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Was it that obvious I was on the warpath?
I frowned. “Is this you speaking or Stark’s mind voodoo?”
“Me. They don’t see the world like we do. For them, it’s all about egos and power. They’ll cut you down if you lift a finger against them in defiance or publicly humiliate them. But if you ask for a favor, for them toblessyou with their wondrous powers, they can’t resist.”
Sounded just like Stark.Asshole!
“What about me?” I asked. “I’ve shown plenty of defiance toward Stark.” And I intended to show a whole lot more.
“That’s because he believes you’re his late wife. He’s fascinated with you. But trust me, if he wasn’t, he’d slit your throat.”
“Why?”
“I overheard one of the butlers in his house saying that Stark murdered Anna.”
“Murdered his mate?” But I thought he loved her.
“Supposedly she disagreed with him about something, and they had a big fight, so he killed her. He’s regretted it ever since, and you’re his second chance. That’s what everyone’s saying, anyway.”
If that was true, then Stark had been leading me down one messed-up path.Whatayya expect, Masie? He’s a stinkin’ vampire! Daddy-hoggin’, silky-tongued, pompous, manipulative, selfish dirtbag! And he can’t even cook!
Charles added, “But don’t worry, Masie. I think if you were really her, you wouldn’t have wanted anything to do with him. People don’t go on dates with their killer.”
I knew nothing about reincarnation other than I didn’t believe in it. If it were real, I doubted you woke up one day with the memories of another person’s life. In any case, I had to keep learning as much as possible about their world. Sitting here, knowing the last ten years of my life could’ve been completely different—way less dark and painful—really pissed me off. We’d been robbed of the truth and Daddy. I wanted to take back control.
“Who were the vampires at Stark’s house tonight?” I asked.
“I didn’t see them.”
“Stuffy. Rich-looking. They were at the restaurant.”
“Then they were the Party.”
I doubted he meant they were fun people. “Are they really ex-politicians?” That was what Stark said.
“Ex? I don’t think so. In their world, there are two hierarchies. The Party are the vampires with all the money. They’re really in charge. They own companies, own powerful people, and some even own entire countries. They control everything and everyone, but it’s all behind the scenes.”
“And the second hierarchy?”
“That’s the superficial structure used to placate the vampire masses—small bloodlines, covens, and co-ops who pool their resources. Everything is supposed to be run in a democratic manner, but really, the Party’s in control. They decide who gets what territories, how many resources, and what the tax rates are. Then there are the smart vampires, who’ve always known the truth. They want things to change.”
Sounded oddly familiar. “How do you know all this?”
“I used to consult on human political strategies for NEVC, the New England Vampire Co-op. A cousin of mine who was turned got me the job. Let’s just say in that part of the country, they’re not fans of the Party. Actually, no one is.”
“Youvoluntarilyworked for vampires before you became Stark’s slave?” Charlie was nuttier than a squirrel turd.
“I’m not his slave. I’m his…prisoner. At least for another few months. Publicly, they don’t believe in letting people or vampires die if they’ve committed minor acts of disrespect. Their justice system demands penance in the form of work. Privately, it’s another matter.”
“Why are you tellin’ me all this?” I asked when what I wanted to ask was why I should believe him.
He pulled up to the gate at the Carlins’ property and turned around to face me. “Masie, I don’t get to meet many people with your level of influence.”
“Influence?”
“Stark doesn’t know that I worked for NEVC, and I’d appreciate it if you kept it to yourself. But if the vampire world believes you’re Anna, then you’d be untouchable. With that power, you can help a lot of people.”
“Help them do what?”
