Belmont

"Wow, this place is so clean and polished," I exclaimed as I stepped into Clocks' new office. He was reclining in an armchair, feet propped up on the desk, a cigar in one hand and a glass of whiskey in the other. It was as if we had traveled back in time, and I had to blink to remind myself that this was my Clocksworth sitting there—Theo, to be precise—and not the old master of torture.

"Lumiere's handiwork," he said coolly.

"Black magic, you mean?" I teased, sitting down on the desk next to his feet. He didn't answer, just swirled the amber liquid in his glass. "You okay?" I asked, leaning forward and plucking the glass from his hand to take a sip.

The motion must have broken his trance because he glanced up at me with troubled eyes. "Not really." I raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to elaborate. "Close the door," he said quietly.

I hesitated, shooting him a concerned look before rising and doing as he asked. "What's going on?"

"I'm not sure. It's more of a feeling," he admitted.

"If you're talking about Alex, we've had a few conversations," I began. "He's solid, and I'm pretty sure we can trust—"

"I think Lumiere is hiding something from me," he interrupted.

I inhaled sharply. "What?!"

"I can sense everyone's emotions clearly, which is why I trust Alex," he explained.

"But..."

"But Lumiere has built a wall around himself, and it bothers me. It makes me think he's deliberately keeping something from me."

I sighed, shaking my head. Why was nothing ever simple? "Have you asked him?"

"Yes."

"And?"

He muttered something inaudible before looking up at me again. "He said that everything he's ever done has been for our sake."

I took another sip from the glass before handing it back to him. "That's probably true."

"He wants to take Anthony's place."

I let out a short laugh. "So that's the real issue? You both want the power?"

With a sudden burst of anger, he stood up and hurled the glass against the wall behind me. I flinched, staring at him with wide eyes, stunned by the intensity of his outburst. "NO! I don't give a shit about power!" he roared, grabbing the bottle on the table and smashing it to the floor. "Let someone else deal with it! I'm sick of all the damn politics and power games!"

I could see the struggle in him as he wrestled with his emotions. When he finally leaned over the desk, taking deep, shuddering breaths, I decided to approach him. 

I opened my mouth, praying my voice would sound soothing. "Hey," I said softly, brushing a few strands of hair from his face. "You're not alone. Don't forget that."

He exhaled deeply and straightened up. Before I could react, I found myself in his arms, his hungry lips seeking mine. The kiss felt desperate, full of conflicting emotions and anguish. I could sense his inner turmoil immediately. He had always had someone giving him orders, and now he was the one everyone looked up to—and feared. Not to mention this disastrously failed reunion.

So many times, he'd missed Lu, cried, cursed his death. And now, now he felt betrayed by the very person he had longed for so deeply. His lips left mine, and he buried his face against my neck.

"First, I lost them, then I lost you," he whispered hoarsely, "and now I'm losing myself."

"What are you talking about?" I whispered back. "I'm right here."

His arms tightened around me, and I ran my fingers through his wavy hair. We stood like that for a while, silent and wrapped tightly around each other."Your body might be here, Belmont, but not your heart," he said with a faint smile before planting a soft kiss on my lips. "You didn't have a choice."

I licked my lips and lowered my gaze. Days had passed without me thinking about Conor, but we had been so busy. "He's better off without me," I said stubbornly. "You need me now."

I saw regret etched on Clocksworth's face, and I knew he was struggling just as much as I was. "Thank you," he mumbled. "I can't handle this on my own."

I smiled faintly and ran my fingers through his hair. "Then let him take the crown. Tell him we have other plans."

"Like what?" he muttered against my shoulder."Have you forgotten? We're supposed to head to freaking Greenland," I teased, and to my immense relief, I felt his body shake with laughter, muffled by my shirt. "Go tell him that. Maybe then he'll share his secret with you."

Clock sighed. "Maybe. But not yet."

"Why not?"

"Alex said the revolution started when Anthony died. We can't afford to lose their trust."

