The city of First City simmered with an uneasy tension. It was as if the mortals could feel the shadow of the vampires'' activities stretching over every corner, alley, and street.


    Blood had been shed and there had been eight casualties so far. Pretty insignificant numbers for ordinary humans but for vampires that was a lot in the span of a few days. And there was no guarantee that things would end there.


    Two territories had fallen already. Westside and Southside have been left leaderless.


    Solomon had felt it when Ivo died. The blood oath unraveling in real time was pretty hard to miss. But he still wasn''t taking the steps he needed to.


    There was still an opponent in the arena. Things were not over yet and rushing off was a surefire way of getting oneself killed. And so, he waited in his castle, looking over the sprawling city like a predator watching its prey.


    But right now, he sat in his private chamber, brooding. His hands were clenched into fists, his sharp nails digging into the polished wood of the armrests on his chair. Every cell in his body was screaming at him. Find Ezra Matten! But he couldn''t move. Not now.


    He had to know.


    The darkened room was quiet except for the faint sound of rain tapping against the window. He stared at the untouched ss of blood wine on the table beside him, lost in his own calctions, when there was a sharp knock on the door.


    "Enter," he said, his voice cold, the authority in it unmistakable.


    The door creaked open, and Michael, one of his most loyal Subjects, stepped inside. Where Mchi had been short, he was tall, with sharp, angr features. But other than that, he was dressed simrly to Mchi.


    Solomon looked up, his crimson eyes locking onto Michael''s. "Report." He snapped impatiently.


    "My Lord." Michael cleared his throat. "As of now, dimir is staying put in his own territory. He hasn''t moved to im Southside yet."


    For a moment, Solomon didn''t respond. His brow furrowed, and the faintest glimmer of disbelief crossed his face.


    "He still hasn''t moved?" Solomon repeated, more a statement than a question.


    Michael nodded, his voice steady but cautious. "No, my Lord. Despite killing Ivo and the open opportunity he''s got, dimir seems to have no immediate intention of taking Southside."


    Solomon''s fingers drummed against the table, his mind racing. dimir had done nothing, even when he''d served him the solution to his problems on a silver tter? This was worrying. He had expected the man to pounce at the first chance to solidify his power and expand his influence.


    "I see." Solomon muttered to himself, his eyes narrowing in thought. He looked back up at Michael, his expression hardening. "Has he moved any of his forces?"


    "No, my Lord," Michael replied. "Our spies report no significant movement from dimir''s side. His territory remains under his control, but there''s no sign of preparation for a takeover of Southside."


    "I see." Solomon leaned back in his chair, a deep frown covering his face. This was what he was looking out for.


    Michael remained silent, letting Solomon process the information. After a moment, Solomon sat up.


    "dimir is no fool." Solomon said quietly, more to himself than to Michael. "He was smart enough to find out what I wanted from Ivo. And now, he''s holding back. Waiting for something, some leverage, perhaps. Or maybe he''s waiting for me to make a mistake. Overextend.


    But what he doesn''t realize… is that I''ve already ounted for this happening."


    Solomon stopped pacing, turning back to face Michael, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous intensity. "Keep a close watch on him. I don''t care if it looks like he''s doing nothing, he''s always doing something. I want to know the moment he so much as breathes in my direction."


    "Yes, my Lord," Michael said, bowing once more.


    "And now that we have no reason to hide," A grin spread over Solomon''s face, "let''s begin the hunt."


    He picked up the previously forgotten ss of wine on the table and downed it with a single swig. He stood abruptly, striding to therge window that overlooked the city.


    "Send the message to all my Subjects." Hemanded, his voice cold and firm. "I want them to begin an open search for Ezra Matten. No more hidden moves. Use every resource avable."


    Michael nodded, his face expressionless as he prepared to carry out his orders. Solomon continued, his voice growing more determined. "I want the police force to search every block, every building. ce Ezra''s face on the newsworks. Make sure everyone in the city knows that there''s a bounty on his head. A substantial one."


