The Blood Contract
Chapter 99: The chase

Chapter 99: The chase

"Where did they go?" Lucian asked, fishing his phone out of his pocket with impatient fingers.

Marlowe hesitated, her brows creasing. "Darrell said Serena told him she wanted to eat out tonight, and he was driving her there. He didn’t specifically say where they would be going."

Lucian’s jaw clenched, a vein ticking at the side of his temple.

He turned away as he dialed Darrell’s number, the screen glowing in the dim light of the hallway. "Those Katharistiká people are out there, blending in with protesters," he muttered darkly. "The protest might even just be a cover for something more sinister."

If they recognized him, then there was no doubt they would recognize her.

And if they did...

The phone rang once.

Twice.

Three times.

No answer.

Lucian disconnected and called again, pacing now like a caged animal. Still no response.

"Come on, Darrell," he growled. "Pick the damn phone."

Another attempt. Still nothing.

"Fuck!" he swore, shoving the phone away from his ear. Panic, sharp and unfamiliar, dug into his gut like a blade. He ran a hand through his hair, already running through every worst-case scenario in his mind. Why the hell would Serena choose today of all days to dine out?

He was about to dial again when his phone buzzed. A message.

Lucian snatched it up and opened the notification instantly.

It was from Darrell.

Can’t speak now, Boss. We’re at a small spot near the pier. The signal here is almost non-existent and a group of violent protesters are scattered all over the place. We can’t leave until things settle down.

Lucian stared at the words, barely suppressing a snarl.

His fingers flew across the screen as he sent a reply.

Stay there. I’ll be with you shortly.

"What’s wrong?" Adrian asked.

"They’re stuck somewhere near the pier." Lucian answered, taking off his suit. "I’m going to find them."

Adrian straightened. "I’ll get the car ready."

"No," Lucian cut in firmly. "You’ll stay here."

Adrian blinked. "What? No way. You can’t go out there alone, not after what just happened. Those people aren’t playing games—"

"I don’t need backup," Lucian interrupted coldly. "I need information. And if the situation changes, if I need to get Serena and Darrell somewhere safe quickly, we might not make it back here."

Adrian’s eyes narrowed. "What are you saying?"

Lucian didn’t hesitate. "If it comes down to it, we’ll spend the night in the bunker. I trust you to stay here and coordinate. I’ll keep my line open, and you’ll feed me updates. If there’s any news, if anything changes, you’ll be my eyes from this end."

"Fine," Adrian said after a beat, stepping back. "But be careful."

Lucian gave a nod and turned toward the garage. He chose a different car this time, not the sleek black one that had been under attack earlier. Instead, he selected a nondescript sedan, built for speed but plain enough to blend in.

He slid behind the wheel, started the engine, and drove off with deliberate calm.

The night air was thick, the city’s unrest still clinging to the streets like a foul odor. Streetlights flickered overhead, their orange glow casting brief shadows across his face as he navigated out of the estate gates.

But he hadn’t even driven for three minutes before he felt it.

The subtle pressure of eyes watching. Two cars. Three motorcycles.

He didn’t need to look into the rearview mirror to confirm it. He could feel them like predators behind him, creeping closer.

Lucian’s jaw ticked.

He slammed his foot down on the gas.

The engine roared to life, tires squealing as he accelerated into the next intersection. The vehicles behind him followed instantly, gaining speed with frightening precision.

Lucian made a sharp turn into an alley, then another. He wove through narrow backstreets and dimly lit shortcuts that only someone with an intimate knowledge of the city would know. But the pursuers, whoever they were, were determined.

They kept up with him, hugging his tail like shadows that refused to be shaken.

A shot rang out.

Then another.

Lucian’s window cracked as a bullet grazed the edge. Another tire screeched as the car shuddered—one of the rear tires was deflating.

They were trying to disable the car.

He cursed under his breath, fighting to keep the vehicle under control. Sparks flew as the rim scraped asphalt. But he didn’t slow.

He turned hard into a side road, jerking the wheel as another round of gunfire tore into the side panel of the car. The sound of metal being punctured by bullets was deafening, but Lucian didn’t flinch.

