It was several weeks after the council's failed attack that my afternoon started intriguingly differently. A human rode up to my gates on a motorbike. At first it was assumed that she was a runaway, but instead I discovered that she bore an intriguing message from another unexpected source.

She refused to come inside, so I went out to see her, against the advice of my nervous humans. I dismissed their concerns. If she was some sort of trap from the council, I could only imagine it would be unimaginative and easy to defeat, and if she was not, she was far more interesting.

I had been sadly low on entertainment and this seemed just the thing to perk me up.

The human was, by foolish council standards, in fairly good condition. While thin, her bones did not protrude unpleasantly and she had a reasonable amount of muscle which showed that if she was owned by a vampire, they had at least a reasonable amount of common sense. I noticed almost completely faded fang marks on her neck below her nondescript collar, and her clothing was synthetic and in good repair.

Before I even spoke to her, I was curious who she belonged to, since the collar was very standard fare and I could not spot her brand.

I did not give her a chance to begin whatever rehearsed speech they sent her with. "Who do you belong to?"

Her surprise showed only for a moment before she hid it again under a calm mask. I could tell she was nervous because her heart was beating too fast, but still I instantly liked this human. I could only hope that Davidson had sent me another present.

"Mistress Whitmore sent me." She stepped forward with only the slightest shake in her step and flashed the name of her owner on her collar.

"Oh?" I had not been expecting that.

"She wishes to speak with you in order to reach some sort of a treaty on behalf of herself and several interested parties."

Well, now that truly was intriguing. Leif and the rest of my council would not like it because it was too risky, etcetera, etcetera, but I rather enjoyed the idea of making deals with some of my foes. This was the sort of political machinations I had so missed, feeling out antagonists, manoeuvring around strengths, and through weaknesses.

Glorious. I narrowed my gaze at her threateningly and she swallowed nervously. "But how am I to know that this isn't something the council set up to ensnare me?"

"It's difficult for me to prove anything like that," she said with a faint quiver in her voice, "Although I am told that you and my mistress see eye to eye on many issues, and have formed a mutual respect as colleagues. She wishes to speak to you in that spirit."

"That is true." I paused. This human did not appear to be lying, but that did not mean anything. She could either be talented at the sport of her own accord, or could have been compelled to believe her own words.

Her healthy appearance did mark her as a feeder of one of the more reasonable members, but even a fool could snatch and compel someone else's human to set a trap. I cocked my head. "What's to stop me from simply grabbing you and draining you dry? Your bike won't save you from me if I choose to."

Another swallow and the slight widening of her eyes was all that showed me her fear. "There is nothing to stop you, besides your own interests." My respect for this human grew. It was easy to be fearless when one was a predator, but it was worthy prey that could look danger in the eye and barely flinch.

"I'll meet with your mistress," I said with fanged smile, just to remind her of the danger. "But if I am backstabbed, I shall rip you limb from limb."

She managed to meet my gaze. "I am in no danger then."

"Well, I would never dare to say that, human. Some lies are too big for even me to sell."

* * * * *

Twenty minutes later, I was in an SUV with Whitmore's human, Drak and one of his more ancient friends, Finn, who could also stand the light of the setting sun. Two other vehicles packed with firepower and a contingent of my most capable humans drove along beside us. My stubborn Jamie had insisted on coming along and I had finally relented in spite of my better judgement. I almost could have imagined that he had wanted to come to protect me, little though I needed it, rather than as a potential opportunity for more kills, but I was not about to risk getting my hopes up that absurdly high.

It was a nice fantasy to imagine a world in which I could be adored by the stubborn human, but his begrudging acceptance of his lust towards me and the tentative peace that had been established between was likely the best I would get from him, and I was more than willing to make that concession. I would take him in any way that he would allow.

Javier was driving, and the female was in the passenger seat, giving directions. Beside me, Jamie's handsome face looked rather set in stone, his eyes watching where we were going with silent determination. The vehicle was awash in a tense silence.

