Page 191 of Vampires of Eden

“Please, Daniel, you may call me Ansväd, if it suits you?”

“Ansväd… could we please discuss this together and get back to you? Thank you for being concerned for our safety and well-being.”

“Of course. You are my family now, Daniel. It is natural that I should do everything within my power to support you both. I will eagerly await your response. I’d like to hold the meeting tomorrow, if possible.”

I draw back so dramatically, it’s like someone suddenly tossed a bunch of garbage in my face. I mouth,Tomorrow?

Daniel catches my reaction but goes on unperturbed. “Thank you, Ansväd, we’ll contact you again shortly.” He hangs up and sets the phone down between us. He lifts a palm to his forehead and holds it there, sighing.

“You know I don’t like this,” I say.

“Yes, you’ve made that clear.”

“We think Lord Cherrington set the house on fire, right? Are we in agreement on that? Or at least one of his spindly minions.”

“Yes, again, it seems as if we’re all on the same page.”

I point to the phone. “Then why thefuckwould I bring you to a Governing Board meeting with all this going on? Right into the lion’s den where that bastard is a sitting member!”

“Rabbit, will you please calm down? Breathe for me, okay?”

Sitting back against the headboard, I intentionally take a deep breath. But I stop mid-way and bolt upright. “And what about my mother? He didn’t even say anything about her insane behavior?—”

“Alexander, sweetheart,breathe.”

This time, I follow-through and rest my head back. I close my eyes, concentrating on the expansion and deflation of my lungs as air moves in and out. Soon, Daniel’s still healing voice adds to the experience, flowing over me like a calming river.

“Your father is right,” he begins. “We should take control of the narrative, and if the proposal is ready, you should present it. Vampires desperately need these changes. And we… you and I have been hiding for long enough.”

I open my eyes. “We weren’t hiding.”

He smiles. “We were and still are. We’ve been existing in our own little world, and I do think it’s time that we faced the music,so to speak. Other vampires will be encouraged from us being out in the open, too. It’ll give them hope that change is coming. That it’s possible.”

“But why is it our responsibility to be the ‘mascots of change’ for other vampires? Why dowehave to save the day? Why can’t it be me and you in our own world—where you’re safe and not exposed to insane bullshit?”

Maybe we were hiding? Initially, I wanted to tell everyone about him. Now that other vampires know about our relationship and are being assholes, I wish we could go back to that veiled place. At least I didn’t need to worry about his well-being then.

Daniel reaches and threads his fingers between mine. “Because you’re the future King of Eden.”

I huff. “That’s an empty figurehead title. It doesn’t mean anything.”

“You’re wrong. Vampires respect and are excited about you. I will go anywhere with you, Alexander, but if we leave Eden, I think… that’ll be the final nail in the coffin. This aristocracy will rot.”

Looking down at our hands, I squeeze his palm, amazed at the cool certainty of his words. “Since when do you have so much resolve about this? You didn’t want anything to do with this part of my life.”

He shrugs. “That was before. Now, I’m part of you—your essence lives inside of me and is giving me so much power and love. Whatever it is, I know we can handle it. We will… despite my occasional insecurities.” Danny lifts our hands and kisses my knuckles. The gesture makes my face and neck blush.

“I believe in what you’re saying,” I tell him, “but if this meeting happens with the Royal Order, I don’t… I don’t trust how they’ll treat you.”

I feel myself pleading with him. Knowing everything he went through with Josefina, I don’t want him to go through that again with me. Where I can, I’d like to be thoughtful of him and control the situation.

“I understand,” he says. “But we have to do this. Together, yes?”

Nervously, I scratch my head with my free hand. If he feels strongly about this meeting, then he has to come with me. I’m not leaving him behind again.

“Yes,” I say, sighing heavily. “We’ll do it together.”

The air inside of Central City Hall is dry and cold despite the warm, springtime temperatures outside, as if the stone walls refuse to relinquish winter. Daniel, Raphael and me walk toward the council room where board meetings are held. The echoing tap of our shoes hitting the marble floor is the only sound as we move.