Donovan Trait’s eyes swept the newly-organized War Room.

It should not have come to this—a war, a revolution. As a lawyer, he was skilled in the art of compromise. Unfortunately, the Vampire Coalition was not. He and his wife, Shirley, had set forth their best legal arguments, but ancient vampire law was mired in stone and the Vampire Coalition had been unmoved. What should have been celebrated—the birth of vampire twins—had been condemned. It didn’t matter that the Vampire Nation had not seen a birth of their own kind for over a century. It didn’t matter that his children were born of a pure-blood, royal vampire and a recently-turned human. No, the Coalition, suspended in the past, refused to see reason. 

All that mattered to them was that the pregnancy and birth had not occurred as agreed—under the strict supervision of the Coalition. Donovan now suspected that under the Coalition’s supervision, no birth would have occurred at all. 

For centuries, the Coalition had engendered fear, prejudice, and outright discrimination against half-blood vampires. They prohibited the mating of vampires with humans, claiming a vampire fetus would sprout fangs in utero and shred a human female’s womb, causing miscarriage at best, and death at worst. But it had been a lie. A Great Lie, one perpetrated to prevent vampires from impregnating humans and creating half or mixed-bloods.

In reality, all vampires had descended from humans, even the ancient ones. The Vampire Genesis proved that. The history books told of vampire bats who craved the blood of bovines, biting them as they slept, lapping up their blood, and sucking them dry, ensuring their death. A simple farmer, seeking to protect his livestock, had battled with a bat and wound up covered in bites. The melding of his blood with that of a bat transformed him into an otherworldly being, with fangs, sensitivity to light, an unquenchable thirst for blood, and most of all, supernatural powers—enhanced hearing, vision, and strength, a refined sense of taste and smell, and eternal life. And as time passed and more humans received the bite of the bat or the bite of the newly created vampire, the farmer was no longer alone. The vampire population grew and congregated in tribes and colonies, emerging only to satisfy the need to feed. They intermarried, extinguishing the blood of the human, and eventually, produced children with only vampire fluids. Pure-bloods. The strongest of the strong. 

The Coalition ignored that history, instead choosing to grant power only to the pure-bloods, relegating half-bloods to inferior status. Half-bloods were scorned and the targets of discrimination, cruelty, and all sorts of unfairness. As a pure-blood, it was a reality Donovan had never faced—until his wife, his beloved Shirley, and his children, had become the targets of the Coalition’s wrath. The Coalition wanted his family dead, their existence buried, to hide their Great Lie. Squelching that lie had been essential to retaining the power they wielded over all vampires.

Donovan studied the missive that had been sent to his wife, Judge Shirley Magnusen Trait. It was as insulting as it was infuriating, so infuriating that it caused Donovan to see red, his rage reflected in the color of his eyes. He had learned hundreds of years ago to control that rage, to refrain from eviscerating humans, but he now found himself incapable of containing his desire to destroy the vampires that comprised the Coalition.

The letter had been appalling—

Dear Lord and Mrs. Trait—After an extensive interview with Lord Hannigan and Lord Bengotten and their admissions of guilt, we have suspended them from their duties on the Vampire Coalition for a period of one year.

 However, this decision has not been shared with the Vampire Nation and shall remain confidential. Disclosure of said decision and the reasons behind is prohibited under Vampire Coalition decree and carries the force of law.

Please be advised that all pending charges against you remain. We believe firmly in your guilt and your intention to defy this Coalition. Your utter disrespect for this governing body and our laws is unacceptable. It reveals a lack of civility and adherence to the vampire moral code.

 Until your children are surrendered to the proper authorities, the warrant for your arrest and incarceration remains in full force, with the additional charges of sedition as stated below. In addition, Lord Jonathan Trait, his wife, Gwendolyn, and daughter, Marilyn, are also charged with sedition, punishable by exile or death. 

At this time, we respectfully request that all parties peacefully surrender to the Vampire Coalition for further prosecution and sentencing.

With that, the Coalition had laid down the gauntlet and the Traits had responded in kind. They had declared war.

Shirley approached, the sweet smell of vanilla embracing him far before she hugged him from behind, her hands running along his chest. She kissed his neck. Her voice was soft and loving. “Have you calmed down yet?” 

Donovan gazed at her lush body, her sweet face. She was beautiful by all standards. Curly blonde hair framed a heart-shaped face. Her deep blue eyes and sexy pink lips added to her beauty. He had been told that Shirley resembled a pin-up girl from the second world war, but to him, she was simply one hell of a woman—strong, intelligent, compassionate, and extraordinarily sensual. Best of all, she was all his, his wife for eternity. “Ye Gods, Shirley. I won’t calm down until this is over. Until you and our children are truly safe.”

Shirley chuckled and moved to stand in front of him. “All that fury is motivating, but your children are mere infants. They don’t understand a grouchy, angry father. Take pride in what we are doing, but leave the anger behind when you go home to Lilabeth and Alex. They will sense your anger and fear it. I don’t want them afraid of their father. I know it’s a new emotion to you, but children need to feel your love.”