The Blood Boss by Davidson King

Chapter Five

Jayce

Once I was left alone, I powered up my phone. It showed twenty percent, so I didn’t want to linger on the call. Hopefully, my charger and things would be here soon. I clicked Sibell’s number and waited for her to pick up.

“Oh, hello, Jayce, what a lovely surprise, you calling me on a weekend.”

A smile instantly stretched my face upon hearing her voice…Homesickness rushed through me too.

“Hey, Sibell, how are you?”

“I’m good. Just putting my flowers into bigger pots. I’m hoping by next month I’ll be able to get them in my garden.”

“You’re determined; you’ll do it.”

She chuckled. “I’m sure you didn’t call to talk to me about my flowers. What can I do for you?”

“Well, I hope you won’t be upset, but unfortunately, I’m going to have to take a last-minute leave of absence from the bookstore for a while.”

She was silent for a beat. “Is everything okay? Are you ill…are your folks?”

“No, Sibell, nothing like that. It’s, well…” I suddenly found myself unsure how to say it.

“Just spit it out. Once it’s in front of us, we can deal.”

I went on to explain the events of the night before, trying my best not to make my dad look bad for doing what he did. When I was done with the whole story, it was so quiet, I checked my phone to see if the call had dropped or my battery had died.

“You’re with The Blood Boss?” I may have imagined it, but Sibell’s voice sounded deeper, darker. It was almost like an echo through a cavern.

“I am. I promise I will work hard and fast so I can get back to the—”

“How could Michael let this happen?” A zap hit my ear and I dropped the phone. I fumbled to retrieve it.

“Sorry, I got a shock and didn’t hear you…Look, Sibell, my dad didn’t do this on purpose. He was just—”

“He put you in grave danger, Jayce.”

“Nah, it’s cool. Cain isn’t that bad. I don’t know why everyone is so terrified of him.”

“Jayce, there’s a reason for it. Just because you don’t see it, doesn’t mean danger isn’t present. You can’t stay there.”

She sounded odd. Her voice was different, and there was an urgency about her.

“I appreciate you worrying about me, Sibell, but I will be okay. I can’t leave. If I do, we could lose the house, and the kids would be shifted about. This is what’s best.”

“No.” Her voice was thunderous, and this time I knew what I was hearing wasn’t normal.

“Sibell…are you—what’s going on there?”

“I will fix this.” Before I could answer her, she hung up.

I sat there, staring at my phone, wondering what in the absolute fuck had just happened. She’d been sweet and doting on her flowers one minute and the spawn of Satan the next.

I would have called her back, but I’d wasted too much time already. I powered down my phone to save battery and quickly left the room and went across the hall, where I knocked.

“Come in.”

Upon entering, I immediately noticed the vampire sitting at his desk, scouring over papers. I shut the door and waited for instruction. My eyes shifted all over the room. There were so many trinkets, art, pieces of history. While there was nothing about this room that felt cozy to me, I realized this was Cain’s safe place and that these things must be a comfort to him.

“I have a meeting in a few moments. It will be good for you to see how I interact with other vampires if you’re going to be assisting me.”

“Okay, do I take notes or…”

“Notes?” he scoffed. “No, you’ll observe. The vampire I’m meeting with is Reginald Bouvier. He oversees the shipments of nutrients into Black Veil. This will be a twofold meeting. He has concerns that I will hear out, and then he is to be punished.”

“Punished for having an issue?” There was no hiding the shock in my voice.

“No. He disrespected me at a function. You’ll get a front-row seat as to what happens to vampires when they step out of line. Perhaps you’ll understand afterward why you don’t have them ravaging in the streets. I leave zero room for insubordination.”

I remembered a time in school where my teacher had told our class that it was one thing to read the vampire rules in text and another to witness the force behind those rules. I suspected I’d bear witness to that very lesson today.

“Where would you like me to stand?”

Cain looked around and gestured to a chair against the wall near his desk. “Push it over here. Sit behind me.”

I had just placed it where I was told when there was a soft knock on the door.

“Enter,” Cain said.

I took my seat and as the door opened, a slight man with orange hair walked in. He wore a purple suit and a nervous smile.

“Good morning, Sir.” He hadn’t moved into the room much.

“Reginald, have a seat.”

The man quickly made his way to the chair across from the desk. His gaze flickered my way, a minute crinkle of his brow the only sign of curiosity about my presence he offered.

“Let us first deal with the issue regarding the nutrients,” Cain said, and I realized he wasn’t going to introduce me.

“Oh, yes, well, I guess the issue would be that we are not getting full shipments in, or any at all.”