"Surely, we could at least try to have a bit of fun with this little excursion," I commented, meeting the eyes of my companions in the seats behind us.

Drak scowled in his seat behind me. "You know this is foolhardy, Vienne."

Why was he trying to ruin this? I blinked at him innocently. "Not really, it's the ideal time. Late enough that I can safely go to meet her, but early enough that most younger vampires will be still unconscious."

"We have no idea what we're walking into," he insisted.

I shrugged. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Besides, you volunteered to come along. I did not force you."

"I'm here to protect you from your own foolhardiness."

"Drak, now you're just being unpleasant." I glanced at Finn, and Jamie, and then back to Drak. "Wait, did you all just come along because you think I'm making a mistake?" I began to feel irritation at their attitudes.

"Vienne," Drak tried in the most pathetically pacifying tone.

"I don't wish to hear it," I snapped. "I know Whitmore, and if it is her, I do believe it's on the level. She has little love for the council foolishness, much like me. And, I believe her human was not lying, insofar as she knew."

"It's true, I'm not lying," the human added helpfully from the front seat. "And it's also true that Mistress Whitmore is a vampire of exemplary character."

Jamie stopped his wary watchfulness for a brief moment. "Did she compel you to say that?"

"No, it's from my observations in my time working with her."

Jamie shrugged, and resumed his watch.

I turned in the seat to look at the three people behind me, and none of them looked particularly convinced. I rolled my eyes dismissively at them.

I certainly hoped I was right, and not even simply because I wanted to avoid trouble, but rather because I wanted to rub their excessive caution in all of their faces.

A few minutes later, Whitmore's human directed us down a road that was so overgrown with foliage it could barely be seen.

"I don't like this, Vienne," Drak commented. "I know you believe me to be so incompetent that I could not possibly understand the simplest combat strategy, but if we won't have the ability to see if we're about to be ambushed here."

I sighed. "That's a good point. And I don't actually think you're incompetent, Drak. I just don't like being kind to you. Your mushiness offends me."

I glanced back at him to admire the vexed look on his face. Drak was never more handsome than when I was afflicting him. I smiled and his brow furrowed even further.

"The location is not meant for ambush, it's meant for the cover of secrecy. Mistress Whitmore does not want anyone getting wind that she is meeting with you." The human seemed to be telling the truth.

"Fair enough." It all seemed reasonable.

It had better be. The last thing I wanted was to be destroyed and go down in history as the foolish vampiress who challenged the council and failed miserably. I chewed my lip with my fang at the horrifying thought, causing unsatisfying blood to flow before the wound reversed itself to perfect health.

"Just up here," she said. We pulled into a slight clearing, the trees on all sides tall enough to grant the area shaded protection from the sun. I would have imagined the clearing to be completely natural, except for the skeletal remains of an old house, and a patch of old cement sidewalk still peeked out forlornly on one side of the ruins. The edges of the forest were obviously encroaching on it, and in a few decades no one would know that humans had ever resided here.

The one thing that stood out from the natural world was a shiny grey car with black tinted windows parked on the far edge. It was quite visually pleasing, a work of tasteful understatement, and I wondered briefly if Whitmore had also met Klaus at some point, because he did not make these works of art for just anyone. I stepped out, along with my companions, and we readied ourselves in case I was being double crossed.

The driver's side door cracked open, and a figure in a long enveloping beige cloak, boots and gloves stepped out of the vehicle. Although her face was covered by wide glasses and a deep hood shielding her face, I still recognized Whitmore easily after centuries of sitting near in the same chamber as her.

"You came," she said, a polite smile on her face. At the same time, the passenger side door opened and I observed another familiar figure I did not expect.

"Enrique," I gasped.

He wore a wide brimmed hat and a long coat over his clothing. He grinned with that silly attempt at boyish charm of his, probably as an attempt to distract from the nervous shifting of his gaze. "Vienne, how good to see you. We missed you at the last quarterly."

