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Luca couldn’t see the people through the camera flashes, but his only job was to be seen. Those who didn’t see it live would see the video. He moved to show different angles of his body while Ivanna kept anyone from getting close to him. After ten minutes, he returned to his human form and dressed. He smiled and waved at the crowd and the cameras as he returned to the podium on the stage.
His eyes still glowing from the magic of the shift, Luca grinned as he leaned toward the microphone. “Now, who has questions?”
The attendees fired questions at him that he couldn’t hope to hear, let alone answer. “Please calm down. I can’t hear any of you. If you form a line, we will set up a microphone. Everyone will get their turn.”
There was a mad scramble to form a line, but the world’s leaders managed to conduct themselves appropriately. The representative from the United Kingdom was the first in line.
“Where are Therians located? How can an ‘ancient sovereign nation’ just appear?” he asked.
Luca smiled. “Now that the contracts are in place, I am happy to announce that Gaia Theria’s seat of power is located on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia. After negotiating favored nation status, we have secured a one-thousand-year lease on the peninsula, even though the Therians lived on that land long before Russia was a country.
“Though the peninsula isn’t heavily populated, numerous human cities exist in what is now Therian territory. Humans are welcome there, but anyone who does not wish to continue living on the peninsula can contact the Therian embassy. We will purchase your property for higher than market value and help cover your moving expenses.
“Those who stay will be granted dual Russian-Therian citizenship. We will have customs and an immigration process like any other country for visitors and immigrants. We don’t want anyone to feel trapped. Simply put, if you don’t want to be there, we don’t want you there. We will commission multiple colleges, where humans can study our historical archives and other collected knowledge.”
The next question came from the Argentine representative. “If your seat of power is located in Russia, is that the only place Therians live? How does a country go about negotiating favored nation status?”
“We are legal citizens of every nation on Earth, and there are different species’ strongholds in multiple countries. Regarding negotiating favored nation status, contact the Therian embassy in your country once it’s established to inquire about specific requirements.”
The Italian representative spoke next. “How many Therian species are there?”
“There are one hundred Therian species. Some bloodlines died out over the centuries, though.” Luca nodded at Ivanna, who gestured for her six team members to spread across the open field while she remained by the king’s side. “If you turn your attention to the lawn again, you will see representatives of the tiger, wolf, horse, bear, moose, and raven shifters.”
The shifters were all several times larger than their animal counterparts, and they were an impressive bunch. They each stayed in their Therian forms for ten minutes as the onlookers stared in awe, then returned to their human shapes.
The next question came from the German representative. “Why did the hidden world stay secret for so long?”
Luca laughed bitterly. “Salem. The Spanish Inquisition. Nazis. Apartheid. Slavery. Racism. Human history proves that anything different or misunderstood will be punished. Fear of the unknown can lead to violence and misunderstandings. There was no need for anyone to die, and until recently, it didn’t seem that humanity was ready for the truth. Superstition and a lack of accurate knowledge can be dangerous. Rumors and lies kill as easily as weapons.”
The Australian representative asked, “Why reveal yourselves now, then?”
“Nadya pushed the timeline by killing a news anchor on live television and declaring the vampire race superior, but I had always planned to reveal our presence after I ascended to the throne. Also, technology has advanced to the point that this message will be spread worldwide before the press conference is over. Until now, that could not have happened, and it was a large factor in our decision.”
“You’re asking us to trust vampires?” The French representative scoffed. “By all accounts, they feed on human blood. How are we supposed to reconcile that with the peaceful image of them you portray?”
Luca shook his head. “It’s not my job to convince you that vampires aren’t dangerous, and it would be a lie. Of course, they're dangerous. So am I. So are you. It is not my place to speak about vampire affairs, and it violates our peace treaties for me to do so. I can arrange a meeting with their new monarch, but I will not speak about her or her motivations beyond my sincere belief they are genuine.”
He answered questions patiently for another hour before calling the press conference to a close. Some of the representatives were shivering, and it wasn’t fair to keep them standing outside.
“Thank you all for coming and for your interest in my people. I’m afraid that’s all the time I have for today. Please visit TherianEmpire.com for the answers to many of your questions and the contact information to establish a Therian embassy in your country.” Snow began falling. “I imagine we will see each other again soon, and next time, we can meet inside.”
Luca and the other Therians moved swiftly toward the parking lot, eager to be away from the noise of the crowd, who’d gathered in groups for frantic conversation. When he was behind the tinted windows of his SUV, he breathed a sigh of relief. That had gone much better than he’d hoped, but the next few days would show how humanity reacted.
“Thank you, Ivanna,” he began as she drove toward the airport. “Please express my gratitude to your people as well, though I will thank them in person. They went above and beyond today, and I won’t forget it.”
“You’re welcome, Sire. We were all honored to serve you today. Also, thank you for allowing me to expand the King’s Guard.”
Luca smiled. “You were right, and it would have been foolish not to listen. I spent many years around Nikoli’s guards, and they had no sense of purpose or unity. Your people feel like a team, and you’re a great leader. We’re lucky to have you, and it’s important that you feel valued and appreciated.”
Ivanna grinned at him in the rearview mirror as she skillfully merged onto the interstate. “Thank you, Luca. That’s a lovely thing to say. You’ve been a damn fine king so far. We’re lucky to have you, too. Now, let’s go home.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Therian Palace, Friday, January 18, 2013, Morning
After a productive week spent recruiting vampires, Ash’s eagerness to return home to her mate and prepare for her parents’ visit had reached new heights. Luca’s reveal at the United Nations had gone far better than they had hoped, and he would be tied up in meetings for months ironing out supernatural/human relations. He’d promised to meet her at the palace on Friday.
Dani’s call informing her that their parents were coming had been a shock. They’d only said they had a wonderful surprise and would make their way to the palace on their own with the panthers. She didn’t know what to expect when she returned, but she couldn’t wait to find out.
