"Connegar is hers." Pheligar hadn't spoken until then.

"You're kidding? Why haven't I heard this before?" Kiarra stared at her Larentii mate.

* * *

"How can I get her back?" Gavin paced before Flavio's desk. Flavio watched Gavin's restless wandering before him, attempting to remain dispassionate over the entire thing when he wanted exactly the same—for Lissa to come back to him, the Council and the vampire race as a whole. She could do so many things; things they didn't have the talent or the resources to do. They still had their misters and mindspeakers, but no new talent had been discovered since Anthony's turning.

Flavio didn't know what to do. He wanted to approach Lissa and beg her to help him and the Council when needed. She was protected however, and Merrill and Wlodek informed him that two Spawn Hunters for the Saa Thalarr, one of the giant Larentii and even a powerful Wizard were all courting her. He didn't know how to break that news to Gavin.

"I have removed his jealousy," a dark-haired male appeared suddenly in the room. Gavin recognized him immediately.

"Kifirin," Gavin begged, "help me win Lissa back."

"That choice is hers," Kifirin lifted a gold ingot from Flavio's desk—Flavio once used it as a paperweight. Now it sat on a corner of his desk, mostly forgotten. "Bear in mind," Kifirin set the gold bar down, "that others now hold a place in her heart. You will not be alone there, vampire. The Queen's Inner Circle is forming. You must use your imagination if you wish to be included in their number."

"Inner Circle?" Gavin stopped pacing and stared at Kifirin.

"The governing body upon Le-Ath Veronis. Only the comesuli upon the High Demons' world are now calling it Le-Ath Veronis Imperea, which means Heart of the Vampire Queen. The rumors are flying among them, now, that they were saved by our Lissa. They are asking for the return to their ancient home. They wish to live and work among vampires once again. How would you answer their plea, Gaius Livius Montanus?" Kifirin spoke Gavin's original Roman name.

"What will it mean for Lissa?" Gavin answered Kifirin's question with one of his own.

"It means Lissa must choose whether to accept the throne—and the rule—of Le-Ath Veronis, and then work to bring in vampires from the worlds where they are now scattered. Some will not be eligible for that journey, as they will not be of sufficient character. Those whom she leaves behind will die. It is my promise to her and to the worlds of light where they now reside."

"Are you saying our days on Earth are numbered?" Flavio rose from his seat, staring at Kifirin.

"Do not fear, Sanguis Rex. There will be many cities upon Le-Ath Veronis. I believe Lissa will be more than happy to place you in a position of power. Imagine all the vampires on Earth occupying an entire city; one created solely for them? That is what awaits you if Lissa takes the rule. All hinges upon her, you know."

"Does she know this?" Gavin watched Kifirin, speculation in his eyes.

"Not yet. I will tell her soon if she does not discover it for herself."

"Tell me about this world," Flavio sat down again.

"It spins on its side," Kifirin gestured with his hands. "The southern half of the planet is in constant twilight. Think of what this means, vampire. You will be able to wake and sleep as you choose instead of having to deal with the sun's dictation of those events. Comesuli would provide blood to the vampires—at least in part. I believe their numbers would have to be subsidized with blood substitute; there aren't enough comesuli to cover the demands. Fresh blood would be available often, regardless. The comesuli, when they are turned, become male or female as their temperament dictates. On Le-Ath Veronis of old, the numbers of males and females were nearly equal."

"There would be more females?" Flavio had hope in his eyes. He had mates and the sun's rising and setting no longer held sway over him. This, however, would be a true blessing for the vampire race as a whole.

"Yes, as the comesuli were turned when deserving."

"This sounds too good to be true," Flavio lowered his eyes but not before Kifirin saw the glimmer of hope in them.

"There may be a period of adjustment—so many vampires coming together to live upon a single world instead of many. That is why each world's vampires will have a city to themselves. Earth's population is one of the largest."

Flavio knew they had Wlodek, Weldon and Merrill to thank for that fact, and for their willingness to forge peace with the werewolves when they did. And they had Lissa to thank as well, for keeping the peace when it was threatened. There was now an official count of two hundred fifteen thousand vampires on Earth. An entire city where they could live appealed greatly to Flavio. With no need to hide, they could walk freely as they willed, no longer needing to conceal what they were. Their race would belong.

"Your race would belong," Kifirin drew the thought from Flavio's mind. "Your Council here could be the governing body in your city and you could help draw up the new laws governing the planet."

