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“Sorry for your luck, Terrance,” I mutter. “What do you want?”
There’s a brief space of silence before the man says, “As you’re aware, we have members within the government across the globe. However, there are more human than vampire government officials, most of which weren’t previously aware of our existence.”
I grip the phone tighter, already irritated with this man’s voice. “What’s your point, Walker?”
“This is a major problem—”
“You don’t say,” I snap, cutting him off, and Calla frowns at me from the couch. I turn away from her, pacing the length of the hotel suite.
Terrence clears his throat. “Mr. York, this…situationwill cause mass panic if we do not get it under control very quickly.”
“How do you expect us to do that?” I growl, nearly crushing the phone against my ear.
“Your father is about to go into a meeting with Da Silva.”
“The Chief of Staff?” I mutter. “Why?”
“Because he has the President’s ear, that’s why.”
“Fine. What do they want me to do?” I ask, because there must be something. There always is.
“I’ve arranged a meeting for you with the senators in Washington.”
“To do what exactly?” I ground out.
“Now more than ever, it’s important for certain people to know where they are on the food chain.”
I close my eyes, the urge to throw my phone across the room prickling along the back of my neck. “I’d like to speak with my father,” I finally say.
He sighs as if I’m wearing on his patience.Touché, Terrence.“I told you, he’s—”
“Have him call me.” I pull the phone away from my ear and end the call, my temples throbbing with pressure. Walking back to the couch, I drop down next to Calla and toss my phone carelessly onto the coffee table.
“I want to help but I don’t know how,” Calla says in a low voice.
I pause, turning to her and offering a tight smile. “You can’t.”
She bites the inside of her cheek for a moment before asking, “What are you going to do?”
“Apparently meet with some senators and force their loyalty. Make sure things happen how we need them to.” I can’t help the bitterness in my voice. Close to half of the current senators are vampires, several of which are born vampires. It’s the rest—the humans—we need to deal with.
“That could solve our hunter problem,” Gabriel offers with a sigh.
“And cause several more.” Raking my fingers through my hair, I grimace. I need a fucking shower. “If the vampires completely take over the government, that’s going to create a severe power imbalance.”
Gabriel frowns. “Seems there will be one either way—whether it be vampires against hunters or vampires against unknowing and innocent humans.”
“There’s never a shortage of problems,” I grumble.
He laughs softly. “You thrive in chaos, my friend. Lean into it.”
I arch a brow at him.
“You don’t want to become your parents. I get that. But this is your opportunity to take a stand, be a leader in something you believe in.”
I push my tongue against the roof of my mouth, grinding my molars. I’m not sure how to respond or what to do with that. Gabriel isn’t wrong. I look at Simon and Lenora York and see everything I don’t ever wish to be. They’d like nothing more than for me to be a carbon copy of them—a ruthless vampire, well-respected—or feared, depending on how you look at it—by our species.
“Your expression makes me think things are about to get a hell of a lot more complicated.”
