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A New World Order (BB x NB AU) - Chapter 1

Author’s Note: Hello! I have updated both the prologue and this chapter to reflect the changes to the story I’ve decided to make. The biggest difference is Isabel (my BB mc) IS a vampire because this is now set after book 3. This also makes some changes to the canon epilogue because the secret about vampires is still going to come out involuntarily instead of by choice. Also both Jax and Lily are still alive and will be present in future chapters and Isabel isn’t married or living with Adrian yet (that will be after the events of this series are done).

Also, for the first few chapters (including the prologue) I’ll be posting them both on here and on my main blog @adrianadmirer . But, eventually, I’ll only be posting them on here so if you’re following me there and not on here and want to stay updated, be sure to do so!

I’m still working on chapter 2 but I hope to finish it some time in the near future. I just want this all to be good quality so, it won’t always be quick releases between chapters. I will be writing one-shots of Bloodbound and other fanfic on my main blog so, you can read those when I post them in the meantime.

Characters: Isabel Martinez (BB MC), Adrian Raines, Kamilah Sayeed, Phoebe Laskaris, Cal Lowell, Zelenia Laskaris (NB MC), Nik Ryder (briefly)

Rating: PG-13

Summary: When the Order of Dawn rises from the shadows once more, it lifts the veil of secrecy that’s protected the vampires in New York and puts them and humans in danger.

@endlesshero1122 , @kinda-iconic , @lovemychoices , @desiree-0816 , @bloodboundismylife , @embarrassingsmartphonegame , @voseho , @something-in-red , @mrsmatsuo , @galaxyside-0 , @jlpplays1 , @brightpinkpeppercorn , @tabithacarlisle , @shelley-parah , @ladykateofhousebeaumont , @ella-raines , @furiouscloddonutpeanut , @itlivesinpixelberry , @fluffy-cat-whisper , @strangelycami , @heatherfilliez , @edgaluten , @parrotdrama

Manhattan, New York, USA

Watching the still darkened streets of the city through the windows of her new apartment, Isabel smiled as she sipped her scalding cup of coffee. It was a necessity for waking up at this early in the morning despite being a vampire and needing less sleep in general. This was one of many changes that came with her recent promotion to VP of Operations and even though she already had a week under her belt, her nerves still threatened to drown her. Ever since Adrian first broke the news that she had been chosen by the board, she still had doubts about her abilities.

She had been with the company barely over a year now and at almost 24 she was still the youngest executive at Raines’ Corps. But, somehow six out of nine old mostly white men thought her limited experience was better than the three other candidates in the running. Adrian in fact had nothing to do with the process expect signing off the board’s choice.

Letting out a sigh, the sound of her phone going off pulled herself out of her head the self-critical thoughts that clouded it.

A crease formed between her brows as her gaze latched onto the shiny new device on the kitchen counter. She set her coffee mug on the table and picked it up, frowning as a sense of foreboding coiled in her veins when a video popped up all by itself.

Had her phone been hacked?

The dread grew as she remembered the last time this had occurred. It had been awhile but, being a Bloodkeeper meant being unable to forget much. Back then, it had brought death and destruction. Swallowing, Isabel tapped on the small white triangle and after a minute of loading, it began to play.

At first, the screen was staticky like from the old TV her parents still kept in the attic. The black and white dots cleared to reveal grainy security footage that made a chill run up her spine. The familiar pink and red surroundings of Serafine’s club were easily discernible. Isabel’s eyes widened in horror as her intuition worked its magic. That night in Paris soon after Gaius’s return.

“No.”

Much to her dismay, the familiar images of the raid from months earlier appeared. First, the empty VIP room that they had just vacated. Then the Order of the Dawn stormed in and Jax and Seraphine running inside, the first of their group to do so. Isabel then saw Adrian run in before she followed a minute later.

She already knew what came next but, she couldn’t make the video stop no matter how hard she tried. She was forced to watch his chilling massacre of the Order soldiers, ripping their hearts out one by one and her desperate pleas for him to stop. The video continued until the footage finally cut right before she had gotten through to Adrian.

Isabel barely had time to process the footage when the much clearer image of an older brunette woman appeared. A loud gasp sounded as she recognized her as Derek’s aunt. His family had always given off a strange vibe, being oddly secretive and around all the time. Then, her gaze homed in on the tiny gold pin engraved with the Order’s emblem fastened to one of the white lapels.

Her mouth went dry and she almost dropped her phone as she realized that the two were connected and that they were back.

"Good morning my fellow Americans. I am Phoebe Laskaris,” the woman stated, her voice as hard as steel. “You know me as President of Laskaris Industries, the proud leader in the safe and reliable source of fossil fuel energy around the world."

Isabel’s impression of her hadn't changed since the last time they had seen each other. She was too pristine and a bit abrasive and had always made her feel like she wasn't good enough for Derek's highbrow family. Both she and his father had even blamed her for his abuse of her. Only Phoebe's daughter, who Isabel had befriended during their relationship expressed any concern for her until she abruptly stopped talking to her.

The plastered on smile disappeared on the woman's face and her expression hardened.

"But, today I come to you as the co-leader with my brother Alaric of a different organization--The Order of the Dawn. We are a society that is dedicated to the protection of the public from the darkness that has lived among us since the Mayflower landed at Plymouth rock. It is time that you become enlightened aware of the truth that our government is trying to hide. The occult, monsters of the night including vampires are real and every bit as cruel and ruthless as the legends have stated. They have even climbed to the top of our society to bend us to their will in secret. You have just seen the video of what these wretched creatures have committed against our people. Since ancient times they have gotten away with murder and bloodshed. But, their reign of terror ends now. Because the Order of the Dawn is here to stop it--to keep you safe. We just need your support. Together, we can take our country and the world back. This is only the beginning, there will be more to come so that you will know the truth once and for all. Goodbye for now, and may there be peace and order soon."

