My Vampire Harem Will Dominate Everything

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

The rhythmic sounds of Ezra's tapping was the only sound in the dining room. The cloned phone sat in front of him like it was a ticking bomb, primed to blow at any moment.

"What the fuck is she still doing?" Red muttered, glancing at the holographic clock that hovered against the wall.

"Give it time." Olivia said. "She'll be here."

As if on cue, Ezra entered the dining room, a mouth covering her wide yawn. "What's important enough to interrupt my nap?" She muttered, stretching slightly as she walked to her seat.

"We have the first game." Olivia announced.

"Really?" All traces of sleep on Gen's face disappeared, replaced with excitement. "What is it? Fight a hundred of his horde? Steal Count Solomon's prized underwear?"

"Eew." Red made a face. "Sometimes, I wonder what goes on inside your head but now, I don't even want to know."

"We have to get Ivo and Armand to the seventh Itachi restaurant at midnight in a week's time."

"Oh." Gen muttered. "That's... stupid." She paused. "And easy."

"Easy?" Red scoffed, skeptical.

"Of course." Gen leaned back in her chair in confidence. "Just catfish them. Those idiots have been sharing a woman for a long time. I bet you the progenitor's left nut that they want women of their own."

"They're vampires." Red shook her head. "Getting a woman is as easy as a snap for them."

"Human women? Yes. Vampire women? No one wants Yuri knocking on their door for a friendly warning."

"That's... a good point."

"That's enough." Ezra's voice rang out, silencing the discussion. The women stared at him, waiting. Ezra stared at the phone on the table, organizing his thoughts.

His expression was serious as he leaned forward, breaking the silence that had settled over them.

"We have a decision to make." He began, placing his elbows on the table and lacing his fingers together. "The Necromancer's first game has us at a crossroads. If we participate, we're putting not just ourselves but Ivo and Armand in potential danger. Worse, if something happens to them and Yuri connects it to us, we're cooked."

Red folded her arms, frowning. "Letting anything happen to Ivo and Armand could jeopardize everything we've built with Yuri. She trusts them, uses them as her eyes and ears. If they disappear and she gets wind that we had a hand in it, she might think we're plotting against her."

"And let's not forget we're trapped in here. The moment she cuts us off, everyone in the city will descend on us like vultures on carrion. Including Yuri herself."

Ezra nodded, acknowledging her point. "That's exactly what I'm worried about. Yuri won't take kindly to having her husbands dragged into this. It could destabilize our... peace."

"But letting twenty percent of our slush fund disappear isn't exactly an ideal option either." Gen pointed out as she leaned back in her chair, her brow furrowed in thought. "Losing that much money is a serious blow. And what if the next game is even worse? We could be putting ourselves in an even more precarious position."

Ezra remembered that the Necromancer had said the same thing. He quietly listened, wanting to know their take on the issue.

Olivia, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke up, her tone measured and thoughtful. "We need to weigh both the immediate risks and the long-term consequences. We can't afford to act rashly, but we also can't afford to ignore the Necromancer's game entirely. What if we find a middle ground?"

Ezra glanced at Olivia, intrigued. "Go on."

Olivia leaned forward slightly, her eyes narrowing in focus. "Just like we talked about, we could participate partially. Instead of sending Ivo and Armand, we substitute them with someone else. Someone who can fulfill the Necromancer's conditions without exposing them directly. That way, we play along just enough to see what happens next.

Of course, we can't fool him but we can play by the letter of the game, not the spirit."

A thoughtful silence settled over the room as they considered Olivia's suggestion. The idea had merit. It allowed them to test the Necromancer's intentions without fully committing to a task with potentially dangerous consequences.

Ezra broke the silence, his voice resolute. "We'll go with that plan. Instead of sending Ivo and Armand, Gen and I will go to the restaurant. We'll use our chameleons and go as Ivo and Armand. We'll see how the Necromancer reacts and use that to gauge our next steps."

Gen raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on her lips. "So, we're going to play his game, but on our terms. I like it."

Red still looked concerned but nodded in agreement. "It's risky, but it's better than sending Ivo and Armand over to him. We'll need to be careful, though. What if the Necromancer tries to use this opportunity to attack Ezra?"

"We'll be prepared." Ezra assured her. "Olivia and you will be nearby, monitoring the situation from a distance, ready to intervene if necessary. This way, we maintain control over the situation."

"Alright." Olivia nodded. "We've got roughly," she glanced at the clock, "six days to prepare. Let's get started."

With the plan set, the Matten coven discussed the final preparations. Ezra and Gen would take on the roles intended for Ivo and Armand, heading to the restaurant at the specified time.

Red and Olivia would be very close, watching for any signs of trouble and ready to step in if things went awry.

As the discussion wrapped up, the group began to disperse, each member heading off to prepare for their respective roles.

Ezra lingered for a moment, his gaze fixed on the phone that still sat on the table. The Necromancer had set the stage, but they were determined to control the narrative.

"Why games, Necromancer?" Ezra murmured to himself, his mind working on the question. "Why not use the slush fund to isolate me? Why not call me out alone or something? Why not use the money directly?"

His eyes narrowed. "Unless..." The idea struck him. What if the Necromancer doesn't actually have the money?