Page 85 of Blood Lust

She’s not wrong.

“What would that be,” I can’t hide my interest. I have been eating up all the knowledge I can about my new world. Magic and supernatural things fascinate me. If my childhood self could see the things I just happened to stumble upon, she’d be squealing with delight.

“A chance to re-imagine the vampire's existence and condition. A chance to change the fate of vampires everywhere and keep up with the rise of werewolves and demons.”

“And witches,” I add, noticing she purposefully omitted her own kind.

Nodding in agreement, Sophie leans in. “The demons are becoming a problem. We cannot stand against them individually but united, and we stand a chance.”

So she wants an alliance?

The demons I’ve read about are dark and evil, on the run from their realm and hunted by their law enforcement, I.M.P. The Inter-realm Magic Police. They come here and cause mayhem until their side catches up with them. It’s quite a lot of red tape, and demons live forever, so it’s not like time is a concern. Why did she mention the wolves? From what I can tell, there is no direct animosity between us.

“Why do you want to unite with us? Why vampires?” Sophie is holding back. She has a card that she wants to play when the time is right. I am anxious to get to that time, to have it all laid out in front of me.

“We can’t offer the wolves anything that they don’t already have. They will probably agree to join us for safety, but why would vampires? Unless your kind has something to gain, you’d leave the rest of us to it and keep your own necks safe.” She’s annoyed. She thinks we should be helping out of the kindness of our hearts, and we aren’t.

I cross my arms and lean back in my chair. “Fine way of asking for help.” I don’t hide the irritation in my voice and watch her face as she tries to backpedal.

Good witch.

Smart witch.

Don’t forget I have the power in this situation.

“I just mean that demons haven’t been as large of a concern for your kind as they have been for the rest of us. You’re the most difficult to fight and kill, and so you are afforded a certain protection from them. They don’t come after you the way they come after us. And make no mistake… They are coming after us.”

We are getting to the meat of things.

“In the last five months, seven witches have gone missing. Some are from my coven, and some are from other smaller local covens. We have evidence that it’s demons and filed a formal complaint to I.M.P. So far, they’ve done nothing.”

Gotta love that red tape.

“What about S.P.E.L.L?” I ask. Surely the Supernatural Police of Enchantments, Laws, and Lore would be more useful than vampires.

“Not their jurisdiction, and as such, they refuse to make a move against anything demonic.” Red tape and territorial pissing matches. Fun.

“So, as a last resort, we’ve come together to make you an offer that could sway you to assist witches and werewolves when needed.” She does want an alliance. I don’t speak for all vampires, though. She knows this, but I suppose she was focusing on the local coven before trying to take her plan, whatever it is, to the next level.

“I’m listening,” I lean back, relaxing in my chair, intrigued. I can see her excitement as she realizes I’m not going to blow her off and that I will seriously consider her offer. What does she have that vampires want? Why is she so insistent that werewolves play a role in this?

Sophie opens her handbag. It looks like it’s a designer brand and probably is. She pulls out a small glass vial with a shimmering purple liquid. A potion?

“It’s well known that vampires are, and should be quite picky when expanding their covens. A fact I think you’re all too aware of, given recent events.” Ah, yes, Sophie, I get it. You are up to date on vampire affairs. I try to ignore the jab at Leland’s death, but I can’t control how my nostrils flare. Sophie isn’t paying enough attention. Her eyes were on the bottle. “But what if there was another way to bolster your numbers? Werewolves can turn others, and they can breed. Witches can seek gifted humans and help them develop their magic and produce children naturally, but you… You can only turn.”

I want to reach across the table and claw her stupid face.

She could not know that I desperately want to be a mother.

If I could have this life or the life I’d dreamed of, I would choose the latter.

Preferably still keeping Oz in the process somehow.

I eye the bottle in front of me. There’s no way– no possible way this can give me what she claims.

“What if you could do both? What if you could have biological children the same as we do?”

I stare the witch down, asserting dominance and looking for even the slightest hint that this is all bullshit. She looks at the potion with such pride. Sophie seems to sense my eyes on her and leans back in her seat, finally looking at me instead of the shifting glittering swirls inside the bottle. I detect nothing but honesty.

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