Page 27 of Let Sleeping Vampires Lie

“Then we look for another way.” Con’s voice carried from behind me, resolute. “We’ll find the seller. One way or another.”

Isra’s gaze drifted toward Marcus, who now paced slowly near the window, already scrolling through contacts as he began the process of peeling back layers of secrecy built by greedy collectors and shadowed traders.

“Marcus,” Isra said.

Marcus stopped immediately.

Isra swallowed. “After tonight… after this… we will talk. But right now, please help them. Help Rene. Help everyone.”

Marcus pressed a hand to his chest, emotion tightening his features. “I will. I swear it.”

He resumed typing, fingers flying across the screen with frantic purpose.

Raven leaned against the wall, her arms wrapped around herself, her violet eyes dim with grief but burning with resolve. Through the bond, I felt her desperation rising again, but underneath it… hope.

A fragile, trembling hope.

Con stepped to my side, close enough that his presence brushed against my magic, anchoring me.

“When Marcus gets a name,” he murmured, “we move.”

I nodded. “We will.”

I turned slowly and looked at the room—the heartbreak, the fear, the determination hanging over all of us.

Every life here depended on what happened next.

And so did the future of our world.

“Marcus,” I said, meeting his gaze as he looked up from his phone. “Make the call.”

He nodded once and stepped away to begin negotiating with the shadows.

And I braced myself.

Marcus stepped into the far corner of the suite, phone in hand, shoulders squared like a man walking into battle armed only with charm and hope. The soft lighting glinted off his watch as he scrolled through encrypted contacts, each flick of his thumb tightening the air in the room.

We followed, though none of us crowded him. This wasn’t a conversation we wanted to interrupt, but none of us were willing to be more than a few steps away. Too much rode on the next few minutes.

When Marcus tapped a name and lifted the phone to his ear, the entire room seemed to hold its breath.

The call connected almost immediately.

Marcus slowed his breathing, settling into a composed calm. “It’s me,” he said softly. “I need information on today’s listing.”

A pause.

We couldn’t hear the voice on the other end, but Marcus’ face tightened.

“Yes,” he said, “I know the auction isn’t public. That’s why I’m calling you.”

Another pause. Marcus paced once, stopping at the window. The city lights reflected against the glass behind him. Club Spice’s glow pulsed, competing with the heartbeat-like tension in the room.

“No, I’m not bidding for myself,” he continued. “I represent someone with deep pockets and immediate interest.”

His jaw ticked. “No. Not a new collector. Someone connected to one of my previous patrons.”

Raven and I exchanged a tense glance as Marcus shifted his weight.