The large office on the top floor of the skyscraper exuded a blend of luxury and authority. Ezra had inherited it from Malachi but even he could admit that it was tasteful.
A polished mahogany desk, plush leather chairs, and expansive windows that offered a panoramic view of the city below. The room was tastefully decorated, giving it a professional yet stylish appearance.
Ezra sat at his desk, wearing a tailored suit, looking every bit the part of a successful CEO. With his chaleon tattoo, he could blend in with the humans without resorting to sunglasses. All he was to others was a particularly handso man.
The naplate on the desk read "Ezra Matten, CEO of Ascendant Capital." The loan company had beco a central part of his operations, serving as both a legitimate business and a cover for his gang activities.
His assistant, a sharp eyed woman nad Ava, stood before him with a tablet in hand. "Mr. Matten, you have a full schedule today. At ten, there's a eting with the board of directors to discuss the quarterly report. At noon, you have lunch with Mr. Hudson from TransitLink to discuss the partnership deal.
And at two, there's a conference call with the investors from the capitol. Would you like to arrange a break in between?"
Ezra nodded. "Yes, please. Schedule a fifteen minute break after the lunch eting. I'll need so ti to prepare for the call."
"Of course." Ava replied, her fingers twitching by her side, activating her link and controlling the schedule on the tablet. "Is there anything else you need, sir?"
"No, that will be all for now. Thank you, Ava." Ezra said with a small smile.
Ava returned the smile, fighting down a blush as she left the office, closing the door quietly behind her.
Ezra leaned back on his chair, taking a deep breath. It hadn't taken long for him to realise that there was always more to achieve, more to secure, and more to guard against when one is a vampire. Even in the quiet monts, he never allowed himself to be at ease, knowing that vigilance was the key to maintaining all that he now had.
That was why he had been able to identify the scent that had been lingering in the room ever since Ava entered the office. His eyes narrowed, and he spoke into the room. "You can co out now."
A mont later, X stepped out from the shadows in the corner of the office, his familiar blank mask similar to the custodians staring at Ezra.
X dusted his red hoodie, careful to avoid the sunlight that bathed the room. His presence was unsettling to Ezra. Ezra could feel it like a sixth sense. Sothing was not right.
"Ezra," X greeted casually, as if they were old friends catching up. "Nice office you've got here. Very... impressive."
Ezra leaned forward on his desk, his eyes hardening. "What are you doing here, X? What do you want? Are you so eager to break the Law of Secrecy?"
X wandered around the office, his movents casual but deliberate as he inspected the various items and decor. "Oh, just dropping by to see how you're settling in. You've certainly done well for yourself, rging the gangs and all. Not to talk of that dragon you've got hidden away. Ascendant Capital, huh? Sounds quite ambitious."
Ezra fought the urge to attack, feeling an unfamiliar restraint holding him back. "Get to the point, X. I don't have ti for your gas."
X chuckled, picking up a paperweight from the desk and examining it before putting it back. "Always so serious, Ezra. Remove that stick from your ass. Lighten up a bit. I'm here to offer so... advice.
Friendly advice, you might say."
Ezra's jaw clenched. "I don't need your advice."
"Maybe not," X said, his tone light. "But it wouldn't hurt to listen. You're playing a dangerous ga here, Ezra. You don't know what you've inherited. The more power you gain, the more enemies you'll make. You need to be prepared for what's coming."
"And what exactly is coming?" Ezra asked, his patience wearing thin.
X's red eyes appeared through the previously dark eyeholes of his mask. He leaned forward, eting Ezra's gaze, his voice uncharacteristically serious. "You know as well as I do. The balance of power in this city is fragile. One wrong move, and everything could co crashing down. You need allies, real allies, not just those who follow out of fear."
Ezra's eyes flashed with anger. "I know what I'm doing, X. And I don't need you to tell how to run my affairs."
X leaned upright, glancing away, the darkness of his eyeholes back in place. "I hope you're right. For your sake." He moved towards the door of the office, preparing to leave.
Ezra stood and took a step forward, his voice cold and nacing. "One day, X, I will kill you. I promise you that."
X turned back, his mask glinting for a mont. "Then do it, Ezra. I'm right here."
For a mont, Ezra considered it, but the strange restraint within him held him back. He watched as X vanished through the door, leaving the office as silently as he had arrived.
Ezra turned and stared out the windows behind his desk, his mind racing. He could feel the restraints loosening. He had an idea of what it could be but he refused to acknowledge it. Maybe ignoring it would make it go away. He sighed.
The view of First City from his window, with its towering skyscrapers and bustling streets, was breathtaking. The sun reflected off the glass, creating a canvas of shining square jewels. He sighed once again. He knew it just as much as the next vampire. This was a city where power was everything.
The tranquility of the mont was shattered in an instant. The faint whisper of movent caught Ezra's attention just before the glint of steel reflected in his peripheral vision.
Reacting on instinct, he twisted where he stood, narrowly avoiding the blade aid at his heart. The knife embedded itself into the glass window which shattered and disappeared into motes of light.
The knife disappeared a mont later. Ezra imdiately knew what it was.
A vampire assassin.
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