As the newly minted coven exited the throne room, Count Griffin watched them go, his expression thoughtful.
Once the doors closed behind them, he stood up, his movements fluid and deliberate, and walked through a door behind the throne. The door led to his personal room, a sanctuary of sorts, filled with rich, dark wood and subdued lighting.
The room was adorned with various artifacts and relics, each telling a story of power and history. He chuckled at a picture on the wall. His old coven had found that seventy years ago. He sighed. He was the only one left now.
Griffin moved to the balcony, his steps measured and calm. He walked into the sunlight, a rare privilege for a vampire of the Nightmare Court, and stared at the horizon.
The golden rays bathed him in warmth, playing across his skin like a light show. He smiled softly in contentment. This was one of the best parts of his day. A break from the eternal night he usually inhabited.
As he gazed at the distant skyline, his thoughts turned to Ezra. He could feel something about the newborn. Something that resonated deep within Griffin. "Hmmmn." He hummed, the sound echoing eerily. He swore he could feel a progenitor relic inside Ezra.
His musings were interrupted by a sudden flash as a figure teleported into the room, dropping to one knee with a deferential bow. "I failed you." The figure said, his voice muffled but tinged with frustration.
"I know." Griffin turned, a smile playing on his lips. "Do not worry about it, X." He said smoothly. "We can always get back the monster inside Ezra."
X looked up in surprise, his iron mask gleaming dully in the light. "You know?"
"Tell me…" Griffin began. "How did they unlock the page?"
X began narrating all that had happened without leaving out a single detail. Different expressions flickered around on Griffin's face before settling on amusement. "It really was that simple all along?" He barked a laugh. "The progenitor just keeps surprising me. And how did Ezra reveal the beast?
"I don't know." X bowed lower. "I think it involved Blood on the page."
"That's more than enough X." Griffin smiled. "The two hundred million were not for nothing. I know someone we can sell this information to. It'll be a cakewalk to pay Itachi back."
X straightened. "What are your orders, my lord?"
Griffin's smile widened. "Keep an eye on Ezra. Ensure he stays within our grasp. We'll have to see how we can influence things."
X nodded, his head bowing once more. "As you command."
With that, X vanished as swiftly as he had appeared, leaving Griffin alone once more.
The count began to hum softly, a low, melodic tune that resonated with the relic he felt humming in his gut.
It was a good thing he was part of the Nightmare Court and not the Daydream Court. Otherwise, Ezra might have sensed the relic and attacked him on sight.
Griffin's thoughts drifted back to the fourteenth progenitor relic. It was a source of immense power, one that could tip the balance in his favor.
The fact that it was now inside a new, untrained vampire like Ezra was both a blessing and a curse. It made Ezra a target. A pawn in a larger game for others to control. He had to either make sure Ezra was his pawn or remove him from the board.
The count's humming grew louder as he considered his next moves. The game was afoot, and every piece on the board had to be played with care. Ezra and his new coven were just the beginning.
The relic was calling to him, and Griffin intended to answer. With a final glance at the horizon, he turned back into his room, the door closing behind him with a soft click.
*************
Ezra followed Olivia and Gen as they navigated through the coven registration process.
The paperwork was surprisingly efficient, and soon they were borrowing a hover car from the fleet maintained by Count Griffin. The sleek, black vehicle glided through the city streets, the hum of its engine barely audible.
Everyone was silent, utterly drained. The day had been spent running, fighting or both.
Gen clicked radio the button, turning it on. "Again, at number four in the music Top Ten for the third consecutive week, we have 'I'll be your unicorn' by the girl group A X E." The radio said smoothly before it began playing a catchy tune that had both Ezra and Gen nodding to the beat.
Olivia drove silently. Their destination was a new residence, an apartment assigned to them by Count Griffin himself. They pulled into an underground parking lot, the dim lighting casting long shadows on the concrete walls.
The trio exited the car and made their way to the elevator, which whisked them up to the penthouse suite.
Ezra sighed in relief as they entered the house.
The penthouse was nothing short of luxurious. The living room was expansive, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a breathtaking view of the city skyline. The decor was modern and sophisticated, with plush sofas and furniture arranged in a way that maximized both comfort and style. A grand piano stood in one corner, its polished surface gleaming under the ambient lighting.
Ezra wandered through the penthouse, noting the small touches that made it feel like a home. Soft rugs, tasteful artwork, and well-placed lamps. He'd never been in a place like this in his entire life but with all he had seen that day, he wasn't even impressed.
He made his way to the living room and flopped onto one of the couches, the soft cushions enveloping him in comfort. The exhaustion of the day caught up with him, and he immediately fell asleep, his body sinking deeper into the plush sofa.
He had gone from dying in an alley to having dinner with his beautiful new vampire wives to fighting for his life in an observatory store room.
Whatever happens, he'd be happy if he never had to fight anyone in his young life.
It felt nice to be alive.