BXBX NOVEL Chapter 138: Never Mess With Me
Olivia nodded, her expression firm. Gen\'s eyes were sharp with determination as she prepared for the teleportation.
"I\'ll stay behind to find Miss Red," Ezra continued. "We can\'t afford to lose her in the chaos. Stay in contact and update me on your progress."
They burst outside the mansion. Without another word, Olivia grasped Gen\'s arm, and with a flash, they vanished, leaving Ezra standing alone. He took a deep breath, and turned, walking back inside. Time was of the essence, and every moment counted.
Ezra walked deeper into the mansion, his eyes scanning every room he passed for any sign of Red. He moved through the corridors, peering into lavishly decorated sitting rooms and bustling kitchens where the staff hurriedly prepared refreshments for the guests.
A few rooms were filled with vampires engaged in polite conversation or silently observing the grandeur of the event, but there was no sign of Red.
His phone buzzed and he checked it to see a message from Olivia. "No sign of attackers." The message read. He took a second to reply. The attack could come at any moment. This was no time to let their guards down.
He pocketed his phone as his mind raced, wracking his brain for where Red could be. She had mentioned monitoring the ball for unusual activities like the rest of the City Lord\'s staff.
Suddenly, an idea struck him. There was no reason why vampires could not observe other vampires like mundane security.
She had to be at the mansion\'s security hub. It would be the perfect place for Red to observe the entire event undetected.
With renewed purpose, Ezra headed towards the service corridors, a less conspicuous route that staff members often used. He moved quickly, his footsteps echoing softly against the marble floors. As he approached a set of unmarked doors, he noticed a sign indicating the security room.
Ezra slipped inside, finding a narrow staircase leading down to a basement level. The hum of machinery grew louder as he descended, and he soon found himself in a dimly lit corridor lined with pipes and electrical wiring. He followed the sound until he reached a reinforced door marked "Security Personnel Only."
He knocked once, then entered without waiting for a response. Inside, the room was filled with monitors displaying live feeds from various parts of the mansion. Security personnel glanced up in surprise, but Ezra\'s determined expression silenced any objections.
The vampires sat, intently watching the screens, their eyes flicking between the different camera feeds. The soft glow of the monitors illuminated their focused faces, but Red was nowhere to be seen.
Approaching a random vampire, he asked urgently, "Have you seen Red?"
The vampire glanced up briefly before returning her gaze to the screens. "She stepped out a few minutes ago," she replied. "Said she had something to check on personally."
Ezra\'s heart sank slightly, but he nodded his thanks and turned to leave. He needed to find her quickly.
He left the security hub, moving swiftly and silently through the mansion\'s depths. The elegant decor gave way to more utilitarian corridors as he ventured further from the public areas. His heightened senses caught faint sounds echoing through the halls. Following the noise, he approached a door and cautiously pushed it open.
Inside, he found Miss Red gagged and tied to a chair, struggling against golden ropes that glimmered ominously in the dim light. Standing beside her was a masked woman, her eyes cold and unyielding.
"What is it with vampires and masks? You can just look like someone else, anytime you want." Ezra sighed, a mix of frustration and determination in his expression.
"I don\'t want to hear your excuses. Release her." He commanded, his voice calm but firm.
The woman\'s gaze remained locked on him, unresponsive.
Ezra sighed again, more heavily this time. "If this is the Silent Hand\'s test, then tonight they\'ll receive a message loud and clear."
He slowly removed his jacket, folding it neatly before placing it on a nearby table. His movements were deliberate, projecting a sense of calm readiness. Turning back to the woman, he squared his shoulders and fixed her with a steely gaze.
"Get ready," he said, his voice low and dangerous.
The woman\'s stance shifted slightly, her muscles tensing in anticipation.
Ezra summoned the sea of vitality within him, feeling the blood song pulse through his veins. His senses heightened, the world around him slowed.
Each breath expelled steam from his mouth, every cell charged with the raw power surging within him. He crouched low, muscles coiled like a spring, and in a flash, he vanished from sight.
The masked woman cried out as Ezra\'s claws tore through her chest, blood spraying from the wound. She twisted, trying to dodge his relentless attacks, but Ezra moved with inhuman speed.
He gave her no space, his strikes calculated and brutal. Her body attempted to regenerate, but Ezra\'s relentless assault outpaced her healing.
His claws slashed and punctured, ripping through flesh and bone. The woman staggered, her regeneration faltering under the unrelenting onslaught. Blood dripped from her wounds, and her movements grew sluggish. Ezra felt her vitality depleting, her strength waning with each passing second.
Finally, when she could barely stand, Ezra seized her by the throat and lifted her broken body into the air. His growl reverberated through the room, a low, menacing sound. "Your dead body will be my message to the Silent Hand," he snarled, his eyes blazing with fury. "NEVER mess with me."
Just as he was about to deliver the final blow, a desperate scream cut through the tension. "Ezra, stop!"
Miss Red had finally managed to work the gag from her mouth. Her voice, filled with urgency and desperation, pierced through the red haze of his rage. Ezra hesitated, his grip on the woman\'s throat tightening slightly.
"Red?" he said, momentarily confused.