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"Do you deny what I say is true?"
He shakes his head.
"How do you effectively control them? That's the problem. They're a powerful group. Humans are powerful technologically, but even so, they haven't been able to completely control vampires. I don't know if they ever will be able."
"Well," I say and dangle my legs over the side of the bed. "I don't like it and I won't work for the Council if that's their endgame."
"So generous," he says, coming around to my side of the bed to help me up. "But can you avoid it? The Council created you, protected you, made you what you are. They have plans for you."
"You rejected those plans."
"Yes," he says. "Because I have power. Without me, you're powerless. Just a weapon without a hand to guide you."
"Then I need your help."
"Eve," he says and cups my face with his hand. "I went to all this trouble to keep you from this fate. Why do you think I'll help you meet it?"
I stand up on my own, pushing away his hand. "You'll help me because it's the only way you'll have me or my blood."
"I don't need your blood. Nor do I need you. Wanting you is entirely different."
I lean on the door to the bathroom. "If you want me, you'll have to help me or else imprison me and take me by force. And believe me, if you do that? You think I've been uncooperative? You've no idea."
I go into the bathroom and close the door. He stays outside.
"Call me if you feel faint."
"I'll be fine," I say. "Give me some privacy, please."
After a moment, I hear the door to my bedroom close. I lean down, my head in my hands. I was feeling somewhat faint but I have to get away from him for even a moment. He's been hovering over me like I'm going to die at any time and I can't even use the washroom without him standing outside.
I sit like that for a while, just trying to think straight without him there watching me. There's been no mental intrusions since I tried to block him out, and I wonder if I have to actually let him in consciously.
My plan is to recover my strength, and then meet with the Council and talk them into getting me the nanotechnology so I can use it to kill Soren. I'm not at all concerned on a moral level with destroying him. He wants to enslave all humans, have us as slaves to vampires, with him and other ancients as our rulers. They would no longer fear the machinations of the Council and its rules and treaties.
Michel might not like it. That's too bad for him. He's kept the truth from me – claiming it was because he wanted to save me from this fate I was contemplating, but he'll just have to give up that hope. I know he wants me for himself as much as he doesn't want me to be the Adept who kills Soren. One of us has to. I have more reason than most to be the one.
That's what I'll plead before the Council, if I have to. Of course, Soren will know I'm Michel's 'pet' so we'll have to find some way to break us up – have Michel lose me, maybe reject me so that I'm available. Soren can then claim me. Then once I'm safely ensconced in his circle, I'll destroy him.
I don't know how it will happen. The Council has a plan. Michel won't tell me what it is, but I want to hear it.
All my life, the idea that one day I'll find a way to stop vampires kept me alive through all the pain in my life. Soren’s planning on being the single-largest mass murderer ever. It's a very strong motivation. If I'm able to kill him, and if I have to die in the process, so be it.
I sleep all the next day and other than eating the light meals Vasily brings me, I do nothing more strenuous than making the short trip to the washroom. During the first hours, I recover fairly well, considering I've almost lost all my blood to Michel's lack of control – or Soren's compulsion.
Michel comes to me later in the night as I lie in the darkness, thinking about what I'm going to do. I'm not feeling well again, the sense that I'm recovering wanes as the day passes and darkness falls. I'm worn out. It'll probably take me several days to fully recover.
Michel stands in the darkness at the foot of my bed and says nothing.
"I can see you," I say.
"I know,” he says, his voice soft. "How are you feeling?"
"Like crap." I turn over, my muscles aching from the effort, my hands shaking. "Maybe I need something more to eat. Can you ask Vasily to come in? I feel like something more substantial than tea and toast. Like meat or something."
Michel sits on the bed beside me and takes my hand.
"You need my blood," he says, his tone serious.