His mind ran through possibilities like a machine. He couldn’t lead them back to the house. Neither could he risk bringing that kind of fire to Darrell and Serena.

Another sharp turn. Another alley.

Still, they followed. Relentless, like bloodhounds with a scent in their nostrils.

Lucian’s knuckles were white on the steering wheel as he made another wild turn and burst out into a wider road. A quick glance in the mirror showed two motorcycles veering dangerously close, riders hunched low, weapons in hand.

Lucian pressed the button on the console beneath the wheel. The signal activated his secondary comm line—one that connected directly to Adrian.

"Adrian," he said, voice low and grim. "They’re tailing me."

Adrian’s voice came through at once, sharp and steady. "I’m tracking your signal. There’s a tunnel that splits two streets.

Take the left exit. You’ll lose them in the underpass."

Lucian didn’t respond with words. He just drove, trusting Adrian’s directions would help him evade his pursuers and get to Serena safely.

It worked.

A few more minutes of reckless driving and he finally lost them. But he didn’t relax, knowing it was just a matter of time before they caught up to him again.

The headlights cut through the darkness as Lucian brought the car to a halt just beside the small shop where he had told Darrell and Serena to wait for him.

A few seconds later, the back door flung open and Serena climbed in with Darrell right behind her. Her breath came in quick bursts, her face flushed with panic. Darrell slammed the door shut and looked behind them.

"They saw us," he muttered, glancing at Serena before locking eyes with Lucian. "Some of the protesters recognized her. They started shouting, then others joined."

Lucian didn’t speak. He pulled the gear into drive and stepped on the accelerator. The tires screeched as the vehicle sped out of the narrow road and onto the main street. The angry roars of their pursuers echoed behind them.

Serena clutched the headrest in front of her, twisting to look through the back window. "They’re coming," she whispered, voice tight with fear. "There are more of them."

Lucian kept his eyes on the road, face unreadable. He maneuvered the car through traffic like a ghost weaving through chaos, sliding past cars, cutting corners with impossible precision.

His focus was absolute, both hands gripping the wheel, his jaw clenched. He didn’t speak until the city began to blur into the shadows of the outlying woodland roads.

"We’re heading for the bunker," he said finally, voice calm and sharp. "I know what to do."

Serena blinked. "What bunker?" She asked, confused. "What about the house? Why aren’t we going back there?"

"There’s no way to return to the house," Lucian replied, his voice flat.

No one questioned him after that.

The road grew rougher, the silence inside the vehicle broken only by the hum of the engine and Serena’s anxious breaths. They drove for another twenty minutes before the landscape changed again, thick trees flanking a quiet road that led to a modest house, camouflaged well among the undergrowth.

Lucian pulled up right in front of it. "Get inside," he said, already scanning the rearview mirror.

Darrell opened the door and stepped out, then helped Serena down. She looked around nervously, clutching her coat tighter around her.

"What about you?" she asked, stepping back to the car window. "Where will you go?"

Lucian gave a small shake of his head. "Don’t worry about me. I’ll join you soon."

"But—" Serena started to argue, but Darrell gently pulled her back, nudging her toward the door. They disappeared into the house moments later, the door closing with a soft click behind them.

Lucian didn’t wait. He turned the wheel sharply and sped off in the opposite direction, heading for the only place he knew he could lose them, the old bridge above the river.

The pursuit picked up again fast. The mob had followed him, and more had joined. Motorbikes, a few cars, even people on foot chased him through the winding roads like wolves in a hunt. The sound of gunfire rang out behind him, bullets punching holes into the metal shell of the car.

Lucian gritted his teeth, eyes fixed ahead. The bridge loomed into view—long, narrow, and stretching over the rapid current of the river below.

Another shot rang out. The back window shattered. Lucian ducked slightly, swerved, and pushed the accelerator to the floor. The car roared forward, speeding onto the bridge as more shots echoed in the night.

He reached the edge and the car pummeled, headed straight for the water.

With the precision of a man who had rehearsed this move a thousand times in his mind, Lucian opened the door, and threw himself from the vehicle in one swift motion.

The car didn’t slow. It barreled forward without him, crashing into the water just a few seconds before his body did.

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