“The vampire stated that his kind only hunt people that are evil. He said he could feel their darkness, sense it.”
Uncle Alan set his chin in his hand and thought for a moment. “Interesting. The captive vampire said something like that. Again, it can’t be trusted. How can we be sure? Without being able to prove that every vampire victim in history had committed acts against other humans—in a court of law, mind you—there’s no way we can believe that. And it’s a very convenient justification for his kind’s past behavior. It only seems natural that they’d have to fabricate something like that in order to gain our assistance.”
Every gnawing doubt I’d had since meeting Dorian grew stronger. I rubbed the back of my neck.
“Beyond that, Lyra, it’s not justifiable to kill a rapist without a trial. Isn’t murder evil, as well? There is a good reason our justice system does not work that way. If we sanctioned the murder of a ‘bad’ person, based on a vampire’s ‘feeling’ alone, that would be chaos.”
I sighed. “I understand.” I couldn’t prove anything I’d been told.
And then he continued. “But don’t be discouraged quite yet.”
My back straightened.
“We will not discount your testimony. There could be some truth to this situation that we must accurately uncover, as we are dealing with something potentially outside our realm of understanding. The Bureau wouldn’t be doing its job if it labeled this as lies without proof. It’s our duty to learn about the unexplainable.” He paused and sipped more water. “As we do have some reasonable grounds to think that a breach happened that incurred damage, some of what this vampire said could be true. What the board proposes is that the vampires prove their goodwill before we offer them asylum.”
I leaned forward, intent on his words.
“This will involve a trial period. There are three requirements that the vampires must abide by, no matter what. First, they will not harm a single human being. For any reason. Even if they sense ‘evil’ in them, as your vampire claims. They will have to find another form of sustenance. No exceptions.”
“Yes,” I said.
“Second, they will have to agree to reside in a controlled environment. We will make space in one of the Bureau facilities. They will be tracked and monitored at all times.”
That’s going to be an interesting situation.
“Lastly, they will work closely alongside a team of our soldiers to begin resolving the redbill problem. That way they can prove their trustworthiness under our observation. We’ll also be able to monitor how safely they can coexist with humans.”
“How long will this trial period last?” I asked.
“Six weeks. No less. Any issues and it’s over. Should they fully cooperate, the board will consider their request for a long-term asylum agreement and invite more of them to stay, but we make no promises at this point. That will require another round of meetings.” He paused to wipe his brow. “I must emphasize this, Lyra: should anything go wrong, the vampires will not receive amnesty, and the board will return to its standard protocol for protecting our people from vampires.”
“I understand…” This was really happening. It took several moments for it to sink in. I blinked, hard, and swallowed my apprehension.
“Confidentiality is paramount. Any information regarding this ‘Immortal Plane’ and the tear will be strictly monitored. People could get seriously harmed or killed if it’s made public. The soldiers assigned to work with the vampires will receive information only on a need-to-know basis, for things to run smoothly.”
“Okay,” I said, rubbing my hands together, my heart beating a little faster as I considered this outcome.
If Dorian had told me the truth, and the safety of his species was of the utmost importance, he would understand the terms. The vampires would probably dislike it, but if it kept them safe and developed trust, it could be a win for everyone. I just had to send them the message.
My uncle cleared his throat and laced his fingers. “So, now you’re all caught up. I believe the next move is theirs. Or Dorian’s. How exactly will you contact him?”
I pursed my lips. “Um, yeah… I’m still figuring that one out.”
Chapter Fourteen
Two nights later, I was in bed, my mind still whirring after speaking with my uncle. I had barely been able to sleep since his visit. I wanted to get in touch with Dorian immediately, to let him know what was happening, all the ideas spilling around inside my brain. But there was nothing I could do. He’d said he’d find me. What does that even mean?
As I lay there, trying to slow down my thoughts enough to sleep, something creaked on the balcony outside. Silhouetted against the orange sky was the curved neck and pointed beak of a redbill.
Oh, my God.
I leapt from my bed and grabbed the can of mace I’d swiped from Zach’s room earlier, tucking it into the waistband of my sweatpants and inching toward the sliding balcony door.
The massive bird perched on the reinforced steel railing, and Dorian stood on the balcony with his arms crossed, staring at me in the dim light. The faint glow cast from my bedroom shadowed and elongated his already angular face and sharp nose and jaw. His black eyebrows remained stationary in an arch over his glimmering pale eyes. His dark cloak covered his broad, sharp shoulders, and his ragged, cream-colored shirt looked dirtier. There was a new tear in his worn gray pants.
Holy crap. This guy has balls, showing up at headquarters like this.
I slid the glass door open a crack.
“Don’t worry, I won’t keep you long,” Dorian said. His slender lips were straight, emotionless.
I tightened my throat to a whisper. “How in the hell did you even find me?”
“I must be a good guesser,” he replied flatly.
I shook my head. Wily, that’s for sure. I stuck my head out the door, glancing at the other balconies, but all remained empty and dark. “I’m not inviting you in.”
He ignored that. “Did you speak with your uncle? What did the Bureau say?”