Isabel sat there paralyzed as the screen cut to black, immediately understanding what this all meant. The Order had come back stronger than before with a plan to eradicate all vampires, and Derek’s family including his own father and aunt were leading the charge. She wondered why she hadn’t run into any of them during the raid in Mydiea but quickly dismissed it since it didn’t matter.

What did was that her past was threatening what she had now, the best thing that had ever happened to her. Her worst fears were coming true.

Running over to the living room where the TV was, Isabel fumbled with the remote and switching through the news channels, they all showed the video with panicked headlines about vampires overtaking New York City. She felt herself become slightly nauseous with anxiety as the remote clattered to the ground.

The one thing that had guaranteed their safety for decades had in fifteen minutes been ripped away.

It seemed that everyone got the video at the same time and the news would make sure that those who didn’t saw its contents. She hastily turned off the TV and dashed into her bedroom to get ready. She had to be there immediately now that they suddenly had a dangerous crisis on their hands. Isabel threw on the first outfit that came to mind and headed into the bathroom.

She brushed her teeth and ran a hairbrush through her thick mane just enough to get the tangles out before throwing it into a bun. It was just enough to be presentable. She didn’t even bother putting on any makeup, tossing the products into a small bag instead to take with her for if she needed it later. Right now, it only kept her from being where she wanted and needed to be.

Taking one brief look in the mirror, she sighed. Her suit and blouse were still covered in wrinkles and her face and hair made her look as distressed as she felt. But, this would have to do for now. Slipping on her shoes, she grabbed her things and rushed out the door. A minute later she was in the elevator.

While it made it’s way down, she sent a quick text to Adrian letting him know that she was on her way. As soon as it reached the lobby she dashed out and exited the building.

She swallowed, her stomach tightening as she saw the crowds of people swarming the streets, panicked shouts and screams filling the air. Chaos and fear had already begun to set in and she felt painful anguish for the city she had become completely enamored with. It had already gone through so much when it was destroyed by Gaius while his humanity was still shut off. Now, it was having to go through yet another upheaval that threatened to be even worse.

Passing through Times Square, she stopped suddenly, her face frozen in sickening shock.

The Order had hacked into every billboard, Adrian’s annihilation of their soldiers and Phoebe’s chilling message on full display on the large screens in an endless loop. Her already increased heartbeat now skyrocketed as anger and panic surged through her. She increased her pace to a full sprint, but was careful not to go inhumanely fast.

Eventually, when she finally saw the silver skyscraper within view, she was hit with a swarm of reporters. Slowing down, she pursed her lips. Patience was never something she had much of, especially when she was in a hurry.

“Ms. Martinez, did you know about this?” one of them asked her, sticking the microphone in her face. “Do you still have confidence in Mr. Raines?”

Isabel plastered on her best smile as she took a step back. “I have no comment at this time.”

She thanked God her parents made her take speech and debate as one of her many extracurriculars in high school. as she deftly evaded giving them a substantive answer. As she made an effort to step around the man, another recording device entered her personal space causing her annoyance to turn into full aggravation.

She bit down on her tongue as unpleasant thoughts raced through her mind for a minute.

“Is what was in the video true? Are you working for a vampire?”

Closing her eyes, she forced herself to take a deep breath. Now was not the time to let her fire out and make this worse. She would have to resort to tactics she only brought out for men who she couldn’t call out for being misogynistic in business meetings.

Turning to the gaggle of people with cameras behind her she told them in a commanding tone, “I cannot tell you anything or answer your questions right now but, I’m sure there will be an official statement sometime soon. For now, that is all I and the company will say on the matter.”

With that, she spun on her heels and weaved through the reporters and the public still trying desperately to get more out of her. But, she was able to outmaneuver them and make it into the building.

But, there was little relief and she let out a small groan. It was every bit as frenzied inside as it was out. Only a handful of the couple hundred employees had known who Adrian truly was. The rest had found out twenty minutes earlier, just like the rest of the country. Unlike her abrupt introduction, there was no gradual process or a hand to guide their way through. Instead, they were thrown into the very deep end and that meant fear and bedlam.

She ignored the bombardment of questions and exclamations from her co-workers as she made her way to the elevator. Digging into her purse, she found her key card and inserted it. The doors opened a few seconds later and she stepped inside the empty space.

As she traveled up to the executive floor, Isabel’s scattered thoughts drifted to Adrian. He had to have gotten the video at the same time as everyone else did. She knew that he wouldn’t handle this well. He already hated himself for what happened ever since that night and since then he was working tirelessly to put that darkness away for good. He even helped her overcome her own in the opera house.

This attack also put the company in jeopardy since investors and clients needed to trust him and now that was in danger of disappearing. He would take all the blame and self-punishment for the risk his employees faced. All of this meant that he was probably devastated and in need of her now more than ever.

Pulling out her phone, she became concerned when she saw that he hadn’t answered her text. Even in the most hectic times, he always made sure to respond. He was either not there or sitting in his self-destructive thoughts and both scenarios were equally troubling.

Swallowing, the doors finally reopened onto the executive level and she hopped out, her long strides allowing her to quickly reach the closed door to his office. She pounded on the door harder than what was necessary.

“Adrian? It’s me.”

Hearing no response, she pressed her ear to the ornate wood and discovered that he was in there, the muffled sounds easily audible to her acute hearing. He just didn’t want to let her inside.

