They had seen the convoy approach but made no move to lower the barrier.


    “Stay hidden for now,” Kai murmured. “I don’t have a good feeling about this.”


    Kai stepped forward, stopping behind an irritated Rina.


    “Lower thebarrier!” the Familiar who had hired her barked. He approached swiftly and turned to acloaked figure standing off to the side.“I said lower it!” he snapped. The figure turned their head as if to shrink away.


    A tall vampire stepped forward, and the squadron immediately parted to let him through. The Familiar blinked in confusion before scowling. “Lord Vaelen! What is the meaning of this?!”


    Vaelen’s hand shot out, closing like a vice around his throat. A violent snap rang through the air.


    His presence felt old and now she knew exactly who had been after her.


    The psychopath before her. Clearly.


    She had evaded his forces not once, not twice—but three times! She had outmanoeuvred his best hunters, defied every attempt to corner her, and stolen the cure right from under his nose.


    And now, here she stood. Unbothered. Smirking at him with an Infuriating smug look in her eyes.


    His lips curled into a cruel smile.


    Her eyes widened and her mouth opened as she took a gasping breath in.


    Stars Preserve Us!


    Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, shit.”


    power surging through the air. The writhing of it, beneath the surface of the earth, creating vibrations that shook thevehicle. Selene’s gaze remained fixed upon Kai’s solitary figure, as she stood before the barrier.


    They had no idea what was coming.


    Instead, her features darkened. Her stance changed. She no longer seemed amused.


    gasping for breath, her hands trembling.


    .


    he had threatened her family.


    For him.


    Her voice just above a whisper, yet it cut through the silence like a blade.


    The wind ceased. The night went silent. Even the insects had stopped their incessant chatter. Nothing dared make a sound.


    The vampires took multiple steps back agitated.


    Her palm barely brushing the surface of the magical construct. As she flexed her fingers, she gave a push. Just a tiny one.


    A jagged fissure ran from the top-right corner of the barrier down to the bottom-left.


    His breath stalled.


    His body smacking yards away into the pavement of the camp’s parking lot and skidded violently across the ground, tearing up asphalt and sending debris flying.


    Kai lowered her hand. Her face calm, expressionless. As if merely having swatted a fly.


    grew shallow. The weight of her choices, her regrets, settled over her like a leaden shroud.


    .


    A hand reached down. She braced herself for death. Instead….. a warm, green light enveloped her as a soft pulsing of magic ran through her battered body, knitting opened wounds closed, repairing ruptured organs, soothing cracked ribs, and easing the agony in her limbs. The pain disappeared, replaced by a feeling she hadn’t known in a while.


    She halted, her gaze snapping to the Familiar’s body.


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    He gave her a wry, exhausted look.


    Soooo… not a zombie, then?” she quipped, holding out a hand.


    Not even close,” he muttered, taking it. She hauled him to his feet, shaking her head in relief. Then she turned back to her primary concern.


    Kai strode forward, reached down, and grabbed him by the collar.


    “Hey, bud! Mind getting blondie out of the back?” She jerked her chin towards the vehicle. “We’ve got about five minutes to get inside.”


    “Lead the way, boss.” He said with a nod


    As they approached the hall doors, the Familiar—the one who had miraculously survived—caught sight of Selene.


    Then, without hesitation, he dropped to one knee, bowing his head. The remaining vampires—at least those not aligned with Lawrence’s faction—gasped in shock. Kai raised a brow.


    Interesting.


    The Familiar rose swiftly nodding his head in agreement,  “As you wish My Lady.” He replied, then turned and gestured toward the heavy double doors. With a flick of his wrist and a pulse of magic, the wood shimmered and parted, revealing the entrance.


    <u>Fifteen Minutes Earlier</u>


    Dozens of vampires stood in the grand chamber—regents, nobles, and emissaries from covens across the world. Many having traveled from across the ocean to bear witness to the Conclave.


