"No matter how many times you fail, you will keep trying," Marcus ordered, his cold eyes fixed on the trembling sorcerer before him.
Malcolm nodded frantically, his hands shaking as he prepared another strengthening spell. "Yes, General. I will channel more power into the boy this time."
The vampire general paced the perimeter of the small tent they'd established deep in the woods, far enough from the Silver Lake pack to avoid detection but close enough to maintain control over their pawn.
"That woman has made a fool of me," Marcus seethed, his fangs extending slightly with his anger. "The altar we found was a decoy—centuries of planning, and we were led to a false tomb."
"But the boy has succeeded in gaining her trust," Malcolm reminded him cautiously. "The Selenia woman seems genuinely concerned for him."
Marcus sneered. "Women and their maternal instincts—so predictable. She thinks she's protecting a helpless child, when in fact, she's walking straight into our trap."
