Whatever illusions of control I've harboured up until that moment dispersed right in front of me as I took in my best friend dragged across the stony steps and kicked on the ground in front of Vilmus.

Sheila's ashy face was covered with dry tears, her eyes were bloodshot and scared, and her lips trembled as she tried to pull herself up. Vilmus grabbed her by her neck and lifted her.

My body rebelled against staying still, but my mind made me stop in tracks. Panic surged through me; visceral and tangible.

I looked at William. His face completely distorted; the gentleman I've seen before disappeared like he had never even existed. One wrong move and William would risk everything to save her.

"Let her go, Vilmus." Ian's voice dropped to a growl. "She has nothing to do with it."

"Let it be a lesson for her then." Vilmus glanced at the girl whimpering in his arms. "If you live with vampires, you will get bitten eventually."

Thomas and I exchanged a glance. Anger tightened his lips, but he knew better than to lunge straight ahead. We needed to coordinate our movements if we planned on acting.

"This is hardly a peaceful, calm conversation." Ian murmured, his eyes firmly set on the cult leader. "Let her go and we'll talk like gentlemen."

Vilmus looked at Sheila, as if pondering his next movement, and brushed her hair off her tear-covered face. Sheila cried out. I could hear her human heart rapidly beating against her chest.

"But this is my only leverage." Vilmus said, then sighed. "The poor thing is so frightened. Perhaps you should make her some lemonade."

I looked at Ian, begging him to communicate his plan with his eyes, but he wouldn't look at me. His gaze was firmly locked on Vilmus; the veins in his neck bulged and his arm muscles tensed around the shotgun.

"Ah," Vilmus sighed once no one said anything, "The 21st century people lost all their manners. How many times must I beg for some lemonade?"

"Goddammit." I cursed. "Tina, go make him a lemonade."

The Barbie said nothing for once and scurried into the house.

"Now, let's talk." Vilmus patted Sheila's head and pushed her to her knees again. "Ian has betrayed me, again. Which, if I were frank, I should have expected."

Ian's smile held no humour, only anger, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice..."

"Exactly." Vilmus chuckled. "But I am a merciful man and I've never considered bling vengeance a viable option, so I'm willing to negotiate."

I turned around to look at my friends, hoping anyone could tell me what the fuck we should do. No one but Thomas even looked at me, and he looked just as distraught and clueless as me.

"Talk." Ian demanded. "And make it quick."

"I am willing to let Ian go." Vilmus said.

For the slightest moment, I felt the twinge of relief. Would he truly let him go? Would he forget everything Ian's done to him?

In the next moment, I realised that was nothing but wishful thinking.

"Why?" Ian asked. "Have you finally realised it's actually better to have loyal followers?"

"Ah, I live, I learn." Vilmus laughed. "You are indeed right. I do not wish to have someone disloyal in my ranks. It has affected the others poorly."

"At least I did something right." Ian murmured.

"Instead." Vilmus ignored him. "I offer two choices to all of you."

Tina exited the house, carrying lemonade. For a moment, I wondered if she poisoned it. We had both dead blood and salvia divinorum in the basement, but the invisible dose in the lemonade wouldn't be enough to incapacitate Vilmus, it would only anger him more.

"Oh, splendid." Vilmus took the glass. "Thank you, darling."

Tina rushed back and hid behind Thomas.

"What are the two options?" Ian asked.

We were all growing restless. Well, except for Vilmus. He looked like he could stand in this heat and chat all day, which made me wonder whether he was outsourcing all his assignments. Gosh, I should get a PA or a secretary.

"I'm willing to forget about... this." Vilmus looked at the vamplings hiding behind us and the weapons in our hands. "If you decide to join me. All of you."

His request took me by surprise. My carefully-crafted facade disappeared and confusion shone through. The same happened to Ian. He squinted, as if not sure whether he heard correctly.

"Oh, don't look so surprised." Vilmus laughed. "I would be a fool not to recognise potential when I see it in front of me. You're good vampires. You know how to stay out of the public eye and you're quite resourceful. And I am a businessman, after all."

"That's not an option." Ian growled. "We want nothing to do with you."

"Are you sure?" Vilmus glanced at the vamplings. "You're still vampires. No matter how hard you're trying to fit in the human society, you're still feeding off them. You've faced the issues of obtaining blood, you've dealt with the morality of it all, just like we have. And no matter what you think you feel, deep down, you know you're better than them. The least you deserve is equal treatment."

"We have equal treatment." I said through my teeth and felt Ian tense by my side. "I'd even go as far as to say we have better treatment. Look at my house, dude."

"Dude?" Vilmus looked at his minions. "Is this how younger generations talk?"

The minions looked between themselves.

Thomas cleared his throat, "That's just how Chloe talks."

