News came in fast over the next couple of days, and there was more to do than ever. Connor had me and his other assistants running to and fro on various tasks, while everyone got ready for the eventual onslaught of the bloodsucking council's wrath.
Because New Haven was still, at least for the moment, a secret from the other leeches, there was more urgency but slightly less unease amongst my fellow humans.
For my part, I could not help but be glad on some level that things were beginning at last. I was aware that the leaders had hoped to prepare more, but every year we waited was another year that there could be more enemy vampires created. I liked the idea of getting a blade into another vampires' chest.
Each night I fell into sleep exhausted but satisfied, and every morning I woke with purpose. Two days after we learned that Vienne had finally acted against the council, I was surprised to walk in for breakfast and discover her sitting perfectly at ease in the dining hall, talking to the people around her as if nothing at all was out of the ordinary.
I nodded at her, got my food, and found an open seat.
A few minutes later she came to me. "How are you enjoying the open rebellion?" she asked as she sat down.
I shrugged. Not much had changed except the urgency in the people around me.
She smiled. "Nothing much around here, hmmm?"
"It's busier."
"It's going to get busier still. We're going to start the attack before the council gets a chance to figure out what is going on."
"I thought we weren't ready," I pointed out.
"We've moved past the planning stage and are onto the improvising part of this rebellion. They were going to start going over my affairs with a magnifying glass, so to mitigate risk, we're moving forward. But, I have a backup plan for this situation."
"What's that?"
She smiled in a way that was still just a bit annoying, "It's a secret. You'll find out soon, and then you'll have to make your own choice."
She probably wanted me to push for more information, but I was not going to give her that. Instead, I changed the subject.
"So, what brought you here this time?" I asked casually.
"Nothing much. A couple of meetings, a rebellious speech, a few humans I haven't compelled yet. I swear this rebelling against the council thing is turning into as many meetings as the council itself."
"And you don't like meetings?"
"Well, you've been to a few now, haven't you? They're dreadfully boring, except the part where I talk. Well, a few other people can be entertaining during them, I suppose. It really depends who you invite to a meeting. For example, Davidson gets so worked up that I can't resist watching him, but Magnus was so incredibly boring, Leif is boring, but he usually gets to the point except when he's trying to punish me. Connor is pretty direct, too. Raoul goes on a bit more than I find interesting, but unfortunately competence can trump entertainment value in some cases. Alas."
I kept eating while she talked. "But, even if I could complain about my humans, I won't, because they're all better than ninety percent of the vampire councillors. They get so predictable."
She met my eyes. "Oh, and Jamie, if there's anyone you care about still wandering the wilds, you're welcome to bring them back here. I suspect things are going to get pretty bad out there, now. The council is eventually going to resort to any number of terrible methods to try to defeat us, and none of them are going to be good for the feral humans caught in the crossfire. Or their slaves, for that matter, although there's nothing I can do about that."
"I'm not sure any would be willing to come," I told her.
She shrugged. "Allow them to make their choice, of course. You can tell them general things if you trust them to keep their mouths shut, and anything that's not sensitive if they agree to come."
Maybe I would try. I didn't want Braydon and his family or Hadron to fall into the council vampires' clutches. I had already lost enough people to the bloodsuckers, if I could avoid losing more, it could be worth the attempt.
* * * * *
Vienne went her own way, saying something about more meetings and I went through my usual daily tasks. At some point during the day, news came to me that there was going to be a gathering after sunset in which she would talk to everyone at New Haven, and I was also informed about a smaller meeting for select people, of which I was apparently one.
I was curious, but too busy to really think about what exactly it might be about, between my training, working with the youth, and completing Connor's instructions. I spotted her only once between the time she woke and supper and I still could not fail to notice that she had the same slightly wan pallor that she had the last time she spent her days compelling humans to ignore the orders of other vampires.
By the time I was gathered outside in the setting sun with the other residents of New Haven and she strode out, absorbing the attention being sent her way, she was looking somewhat restored and back to her usual self. Unlike at her home, New Haven had a platform that served as a stage, and she wasted no time in making her way up and onto it with sure steps and a cocky smile. It was pretty obvious she adored the setup.
She spoke quietly with Connor and a couple of other people who were waiting for her, and then she turned to the crowd, looking out at her audience as she spoke. "I imagine that you all have a pretty good idea of why I might have called you here this evening."
"While we had certainly planned to prepare much longer, to amass resources the likes of which the council could never counter, unfortunately through a series of decisions and miscalculations, our plans are being brought forward. While the council is not yet entirely aware of what we are planning and while they have no clue as to the extent of our enterprises, even those fools can't miss the obvious forever, so we intend to pre-emptively attack fast and hard to take out threats before they materialize.