    "A bounty, my lord?" Michael asked with a frown.


    "Yes." Solomon said, turning away from the window to face him. "I''ll offer rewards to the criminals of First City. Anyone who brings me information on Ezra''s whereabouts will be handsomelypensated. I want every corner of this city turned upside down if necessary. I want everyone watching, hunting him down for me."


    Michael nodded sharply. "It will be done."


    As he left to execute his orders, Solomon leaned against the window, his thoughts swirling with impatience. If dimir wanted to sit and wait, let him. He had something dimir didn''t have and that was his wealth. This time, he''d use the full extent of his power and his influence to draw the tight around his prey.


    And if dimir wants to interfere, he''ll find his County copsing around him.


    **********


    Within hours, the city was buzzing with the news. On every street corner, in every alley, and on every television screen, Ezra''s face was stered. Solomon had made sure that no one could escape it.


    The image of Ezra, a picture of him wearing sunsses about to enter an expensive hovercar outside Ascendant Capital, appeared on every major newswork, apanied by the promise of a hefty reward for any information leading to his capture.


    It didn''t take long for the fangirls to appear on social media, spinning stories of forbidden love. It didn''t take much longer for the first chapters of the various smutty fanfictions to hit the web. Everybody was tuned to the evening news that night.


    The camera flickered on, revealing the familiar face of First City Nightly News anchor. The woman''s expression was serious as she looked directly into the camera, the polished studio lights reflecting off her pristine navy zer.


    "Good evening, citizens of First City." She began, her voice calm but carrying the weight of the breaking news. "Our top story tonight, the ongoing search for Ezra Matten, former CEO of Ascendant Capital, who is now wanted in connection with the recent and tragic death of thepany''s current CEO, Amara Duval."


    The screen briefly shifted to show a photo of Ezra Matten dressed in a suit before transitioning to footage of Ascendant Capital''s towering skyscraper, its lights dim against the night sky.


    "Matten, recently hailed as one of the brightest financial minds in the city, was the CEO of Ascendant Capital for a few months." She continued, her tone slightly shifting to convey the gravity of the situation. "He stepped down recently, passing the reins to Amara Duval, who promised investors to take thepany in new directions."


    "But now, in a shocking turn of events, Ezra Matten has be the primary person of interest in Duval''s death. Authorities have yet to release details of her death, but spection is growing as to what role Matten may have yed."


    As she spoke, the screen disyed images of Amara, smiling in her office, giving a speech at a corporate event.


    "In the wake of Duval''s untimely passing, a massive citywide manhunt is now underway to locate Matten." The anchor said. The screen shifted again, this time showing a map of the city, with specific districts highlighted in red. "Law enforcement agencies are working tirelessly to track him down, and a substantial reward is being offered for any information leading to his capture.


    Citizens are urged to be vignt and to report any sightings of Matten immediately."


    The camera cut back to the anchor, who now spoke with even greater urgency. "Ezra Matten is considered highly intelligent and potentially dangerous. While authorities have not confirmed any direct threats to public safety, the scale of the search suggests that finding Matten is a top priority for the city''sw enforcement."


    She paused as a new image appeared on the screen, a close-up of Matten''s face, apanied by a hotline number for tips. "If you see Matten or have any information on his whereabouts, please contact the authorities at the number listed below. The reward for his capture has reached a significant sum, attracting not only the attention of police but also bounty hunters and private investigators.


    The city is on high alert."


    The camera zoomed slightly closer to the anchor as she delivered the final lines. "Ezra Matten''s legacy at Ascendant Capital has taken a dark and unexpected turn, and with every passing hour, the urgency to bring him in grows. We will continue to follow this developing story and provide updates as they be avable."


    She then shifted to a more routine part of the broadcast. "In other news tonight, local authorities have confirmed..."


    Solomon clicked off the tv, smiling in satisfaction. It was only a matter of time.