    The potential for peace between North America’s two most powerful vampire covens.


    Briscelous of the Seelie Court had assured her that Aegis Delivery was capable of completing the task. But had she placed her faith in the wrong hands?


    Selene was supposed to have been delivered hours ago, and without her, his son would never receive the blood cure.


    the doors to the Grand Hall  were shoved open with a loud Bang!


    Then they simultaneously froze. Gasps rippled through the crowd.


    Power radiated from her in unseen waves. Suffocating and undeniable.


    Kai stood there, utterly unfazed.


    where he tumbled and unceremoniously landed at their feet.


    On his shoulder, another vampire lay unconscious.


    <u>By Your Request, So We Have Delivered</u>


    a shocked older vampire, his British accent thick with disbelief, as he stared at Kai as if she were some eldritch horror.


    “Hmm?” she murmured, clearly not understanding his outburst.


    Aegis Delivery.


    Oh. Right. She hadn''t introduced herself.


    Lady Sumila stepped forward, her composed mask firmly in place. But inwardly, she quivered in her boots. Every instinct in her was screaming. Telling her to run as far away as possible from this being. Yet, she forced herself to meet Kai’s gaze. “Greetings, Kai Ki,” she said, her voice steady. “I must admit, you cut it quite close. Am I to assume that Lord Vaelen had something to do with this?” She asked in hesitation, careful not to insult the woman before her.


    Murmurs of agreement rippled through the hall.


    Now, for the one she personally wanted to handle.


    The dull thud made heads turn.


    tunned silence followed.


    Kai smacked him again.


    “WAKEY WAKEY, pervert!” Kai growled.


    Raw, unfiltered power escaped from her in waves, slamming into the vampires like an unseen storm.


    nd everyone in the Hall felt it. Fear crept in. A terrible, primal fear. The silent oppression of malevolent power was too much. None in the hall were able to call out to her. Their voices muted.


    ootsteps broke through the silence. Slow and measured.


    The vampires who could turn their heads did so—only to be struck with awe and dread. There, moving through the incapacitated crowd with effortless grace, was Lady Allara.


    The most powerful magic user in all of North America. Her deep green gown draped over her tall, curvaceous frame, thigh-high slits revealing long, deadly legs. Golden Grecian sandals strapped up her calves in delicate winding strands, each step light yet commanding.


    Many a vampire forgot to breathe as she passed, mesmerised by her presence. She approached the source of the suffocating power.


    But inside? Her body quaked from the sheer force of Kai’s magic. She didn’t know what had triggered this level of rage, but it was clear: Kai didn’t even realise what she was doing.


    ently, snd cautiously placed a hand against the small of Kai’s back. Her other hand covered the clenched fist gripping the unfortunate vampire’s collar.


    The crushing weight of Kai’s presence vanished. As if it had never been there. A breath of relief passed through the room as Allara leaned in, her voice a soft murmur against Kai’s ear.


    nd she breathed.


    For a brief moment, all she had wanted was to kill the blond. But, that wasn’t like her. Sure, she wanted to beat the ever-loving shit out of the pervert, but outright killing him? That was not who she was.


    She had seen him assaulting Selene and that singular thought had consumed her.


    sensation. Starting at the small of her back, then her hand. A touch so grounding it pulled her back from the abyss.


    Allara.


    Blinking, Kai found herself staring down at the blond idiot. With a grimace, she shoved him away and wiped her hand on her shirt.


    “The hell happened to you guys?!” she exclaimed. Marta, still breathless, shot her a pointed look. “You! You great big dummy!”


    Then, with a shrug, she accepted it. Yeah, probably her fault. She might have blacked out or something.


    A rich, velvety sound that sent a shiver down her spine. Her head snapped to the left. And there stood Allara. Her hand still resting on Kai’s wrist, the other on her lower back. The touch was steadying. Warm. Natural. Kai’s entire body relaxed.


