Page 47 of Winterfall Destiny

"Excuse me?" I reply.

"Would you ask me to break the curse?" she continues.

"And allow hemia to daywalk?" Dorian rests against the wall. "I can already do that. So can Andrei and Tobias."

"We'd give Gabriella a massive advantage if she could daywalk," I retort.

"Is this why we're here?" asks Andrei, brow pinched. "You want us to make a decision for you?"

"Oh, no. That's an aside. I wanted you to see evidence of my capabilities." The First sits on the edge of the dais that the thrones of the strange kings and queen of the vampires rest on. "If, despite everything, you turn against me, here's what you can expect."

Fuck. She'll keep us here, too. Now? "We're not stupid enough to cross you," I say. "Besides, you have Andrei as your insurance."

Is the First even listening to me? Because the creature's fussing over the frozen vampires' clothes, brushing the woman's burgundy silk dress straight. "Oh. I almost forgot another detail. If you upset me and I decide to kill them, all hemia from the families' bloodlines die. Another insurance policy of mine." Dorian opens his mouth. "Including you. Anybody with their blood."

What game is she playing this time?

"Even Andrei?" I ask.

"You know his role is different."

"Is breaking the daywalking curse part of your plans?" Andrei's voice becomes a rasp. "You manipulated me partly because I'm desperate to daywalk, but were planning this?"

"Hmm." The First studies her nails, flicking at them. "Well, when I reveal the supes to the world, the hemia will be at a disadvantage if they're stuck in the night."

"When you what?" I half-shout. "Do you know what mayhem that'll bring? The amount of deaths—humans and supes?"

The First ignores me, continuing to look at her nails. "Yes, unfortunately. But any hemia I dislike must be killed before I continue with my plans."

"You're capable of killing Gabriella yourself," I say. "Why haven't you?"

"I rather enjoy watching the hunt."

"This is all a fucking game!" blurts Andrei. "You're holding this over our heads. We'll never be safe while you have these... things in your possession."

She shrugs. "Everybody needs insurance in their lives."

"Will you free these originals when you tell the world?" Dorian asks.

"Hmm. No. I believe it's better all-round if vampires as powerful as this stay subdued."

My head spins in circles as I rest against the wall, taking deeper breaths. Games. Games with hemia. With us. With humans.

"What exactly do you plan to do?" asks Andrei. "Announce on the internet that vampires, shifters, and witches exist? Nobody will believe you."

"Oh, but they will."

"Right. And then when the humans kill us all again?" asks Dorian. "The humans possess more sophisticated weapons compared to the ones the supes faced in the last Purge. Guns. Bombs. A fuck load of defence."

"Against thousands upon thousands of supes, many already integrated into your society, some at government level? You have spells and are supernatural. I know human history. If a virus can bring the modern world to its knees, we definitely can."

"You can't reveal us!" I say. "That's crazy."

"Most races will manage to live peacefully, apart from the ones driven by blood lust." That fucking smile. "Life will be difficult for hemia. What a shame."

"You'd give them daywalking and not take away the blood lust?" demands Andrei.

"I'm all for a little give and take. I'm not a monster." The creature pouts. "I'm not that cruel."

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