It was one of the habits he had that frustrated her to no end. The times he needed people the most was when he stubbornly wanted to be by himself. But, she couldn’t let him drown in his sorrows alone and quickly decided to take matters into her own hands.

Luckily, she had recently learned a new psychic power of hers. Concentrating on the metal knob she willed it to move. Ten seconds later, she heard the lock click. Sighing with relief, she pushed the door open and stepped inside. However, she didn’t get very far, abruptly stopping just a few feet from the door frame.

Adrian sat at the giant desk, his head buried into his hands. This was the image of a man whose previous wrongdoings had all come back to haunt him at once. Hard. She had seen him at many low points since fate had brought them together. This though stood out among them as one of the worst.

Leaving her purse by the doorway, she rushed to his side in mere seconds. Hearing her light footsteps, he brought his head up to look at her. Her heart broke when she noticed the pink staining his eys and the glistening wet tears that traversed down his cheeks.

“Oh Adrian...” she murmured, engulfing him in a tight embrace.

His strong arms locked onto her torso, clinging to her in despair.

“This is my fault,” he lamented. “All of it. And now people are in danger, including everyone here. All because of me.”

“Hey.” She gently brought his face down to hers. “No, it’s not. You weren’t yourself then. And we all suspected that The Order would come back, maybe even stronger without Xenocrates.”

He shook his head adamantly. “No, it is my doing Isabel. If I...if I hadn’t lost control that day...they wouldn’t be able to use that...use me as a means of terror. And now our people all over the world are in danger. Everything we’ve worked towards...us trying to live in peace, creating a better world. It's all gone.”

The amount of pessimism in his words startled her. It didn’t take much for his idealism to wear thin these days, a permanent scar from what they went through to defeat all their enemies. But, she hadn’t seen it this low since that one conversation they had in The Order’s headquarters. She had proved him wrong then, and it looked like she would have to do the same now.

“That’s what they want us to think,” she reassured him. “But it definitely isn’t. We just have to find a way to win over the public again, be more convincing than they are.”

He blinked at her dubiously. “Fear is hard to overcome Isabel. Especially if it turns into hate, history has proven that. After everything we’ve done to each other, there may be no peace with vampires in it. Maybe...maybe we were doomed from the start, ever since the sap left that damned tree.”

His voice shook with emotion and her already knit brows moved closer together. She opened her mouth to speak but, before she could do so a familiar voice entered the space.

“Adrian, are you in here?” Kamilah asked, her commanding tone filling the room as she stepped inside.

Her appearance was unusually unkempt and her eyes were enlarged, shooting around the room before they fixed on the two of them and a hint of recognition and greeting flashed. Upon seeing her, Isabel felt the need to be a little more professional and untangled herself from Adrian’s arms. She quickly found a chair to sit in beside him instead.

“I’m assuming you’ve seen everything?” she asked.

She received a weary nod. “Unfortunately. I can’t believe they managed to get it on those billboards.”

Adrian’s eyes widened in horror. Apparently, he hadn’t realized that. “What?”

Isabel bit her lip before confirming it. “They’ve got the video playing on a loop, every single one in Times Square. I saw it on my way here.”

“That’s not all,” Kamilah said. “They’ve also just released a list with the names of every branded vampire in the country. Including everyone on The Council and our clans.”

After Rheya’s defeat, a new version of the Council was created with three new leaders and some changes to make it more democratic and egalitarian. Every vampire in the city received their protection now.

A new surge of anger coursed through Isabel as their situation went from bad to worse. “They really wanted to make sure everyone knew.” Then, a pang of guilt welled up in her as she thought back to the last few meetings. “I’m sorry I’ve been pushing so hard for you to come out in the open. If I had known that these would be the consequences...I wouldn’t have even suggested it. This should’ve never happened.”

“No, it shouldn’t have. But, don’t be sorry, you were right Isabel. I knew we couldn’t stay a secret forever, it was a matter of when not if. I didn’t think we’d be outed like this before we could do so ourselves. But what’s done is done. We can’t debrief 300 million people even if it were possible, it wouldn’t be right. All we can do now is figure out how to stop the Order and adjust to living out in the open.”

Adrian reiterated his sentiment from before Kamilah arrived. “Is that even possible? You’ve seen what they can do, especially now that they’re all mortals and the American public can be quick to hate with not a lot of rhetoric. They’re only going to get stronger and their arguments are right. We’ve done so much harm, Kamilah, it might be too late to change that now.”

His oldest friend quickly sported an incredulous expression which matched Isabel’s inner feelings.

“Do you even hear yourself? Of course, we still can, we can at least try. And we have to try. If not for our people, then for them. Humanity. Because we all know that the Order won’t hesitate to kill as many mortals as it takes for our destruction. You and Isabel are the ones who taught me that Adrian, that they’re worth fighting for. Our job should be to save them not hurt them.”

There was a pause as the weight of Kamilah’s words continued to flow through the room.

Then, Isabel nodded, standing up as tense energy flowed through her. “I agree. It’ll be extremely difficult, but it’s not impossible. Nothing is. We just have to figure out how to play their game and then beat them at it. Turn the public against them. All we have to do is tell the truth, expose who they really are.”

At this, Adrian’s expression only became more troubled. “I don’t know. There’s no way anyone will have confidence in me after this. The whole country thinks I’m nothing but a monster.”

“I don’t,” she countered immediately. “Adrian, I was in the room when that happened, mere feet from you. I’m still here, believing in you. I know I won’t be the only one. People are more understanding than we give them credit for. They just need to feel like that’s okay.”

“But I--”

She couldn’t take it anymore, her brown eyes becoming ablaze.