"I'll bet you did."

Enrique laughed as if he truly appreciated my brilliance. I could not help but like the reaction, there was a certain pleasure to be had when my brilliance was recognized.

Whitmore walked forward, and she eyed the vehicles and people with me. "You certainly came prepared," she said. "I had thought that perhaps you had decided to defy the council in a fit of bored pique, but perhaps I was wrong."

I smiled. "Not entirely wrong, but that fit of boredom was a couple of centuries ago. Plotting has kept me occupied for quite some time."

Her polite smile returned to her face. "I'm impressed. I can't say that I approve of your methods, but there is a certain elegant ruthlessness to what your moves so far."

Nodding in recognition to her ruthlessness, I glanced around surreptitiously to check that we were still alone as far as I could detect. "Thank you. I came to the belief that the council mismanagement would be our eventual destruction. And worse, an incredibly tedious destruction."

"And what is your eventual goal, might I ask?"

I paused. "I wish to allow humans the freedom to thrive once more."

"By killing all vampires?" She was watching me with curiosity, although Enrique flinched at the thought.

"Oh, goodness no. I only intend to kill the vampires who are threats to the new order I wish to bring about. Vampires who are willing to be reasonable have absolutely nothing to fear. We shall have more humans and plenty of blood for all."

"And if you succeed, what do you believe the vampires on other continents will do? They'll likely see your new order as a threat."

"Perhaps. I truly believe that if let loose, humans can fend for themselves. They almost won the suppression wars after all," I pointed out. "And they were caught entirely off guard."

She seemed to be considering my words. "And what about when your foes use the same strategy as last time, Vienne? How will you defeat that threat?"

"We have numbers and weapons, and moreover, something that the humans did not have last time. Allied vampires."

Whitmore looked past me, focusing on individuals in my small army for the first time since she had gotten there. I was surprised when I saw her eyes widen a bit, and I followed her gaze. "Drak?"

"Whatever do you mean?" she asked, trying to cover up her obvious reaction.

"You know him?"

She frowned a bit. "We've met."

"Well, he is rather handsome. That face, and that body was perfectly preserved..."

She frowned. "That's not why we asked you to come here, Vienne. I wish to make something of an armistice between you and myself and a number of other vampires who wish to remain neutral in this conflict."

"You're not planning to support my cause? How disappointing," I said. I had not really believed she would, but extra support would certainly have been useful.

"Honestly, I don't believe you'll win, but I'm not willing to bet against you, either. I'm not the only one who feels this way. You've got a certain stubborn determination we just can't count out."

Enrique nodded enthusiastically. Perhaps the foolish bore was actually something like my friend in truth.

Whitmore continued. "I've watched you run erratic circles around the other councillors for years, so far be it from me to assume that your methods won't work again, against all odds. I don't want to stand against you. I and my associates wish to remain neutral in these conflicts."

I considered her. "If your group does not stand with the council or come against us, then we will not attack you. Hopefully we haven't already inadvertently done so."

"You have not." She clapped her hands and her human messenger jumped to attention. "Mandy, provide the councillor with the necessary information of those who wish to retain their neutrality."

The human, who had been standing beside Jamie, attentively waiting for a signal from her master, jumped into motion. She rushed in the direction of the sleek car.

I met the eyes of both Whitmore and Enrique. "I should warn you and your associates, that once we defeat the council, there will be a distinct change in the status of humans. There'll be no more patience for treating humans like chattel, they thrive better when allowed to do as they please."

Enrique's eyes widened substantially at my words. "But then we'll all starve."

Before I could explain it to him, Whitmore jumped in. "Vampires survived fine for millennia without holding slaves."

It was not entirely true, but I had no desire to correct her. She had been a vampire for only about twenty years before the human suppression wars and had not had time to become disillusioned with the state of the old world as had so many of the ancients. There had always been vampires of dark natures doing reprehensible things to humans, but it had never been an overarching worldwide system before.

