Blake's mind raced, his heart pounding with a mixture of hope and dread. He stared at Marlowe, trying to decipher the elder vampire's enigmatic expression. "What exactly are you asking of us, Marlowe?"
The elder vampire's lips curled into a cold smile. "It's quite simple, really. I want you to help me prevent a grave mistake that could doom our kind."
Marlowe rose from his chair, his movements fluid yet filled with barely contained tension. "The Human Council has voted to send a delegation to human leaders. They aim to discuss a potential truce, to reveal our existence to the world at large." His voice dripped with disdain. "They believe this will allow us to step out of the shadows, to no longer live in hiding."
A collective gasp echoed through the room. This was unprecedented - vampires had maintained their secrecy for millennia.
