is exactly the point. You’ll risk it all while asking nothing from the same group that will let you save their lives and then cheerfully murder you for the imagined crime of your existence afterward.”
Hekima sighed. “I would overturn that law in an instant. You know that, Veritas. But if I tried, I would be outvoted, again.”
“You don’t have to be.” Ashael’s rich baritone voice became even smoother. “You’re now the most senior-ranking council member, so if you invoke article seven, you can appoint the next two council members yourself, without the customary vote.”
Hekima gasped. “How do you know about article seven?”
I’d never heard of it, either, and I’d been the longest-serving Law Guardian in council history.
Ashael gave Hekima a tolerant smile. “Demons have sparred with vampires since the days of Cain. Think Haldam was the first council member that was a demon mole? I probably know more about the secret articles of your laws than you do.”
“Then you know it has never been invoked before,” Hekima said in a stiff tone.
“Yes, but it was created for circumstances such as these,” Ashael countered. “There is a direct threat to the vampire species, and council seats have been unexpectedly vacated, preventing the passage of emergency laws needed to save your species. Simple, legal, and irrefutable. Come now, Hekima.” His voice deepened further. “You’ve thought of this already. I’m only saying it out loud.”
Hekima said nothing for a long moment. Then, she picked up her glass, drained it, and said, “Someone get the ghoul queen on video call for me.”
Ashael dialed Marie, and handed his mobile to Hekima.
“What?” Marie said when she answered, sounding both busy and annoyed. Then, surprise flickered over her features when she saw Hekima staring back at her instead of Ashael.
“Greetings,” Marie said in a new, formal tone.
“Greetings,” Hekima replied with the same formality, which was impressive considering that she must have quite the buzz now from Ashael’s blood. “I am calling to verify the offer of alliance with your people that Veritas presented to me.”
“I verify the offer, which is valid for the next eleven hours, and if accepted, stands until the resolution of the war against the three renegade gods,” Marie said.
Hekima gave a short nod. “Thank you for your verification, and for the clarified details of the terms. The vampire council will render our decision to you by dawn.”
Marie inclined her head. “Until then.”
“Until then,” Hekima echoed.
When they hung up, Hekima handed the mobile back to Ashael. “You’re keeping us in separate locations and you confiscated our mobiles so they couldn’t be tracked, but I know you have people watching us. Contact them, and use their mobiles to get the remaining council on video conference.”
“We’ll need a laptop,” Ashael said. “I can’t get all nine members on simultaneous video conference on a mobile.”
Ian flashed a smile at me. “Off to steal a laptop, then.”
He left, and I gave the bourbon-and-demon-blood mixture a longing look. However, I didn’t pick up the glass. If this went well, I’d need every last bit of my wits for the upcoming battle. If it didn’t . . . well, all the spiked beverages in the world wouldn’t make a difference.
Chapter 38
Hekima now wore a multicolor brocade jacket shot through with silver thread, with a peacock-blue silk blouse and black pants. Her hair was in a sophisticated knot, and her makeup was subtle and artful. No one looking at her would guess that fifteen minutes ago, she’d been doing shots of demon-spiked liquor.
Squares containing video feeds from the eight other council members plus five Law Guardians including Xun Guan filled the screen of the laptop that Ian had swiped from a hotel guest. Hekima didn’t waste time on pleasantries. She detailed Morana’s attack on Marie, Morana’s plans to split up the globe, Marie’s offer of alliance, and what Ruaumoko could do if he grew impatient. Hekima closed by saying she was invoking article seven of the vampire charter, and then let the objecting council members scream for the next fifty minutes.
“I haven’t heard any objections based on law,” Hekima said, interrupting Lucius’s current tirade. “Without that, article seven is in force, and I appoint Xun Guan and Priscilla to the council as its newest members.”
Both women looked shocked. Lucius’s eyes bulged, and if he scrubbed his hands through his blond locks any harder, he’d rip out his own hair from his rage.
“I refuse to accept this!”
“You would be a child?” Hekima’s tone turned scathing. “Very well, I will speak to you