Reign of Night (Thorne Hill #7) - Emily Goodwin Page 0,65

a hand on my shoulder. I swallow hard, feeling Elena do another flip in my belly.

“And along with the startling announcement by Senator Martin, comes his proposal of a so-called ‘red tax’ that will dismiss traditional state tax percentages and instead tax a vampire on their overall acquired wealth. When asked about this proposal and whether or not it’s fair, Senator Martin said, and I quote, Why should we give them basic human rights when they stopped being human the day they died? It is unnatural and against God’s will that they are still here, and I, along with many God-fearing, Christian people, feel that vampires should not only have the rights given to them by the dangerous liberals repealed, but should not be allowed to assimilate into American society without heavy repercussions.” The news reporter shakes his head. “Our very own Kelsey Clemmons has taken to the streets, asking fellow Chicagoans how they feel about the proposed laws.”

Eliza clicks the TV off, having heard enough.

“No,” I spit, shaking my head. “No! He…he can’t do this.” I let out an exasperated sigh. “We all know he’s only doing this to go after me. He’s pissed I called him out in front of his friends at dinner, and now he’s trying to punish me. But fuck him, because it actually doesn’t hurt me and in turn is going to hurt a lot of people. Good people, who don’t deserve to be shit on by some holy-rolling asshole.”

The lights start to glow above me, and Lucas moves in, putting both hands on my shoulders.

“Callie,” he says calmly, deep voice usually soothing my soul but doing little at the moment.

“Don’t Callie me,” I tell him and grit my teeth. “He’s doing this because of me. Taking away insurance and healthcare doesn’t even affect me. But it will affect millions of others. It will hurt millions of others,” I press, shaking my head. “I don’t really know how bills and laws form, but my asshole ex-father is a Senator, and if he gets the fucking Senate to vote for his stupid law, then so many people will be shit on.”

“I’m not trying to Callie you,” he says, and I see the glint in his eye. “I’ve said it before, you’ve always been too merciful with them.”

“You have said that.”

“He’s right,” Eliza agrees, holding up her phone. “And look at your former brother’s Twitter account.”

“Do I want to?” I wrinkle my nose in disgust but take the phone, reading Scott’s latest tweet, which was from only an hour ago. “Blood suckers are not Americans,” I read out loud and then scroll down, reading another tweet from two hours ago. “We are one nation under God, and nowhere in the Bible are vampires mentioned. Must be from the devil.”

I give the phone back to Eliza. “That doesn’t even make sense.”

“It doesn’t, and the comments from people who agree with him make even less sense.”

Lucas takes the phone from her and speed-reads through the feed. “It doesn’t have to make sense. People will follow anyone who spews the same hatred they want to display. It’s cult-like mentality, and they will cling to anything to rationalize their hatred.”

“You’re right,” I say as Eliza goes back to live TV. The reporter is back, and though he’s trying to stay neutral as he reports, I can see the what the ever living fuck look in his eyes.

“…one of our representatives is there now, reporting live. Let’s go to you, Melissa.”

“Thanks, Doug,” Melissa says when the camera cuts to her. She’s standing outside an official-looking building that I probably should recognize but don’t. Like I told Lucas, history wasn’t my strong suit in school. “As you can see, Senator Martin has gone inside and has not come out for questions as of yet. I was, however, able to speak with an advisor who told me the reasoning behind the radical proposal, which, if passed, will take away insurance from millions of Americans, is that—according to him—anyone who partakes in any sort of relationship with a vampire is reckless and a liability.”

I wave my hand at the TV, telekinetically turning off, as I’m unable to hear any more. “I can’t let him do this,” I mutter under my breath. “I can’t let him get away with trying to hurt me by in turn hurting others.” I shake my head. “I’m so sick and tired of people trying to get to us by using other people. How many humans work at Taproom? And