Page 68 of Blood Day (Blood Alliance #7)

Lily

I could feel Khalid watching me as I focused on the screen, his piercing gaze seeming to haunt every corner of my existence.

But there was something engaging about him. Something that compelled me to continue watching. Almost as though he were controlling my mind and actions, forcing me to remain calm, and to listen .

“Everything you’ve experienced up until this point is a travesty, and for that, my deepest condolences. While I believe that vampires and lycans are the apex predators of the world, I also believe in respecting my ancestry, which, in my case, is once being human.”

The video version of Khalid steepled his fingers together on the large metal desk before him.

“I know you’ll think this is a trick, some sort of experiment, or a dark game meant for my pleasure. But in time, you’ll come to realize that I do things differently in Khalid Region. I prefer humans to be properly informed, cared for, and above all, respected. ”

He uttered that last word with a finality that scattered goose bumps along my arms.

“You’ll find the vampires in my world feel similarly to me, and the ones I’ve assigned as professors at your future university understand the fragility of your current state.

There will be no more mandated coursework surrounding the pleasure and amusement of my kind, but I will require you to learn. ”

A pause followed, one that had me swallowing in anticipation of what he would say next. Learn what?

“My society thrives because we work together to protect it, which is where your improved education comes into play. You’ll be assessed upon entry and given a series of tests to determine your preferences. Then your academic profile will be created.”

The video shifted to show a file with a human named Jane Doe on the screen. Her face was blurred, but her shoulders and chest were exposed, giving me a clear view of her jacket and the gold crest etched into it— Blood University.

Beneath her photo was a series of attributes, but not the ones I usually saw associated with my own record. These contained math and writing scores, as well as career aptitudes for accounting and other business functions.

As soon as I finished reading, another file appeared, this one a male named John Smith.

He had a similar photo—face blurred, jacket with the school emblem—and a list of qualities.

It seemed he had an aptitude for languages and martial arts.

The bottom of his file read, Guard Candidate—Interested in Vampire Transition.

“Vampire transition?” I read aloud, my brow furrowing.

“It means he’s interested in being turned. We ask all humans upon graduation for their interest. It doesn’t mean they’ll be granted immortality—we can’t turn everyone— but it helps us narrow down who wants to become a vampire and who does not,” Khalid replied.

“Oh.” My brow crinkled. “Isn’t that… not allowed?”

“Nothing he’s doing is allowed,” Cedric murmured. “It breaks every rule of the Blood Alliance. But I think that’s the point.”

“It’s not about breaking rules so much as self-sustainability.” He paused the video as his voice began speaking again, and pulled up a series of graphics instead. “Look at the trend lines, Cedric. Tell me what you see.”

I studied the graphs with him and heard the answer lurking in his thoughts.

A blood shortage . Globally or just in certain regions?

He reached forward to swipe his finger across the screen, shifting the images and sifting through them as he read the data with a furrowed brow.

Most regions, he translated. Except a few .

When he landed on Khalid Region, his eyebrow arched. “This says you’re low on blood, too.”

“It does,” he agreed. “That’s the trend in the database governed by Lilith.” He hit a button. “And this is the real trend, including my blood bank data.”

Cedric’s lips parted as he reviewed it all, his mind providing me with more explanations of what we were seeing.

He’s created over a dozen vampires a year, according to this growth. Yet his blood allowances are… “How?” he marveled. “How do you have so much blood?”

“I tax my humans,” he replied with a shrug. “Their donations provide them with safe passage in my territory, and most of them enjoy my way of life over the futures they were promised by the Blood Alliance. It’s not necessarily a utopia, but it works. And the balance remains intact.”

Cedric continued sifting through the files, his shock palpable. “You’ve hidden all this…?” His sentence hung on an unfinished question, but I understood his confusion and awe. Because this was… unreal .

“I have,” Khalid confirmed. “Through a series of mirages.”

“Mirages?” Cedric repeated.

“And this brings me back to my initial point—Lilith will fail because she hasn’t considered the past in her future plans. Historical friendships. Historical bonds. Historical matings. History in general.” He finished his drink again but this time didn’t move to refill it.

Instead, he held Cedric’s gaze for a long beat, the two men evaluating one another in a manner only apex predators could.

A chill slithered down my spine, and Emine shifted a little in her seat, her gaze flickering between the two males.

Then Khalid pulled up another screen, this one showcasing a town shrouded in desert-like mist. “Lilith has cameras all over the world. That’s how she monitors all the territories.

She also has her own set of spies that she uses to gather intel on the various leaders.

But I learned all this early on. And I circumvented her. ”

He clicked another button, clearing the image and revealing a city bustling with activity. It was one of the feeds he’d displayed earlier—a busy street filled with humans walking with purposes.

“This is real,” he said. “But that’s not what Lilith sees.”

He returned the screen to display the deserted town again.

“I’ve put filters over her cameras to show her what I want her to see—dystopian mirages that suggest my world is depraved and dark and totally in line with her wants and desires. And the spy she has in my territory is one of my own, not hers. So she reports what I tell her to report to Lilith. ”

“Similar to Viper, then?” Cedric inferred.

“Similar to Viper, yes. Only Viper has a very different task—he’s keeping an eye on the resistance for me.”

Cedric frowned. “He’s watching Darius and Jace?”

“No, he’s watching Jolene.” His lips curled. “Another overlooked history on Lilith’s part.”

