"Only a very small fraction have decided it would be better to keep the keys unfound," she continued. "Unfortunately, all voices on the council must be heard, and efforts to persuade them otherwise have so far proven ineffective. Which means it is up to you to prove your worth to them."
I licked my lips and said, "So this councilor who’s dying—is it possible that one of the lesser members of the council has decided he or she needs to be higher on the ladder?"
"It is always possible, but there are easier ways to do that."
I was curious despite the fear twisting my insides. After all, it wasn’t often you got the chance to hear about the inner workings of the local vamp council. They were a secretive lot at the best of times. Hell, most people didn’t even know there was both a local council and the overall high council, situated in Melbourne. "Like how?"
Her shrug was oddly graceful. "There is always the blood challenge."
"Which I’m gathering is a physical challenge of some sort?"
"Of some sort, yes." This time, amusement touched not only her lips but also her eyes, and it was a fearsome sight. "The winner wins the right to drain the blood of the loser."
"Killing them?"
"No. Under most circumstances, it merely weakens them."
I wondered about the exception to that rule, but didn’t say anything. Instead I asked, "Yet vamps do kill one another to gain position on the hierarchical ladder, do they not?"
"Of course. But that is different."
I couldn’t actually see how, but then, vampires didn’t always think with human—or, in my case, nonhuman—sensibilities.
"So where are Boulanger and Alston on the hierarchical ladder?"
"It does not matter, as I doubt ascension is the cause."
"Why? If both die, all those vampires below them automatically step up a couple of rungs, don’t they?"