Chapter 65 Damien's Next Move (Damien POV)
I watch Silvercrest from the ridge overlooking campus, far enough away to avoid detection but close enough to observe.
Three days of funerals. Thirty-three dead. The entire community grieving and traumatized.
Perfect timing for what I'm planning.
The ritual inversion changed everything. Victoria's plague became voluntary cure. Mira's blood now offers vampires the choice to return to humanity instead of poisoning them on contact.
Choice.
Such a dangerous thing when you understand how to manipulate it.
I can't take Mira by force. Not anymore. The supernatural community watched her invert a genocide ritual into voluntary transformation. She's practically a legend now. Attacking her would unite every faction against me, and six hundred years of survival has taught me when direct assault is counterproductive.
But I don't need force when legitimate channels exist.
The Supernatural Council has officially recognized Silvercrest as a sanctuary. That means they have jurisdiction. Authority. The ability to make policy decisions about supernatural affairs.
Including decisions about Mira's cure-blood.
I turn away from Silvercrest, heading back to where my car is parked. I have a Council session to attend.
The Supernatural Council meets in Geneva, neutral ground where no single faction dominates. The chamber is old stone and modern technology, tradition meeting contemporary governance.
Twelve Councilors. Four vampires, three werewolves, three witches, two human representatives. Theoretically balanced. Actually corrupt as hell if you know who to bribe.
"Damien Corvus," Councilor Thorne acknowledges as I enter. He's the vampire who provided Victoria with fraudulent authorization for her assault. Corrupt, predictable, and currently nervous about how badly that decision went. "You requested an emergency session?"
"I did. Thank you for accommodating me on short notice." I take my seat at the observer's table, not a full Council member but granted speaking privileges due to age and influence. "I want to discuss the Silvercrest situation. Specifically, Mira Ashford's cure-blood."
Interested murmurs ripple through the chamber.
"The ritual inversion was remarkable," I continue. "Instead of creating a plague that would kill all vampires, it created a cure that offers them voluntary return to humanity. This is unprecedented. Potentially world-changing."
"What's your concern?" Councilor Zhang asks. She's one of the werewolf representatives, pragmatic and difficult to manipulate. "The cure exists. Vampires can choose it if they want. That seems like a positive development."
"The concern is accessibility and control. Currently, the cure is restricted to one location—Silvercrest Academy. Only vampires who can travel there and gain access to Mira Ashford can receive it. This creates inequality. Geographic barriers. Potential for exploitation."
"Exploitation how?" Councilor Thorne looks nervous. He should be. His authorization of Victoria's assault makes him vulnerable.
"Consider: Silvercrest controls the only source of vampire cure. They could charge for access. Deny it to enemies. Use it as political leverage. The girl herself is seventeen years old, traumatized, grieving. Is she really in a position to make sound decisions about who receives her blood and under what circumstances?"
I let that settle. Watching the Council process the implications.
"What are you proposing?" Zhang asks carefully.
"Centralized management. Silvercrest should donate samples of Mira's cure-blood to a Council-managed repository. We establish protocols for distribution, ensure equal access across all vampire populations, remove the potential for abuse." I pull out documentation prepared by lawyers I keep on retainer. "I've drafted preliminary guidelines. Fair, equitable, designed to protect everyone's interests including Mira's."
"You want to control the cure," one of the witch Councilors says bluntly. "You're presenting this as progressive policy, but you're seeking monopoly over vampire transformation."
"I'm seeking to prevent Silvercrest from establishing that monopoly. Right now, one academy in one location controls something that affects vampires globally. That's dangerous regardless of their intentions."
"Silvercrest has been recognized as a legitimate sanctuary," Zhang counters. "That recognition includes autonomy over internal affairs. We can't just demand they hand over student blood samples."
"We can request it. Strongly suggest it. Frame it as responsible stewardship of a resource with international implications." I lean forward. "Councilors, think about what happens if we don't establish formal protocols. Every vampire who wants the cure has to travel to Silvercrest. Potentially thousands of vampires descending on one academy. The security implications alone are catastrophic."
That gets their attention. I can see them imagining hundreds or thousands of vampires overwhelming Silvercrest's defenses, all desperate for cure-blood.
"Additionally," I continue, "what happens when Mira Ashford graduates? Leaves the academy? Dies? Currently, she's the only source. If something happens to her, the cure is lost forever unless we've established preserved samples."
"He has a point," Thorne admits reluctantly. "Preserving samples makes sense from a continuity perspective."
"Under what authority?" Zhang demands. "The Council can't just demand blood samples from students."
"We can request cooperation in the interest of global supernatural stability. Position it as humanitarian concern." I slide the documentation across the table. "These protocols ensure Mira retains autonomy. She consents to periodic donations. The repository is managed transparently. Distribution follows strict ethical guidelines. Everyone benefits."
The witch Councilor who spoke earlier studies the documentation skeptically. "These guidelines sound reasonable in theory. But implementation determines whether they're actually protective or exploitative. Who manages the repository day-to-day?"
"A Council-appointed committee. Representatives from multiple factions. Oversight. Accountability." I smile. "I'm happy to serve on that committee if needed, though I understand that might raise conflict-of-interest concerns given my previous interest in Mira's blood."
Naming my previous interest openly is strategic. Makes me seem honest. Self-aware. Not hiding my motivations.
"This needs extensive discussion," Zhang says firmly. "We can't make decisions about student blood management in one session."
"Of course. I'm not asking for immediate action." I stand, leaving the documentation on the table. "I'm asking for serious consideration. The cure exists. It will draw vampires to Silvercrest whether we establish protocols or not. Better to be proactive than reactive."
"We'll discuss this and arrange a meeting with Silvercrest leadership," the head Councilor decides. "Get their perspective. See if collaborative management is feasible."
Perfect. Exactly what I wanted.
"Thank you for your time," I say respectfully. "I trust the Council will make the right decision for the entire supernatural community."
I leave the chamber, satisfaction settling in my chest.
I don't need to control the cure immediately. I just need a foothold in legitimate channels. Council discussion. Official meetings with Silvercrest. Protocols being drafted.