A Love Soaked In Blood

chapter 24

James fingers are drumming on the table. Waiting
One of the men stands, he has long brown hair pulled into a ponytail "you were scolding us for our slow progress"
"Right" James glares "say it again, why you're so slow even though I have invested thousands?"
"The researchers say they are short of test subjects and keeping them tied is extremely difficult, especially the werewolves"
"Why is it so difficult?"
"They keep transforming their hands to cut the ties and escape and well, killing anyone in their way. Four from whom you hired already quit"
I suppress a laugh, James grits his teeth
"You will go and bring them back or I will kill them before any beast does, and tell the hunters to catch a vampire fast, they should be easier to contain. Just disarm them and gag their mouths"
"They rarely find one" another man says
James shifts his glare to him "then tell them to expand their troupes to the south or the east don't leave any spot! I don't care what they find I'm expecting results next week. There has to be something else other than the heart or a specific kind of injury they can't heal, use your brains and everything I've provided or one of you will die each week goes wasted"
A heavy silence falls short of the low, nervous sounds of swallowing
"Have I made myself clear?"
"Yes sir!" All the six bow
James rests his arm on my shoulder and sips from his glass "weapons?"
Another man stands, he is black haired and has brown eyes "unless we know there is something other than the heart, then it's just the silver daggers and guns, we can't think of anything else"
Strange, I thought he was progressing fast? That's what Helen said at least.
James is quiet for a moment.
"What if we blow them up?"
My blood goes cold, six pair of eyes widen.
"Sir?"
"Blow them up" a wicked grin spreads in his face "there is no way they can survive a grenade"
"But sir we don't have enough not to mention it has a wide damage range, a grenade will undoubtedly kill people as well" a man with shaved head says
"A sacrifice is a must in any war" James says coldly "convey my order to start producing more of them"
The six exchange a worried gaze with unspoken words
He is mad
"We-we are also unsure if explosions or fire can kill them. What if they can regenerate their limbs?" Another one adds
We can't. An explosion will end us.
"Then be sure of it!" James slams the table "make one of those experiments useful and give me results!"
This is bad. I must warn father
All the six stand and bow once again "yes sir!"
"You're dismissed" and with that everyone scatters and leaves the room
He sighs then glances at me "you've been awfully quiet"
I don't respond
"Do you think I'm cold? Heartless and cruel?"
"You've proved your point" he is a spoiled brat definitely but he has power, no one dared to refuse or say no to anything he said they just obeyed.
He grins "so will you let me dance with you?"
"No" I shift my weight and stand "you may enforce obedience but you don't have a saying about what I want and what I don't. You should respect a lady's boundaries"
He laughs and it's so annoying, he stands and tilts my chin "people think of me as their salvation hence they mustn't know anything of what is being said here"
I smirk "makes sense, can't let the people know that their salvation is stuck"
"Soon I won't be" he lets go and takes out a small box from his jacket
He hands it to me
"What's that?"
"Open it and you will know"
And I do. It's an elegant gold bracelet with a pearl in the middle
I raise an eyebrow
"Don't tell me you're refusing my gift too? All ladies like accessories or at least the ones whom I met"
It fits my wrist completely, not slipping or tight which is odd
I take a closer look at the pearl and now I'm fighting my temptation to smash it, at least not now
"I'll accept it, thank you"
He takes my hand and kisses my knuckles "I'll see you next week"