I pulled the door open a bit more but remained behind the glass. “I testified at the Bureau and spoke with my uncle,” I replied. “They’re going to help you, but there are terms.”
Dorian raised his eyebrows expectantly.
“A trial period of six weeks is required,” I started.
I studied his face as I covered the rules my uncle had set down. Dorian stayed stoic, giving nothing away until I mentioned the “no preying on any humans” and “monitored living situation on Bureau property” parts. At that, he rubbed his forehead and leaned back against the railing. I had figured those stipulations would be a tough sell. Just past him, the redbill nibbled at its breast feathers.
“This will be difficult,” he said, his face dour. “Not impossible, but difficult. Vampires are fueled by the dark energy we receive from our prey. Regular blood is useless—because blood is merely the carrier for the dark energy. We can only be sustained by beings with ill will. We can feed heavily and be nourished for a while, sometimes for extended periods of time. But eventually we weaken and die.” He looked away, as though calculating, drumming his fingers on the balcony rail. “We can prepare for a fast by going to the Immortal Plane for a short while, and we should be able to survive under these requirements for about six weeks. It’s going to get rough toward the end, though.”
“The children can survive for six weeks, too?” I asked, Carwin’s little face jumping back into my mind.
“They can feed on the adults,” he said grimly. “Which will make it harder for us. Even so, this is as much as I could have hoped for.” He tilted his head back and sighed with what sounded like relief.
“Good,” I replied. I spotted my uniform pants still on my bed. “Hold on.”
I retrieved the stone and reached through the crack in the door to return it. “I, uh, didn’t show it to them… I didn’t want them to take it and possibly not give it back.”
“Keep it,” he said, his eye
s locking with mine. “Consider it my way of saying thanks.”
I bent my brow. “So, you’re using this to track me somehow. Got it.”
He chuckled, his head tilting back slightly and exposing a sharp canine.
“How do you think the others will react?” I whispered. Remembering Kane and Halla’s vicious stares gave me a chill. I leaned against the wall, just inside the door, and rubbed my arms.
“We will discuss it, and I hope that they will come to see this as an opportunity. All of them.” He obviously knew whom I was thinking of.
I looked down at the wrapped stone in my palm. Keeping it seemed wrong—not to mention dangerous, if he really could somehow use it to track me.
“Are you still afraid of me?” Dorian asked, his tone quieter and his face less playful. I found myself surprised that he genuinely cared that I might feel fear. Or at least, seemed to. A bit of warmth filled my chest, but I wasn’t going to let my guard down with this guy anytime soon.
I straightened up, put the stone in my sweatpants pocket, and scoffed. “Since when was I afraid of you?”
“My mistake.” He grinned down at the mace canister poking from my pants.
“Well.” I narrowed my eyes on him. “You’re probably still planning to eat me.”
“No, thanks,” he said. “What an unappealing thought. In the ‘food’ sense, I mean. You’d taste like cardboard.”
In the food sense? As opposed to what?
I set a hand on my hip. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
He smirked. We stared at each other. I felt like I was missing something. Then I remembered.
“Oh, there’s something I want to give you, too.” I jogged to my nightstand, ignoring his slight eyebrow raise, and returned to the cracked door with an old smartphone and charger.
“You can contact me with this,” I said, eyeing the bird from behind the glass. “So this whole… thing… isn’t required every time we have to talk.”
He took the phone from my extended hand but squinted at it as though it were an alien artifact. “How do I use this?”
I reached out, took it back, and held down the power button. “Get with the times.”
He smirked knowingly, as the device’s power-up screen lit up his face. “Now who’s tracking who?”
Warmth traveled up my neck. I should have known he would guess my intention. Vampires.
“Well, you made it easy by showing up at headquarters.” I reached out to point my finger at an icon on the screen. “Press that, and then you can see my name and call me.” When I’d gotten the idea before bed, I’d done a factory reset and programmed myself as the only contact, so it wouldn’t be too hard for him to figure out. I didn’t plan to tell him about the “Find My Phone” feature which I could use to see exactly where he was whenever I wanted to. It was extremely possible that would come in handy in the future.
“Don’t forget to charge it sometimes,” I added. “If you can find an outlet every now and then.”
“Thank you,” he replied quietly, and the change in his tone stilled my breath for a moment, bringing my eyes from the phone screen back up to his face. His brow softened, and his mouth relaxed. “What you’ve done means more than I can put into words.”
We stared at each other. The foul vampire I’d met on the cliff no longer stood in front of me.
“You’re welcome,” I managed.
He considered me for another moment. The heat rose from my neck to my cheeks.
A little smile crept onto Dorian’s face, like he had a joke he wasn’t going to tell, and then he turned and leapt onto the railing. He mounted the redbill with a click of his teeth, and he didn’t look back as the bird soared up and away, through clouds tainted amber by the city lights.
Chapter Fifteen
I woke up the next morning feeling rested, despite the guests I'd entertained before bed.
Mom had left some pancakes on the counter, and I made a plate after getting home from a run at the gym. By that time, Zach and Gina were sitting in the living room.