"The Queen's Inner Circle?" Gavin asked, forming the question.

"All her devoted lovers," Kifirin answered before Gavin could finish his question. "Find a way to bring her back to you, vampire. You would serve well with her." Kifirin folded away.

"Honored One," Gavin turned to Flavio, "I wish to contact Wlodek as quickly as possible."

* * *

"How is little Toff?" Glinda rocked Roff's child in her arms and cooed to him. He grinned at her, showing most of his teeth. Comesuli were born with a full set of teeth, which they lost at age eight or thereabouts, growing a new set rapidly. They ate animal protein from birth, hence the need for teeth. Their parent had no way to suckle them, having no breasts.

"Glindarok, Gardevik and I must speak with you," Jayd stalked into the room, looking a bit rumpled. Glinda was worried the moment she saw Jayd's face.

"What is it?" she asked, handing Toff over to Giff—Roff was away, getting their midday meal from the kitchens.

"Come with me; your meal can be delivered in the meeting hall," Jayd said. Glinda knew it was serious if they were calling a meeting in the meeting hall. Jayd lifted Glinda up and walked out of her suite amid protests from his mate that she could get herself to the meeting hall just fine.

Glinda was settled at the table fronting the room, between Jayd and Garde. She breathed a worried sigh; the Captains of the Guard were all present, as were the heads of all the High Demon Houses including what was left of Croth and Drith. The ones present had been carefully questioned and vetted before they were allowed to take up their Houses once more. There was a scant handful who'd proven to be honest.

"We made a second journey to the Southern Continent," Garde began, "taking only High Demons with us so we could skip in and out, avoiding the ash that covers a great deal of the area. We found, quite far south, evidence that many of our enemy High Demons sheltered there, avoiding capture. There were fallen tents, debris and rotting food when we arrived. We estimate there are as many as eight hundreds."

"Where are they now?" Yurevik Weth asked.

"We asked for help and thankfully received it to determine that," Jayd spoke. "My sources tell me they have skipped off the planet—for the time being. It is my worry that they will find other allies as they did before and come against us a second time."

"What can they hope to gain? Kifirin is awake now; surely even they know this."

"Perhaps they are counting on his vow of noninterference," Glinda snorted.

"What about the Vampire Queen?" Lord Nedevik Weth rose. He was patriarch of the House of Weth and oldest among all High Demons.

"We cannot count on that help again," Jayd stared at the tabletop.

"Will she not come to protect her commons?" Lord Aldavik Foth stood. His words caused Jayd to glance sharply at Garde over Glinda's head.

* * *

I got three gates that day. The numbers of Flakkar were getting smaller, thank goodness. I was eating a late lunch after returning to the villa when the twins came to find me. "Come ski with us," they said. Yeah, they were asking me to ski. Visions of tall pines I would have to mist through to avoid mutilation came to mind.

"Come on, you won't know until you try it," Drake lifted me and tossed me over his shoulder. Feather, Mack's daughter, came to get us, folding us to another world where skiing and winter were both present. I had to be outfitted at a shop there and felt terrible that the twins were spending so much money on me. The whole thing seemed to be a wasted effort. Feather, with her mates Christi and Kerry, all watched as Drake and Drew haggled with the shopkeeper over my outfit plus skis, poles and goggles.

"Baby, I don't think you know how to have fun," Drew said, rubbing my shoulders at one point. I wondered if he was right. Eventually I was fixed up, the twins paid and somebody folded us to the slopes.

"You're just going to push me down the side of the mountain?" I gulped, staring down the steep incline. Immediate misting came to mind as I contemplated my fate otherwise.

"Watch us," Drake grinned, pushing himself off the top. He was making short, sweeping turns with his skis, going down quickly and skillfully. Kerry went next, closely followed by his two ladies, Christi and Feather. They also skied very well and I started sweating.

"You go first, I'll come along and pick up the pieces," Drew teased.

"Oh, sure, laugh why don't you?" I swatted at him. "I end up with a broken leg and you'll just say turn away from the tree next time."

"Lissa, baby, you'll do fine. Show me those vampire reflexes."

"Uh-huh," I eyed him skeptically. "My vampire reflexes are for getting me out of trouble, not getting into it in the first place."

"You're not afraid are you?" He was still grinning.

"Are you kidding? My knees are knocking. I don't know why I let you two convince me this was a good idea," I snipped.