Chapter 60: Chapter 60

× New York ×

Busy streets. Loud noises. Headache-inducing traffic. Dark skies. Smog all over. People everywhere. Some didn't even bother to wear face coverings. Just going about their day like nothing happened. The rush hour crowd already teemed the streets this early in the morning, reminding him of why he never liked New York.

Los Angeles was also populated but at least he could breathe better there. Jenson scowled and kept his mask on as he walked into the empty restaurant.

High ceiling. Covered windows. Gilded furniture. In the public dining area, wooden chairs remained upside down on the tables. The place didn't open until nine. But since he'd called in advance to book a reservation, the guard welcomed him in with a quick bow after checking his ID. "Good morning, Mr. Ross. Welcome."

"Morning. Thanks." Jenson walked straight into the private dining room, where he would be waiting for someone who may or may not show up today. He had no more time to waste playing hide-and-seek. He'd rather test the odds than have Magnus blackmail him again.

Mykaela was probably done with her shift at the hospital. Hopefully she would show up.

After shutting the doors to get utmost privacy, Jenson sat by the table, alone and waiting for his phone to ring. He checked his schedule again. A few days in this city was all the free time he had this week. Two nights max. Then back to work.

He just had to talk to Mykaela, then call his uncle to inform him how it went. Maybe he could also ask Mykaela about Jessi.

"I'm fine. Mom and Dad, too. If something comes up, I'll let you know. Take care." It was Jessiah's last message before she just went off-the-grid.

No texts. No call-backs. No email replies. She even blocked his numbers and email address, then deleted her account and stopped using her phone number before his hacker friend could trace her exact location.

Her actions clearly said "don't ever bother me again"...  But maybe there was more to her disappearing act?

The last time he heard from her was months ago. He worried about it most days, but he also understood that she wanted a different life now—a quiet, safer life away from him, LA, and his complicated family.

The shrill noise of his ringtone snapped him out of his thoughts. Jenson frowned at Darren's name on the screen but took the call anyway. "Yeah?"

"How's the Big Apple, birthday boy?" Darren asked, sounding animated as usual.

"Same old. What's up?"

"That TV interview's this Tuesday. You gonna be here by tomorrow night?"

"Don't know yet. I'll text you." Jenson massaged his aching forehead, jet lagged and sleep-deprived. "When's the last time you talked to Jessiah?"

"Like, three weeks ago. Why? Texted her on her birthday. She called me, after I asked if she's still staying with her mom and dad."

"And?"

"They're okay," Darren replied. "Jess said she's busy looking for a new job. Not sure where exactly in Minnesota."

"Is she seeing someone?"

"Why? What would you do if I say yes?" Darren's tone turned cheeky now.

Instead of indulging the guy's teasing, Jenson sighed and got up from his seat. "Call her again. Or just text her. See if she's still using the same number."

"I knew it. She broke up with you before leaving Cali, huh?"

"What?" Jenson scoffed. Broke up? He and Jessiah never became a couple. Or at least to his understanding, they never reached that status.

Calling it a breakup would be a stretch.

"Just tell me if she calls or texts you back."

"Fine. Whatever gets you through the night." Darren snickered. "Don't keep your hopes up, though. It's been months."

"Just check up on her." Jenson frowned. Lately, his anxious brain just kept imagining that something bad might've happened. A strong gut feeling brewing inside of him just left him overthinking most nights.

Hopefully she was perfectly healthy, and frequently taking the wolfsbane meds he gave her.

"Where's Mykaela? She finally agreed?" Darren asked after seconds of silence.

"If she doesn't show up this morning, I'll call her again."

"Did you bring some heat? I bet she's gonna be surrounded by bodyguards. Her fiancé's prolly getting paranoid, too."

"I don't care. I just wanna talk to her about Belgrade. Then I'm outta here." Jenson sighed. He didn't bother to bring a gun; he just wanted to get it over with so Magnus could finally get the money he wanted.

Then Magnus would be too busy with his new business venture, making more millions to sustain his jet-setting lifestyle. Too busy to pester him about Mykaela, Ilya, and Charm.

"Call Jessiah. Then tell me if she picks up."

"Yeah, yeah," Darren sighed over the phone. "Later."

×

× 8:36AM ×

Five brawny bodyguards. Plus her tall and fit fiancé escorting her into the room. A chocolate cake with lit candles...

For him? Jenson stared at the small cake.

