“Sit down quickly, everyone,” Byron said.

As everyone settled, Alexis leaned over to her and whispered, “Where is Bhal?”

“She won’t be joining us. I gave her a separate assignment. Let’s get this meeting under way, shall we.”

Byron knocked on the table to bring the meeting to order. “Quiet, please. Alexis? If you would.”

“Thank you, Principe.” Alexis turned to face the rest of her people. “I received intelligence this evening that there has been a change at the top of the Dred clan.”

One of the older turned vampires, Alexis’s lieutenant, Neva, said with disbelief, “Gilbert finally stood down?”

“No, he was removed by Victorija forcibly. He is now dead.”

There was an audible gasp around the room. Even though Gilbert was their sworn enemy, he was still a born vampire, and the death of a born vampire was greeted with shock.

Turned vampires looked up to borns. They were their royalty, and were nearly impossible to kill. If Victorija could kill Gilbert, then they certainly weren’t safe.

Alexis continued, “We don’t know how it happened, only that it did and Victorija is now Principe.”

It was Byron’s turn to speak. She leaned forward and clasped her hands. “You all know that Gilbert was not interested in expansion in the latter days of his reign, but Victorija is a very different beast. She is sadistic, cruel, and hungry for power. Gilbert kept her down so long that I believe she will be wanting to make a big display of power.”

Alexis nodded and continued, “Our information says they are building their numbers, building an army, turning humans without consent.” A look of fury came across Alexis’s face. “She has no care for what humans want, or whether they live or die.”

Byron, seeing the emotion this was bringing up for her Duca, took over. Alexis and Victorija had a difficult history.

“Consent is what we live by, and so this is a threat not only to us, but to the innocent humans that they will snatch blood and life from. I shouldn’t have to tell you that security will have to be heightened. My sister will be staying here under our protection, and I will inform my parents. They should have adequate security, but they may return to us. You must be on your guard at every second. We may have quality in our clan, superior soldiers, guards, and protection, but they will have numbers. We must be careful.”

Byron felt total fear inside when she thought of Amelia being anywhere near Victorija. Given the chance, Victorija would use her to get everything she wanted.

Alexis said in a low voice, “Miss Honey will have a target on her back now, if Victorija finds out about her. You know that, don’t you?”

Byron knew that only too well. Just as she had decided it was safe to have a life and let herself fall in love, this had to happen. “I know, Duca—”

Byron’s answer was interrupted by Sera’s guard Henri running into the room. “They’ve gone, Principe!”