“Adrian Henry Raines, listen to me!” she yelled, the bluntness of it shocking him into silence. “If you don’t want to let people down, if you don’t want them to think that you’re a monster, then prove to them that you’re not. We can make a better world by being the ones to end the cycle that Rheya created. None of you have to be like her, or like Gaius or Xenocrates. They’re all dead. Take it from me, the person who came the closest to becoming her.”

Taking a deep breath, the fiery heat extinguished almost as fast as it started to burn.

With a softer tone, she continued. “I know that the majority of people can still be reached if we put in the effort. Remember that one recruit we spared in the tomb? If he could be persuaded so can they, I promise you. But, the longer we sit here and do nothing, the closer The Order gets to winning them over.”

Her demeanor softened as addressed what he had told her before Kamilah arrived. “Because you forgot about hope, Adrian. The one thing that is stronger than fear. We still have it, but we won’t for long. Unless we do something, stand up for what is right.”

Both her and Kamilah’s gazes fell on him expectantly. After a minute, resolve slowly hardened on his face as their words sunk in.

“Okay,” he told them with a nod. “Let’s fight, for them. Even if we don’t make it out ourselves.”

Isabel sighed with relief before it vanished as the gravity of their situation weighed them down once more. A sense of urgency began to flow through her once more.

Looking at the two of them, she asked, “What should our first moves be?”

Her mind began to conjure up possible remedies and tactics but, her insecurities about her work made her want to hear their opinions first.

“Well, for starters we’re definitely going to have to call an emergency Council meeting,” Kamilah told them. Then, a grimace appeared on her face. “We’ll have to talk to our own Clans too. If we are to stand a decent chance against the Order, they’ll not only have to be on the same page, but fight with us too when the time comes.”

Isabel traded an uneasy look with Adrian, both sharing her apprehension about this task. The new Clan system had tried them since it’s recreation. While the leaders were all friendly with one another having been hand-picked, the members within each continued to struggle with getting along. This new crisis would only make that worse.

Adrian expressed this sentiment out loud muttering, “I don’t like asking them to risk their lives for us, and it’ll take a lot of convincing for them to do so.”

“I know,” Kamilah sighed. “Arguing against their self-preservation has never been easy, even when there is this noble of a cause. However, it must be done. They have to join us or they’ll be in danger.”

Isabel followed along with this conversation etching the important details permanently into her memory. Until suddenly she became more than just a spectator.

“As for managing things with the public, what do you suggest Isabel?” Adrian asked her.

She looked at him with a start as it took a moment for it to register that they wanted her opinion, that this was her job now. When it did, she sat up straight as her mind worked on overdrive.

“Well, reassuring all our employees is the most important thing,” she eventually replied. “I think a company-wide meeting is one of the first things we should do. I also recommend addressing the public with some kind of statement soon before The Order can release any more propaganda. The press nearly trampled me as I was on my here. They’re anxious for answers.” Then, she came up with an ambitious idea. “In fact, I recommend that we do a full press conference.”

He carefully considered her advice. “Hmm...why’s that?”

Even though she knew that he simply wanted to hear her reasoning it still unnerved her. Luckily she already had her answer.

“Because they need to hear our side of the story unedited while their minds are still pliable. The best way to do that is to have the reporters come to us. If we do that, we control the narrative and there’s less chance of our words being misconstrued. Plus, we need to reach a large, countrywide audience and this will likely be broadcasted by both the local and national outlets.”

Kamilah nodded approvingly. “It’s bold Adrian, but that’s exactly what we need to be right now. I would have this be first and then your company meeting.”

“How come?” he questioned.

“It will calm some of their fears and make them more comfortable being in the same room as you.”

A ghost of a smile touched his lips before it flattened. “That’s what we’ll do then.” His eyes flicked back to Isabel. “But, you should be the one giving it,” he told her.

Her eyebrows rose off her forehead. “Me? But, wouldn’t they want to hear it directly from you?”

“Yes, and they will eventually. But, right now they’re scared and less likely to listen to what I have to say, to believe it. They need to be reassured first. You’re the perfect person to do that.”

It didn’t take long for her to catch on. “Because I wasn’t turned that long ago.”

“Exactly. You’re the person who can bridge the gap between us. If they see you, having confidence in me, that will go a long way.”

It made perfect sense to her immediately. Plus, PR was the department she was in charge of directly. “Okay. But before I do, I need a moment to freshen up.” She pointed to her haphazard appearance. “Right now this...does not inspire confidence.”

The comment caused Adrian's lips to twitch up in amusement. "Go ahead, you've got a key to upstairs. I'll call the other council members in the meantime."

"And I'd better check on things at Ahmenet," Kamilah said. "If I'm not back sooner, I'll be here for the meeting. Good luck Isabel."

“Thanks.”

With a final nod, the senior vampire slipped out of the office, Isabel following suit a minute afterward.

A little less than thirty minutes later, she stood in the lobby of Raines' Corps, trying not to be blinded by the flashes of cameras in her face. Outside, she herself had installed a TV monitor showing a live video where a large crowd had gathered to hear the words. It was also being broadcast on every local and national news channel. A million butterflies fluttered aggressively in her stomach as she went over what she wanted to say in her head.

Sighing, she flashed a composed smile, looking back at Adrian. He stood a few feet behind her and despite his stoic expression, she could see the anxiety behind it. Meeting her gaze, he gave her a reassuring look. Even though it wasn’t completely authentic it instantly melted her nerves away enough for her to look forward once more, ready to begin.

