Page 151 of Eternal Surrender

“I can see you have from your expression,” he said. “Taste the blood and you taste the power. Vampires must be annihilated. They threaten humanity like no other contagion.”

“But the Stone Masters don’t feel that way,” I said.

Alistair ignored me. “William seduced you, Inspector. You didn’t stand a chance. Don’t blame yourself.”

“It’s not like that,” she insisted.

“He’s designed that way, you see,” Alistair continued. “His ability to lure so exquisitely makes him the perfect predator. His victims are actually grateful when he takes them into his arms and drains them.”

“That’s why Sovereign broke their allegiance with the Stone Masters,” I persisted, ignoring his rant. “You hate their plan to bring back joint vampire and mortal rule.”

“A significant disagreement.” His smile thinned. “Inspector, shall I give you a moment to say goodbye to him.” Alistair held out his hand to her. “I’ll help you escape him. That’s what this meeting is about. We’ve been waiting for you to return to us, so that we can save you. An opportunity has arisen. I’d take it if I were you.”

“I don’t need rescuing⁠—”

“William’s brainwashed you.” Alistair wasn’t letting up.

Ingrid folded her arms defiantly.

Alistair seemed calm, too calm considering the circumstances, and the arrogant air he wore so well seemed out of place.

“We’ll get you to a safe house,” Alistair said. “You’ll never have to see him or his kind again.”

“Within this very hour, you’ve imbibed vampire blood,” I said. “Something tells me you’re addicted.”

His right eyelid flickered, though his expression remained unfazed. “A small perk.”

“Your ethics are skewed,” I said.

“What do you know about Dominion?” Ingrid asked.

I shot her a look, but it was too late, the words were out and she’d stepped toward him, insistent on getting an answer.

“Why do you think the Stone Masters are a dying breed,” he asked, “and yet Sovereign are thriving?” He made a sweeping gesture to make his point. “We evolved.”

“Sovereign’s sole purpose was to protect Dominion,” I said. “Your reward for keeping him safe was his blood?”

Alistair shook his head. “We were promised that, yes.”

“I don’t understand,” Ingrid said.

“You’re not meant to,” he replied. “None of this is your business.”

“Let me share with you what we do know,” I said. “Members of Sovereign were commissioned with the task of watching over Dominion. And then someone messed up.”

Alistair snapped. “And yet not one member of Sovereign tasted Dominion.” He raised his head high.

“You took your blood from other sources,” I said, “other vampires.”

“But never once drank from the promised fountain of bliss,” he said.

“Dominion himself,” I murmured.

Ingrid and I must have been sharing the same thought, remembering the engraving of Dominion on his tomb, the image portraying the vampire feeding two members of Sovereign. Though we weren’t going to share that knowledge with Alistair.

Alistair seemed distracted by something far off along the tree line. “Two hundred years ago,” he said, “my predecessors discovered a terrible revelation.” He shook his head. “The monks guarding Dominion’s sarcophagus gathered the confidence to open it after their brothers had watched over it with a blind obedience. They cracked the seal, breaking their vow to protect it. And when they peered in. . . what they saw changed everything. . . forever.”

The realization touched me like a blade. “The tomb was empty. Dominion. . .”