HUNTED-Chapter 312: Power

"Aila, are you sure?" Harry questioned again as he paced in her living room. Aila glanced at him from the fireplace, her hand wrapped around a glass of blood. Aila didn’t really need it, but she felt having some more would keep her more powerful. She was readying herself for what was about to come.

Aila nodded, biting her bottom lip in thought. It was now or never. Whatever Cassius had planned, it needed to be stopped. Harry was aware he had to remain alert tonight. Her plan was dependent on what was happening downstairs. She wanted to put everything in motion right now, but like she told her lycans, they just needed a little bit more patience.

If she could hold back for this long, a few hours or possibly a few days wouldn’t hurt.

"Hopefully," Malia whispered, doubt smothering her voice. But Aila didn’t need that sort of negativity now.

"Then.. will you do me the honour.. My Queen." Harry turned to his side, raising his elbow for her to take.

Aila shook her head, a smile forming on her lips. Harry was dressed in a suit with a black bow tie. His fiery hair was now pulled back into the smallest ponytail, held together with one of Aila’s clips. His features remained handsome even with the scar running down his eye. In fact, it added to his looks.

His charm provided her with a small distraction from the nerves knotting in her stomach. Aila placed her hand on Harry’s elbow, leaning on him briefly for strength as she composed herself. "I feel like I should dress in something better.. You’re dressed to impress right now, Harry.

I can’t handle it," she joked, though her lips were set in a straight line, tensed, and her bright eyes still revealed the nervousness she felt.

Harry chuckled as he booted open the double doors for her. "Aila, you’re perfect and can probably move around better in that than some ball gown. I just fancied dressing up.. Maybe wearing the vamp’s suit might distract him a little. What do you think?" He grinned at her cheerfully, his dimples on full display.

Aila gasped. "No! That’s Cass’? Oh, he will probably kill you. Harry, go get changed-"

"Pfft, too late, queenie. We cannot be late now," Harry interrupted her, guiding her down the halls.

Aila smiled at him, hoping to look reassuring, but it didn’t meet her eyes as she looked ahead. Her knee-high boots clicked against the marble stairs as they descended. All day she had heard the arrival of more vampires in the castle, and once evening fell, more of them started to roam around. She’d watched from afar, over balconies, from her room, listening to hushed discussions.

Most of them seemed normal compared to the last group who had visited Cassius. But many of them seemed older, wiser and less likely to act rashly. These were also the ones who followed Cassius and not Gabriel. Did they know he was Gabriel’s brother, or did they believe he was the Vampire King?

Technically he was, and so was Gabriel. But Aila didn’t know what his followers did and didn’t know. Some of them did act younger than others. Aila could sense their excitement and their blood lust.

Harry stopped before another set of doors, and two doormen on either side opened them for the pair. They took a single step forwards then Cassius arrived out of thin air by Aila’s other side. He reached his hand out, his attention ahead, waiting expectantly for Aila to accept him.

R𝑒ad latest chapt𝒆rs at freewebnovёl.ƈom Only.

Harry stiffened momentarily, then relaxed his arm as Aila stepped towards Cassius. "I’m feeling exceptionally magnanimous today. You can keep the suit," Cassius said quietly, still not looking at either of them.

Aila glanced at the lycan, who shared a look with her, one that was full of some disappointment. He didn’t want to distract the vampire just yet, but it would have been ideal later or just to see him annoyed. "You have many, Cass," Aila said lightly as they began to walk towards the courtyard.

It was lit up with outside lights, candles, and even a large bonfire in the middle of the gardens. Tall tables with champagne and glasses of blood, along with the occasional feeder, stood by. There were so many vampires standing before them. It was like a party or a strange event.

Aila sneaked a glance at Cassius. He was wearing his statement suit, black Armani, white shirt, and black tie. His white hair now fell to his shoulders, straight and tucked behind his ears neatly. Cassius caught her gaze for a moment, a smirk on his lips before looking ahead again. The pair descended the steps to the central courtyard, and all eyes fell on them, quiet and probing.

Some peered at Aila, openly gawking, others curious as to who she was and some, she even heard whisper ’Amelia’. But Cassius glared at them before sliding his hand to her back, his free hand to a flute of champagne. Aila accepted the one handed to her by one of the feeders who served as staff as well. They locked eyes for a moment before the woman lowered her gaze and backed away.

"If I haven’t done so already, I welcome you to my abode. This beautiful woman by my side is Aila Cross." Aila heard some parts of the crowd draw in a breath at the mention of her name. They undoubtedly knew who she was or had heard of her name before. "She is my childe."

Aila gazed ahead, not looking at anyone in particular as she felt the heavy weight of everyone scrutinising her from head to toe. Some in jealousy, others in intrigue, and even a few with malicious intent. That last one made her smirk darkly. Let them try.

Cassius grinned, glancing at her, approving of where her thoughts were heading. Being with Cassius in this castle had never been her choice, but she had learned a few things from him. One, mainly being confident and understanding, she was more powerful than most among the party here.

"The time has come," Cassius continued, his eyes scanning the crowds. "For humans to step down. For the other creatures to step down, willingly or via bloodshed. It’s the vampire’s time to rule and show who’s really in power."

Aila watched the vampires nodding, smiling, and a few cheering. But one of them, a stern-looking vampire who seemed older than Cassius in looks, but of course, he wouldn’t be in vampiric age. His intelligence, though, still held a sharpened beady gaze as he stepped forwards.

"That is all well and good, but do we have enough?" His voice boomed across the floor like he was used to talking to crowds. "I do not see everyone here-"

"They are still coming, Reginald. I can assure you now that the human world is aware of our presence. It will be easier." Cassius grinned, like this vampire’s questioning did not annoy him in the slightest. But Aila could feel it through the bond. Reginald was very close to losing his head.

The man who spoke out against him had caused a stir among the others, but most of them still looked at Cassius like he was a god. Oh wait, he is one. Aila refrained from rolling her eyes at her thoughts.

"We also have more power behind us.. One that we control.." Cassius gestured behind them, and out came Davian pulling an elongated cage on wheels with three lycans inside. Two snapping and growling at the bars as they paced, and the one in the middle standing proud and tall, glaring at Cassius, was Aldric.

The crowd murmured among themselves. "What are they? Werewolves?"

"Lycans. They were experimented on by the hunters. But now we have them, they remain loyal to us. Their strength and power combined make them almost indestructible. They are powerful beyond measure. We have acquired many who will aid us."

"Why would they?!" Someone questioned loudly in the crowd. An edge of fear was in their voice. Aila wondered if it was from fear of speaking out to Cassius or from the fear of the lycans.

"You keep saying ’we’ control. I do not see any sense of control right here? In fact, I see them trying to escape, trying to get a bite out of us," Reginald snarled, his eyes shifting to the lycans and back to Cassius. He was testing Cassius’ reign of these vampires. Testing his power and how easily it could be swayed.

Aila stepped forwards then, sensing Cassius’ restraint from beheading the vampire, was holding on by a string. She didn’t care if he did kill the vampire. Who was that guy to her? But this was her moment to step forwards and reveal who really had the power here.

"I control them," Aila announced. "They are mine and follow my command."

This spiked the crowd’s interest, murmurs rising between them. Aila took a long sip from her champagne and placed it on one of the tall tables as she started towards the cage. Her heart was being squeezed the whole time she held Aldric’s gaze. She hated every moment of this.

They were in cages before these detestable vampires, like animals in a circus. It was her turn to prove to them that she was the one holding the real power here. Not Cassius. He may rule some of the vampires. But she ruled the lycans and the werewolves.