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Use the Eyros gift. They’ve seen you use one. Use another,he heard Daemon said.

“Give me the key,” Julian said, and he threaded a bit of command in it.

Her eyes went hazy and she reached into her pocket of her robes and withdrew a thin, silver key. He snatched it from her hands.

“Way to go, Julian! That was quite well done!” Balthazar called.

He and the others were slowly walking down the avenue. The Ever Dark creatures lined the open space even as the Vampires gazed at the being they had only heard tell of in tales. In his wolf coat, black leather pants and silk shirt with thigh high boots, Daemon looked like a gothic king. He moved with a sensual grace, a complete and utter disregard to all the beings surrounding him that would likely do him harm.

“Thanks,” Julian said with a nod as he quickly unlocked the cuffs for Sophia and Caemorn.

Caemorn remained on his knees. Sophia curtseyed low and stayed there as Daemon had reached the platform. Julian tossed the terrible cuffs away and swung around to face Daemon. The fiery haired woman looked down upon him with utter contempt and hatred. Her lips writhed away from her fangs.

“You–you have come to enslave us! You have come to destroy us! We will not let you filthy Immortals rule us ever again!” she shouted.

“You’ve got this all wrong, Vivica!” It was Fiona who spoke. Evidently, she knew this woman by name. “King Daemon is not our enemy. Even the faith teaches us this! Look at him, listen to him, let yourself be open to his words--”

“You brought him here! How did you do that when the Gates were closed?” Vivica snapped.

“Because…” Fiona opened and closed her mouth. Her gaze sought out certain Vampires in the crowd and Julian wondered if they were Wyvern. “Because I am…”

“C’mon, dear. Say it together with me,” Balthazar said as he put an arm around Fiona’s shoulders. “You are Wyvern.”

There was a gasp throughout the crowd.

“And you are Eyros?” Vivica asked.

“Yes, yes, I am.” Balthazar flashed her a smile. “C’mon, people, you all knew that!”

“Because you kill Vampires without thought?” Vivica sneered.

Balthazar gave her a toothy smile. “Only the ones thatdeserveit. You’d probably be on that list, you old zealot.”

“Confessor Vivica, you must stop this now. Bow to your king. End this, before there is unnecessary violence,” Arcius said.

“You are an exile and there are few here who have even heard of you, Arcius. They are the new blood of the Order. Your ways are not our ways!” Vivica snapped.

“I see that. Where are those who have served the Order faithfully through the millennia?” Arcius asked.

“They have been displaced,” Caemorn answered even as he kept his head down. “At Kaly’s request, they were sent to the far reaches of the Ever Dark. Most were stripped of power and even some of their immortal lives.”

Arcius’ brow looked thunderous. “I do not know how you can ever be forgiven, Caemorn. Regardless of why you have done what you have done.”

“I accept my role. But it is far beyond me now. It was for some time. None of these people have any allegiance to me even,” Caemorn answered, his voice muted by the wood of the platform.

“The faith has been renewed. It is a new night for the Order!” Vivica’s head raised towards the twin moons and there was a terrifying zeal in her expression.

Julian frowned. This was not good. She almost seemed insane to him. Balthazar frowned and he felt the powerful Vampire Lord’s mind control magic reach out into the crowd. Whatever he found there, he frowned even more.

“King Daemon, I think we best--”

He didn’t utter any further words. Julian felt his control of them snap. He felt the surge of violence. And then all of the Vampires were moving. Their mouths open. Fangs extended. With utter madness in their eyes.

ARMAGEDDON

Balthazar’s fangs were out. But though the desire to kill was high within him, he wanted to protect his fledgling more. He grabbed Christian around the waist, and was about to move the young man out of the line of fire when everything stopped.

He froze in place. Christian—who had been resisting his attempts to take him to a safe place both physically and orally—went quiet. Both of them looked around the square. Every Vampire on the other side stood like stiff soldiers on parade. Their skin was whiter than normal. They were rigid. They didn’t even blink. Their eyes went from showing the savage madness that Vivica had instilled in them to confusion, and then to fear.