Clearing her throat, she stated, "Hello everyone. I'm Isabel Martinez the new Vice President of Operations for Raines' Corps. I'm here to make a brief statement on behalf of the company and Mr. Raines himself about the Order of Dawn video and then I will open things up for some questions from you. Anything that we can answer we will, we want to be as transparent with you as possible regarding what has surfaced today. That includes confirming that the video of the nightclub is real and so is the existence of vampires. This also means that it's true Mr. Raines is one of them." Closing her eyes, she felt her fang descend before she opened them again. “And so am I.”

A cacophony of gasps and shocked whispers erupted from the reporters and she could see a similar reaction from the crowd outside through the special protective windows. It took a few minutes for her to get them under control again enough to speak.

"I know that a lot of you are shocked and frightened right now. I was too when I first discovered the truth, in a similar fashion to you more than a year ago. But, as someone who has worked closely with and befriended many Vampires since then, and then become one of them, I can assure you that there is more to us than what the Order of Dawn wants you to believe. It is true that over the course of history, our kind, including Mr. Raines have done some unspeakable things to humans. But, it's because of how we were taught to behave by the first generations of vampires. Since ancient times, they espoused that humans were the enemy and that there could never be peaceful relations between us. And for a long time, it went unquestioned. Yet, for the past century, this ideology has begun to change. We have begun to realize that there is a way for both worlds to live and thrive without hurting the other. Mr. Raines was one of the first to commit to this idea and since then the amount of vampires who want to cause harm has decreased significantly. And to be honest humans don't really have a right to judge, when they’ve been an equal participant in this bloody conflict since the beginning.”

She paused, her eyes briefly flicking down to the microphone in front of her. As she thought about the Order and what they'd done across the centuries, her blood began to boil with a simmering rage.

“The truth is The Order of Dawn is no innocent victim. They may have started out with a desire to end the violence but for centuries they’ve become just as bad as vampires. I was there that night, you can see me in the video. So believe me when I tell you this: The Order is the one who started this by attacking the nightclub. They slaughtered both vampires and humans alike. They were just collateral damage to them. Adrian and the other vampires were defending themselves and the humans that were in there, including myself at that time.”

Looking back at him, she collected herself before saying, “Now, that doesn’t excuse his actions, the fact that he went overboard. He knows this and ever since that night, he’s hated himself for it. That person in the video is only a tiny part of who he is. He is still the caring man who is trying to help humanity all around the world. The person who’s helped our city recover from the attack a year ago. He wants you to be safe. A lot of them do. In fact, the very reason why this was kept from you was for your protection.”

She took a sip of water before getting to the crux of her impromptu speech. Her hands curled around the sides of the podium, leaning in towards the crowd.

"Because this is what it all boils down to,” she stated. “Both sides have been fueled by fear and self-preservation for millennia and in response, have hurt each other. It can't go on this way. Which is why we're going to do everything in our power to find a better solution, one where we can live together in peace. And that starts with getting rid of the Order because until they're gone, there will be more violence. We're not expecting you to adjust to this revelation overnight, we know that this news will take time. But, we're hoping that while you do that this doesn't discourage you from your normal routines and we'll do everything we can to help you with that. We've just brought this city back to life after the events of last year and we want to guarantee that it remains safe and thriving for years to come. That will only happen if our two kinds can learn from one another and realize that we are so much better together than we ever were apart."

As she said the last sentence she realized that everyone was completely silent, their attention squarely on them. They had listened. This meant her damage control strategy working, something that surprised her more than it should have. She also realized that because they weren't so afraid, now they would be receptive to Adrian as well. In fact, they probably needed to hear from him. He could explain the details of his world to them better than she could. This caused a daring idea to suddenly fly into her head, one that he would certainly balk at. But, her intuition told her that this risk was worth taking.

And so without his permission, she went with it.

"Now, I will let Mr. Raines answer some of your questions about vampires.” She could imagine what his expression looked like, and she felt herself begin to sweat. “Like I said at the beginning, we're not going to disclose everything today but, hopefully, we can provide you with enough information to reassure you we are nothing to be afraid of."

She stepped to the side and finally looked back at him behind her. He stared at her with widened eyes, his complexion now a few shades paler than normal.

"Look, I know I put you on the spot, but they need to hear from you. I know you can do this," she whispered reassuringly. "All you have to do is answer their questions in the same way you did for me."

After a brief hesitation, he gave her a nod and approached the podium, toying with the microphone. "Who wants to go first?"

A young man in the front raised his hand. "How long have vampires existed?"

Adrian gave him a startled look before it faded into a smile. He obviously didn't expect them to be so benign. "Good question. My kind has been around since the 8th century BCE. Here in America, since the 1700s. Next?"

"How old are you?" A petite blonde asked next before her pale skin reddened. "Oh, was that rude? I'm sorry, I'm just curious!"

At this he had to bite back a laugh, the corners of his eyes creasing. "You're not being rude, that's the first question a lot of people ask. I'm 265."

The reporter's eyes widened. "Woah, that's...pretty old."

"To you yes. But for us vampires, I'm still pretty young. I know some who are thousands of years old."

“Seriously? Wow, that’s...amazing.”

Again, this comment took him aback, and he had to pause for a moment before his smile returned. “You know what? It is, I’ll be sure to pass that onto my friends. Thanks for the question.”

Soon, he had settled into a rhythm and visibly he started to relax.

"Is it true that the sunlight harms them?"

He nodded. "Yes. However, there were a couple of really old vampires who could walk in the sun without repercussions, but they've all been killed over the years."

"Do you actually drink human blood?"

"Yes, we'll die without it. But, we don't have to kill to get it. The amount that's necessary at one time is small enough that it can easily get replenished naturally. About the same as a small blood donation. In fact, here in New York, we have rules about this."

