Though apprehension gnawed at me, I nodded. This was the only hope we had. Andrew had to do more research, but it was a first step in the right direction. After they had a solid plan for how to access Hell and survive there, there was planning to do. Who'd join them? What things to pack? Weighing the possibilities of what could go wrong and taking countermeasures. The list was endless. But for now, they had a plan and, therefore, hope.
I sighed as I entered the office, the familiar scent of Puriel's fragrance and coffee wafting over me. Another meeting to discuss the recent developments inside and outside the brotherhood. Puriel and Nate were already seated at the small coffee table in our meeting area. Grim expressions were etched into their faces. I sat down with a tablet to write down our upcoming decisions.
"All right," Puriel said, her voice commanding attention as she leant forward, hands folded on the table. "Let's get started."
Nate glanced up; his brown eyes clouded with worry. "Did you hear? There was another demon sighting last night. A family of werewolf shifters was slaughtered. The witches that tried to support them are dead as well."
I clenched my jaw, rage simmering in my gut. "Any leads?"
Puriel shook her head, her fingers drumming against the table. "None. Whoever is summoning these demons is covering their tracks well."
"This can't continue on like this." I leant forward, meeting their gazes. "People are dying. Entire supernatural communities are living in fear. We have to take action."
Puriel frowned, arms crossed over her chest. "And what do you propose? We've searched every nook and cranny of this city. There's no trace of a summoning circle or any clues."
"Then we expand our search," I said. "This isn't just a problem for London anymore. If we don't put a stop to this, demons will overrun the entire region."
"Agreed," Nate chimed in, his dark beard framing a warm smile that never failed to put others at ease. "I’ll talk to the witches and fae. We have to form search parties."
As we debated potential courses of action, I thought of Victorija. It was a subject I knew I'd have to bring up, but I hesitated, fearing the reaction it might elicit from my fellow leaders. As if sensing where my thoughts were, Puriel leant forward in her chair, her brown eyes narrowed as she regarded me with an intensity that left no room for dishonesty.
"Raph, how is the questioning of Victorija progressing?" she asked, her voice measured and authoritative.
I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of their gazes on me as I collected my thoughts. "Victorija has been answering my questions," I evaded, maintaining eye contact with Puriel. "We've made good progress."
"Progress? What kind of progress?" Nate chimed in, his frown lending a sense of gravity to his words.
“Victorija has been providing valuable information about the vampires.” I hesitated, knowing that what I was about to say might not be well-received. But it was the truth, and I owed them that much. "Throughout our conversations, I've come to understand that Victorija's actions were driven by her desire to gain more rights for vampires," I explained. "She wants peace, but only if vampires are given the same rights as other magical species, like witches and Nephilim."
Puriel's eyes narrowed, her golden-brown skin seeming to take on a harder edge as she regarded me with suspicion. "And you believe her? You think she's telling the truth?"
Nate frowned, rubbing his thumb along the edge of the table. "That's a tall order, Raph. As much as I’d love this, you know how difficult it would be to bring about that kind of change."
My hands clenched into fists under the table, hidden from their sight. "I know it won't be easy," I admitted, struggling to control my emotions. "But isn't it worth considering? If we can find a way to give them equal rights, maybe we can prevent further bloodshed."
Puriel's face remained impassive, but I could see the gears turning behind her eyes as she pondered my words. For a moment, I allowed myself to hope that they might listen and see the potential for a better future–one where vampires and other magical beings coexisted without fear or hatred. That the centuries of killing each other would stop for good.
"Interesting," she murmured, her voice betraying no hint of her thoughts.
"I've spent hours researching in our library and found evidence that supports her claims."
Nate and Puriel exchanged glances but said nothing.
I thought for a moment, trying to find the right words. "Throughout history, there have been several attempts by vampires to argue for their rights," I explained. "Each time, their pleas have fallen on deaf ears. In the best case, they've been ignored by witches, warlocks, and even our own kind. When they made a move towards finding a peaceful solution, the witches and warlocks took advantage of this by killing entire vampire clans. After such occurrences, the vampires went back to killing the others."
"What's your point?" Nate asked, his voice gentle but firm.
My heart hammered in my chest as I looked at my friends. "My point is that Victorija isn't some power-hungry monster," I said, desperation creeping into my voice. "She's fighting for her people, just as we fight for ours."
"Are you suggesting that she isn’t the evil bitch we all believed?" Puriel asked, her brow furrowing in disbelief.
I inhaled sharply and forced myself to be calm, no matter how much I wanted to shout at Puriel that she shouldn’t dare to talk like that about Victorija.
Instead, I nodded. "If we can negotiate terms with her and the leaders of the witches, fae, and Nephilim, maybe we can find a peaceful resolution."
"Raph, that's...risky," Nate said, his face clouded with concern. "Victorija has done terrible things. We can't just let her go."
"Is it so impossible to believe that she might be willing to change?" I asked, clenching my fists in frustration. "That if we give her a chance, she could help us build a world where all magical beings can live together in peace?"