"How are you feeling?" Gina asked.
"Good," I said through a mouthful. My phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out and recognized my old number flashing on the screen.
"Gotta go." I swallowed and abandoned my half-finished plate, racing to my room and closing the door behind me. "Hello?"
"We accept the Bureau's terms," Dorian said simply on the other end.
"Oh," I replied, sitting on the corner of my bed. They don’t have conditions of their own?
Dorian didn’t try to negotiate. It sank in, my stomach dropping at the idea that the vampires truly wanted safety and reconciliation. They must, to be desperate enough to accept whatever they could.
"We need to know what they would like us to do next," he said, his voice cool and businesslike. "I assume you will figure that out with your uncle and call me back this evening?"
"I can do that," I said.
"In that case, we've got a bit of feeding to do, so I'll speak with you later," he said flatly, and hung up.
I shuddered, then dialed Uncle Alan. He picked up quickly.
"The vampires have accepted the Bureau's offer,” I told him. “The trial period and all of the rules."
"I'll alert the board,” he replied, and his voice matched Dorian’s. I’d never thought I’d compare my uncle to a vampire. It felt surreal for this to be happening, just like that. “We still need to set a location and prepare the necessary provisions for their housing. That will take several more days."
"Okay. Is there anything I can do to help?"
"I'll let you know. Thank you for calling. I'll get in touch again soon," he said, and ended the call.
I took a deep breath. Well, here goes.
* * *
The Bureau chose a remote location in Arizona to house the vampires for the trial period. My uncle said the facility had been used to detain vampires and conduct behavioral research in the past.
"It's well-equipped for this purpose, and it's far enough from civilization that it should minimize any immediate threats if things don't go according to plan," he'd added.
They had a list of senior and experienced staff that they wanted on the project. But seeing as Zach, Gina, and I were already aware of the situation, we'd been asked to join the team of soldiers that would live at the facility for the extent of the trial phase. My uncle referred to me as the “liaison.” Captain Bryce would be one of those in command. Some other younger soldiers, including Greta, Colin, Sarah, Grayson, Louise, and Roxy were also asked to join. The information we received about the tear and Immortal Plane was strictly confidential, as made clear by the piles of paperwork we had to sign.
The Bureau started shipping out equipment by aircraft during the night. The soldiers would fly out within forty-eight hours of signing papers.
Dorian agreed to meet us at the facility on the requested day and time. We'd have a short stint of prep with Bryce before the vampires arrived. Captain seemed markedly excited about this operation—more than I’d ever seen him before.
My parents held a going-away dinner for us and invited Gina's family. They remained positive, although I noticed Mom excused herself to the restroom when my father made a toast to our safety.
Like everything the Bureau did when the board made up its mind, things moved methodically. And soon enough, the day was upon us, whether we were ready or not.
* * *
I walked beside Zach across the facility's tarmac. It was early morning, but the Arizona sun glared full force. I gazed at the long metal building in front of us. The last of the supplies sat organized on the asphalt, near a series of open utility doors.
"Home, sweet home," Zach said.
We strode up to Captain Bryce, who held a clipboard and surveyed the supplies with a critical but enthusiastic eye.
"Thanks for joining us, children," he said with a nod as we filed past him into the building. "We're having a briefing in thirty minutes. Main meeting ro
om. Do not make me wait for you."
The building was split into two wings, with several labs and meeting rooms in the center. The entrance to the vampires’ quarters was made obvious by three sets of massive deadbolts and a security keypad.
Guards escorted us to our quarters, passing surveillance rooms on the way. Dozens of screens already monitored the vampire housing. I lost count of how many armed guards milled about.
The guards directed the women to our room, and the men followed them down the other hall.
Gina and I dropped our giant bags on our bunks and grabbed our notebooks and pens. We’d packed heavily for this trip, knowing that the Bureau tended to skimp on such luxuries as warm blankets and extra bedding.
Gina exhaled. "Ready?"
"Yep," I replied.
The main meeting room held new faces. My team sat together after introducing ourselves to the new soldiers. Two or three looked young, but most were middle-aged, and their faces showed experience. I counted fourteen of us in total.
Captain Bryce called our meeting to order by slamming the door behind him.
"Quiet," he snapped, though the room was hardly full of chatter. He made his way to the head of the room, set down his stack of folders, and cleared his throat. "Right, now that you’ve got your formalities out of the way, let's talk about how to not get killed for the next six weeks."
He set his hands down heavily on the table in front of him.
“Everyone here answers to me and the other captains, Finley and Clemmins. Understood?"
"Yes, Captain," the whole room responded.
"Once Finley and Clemmins join us, we'll be running drills. But first, the one thing you must not forget is this: never underestimate these creatures. You are not dealing with humans, so don't expect them to behave, speak, or move like humans."
The room filled with the scratching of pens.
"We are up against abnormal speed, precision, instincts, and predatory drives. They're going to be twenty paces ahead of you mentally and physically. Learn to think and move faster, and maybe we'll be able to share a drink when we're done here." Bryce chuckled to himself at the thought.
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