The slim and tall woman's straight hair looked darker and longer than in the pictures, and a white respirator mask covered half of her face, but he was sure it was Mykaela. Or "Kel" to her friends and family.

Jenson put on a smile for his guests, not at all expecting the gesture.

She'd never been rude during their phone conversations, but he didn't expect she would bother to bring him cake today. Especially not with how her fiancé looked at him right now, watching his every move from the other side of the table, the guy's pale blue eyes scrutinizing his overall appearance.

"Morning," Jenson muttered as he stayed seated. His logic and anxious thoughts told him the cake wasn't out of friendliness, though. Only after days of digging up dirt on him would they have known his exact age and birthday.

A tall glass divider kept them apart, allowing them a break from wearing masks. Thick and seemingly soundproof walls enclosed the private dining room, but it was air-conditioned and spacious enough with a high ceiling. Complete privacy without sacrificing their comfort.

"Morning, and happy birthday," Kel replied after one of the suit-clad bodyguards placed the cake on his side of the table. She sat at the other side of the long table with Lorenzio, her fiancé. The poker-faced guy sat next to her while holding her hand.

"You didn't have to, but thanks." Jenson ignored the bodyguards standing near the door. Clearly they weren't going anywhere until the meeting was over. "Appreciate it."

"Prego," Lorenzio replied after hastily taking off his mask. "Ma non possiamo stare molto." [You're welcome.  But we can’t stay long.]

Right. The guy also knew he was born and raised in Italy. "Sì. Certo." [Yeah. Of course.]

"Allora?" [So?]

Jenson turned to the younger woman. "This won't take long. You guys want a slice?" He kept up a friendly smile for her and Lorenzio, her wary significant other who looked like he wasn't going to leave her side unless something cataclysmic physically separated them.

"She doesn't like chocolate," the guy replied with a faint accent and a faint shake of his head.

"Okay. Cool." Jenson nodded. "Thanks again, Kel."

"Don't mention it." Mykaela eyed him with a squint. Her eye color looked exactly the same as Magnus' pair. "What's your blood type?"

Jenson stared back at her. Why ask about his blood type? "Rare."

"How rare?" She tilted her head, crossed her slender arms, and placed them on the dining table. Her long-sleeved dress looked as dark as her hair, while Enzo's button-up matched the pallid color of her nail polish.

Her questions piqued his interest. Jenson stayed speechless.

But perhaps she was just trying to make conversation before they talked things over.

"Extremely."

"AB? Or B?"

"AB negative with a dash of Lykan."

"I see." Mykaela nodded her head weakly. She didn't bat an eyelash or laugh at his reply. "You look more Italian than Enzo," she then commented with a giggle. They already knew a lot about his life, from the looks of it. Was she only asking these questions to see if he would lie to her face?

"You look like your brothers. Hair, eyes, height, build..."

"Half-brothers," she corrected without averting her gaze. "How's Magnus doing?"

"Busy scrounging for investors."

"Really? What for?"

Why did she want to know?

Jenson pressed his lips together and took a moment to decide. Well, she'd find out soon, anyway. Better just be upfront with her now. "Vaccine research and development."

"Oh." Mykaela nodded as she carefully reclined in her seat. She hadn't taken her mask off, unlike him and Lorenzio. "Strictly for humans only? Or..." Her dark brows creased.

"Not sure. You're gonna have to ask him if you want details. I'm no good with medical terms."

"What's your ability? Or, abilities...since your DNA's mostly human. Right?"

"The usual." Jenson took a deep breath and assessed the stale air in the room.

Someone besides Mykaela had vamp blood in them. Not Lorenzio—he smelled too human. So, one of the bodyguards.

"Just hyperosmia and hyperacusis? What about the osteoarthritis?"

"Yeah. Like I said, the usual defects."

"Is it true?" Kel leaned closer to the glass divider, her soft voice still muffled by her mask. "That your father used to be a hitman for Ilya?"

"Maybe." Jenson glanced at the bodyguards. All physically fit and didn't look older than 30. Most likely carrying loaded guns. But he didn't really feel threatened. "I don't recall much. Ask Magnus."

"After your dad died, Magnus took you and your mom to California? Correct?"

"Yeah. Rest is history," Jenson muttered with a grin as Lorenzio kept his watchful eyes on him, not even blinking, as though gauging his candor.

"Why acting? Really liked the latest season, by the way. Better than the second," Kel praised in a more cheerful voice. She was soft-spoken.