    Allara’s lips curled in amusement.


    Oh, Stars. How cute. She thought to herself .


    Allara huffed, amused by the innocence in her gaze.


    The congregation of vampires stared, utterly awestruck.


    Allara winked at Kai before turning to the crowd.


    Kai smirked.


    Without further ado, the peace talks began. First, the exchange of tributes.


    The two Covens learned how Lord Vaelen had conspired with the blond pervert to kill Lady Selene—


    The blond was dragged off to face punishment alongside his lord.


    Her aunt, Lady Sumila, abandoned all decorum.


    Both had tears in their eyes.


    With deliberate care, she placed a rune-covered box on the table. Deactivating the runes, she opened it for Lord Dealius.


    Allara blinked, startled. Her gaze flickered to Kai in silent question. Kai merely winked.


    The Great Dark Sorceress was for peace?! The realisation rippled through the crowd.


    dipped it into the ink.


    Kai felt it. Tasted it.


    Her instincts roaring to life. Without hesitation, her hands shot out, gripping both Regents by the shoulders and with a swift, jerking motion, she threw them aside. As they both flew backwards away from the table a cascade of knives fell from above, embedding themselves into the wooden seats they had just been occupying.


    Bullets ripped through the rafters.


    odies fell from above—some landing on their feet, others crashing onto the table, struck by Kai’s superb marksmanship.


    Kai was among them.


    Eerie. Deadly. She was in their personal space before they even had time to react. Fists and elbows struck with brutal efficiency. She had tossed her guns. She didn’t need them. Not for this. The assassins barely had a chance to move. She moved like shadow. Here one minute, gone the next. Assassin after assassin fell—taken down with surgical precision. Until there was only one left standing.


    Kai appeared behind them. Her left hand gripping the back of their neck as she  ripped off their mask with her right.


    Lord Dealius voiced what they were all thinking.


    Then, she turned to Allara who met her gaze. The moment of truth had come.


    Allara’s words echoed off the walls.No one moved. No one spoke.


    Unbelievable! And yet—it all made sense.


    Allara held hers just as steadily.


    A bridge between two worlds.


    The past had come full circle. And Kai?


    Lord Dealius declared Tennga and all those associated with Aegis Delivery Logistics as Friends of his Coven. Lady Sumila followed suit. Allara, too, was pronounced a Friend. Eventually after much deliberation and compromise, Concessions were made, more trades were agreed upon and the Peace Treaty was finally signed, bringing the Conclave to its ultimate conclusion. Peace. Giving Kai and her people their cue to leave.


    Kai stood quietly, basking in the closeness of the sorceress beside her. She could feel Allara’s aura burrow under her skin, wrapping around her like a warm blanket. It was intoxicating. She couldn’t seem to get enough of it. Subconsciously, her body shifted—just slightly—closer. She didn’t notice. She was too fixated on Allara’s presence. But Allara did.


    How could this woman—who had, in the span of mere minutes, decimated an entire squadron of vampires, repelled an assassination attempt, and dropped over three dozen vampires to their knees without a second thought— How could she also be so… adorable?


    Straightforward yet oblivious. Softly spoken yet her words commanded attention. She was a  being who had the power to flatten a country— and yet, at her core, she was a soft-hearted, gentle soul.


    Unshakable.


    She had made the mistake of letting her attention stray to long. Because now—Kai was directly behind her. Strong arms wrapped firmly around Allara’s waist, drawing her back until her body was flush against Kai’s solid frame.


    And then—Kai nuzzled into the nape of her neck. Allara’s breath caught.


    Her instincts were guiding her—pulling her closer, and closer—as though the very fabric of the universe had tethered them together.


    But unlike Kai, she was very, very aware of it.


    And that was why Allara found herself laughing softly, warmth blooming in her chest. She reached up, brushing her fingers along Kai’s arms where they circled her waist. A soft chuckle escaped her lips.