“Yes, you are,” Max bellowed. “Damn it all to hell, woman. Stop being so bloody stubborn. I know you never wanted the job, but you’ve got it, and you’ve had it for centuries. All it took was one phone call, and your daywalkers came to the aid of vampires across the world without question. They did it because they trust you. They did it because you asked. They did it because they follow you, so stop denying you’re not their goddamned matriarch because you are, Bennett. You are.”

Bennett hung her head. The line between being the representative for the daywalkers and their leader had always been thin. The primary difference was power, and Bennett had always professed she had no influence over her kind. She never wanted to appear imperious or regarded for more than what she believed she was, yet one phone call had unraveled the yarn she’d been spinning for centuries. She was the leader of the daywalkers…and they both knew it.

“Fine,” Bennett said, collapsing back in her chair. “It seems I have a clan, but if the council thinks they now have a right to keep records on them like the rest of the vampires—”

“They don’t. The only thing the council wants is an affirmation that you and your kind will have our backs if the need arises. You have the freedom to walk in the sun. We do not. You have the freedom to blend in with the rest of the human race. We do not, and if ever a mortal gets wind of us, or if there’s someone in our midst thinking about yet another coup, we want your guarantee that your daywalkers will protect us.”

“All right. I’ll need to run it by a few of the others, but I don’t see there’ll be a problem. We never wanted any harm to come to the vampire race, daywalker or not. We just didn’t want to be your lab rats.”

“And you shan’t be. The council gives you their word,” Max said before having a sip of his drink. “I do have one question, though, if you’d allow me?”

“Go ahead?”

“You admitted to me that there are nearly seven hundred daywalkers, yet they don’t use our blood banks. How ever do they feed?”

Bennett’s eyes sparkled. “Your ego is showing.”

“Sorry?”

“There are literally tens of thousands of blood banks across this world, Max. Do you honestly think you’re the only show in town? Like you said, daywalkers can blend in with mortals easily. Some of them even work for your companies.”

“I’ll be damned,” Max said, shaking his head. “I should have learned never to underestimate you after I taught you how to play chess. You’re always one step ahead.”

“Not always, but I’m getting better,” Bennett said, humor adding a touch of glitter to her eyes.