My Vampire Harem Will Dominate Everything

The usually composed vampire looked like a lion caged too long with his usually shining golden mane of hair looking dry and dull. His restlessness and frustration hung like a visible cloud over him that no one could mistake for something else.

"What\'s going on?" Ivo demanded, his voice tense. "Why did you call me here? I don\'t have time for interruptions. You know that we can\'t afford distractions or slip-ups right now, right?"

Solomon\'s eyes blazed as he stopped pacing, turning sharply to face Ivo. His jaw was clenched, his suit slightly rumpled as if he had been pacing for hours. "What\'s taking so long?" Solomon hissed, his voice low but filled with fury. "Why haven\'t you eliminated Yuri yet?"

Ivo clenched his fists at his sides, resisting the urge to lash out. He was already walking a dangerous line, and the last thing he needed was Solomon pushing him closer to the edge. "I\'m going as fast as I can." Ivo said. "If I move too fast, Yuri will notice. If she suspects anything, things will only get harder for us. You don\'t want that, do you?"

Solomon took a step closer, his red eyes flashing with impatience. "We don\'t have the luxury of time anymore. The longer this takes, the more unstable things become. We have an oath, Ivo. Don\'t forget that. If that oath is broken, I\'ll be free to do whatever I want."

Ivo\'s gaze darkened, his muscles tensing. He wasn\'t used to being spoken to like this, especially not by someone he considered little more than a temporary ally. "Is that a threat, Solomon?" he asked, his voice dangerously low.

"It\'s a fact." Solomon shot back coldly. "I\'m not on your side, and we\'re not friends. We\'re business partners, nothing more. Don\'t mistake this arrangement for loyalty, Ivo."

Both men stared each other down in the silence that followed, neither willing to back off. Ivo gritted his teeth, the sound audible. His fists trembled slightly as he fought to keep his temper in check. He took a step toward Solomon, his voice low and dangerous as he spoke through gritted teeth.

"Don\'t rush us, Solomon. I\'ll handle Yuri, but I\'ll do it my way. Got it?"

Solomon tilted his head slightly, as if considering Ivo\'s words before offering a tight, insincere smile. "I\'ll be willing to back off... if we make an amendment to our deal."

Ivo\'s eyes narrowed, suspicious. "What kind of amendment?"

Solomon\'s smile widened slightly as he stepped away and began pacing again. "I\'ve heard something interesting through the grapevine." He said, his voice taking on a measured tone. "One of your Subjects seems to be sitting on something... valuable."

Ivo frowned. He didn\'t like where this was going. "Who are you talking about?"

"Ezra Matten." Solomon replied, turning back to face Ivo, his eyes glinting with the same greed he was always associated with.

Ivo\'s frown grew at his words. Ezra. Of course, it would be him. He\'d always known that the offer to Yuri for Ezra had been much more important than it had seemed at first glance, and now it seemed Solomon had also caught wind of Ezra\'s potential value.

"Where did you hear that?" He asked, his tone sharp. What was Ezra hiding?

"It doesn\'t matter where." Solomon said dismissively. "What matters is that I\'m willing to give you more time, more… patience, if you hand Ezra over to me. That… is the only way I can back off and leave the oath intact."

Ivo turned away, thinking about the offer. Solomon was using the blood oath as a bargaining tool and he couldn\'t fault him. While the oath hadn\'t come with a strict timeline, blood oaths were notorious for shifting and evolving based on the expectations of both parties.

Solomon\'s growing impatience could very well trigger the oath to break, and that would be dangerous. A broken oath would unleash dangerous consequences, especially for Ivo, who would bear the brunt for not fulfilling his part of the agreement.

But there was also the matter of the coup. He needed Ezra on his side when the time came. Not just for firepower but to send a message. If he had the same man who handed Yuri her kingdom on his side, it would be a huge blow to Yuri? And every avenue for attack had to be maximized.

There was also the issue of whatever Ezra had that was so valuable. He wanted to know what it was and needed a chance to get his hands on that. He couldn\'t afford to hand Ezra over at this point in time.

"I can give you Ezra," Ivo said slowly, his mind calculating the risks and rewards, "but only after the coup. I need him for that. You can wait that long, can\'t you?"

Solomon\'s eyes narrowed even as he couldn\'t hide the interest flickering within it. He didn\'t respond immediately, pacing slowly as he weighed the offer.

After a tense silence, Solomon finally nodded. "Fine. I\'ll wait," he said calmly. "But don\'t think for a second that I\'ll tolerate any delays after the coup. Once Yuri is gone, I want Ezra."

Ivo nodded, not displaying any signs of his relief. "You\'ll get him," Ivo promised. "But remember, the consequences of a broken oath fall on both of us. If things fall apart because of your impatience—"

"Don\'t lecture me about consequences, Ivo," Solomon snapped, his patience at its limit. "I know exactly what\'s at stake. But you\'d do well to remember that I\'m not the one stalling."

With that, Solomon turned away, his figure growing smaller as he walked to the door. Without a backward look, he disappeared into the darkness, leaving Ivo standing by the Ascension Well.

Ivo sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. He had to remind himself that this was the price for his freedom. He had to see it through to the end.

He had no other choice now.