The Blood Contract

Carter strode into the dimly lit room, his footsteps heavy against the wooden floor.

At the center of the room sat Modi—a tall, imposing man with an eyepatch that only amplified the sinister aura around him. His face was sharp, his expressions unreadable, and the scar trailing from his cheek down to his collarbone was a permanent reminder of the blood-soaked world they operated in. He lounged on the dark leather sofa, one leg casually crossed over the other, a glass of bourbon balanced between his fingers.

Carter didn't bother with greetings. His mood was already ruined from the events of the night, and seeing Modi's infuriatingly calm demeanor only worsened his irritation.

"How is Damon?" Modi asked, not bothering to look up as he swirled his drink.

"He's being treated," Carter bit out, his voice laced with frustration. His fingers twitched at his sides, itching to vent his anger on something—or someone.

Modi finally turned his one good eye on Carter, assessing him like one would a ticking bomb. "Relax," he said, a smirk curling at the corner of his lips. "You look like you're about to explode. All the veins in your head are about to pop."

Carter gritted his teeth. Modi wasn't wrong—rage coursed through his body like wildfire. He had never been humiliated like this before, and the thought of letting Lucian get away with it made his blood boil. "How are we punishing him?" he demanded, his fists clenching at his sides.

Modi exhaled, taking another slow sip of his drink before answering. "Slow down, Carter. There's no need for rash actions right now. We have a bigger picture to focus on."

Carter let out a sharp breath, nostrils flaring.

"Did he agree to the deal?" Modi asked.

"On the condition that the girl is treated nicely," Carter spat, barely able to hide his disgust.

Modi chuckled, shaking his head. "Then do just that. Treat her nicely." He sighed, as if explaining something painfully simple to a stubborn child. "If you had done that from the beginning, we wouldn't be in this mess."

Carter's jaw ticked. He couldn't understand why he was expected to treat Serena with any level of care. She was nothing—an outcast, a nobody. An insect he could crush her under his boot without a second thought, and yet, she was now the leverage keeping them on the right path. It made him sick.

"So that's it?" Carter snapped. "Lucian just walks free after humiliating me tonight?"

Modi gave him a pointed look. "You personally asked to handle this deal, Carter. Now, it's in your hands. Do whatever you can to seal it. That's what matters right now. Once the deal is secured, then we'll talk about Lucian. But for now—leave him alone."

Before Carter could respond, the door burst open.

A man stormed in, his face twisted in fury. Slightly shorter than Carter, his brown eyes burned with barely restrained rage as they locked onto Modi.

"What is this I hear?" he seethed. "You matched Serena to Lucian? Tell me it's a joke, Modi."

Modi remained unfazed, though a small sigh escaped him. "Calm down, Vincent."

"Calm down?" Vincent barked, his chest rising and falling rapidly. "Do you have any idea what it took for me to find her? Do you know what it took for me to betray her like this?" His voice cracked with emotion, but he swallowed it down. "The only thing I asked for was to be matched to her. And yet, you gave her to Lucian. You promised me, Modi!"

"The promise still stands," Modi said firmly. "She will be matched to you—after we get what we need from her and Lucian."

Vincent's body went rigid. "No. If I had known you were going to go back on your word, I wouldn't have helped you find her. Reverse the matching. Give her to me now."

Modi's face hardened. "Your personal desires cannot outweigh the needs of the council. Your efforts are greatly appreciated and will be rewarded, but you need to be patient. One year. That's all. They don't even like each other. Rest assured, Serena will be yours once this is over."

Vincent clenched his jaw so tightly his teeth ached. Without another word, he turned on his heel and stormed out of the room, but not before one final thought settled in his mind—if they dared to go back on their word again, he would burn everything to the ground.

***

After all had been said and done, Serena was brought back to her small house in Viera.

Three guards had been assigned to her. Two stationed themselves outside, while the third followed her inside, standing like a silent sentinel in the corner of her living room.

She was exhausted—her body ached, and her mind was in turmoil.

Taking a slow breath, she turned to the man inside and was about to ask for some privacy, but knowing he might refuse, she changed her mind.

Her gaze flickered over the mess in her house—the mess they had made when they dragged her away like some criminal. A small smirk curled at her lips as an idea took shape.

She gestured for the guard to come closer. He hesitated but eventually stepped forward.

"I'm hungry," she stated simply. "But I can't eat in a place that looks like a war zone." She gestured around the room. "Since you guys barged in here and made this mess, I think it's only fair that you clean it up while I cook my meal."

The guard's face twisted into an ugly frown, and he opened his mouth to protest, but Serena lifted a finger, silencing him before he could speak. "If you don't do it by the time I'm done cooking," she continued, her tone light but laced with threat, "then just know you'll be responsible for stressing me out tonight. I won't eat my meal. Instead, I'll start cleaning, and by the time I'm done, my food will be cold. And I don't eat cold food. So I'll have to go back to the kitchen and start preparing another meal. I'm pretty sure you know how stressful that is for someone who's about to be married to Lucian Draven."

The guard ground his teeth.

"I'll be done cooking in fifteen minutes," she added before disappearing into the kitchen.

Serena wasn't sure if the guard would actually listen to her, but she was counting on the fact that none of them wanted any unnecessary trouble.

Fifteen minutes later, she carried her plate into the now spotless living room. She raised an eyebrow in approval before settling onto the couch. "Good job," she murmured, picking up a fork.

The guard scowled, but said nothing.

"I hope your bosses provided food for you," she said offhandedly.

"I never told you I was hungry," he snapped.

Serena shrugged. "Perfect. Because I only made enough for one."

She ate in silence, savoring every bite, fully aware that the guard was glaring daggers at her. When she was finished, she stood, went to the fridge, and pulled out some snack bars. She tossed three of them onto the table in front of him.

"In case you need something to munch on during the night," she said nonchalantly. "I'm going to bed."

Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked into her bedroom, shutting the door behind her.

The guard stood frozen, staring at the snack bars in disbelief.