“The sorcerer Theodore is trying to incite us into violence again,” Ethan went on. “I will not allow that to happen because it is not the kind of ruler I intend to be. I am no Whitfield. An unhinged, power-hungry leader creates an unhinged, power-hungry populace, which is why I don’t hold your past violence against you. You were under the frenzied command of a blood thirsty tyrant, and your actions followed suit. But hear this. There is to be no more unnecessary harm done to any humans. In order to survive, we need to be able to live peacefully among the human population in a symbiotic manner, and that is the kind of environment that I will strive to create for all of you. I will put a stop to Theodore’s plans to ruin us. You have my word. And after that, we still endeavour to live in peace, and hopefully, prosperity, too.”
As I looked down on the vampires all listening intently to Ethan’s speech, I saw something change in them. They were taking in his words, and there was relief on their faces. They didn’t want to be at war, and the kind of city Ethan was describing appealed to their hearts. A grain of hope formulated within me. Perhaps Alora was wrong when she said it would be a little girl who finally brought peace to Tribane. Maybe, just maybe, it would be Ethan who did it.
Finn
You know what I think? I think it should be made illegal for anyone to ever have to be up this early in the morning. I was awake and dressed at the arse crack of dawn. I’d had my breakfast, and I was currently in the process of arming myself to the teeth. You’d be amazed by the number of weapons a fella could store on his person once he put his mind to it. So far, I’d managed five guns, seven knives, and several stakes. Yes, it was morning and there weren’t going to be any vamps around, but you could never be too careful.
I’d commandeered Ira into coming along with me to Theodore’s gathering on Campion Row. We stood in the kitchen, a selection of knives scattered across the counter, when the door creaked open. Alora stepped into the room. She was dressed, her hair tied back in a ponytail, which instantly gave me ideas about pulling it out and watching all that golden hair fall over her shoulders.
“What has you up at this ungodly hour, Goldy?” I asked.
“I want to come with you,” she answered, and I frowned immediately.
“No can do. This is an iffy situation we’re going into, and if a riot breaks out, it’s not going to be safe for you. I need you to stay here.”
“But I can help,” she said, and I had a hard time imagining how she could possibly be of assistance. She’d be far more of a hindrance since I’d have to be looking out for her the entire time.
Still, not wanting to come across like a prick, I entertained her idea. “Okay, how exactly can you help us?”
With her hand on the wall, she felt her way over to a chair and sat down. “I have a couple of other abilities as well as my visions,” she replied, and my curiosity piqued.
I folded my arms. “I’m all ears.”
She ran a finger back and forth over the surface of the table. “I can interfere with people’s emotions, so if the crowd becomes incensed, I’ll be able to calm them.”
“Well, that certainly sounds like it could come in handy,” I agreed, changing my tune. “What else can you do?”
“Um, well, that’s all actually,” she answered, sheepish. “Perhaps I exaggerated a little when I said a couple.”
“How many people can you affect with this … ability?”
“A lot. Maybe a hundred.”
I leaned back against the counter and tapped my boot on the floor, considering it. Calming down a hundred people might not be everyone, but it would still make a big difference if things got out of control. The population had been damaged enough in the past few weeks, and we didn’t need any further casualties.
“And what if you get separated from me and Ira? How will you defend yourself?”
She chewed on her lip. “You could give me one of those knives over there?”
“You can’t see. How did you know …?”
“I could hear you moving them around,” she quickly explained, and I grinned.
“Good hearing.”
“So, can I come?” she asked hopefully.
I sighed, having no clue why she would even want to come. If I had my choice, I’d be back in bed catching another forty winks.
“Okay, then. But you need to stick by me at all times. Understood?”
She smiled. “Understood.”
“I’m not sure this is wise,” Ira said as he slid a gun into one side of his shoulder holster and a second into the other side.
“I’ll keep her safe,” I said as we resumed silently arming ourselves.
Before we left, I took a piece of chalk and drew a circle on my door. I didn’t want anyone mistaking my house for a vamp den, even though I’d played host to my fair share of fangs in recent weeks. Oh, how my once immovable stance against them had been moulded to make allowances. I felt like I’d sold out. Then again, my choices had been kind of limited.
Once we were ready to go, we climbed in the van and drove to the city centre. Along the way, every house had a big white chalk circle on the door, and there were hundreds of people walking in the same direction as I was driving. I had to park a distance away from Campion Row because there was far too much foot traffic clogging up the roads as well as the pathways. When I got out, I took Alora’s hand in mine, and we walked. I stopped when my phone started ringing, and I pulled it out to see Tegan’s name on the screen.
“Hold on a second. I have to take this,” I said to Alora and Ira before I answered.
“Well, I’ve never known you to be an early bird,” I said in greeting. “Perhaps Cristescu’s a good influence after all.”
“Hilarious,” she replied. “Where are you?”
I cocked an eyebrow, listening to the noise in the background on her end. “Where are you?”
“I’m at the top of the Blackfield monument. There are so many people here, Finn. I’m worried.”
Oh, you silly, silly woman. I tightened my jaw. “Are you alone?”
“Yeah.”
“Stay where you are. I’ll be five minutes.”
It actually took us closer to ten minutes to find Tegan because of the crowds. We climbed the steps of the monument, and I gave her my most disapproving stare.
“What?” she asked, and there was just the tiniest sliver of guilt in her voice. “I had to come. Rita could be here.”
“Of course, you did. Where’s Cristescu?”
Her mouth tightened. “Still asleep. He doesn’t know I’m here.”
I whistled. “He’s not going to like it when he finds out.”
“If he finds out,” she corrected me. “And he won’t if I have anything to do with it.”
“He’ll know. Have you forgotten how he read me yesterday? The bloke has a flipping radar for thoughts now, and we have you to thank for it.”
I turned from her and guided Alora over to sit down on a step.
“It’s not a bad thing. I believe he’s going to rule the vampires peacefully,” Tegan went on.
I instantly shushed her, eyes shifting to the people standing close by. “Less of the ‘v’ word around here, please. Unless it’s vagina. You can say that all you want.”