"I know it might not feel like it to you, here and now, but we hold the advantage. None of our enemies know anything, yet, and they don't have the resources we've amassed. You who stand here with me are only the latest generation who are working with me to return the control of our world to the hands of humans. Some of you are new to this and some of your families have been working with me since before your great-grandparent's generation. Vampires are solitary predators by nature, but you humans can work together and overcome.
"I fully believe we can bring the council to its knees." Vienne bared her teeth in a smile full of vindictive pleasure at the thought.
"Still, you won't be forced to fight, humans. I'm giving you a choice, this time. You are free to stay and work with myself and everyone, or you are free to leave and flee as far as you can to try to avoid the coming wrath of the pro-council vampires once they finally figure out what I've been doing.
"Neither option is easy, and both come with their own risks, and it's up to you to decide, this time. If you want freedom, it must be worked for and fought for, it must be ripped from the cold dead fingers of your oppressors, but I'm of the mind it is worth it and you might find you agree."
Her eyes swept the crowd and she wore a confident smirk, before she descended from the stage. Connor took her place and began speaking his turn, explaining that there would be a process for leaving in order to ensure security, and he went on to speak further of their plans.
I barely listened, my eyes following her, and without much thought I made my way out of the crowd and headed in the direction where she had disappeared.
She was standing in the corner of the room, her back to me and her hair sweeping down her back. She didn't turn around, but she did glance at me over her shoulder with a mischievous smile. "So, what did you think of my speech?"
"I think you enjoyed it."
"You're not wrong."
"You're giving a choice?"
She shrugged. "Well, my humans' choices suck, quite frankly. Stay and support the coming war, or flee and likely get picked off by starving vampires. Still, I'm tired of the whole owning people thing, and they should decide how they wish to risk their lives. Although I rather expect the majority will stay and make the best of the upcoming chaos."
"Owning people thing?"
She chuckled but it sounded dark. "It was amusing at first as a change, but it's grown increasingly hollow. If nothing else, I'm excited to be doing something else. Normally I only do things as long as it interests me, and it's been getting harder and harder to find entertainment, as the years have gone by. It's all been worth it, though, because soon, the vampire council shall learn to fear me and my humans as a threat rather than dismiss them as possessions, and I shall revel in that fear."
With that, she finally turned, and walked towards me and wrapped her arms around my neck. My arms came up as if of their own accord. "I missed you, human." I kissed her as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do.
"Mmmm. I'd rather be alone with you, but there's still one little meeting that needs to be dealt with before I can relax. Another delightful little choice, as it were."
She clearly wanted me to ask. "What choice?" I asked in a tone of flat resignation.
She smiled. "You'll know, soon enough."
I raised an eyebrow at her.
"What? You will." She blinked up at me innocently.
"Uh huh."
"Have I frustrated you, yet again?"
"No, you're just getting a bit predictable."
I was rewarded with wide eyes and pursed lips, but her gaze never left mine. "That can't be true." Her brow furrowed.
I shrugged. "It is."
"You're just asking for trouble, accusing me of such unpleasantness, Jamie. Who knows what terrible reactionary behaviour this will unearth in the future...?"
"Well, guess I'll find out."
She harrumphed and I laughed at her.
"I should love to make your life a living hell after that ghastly accusation," she pouted, "But we really have somewhere to be shortly."
"Oh yeah? How are you going to do that? Shackles? Collars? Branding?" I had caught her off guard and she seemed not to have an answer for me for a long moment.
"No, of course not. I do prefer you running around free."
"Oh? I couldn't tell that, when you first bought me like I was some object. Remember that?"
She had managed to collect herself. "I've never pretended to be an angel, I'm sure you've noticed. And, everything I did was either for the good of the rebellion, or my own amusement, which is also indirectly for the good of the rebellion. It would not have done for me to get so bored I inadvertently sabotaged everything, don't you think?"
"That's probably true," I agreed.
"Are you upset at me again?" she asked, not looking even slightly apologetic as she pulled away from me. I held on. Like always, she could have escaped if she wanted, but she didn't fight.
"No."
"Then...?"
I shrugged again. "Well, I noticed your strategy of constantly bringing up the past until everyone is so tired of thinking about it they give up."
"That's what you're doing?"
"Or maybe I'm just messing with you. Gaining amusement, you understand?"
Her smirk returned as if it had never left. "Of course I understand that. Do I amuse you, Jamie?"
"Once in a while."
She looked very pleased with the thought. "You amuse me, quite a lot, as well, Little Human."
"If you say so, Leech."
She laughed at that, and I kissed her again.