I glared at him, "Do you have to shame me in front of a thousand year old vampire?"

"Will you two shut up?" Ian growled. "We don't want to join you. We're happy the way we are now."

"A pity." Vilmus sipped his lemonade. "The second option, then."

My heart jumped to my throat.

Ian tensed next to me, "Listening."

"Stay out of my business." Vilmus shrugged. "Discard of your weapons and your vampires, let them decide on their own whether they want to join me. Forget you've ever met me and enjoy your self-proclaimed utopia."

My eyes widened.

Would he really leave us alone if we simply stopped going after him? A part of me didn't believe it, but a part of me desperately wanted it to be true. We could live in peace. We could travel the world. I could finish college. Ian would be able to stay here.

And the real dilemma began, which I assumed was exactly what Vilmus intended.

I looked around and read my friends' expressions. They wanted to agree to this, and not just the vamplings. I could see William biting the inside of his cheek, Thomas nervously glancing around and Ian's shoulders slumping.

But what would we be agreeing to?

How many people would inevitably die if we left Vilmus alone?

What would the world turn into? Would we truly eventually end up living in a vampire dystopia where vampires ruled the world and people lived in fear?

"I forgot to mention one thing." Vilmus said. "If you refuse this generous option, you will leave me no choice but to act against you. And I assure you, that is not what you want."

Ian took in a sharp breath, "What would happen exactly if we refused right here, right now?"

Vilmus looked at the glass of lemonade and then at Tina, "Darling, this was delicious."

"Thanks?" Tina murmured.

"You're most welcome." Vilmus smiled gently. "Let us see. If you refuse now, you can fight me. Right here, right now." He nodded for himself. "Yes, I'd say you'd have to fight me now."

Ian's small laugh held no humour, "And what if somebody saw it?"

Vilmus's nonchalant, aloof demeanour slightly shifted. I frowned, glancing at Ian, but his eyes remained firmly set on the thousand-year-old vampire, who seemed to have a hard time hiding his confusion.

"What does that mean?" Ari jumped in, sensing his boss's confusion.

"Tina." Ian mumbled.

Faster than the wind, almost invisible to the human eye, Tina ran through the terrace door, disappearing in the house. The cultists grabbed their stakes.

"Charles, after her." Vilmus commanded and one of the cultists ran through my door.

Confused and surprised, I looked around, my heart jumping up and down in my chest. There was no point in trying to hide emotions anymore. Something was happening and I wasn't in on it, but I feared for Tina. What the fuck was going on?

"What is happening?" Vilmus gritted his teeth, trying desperately to maintain his confidence.

My eyes settled on Sheila. Vilmus still held her around her waist tightly, her dark eyes gazed into nothing. Whatever Ian planned, it seemed he had forgotten about my friend.

I cursed inwardly, hoping I could reach her in time if shit hit the fan.

Ian shrugged, "I assume you wouldn't want anyone to see you threatening your own kind. After all, the propaganda you're trying to push is one of unity against the humankind. How would the other vampires react if they realised it's not unity you want, but subservience?"

I looked back and forth between the vampires. William and Thomas both seemed baffled, making me realise some plan must have been made in the house.

My mind went over the residents on this estate. Caiden was in the house.

Of course. Ian told Caiden to film the entire thing. Oh, my God.

"You filmed me?" Vilmus asked, "Someone find the tape!"

Panic overwhelmed me, "Ian? Ian-"

"Stop." Ian said, but he wasn't looking at me. "The tape is gone. And I will not use it, unless-"

"Do you truly believe I would forgo my entire plan because of a single tape?" Vilmus laughed. "I thought you were smarter than that."

"No." Ian cut in. "You can fight me if you want to. Hell, I want you to fight me. But it will not be here and it will not be now. If you do that, the tape will be released."

Vilmus swallowed, allowing one, calculated bob of his throat, "Fair enough, we will not fight here. But that does not mean we will not meet on a battlefield."

"Oh, I assure you, I want to meet you on a battlefield." Ian chuckled. "But you will leave this property now and take your petty minions with you."

"Let Sheila go." I jumped in, my voice cracking.

"Let her go now." William commanded, stepping closer.

He's kept quiet until now and I realised he was in no condition to negotiate, but he was smart enough not to act.

Vilmus looked at the girl in his hands and brushed her hair off her face. Sheila's frightened eyes settled on me and I could hear her heart fluttering in her chest.

"I've always intended to let her go." Vilmus cooed. "As I said earlier, I despise violence, but I needed some leverage. You understand, don't you?"

"We do." I cut in. "Now, let her go!"

"Chloe..." Sheila whispered.

Vilmus cocked his head to the side.

The moment was too swift, barely noticeable, leaving no time to react.

He grabbed Sheila's head and snapped her neck.