Free Vampires Dead Ahead by Cheyenne McCray

asked.
    “Only those I experimented on before taking Trackers.” Volod glanced at his team before looking at Nicholas again. “I felt it important to do this slowly to ensure it was done correctly, one at a time. Thus it has taken us a while to experiment because every paranorm is different.
    “I will continue to move forward deliberately and do this the right way,” Volod said. “I turned one paranorm every ten days after ensuring the change had taken in the previous subject. Being a Master Vampire, I have total control over all those I turned myself Kurn enonce they rise.
    “The Peacekeepers do not know who is behind the disappearances,” he added. “We will continue to use that element of surprise to our advantage.”
    Volod didn’t share that Monique had bitten the paranorm Vampires the first time and he had turned them with his own bite the second time. Monique had control as well, but not like he did.
    “Did you encounter any difficulties?” Nicholas asked.
    “A few. During my experiments, before taking Trackers, I discovered that some Fae appear to be immune to being turned,” Volod said. “Thus I eliminated those not susceptible. There are a few other species we are not certain about just yet, but most can be taken and turned it appears.”
    Nicholas gave a nod and looked as if he was contemplating all that Volod had told the conclave so far.
    Alexander, the youngest member of the conclave at just over four hundred years of age, looked from Volod to Nicholas. “This is an extremely alarming proposition. Going after norms and paranorms seems far too dangerous.
    “These paranorm Vampires are not proven,” Alexander went on. “We on this council will see the reprisals. There are far too many paranorms compared with our number. What if these Vampire paranorms end up wanting to turn and then control us?”
    Alexander continued with fervor. “Paranorms will wipe out Vampire-kind if we fail. At minimum, many of us will be destroyed, which was what we saw happen during the Rebellion. If it was not for surrender and the treaty, we would have been eliminated as a race.” His voice rose. “We must maintain the current balance of power to avoid another paranorm slaughter of Vampires.”
    “Such coward’s words.” Cecilia faced Alexander in a sharp turn in her seat. The emerald pendant pinning her dark hair back glittered in the torchlight, and her elegant features were taut. “To expect us to be ruled by paranorms when there is the opportunity to rise up again is despicable. Allow the conclave to hear this out and consider it before we meekly reject the thought of such an idea.”
    Alexander tried to interrupt, but Cecilia continued. “If somehow the worst-case scenario comes to pass, and Vampire paranorms take over, how is that any different from what is going on today? What would cause them to want to stop us from feeding? From what Volod said, they want the paranorm blood.”
    Volod hadn’t expected Cecilia to be so vocal on this subject, and to his benefit. With pleasure he listened to her go on.
    “We desire human blood,” she said. “The fact is, we are a weak race right now. A mere shadow of what we once were. There is not another race of beings as beaten down as Vampires. That has to change and if there is a way for it to be done, let it be done.”
    “Volod is worthless,” Marcus said, and Volod clenched his teeth. “With his mini mission of rebellion, he could not even keep his small clan together in New York.” Marcus glared at Volod. “His foothold there has been destroyed. He has proven to be a poor power-hungry leader, so do not waste anything on him, neither time nor resources.”
    Ignoring Marcus’s Kng to b comment, Volod interrupted. “These Vampire paranorms will be mine. You won’t see a rebellion. I will be the one to bite these paranorms and turn them. They will be drawn to follow me. You are all aware of what happens when a Master Vampire takes his victim. They are his.