Chapter 348 - The Moonshadow Trading Company Short Stories: 4 - The Dominant (III) (1/2)

Ishta almost walked out of the hall when the Moonshadow party arrived. They immediately captured everyone's attention. There was just something about them. Not just their beauty, but it was like there was this aura around them that drew everyone in. And draw them it did, like bees to pollen.

Rassa Moonshadow must have been the biggest and best flower around, because everyone within the immediate vicinity gravitated towards him in particular. Ishta found it almost comical as they tripped over themselves to get his attention, only to remember that it'd been him in that position not so long ago.

The two women at his back, Iah and Ebony Moonshadow, diverted some of the parties away from Rassa, Mathius Silvermoon taking those who approached from behind. It was like they'd prepared in advance as they spread through the room, talking animatedly with the other guests and networking like they'd been in business for decades rather than just a few years. They achieved quite a lot through the short half hour before they were due to go into the grand performance hall.

Unable to help himself, Ishta sent a messenger after Rassa, and Rassa appeared in Ishta's private box moments later, unaccompanied by his entourage.

”Ishta, a p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e,” Rassa greeted, ”Thank you for the invite”.

”I figured you were in enough pain to wear such grand attire, you need not mix with the peasants as well,” stated Ishta.

Rassa raised an eyebrow as he sat down, ”You should have invited the others up, they network far better and more often than I ever will”.

”Admitting your faults?” asked Ishta.

”Sometimes, knowing more about yourself is the best way to improve,” stated Rassa.

”I've always found businessman to be the type to hide their faults awfully well,” said Ishta.

”Well, I am still new, Ishta,” stated Rassa.

”Yes, you are,” Ishta replied.

The performance below began and they watched in silence for a few minutes before Ishta spoke, ”So, I have an area in mind for receiving your gift that can be ready in a few days,” stated Ishta.

Rassa glanced at him before turning back to the stage, ”Just send a messenger with the time and place, I'll bring the contracts, shall I?”

”Please do, along with a list of your products,” stated Ishta.

”I'm sure you've already got one of those,” stated Rassa, ”You probably already have your 10,000 or equivalent charms picked out”.

”I was just curious as to whether there would be any new products any time soon,” stated Ishta.

”I think it should be prudent to expand first, then we shall put more thought into new products,” Rassa admitted.

”The Runes are curious things, makes me wonder how you even came up with them,” stated Ishta.

”You and just about everyone else,” Rassa replied, ”But I am no closer to revealing that secret outside of my warehouses than I was when I began”.

”Oh?” asked Ishta, ”So do you plan to take the secret to your grave?”

Rassa smiled, ”No. Those intelligent enough will figure it out. But they'll only be able to carve those they have seen before. I am quite confident that I am the only one who can carve new runes”.

”How insightful,” stated Ishta, ”I suppose it is a good thing that I enter into this arrangement then”.

”You certainly aren't incurring a loss, Ishta,” stated Rassa.

Ishta couldn't help but give a quiet chuckle, ”I should hope not”.

***

Ebony huffed as she crossed her arms over her c.h.e.s.t, leaning back in her seat as the performance was ongoing. Still, her eyes were trained on the private viewing box to the side of the stage where Rassa sat beside Ishta Alamone. Their enemy. The man who'd had them hunted down and attempted to kill them, not to mention pulled just about every dirty trick in the book to take down Moonshadow.

”I don't like it”.

Iah glanced away from the performance towards the box, then patted Ebony's knee gently as she whispered, ”Sit up straighter, you look like a petulant child”.

Ebony gave a small side glare before doing as told, resuming the posture of a young woman, ”You can't say that you don't like it”.

”No, I don't. But he hasn't steered us wrong before,” Iah replied.

Ebony sighed bitterly before she turned to Mathius on her other side, ”Tell me you at least see this is nothing more than a farce too”.

Mathius glanced at the box as Iah had done, then to Ebony, ”I think it is a mistake to trust Ishta yes, but I cannot deny his business assets”.

”Yes,” Ebony replied, ”His assets. The Mines. Perhaps some of his Southern connections. All of which we could just as easily take”.

Iah wacked Ebony's knee hard enough for her to flinch, and a few of those nearby turned to look over. The three lapsed into a stony silence as their eyes diverted to the play. After a moment, when curious eyes turned back, Ebony turned her head to glare at Iah.

”What was that for?”

”You're being an idiot,” said Iah.

”What? It's a valid point, I can't help but question why we don't take things more often,” said Ebony, ”We should not be held within the confines of Order. He taught us that”.

”He also taught us to carefully weigh the consequences of our actions,” snapped Iah, ”Exactly what do you see happening if we were to 'take' Ishta's assets as you say? Do you think everyone will just roll over and let us? That they won't question it? We're already a business growing at unprecedented rates, we don't need the extra attention that will come with taking what we want in obvious ways. Besides that, who is it that rules the Southern Continent by far?”

Ebony pursed her lips in thought as she turned back to the performance.

Mathius sighed, ”He is still Rassa Moonshadow. He should not have to wait for what he d.e.s.i.r.es”.

Iah and Ebony both turned to Mathius, protest dying on their lips as they weighed his statement. After all, they both felt the same dedication to him.

Iah sighed, ”We will do as our Sire commands. He is doing what is best for us all”.

The three lapsed into silence once more, turning their attention back to the performance.

***

Rassa retracted his fangs from the supple neck of the young woman who'd thought to corner him and licked along her wound to close it. Her eyes were dazed from when Rassa had first used his allure on her, and now he held her chin to face him again.

”You were feeling unwell and went to the bathroom. You did not see nor hear me”.

Rassa stepped back and the woman walked past him in that daze, disappearing around the far corner that led to the bathroom.

Rassa sighed, ”What is it, Mathius?”

Mathius stepped from the shadows to the side, ”Forgive me, Mr Moonshadow”.

”A meal is a meal, Mathius, there are few I can enjoy uninterrupted,” said Rassa, ”Something is bothering you”.

”It is bothering all of us, Sir,” Mathius replied, ”We just do not understand the benefit of partnering with a man like Ishta Alamone when you could take what you d.e.s.i.r.e so easily”.

Rassa turned to look at Mathius, his eyes revealing nothing as he looked at the young Vampire on the verge of becoming unsealed, ”You've shown great loyalty, Mathius. Even when leadership of Moonshadow changed with my return, and when you were turned, and of course let us not forget your work in Barday. Loyalty is something I value, not just as a businessman, but as the head of a burgeoning Coven”.

Mathius remained silent as Rassa stepped forward, placing a hand on Mathius' shoulder, ”Your loyalty is valued, but when you question me so, I can't help but think that loyalty is conditional”.

Mathius' eyes widened in surprise as he turned to look at Rassa.

”Never, Mr Moonshadow,” Mathius insisted.

Rassa raised an eyebrow, ”I hope not”.

Then Rassa moved away, back towards the theatre. Mathius stood for a moment in surprise. He had not felt such an aura from Rassa in a long time. The aura of something that could swallow him whole without a second thought.

Mathius released a breath and turned away as he thought about Rassa's words. Only, Rassa had never answered his question. Why not? Rassa always answered his questions. He answered every question. But now…

Could it be that Rassa himself was unsure of the answer?

Mathius frowned. In such a situation, being unsure was not the best course of action. It could jeopardise them all. Mathius gritted his teeth in indecision before he stood tall and resolute.

If their leader was unsure, it was the job of those below him to push him towards the right path. To a firmer path.

***

”Sel”.

The communication charm in Rassa's hand glowed for seconds before there was a response.

”Master”.