"You," I corrected. 

He raised an eyebrow. "No, Bel, we. It's time for you to step forward. I want you beside me, not behind me."

I sighed, pondering what that would mean, but then I saw the trust and affection in his eyes. "Alright, but I don't care if you take all the credit for this."

"I know you don't. That's why I trust you." He paused, his thumb brushing over my lips with a small smile. "It's one of the reasons I love you."

"Cheesy," I teased, though I hesitated. He kept trying to win me back, telling me he loved me, but I never said it back. In a way, I was his. Our relationship was physical but lacked tenderness or love. I still couldn't let him into my heart after everything he'd done. I was about to try to explain that when a loud knock interrupted us.

"Monsieur Clocksworth!" It was Alex's voice. "They're here!"

"Who?!" Clock barked at the closed door.

"The hundred and fifty I promised." I turned and opened the door to find Masson's broad grin staring back at me. "And a few hundred more."

Clocksworth

He'd been right. Hundreds of vampires were making their way up the slope toward the castle. Some had already arrived, settling in the courtyard. A few lifted their heads to meet my gaze, nodding, raising a hand in greeting, or even bowing respectfully. Most, however, avoided looking at me altogether. The question was whether it was out of respect or fear.

"They're reliable, monsieur. All third-, fourth-, and fifth-generation vampires. No junkies or—" 

 "I can see that, Masson, I see them," I interrupted, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "You've done an excellent job selecting them." 

 "The news traveled quickly, Boss," he said with a proud smile. "Some of them even came from other districts." 

 "I can tell, but the credit is yours." I watched as he restrained himself from bursting into a wider grin. He reminded me of a little puppy— eager to do anything for his owner. I smiled and placed a hand behind his neck, leaning in closer. "Keep this up, and you'll go far." 

 "Clocksworth is right, Alexander. It's very impressive," Lumiere commented calmly from behind us. 

 Masson turned his head to glance at him. "They're not here because of me, Monsieur Lumiere."

 "Did I suggest they were?" 

 Masson frowned and shrugged. "No." 

 "But you've communicated our purpose well," Lumiere continued. 

 The boy shrugged again, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I barely had to. Everyone knows who Belmont and Clocksworth are." 

 I glanced back at Lumiere to gauge his reaction, but as always, his expression was unreadable. "I see," he muttered coolly, his eyes scanning the groups of vampires gathering and waiting patiently for some sort of order or welcome. 

 I looked around. Some faces I recognized, but most were new. "Roch!" I bellowed across the crowd. 

 It took only a moment for him to appear at my side. "Boss?"

 "From now on, you're in charge of the guard. Gather whoever you need and position them where they're required." 

 "Got it," he grinned, giving me a nod. I knew he was grateful for the promotion, though he wasn't the type to show it openly. Instead, he'd demonstrated his loyalty a hundredfold. Of that, I was certain. 

 "Lu?" 

 "Oui, mon Patron?"

 I rolled my eyes at him, shaking my head. "Knock it off." He gave me an amused look, waiting for me to continue. "How strong is your magic? We need larger barracks, more space."

 "Similar to what we had in Marseille?" 

 I nodded, and he cracked his neck on both sides, scanning the area thoughtfully. "I know a few who can help," he said before vanishing into the throng of vampires below. 

 "How does that even work?" Masson asked beside me. 

 I didn't have time to answer before a pair of arms wrapped around me from behind, and I felt Belmont's cheek press against the back of my head. "I don't think you want to know, Alex," he teased. 

 "Don't I? I'd love to learn how to create illusions and magical things." 

 I chuckled. "It's not that simple, I'm afraid. Only a few possess those powers. It's not something you learn—it's something you inherit." 

 He looked at us, confused. "But you share the same creator?"

 "Yes." 

 "Have you ever tried?" 

 "No." 

 "Well then, you don't know." 

 He had a point, but that kind of magic didn't appeal to me. Handling my newfound ability to travel in a cloud of smoke was complicated enough. I turned my attention back to the groups in front of me. "Who are your closest men, Masson?" 