Like Jessiah. "Why Hollywood? I dunno..." Jenson faked a quick laugh. "Magnus said it would pay nicely in the long run." He shrugged casually.

"Sorry. I just need some more answers." Kel scratched her pale forehead before leaning forward to get closer to the transparent glass. "So, if his mother has Lykan blood and Ilya is a pureblood vamp, then Magnus is a hybrid? Which means, he's also mostly immune to human diseases, like Ilya?"

"Practically. Yeah."

"Really."

"And he's got SPS, like Ilya, and has visions. That kinda thing. Magnus gets them more often, though." Jenson leaned forward to get a better look at her eyes, watching the curiosity in them turn into surprise. "You have some of those, too?"

"How'd you know?" Mykaela murmured.

"It's in the genes."

"But I don't have porphyria, and I don't need other people's blood."

"Thank your mom for that." Jenson put on another smile. "You're not a pureblood."

"So, wait. Does Magnus or his brothers have porphyria? Like Ilya?"

"Magnus doesn't, far as I know." Jenson cleared his throat. "Being a hybrid has its perks. At least for him."

"Oh. So he's the only hybrid in their family?"

"Yeah. Ilya married Zasha after Magnus' mother died. Zasha's family are purebloods, too."

"Interesting..." Kel squinted at him again. "In other words, to an extent, he can control his vampirism and lycanthropy? I mean, control it better than others, I assume."

"Yeah. I guess." Jenson shrugged.

"And Magnus and Ilya kept butting heads 'cause...he's not the favorite son?"

"Ilya wants Alex to take his place. Not Magnus."

"Alex, as in Ilya's second son."

"Yeah. Alex is a chemist." He glanced at Lorenzio who was still sitting too close to Mykaela, their arms touching.

Their conversation seemed to grip his attention, too. Lorenzio clasped her hand on the dining table, but the guy didn't seem fazed or dumbfounded. Just too quiet. Simply listening and observing.

Either the guy thought they were weaving elaborate jokes about her paternal family, or it wasn't the first time Lorenzio heard about vampirars, werewolf bloodlines, and hybrids.

Jenson put his money on the latter. "Look, Kel. I know you're busy with your trainings and your long hours at the hospital, but, Magnus would really appreciate it if you could see Ilya one last time." He stared at her, the look in her eyes now showing some unease. "He's dying. He really wants to see you."

"Why?"

Jenson sighed and leaned closer to look her in the eyes again. "Ilya just wants to talk to you."

"He could just call me again."

"It's about the money and properties he wrote in his will."

Instead of posing another question, Mykaela sat back and glanced away, then sighed loudly at his explanation.

"For your inheritance." Jenson stayed still when she kept staring blankly at the dining table. "Just a day or two would do."

"Does it look like she needs money?" Lorenzio scowled at him while clasping Kel's hand that showed off a big and shiny diamond engagement ring.

"No." Jenson faked another smile. "I didn't mean—"

"Don't show up outside my house again with a weapon. Alright? I can't guarantee my guys won't shoot you dead next time."

"Enzo..." Mykaela glanced at her fiancé, as if telling the guy to back off and be nice.

"Yeah. Cool." Jenson nodded. "That'd be the first and last time. Apologies."

"What gives?" She shrugged and stared back at him, her tone curious again. "For 25 years, he never cared to ask or see how I was doing. Why even include me in his will? Deathbed guilt?"

"I'd tell you if I knew all the answers."

"You don't?" Lorenzio tilted his stubbled chin and matched his stare.

"I'm just the errand boy, to be honest. I don't have any reason to lie to you."

A lengthy and tense silence filled the room while Mykaela seemed to seriously consider Ilya's long-planned invitation for her. "Fine..." Kel sighed after pulling her hand out of Lorenzio's grip.

"Fine?" Jenson made a face. "You sure?"

"I'll talk to him, if it means they'll finally leave me alone and make sure I will have absolutely no involvement with their crimes."

"Of course." He gave her a nod. Of course, she worried that her name would be dragged into Ilya's run-ins with the law if ever the biggest shit hits the fan. "Magnus will make sure you'll stay off the radar. You and your family won't be investigated if ever, y'know..."

"I'm seriously counting on it."

"She's not going to Belgrade alone with him," Lorenzio chimed in with a frown that wrinkled his thick brows. "When does Magnus want to meet up?"

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