Page 104 of Heathens

Oh god, has he convinced himself that what we have is love? Love and obsession can look nearly identical after a life as twisted and raw as his. I doubt he can tell the difference anymore.

“That’s what it comes down to, Sofie. We’re out of time, and I need you to make that formula. Once it’s done, we’ll have him right where we want him.”

“You haven’t even let me look at that piece of paper for longer than a few seconds. If you want me to help you with this, with any of it, you need to be honest with me. How can I trust you if you’ve never really trusted me?”

He sighs.

“Theo says it’s… it’s like some kind of biological weapon.”

My heart pounds. I knew he was leading me into something fucking dangerous. If he had been honest from the beginning, I would have– Well, I would have told him to fuck off, but he still should have told me the truth.

“What do you mean a weapon?”

“For humans, it’s… well, it’d seem fantastic at first blush. He’s perfected synthetic blood, mimicking our strain rather than yours. Vampires won’t need to drink from humans anymore, at least as long as he can produce enough of this stuff. Humans won’t need our blood to inoculate themselves. He’s solved all of our biggest problems, all with a single little vial, but here’s the trick: it’s all blended in with some other shit. Extremely addictive to your kind, completely fucks with your brains; makes you compliant.”

He shakes his head, glaring out at the moon as he continues.

“If we have a new,renewablefood source, then humans can be harvested. He can round you all up, keep the best of you, and cull the rest like cattle. All he has to do is get this shit out, pitch it as a replacement for your inoculations, or just force it down your throats, and it’s all over. No more balance of power. No more freedom.”

I think I’m going to be sick.

“Rene used to go on these insane fucking rants about how it was our time; that humanity had wasted its gift, and the virus was the perfect opportunity to take control. I never thought he’d get this far, but I think it’s always been his plan. It would be open season for vampires to hunt, kill, and do everything and anything Rene wants them to. Santa Cruz would be his playground, your bar would be gone, your friends would be dead, or worse. I don’t even know what he’d do with you.”

I can imagine it all too vividly.

“And you agreed with him?” I rasp as that pain in my stomach knots itself tighter and tighter. “Back when he said we wasted our gift, you were on his side?”

Dominic shakes his head.

“Everything in nature has a balance, and if something tries to overpower that, it throws the whole thing off. What we have it’s… well, it’s precarious, but it works.”

“It worksfor you. You have all the power, you control almost all the territory, the money, everything.”

He sighs.

“I know. Some things will need to change. That’s all part of the plan.”

“What fucking plan, Dominic? What are you even trying to do here?”

“My goal, what I want the most, is to repair the relationship between us. Find a better balance. Make it work.”

Is he talking about humans,or justme?

“I think we can live together. I want to create some kind of… I don’t know, council or something. Humans and vampires side by side.”

“But you’d run it, right?”

I can see a small smile creep across his lips, reveling in the idea.

“Well naturally. I’m making it all happen, it seems only fair that I’m the one in charge when the dust clears.”

There’s always a catch with this guy. I think he enjoys the power and control just as much as Rene does, it’s why they butted heads so much. The thing is, at the very least Dominic seems to care about a future that’s at least somewhat sustainable. He’s happy with the status quo we’ve created, and content to let the human population balance out.

Rene only works with us because he has to. He thinks of us as a food source, and nothing more. We’re a means to an end. With Dominic, at least there’s a chance at something more.

“Show me the formula.”

He seems taken aback, worried at how quickly I’ve folded.

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