The Vampire & the Rebel (Completed)

Part 2: Chapter 26

"Absolutely. For a price, of course."

My first instinct was to laugh uproariously that the imbecile before me thought he could blackmail me based on such flimsy evidence, regardless of the veracity of his claims. The cocksure fool was clearly bluffing, and I was not about to fall into that trap.

But I would indulge his little fantasy, for just a moment.

"Oh, and what would that price be? I do prefer to avoid trouble, even when it is completely without merit." I tried to look as if there was even a possible universe in which I might consider giving in to such shameless extortion.

"I think we could agree to keep these suspicions to ourselves and even let you keep this vampire slayer that you are so fond of, for the simple price of, oh, I don't know, perhaps a dozen feeders a year, three per quarterly seems fair."

My temper surged through me, and I resisted the urge to try to wring his neck, although my sharp nails longed for the feel of his flesh. The final dregs of amusement I had for Magnus and his cronies disappeared, leaving only rage and loathing.

The idea that I would give them even one human was absurd, but, perhaps I could still salvage the situation somehow. Jamie was doing an admirable job of not acting like himself, but his decent performance had not mollified these vultures in the slightest. He was learning, but it was not enough.

"While your offer is...interesting, I don't really see how it benefits me in any way. Your entire offer hinges on the assumption that my slave has killed vampires, when he clearly has no capability and there are thousands of humans who fit a similar description."

Willow had been letting her greedy eyes wander over my humans who were standing passively along the walls with their heads and eyes lowered and she finally turned her attention back to me. "No. You keep your humans especially fit, and I've never seen any like this, anywhere."

Katter stood up and spoke again, still an unusual occurrence. "You're bluffing, Councillor Vienne. I think you not only knew that this human had killed other vampires, but I believe that you find some sort of perverse pleasure in the fact. I wouldn't be surprised if you let him loose for your own twisted amusement."

I ignored that the pot was calling the kettle black. "I am frankly shocked that you could think so ill of me," I said, trying to sound hurt.

Willow scoffed as she stood up and moved closer. It seemed the little trio was trying to intimidate me, as if they were capable of such a feat.

"I'll give you my offer just one more time, Vienne. Do you agree, or do we take our suspicions to Ivan and the council? Your activities have been nothing less than suspicious, I wouldn't be surprised if your deceit goes even further than that."

I sighed. It seemed they really had figured me out, at least on a surface level, and more than enough for the council to come around asking uncomfortable questions. After many decades of keeping one step ahead, finally one of the fools had discovered a fraction of my secrets.

"Very well. I'll give what you ask, in return for your silence."

I ignored the tensing of my humans around the room. Their reactions were not what mattered now.

I stood up and looked at each one in turn. "I suppose it was my predilection for difficult humans that was my downfall. I only saw his pretty face when I first bought him, but underneath there was an impressive stubbornness. It was only recently I came to suspect that he might be the slayer," I lied.

"Did he escape?" Willow asked, slightly breathlessly as she looked Jamie over in a way that flared my anger.

"No insofar as I know. Perhaps, instead, he had an accomplice, or a number of accomplices? It seems unlikely that any single human could take down even one vampire alone, doesn't it?"