**Ch 79: Hope Prevails

In the species of vampires, it's a well-known truth that mercy is rarely a commodity for vampiresses. Any vampiress who dared to challenge a vampire or engage in a fight with one would face brutal consequences.

As Kai's advisors and his guardians stormed into the office, Rose hissed defiantly.

"We will not move!" her unyielding declaration sliced like a knife through the tense atmosphere of the office.

With a subtle nod from Danny's head, a vampire who worked for the Vampire Covenant suddenly slashed his claws into Rose's face, staining her cheekbone with a trail of redness.

Tension stifled the room as a fresh metallic scent permeated the air. Blood trickled down Rose's face as Ace's eyes blazed with madness while she hissed from discomfort, throbbing along her cheek.

Upon witnessing his wife's injury, Ace propelled from the entrance, repositioning himself between Rose and the vampire who hit her.

"You will regret hitting my wife!" he roared, raising his clenched fist.

Acting on instinct, he delivered a punch directly to the vampire's nose. The vampire staggered, getting momentarily off balance, but he quickly regained his composure and retaliated, launching his attack on Ace. As a series of punches and swings struck their faces and upper bodies, the equilibrium in their footing faltered, and the scuffle rolled to the floor as they ferociously clawed at each other.

At the same duration, Kai's guardians and his advisors turned the office into a makeshift boxing ring, all of them fighting with the vampires primarily working for the Vampire Covenant. Amidst the brawl, Mr. Collin vanished from my side, and he reappeared at the door by his wife before he ushered her to retreat out of the doorway. From the sideline, Danny and his clan observed them, exchanging punches and clawing at each other throughout the office. Things knocked over as Kai's friends and the vampires violently wrestled, pushing and shoving each other around. Some got choked, while others relentlessly punched each other continuously.

Large, flecked vases shattered off their stands, and the grandmaster clock toppled over, hitting the corner wall with a resounding dong. Table stands overturned as they clashed like fearsome lions. Shelves broke from the wall screws as two of Kai's guardians were thrown towards the right wall, but they quickly recovered their footing to resume the fight with their opponents. Books littered the floor as one of Kai's guardians forcefully plowed a vampire into the tall bookshelf near the balcony towards the left.

Rome collided with the balcony glass door, cracking the glass in webbed streaks. Across from the vampiresses and me, Ivan was thrust against a wall, getting strangled by his neck. Vampires from both sides got their necks snapped, rendering them unconscious for an hour or so. Glenn flipped a vampire up over his head before twisting his neck, ultimately knocking him out cold. Towards our right, Jack engaged in a full-out fistfight with another vampire.

Aside from successfully avoiding anyone not involved in the brawl, the entire office was getting turned upside-down. There is no end to this chaos unless I take a stance.

"I'll go willingly!" I yelled over the ruckus, and suddenly, the fight halted, though they still kept their fists clenched, ready to swing at each other.

Laid out on the floor, Ace had the vampire, who hit Rose, in a tight arm lock around his neck. Ivan remained pinned against the wall in a throat lock, and Rome was still smashed against the glass door while he and the vampire had their fingers dug deep into one another's necks. To the left, Glenn had lifted a different vampire off his feet in mid-air, still gouging his fingernails into his neck.

"That's a wise decision," Danny praised my volunteering cooperation.

With a simple hand signal from him, the vampiresses were forcefully moved out of the way by Danny's guardians to seize me. Two of them seized my wrist and hauled me directly in front of Danny.

"Now, this only leaves the matter of your mate," he mentioned. "Where is Kai?"

"I thought you detained him!" I exclaimed with joy fluttering in my heart as hope gleamed in my eyes from learning my husband wasn't detained.

"If I had, I wouldn't be asking," Danny sternly retorted. "Now, tell me his location."

"As if I know," I asserted nonchalantly. "Even if I did, I wouldn't tell you."

"None of us know where Kai is!" Glenn retorted, releasing the vampire from his grip.

As the vampire fixed his ruffled collar and tie, one of Danny's advisors informed him, "We checked the whole mansion, and he wasn't found, but we did find a trail of tracks in the woods."

"Check the property!" Danny ordered with a snarl. "Find Kai and detain him!"

"Yes, Headmaster." a few of the battered vampires from the Vampire Covenant responded. "Right away."

Sixteen of them vanished from the group, and I felt a sudden sharp pinch as a needle punctured my neck. As the needle withdrew from my skin, my eyes drooped heavily, and then my eyelids closed as my body fell limp against the vampire's figure.

"You won't take her!" I faintly heard the outcry of Mrs. Collin's voice.

~~~

"Hmm," I hummed, stirring in my deep sleep.

"Easy there," cooed a gentle voice as a lukewarm wet washcloth dabbed along my forehead.

My heavy eyelids flickered as this set of red orbs gently peered at me. As the fuzziness cleared from my eyesight, the masculine face of Headmaster Edgar emerged before me. He sat in a chair by my bedside, continuously brushing a washcloth over my head. Confused, I peered out and saw cell bars, caging me inside a jail cell.

Outside the cell was an expansive circular room with a large opening. Additional jail cell compartments are arched on the left and the right sides of the room. Golden marble floors illuminated the area, adding a glamorous touch of luxury, while the high-arched ceiling flaunted an embellished designer plaster. Two floor-to-ceiling pillars flanked both sides of the large doorway, further enhancing the beauty of the enclosure.

"Where am I?" I asked, attempting to sit up, but the pain throbbing along my skull had me lying back down.

"Easy now. I told Danny not to drug you before they brought you here, but he insisted it would be less stressful on you," Edgar sighed, gently pressing the cloth to my head.

"Where is here?" I inquired.

"In Europe, at the Imperial Palace," he answered. "You were brought here by teleportation about three hours ago. Danny's guardian heavily sedated you and your unborn babies."

In bewilderment, I uttered, "I was teleported to Europe?"

"Yes. Danny's one advisor has a gift of teleportation," Edgar explained. "Within minutes, he can effortlessly travel himself and others from one place to another."

"Where's Kai?" I bit my lower lip, withholding my tears as my hand cradled my round belly. My heart ached at the possibility that Kai had been detained.

"Please, tell me he isn't detained," I pleaded, stiffening my lips tightly.

"Kai hasn't been found," Edgar revealed, and my eyes lit up with hope gleaming across them.

Though the chance may be slim, there is a possibility that Kai will find a way to rescue me from death.

"There's still hope," I whispered, and Edgar nodded with a smile.

"Hope prevails as long as they don't find him," he happily declared.