Page 59 of How to Stake a Vampire

Virgil flinched and opened his mouth to protest.

“Samuel is right, Virgil,” Victoria said firmly. “It will only make things worse if we don’t tell them.”

Virgil clenched his jaw.

“The other supernatural leaders need to be warned about Ludvik’s scheme,” Barney added.

Not only had I forgotten there was another Alliance meeting tonight, I didn’t like the sound of any of this.

“We can handle it ourselves,” I protested.

Samuel frowned at my bullish look. “Abby?—”

“What if the Alliance decides to lock Ellie up? What if they—” I faltered, my nails sinking into my palms. “What if they decide she’s too dangerous and they sentence her to death?”

Hugh grimaced. “That’s a bit melodramatic, isn’t it?”

“But not untrue,” Victoria said uneasily. “It has been known to happen. I’ve heard stories of dangerous newborns being eliminated for the greater good of the vampire community.” She glanced at Barney.

I felt my temper starting to rise, along with the familiar tingle of my white wolf power. The crystal chandelier above us trembled slightly.

“Not in Amberford, but in other vampire communities,” Victoria added hastily.

Barney confirmed this with a nod.

The chandelier shook some more.

Bo whined softly and nudged me with his head.

“Easy,” Samuel murmured. He rose and came over, his hand finding my shoulder even as he sought to calm my emotions through the mate bond.

Ellie looked nervously around the table. “What’s the Amberford Alliance?”

Victoria explained.

Ellie stared. “So these guys could really do what Abby is afraid of?” she asked uncertainly.

“Over my dead body they will,” Virgil said coldly, pupils a bright crimson.

“We have to tell them eventually,” Barney pointed out in a steely voice. “This isn’t the kind of thing we can keep secret forever. And it’s better if we control the narrative.”

I chewed my lip. He wasn’t wrong, but the thought of subjecting Ellie to Alliance bureaucracy made my skin crawl.

“Fine,” I agreed grudgingly. “We tell them. But on our terms and only after we’ve prepared Ellie for what she’s going to face.”

Victoria pinched the bridge of her nose. “There’s less than a day left until the meeting. Will that be enough?”

Pearl swished her tail in a way that said pigs could fly first.

Ellie squirmed under our stares.

“I’ll make sure she’s ready,” Virgil said firmly.

Ellie reached for Virgil’s hand in the strained silence. He tightened his fingers around hers, his expression resolute.

My stomach churned. Maybe this was going to be the disaster I feared it would be. But watching my best friend discover happiness in the middle of this unholy mess made me care a little less about what the Alliance might do. Besides, I had new white wolf powers and I knew how to wield them. I ground my teeth as my thoughts turned to Ludvik.

That vampire had made this personal when he hurt Ellie.