Stark continued, “In exchange for this—for our kind to outlaw giving out medicinal vampire blood—they have agreed to grant us human rights so that we may enjoy legal ownership of property,travel freely, and most importantly, have freedom from those who hunt us. Being given the same rights as living humans would make it illegal to kill a vampire.”
“That’s what this is about?” It didn’t seem all that crazy tonotwant to be murdered, but how did this fit in to treating people like chicken nuggets?
“Giving us these rights will change everything,” he said. “We will be able to legally work, vote, hold office, draft laws, run companies, and even join the military.” He paused. “We could teach in your universities and influence your youth to become sympathetic to our kind—to see us as the oppressed instead of indiscriminate killing machines.”
Pfft! College kids would never go for that sort of propaganda. Then again…
“Okay,” I said, “none of those things are good, but there aren’t that many vampires in the world compared to the rest of us.” Two million versus eight billion. I could hardly call it a takeover if a few vampires voted or ran for office.
“Our wealth is immeasurable,” he explained, “and no longer having to hide our assets in caves or under questionable identities will allow us to use banks, invest openly, and influence politicians without fear of being targeted. In a handful of years, vampires will have significant power. We’ll own the world, and there will be nothing humans can do to stop us once this law is passed.”
I was getting the picturenow. They planned to establish themselves and then seep into powerful roles, run the institutions, and control humans with money. I’d say it was a crazy plan, but there were groups of power-hungry people doing that very same thing right now. Didn’t matter the political affiliation either. The bad apples were growing everywhere.
“So once they take over the farm, they’ll push us into pens,” I presumed.
“At first, they will be careful. They will legalize assisted suicide across the world. Then will come suicide-by-vampire, followed by death-by-vampire as a form of capital punishment. Humans will quickly become accustomed to the idea until one day people will wake up and find a vampire knocking on their door because their credit score is too low. Or because they spend too much time on Instagram, watching people braid hair in unique and festive ways.”
I gave him a look.
He shrugged. “It is addictive.”
True. But it was also harmless. “Goddammit. Why’s the world have to be so evil?”
“There are still plenty of good vampires out there alongside good humans who deserve saving.” He gazed at me with tender eyes.
“Stop that. I am not falling for your sweetie-pie looks, Stark.”
“So I am Stark again?” He flashed a quick smile.
“No. You’re still Monty,Monty. And I am notabout to buy one dang word you say without a bowl of pudding.”
“Pudding?”
“That’s where the proof goes, don’t it?” I snapped. “I would also like to point out that none of this explains your lies. Why make me believe I’m a vampire?”
He looked down at his black boots.
“Well?” I barked.
“I, uh…” He cleared his throat. “I was preparing you.”
I stared expectantly.
He gave his short dark scruff a scratch. “There is only a small chance we can stop the Repurposed People Act from passing, and if we are successful, the vampires seeking control will move to plan B. There will be war, Masie. A civil war. The fanged kind. It will be bloody, ruthless, and swift.”
Oh.That didn’t sound good. “What’s that mean for people?”
“I do not know—depends on which side wins. But either way, war means that my enemies will come for you, and the island alone can only protect you for so long. As a human, you are too vulnerable.”
The dots suddenly formed a neon flashing “oh crap” sign. According to him, derailing this new law would halt a big problem but create a new one: vampire war.
“You were preparing incase there’s a war, so I could protect myself?” I asked.
“Yes.” He nodded. “And, also, so you could fight with me if it comes to that.”
Me? Fight?“As in fang-to-fang combat?”
“I meant it in more of a diplomatic sense. The vampire world still believes you are Queen Anna Trehueger Stark reincarnated. It means that if you were my wife, it would increase our odds of swaying any undecided vampires to our side. That is what the entire last few days were about—a test to demonstrate to my coven that you will thrive as a vampire and that you are truly Anna, strong and fierce, worthy of becoming one of us. They all voted yes, and with this support, it further improves our odds of swaying them when the time comes. Two legendary, powerful vampires are hard to say no to.”
