightly as he shook Leo’s hand. “I’ve heard much about you. The supernatural community doesn’t often see hunters choosing our side.”
Leo’s expression remained steady. “I chose what felt right.”
“The best decisions usually do,” Asili replied approvingly.
From across the hall, Adam noticed Oren approaching with obvious reluctance.
The security chief’s face was a careful mask of neutrality, but Adam could read the tension in every line of his body.
Centuries of history walked in the space between maker and made child, and whatever had fractured their relationship cast a shadow over every interaction.
“Some things never change, do they?” Asili said quietly, though his voice carried enough for Oren to hear.
Oren’s shoulders stiffened as he drew closer, his professional demeanor intact but strained. “Asili,” he acknowledged with a formal politeness that felt painful in its distance.
“Oren,” Asili replied, his voice gentler than his maker’s. “Your arrangements are excellent, as always. My people are impressed with the security measures.”
“Thank you.” Oren’s response was clipped, professional. “Your rooms are prepared in the east wing, away from the main gatherings, as requested.”
Adam frowned slightly. He hadn’t known Asili had requested isolation from the other Courts.
“That’s considerate,” Asili said, though something flickered in his expression. “Perhaps we might find time to speak privately. For both our sakes, not just mine.”
Oren’s jaw tightened, the careful mask slipping just enough to show the old pain beneath. “I’ll see if there’s time,” he said, the words coming out flat and formal. “If you’ll excuse me, I have other arrivals to coordinate.”
Victoria sighed as Oren walked away, his posture rigid with suppressed emotion. “Some things truly never change. Centuries it’s been, and still this distance between you two.”
Asili watched his maker’s retreating form with an expression of profound sadness. “Some wounds take time to heal.”
“More time than even we have, apparently,” Victoria muttered, shaking her head. “What happened between you? Adam’s never said, and you both avoid the subject like it’s cursed.”
Asili was quiet for a long moment, his usual warmth dimmed. “Some things are better left buried. The past should remain there.”
But Adam caught the way Asili’s eyes followed Oren’s path through the hall, the longing carefully hidden behind centuries of practice. Whatever had broken their bond, it clearly hadn’t diminished on Asili’s side.
“Gaspard will show your people to their rooms,” Adam said, sensing the need to redirect the conversation. “Perhaps you’d like to join Victoria, Leo, and me for a drink afterward? We were just discussing the hunter situation.”
“I would be honored,” Asili replied, his composure returning. “And thank you for including me, Leopold. It’s rare for hunters to be welcomed into our councils.”
As Gaspard appeared to escort Asili’s people to their accommodations, Adam noticed how the other Courts’ security personnel watched the new arrivals.
Bai’s people maintained their professional distance, but there was a subtle shift in their positioning—recognition of another major power entering the territory.
“He’s well-respected,” Victoria observed quietly as they watched Asili’s Court file past. “Even among the traditionalists who usually distrust American Courts.”
“He’s earned it,” Adam replied. “Building a power base in New Orleans, especially after Haiti, required considerable skill.”
Leo looked between them. “Haiti?”
“A story for another time,” Adam said. “But Asili has never shied away from difficult choices when protecting his people.”
As evening approached, Adam gathered his expanded family and Court members for a formal dinner.
The main dining hall, already packed to accommodate the number of guests, seated a formidable collection of vampires and their inner circles.
The massive table all but groaned under the weight of crystal and silver, candles casting dancing shadows across faces both ancient and relatively young.
Adam sat at the head, with Leo to his right and Lander to his left.
Gaspard had carefully orchestrated the seating arrangement to strike a balance between politics and protocol.
Victoria sat beside Leo, her presence serving as a buffer between him and the less welcoming family members.
Asili had been placed across from her, the two of them immediately falling into easy conversation about their respective territories.
Raj held court in the center, regaling Elisabeth and Johan with tales from Singapore while they shared stories of the Norwegian fjords.
Bai maintained her usual reserved position, with Jian beside her, both watching more than participating.
Adam’s inner circle completed the gathering: Gaspard managed logistics from his seat, Oren maintained his security oversight despite his obvious discomfort with Asili’s presence, Ilona handled diplomatic protocols, and Maja finally joined them after her extended meetings with Nathaniel.
Real meetings, this time.
Servants moved silently around them, pouring blood or bloodwine into crystal goblets for the vampires and wine for Leo. The candlelight caught in the deep red liquid, casting ruby shadows across the white tablecloth.
“The fjords during solstice are beyond description,” Johan was saying, his hands moving expressively as he spoke. “The midnight sun turns the water to liquid gold. Mountains that touch the sky, ice that’s older than human civilization.”
Leo leaned forward, drawn into Johan’s vivid descriptions. “It sounds incredible. I’ve never seen anything like that.”
“The first time I witnessed it,” Elisabeth added, her hand resting on her husband’s arm, “I thought I was seeing magic. Real magic, not our kind.”
“It is magic, in its way,” Johan smiled at his wife. “Nature’s own form of supernatural power.”
“You must visit us,” Elisabeth told Leo, her eyes warm with genuine invitation. “Our home may not match Adam’s mansion in grandeur, but the view more than compensates.”
“I’d like that very much,” Leo replied, and Adam caught the sincerity in his voice. The idea of traveling with Adam, of seeing the world through immortal eyes, clearly appealed to him.
“Careful,” Raj called from down the table, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “Johan’s definition of ‘rustic charm’ usually involves no central heating and hunting for your own dinner.”
“Says the man who lives in a palace with a staff of thirty,” Johan shot back good-naturedly.
“Forty-two, actually,” Raj corrected with pride. “And I earned every luxury through centuries of careful investment and shameless manipulation of colonial powers.”
Victoria raised her glass slightly. “At least you admit to the shameless part.”
“Honesty is refreshing,” Asili added with amusement. “So many of our kind pretend their wealth came through noble means.”
“Nothing noble about outliving your creditors,” Bai remarked dryly—her first contribution to the general conversation.
This sparked laughter around the table, even from some of Bai’s own people. Adam noticed how the shared humor began to break down some of the formal barriers between the Courts.
From Adam’s left, Lander watched the interplay with quiet attention. His fingers brushed against Adam’s under the table—a subtle touch that sent warmth through the bond between them. Adam returned the pressure, acknowledging the connection even as he maintained his conversation with the table.