AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Like he was doing in Seattle.
He’s trying to teach them to be like him. My heart swells at Julian’s heart. He’s not torturing them; he’s trying to help.
“Marcellus is trying to build an army of new bites. He wants to create more vampires so that they can eventually take over the world and live in the open.”
“Alongside humans?” I ask with wide eyes.
“No.” She shakes her head. “Creating more vampires with that newborn thirst is a recipe for disaster. We would have difficulty controlling them, and before too long vampires would begin to go rogue. It would be chaos. Eventually, they would deplete every source of food.”
My body shivers at the picture she’s painting. Anarchy, fear, and death for the human race.
“Does the Council agree?”
“Not with his method, per se. They believe in a controlled process. Think larger scale blood banks and auctions. Humans would be made to live as blood slaves.”
I jerk back.
“No. He can’t.Theycan’t.”
“They could. We are faster and stronger. Humans would be no match. Julian spends his evenings tracking them down and bringing them here, so he can help them through the process and teach them how to survive on animal blood.”
“Why is the Council against Julian’s method?”
“It goes against everything our kind has ever believed. In the Council’s eyes, we are superior and we should not have to hide from anyone.”
“Do you agree?” I ask, not believing she does, but needing to hear it from her.
She shakes her head. “I’m here with Julian because I believe inhim. I think he could start a revolution for vampires. One that doesn’t include hysteria, people dying, and evil ruling. Because believe me, some of the Council members are pure evil.”
Her eyes darken, and something crosses over her face. Something happened to Katina. I don’t know what, but it involves members of the Council. Having pushed my luck with her enough today, I let it go for now.
“How do we stop the Council?”
She laughs. “Youdon’t do anything. Allow the immortals to fight this war, Marina. You’d never survive it.”
I don’t doubt what she’s saying, but I’m dead regardless. I’d rather do something and feel like I helped save mankind in some way.
“The fate of the world rests in Julian’s hands. As long as he’s the Crown, we’re all safe.”
“How do we keep him in power?”
She clicks her tongue and flips her eyes toward the ceiling, probably annoyed that I included myself in the equation again.
“The best way would be for him to fulfill his obligation and marry Ms. Dupré. That way, the two oldest and strongest families would be united. He’d have their allegiance and other Council members would follow.”
Fulfill his obligation.Marry.
“Adèle?” My voice cracks, stomach coils, and chest feels so tight it might explode. He is engaged to her? All this time, he’s been engaged, and he failed to tell me?
“Are you all right?” Katina asks, but I barely comprehend her words. My heart has been pulled out of my chest.He’s engaged. My traitorous mind keeps replaying the words, as if the first time didn’t break me enough.
“Katina, we have a problem,” Bash calls from somewhere, but I’m not focused on anything but my mounting grief.
“Marina.” Katina grabs my shoulders, trying to snap me out of my stupor, but it won’t work. Nothing will work. “You need to go to your room. Now,” she barks, turning me toward the stairs.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
On autopilot, my feet carry me down the hall toward my room, but I hardly register it. Memories of the night at the club replay before my eyes. The way she looked at him; the wayhelooked ather. I’m sick. How did I not see it? Why has he led me to believe he cares for me?
