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“I considered that,” Gabriel says, “which is why I've also been thinking about how we could help them. There needs to be an exchange. If they feel they're not getting anything out of this potential deal, there is no way they will agree to it.”
Calla nods. “What are we going to offer them?”
My gaze is bouncing back and forth between Gabriel and Calla like a fucking ping pong ball, and it's giving me a headache.
“I think, if we offer to help the hunters ensure the safety of the humans, they will at least consider a limited scope partnership of sorts. There are still going to be vampires who refuse to behave appropriately, to feed on willing humans, and to protect the secrets of our species. If we propose to assist the hunters to eliminate those vampires, perhaps they might be more willing to not try to killus.”
Calla sits back, crossing her arms over her chest, digesting Gabriel's words.
I go over them in my head as well, going through the hundreds of potential scenarios. “These are solid ideas, Gabe,” I tell him. “My concern is how many vampires will agree to it. I know a lot who won’t. And if the hunters don't agree, it won't work.”
Gabriel nods. “I understand that, which is why we need to put out feelers to see if we can make this work and then go to the hunters with our proposal.”
My eyes slide to Calla, and she's staring down at the table. “Do you have anything you'd like to add?” I ask her.
She lifts her head, meeting my gaze, and shrugs. “I think it's a good idea,” she finally says. “I’m sure Lex and Kade will agree. Though I assume they're not the vampires you're concerned about getting on board with your plan for peace.”
I shake my head. “There are a lot of vampires who view humans as a lesser species. They're slower, they're weaker, they die easily…”
“Okay, I know I'm not human anymore, but I still take offense to that,” she grumbles.
My lips twitch. “It's just the facts, Calla. I'm not being an ass here. You've met Simon and Lenora. What do you think they would say if we brought this to them?”
Her lips curl into a snarl. “That would be a monumental waste of time. I think they're the type of vampires we should be protecting humans from, quite honestly.”
“That's fair,” I tell her. “But because of their position in our world, they have a lot of vampires who look up to them and who have the same ideations. Those vampires will not think twice about this and they will not agree to controlled feedings and protecting humans.”
“That's ridiculous. They should want to protect their food source.”
“There's no shortage of humans,” Gabriel chimes in.
“What are we supposed to do about the vampires who won't agree to this?”
I shrug. “I suppose we let the hunters do their job.”
She sits back again, falling silent.
Gabriel turns to Marcel. “Can you put some feelers out to see what the communities around you think about this? Keep it quiet. If we can't get the numbers, this is going to be over before it starts.”
“Of course,” he says, rising from his chair. “If you need anything else, you know how to reach me.”
Gabriel walks him to the door, leaving me alone with Calla.
“You're still upset with me about last night.”
Her chest rises and falls as she sighs. “Actually, Atlas, I am fucking pissed. After everything we've all been through, I refuse to be a prisoner again. If that's what you want me to be—”
“No,” I cut in, “but when you're trying to do something that is going to get you killed, you're damn right I'm going to stop you.”
She shakes her head. “You don't know that's what was going to happen, and it's not your call to make. How is me trying to connect with Brighton any different than you guys meeting up with the hunters to try to create peace? It doesn't make sense.”
Irritation tickles the back of my neck, and I clench and unclench my jaw before I say, “The difference is that you were sneaking out to meet her by yourself in the middle of the night when you had no idea if she was the one you were actually meeting or if she was going to show up alone. Had I not stopped you and you'd met with her, it could have been fine; however, it could have also been an ambush and you would be dead—for good this time. Do you understand that?”
Her lashes lower as her gaze drops to the table. “I don't need to be lectured,” she says in a tight voice.
“And I don't wish to lecture you, so stop acting like a moron.”
Her gaze snaps up to mine. “Fuck you, Atlas.”
