Anka took off her leather gloves slowly. “If you insist, but you’d be more comfortable.”

Sera, instead of sitting, leaned on the back of the chair. “So, what do you want?”

“Want from you?” Anka chuckled. “Nothing from you. You are simply the bait. I need a powerful born vampire.”

“I’m a born vampire, if you hadn’t noticed. Now let them go.” Sera pointed up at the TV screen. On it were five men and women who looked terrified. Each was holding a knife to their throat.

“Ingenious, isn’t it? That was the one problem I had. How to trap a born vampire—stronger, faster, than any other vampire—and keep them compliant and under control? The answer for a Debrek born vampire, who believes in the value of humans and consent and other such disgustingly pious ideas, was simple: test those pious ideas.”

Sera sat down in frustration and crossed her legs and arms, thoroughly pissed off. “Can we get to the point?”

“I understand that Asha explained to you that these humans are locked in a room somewhere in this building.”

“Yes, yes,” Sera said.

“And that they have been compelled to cut their own throats, at one press of a button by Asha, or me, or any one of my people around this place. When those people see a flashing red light, they will go through with it. You couldn’t possibly get there on time.”

Sera gave Anka a sarcastic handclap. “Good for you. I’m obviously not going to risk that, so you’ve caught me. Well done.”

Anka laughed at her attitude. “Poor Sera. The ditzy blond airhead born vampire, who loves partying more than serious work.”

“You don’t know anything about me,” Sera spat back.

Anka leaned forward. “I know more about you than you think. You were a spoiled child before you became a born vampire at eighteen, and still are spoiled. Everyone indulges you.” She was getting to Sera, Anka could tell. She stood up and started to casually walk around Sera’s chair. “You were the pretty girl, the second child that had no role in the Debrek banking business and could never live up to the magnificent and shining Byron Debrek.”

“I love my sister. She is the perfect leader.”

Anka moved around to Sera’s front, leaned over, and whispered, “The charismatic leader, who will always outshine you, but I understand that. I had an older brother who outshone me until I found a way to outshine him. But you? I doubt it.”

“Are you going to just run down my character or tell me what this is about?”