The events that unfolded on the highway between San Francisco and Los Angeles remained unknown to most of the public. Even the city governments of Los Angeles and San Francisco were completely in the dark.
Only the FEA was aware that the Council of Elders had deployed dozens of vampires to ambush the Shadowhunters.
Hodge, the traitor, had sold out several other groups of Shadowhunters to avoid being hunted down later, resulting in heavy losses among the elite Shadowhunters who were dispatched.
The Shadowhunters were already dwindling in number, and now the situation was even worse. Their total numbers, once just a few hundred, had been cut in half.
This led Jocelyn to seriously consider disbanding the Shadowhunters altogether. However, that thought vanished completely the day after Roy brought a certain woman to meet her.
"Mr. Black, what's so urgent that you called me all the way from New York?"
The woman from New York was, of course, Iris, the human vessel of Uriel.
Recently, the FEA headquarters had been holding constant meetings, and as Heaven's representative, Iris naturally had to attend.
But the moment Roy called, Iris dropped everything and came to Los Angeles without even asking why.
From this, it was clear that Iris now trusted Roy deeply—perhaps even more than she trusted Raphael. After all, Raphael was occasionally late, but Roy had never let her down.
"Here's the situation: there's a group of idealists dedicated to fighting dark creatures, but they've lost their organization. I was wondering if you, Ms. Iris, might be willing to take them under your wing."
Roy briefly explained the Shadowhunters' current predicament, which surprised Iris.
"There's actually an organization like this? Are they the successors of King Arthur's will?"
"Ms. Iris, you know about King Arthur?"
Iris nodded.
"I have some knowledge of humanity's legendary figures, especially King Arthur, who found the Holy Grail and protected the bloodline of Jesus."
Iris turned her head, giving Clary a meaningful look, clearly sensing her unique heritage.
"So, Ms. Iris, would you be willing to take over the Shadowhunters?"
"I could use some capable subordinates. Using FEA agents always feels a bit clunky. But I'll need to confirm if these Shadowhunters are up to the task. Mr. Black, take me to them."
Roy, Iris, and Clary hopped into Bumblebee and headed toward the Shadowhunters' base in Los Angeles.
At the base, Jocelyn had gathered all the able-bodied Shadowhunters—about 150 in total, mostly around forty years old. It was clear the organization was struggling with a generational gap.
This wasn't surprising. After the hippie movement, America's younger generation had fallen fast into indulgence—partying, drugs, and carefree living. How could kids like that endure the grueling, day-in, day-out training required to fight dark creatures for no pay, driven only by ideals?
The decline of the Shadowhunters was predictable, and it wasn't just about funding. Idealists were becoming rarer by the day.
"Jocelyn, are you sure this won't backfire?"
The speaker was the same person who had led the team to the villa. He'd stayed behind to guard the base yesterday instead of going to San Francisco with Hodge, which saved him from the massacre.
In truth, Hodge's betrayal was despised by all Shadowhunters. He had no loyal followers within the organization and had only risen to his position through sheer acting skills.
"It'll be fine! I trust Mr. Black. They're coming—everyone, look sharp! Don't embarrass the Shadowhunters!"
Footsteps echoed from outside, and the Shadowhunters saw Roy, Clary, and a beautiful woman in a white nun's habit with a black cloth over her eyes walk in.
"Iris, these are the Shadowhunters. Ms. Fray, I've brought her! Let me introduce you—this is Ms. Iris, also known as Uriel."
Roy gave a quick introduction. Jocelyn didn't immediately catch on, but another Shadowhunter nudged her.
"Uriel? As in Uriel, one of the four archangels?"
Roy didn't answer. His job was done—now it was up to Iris.
With her divine sight, Iris scanned the Shadowhunters, and each one felt as though they were being seen through to their very core.
Overall, Iris was quite satisfied with their quality.
As an angel, Iris valued willpower above all else, and these Shadowhunters, having persisted this long, were clearly strong-willed.
In contrast, the Church, with its increasingly comfortable lifestyle, had fewer and fewer priests and nuns with such resolve.
To find suitable human vessels for Michael and Uriel, the Catholic Church had practically scoured all of Europe's convents.
When it came time for Raphael, they couldn't even find a suitable vessel.
In the end, Raphael settled for a French playboy, which left the Church feeling rather humiliated.
"These people are impressive. Their strength may be modest, but their willpower is remarkable—even FEAR's top operatives can't compare."
A group that had fought for love and ideals for so long? FEAR's well-paid operatives couldn't hold a candle to them.
Iris stepped forward, revealing her angelic form. Twelve radiant wings glowed brilliantly in the hall.
"I am Uriel! From this day forward, you shall fight for God!"
The scene was undeniably awe-inspiring. The Shadowhunters, completely overwhelmed, knelt before the angel.
Most Shadowhunters were Christians, and the few who weren't had joined after losing family to dark creatures.
Seeing an archangel in person? It was nothing short of a miracle.
With Iris effortlessly taking charge of the Shadowhunters, Roy felt a weight lift off his shoulders. Now, all that remained was dealing with the Council of Elders and the Dark Web.
There was no rush. The Council and the Dark Web wouldn't dare make a move anytime soon, and Valentine and Abigail needed time to lick their wounds.
Still, Roy figured he should give Iris a heads-up. The FEA and Shadowhunters were resources they could use.
"You're saying the vampires are making moves? Trying to obtain Jesus' holy blood to break God's curse?"
