“That’s because you don’t know what I know.”

“Meaning?”

“It’ll take more than a few phone calls, Max.”

“Whatever are you—” Max’s mouth was still open, yet he couldn’t force out a word. Bennett’s grin grew larger with each passing second, and Max cleared the frog from his throat. “Um…dare I ask—”

“Just shy of seven hundred.”

Max rocked forward so quickly the arms of his chair banged against the desk. “What?”

“Six-hundred-ninety-six at last count.”

“Christ.” Max snatched up his glass and emptied it in a gulp. “I had no clue there were that many,” he said, setting the tumbler down. “How in the hell did you ever find them?”

“They found me, and they’ve been finding me for centuries. It’s rather odd, really. We’re almost drawn to each other,” Bennett said, her brow wrinkling. “Anyway, after Simeon and Napoleon butchered those two men, any vampire realizing the sun didn’t hurt them wasn’t about to announce it. They crept from their covens, and eventually, they found me or another daywalker who would lead them to me.”

“Seven hundred,” Max mumbled. “That’s quite a force you’ve got there.”

“It is, which is why I need your word that if or when you learn any of their identities, you protect them.”

“Of course, I give you my word, but I still think you’re making a mistake. I truly, truly do.”

“I’m not,” Bennett said, straightening her backbone. “Max, last night, I almost sunk my teeth into Ruby’s neck, and I would have…I would have…” Bennett bowed her head, allowing her tears to well for a few moments before she blinked them back and looked up. “And I would have killed Lisa, and if I had done that, there would have been no one safe from my rage, Max. No one. I’m not positive Simeon was involved every step of the way, but this has Napoleon written all over it, and I will not risk him pulling another stunt like this again, or worse, going after someone I care about just for spite. It’s not worth it.”

“He is a malicious bastard. I’ll give you that.”

“Which is all the more reason that I need to do this. Everyone knows two issues are driving Napoleon’s antics. The first was the council’s decision not to give him Etienne’s chair, which I had nothing to do with, and the second I had everything to do with because his second gripe is with me…and only me. Remove the fuel, Max, and there’s no fire.”

“That still leaves his father’s chair.”

“True, but that’s got nothing to do with me. You and the council will have to handle that.”

“Oh joy.”

***