"Exactly. Maximus doesn't hire people just because he feels sorry for them. He hired me because I'm qualified, and I'm invested in making sure this system works."
"Even with the 'voluntary-conditional' donors?" I ask.
Elena's expression tightens slightly. "Especially with them. Those people have options now that they didn't before. Is it perfect? No. But it's better than Konstantin's people draining them in alleys and leaving their bodies for their families to find. Like they did with my brother."
I understand the logic. Doesn't mean I'm comfortable with all of it.
"Come on," Elena says, standing. "There's someone I want you to meet."
She leads me to a medical room where a woman in her thirties is having blood drawn by one of the medical techs. The woman looks healthy, relaxed even.
"Celeste, this is Monica. She's been one of our donors for three years."
Monica smiles. "New vampire?"
"New to the network," I confirm.
"Elena runs a tight ship. You're in good hands." She doesn't seem afraid at all. "I donate twice a month, make enough to pay my rent and student loans, and the health benefits are better than anything I could get working retail."
"You're okay with vampires drinking your blood?" I ask.
"Honey, I grew up knowing vampires were real. My grandmother was a donor back in the seventies, before things were organized like this. She had scars all over her neck from messy feeding. This?" She gestures to the neat IV setup. "This is civilized. Plus, I get regular health screenings, dental coverage, and I'm building savings. It's a better deal than anything else available to someone like me."
After Monica leaves, I turn to Elena. "Is everyone that comfortable?"
"Most. We screen out people who seem afraid or coerced. Fear affects blood quality, adrenaline, and stress hormones can cause contamination issues." She checks her watch. "You should probably get back. Marcellus wanted to talk to you about security protocols."
I find Marcellus in the security center, a room filled with monitors showing every angle of the compound. He's studying footage from last night's attack, his expression grim.
"You wanted to see me?" I say from the doorway.
He doesn't look away from the screens. "Maximus trusts you. I don't."
"I gathered that."
"You've been a vampire for eight months. You have no connections, no history in this city, and suddenly you're in the inner circle." He finally turns to face me. "That's either incredibly good luck or incredibly good planning."
"You think I'm a plant."
"The timing is suspicious. You start asking about Maximus all over the city. He tracks you down. You nearly die from contaminated blood. Convenient excuse to need his help. He brings you here, and within twenty-four hours, we're attacked."
"You think I signaled them somehow."
"I think you're either an enemy asset or you're dangerously naive. Either way, you're a liability."
I step into the room, keeping my hands visible and non-threatening. "I understand your suspicion. If I were in your position, I'd feel the same. But I'm not working for Konstantin. I don't even know who he is beyond what I've heard in the last day."
"That's what a good plant would say."
"True. So what do I need to do to prove myself?"
Marcellus studies me for a long moment. "Time. Consistency. One mission isn't enough. I need to see that you're loyal when it matters, when there's something to lose."
"Fair enough."
"And if you betray us," he says quietly, “if you're working for Konstantin or anyone else, I will kill you. Slowly. Maximus may be willing to see potential in you, but I've seen too many people betray him over the centuries. I won't let it happen again.”
“He saved my life once,” he continued, “two centuries ago, when I was a fledgling abandoned by my maker, half-feral from hunger. He gave me purpose when I had nothing. I won't let anyone destroy what he's built, and I won't let anyone hurt him.”
