Now.Ant released his magic, and the ward matrix didn’t just break, it exploded. The effect was instantaneous and catastrophic. Seven different magical signatures, held in delicate balance for decades, suddenly had nothing binding them together. They flew apart like shrapnel from a bomb, each artifact’s magic reverting to its natural state and rejecting all the others.
The lockdown dome overhead fractured. Massive cracks appeared in the previously invisible barrier, spreading outward from directly above the fountain. The sound was extraordinary - like ice breaking on a frozen lake, but amplified a thousand times. The entire magical structure groaned, then collapsed inward on itself as it disappeared.
The resulting shockwave was purely magical but no less devastating. It radiated outward in a perfect sphere, washing across the entire estate in a split second. Every window in the manor exploded simultaneously, glass bursting outward in glittering clouds. The ancient wards protecting the property’s perimeter flickered and died. The dampening field blocking cellsignals vanished like someone had flipped a switch, and all around them, every vampire in the garden dropped to their knees.
Claudius hit the gravel with a choked gasp, hands pressed to his temples as he felt the loss and backlash. Ant winced, although he made sure no one noticed. The pain from something like that would have to be intense. But it wasn’t only Claudius.
Edmund collapsed beside the fountain, eyes wide with shock. Nathaniel went down near the rose garden, groaning. The other guards simply crumpled where they stood, as if it was the magic that had been holding them up, even though Ant knew that wasn’t possible. Even the manor seemed to sag slightly, as if the building had been held upright partially by magical reinforcement and now had to support its own weight for the first time in decades. The garden fell absolutely silent except for the tinkling of glass still falling from the broken windows.
Ant carefully removed his hands from the fountain. The stone was warm beneath his palms - far warmer than it should’ve been from the heat of the sun or his hands alone.That must be residual heat from the magical discharge. How interesting.Ant made a mental note to add that to his report. It would appear the matrix had been under significantly more strain than he’d initially calculated if it generated thermal energy during collapse.
Viktor stood in a defensive crouch, breathing hard, blood on his knuckles and murder in his eyes. He looked prepared to tear through anyone who moved wrong.
Ant turned to face his mate.
“The structural integrity of their magic was severely lacking,” he said, keeping his tone even. “It should be safe to proceed with the cleanup, Viktor.”
For a moment, Viktor just stared at him. Then a slow, absolutely feral grin spread across his face.
“With pleasure, babe.”
Viktor moved like death itself - with no regard for rank or species. He crossed the distance to Claudius in a flash, grabbing the ancient vampire by the throat and hauling him upright. Claudius struggled weakly, but the magical backlash had left him severely disoriented.
“You tried to kill my mate,” Viktor growled. “You trapped us in your manor. You even threatened Able, for fuck’s sake.” He shook Claudius once, hard enough to snap a human’s neck. “Did you really think I’d let that slide?”
“Viktor…” Claudius gasped. “Our laws…”
“I don’t give a shit about your laws.” Viktor’s eyes flashed crimson. “But I care about his.”
He twisted Claudius’s arms behind his back, forcing the vampire into a kneeling position. The angle was painful but not permanently damaging. Ant recognized the restraint technique - Viktor had used similar holds on other criminals when they needed to detain rather than eliminate.
Edmund tried to rise. Viktor kicked him back down without looking.
“Stay,” Viktor commanded, and something in his tone made every vampire in the garden freeze.
Able trotted over to sniff at Edmund, then sneezed dismissively before returning to Ant’s side. Edmund didn’t move, which proved there were at least two brain cells underneath all that arrogance.
Ant pulled his phone from his pocket, pleased to see full signal strength now that the dampening wards were destroyed. Therewere multiple missed calls from Bridget and seventeen texts. He hated that he’d worried her, but Ant dialed the Justiciary emergency line first. Protocol required reporting a scene of this magnitude immediately.
The operator answered on the second ring. “Justiciary Emergency Services, what is your location and nature of emergency?”
“This is Doctor Anthony Channon, consultant identification number seven-seven-nine-two,” Ant said firmly. “I’m reporting the murder of Ronald Finch by Claudius Raven, master vampire of the Raven Estate coven. I have witnessed the crime through a scene reading and can provide detailed testimony. Mr. Raven attempted to prevent my departure and threatened my life and that of my mate, Viktor, and my support animal, Able. He has also engaged in the illegal use of vampiric trances for financial exploitation, with evidence located in his private study. I’m requesting immediate Justiciary and Council intervention.”
Silence on the other end. Then, “Doctor Channon, did you say Claudius Raven?”
“Yes. He killed Ronald Finch after Mr. Finch discovered evidence of ongoing financial crimes. I have destroyed Mr. Raven’s ward matrix in self-defense. Please dispatch investigators and Council enforcement immediately. The estate is located…”
He rattled off the address while watching Viktor efficiently restrain two more guards who’d tried to stand. His mate was being remarkably controlled - he was only incapacitating the vampires, not killing them, and Ant made another note to properly thank Viktor later.
“Units are en route,” the operator confirmed. “Estimated arrival twelve minutes. Are you safe?”
Ant glanced at Viktor, who had Claudius in a headlock while simultaneously holding Nathaniel down with one foot on his spine.
“Yes,” Ant said. “Mr. Raven did try to trap me in a vision loop through his wards, but I’m quite safe. I have Viktor with me.”
Chapter Eighteen
Viktor’s instincts screamed at him to scoop Ant up, throw him in the SUV, and get the hell off the property before Claudius recovered enough to try something stupid. His mate had just blown apart a centuries-old ward matrix. Ant was probably running on fumes, and Viktor could see the exhaustion around his eyes even if Ant was too stubborn to acknowledge it.
