The mirror reflected a stranger.
Jin adjusted the silk tie, studying the face of "Ben Rudolf." The transformation technique was flawless. Gone were his sharp, battle-hardened features and dark hair. In their place stood a man of about thirty-five, with sweeping blonde hair, piercing blue eyes, and the kind of practiced, aristocratic sneer that suggested he owned the building he was standing in.
He was dressed in a bespoke charcoal suit, cut by one of Savile Row's finest. It was a costume of wealth and legitimacy, designed to open doors that brute force would otherwise shatter.
A black town car idled at the curb of the Hassler Roma, one of the city's most expensive hotels. Jin stepped out, the cool morning air of Rome brushing against his new face. He slid into the backseat, the leather creaking softly.
"The Central Bank," he ordered, his voice adopting a crisp, Received Pronunciation English accent.
"Yes, sir."
As the city blurred past the tinted windows, Jin smiled internally. The Tepes Bank was audacious. Using the Central Bank of Italy as their front in the human world was a masterstroke of camouflage—hiding the monsters of finance behind the facade of legitimate government bureaucracy.
The car pulled up to the imposing stone edifice. Jin stepped out, buttoning his jacket, and ascended the marble stairs.
Inside, the air was cool and smelled of old paper and polished brass. He bypassed the queues for the tellers and walked straight to the private client reception. A young woman sat behind the heavy mahogany desk. To a human, she was just a pretty receptionist. To Jin, the faint, cloying scent of blood marked her instantly. A low-level vampire.
"Miss," Ben Rudolf spoke, resting a gloved hand on the desk. "I am here to make an appointment with the Tepes bank."
The girl's eyes narrowed slightly, her pupil contracting. She looked him up and down—a human in a nice suit, nothing more. "Sir, are you sure you are in the right place? This is the Central Bank."
Jin didn't blink. He simply let a fraction of his Mana—leak out. It wasn't an attack; it was a flash of credentials.
"Miss," he said, his voice dropping an octave, "I know exactly where I am."
The receptionist shivered violently, the color draining from her face.She scrambled for her phone, terrified of offending a powerful, if unknown, client.
"Who… who would you like to meet, sir?"
"Ben Rudolf," he introduced himself. "I wish to open an account. Preferably with someone… higher up."
"S-Sure, sir. Right away."
She dialed a number, whispering hurriedly. Moments later, a side door opened, and a man approached. He was impeccable, wearing a suit that rivaled Jin's, with slicked-back hair and a practiced, customer-service smile.
"Hello, sir," the man said smoothly. "I am Victor. I handle new accounts. I would be happy to assist you with your needs."
Jin looked Victor up and down, his blue eyes icy with judgment. He didn't move to shake the man's hand.
"I said someone higher up, Mr. Victor."
Victor's smile faltered for a fraction of a second before returning, tighter this time. "Sir, I assure you, I am fully influential in these matters. If you tell me the nature of your business—"
"So be it," Jin cut him off. He reached into his inner pocket. The air in the lobby seemed to thicken.
He didn't pull out a document. He pulled out a heavy, dark slab of obsidian-like stone, etched with crimson runes that pulsed faintly.
"I am here to collect a hunting prize," Jin announced, his voice carrying clearly in the quiet room. "I have the Account Slate."
Victor froze. The receptionist stopped typing.
The Account Slate. It was an artifact of absolute authority in the underworld banking system. In a world where factions rose and fell, and powerful individuals were killed for their wealth, the vampires had once made a killing by simply seizing the assets of the dead. But that greed had caused wars. Powerful families felt cheated; children were denied their inheritance. To stop the bloodshed and restore trust, the Tepes Bank had created the Slates—magical keys created at the moment an account was opened. Whoever held the Slate held the account. No questions asked.
It was the ultimate "bearer bond" of the tepes bank. and this one look one of the premium one.
Jin looked around the lobby. Several eyes were now fixed on him.
"Now my business is out in the open," Jin said, his voice low and dangerous, pinning Victor with a glare. "Would you like to take responsibility for that, Victor?"
Victor gulped, sweat beading on his pale forehead. He had miscalculated. He had seen a human in a human suit and assumed he was dealing with an eccentric mortal or a low-level mage. He hadn't expected a man walking in with the keys to a dead lord's vault. He had tread upon the sacred line of client confidentiality.
"I… I am terribly sorry, sir," Victor stammered, bowing deeply. "I will lead you to my manager immediately. Please, follow me."
Jin gave a short, dismissive nod and followed the vampire deeper into the belly of the beast.