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know the younger generation does not understand,” Malik
said. “I will try to help him, but there will be no promises. I will not kill
him.”
    Nico said nothing because he knew Malik was right. There
would be some among the Born vampire families who would always look down on
Malik for being Made, no matter how old he was.
    With many Made vampires came trouble. There was always the
occasional Made popping up, but the number that had appeared in the last six
months was alarming. Still, as they always had, the Vampire Alliance did
nothing. They wanted to wait to see if it would just blow over. Samuel
Blackburn thought differently. His father was more than likely right to worry,
especially now that they knew someone had turned a member of the aristocracy.
It was true they’d found nothing concrete yet…but Nico knew something deadly
swirled in their midst.
    Malik rose from his position on the sofa. “Where is this
dungeon of yours?”
    Gray called in a servant. “Please take this gentleman to see
our guest.”
    With a bow to Gray, the young man held the door open for
Malik, but Nico saw the look in his eyes. Disgust. Sadly, many in the Born
bloodlines had an irrational hatred of any Made.
    “Now, explain to me why I would not understand about Malik?”
    Nico glanced at Gray then wandered over to the window. A
smudge of red filtered through the grime of London. The sun was rising.
    “Nico?”
    Without turning around he said, “Malik is Made.”
    “And?”
    Nico faced the young vampire, thinking Gray had been lucky
to have missed the vampire genocide. It had been four hundred years since the
Spanish Inquisition. So many of them had perished…especially their Carriers. It
had almost wiped out all of their kind.
    “Many want to kill any Made for fear of their
behavior—thanks to the memories of Vlad the Impaler and his army.”
    A look of pure astonishment passed over Gray’s face. “But
Malik is always accepted. The man is a legend. Father speaks of him in such
awe, I will admit I expected him to be a sword-wielding giant.”
    Nico chuckled at that. “He saved your uncle’s life.”
    Gray nodded. “Yes, along with many others. But I do
understand that there might be a witch hunt…which means we need to discover who
is making vampires before it comes to that.”
    “One of the reasons my father sent me down here. The
rest...well, they would prefer not have to deal with another Vlad if they don't
have to. They would rather pretend this is all just rumor. The Quad refused to
send in anyone officially, and let’s not even start with the Alliance. To get a
qualifying vote from all the different factions would be impossible. Pretending
there isn’t a threat is easier than facing death. Especially for Borns who
think they will live forever. But with the viscount...”
    “We know better.” Gray blew out a breath. “The problem is
many of them are too old, too set in their ways. Your father is the only
intelligent one on the Ruling Committee. My father said that if needed, he and
mother can return.”
    That surprised Nico. As with the rest of their predecessors,
the older generation would “die,” allowing the next Duke of Queensbury to take
over. They usually lived on the continent, away from court. To offer to come
back to support Nico's father on the council meant that the old duke knew just
how grave things were.
    “My father would hate for that to happen, but I will let him
know.”
    “Father knows the situation is bad.” Gray grimaced. “There
have been a rash of murders near our Scottish estate...similar to the one you
spoke of.”
    In that instant, the scene from a fortnight ago came rushing
back in stark clarity. Nico had to close his eyes, but when he did, the image
of the damaged woman, the stench of her blood, appeared. He swallowed the bile
that rose to the top of his throat. He would never forget that image or the
feel of thrusting a stake into the heart of another living vampire.
    “But on to