"What are they?"

"Well, one is that we can't feed on anyone who doesn't give us permission. And you'd be surprised how many people let us. There have been some vampires who have broken these rules but, we've been able to discipline them."

An older man raised his hand next. "Does the government know about vampires?"

Isabel's breath caught. Tapping Adrian on the should he met her gaze. "You don't have to answer this one if you can't."

"I'm sure no one will mind if I do," he told her before looking at the crowd once more. "Yes," he announced. "In fact, several decades ago I and five other high profile vampires made a deal. Protection in exchange for secrecy. That's why most people haven't been informed until now. It was for the safety of everyone."

Then, the first reporter asked another question. “Gaius Augustine...the person responsible for the attack last year. Was he...one of you? A vampire?”

Adrian exchanged another look with Isabel. “What do you think? he whispered away from the mic.

She swallowed, then told him, “Tell them the truth. They...deserve to know.”

He nodded and turned back to the crowd. “Yes, he was. At first, he...wasn’t so cruel. But, he was influenced to develop a personal hatred for humans, partially from what the Order has done. While most of us are nothing like him, he tried to manipulate his progeny, myself included, into believing the same for centuries. What you saw in the video was leftover from that. But, I don’t believe that and I’ve been working hard to move past what remains of his teachings. Even Gaius, before he was killed a couple months ago in opera house incident.”

The man’s eyes widened. “Does that mean Rheya Apostolus was one too?”

“Yes. She was the first vampire, turned by the sap of a special tree thousands of years ago.”

This seemed to satisfy him. Adrian answered several more questions as the topics shifted from fearful ones to curiosity about what was fact and what was fiction. In fact, they were similar to what Isabel wanted to know when she was first catapulted into all of this. They were slowly becoming fascinated instead of frightened.

Eventually, she decided it was time to end the press conference while they were on a high note before the atmosphere could turn negative once more. She could only imagine what The Order had up their sleeve next.

Taking the helm once more she issued a closing statement. "Thank you so much for coming out and letting us tell our side of the story. I'm sure that as the days and weeks go by that we'll be able to provide more information and reassurance. We wish you didn't have to find out this way, but now that the information is out there, we hope that we can continue our mission of making a better world for everyone."

Stepping away from the podium, she stood with Adrian for a moment so that the press could get their photos before ushering them back outside.

As soon as the last of the press left the lobby, Isabel let out an audible sigh of relief. "That went better than I thought it would."

When she met Adrian's intense stare, she found it tinged with adoration. "I know. How you captured their attention, how you pacified them...it was incredible."

She felt her face become scalding hot at the comment.

Biting her lip, she responded, "It wasn't that special. I just...told them the truth, that we're nothing to be afraid of. And my delivery was definitely not perfect, I counted at least ten mistakes." She fretted frustratingly, her nerves ticking back up again. She could never go without her constant self-critique for too long. "But, still...somehow it reached them anyway."

He responded with an incredulous scoff, his gaze softening at her while it filled with even more warmth than before.

"Iz, I know you can't help it, but please don't sell yourself short," he expressed tenderly.

He knew almost as well as she did where the self-doubt stemmed from and tried not to take any of her insecurities about herself or their relationship to heart which she was grateful for.

Taking her hand in his, he continued. "I've seen no one in the nearly three hundred years of being alive who can inspire people the same way you can. Winston Churchill would be envious of you."

At this, her eyebrows rose at his praise, especially with his mention of one of history's greatest orators. "You think I'm really that good?

"I know so. Isabel, I almost gave up today...I came so...so close. More than...I ever have," he stressed, taking her hand in his. "Just like every time before, you're the reason why I didn't. Every time I've come close to the edge, you're the one who's brought me back. Because you're right, hope is stronger than fear...and your words and you're ability to bring people together is why mine is still burning. And now, you've given millions of people that gift too."

She stood there speechless for a few minutes, his remarks stunning her, despite all the times he'd made similar statements before.

When she regained the ability to think, all she could do was close the gap between them and press her lips to his. The kiss didn't have the feverish intensity they usually did, but it still left them both breathless. It was the kind that spoke of sweetness and security, a warm blanket that made Isabel feel like no matter what chaos they would go through, everything would turn out alright in the end.

"Mmm," she murmured, reluctantly pulling back and bringing them back into the real world. "Thank you, I needed that."

He gave her a fake pout. "I'm sensing a but here."

Their biggest enemy filled her head once more, and another tense exhale escaped.

"You're correct. The Order isn't going to destroy itself and we have a lot to do today, we can't celebrate this first accomplishment too much longer. Especially since we've only just begun to win them over. They're still terrified Adrian, I felt it on them even as they left. It's going to take weeks if not a few months for it to go away completely, and I'm sure whatever the Order does next will extend that timeline even longer."

"I really hate that you're right," he replied.

Her smile returned briefly. "I know, so do I. I love you."

"I love you too."

Neither one of them made a move to let go, savoring this last minute or two of tranquility that they would have for a while. Then, Isabel's phone rang and she was forced to untangle herself from him to answer it.

Fumbling with the expensive new device, she didn't even look at the Caller ID before answering.

"Hello?"

"Isabel, thank god you're not busy," a male voice she knew well said.

This caused her to gasp. "Cal, hi.”

The name made Adrian's brows rise with curiosity. It wasn't weird for him to call them since they had all befriended him a year earlier. He had done so countless times afterward. In fact, he even paid them a visit only a couple of months ago. However, the timing of this one gave them both pause. This had to be more than just to say hi.

Swallowing she asked, "You sound tense, is something wrong?"

