an opponent will appear, and begin to evaluate their chances. Why not? There’s nothing to lose, since it’s an open seat.” I said. “The big question is whether another Democrat will challenge Levi. I’m going to speak with the head of the Party and see if I can preempt a challenger.”
“Do you need someone to come with you to help persuade him?” Aidan asked. “Gabriel is good at that kind of thing, you know.”
“I don’t think we need to bewitch Paul Levant, not yet at least,” I said. “He’s been president of the California Democratic Party for more than 20 years. I know him—he’s salty, irascible, but he does have one soft spot: he loves women’s rowing. I’ve already checked the race schedule. There is a regatta coming up in a few weeks at Lake Merced. I’m going to approach him then.”
“Do you think you’ll be able to read him clearly?”
“Yes. Everyday it gets a little easier,” I replied. “Besides, Levant isn’t one to hide his emotions. I won’t have to work hard to know what’s in his heart.”
“That’s fortunate,” Aidan said. “We have had great difficulty in some of our other races trying to get ahead of the opposition. Too much magic is too obvious, so we take baby steps.”
“Why can’t you just put a spell on an entire town?” I asked, only slightly in jest. “Who would know?”
“We would,” he replied. “I’m afraid it’s against the rules.”
There were, it turned out, a myriad of rules to follow when it came to the Council. Secrecy was reinforced at every opportunity. We were to monitor and possibly intervene on behalf of humans, but without drawing attention to the organization or ourselves. I was never to discuss my skills with anyone, even my family, which in my case seemed like an unnecessary rule since my mother already knew what I could do. We also were forbidden to attract the attention of the police or other authorities. That rule caught my attention.
“That reminds me, I’ve been meaning to ask you something,” I said, changing the subject. “I was reading the rule about not attracting the interest of the police and it got me wondering if there are really Others who break the law.”
My question brought an immediate rush of Aidan’s anxiety to my solar plexus.
“There are Others involved in every facet of life: Navy Seals, astronauts and yes, even criminals,” he said, a reluctance in his voice.
“Criminals,” I repeated, as if it were the first time I’d heard the word.
“You’d be surprised,” he said.
I was surprised and I wanted to pry further, but a glance at my watch told me I was now late to my appointment with Elsa, so I nodded and left the room.
Elsa was engaged, face-to-face, with a man in a heated argument. There was a New York Times article up on the screen of a computer in front of them, but I could not make out the headline. Watching their body language, it was clear there was little love lost between them.
“Hello,” I said, interrupting them. “I don’t mean to intrude, but it’s time for our appointment, Elsa.”
“You must be Olivia,” The man said, offering me the sort of bitter smile reserved for competitors and enemies. It took only seconds for me to realize he was a vampire—one who, for some reason, did not like me at all.
“We are, it seems, to have a human in our midst.”
“Olivia, this is Nikola,” Elsa interjected before I could respond. “He’s a member of the eastern European delegation and next in line as deputy to the director.”
He was also up to something; his energy was as dark as a lump of coal. Darkness suited him. Tall, lean, and looming, Nikola was the perfect embodiment of the menacing undead.
“Hello, Nikola,” I said, intentionally ignoring his remark about humans. I returned his gaze, making sure to look him in the eye before I turned my attention to the computer screen to take a closer look at the headline, which announced that a former Serbian army general had been convicted of war crimes at the International Court of Justice at the Hague.
“Were you two talking about this?” I asked, pointing to the screen.
“I’m sure it does not concern you,” Nikola said.
“I’m a member of this organization,” I replied.
“We can discuss it later,” Elsa said, cutting me off again. “We need to get started on our work. Nikola, if you’ll excuse us…”
Before I could ask any questions, I found myself hurled into a private conference