Page 76 of Betrayed in Blood
“I would agree with that.” He tasted the beer. It was excellent. “So why the secrecy? While I appreciate the fine beer and comfortable atmosphere, it doesn’t explain the need for a construct.”
She took another drink and tapped her nails on the base of the glass. “After reading theDe første dage, and specifically the dreamwalker portion, it reminded me of how much we’ve lost over the centuries. Loss of our abilities, loss of rights, loss of life, all due to unwarranted fears. I’ve always known about the dreamwalkers who were accused of controlling the minds of others. But I’m no longer convinced that they were the extremists the Council believed them to be.”
“Over time, stories change, especially if only told by word of mouth. A story can expand to great exaggeration or become anemic and eventually die. I assume you believe the first to be true in your example.”
She nodded. “I believe someone saw an opportunity for great power and wealth, and to the detriment of their race, forced events to their benefit.”
Devon hadn’t been expecting that, and he swallowed a quarter of his mug, anticipating he might need a scotch or two after this discussion. “Are you saying a vampire made a power play knowing it would not be in our best interest?”
“Who’s to say for sure? But based on what I see as the outcome of the decision to purge dreamwalkers, it’s hard to believe otherwise. Consider everything occurring within vampire society over what, to us, is a rather short period of time: the creation of Magic Poppy, the decline in vampire fertility, the increased cases of vampire blood disease, and the growing numbers of halfling creations.”
If he’d been standing, he’d be on the floor by now. “Are you saying all of these events are linked?”
“What I’m saying, as The Wolf will soon discover, is that the Blood Poppy is vital to both vampire and dreamwalker. That without it, both species will eventually die out.” She gave a tired laugh. “It would take hundreds of centuries, of course. But here’s another secret hidden by time and ignorance. Each species needs the blood of the other. This is the foundation of unity between vampire and dreamwalker. Not ideological but biological. And it’s only been proven to me now by how weak the dreamwalkers have become.”
“I feel as if my mental fugue has returned. What do you mean we have a biological connection? I’ve never taken dreamwalker blood that I know of. And the only time I’ve had association with Blood Poppy, or at least it’s our working theory, is through Magic Poppy, and I can assure you, that was not a positive effect.”
“That depends on your point of view.”
“What do you mean?”
“For you and your Family, the beast taking control was of great negative consequence. You were losing control.” She leaned closer. “Think of it from the perspective of war. If you had the ability to force the beast out, possibly permanently, and then direct them…”
“You’d have an almost unstoppable army.” Devon sat back. He’d always considered himself a leader who thought big and understood the stakes. He’d been so wrong.
“Don’t beat yourself up, vampire. You couldn’t know all of this because you didn’t have all the information.”
He stared at his beer. Then blinked. A glass of what he presumed to be scotch appeared next to the beer.
“I thought you could use something stronger.”
He swallowed the two fingers and reveled in the burn. When he sat back, he noted the glass had been refilled. “I’ll need some time to consider all of this. What’s next?”
“I once mentioned the Seven Tribes while bringing Hamilton back to us. I need to reform the tribal structure, assuming there’s at least one member of each tribe still alive. From what my mother told me, each of the Seven Tribes used their dreamwalking powers in different ways. Most for forms of healing, others to stay in communication with members who lived in distant lands, and so on. Each tribe had enough power to ensure one wouldn’t become more powerful than the other. But if all Seven Tribes came together in the Nexus, our combined powers could be a rather formidable force. I believe this, more than the rogue dreamwalkers, was the reason for the purge.”
“But you don’t have access to all Seven Tribes.”
Her face lost all emotion except for the sadness in her gaze. “The leaders of the Seven Tribes were the first purged, including my mother. Though I was very young, she had passed on many of the old ways, which have guided me through the years. Now, I must call upon all I can remember. Three tribes are easy enough to find. My own of course, Hamilton’s, and then Cressa’s.”
“How do you know one tribe from another?”
“It’s not something outsiders would know. The only reason the vampire Council knew who they were was because we never hid them. Each dreamwalker gives off a different essence within their link to the Nexus. Most dreamwalkers today have no understanding of it. The closest way I can describe it is that it’s similar to a person’s aura. I felt it immediately when I dreamwalked with Hamilton and Cressa.” She gave him a wry grin. “Last names can also be used to identify a tribe, but typically only through the family of the leaders. Rasmussen isn’t a common name. I wouldn’t mention it to her, but I believe Cressa might be an heiress in her tribe.”
He barked a laugh. “I’m not sure that would do anything more than make her give up her dreamwalking.”
“Exactly. And that would be detrimental to our plans. I will continue my search for the other four tribes. You need to find out what The Wolf’s lab results show, but I suspect they’ll prove my theory.”
He took a sip of the scotch then pushed it aside. “There’s no question as to what this information would do to the vampire community. There would be outrage, denials, and, most likely, the complete eradication of the entire Council. There might even be a move by the Houses to greatly curtail its power. But a civil war is now more likely than ever.”
“That would depend on how the Houses divide themselves if they do.”
“Agreed.”
The bright sunlight forced Devon’s hand up to shield his eyes. He blinked several times to acclimate to being home.
“I wish you’d give more warning when you do that,” he grumbled.
Colantha laughed. “I can’t help myself with parlor tricks. It’s a good way to stay in practice.”
