Page 76 of Cruelly Bitten
Still, it was a symbolic location, one founded in power.
Thus, it made sense for us to make this our research headquarters.
“That all said, Lilith employed human Vigils.” Mira voiced the statement with a hint of annoyance.
I sipped my wine, waiting for her to continue while the predator within me monitored the heart rate of thehumanin the room.
Ismerelda’s pulse had escalated just a tad bit more, confirming that I’d been right about her beginning to stir. I could compel her to continue sleeping, but I wanted her aware sooner rather than later.
Because—awake or not—I fully intended to fuck her the moment Mira left the room.
I made a gesture for Mira to continue, eager to hear her full assessment. Quickly, preferably, as I had more intriguing plans to get to.
Mira gave me a look that told me she thought her statement should be more obvious. And while it was, I wanted her to explain it anyway.
“I understand using the Vigil position to give mortals a competitive goal to reach for,” she stated slowly. “But humans are too fragile to use as guards at the bunkers and here in the heart of our operation.”
Rather than agree, I simply finished my wine.
“Additionally, the enterprise is too technology dependent,” she added. “As we’re finding out, that technology can be easily manipulated. It can also reveal too much. I mean, every facet of the infrastructure is being recorded in video logs. What if Damien has accessed those?”
“We still don’t know it’s Damien,” I reminded her.
“It’s Damien,” she replied, her tone confident. “I’m sure of it. Butwhoit is doesn’t actually matter. The heart of the issue here is how reliant our security is on the technology to function correctly. And how reliant we are onhumansto guard appropriately. It’s a huge shortcoming that needs to be overhauled.”
Hmm. Definitely a logical assessment. And frank, too.
“So what would you suggest, Mira?”
“Lessening the surveillance, for one,” she responded immediately. “Monitoring the blood virgins makes sense. Monitoring our experiments on the Blessed Ones does not. That’s a secret we don’t want to let out too soon. So why are we recording it? Why make ourselves vulnerable in that way?”
“Because Lilith documented everything.” Primarily to keep me apprised when I awoke, but Mira certainly had a point about the vulnerability of relying on technology to safeguard our secrets.
“Maybe she shouldn’t have documented everything,” Mira muttered. “If those videos of what she was doing to the lycans get out…”
I nodded, aware of what she meant. “It will make for a very stressful meeting with the alliance.”
Of course, Jace and Darius had already seen some of those recordings. It would only be a matter of time before they shared them with others, something that would likely lead to further rebellion.
Unless I could convince them to support our cause, anyway.
A feat that will require some persuasion.
Fortunately, most of my vampire brethren wouldn’t care about the lycan experiments. The wolves, however, would absolutely care. And they would be furious.
Which would result in a need to remind the lycans of their place in our supernatural hierarchy.
“You asked me for my assessment and what I would do.” Mira locked her gaze with mine. “I would lessen the surveillance, specifically around our more sensitive experiments. I would stop relying solely on technology to provide security. And I would bring in additional trusted supernatural resources to help guard the facilities.”
Those were all good ideas, except… “That last point won’t be easy to do until we properly vet our allies.”
She inclined her head in agreement. “Yes. And to acquire those allies, we need to present them with positive findings.”
“Which we don’t have.”
Another dip of the chin from the lycan. “Unfortunately, I don’t think that’s going to change in the next few days. We also can’t wake Fen until we have a suitable cell to put him in—one that has a real door, not one that’s controlled by unsecure technology.”
I agreed with everything she was saying, but rather than show it, I moved into my kitchen to set my empty wine glass in the sink.
