Chapter 47

JEFFREY palmed the knife strapped on his ankles. He waited for the best moment to lunge and slash Howard's neck. He specifically kept a silver knife, which is a lethal weapon against vampires.

Peter Johansen argued with Howard as they loaded him into the back of the van. Cedric was still out cold from the spiked drink. Jeffrey moved closer to him, fiddling with the pockets of his pants. He caught a small capsule. Jeffrey didn't bother reading its name and force it inside Cedric's mouth.

"Babe, swallow," he whispered. Cedric flinched but he nodded when he heard Jeffrey's voice. "Come on."

"Why did you have to take Jefferson?! You could have done a neat work, Peter! Why do you keep on making things difficult for the both of us?! Why!"

"Stop blaming me for this shit! You're not paying me enough for me to tolerate you, so quit counting your losses! Since the heir is here, you can blackmail Max into giving up his position!"

Jeffrey gritted his teeth. He patted Cedric's face while listening quietly to the commotion outside. The van started, and the carrier started to sway.

"It doesn't have to be like this. Now the members won't trust me anymore—"

"They all forgot about you when they found out that you killed your own brother. What reputation, Howard? You can all force them to submit once you're seated!"

"Stupid! Connection and power don't come with that! I will make a lot of enemies in the coven now that you kidnapped the heir in front of everybody! This is your fault!"

In Jeffrey's opinion, they're both deranged. Peter gambled kidnapping him when he had several wolves tailing him, watching his moves because they love the gossip.

'He could have waited for the ceremony to end.' Jeffrey gasped. His vision spun and the ache on his head still pulsing lightly. That man hit him hard.

"Jeffrey..." Cedric sat upright. His eyes clear and bloodshot. "Why are you here?"

"Ask your Peter about it." Jeffrey crossed his arms. He debated kicking up a fuss but he knew that would only earn him a few slap on the face.

Cedric pulled him close. He whispered in his ear, "Don't worry. Daniel is following us."

"There might be a lot of enemies outside. Not just the two of them!"

"There were indeed accomplices. Most of them are humans. They're both vampires, no self-respecting wolf would work under them and endure insults."

Jeffrey lowered his eyes. "So this is what you planned with my uncle."

"Please don't kill me."

He blinked. "You beg the wrong thing. I can't even ensure my own safety at the moment. Why don't we worry about that first?"

"Hmn... the evidence around Peter isn't that tangible. In fact, aside from that report, there's nothing else that lead him to be Howard's right hand. We have no reason to pursue a warrant after him. But now that he personally abducted you, I can directly kill him at a given opportunity."

The van bumped and fall. Jeffrey thought his insides must have swapped together because of the quick rise and down. "Damn it..."

The clacking noises made him dizzy. Cedric sighed noisily before pulling him close. His head buried on the man's neck. "You could've just tell me directly that you're getting sick."

"It's fine. I can handle it."


'But damn it hurts...' Jeffrey's head bumped with Cedric's chin. The man hissed in turn, holding him tight in place.



__________




"HOWARD, I think we should kill them now." Peter swallowed as he navigated down the road. He stared at the side mirror every now and then, expecting Maximilian on his tails. 'This doesn't make sense.'

"What got your panties in a knot now, Peter?! Haven't you caused me enough problems already? What are you going to demand now?"

"The heir is with us," he reasoned, "he used to have a lot of bodyguards following him. Why is he alone today?"

Howard snorted. He didn't put it to mind. "Do you really believe the heir when he said Max sent him? I think he escaped. He can't bear not seeing Cedric for the last time. You know young people. They used their pricks to decide for themselves. Haha!"

"We're going straight to the warehouse?"

"Yes." Howard spat outside the window. He shifted himself on the chair uncomfortably. He had been cold and weary ever since he left the coven. Howard took this as a sign from the fates that he needed to get what's his. And that is Max' position. "Put them there. Chain Cedric. Don't hit Jeffrey again, okay? I have a proposition that will excite that wolf."

"What is it?"

"Well, I stopped his wedding. He should be unhappy now that his wife was left behind. Dianne always told us about how crazy Cedric can become without her. He must be disgusted having a man for a fated mate. I don't know what the fates were thinking when they decided to pair them up."

Peter's eyes glazed with hate. "Yes. Of course. I personally witnessed how Cedric disregarded the heir back then. Jeffrey transferred in my department because of him."

After two hours of driving nonstop, they reached the outskirts of the city. A huge, decapitated house not far from where he parked.

"You drag that Cedric inside. I'll go get the heir myself."

Peter didn't respond and worked at hand. He bound Cedric's hands and feet with heavy chains. Jeffrey stared at him in shock.

"Stop looking at him." Peter smirked. "So you won't miss him that much when he's dead."

Howard pushed him aside. Standing tall on his disguise that had fallen off, he looked horrible. "Little heir, come. Come."

"What do you want from me?!" His eyes went teary in instant. "Let me go, Howard! My uncle will kill you!"

He chuckled darkly. His bushy eyebrows twitched. "Let's not talk about Max. Jeffrey, you should change your address on me now, okay? So you will get used to it in the future." He snickered. "Hmn... call me 'your grace' from now on."