The morning after was painted in shades of bruised gold and heavy silence. The gym floor was still scorched from the Essence flare, and the air in the mansion felt thin, as if the previous night's storm had vacuumed the tension out of the halls.
Chase sat at the kitchen island, his hands wrapped around a mug of coffee. His skin was no longer fever-hot, and the violet glow in his veins had subsided to a faint, manageable hum. Opposite him, Rixsa was uncharacteristically quiet, picking at a plate of eggs. They avoided each other's eyes, both vividly recalling the moment their souls had blurred together—the moment the "Alpha-Anchor" dynamic had shattered to reveal something far more dangerous: genuine, raw affection.
The silence was broken by the low purr of an engine in the driveway. A courier in a black suit delivered a single, crimson-waxed envelope.
"The Summit begins tonight. You owe me, Chase. Dress the part. You are my consort for the evening. My car will be there at seven. —L."
The interior of Lilith's custom-built limousine smelled of expensive leather and heavy jasmine. Lilith herself was a vision of predatory elegance, draped in a gown of liquid obsidian that seemed to absorb the light. Beside her, Chase wore a charcoal suit that Sienna had sent over—tailored to hide the bulk of his muscles while accentuating his height.
Lilith leaned over, her fingers tracing the line of his jaw. "You're quiet tonight, Chase. Still recovering from your... move? I sensed the flare from the city. You really should have called me. I could have helped you vent."
Chase looked out the window as the Manhattan skyline approached. Usually, her touch would have triggered the "Warrior" response—a mix of instinctual submission and professional duty. But tonight, all he could think about was the way Rixsa's eyes had looked when he saw his own reflection in her memories. He thought about her laugh, her sharp tongue, and the way she had stepped into his fire without a second thought.
The realization hit him like a kinetic blast: he didn't want to be a consort. He didn't want to be an asset. He wanted to go home to the girl who called him an idiot while saving his life.
"Lilith," Chase said, his voice dropping into a tone that made her hand freeze. "We need to talk about the contract."
"Oh? Wanting a raise already?" she teased, though her red eyes narrowed.
"The contract is over," Chase said firmly, turning to look her in the eye. "I'm resigning as your strategist. And our... arrangement regarding the Essence exchange is finished."
Lilith let out a sharp, cold laugh. "You think it's that easy? You're a battery for my corporate standing, Chase. Without my access to your power, my rivals in the coven will move on me within the week. You can't just walk away."
"I'm not leaving you defenseless," Chase countered. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small, intricate device of silver and glass—an Essence Condenser. "I will supply you with Essence orbs. I'll fill them by siphoning my blood into this tool. They will provide the same raw power for your rituals, but there will be no more physical sessions. No more 'Alpha' games."
Lilith stared at the device, then back at him. Her face twisted with a mix of fury and realization. "It's her, isn't it? That little scout. You've let a low-tier demon crawl under your skin."
"It's not about tiers, Lilith. It's about the fact that I'm done pretending I belong to you," Chase said. He felt a massive weight lift off his chest. The "Warrior" didn't feel diminished by the choice; it felt settled. "I'll escort you to this Summit as a friend and an ally. But when the sun comes up, our professional relationship ends."
Lilith sat back, her tail lashing against the leather seat. For a moment, Chase thought she might strike him. Instead, she took the silver condenser with a trembling hand.
"You're a fool, Chase Vance," she whispered, her voice thick with wounded pride. "You're choosing a spark over a wildfire. But fine. If you want to play 'human' with your little friends, I won't stop you. But don't come crawling back when the world starts to burn."
"I won't have to," Chase said, looking back at the road. "I have my own line to hold now."
As the limo pulled up to the grand, hidden entrance of the Summit, Chase adjusted his cuffs. He was walking into a room full of the world's most dangerous immortals, but for the first time in five hundred years, he knew exactly who he was fighting for.