She vaguely heard the sounds of a bar in the background. A very noisy one.

"I...uh...yes," he replied. "We got the video of you guys here in New Orleans.”

She let out a groan. “I figured as much. How are they handling it down there?”

“Not great. They released a bunch of names of the families of vamps here. Everyone is freaking out, both supernatural and not. Which means things could turn ugly at any moment and my three Nighthunter friends are the only ones who are equipped to police it all."

Isabel's high spirits took a nosedive. It was worse there than it was in New York. Way worse. Looking around, she realized they couldn’t discuss things in the open like this. Not before they had a chance to address everyone.

"Okay, stay on the line while I find somewhere more private and then I’ll put you on speaker," she told him.

“Roger that.”

She took off towards the elevators, urging a now concerned Adrian to follow. The closest place she could think of was her new office which was located halfway up the building. Frantically getting inside she smashed the button to close the doors until they shut.

"What did he--?"

She turned to him with and briefly summed up with Cal told her

The implications hit him immediately and his face hardened. "They don't have the rules against killing humans like we do. If they can't get it under control...no one will be on our side.”

"I know. Which is why we can't have any of the employees eavesdropping on us. I guarantee they won't want to be employees anymore if they do."

After what felt like an eternity, the elevator finally stopped on the thirtieth floor and they quickly walked to her office. Stepping in, she locked the door behind them and finally put the phone on speaker.

“Hey Cal, are you still there?”

“Yep.”

Then, they heard several voices in the background. But, there was less overall noise so, it was clear he had relocated as well.

“Who’s there with you?” Adrian asked after saying hello.

There was a brief pause. “Oh! Um, these are two of my Nighthunter friends. You know, the ones I’ve told you about. I told them that I knew you and they...want to talk to you. Since you are the people this cult has used to start all of this.”

“What do you need us to do? I’m assuming if your friends are hunters they don’t really trust us.”

“Correct,” a husky baritone remarked before telling them, “You better have some answers for us before this city turns into a freaking bloodbath!”

He was hushed by a bell-like voice. “Nik! We need their help and insulting them won’t help. Sorry about that, he doesn’t think of you New York vampires very highly. I, on the other hand, am reserving judgement for now.”

Isabel had stopped paying attention after the first few words, her mouth open in frozen shock. As soon as she heard the girl's voice, it triggered a wave of bittersweet memories all at once. She hadn't expected to hear it again for a long time, maybe ever.

Seeing her demeanor change, Adrian's brows furrowed. "What is it?"

"Z-zelenia? Is...that you?" she finally whispered, feeling numb from all the emotions suddenly coursing through her.

She heard a sigh on the other end. "Hey Isabel. Things have certainly changed since I last saw you.”

The exchange left Adrian speechless and there was silence on the other end as well.

"Wait, what? You two...already know each other?" Cal exclaimed.

Isabel nodded even though Adrian was the only one who could see it.

Meanwhile, she heard Zelenia exhale.

"Yeah...it's...a long story," she said.

She was right about that. Isabel had so many lingering questions about the way things ended between them, ones she couldn’t ask out loud. But, one thing was clear to her. While most of Derek’s family seemed to be involved with the Order’s new reign of terror, she felt certain that Zelenia wasn’t one of them. That she had finally rid herself of them.

Her intuition began to tug at her once more and she sensed that this was only just the beginning. That they would have to bring their two circles together and unite the vampire communities to defeat the Order and in the process, she would also get those answers she’s craved for so long.

She thought she would be angry talking to her again and while she did feel hurt she also felt relief as well. Maybe even a twinge of happiness. It was her family that was the problem, not her.

After a minute, she replied, “One that’s...apparently not finished yet.”

~*~

#playchoices #choices stories you play #bloodblound #nightbound #adrian x mc #adrian x isabel #a new world order au #adrian raines #kamilah sayeed #cal lowell #nik ryder

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anewworldorderseries · 5 years

Text

A New World Order (BB x NB Crossover AU) - Prologue

Author’s Note: It’s finally out into the world! This is definitely the biggest writing project I’ve taken on (and stayed committed to) ever so, I’m so happy that it’s successfully made its way outside of my head and into actual words. Ever since Cal’s cameo in BB2, I needed these two groups to meet and it gradually turned into this epic crossover story. We also just need more time with the Nightbound crew in general since we didn’t get a book 2. All the open ends about the creatures in New Orleans really allowed me to experiment though and go outside the parameters the canon universe has.

Get ready for epic narrative themes! I’ve managed to interconnect these two pretty well (maybe even too connected). You’ll also see a couple cameos of characters from two other books (well the modern-day vampire versions anyway) as well. I’ll also be posting these on my main blog @adrianadmirer so that more people will see it but, I created this blog just for the story since it’s such a big work.

I just hope you love this story and these characters as much as I do.

Characters: Isabel Martinez (Bloodbound MC, mentioned), Zelenia Laskaris (Nightbound MC, mentioned), Alaric Laskaris (OC), Phoebe Laskaris (OC), Derek Laskaris (OC), Rheya (The First Vampire)

Rating: PG-13 (some mentions of violence)

Summary: An old threat has risen from the ashes and is ready to use their original purpose to enact it’s new diabolical plan.

Update: Hello! Since book 3 has come and gone, it has influenced what I want to do in this story including changing some key things. First, I didn’t really like Rheya at all. Definitely more than I had planned to. Also, I like my BB mc, Isabel, as a vampire and the entire plot of book 3. So, I’ve decided to change the timeline of this to be after the end of the entire series which means Rheya is dead and won’t be in this anymore. It also means that Isabel will be a vampire from the start. I think this will be a good thing because I can focus on some of other characters and plotlines in greater detail.

