Page 59 of The Star's Sword

Mark cocked his head. “You know how I feed.”

“What about a compromise?” I asked.

“If you’re going to feed a vampire, I’m first,” Simon said, pouting.

“Hell,” Mark said. “You haven’t even fed Simon? The king? No wonder they hate you.”

“My body has been weak for months because I have been feeding every vampire that goes to the blood bank.”

“Well, that’s part of your problem,” Mark said. “No one pays attention to the lower vamps and weres. They wouldn’t know who does what.”

“So I have to let everyone bite me if I want their help?”

“I mean, you have to trust at least one vampire. So they can vouch for your blood loyalty.”

“I also need to save strength, and vamps can do anything they want to me, when they’re feeding. It’s a huge risk, when I’m needed to save the world.”

Mark shrugged a heavy shoulder. “Just depends if you want the vampires’ help or not.”

I was beginning to not want to.

“Look,” Mark said. “Maybe don’t worry about it. The trials might be able to convince people. If you fight hard enough.”

“Trials?”

“Strength, resilience, blood loyalty or whatever they choose. Certain elder vampires get to suggest their own test.”

“And I doubt any of her elder vampires will bother,” Simon said. “So if Mark and I—”

“I’m still not sure who I’m voting for,” Mark interjected.

“Cleo’s from the havens,” Simon said. “And she has a mate. Feeding is complicated for her—”

“The incubus is your mate?” Mark asked, sobering immediately. “Why didn’t you say so?”

“They haven’t made it official yet,” Simon said. “But anyone watching them would know.”

“That would explain why he launched me across the room,” Mark said. “Now that I think about it, you did say something about calling your mate. But all right, what do you want from the vampires?”

“Help,” I said. “Because we all will benefit from this. More blood for the vampires, more freedom for humans, more power distribution, and less torture for the demons.”

“What do you mean, torture?”

I sucked in a breath. “Do you know what the ninth realm celestials do in other locations?” I looked around his sumptuous rooms. “Do you know what they do? Do you know, and still sit here in luxury trying to force me to do something I don’t want, when I’m already laying everything I have on the line for everyone who depends on me? Or are you simply ignorant, and happy to remain so?” I stared at him, and he ran his tongue along his lower lip, thinking.

“I will look into some things,” Mark said. “Talk to Vasara, but not tell her I’ve talked with you today. See why she is doing this. Then I’ll meet with the other elders, see what we can do.”

I blinked. “Wait, so you’re going to help us? Even if I don’t feed you?”

Mark stood, hands fisting at his sides. “I don’t know. I haven’t felt much in a long time. But when you talked about what you’re protecting, I saw real emotion in your eyes. There is so much to be sad about, yet you’re sad about others. I guess you’re right, I’ve been sitting here laughing at the court games, waiting to choose a side. While others are hurt.” He exhaled, slumping slightly. “I suppose I have lost my humanity even more than I thought.” He turned to Simon. “Thanks for bringing her to me, Card. Try to convince her to let us feed, will you? I’ve got some investigating to do. Because if everything is as serious as you say it is, Cleo, and Vasara is truly trying to mislead the court, then someone needs to look into why she is doing so.” His hands fisted. “I assume the two of you can see yourself out?”

I nodded, ready to go back to Samael.

“Come back and see me tomorrow evening, and I’ll see what I can do by then.”

It wasn’t much, but at least one person seemed to believe me.

“I still don’t know if you’re the Morningstar, but I’ve seen the lack of fear in your eyes that only comes with training. I will wait for the trials to be certain. But in the meantime, I will try to get to the root of the lies, and see what can be done.”

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