Dragon's Storm (Legion Of Angels #4)(2)

“The vampires of House Rune are rogues,” she told the vampire. “Rogues are dangerous creatures, Mr. Farrows. They turn humans into vampires whenever they feel like it, without the approval of the vampire king or the Legion of Angels. Rogue vampires believe themselves above the laws of this Earth. Above the laws of the gods.” She leaned in, her face stopping only inches from his. “Do you believe yourself above the laws of the gods?”

The vampire shook his head.

“And yet you are one of the vampires made by House Rune,” said Captain Norton. “You knew they were a rogue group and yet you willingly joined them.”

“Please,” the vampire croaked. “Have mercy.”

“The Legion of Angels offers mercy and protection to all loyal, rule-abiding citizens, Mr. Farrows,” Major Singh declared, braiding her fingers together. “We show no mercy to traitors who spit on the gods’ laws.”

The vampire sagged against his restraints.

“Do you know why the transformation of vampires is so highly regulated, Mr. Farrows?” she asked him.

The vampire said nothing. He didn’t even look at her.

“Because vampires are dangerous beings,” she said. “Every vampire is a potential bloodbath. They are strong, fast, and have an insatiable appetite for human blood. Candidates must be thoroughly screened to weed out individuals with a weak constitution. And all candidates who pass the rigorous screening and become vampires are carefully observed by the vampire house that made them. For one whole year, they cannot go anywhere alone. A guard from their house is always with them, ready to execute them if they cross the line. This procedure is for everyone’s protection. It’s how we keep people safe.” She grabbed the vampire’s face between her thumb and index finger, tilting it up until his gaze met hers. “Do you know how rogue vampires keep people safe?”

He swallowed hard.

“They don’t,” she hissed. “They create vampires whenever it suits them, which is usually when they need more bodies to fight for them. They make vampires out of murderers, rapists, and other criminals. Becoming a vampire doesn’t change who you are inside. It only magnifies your most defining personality traits.”

Captain Norton stood behind his colleague, his face quiet, almost serene. “Before Charles Rune turned you into a vampire and you changed your name, you were Julian Kane.”

The vampire looked up at the mention of his former name.

“You lived a respectable life as a member of the Kane Coven, one of New York’s most prestigious witch covens,” Captain Norton continued. “Though your parents are both witches of great power, you inherited none of their gift. You had no significant magic of your own, so the coven offered you the position of their accountant.”

“Forced me.”

Captain Norton looked at the vampire.

“They forced me to be their accountant,” he ground out. “My parents forced me to take it. It was the only job that didn’t require magic, the only way for me to be part of the coven. The great Henry and Alexa Kane were too proud to admit to the other covens that they had spawned a magical dud.”

“The Kanes have another child, your younger sister Marina, a magical genius,” said Major Singh.

The vampire frowned at them. “If you’re trying to rub my face in my wretched inadequacy, you’re twenty years too late.”

Major Singh gave him a cool smile. “Mr. Farrows, what do you know about how a Legion Interrogator works?”

“You torture people until they break.”

“Torture is such a crass word,” she said. “Haven’t we been having a very pleasant conversation?”

The vampire shot her a cautious look, like he didn’t like where this was headed.

“It isn’t our job to hurt you.”

“But you’ll do it to save the world, huh?”

“What if I were to tell you that neither my colleague nor I will harm you?” she said.

The vampire wriggled inside his restraints. Yep, he definitely didn’t like where this was headed.

“What are the Interrogators up to?” Ivy whispered to me.

I shook my head. Her guess was as good as mine. The Legion’s Interrogators weren’t known for their hands-off approach to questioning prisoners.

“Mr. Farrows, when you decided to take matters into your own hands to gain the magic fate had denied you, why did you not come to the Legion?” Major Singh asked him.

The vampire blinked in surprise. “What?”

“The Legion of Angels welcomes candidates of all backgrounds, whether or not you possess magical powers. We would have given you the magic you desired and more. There was no need to break the gods’ laws. It’s as simple as that.”

Actually, it wasn’t quite that simple. Legion soldiers gained their supernatural abilities by drinking the gods’ Nectar in progressively stronger doses. The first sip primed your magic, unlocking your potential. The next dose gave you the physical powers of a vampire. The next bestowed the abilities of a witch. And then the powers of a siren. One by one, you gained more and more magic.

If it didn’t kill you. That was the catch. If your will wasn’t strong enough, if you hadn’t trained hard enough, then the Nectar killed you. The mortality rate of the first sip was over fifty percent. Half the people who drank it died a horrible, excruciating death.