However, there is one major difference from the canon ending. Jax and Lily (and the others) are very much alive. I’m going with my rewrite ending for this story (where Gaius is the sacrificial lamb).

@endlesshero1122 , @kinda-iconic , @voseho , @something-in-red , @bloodboundsstuff , @lovemychoices, @mrsmatsuo, @galaxyside-0, @jlpplays1, @brightpinkpeppercorn, @desiree-0816, @tabithacarlisle, @shelley-parah, @ladykateofhousebeaumont, @ella-raines, @furiouscloddonutpeanut, @itlivesinpixelberry, @fluffy-cat-whisper, @strangelycami, @heatherfilliez, @edgaluten, @parrotdrama

(If you see yourself tagged its because you’ve liked a lot of my Bloodbound fics and/or you liked my previous Nightbound fic)

A nondescript black Range Rover pulled up to the curb outside of Rikers Island, the impressive structure a menacing presence in the pitch black of night. Pulling to a stop, the headlights shut off as the people inside waited. Not a sound could be heard, the silence stretched on endlessly into the night.

After several minutes, a tall muscular figure finally appeared around the side of the building, breaking into a sprint towards the car once the coast seemed clear. The windows rolled down as the dark-haired young man approached.

“Get in son,” a male voice ordered, and the back door opened.

Letting out a dry laugh he climbed inside, sitting between the two already there. “Hah, maximum security my ass.”

“Shouldn’t have had to bribe you out of there in the first place,” the older man said with a sigh.

Age and height were among the only details that differentiated the two of them.

Then, the brunette woman next to them cleared her throat. “I’m assuming the guards got the money?”

“Yes, aunt Phoebe.”

She nodded approvingly before checking the time on her expensive watch. “Good. Let’s make sure that Warden Daniels and Chief Mikalsen get theirs. Then, we won’t have anyone trying to get you back.”

The SUV came to life once more, driving off into the glittering city towards their destination.

“Where are we going, Father? Home?” the young man asked, leaning against the cool window.

“Briefly, just so you can change,” he responded. “Then, you’re headed to the airport.”

His son’s eyes widened and he tilted his head upright once more. “Already? Where to? Why?”

“We finally have our new headquarters finished, somewhere they’ll never be able to find. This means soon we’ll be able to launch a renewed attack on the vampires to wipe them out for good and we’ll be one step closer to our actual goal. You know from the letters what that is.”

This news proved surprising. “So soon? But...but the death of Balthazar...the destruction of the Mydiean compound...shouldn’t it have taken years to rebuild?”

It was his aunt who responded with a scoff, a smirk tugging at her painted lips. “Of course not. We have cutting edge technology, far greater than anyone has even anticipated. We had it stored in a secret location underground in case this very thing happened. The Order isn’t just back to normal...it’s even stronger now. Practically unstoppable.”

“That still doesn’t answer my question,” he retorted. “Where are you sending me?”

His father gave him a sideways glance. “New Orleans. For a while.”

This was met with an incredulous stare. “Why there?! Aren’t the bloodsuckers much weaker there than here? Do you not believe in me anymore?”

“I thought I told you never to question me, son,” his father roared, his face turning bright red even in the dimly lit car. Exhaling, he continued at a lower volume. “That’s exactly why both of us need to be here. We need more resources, more time to bend the public to our will. Besides, we’re not just worried about vampires anymore. There are...more monster species to worry about down there. Once we thought we eliminated years ago.”

He got his desired shock from his son who sat up. “What kind of...monsters? Like...the ones you used to tell me and Zelenia about when we were kids?”

The woman nodded. “Yes. Werewolves, witches, even the pesky Fae have rebuilt Lamrian to staggering heights and reestablished their connection to the realm. For us to succeed all of them must go. Including my daughter now that she’s chosen to embrace her half-breed nature.”

There was a brief silence.

Then, the young man became animated once more. “Okay...well what about her...Isabel? You need me to kill her don’t you?”

“No Derek.” His father’s exclamation made the car interior vibrate. “You got caught, that’s why we’ve had to bribe have of the city’s officials to bust you out. We can’t afford to take that risk again, especially since we couldn’t get that protection order removed. Besides...now that she’s with them she’s too valuable now. We need her to be unharmed, at least for now. To break her, yes...cause then they’ll crumble. But, we don’t need human blood on our hands yet unless they get in our way.”

“But, I--”

“Stay away from her,” he ordered. “Or I will personally see to it that you are kicked out of The Order permanently. Understood.”

The young man simply nodded, his jaw clenched.

“Excellent. I don’t want to disinherit my only heir.” He let out a low chuckle, his foul mood from seconds earlier now gone. “Not when they’ve done our dirty work for us. Now that the First Son, our dear fraud of a leader is dead, we can move on from this self-righteous talk and take power for ourselves just like we were destined to do from the beginning. If we’re the ones to prove humanity is superior, it’s only fair that we get rewarded.”

A slow smile eventually spread on the young man’s face, the two of them hauntingly alike. “I won’t let you down, not this time.”

“I’ll guarantee it.”

An equally diabolical grin covered the dark-haired woman’s face, her blue eyes shimmering as she caught her reflection in the mirror. “We are so close Alaric. Soon, everything will be ours. Balthazar was right about one thing, there will be a new world order. Ours.”

They continued to drive further into the dark night, the glow of the city fading into the background once more.

#playchoices #choices stories you play #a new world order au #bloodbound #nightbound #bb rheya #bloodbound mc #isabel martinez #zelenia laskaris #nightbound mc

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