But those days were long gone. Or so they had thought.

Lucien, Makeda, Saba, and Kato had gathered around a cooking fire. Makeda sat at Lucien’s side, adding wood to the fire when it was necessary.

“Livia may have been the original producer of the Elixir,” Lucien began, “but soon after she was killed, Laskaris—and possibly the other members of the Athenian council—stepped up. I don’t know if the Elixir was his ambition or the council’s, but Laskaris sees it as a way of dominating the immortal world and regaining Greek power.”

“Zara gave him the idea,” Saba said.

“But Laskaris ran with it,” Kato added. “And from what we have discovered, he shows no signs of stopping.”

Lucien eyed his mother and Kato, knowing he didn’t have the whole story but not wanting to press too quickly when his mother was only reluctantly listening.

“Zara is no longer an obstacle,” Saba told them. “I am assured of this.”

Lucien had questions about how Zara had been taken out of the equation, but it wasn’t relevant to the present discussion. If Saba said Zara was no longer a problem, she was gone.

“The Elixir triggers this retrovirus,” Makeda said. “It’s something we all have in our systems, but it’s dormant until it encounters Elixir-tainted blood. Saba is probably the only being on the planet who is immune to it.”

“It must have been a common virus at one time,” Saba said, “but there have been so many. How could I remember?”

Lucien said, “Unless there is someone older than you, you’re likely the only one who has the correct antibodies.”

“I probably am, but there is no way of knowing,” Saba said.

“And it doesn’t really matter,” Makeda said. “As long as the vampire world believes you are the oldest, you are the sole vampire capable of healing them.”

Lucien leaned forward. “Saba, if these trials work, you will hold the fate of any infected vampire in the palm of your hand. You will be the only cure for them, and any vampire who comes to you for a cure will owe you their allegiance. Not only by vow—because we both know vows can be broken—but by blood.”

Kato spoke, his voice quiet. “Where does the council of Athens come in?”

“It has to fall.” He let the silence hang over the campfire, but no one spoke. “Athens is your seat, Theio. You have every right to take it back if Laskaris is corrupt.”

“I gave up my empire,” Kato said. “So did your mother.”

Lucien knew he needed to tread carefully. “When my sister was taken from you, Saba, you took the crown from her murderer, though you had not ruled in a thousand years. You wiped out his line, and his corruption ceased to be. Then you ruled for years before you allowed another king to rise to power. You put him in place and stepped back into the shadows.”

Saba didn’t grow angry. She was silent. Considering.

Kato said, “So what do you propose? Your mother and I oust the existing council and take over?”

“That’s exactly what I’m proposing. Not only you but Ziri and Arosh as well. The four most ancient vampires in the West. When you take Athens, you could wipe out production of Elixir. No one will question your right to rule.”

“Who is to say another will not start producing it again?” Saba asked.

Makeda said, “Spread the word that any vampire infected must come to you to be healed.”

Lucien said, “Your cure would have a twofold result. If the trials are successful—”

“And that’s still an if,” Makeda said.

“—the treatment spares those who come to you and makes them blood-loyal to your aegis,” Lucien said. “It also eliminates the effectiveness of Elixir as a poison and a political tool.”

Kato nodded. “Who would knowingly spread Elixir when it would mean Saba, most ancient of our kind, would become even more powerful? Every infection of Elixir would only push more immortals to you.”

Lucien gripped Makeda’s hand and prayed his words had swayed his mother. He knew Kato was already on his side, though the giant man was obviously reluctant to step into power again. Lucien knew Kato would do it because it was right. He’d do it to save the world from the destruction Saba was capable of wreaking.

Kato spoke softly. “Just think of it, my queen. You would have an army Zhang could only dream of. His golden horde would be a pale shadow of the army you could amass.”

Saba stood and looked at all of them. Lucien felt her gaze resting on Makeda the longest.

“I will take my friend’s council and think on this,” she said. Then she left them and disappeared into the night.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

“I want you with me,” he said.

“I can’t. You know I can’t, Lucien.” She didn’t look up from her notebook. She was double-checking notes for Dr. McTierney. If Lucien’s plan went into action, the necessity of a successful trial became even more pressing. All they were waiting on at this point was a decision from Saba. “It’s too soon for me to leave the island.”

“You can.” The vampire was persistent. “Your control is far more impressive than other immortals of your age. Far more impressive than my own was. You’ve had very few slips. We’ll be traveling with Kato and Saba—”

“And negotiating alliances that could change the balance of power in the Western world.” She finally looked up. “Working with both vampires and humans I’d have no way of avoiding. You don’t need to be babysitting me while you’re worrying about that.”