The Blood-Book III

Chapter 58: Fifty Bucks

"Well, bloody hell someone help me out of this damn thing!"

Susie was trying to hold back a laugh while Caleb struggled at pulling himself out of the bowl; cigar in his mouth while he muttered out curses, Bernard offered him a hand as the foxes both almost snickered in delight.

Caleb stepped out and looked around, puffing on his cigar quickly. "Nice little den you have set up here Hadrian," he said while waving his cigar around, gesturing to the whole house.

"Thank you," my father said as he shook Caleb's hand. "I think Willa and I will make it permanent."

"Well good," Caleb answered as he gave my mother a side hug before Bernard walked towards him, eyeing him with wide eyes that made Caleb smile softly. "You look better you old crab."

Bernard breathed out a laugh and hugged him while I stood and walked over to Caleb. Smiling at him, I asked, "Caleb do you want something to drink?"

The foxes were rubbing against his leg as Alice hopped in front of him. He gave me a side hug and looked back towards the kitchen. "Coffee if you have it dear."

"I don't think we're capable of not having it," I replied while I walked towards the kitchen as Dagny gave Caleb a tight hug.

Caleb released her and bent down to pet the familiars while I reached for a coffee mug hanging on a hook under one of the cabinets. "Well, let's get going. Time is limited and we don't need her knowing."

"Right," my father breathed out as Levi gave Caleb a sold nod. "So far the rogue situation has been handled. They more or less are either here bunking up and recovering or they are on the flatlands with the non-core alphas recovering. Warehouses are eliminated. We have the three other allied alpha's up to speed and ready to go ahead with the attacks. We also have the covens and vampires on our sides, both knowing their places."

Caleb let out a long whistle as I poured some coffee in a cup for him. "Caleb, cream or sugar?"

"No dear, just black thank you," he replied. I walked over to him while he scratched his head and walked towards an empty chair to sit in. "Thank you," he murmured to me as I handed him the cup.

"Well, you've been busy," Caleb said.

I walked back to Ethan and sat down in my previous spot. My beast slightly purring when his arms wrapped around me and pulled me into his chest while his lips kissed my temple. Leopold and Zara trotted over to us; they did a few circles between our legs then laid down.

"We have," my father replied with a nod.

"And Aurelia?" Caleb asked before he took a sip of his coffee.

"Still thinks she's sitting on a throne," Levi answered. "Seen anything else over there?"

Caleb shook his head, his cigar smoke seeping off of it before he snapped his fingers and stopped it from going more than a few feet away from him. "Not that we've seen. She does think it's all vampires. It seems like she's letting herself become blinded by power."

"What is in that drink she keeps drinking?" I asked. "That powder?"

Caleb shrugged. "Well dear girl, certainly bloodstones from what we can tell. I am not sure about the rest, I would need to see it to really tell you. Regardless, she's intaking the bloodstones that is not good. Not good at all."

"What does it do?" Jane asked as Caleb looked at her curiously. "Oh, hi, I'm Jane–"

"She's mine," Lucas said with a satisfied smirk that made Jane roll her eyes.

Caleb chuckled and took a puff of his cigar before he looked back at Jane. "Well, it takes a toll–a large one. Great power like that, blood magic like that, does not come without consequences–it is a steep price to pay. She is ingesting the magic and blood of others, a vampire in her own way, and her body will start to rely more and more on it until she can't go without it. Until her magic will depend on it."