Page 10 of Blood Match
“Is there?” Lucien sneers. “I’m surprised to hear such weakness from the leader of Clan Sanguis. Aren’t you supposed to be warriors?”
My fists clench on the table. “A true warrior knows when to fight and when to hold back. This isn’t about bravery, it’s about survival.”
“Survival?” Lucien scoffs. “We are vampires! We should be ruling, not hiding! We are untouchable!” He pauses. “At least, some of us are. And some of us should be more eager to solve this problem.” His eyes narrow on me. And there’s something within them that makes my blood run cold.
He knows.
Somehow, the bastard knows or at least suspects. My jaw clenches imperceptibly. Whatever game he’s playing, I refuse to play along.
“War is not the solution.” I keep my voice level.
Selene tries to interject. “Perhaps if we glamor them to—”
“Quiet!” Lucien and I bark in unison, our gazes never breaking. I know there may be merit to her suggestion, but I’m determined to see where Marlowe plans to take this.
“I’m inclined to agree with Lady Nightshadow.” It’s our Grand Elder now, but with Lucien goading me, I disregard her.
“Glamors and enchantments would be pointless.” Lucien tosses a thick wave of black hair off his forehead. “It’s time for decisive action.”
“You’re planning to attack them.” I stare at him, and he shrugs, which is all the answer I need. I lean in, my voice low and dangerous. “You’re willing to risk everything we’ve built? For what? Your ego?”
“For our future!” Lucien snarls. “Or are you too busy sympathizing with witches to see that?”
“I don’t give a damn about witches,” I hiss. “But I won’t see our kind destroyed because of your bloodlust.”
“Destroyed?” Lucien laughs coldly. “We are superior in every way!”
“Superior, yes. But outnumbered,” I counter.
“Outnumbered?” he scoffs. “How do you figure that?”
“To humankind, witches are crackpots who dance around naked in the moonlight and think they can cast spells. Hardly anyone believes they actually exist, and those who do, are generally seen as crackpots too.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“Because the humans won’t see us going to war with a different race; they view witches as human. All they’d see are vampires attacking humans without provocation. They’d see us as a danger to their species. They’d fear us. And you know what humans are like when they’re afraid.” I can’t understand how he hasn’t considered this.
“Bullshit. They love us.” He snorts. “I have a dozen willing human females waiting for my attention as we speak,” he smirks. “They wouldn’t care if I kept a dungeon full of witches for my clan’s private consumption.”
My mind reels at the implication. “You are out of your fucking mind!” I clasp my hands together in front of me. My fingertips are tingling oddly.
Lucien seems unperturbed. “I’ll do what I must to take care of my clan. If one of them has the Bloodbane, I’ll ensure they have access to all the witch blood they need. My people come first. Can you say the same?”
“Yes, absolutely. How long do you think your ‘groupies’ will adore you if the world decides to paint a target on our backs? It’ll only be a matter of time before you turn the humans against us.”
“So? We fight back.”
“Against all of humankind? We are not invincible, Marlowe.” I snort. “Have you forgotten what sunlight does to most of us? How vulnerable we are during the day?”
“Then we attack at night!” Lucien’s eyes gleam with a fervor that troubles me.
“And then what?” I demand. “We can’t—” Suddenly, my vision blurs. A shower of blue sparks dances across my line of sight, momentarily disorienting me. I blink hard, trying to clear my head.
What the fuck?
“You were saying?” Lucien’s voice cuts through the fog.
“I said we can’t…we can’t…” I struggle to regain my train of thought.