There's weight in his words, personal history that explains the fierce protectiveness.
"Understood," I say.
He turns back to the monitors. "The vampires who attacked last night weren't random thugs. They were trained. Professional. And they knew exactly where to hit, the donor coordinationoffices. That suggests someone gave them intelligence about our layout."
"An inside leak?"
"Possibly. Or extensive surveillance." He pulls up different footage showing the perimeter of the compound. "We sweep for bugs weekly, check for magical scrying, and monitor all communications. But Konstantin has resources. If he wanted to map this place, he could."
I study the attack footage. The way the vampires moved in coordinated pairs. The precision of their breach point. The fact that they targeted records specifically.
"They weren't trying to destroy the network," I say slowly. "They were trying to steal information about it."
"Correct. If Konstantin can identify our donors, he can compromise them. Turn them, threaten them, or simply kill them. Cut off our supply without direct confrontation."
"So what do we do?"
"We accelerate the security upgrade Maximus has been planning. Biometric locks on all sensitive areas. Additional cameras. More security personnel." He looks at me directly. "And we figure out who leaked our layout. Because someone did."
A chill runs down my spine. "You think there's a traitor in the compound."
"I think it's the most logical explanation. And until we identify them, no one is above suspicion." He pauses meaningfully. "Including you."
Before I can respond, an alarm sounds, different from last night's breach alert. This one is lower, more urgent.
Marcellus is on his feet immediately, checking monitors. "Perimeter sensors. Something triggered the north wall detection."
"Another attack?"
"No. The sensors are designed to detect magical signatures.Someone is trying to scry the compound." He's already moving toward the door. "Stay here. Watch the monitors. If anything changes, alert me immediately."
He's gone before I can argue.
I sink into the chair he vacated and study the monitors. Dozens of camera angles showing empty corridors, secure rooms, and the grounds outside. Everything looks normal.
But normal is deceptive. Twenty-four hours ago, I was dying in an alley. Now I'm in the inner circle of a vampire lord's operation, surrounded by people who half-believe I might be working for the enemy, learning that the clean blood keeping me alive comes from a system built on moral compromises I'm not sure I can accept.
Marcellus thinks there's a traitor in the compound. Elena lost her brother to the chaos Maximus is trying to prevent. And I'm sitting here with access to everything, trusted by someone who shouldn't trust me yet.
I don't know if I made the right choice in accepting Maximus's offer.
But I'm here now. And the only way forward is through.
I watch the monitors and wait for whatever comes next.
Chapter
Six
The scrying attempt lasted twelve minutes before our wards disrupted it.
I stand in the north section of the compound, studying the area where the intrusion occurred. I can't sense magic the way a witch can, but six hundred years of existence teaches you to recognize the aftermath. The way shadows sit wrong in the corner. The faint smell of something burnt and metallic that lingers after a spell.
"Can you trace it?" Marcellus asks from behind me.
"Not without a witch of our own. But it has to be Konstantin's people." I turn away from the wall. "He has three in his employ that I know of, each specializing in different forms of magic. This one seems more like Adrienne’s style. Mapping our layout, testing our defenses."
"You're certain?"