"There're always humans who are willing to help out for the right price. More humans means more blood security."

"I've never held a human slave," Drak said, contributing for the first time since we had arrived at our destination. "And I'm clearly still here."

Enrique nodded and for once his expression of boyish shock did not look like the pretense of a fool, but rather genuine. Although no fledgling, he was young enough that he had known nothing else.

Perhaps, they could be taught, I thought as I took a bound pile of papers from Whitmore's human.

The snapping of a branch at the edge of the clearing was my only warning that something was awry.

Fully covered bodies in motion ripped out of the forest. Every part of them covered, except their eyes, it looked like we had fallen into an ambush of a band of ninjas.

"We're being attacked," I yelled, hoping that my words would somehow give my people an advantage.

I did not spare Whitmore or Enrique a glance as I leapt into motion, kicking a vampire that was rushing me in the chest.

Somewhere behind, Whitmore cursed foully, her guise of composed stateswoman falling away in a mere moment. "When I figure out who betrayed us I am going to rip them into pieces. The sun is too good for them, I'll slow cook them over a fire. I'll—"

Whatever she was going to say was cut off as she was forced to defend herself.

On my other side, were my people. Finn impaled one of our attackers with a stake through the heart, although sadly any vampire who was old enough to be awake right now would be too old to die so easily. In the confusion, I saw a guard go down and I flew towards the vampire standing over him with bloodlust in my heart. I fortunately had a few weapons strapped under my coat, so I staked him and shoved his body away from me before turning to meet my next threat.

Purpose thrummed in the back of my mind, like a steady hum that overshadowed the sounds of gunfire and battle all around me. I had to take out the threats, and fast. I did not know where Jamie was, or Drak. I especially feared my humans could not withstand the onslaught. We slightly outnumbered the attackers, but they still had the advantage.

I needed to hit them hard, if we were going to get out of here alive.

Another of my daggers found my way into one of the assassin's chests, but before I could find my next target, a sharp pain ran through my arm. I hissed and pulled out a blunt dagger that had clearly been meant for my heart, only my fluid turning had put my arm in the path instead. The vampire who dared attack me from behind walked back a step. I met his eyes, and realized I recognized him as one of the most boring councillors.

"How dare you try to stake me?" I accused. There was only one male in existence whom I would allow such liberties, and it certainly was not this dullard.

"I—" he tried to say, but I cut him off by stabbing his own dagger into his eye socket. It would not kill him, but it would certainly hurt terribly and slow him down. He shrieked with pain and I had no sympathy for him as another of my humans fell to the ground.

I wrenched out the dagger and plunged it into his chest before rejoining the fray. My arm hurt, but it had barely weakened me and was already healing. My frantic gaze found that the others were not so lucky.

We had dispatched about half of the intended assassins, but my forces were not doing much better. At least half of my humans were down and I could not tell if they were alive or dead, and the thought made me see red. Drak and his friend were still on their feet and fighting, although Drak had black blood stains of unknown origin half covering him.

And Jamie...

Jamie was still on his feet, and relief surged up in me. He was standing with two other humans, back to back, and I tripped a vampire in my attempt to get closer to him. Before she could find her feet, I stomped my foot down on her neck with all the force I could muster eliciting a rather distasteful squelching crunch. I would need to have my boots cleaned in case anything had gotten on them. I turned to discover another foe had snuck up behind me.

Before the attempted assassin could land a blow, Enrique came up behind and wrapped his beefy hands around the neck from behind and wrenched it sharply.

It was increasingly obvious that we were going to win this fight, although we had undoubtedly already lost too much. There were only three left standing, and then two.

I ran towards one of the remaining threats, but I was too late.

Familiar eyes of an ancient vampire met mine triumphantly as he used Jamie's own dagger to slash into my beloved human's flesh.