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Chapter Fourteen

  Kyle walked straight down the stone corridor, flanked by a small entourage of vampires. They headed quickly down the hall, their footsteps echoing, one of his aides holding a torch out in front.

  They were heading deep into the corridor of command, a subterranean chamber which no vampire ever entered unless given permission. Kyle had never been down this deep before. But on this day, he was summoned by the supreme leader himself. It must have been serious. In 4,000 years, Kyle had never been summoned. But he had heard of others who had. They had gone down there, and had not come back up.

  Kyle swallowed hard, and walked faster. He had always believed that it was best to greet bad news quickly, and get it over with.

  They came to a large, open door, guarded by several vampires, who stared coldly back. Finally, they stepped aside and opened the door. But after Kyle passed, they held out their staffs, preventing his entourage from following. Kyle felt the door slam behind.

  Kyle saw dozens of vampires lined up, at attention, along the wall, standing quietly on either side of the room. Front and center in the room, seated in a massive, metal chair was Rexus, his supreme leader.

  Kyle took several steps forward and bowed his head, waiting to be addressed.

  Rexus stared back with his cold, hard, icy blue eyes.

  "Tell me everything you know about this human, or half-breed, or whatever she is," he began. "And about this spy. How did he infiltrate our ranks?"

  Kyle took a deep breath, and began.

  "We don't know much about the girl," he said. "We have no idea why the holy water did not affect her. But we do know that she was the one who attacked the singer. We have him in custody now, and as soon as he recovers, we expect him to lead us to her. He was turned by her. He has her scent in his blood. "

  "What coven does she belong to?" Rexus asked.

  Kyle shuffled in the darkness, choosing his words carefully.

  "We think she is just a rogue vampire. "

  "Think!? Do you know anything?"

  Kyle, rebuked, felt his cheeks redden.

  "So you brought her into our midst without knowing a thing about her," Rexus said. "You endangered our entire coven. "

  "I brought her in to interrogate her. I had no idea she would be immune - "

  "And what of the spy?" Rexus asked, cutting him off.

  Kyle swallowed.

  "Caleb. We brought him in 200 years ago. He had proved his loyalty many times. We never had any reason to suspect him. "

  "Who had recruited him?" Rexus asked.

  Kyle paused. He swallowed hard.

  "I did. "

  "So," Rexus said. "Once again, you allowed a threat into our ranks. "

  Rexus glared back. It wasn't a question. It was a statement. And filled with condemnation.

  "I am sorry, master," Kyle said, bowing his head. "But in my defense, no one here, not one vampire, ever suspected Caleb. On many occasions - "

  Rexus raised his hand.

  Kyle stopped.

  "You have forced me to initiate the war. I will now have to re-direct all of our resources. Our master plan will have to be put on hold. "

  "I am sorry, master. I will do whatever I can to find them, and to make them pay. "

  "I'm afraid it's too late for that. "

  Kyle swallowed hard, bracing himself for what might come next. If it was death, he was prepared.

  "I am no longer the one you need to answer to. I myself have been summoned. By the Supreme Council. "

  Kyle's eyes open wide. He had heard rumors all his life of the Supreme Council, the governing body of vampires who even the supreme leader had to answer to. And now he knew that it was real, and that they were summoning him. He swallowed hard.

  "They are very unhappy with what went on here today. They want answers. You will explain the mistake you made, why she escaped, why a spy infiltrated our ranks, and our plans for purging other spies. You will then accept their judgment in sentence. "

  Kyle slowly nodded, terrified for what would come. None of it sounded good.

  "We meet at the next new moon. That gives you time. In the meantime, I suggest you find this half-breed. If you can, it may just save your life. "

  "I promise, my master, I will summon every one of our vampires. And I will lead the charge myself. We will find her. And I will make her pay. "