After taking over the Shadowhunters, Roy and Iris discussed the Council of Elders in Hodge's old office, with Clary and Jocelyn listening in as representatives of the Shadowhunters.
Clary had ultimately followed in her mother's footsteps and joined the Shadowhunters. For one, she could receive proper training—Roy wasn't a professional instructor, but the Shadowhunters had dedicated trainers for new recruits.
Secondly, it was Clary's own wish to carry on her mother's legacy as a Shadowhunter.
Iris furrowed her brow deeply. As an archangel, she knew some of the ancient secrets.
"I can't believe Cain's descendants still haven't given up!"
Roy perked up, sensing Iris knew more.
"What do you mean?"
"After the Great Flood, Cain learned of this method and disguised himself as a Jew, manipulating Judas, one of Jesus' disciples, to betray him. But he failed in the end. God discovered his plan, and Cain was banished from Earth."
That was pretty brutal. Still, Cain posing as a Jew made some sense—vampires, after all.
"Ms. Iris, we can't let the Council succeed!"
"Since I'm in Los Angeles, I won't let them. You're Clary, right? Stick with me for the next few days. I'll protect you and teach you to use your angelic powers."
Clary blinked.
"But I have school!"
Having been on Earth for half a year, Iris understood what Clary meant.
"Can't you take a leave?"
"Taking a leave right after the semester starts would cause a lot of trouble later."
Clary's response made Iris frown slightly.
"In that case, I'll move into the university district."
Backed by the FEA, it would be easy for Iris to stay at UCLA temporarily. But Roy panicked at the thought.
Oh no—Elizabeth was at UCLA too! If the two crossed paths on campus, Roy didn't even want to imagine what might happen.
"Ms. Iris, that's not necessary. I'll handle Clary's safety at school. She can come here in the evenings for your training."
Iris looked at Roy, puzzled by his sudden intensity.
But his suggestion wasn't unreasonable. After a moment's thought, she nodded.
"That works. Clary, you'll attend classes during the day, and after school, you'll come here for my training. I'll arrange for someone to escort you."
Clary nodded.
"Okay, Ms. Iris."
With the Shadowhunter matter settled for now, Iris would likely inject funds into the organization, restructure it, and start recruiting new members.
Money wasn't an issue for Iris—she could tap into the Church's vast wealth.
The Catholic and Orthodox Churches were essentially her ATMs, with centuries of accumulated riches that weren't to be underestimated.
Compared to the Church, the vampire Council of Elders was small fry.
With Iris holding down the fort in Los Angeles, Roy felt much more at ease. Now he could kick back and have some fun.
---
Saltana was trembling violently, looking like she was about to pass out.
"Roy, I can't take it anymore! Please, spare me!"
Roy grinned wickedly at the chocolate-skinned beauty.
"Big sis Saltana, who told you to team up with Alcina to mess with me? This is your punishment!"
Saltana's voice quivered as she replied.
"It was Alcina begging me non-stop! And you didn't exactly lose out, did you?"
"That's different! You ganged up with an outsider against me, so you need a proper punishment. This time, you're resting for a whole week!"
At Roy's harsh words, Saltana's skin flushed pink.
"I was wrong, Roy! Please, let me off!"
"Heh, too late to apologize now!"
Just then, the door to Saltana's apartment swung open.
Saltana shared the place with Amy, but Roy knew Amy was still out at sea, salvaging a ghost ship and not yet back in Los Angeles.
Salvaging a shipwreck from the deep sea was a slow process, with only small progress made each day.
So Heather, Penny, and Amy were still out there, floating on the ocean.
The salvage operation was expected to wrap up by mid-September at the latest.
So who could be coming in now?
It was Kayla Evans (Naomi Watts)!
Kayla was indeed a close friend of Saltana's, but Roy hadn't expected her to have a key to the apartment.
The "battle" was taking place in the apartment's living room.
"Kay…la… save… me…"
Saltana, tears streaming down her face, pleaded for help, catching Kayla off guard.
The journalist hadn't actually "played a friendly match" with Roy before. When Roy was still in Los Angeles, Kayla had been injured and unable to engage in vigorous activity.
By the time she'd recovered, Roy was already gone.
Their interactions had been limited to remote interviews.
Seeing the intense scene before her, Kayla's breathing quickened. Roy's physique was just too imposing.
Men are drawn to beautiful women, and women are drawn to impressive men—it's just human nature, no high or low about it.
Kayla was utterly captivated by Roy. Her rational mind told her to leave, but she instinctively closed the door.
In the end, Saltana let out a final scream and passed out. Roy set down the unconscious beauty and approached Kayla.
Kayla stood frozen against the door, overwhelmed by the rush of masculine energy. Her mind went foggy.
When she came to, she found herself transformed into a "big white sheep," lying beside Saltana.
At this point, Kayla could only blush and meet Roy's gaze.
"Roy, be gentle! Ah!"
Too late.
To Roy's surprise, thirty-year-old Kayla was as inexperienced as a young girl. It seemed she really hadn't been with anyone in a while.
"Kayla, is this your first time?"
Kayla bit her lip, frowning.
"I… tried a few times in college, but after that, I got too busy with school and work to date."
So, no "friendly matches" for nearly a decade?
Roy immediately reined in his instincts, wanting to give Kayla, who hadn't played in so long, a good experience.
But women tend to adapt quickly in these situations.
"Roy, it… doesn't hurt anymore."
"Roy—ah!"
[Ding! You've received Kayla Evans' Conquest Treasure Chest! Open it now?]
Kayla Evans
(End of Chapter)