Cedric considered that for a moment, his mind revealing everything he knew about Jolene.

He used to be the Clemente Clan Alpha and had served with his two mates.

That was back in an era when wolves had valued their mates, which had changed under Lilith’s rule.

Because she’d done everything in her power to belittle any and all relationship formations.

Which is exactly what Khalid has already said, Cedric mused to himself. This world encourages selfishness. It causes everyone to think about themselves and not others. To degrade personal friendships and mateships. It goes beyond brainwashing humans and extends to all of us…

But those with a history wouldn’t be able to erase those feelings with ease, he concluded.

Those like Jolene and… “His triad,” Cedric finished out loud.

“His triad,” Khalid echoed, respect brimming in his gaze. “Jolene has never appreciated this new world. And he’s not the only one. Which is why I said a war is coming. I don’t know who is going to win, but I refuse to lose my territory over it.”

The vehemence in his tone seemed to vibrate through the plane, all signs of his amusement having fled behind his statement.

“I also won’t be giving up the resources I’ve worked hard to groom and protect to help clean up the messes of others,” he added. “If they didn’t have the foresight to figure this out, that’s their problem. Not mine. ”

Cedric fell silent for a long moment before quietly saying, “You’ve gone to great lengths to keep this hidden.”

“I have,” Khalid agreed. “And I’ll go to even greater lengths to keep it secure.”

A threat , Cedric translated. “The fact that you’ve shared all this with me means I either accept your offer or die.”

“Yes.” No hesitation, just a blunt reply.

“And what exactly will I be doing as your sovereign?” Cedric pressed. “Because your society clearly doesn’t work like the one I know.”

“You will help me maintain the mirage,” Khalid answered simply. “And when the time comes, you’ll help me secure my territory.”

“So you won’t be joining the resistance?” Cedric hedged, his eyebrow arching upward. “I mean, you clearly agree with their opinion on this way of life. Why not fight with them?”

“I may,” he replied. “But only when I decide they are worthy of my assistance. Until then, my sole focus is on my protecting my land and my people. And I take that very seriously.”

“Seriously enough to spend over six months at the university as a Master, just to observe me,” Cedric translated.

“Well, that’s not entirely true. I’ve been watching you for decades.

I went to the university to meet Lily because I’d taken note of your fascination with her.

But then I stumbled upon Emine instead. Such a sweet little mirage.

” He glanced at the newly turned vampire, the two of them sharing some sort of secret.

I suspected that secret involved his nickname for her. Mirage. Like the mirages he uses to hide from Goddess Lilith? I wondered.

Cedric had caught the look as well, noting the intensity between them. However, he didn’t press for information, his mind instead mulling over everything Khalid had told us.

It almost seems too good to be true, he thought at me. But if he’s telling the truth…

He didn’t finish the sentence, but I understood well enough.

We were going to Khalid Region and would soon see for ourselves if it was true. And if everything he’d shown us was real, then we would either stay…

Or die.

“I imagine you both would like some time to digest everything I’ve shared. There’s so much more to all of this, including the games currently being played within the Blood Alliance. But we can go through that in time, once you’ve reached your decision.”

He moved away from the table, taking his empty glass and Emine’s finished drink with him to the bar area.

“As I mentioned earlier, you’re free to use the shower in the bedroom at the back of the jet.” He glanced at Cedric. “I won’t bother you until we land in Khalid Region, so feel free to use the bed as well. I imagine your pet is exhausted from her experience.”

I swallowed. While he wasn’t wrong… I wasn’t sure I could sleep after everything I’d just learned.

“I suggest locking yourselves inside. The sofas out here turn into a bed, and I fully intend to use that to entertain my little mirage.”

Emine remained stoic but slightly bowed her head. I wasn’t sure what that meant—acceptance? Dread? Just a token of submission?

Khalid had revealed a lot, and while I wanted to believe in this version of the world he’d depicted in his videos, it was quite possible that all of it was a lie .

Except Cedric seemed to believe him.

He has no reason to lie about this, Cedric told me softly. In fact, he has everything to lose by revealing it.

He was analyzing several avenues of strategy while he spoke, considering every conversation he and Khalid had shared, every potential word game, and finding each one linking to exactly what Khalid had divulged—a way to assess Cedric’s humanity.

You were the key , Cedric surmised. He wanted to test my resolve in keeping you, and I fell right into his play by going after you at the compound.

He was waiting for me to forgo every facade, every requirement this society has for a vampire, go against my own maker’s principles, and take something for myself.

To retrieve my heart and be willing to give up everything for her—for you .

He glanced at me. You’re why we’re here now.

You and my decision to risk my life to keep you.

He reached out to palm my cheek, his gaze searching mine.

“Is the shower large enough for two?” he asked.

“It’s large enough for four, but I imagine that wasn’t an invitation for Emine and me to join,” Khalid replied.

“You would be correct,” Cedric said, standing. “We’ll talk more when we land in Khalid Region.” He glanced at the royal. “How long is the flight?”

“Long enough for you to properly care for your Erosita ,” Khalid replied. “Which reminds me, the bedroom is soundproofed. If you need something, you’ll need to use the intercom system.”

“We won’t be needing anything,” Cedric replied, his hand appearing before me.

“No, I suspect you won’t be.” Khalid grinned. “Have a good shower.”