Anarameha

Chapter 47

Keoni looked up at the bridge that led to the front doors of the building. It was full of vampires waiting to get in, searching for other paths.

"They can't get in."

"Then ring Bran and tell him to send them to level one. The path is straight forward so they shouldn't get lost."

Stepping into the elevator, Keoni pulled out his phone and sent a message to Bran.

"He has demands,"

Hearing silence, Keoni looked up. Ana stared at him, and the soldiers that were with them turned in all directions to avoid being dragged into the conversation.

"Who and what?"

"Bran. He wants to build a city to the south of this one, stating that you will give it to the vampires as repayment of your debt for bringing the clan leaders together for the meeting that led to this war on Pierre and Garlet."

"Garlet," Ana frowned. "What was his problem with him?"

"For Bran, it was many things, but in this instance, it was selling you out to Pierre. How else did he know that you were on top of the club?"

Ana said nothing. She'd wondered, considered the options but never wanted to think that Garlet could do something like that. Clearly, he had because Keoni was right. Only Garlet knew where she was.

Technically, Keoni did too, but given how shady Garlet was, Ana assumed that he would have told Pierre about him too with the expectation that they would both be killed.

"Bran went on to say that his reward for connecting us to the clans is that he is nominated leader of the city. He says that he doesn't want to rule Geniprea and will aim for a healthy relationship with the royal family."

"Is that so?" Ana hummed coldly. "Is there a choice in this?"

"I got the impression that there wasn't."

Ana said nothing more but Keoni could tell that she wasn't impressed. He glanced at Seras, who offered a begrudging smile. There wasn't much that any of them could do. This was a battle between Bran and Ana once the war was over.

Ana's distrust for everyone had grown large, and she wondered if there would be a time when she could believe the words that came from other people's mouths.

As for Bran, he'd get his demands. Ana knew that there was enough land to cope with multiple extensions and the city that Bran wanted. She'd already considered expanding the city out a few more rings, and the vampire's needed homes that were not in the sewers. It was wrong and she assumed that it had a lot to do with Pierre. Ana didn't think that her father would be so accepting of their race to let her marry one while subjecting the rest of the race to the belief that they are only worthy of a life with the rats.

It was definitely not her father. Though, he might have been aware of some vampires willingly entering the drains. He wouldn't like it, but Ana believed that he would accept whatever they wanted if it helped them survive and hide from the city that might not be as welcoming as he was.

Ana's mind turned to the city and how accepting they would be. Considering that she was involved with a vampire, they would have to learn to cope. Ana would not accept intolerance towards them.

Keoni looked up at the numbers as they rose through the building. He'd expected Pierre to shut off the elevators, but Ana's fingerprint override was still logged into the system. Only the leader had the code to alter the security system which Pierre had but Ana told Keoni that there was another security system, one that her father clearly took to his grave. It meant that Ana was still in the system and Pierre couldn't lock her out.

In the silence, Keoni looked at Ana. As her eyes lifted to his, a sinfully wicked smirk filled his face. Ana's cheeks flushed as she shyly smiled. Her head ducked as she turned to face the doors. Keoni watched with amusement as her eyes found their way back to him.

The end of today could not come fast enough. Both craved more than a moment, far away from here, alone together. A time when they could forget everything that was going on and everyone that wanted a piece of them. Good or bad, it was always a strain.

The elevator jerked as it stopped. Slowly the doors opened, and the team was met with eerie silence. Keoni pulled the helmet on and stepped out, checking the area. He wanted to be surprised that there was no one around but knew that they were all on level five fighting the vampires.

"Clear."

Ana and the rest of the group moved out of the elevator, checking the area as they moved through the nineteenth level.

The door to the stairs opened, the group raising their guns until they realised it was the other half of their team. They'd gone through the other areas quicker than what Keoni thought was possible.

"Did you check all the areas?"

"Yes, we broke up into smaller teams to be more efficient. There's no one around. Not even guards."

"The guards are probably on five fighting Bran's group. Come on, our mission is to find Pierre."

Shouted words, and gunfire echoed in their ears and from somewhere on the floor. Then there was silence.

"Sir," a voice echoed through Keoni's earpiece.

"What's going on, Baros?"

"We've just taken down two guards in a corridor. There's only one door between. The king's office."

"We're on our way."

Moving through the corridors, the team rushed to the office that once belonged to the king. It was not a presumption that Pierre would be in the room. Ana had confirmed that he used it as his office. The only issue that they could face is if he had gone down to level five to oversee the battle.

The group stopped, seeing the guards standing outside the closed doors. Two of the militia were dead on the floor. Baros gave Keoni and the princess a nod as they approached. They were going in.