 He raised his arm and signaled to a group standing on the outskirts. I studied them carefully. The group consisted of four men and two women, and I realized they must have been quite young when they were turned. Some of them I recognized from the pubs in Paris. They all had unique appearances—brightly colored hair, tattoos, piercings, and distinctive clothing that was hard to forget.

"Masson," greeted the slender man with ink-covered arms, jet-black hair, and a leather jacket studded across the shoulders. 

 "Clocksworth, Belmont, this is Dominic Loyson and the last remnants of Séjours de Nuit." 

 I gave him a nod of acknowledgment before turning back to Alex. "You will form the core of the new special unit," I began, fixing my gaze on him. "Do you understand what that means?" 

 He nodded. "You led Prince Anthony's special unit, if I remember correctly?"  I nodded, and he continued, "You were the most skilled." 

 I shook my head to correct him. "We were the most ruthless." 

 He gave a short nod. "I understand." 

 "I'm giving you that role now," I said, studying them all for a long moment. "If you think you're up to it." 

 "We've handled similar missions before," Dominic assured me. 

 "You can count on us," Alex chimed in. 

 "Good. You and Marianne will select five more and prepare to set out." 

 "Marianne? The tiny girl?" 

 Belmont released his hold on me and clapped Alex on the back. "She's our spymaster." 

 I pulled a fresh cigar from my inner pocket, lighting it and letting the smoke drift out between my lips before giving the final order. "She'll find the targets, and you'll deal with them." 

 Masson met my gaze and nodded. "Understood. We'll find her right away." 

 I watched the ragtag group leave with a lump in my chest. Damn, I liked that kid. As if Bel read my mind, he muttered beside me, "You just gave him the job you hated." 

 I glanced at him for a moment. "So you care about him?" 

 He shrugged. "He's just a kid."

 "No, Bel. He was a kid. Not anymore." 

 Belmont turned and began walking inside. "If we're lucky, this will all be over before he gets too scarred." 

 "Don't count on it," I muttered, joining him on the way to the study. With a sigh, I dropped into my chair and stared at the map of France. Red marks dotted the country. 

 "Paris first," Bel noted. "Then Levi?" I shook my head. "We need more people. Paris first, then we hit all the others simultaneously." 

 I could feel Belmont's skeptical gaze. "Simultaneously?" 

 I nodded, pulling out a large sheet of paper. "Before anyone can react or call for help." We both stared at the map spread across the desk, cluttered with my ideas and notes—arrows and photos of various princes and their closest men. 

 "It could work," Bel mumbled thoughtfully. I looked up at him with a bitter expression. "It has to work." 

 "It will work," Lumiere chimed in from behind us with a smile on his lips, prompting us both to turn. 

 "How can you be so sure?" 

 He took a deep breath and stepped closer to me. Placing a hand on each of my shoulders, he looked almost bashful as he glanced down at me. "You were right. I didn't sit idle while you were gone." 

 I crossed my arms over my chest, meeting his gaze intently. "What do you mean?" 

 "I have the rest of the vampires we need."

 "How?" "I recruited them." 

 "Why?" He hesitated, looking at the floor briefly before lifting his gaze again. "Because when you were gone in New York, the plan was for me to take over France." 

 "You?" 

 "Me."

 "Alone?" He nodded curtly, and I took a deep breath, leaning my head back and closing my eyes for a few seconds. After gathering my thoughts, I placed my hands on his cheeks and pressed my forehead to his. "Lu-Lu... why didn't you say anything?" 

 "Because you have his power," he whispered. I groaned, letting my hands slide to the back of his neck. 

"If you want France, Lu, then I'll help you take her." 

 Amused, I watched him struggle with himself. "You're giving me all of France?"

 "Absolutely. I don't want it." 

I saw the shock on his face and heard Bel's muffled laughter behind me. "Come on, then! We've got things to do," Bel grinned.