I knew next to nothing about vampire anything, let alone trade and whatnot, but I could tell that the news Reginald was giving Cain wasn’t good.

“What?” I saw Cain’s fists clench over the blotter on his desk.

“I’ve done my best to communicate, and—”

“Do you know why this is happening? I’d be told if there was an issue with supplies, whether it be quantity, war halting production, or shipment.”

Reginald sighed, and the weariness in that small gesture felt like his dying breath. “From what I’m told, as soon as ships drop anchor near Asherah Bay, they are being sunk, attacked…Sir, one of the captains said it was the Sirens and the Tritons.”

Mermaids? I’d never seen one. They were incredibly secretive. While I had always loved the water, felt drawn to it as if it were fire on a cold night, I’d never even caught a glimpse of a fin or anything. I didn’t want either vampire to see my excitement at the thought of merpeople.

“We have no ill will with the Sirens or the Tritons. Have you spoken to the captains about their crews? If they torment them, toss garbage into the sea, hell, even if they offend them, it is seen as an attack on their races.”

“Sir, I asked, but I’m being told nothing of the sort is happening.”

“Have you reached out to Rogos and Sable?”

I had no idea who Rogos and Sable were; I assumed they were people or vampires who could assist him. Reginald shook his head slowly.

“I tried, Sir, and I was told they wouldn’t deal with someone on such a low level.”

Cain huffed, and I swore if he were a dragon, there’d be smoke coming out of his nostrils.

“Pretentious water beasts!” Cain slammed his fist on the desk.

“We have enough to last us a month, but if ships don’t make it to port soon, we will be dealing with cravings, Sir.”

“I will speak with Rogos and Sable. When I set the meeting, you will attend. They must know you are who they deal with in situations like this.”

“Of course, Sir.”

I watched the two, eyes flitting between them as they stared at each other. It reminded me of when Emil and Petru had done that at my parents’ house. Was it telepathy? I was really going to have to ask someone.

“I have spoken with Natalie, and I can assure you that you will be able to contact me in an emergency. I apologize for the pushback. After dealing with barricades regarding Rogos and Sable, it was no doubt deflating to encounter that with me, your leader.”

“I deeply apologize to you as well, Sir. Never in a million years did I intend to disrespect you so publicly. I can admit my own terror of the reality that was before me. I panicked.”

Okay, I was seriously intrigued now. This orange-haired dude had embarrassed The Blood Boss? I sort of wanted to pull him aside and ask what he’d done.

“Understood, Reginald. Nevertheless, a punishment must be dealt. We can’t give in to such impulses, no matter our frustrations.”

“Yes, Sir.” Reginald’s shoulders sagged dejectedly.

Cain rose, and I felt frozen in place. I didn’t want to witness a caning or some vampire version of a beating. No, that wasn’t debt-clearing worthy at all.

“Hand.” Cain stood beside Reginald who lifted his shaky hand. “You will bear the mark of my sigil on your flesh. It will never heal.”

I couldn’t understand how that was a punishment. I’d think it would be like a huge sign that read: I’m totally protected by The Blood Boss.

“Yes, Sir.” Reginald wasn’t making eye contact with Cain.

It all seemed the opposite of the violence I’d anticipated a few moments ago. I relaxed in my seat and watched as Cain reached out, taking a golden knoblike thing in his grip. It reminded me of an old stamper.

Cain then opened a small rectangular box and took out a candle. The whole time, he hadn’t let go of Reginald’s hand. I wanted to ask if he needed help, but I also wasn’t sure what he was doing and had no desire to hurt anyone.

He placed the stamper-looking thing beside the box, put the candle down, and lit it.

“Are you ready?” Cain asked.

Reginald let out a shaky breath and nodded. “Yes, Sir.”

He held the stamper over the fire for a while, and I suddenly understood. He was going to burn it into his skin. But I could have sworn vampires healed.

When he took it away from the fire, he pressed it onto the front of Reginald’s hand. The man whimpered, and the scent was enough to make me hold my breath.

“The mark is made.” He lifted it off his skin and placed it in the box. Cain bit into his wrist, causing blood to drip over the burn. “The mark will stay.”

I could see the sigil bubble and smoke rise in a blissful stream.

“Reginald Bouvier, you bear the mark of Cain. A mark that when you look upon it you will remember your disrespect and when others see it, they will heed the warning of what is done when such an act is made.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“You may go. Natalie will contact you regarding the meeting with Rogos and Sable.”

I watched as the man left, his hand tucked against his chest, pain etched in his face.

Once he was gone, Cain turned to me. “Questions?”

“Only a million.”