“Here you go,” Michael says, handing Victor and me each a beer and clinking his bottle against ours. “To Crimson Sands.”
“To Denver,” I say. “They showed us what was possible, but we made it happen.”
“To Denver,” everyone repeats.
We chug down the beer. Then stand around embracing the atmosphere.
“So I need to go put on some fresh lipstick,” Tegan says to me. “Why don’t you come with me?”
“You can’t put on lipstick by yourself?” Victor asks.
“That’s chick code,” Michael tells him. “Tegan wants to talk to Dawn where we can’t hear. Which means she probably wants to talk about us.”
She punches his shoulder. “Don’t be such a smarty.”
I can see a light dancing in his eyes, and I realize she’s here not so much for me as Michael indicated, but for him. And I’m glad, so very glad.
“Come on, Victor,” he says, “let’s go grab another beer.”
As they walk off, Tegan says, “That’s something I never thought I’d see.”
“I know. It’s wonderful, isn’t it?” I turn back to her. “So you and Michael—”
“We’re just friends,” she says hastily. “Okay, maybe a little more than friends. He just . . . I don’t know. He just always makes me feel like everything will work out. We’ll defeat Sin, and the Day Walkers, and the Infected. We’ll be safe.” She gives me an impish grin. “And he’s gorgeous. Even with the scars. As a matter of fact, I think they make him sexier.” She nudges my shoulder. “So you and Victor . . .”
I shrug. “I don’t know. We haven’t had a whole lot of time to actually be together when some crisis isn’t breathing down our neck.”
“But he’s way hot.”
I laugh loud and long. The old Tegan is definitely back, thinking about guys and how hot they are. Seeing her like this gives me hope that soon everything will be better.
After a while, Victor and Michael rejoin us. I relish the fact that there’s no awkwardness between us. Eventually Michael and Tegan wander away, and I figure she’s looking for a quiet corner where he can smear her lipstick.
Faith strolls over, but she hardly looks happy. No doubt Richard is on her mind. She’s back in her signature red leather. “Everyone’s acting like we’ve won already,” she says.
“For tonight we have,” Victor tells her. “Even though you weren’t supposed to be involved.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You went into Hursch’s residence with the Night Watchmen,” Victor admonishes her.
“And dragged out Lila,” I add.
“You’re wrong.”
Victor sighs. “Faith, no other Night Watchman would dare go into battle wearing red heels.”
She shudders. “I just couldn’t put on those hideous boots they wear.”
“You’re not supposed to be placing yourself in danger.”
“But it’s all right if Richard does?”
“He’s a soldier.”
“So am I.”
“You’re next in line for the Valentine throne.”
That seems to bring her up short.
“If something happens to me—” Victor begins.
“Nothing is going to happen to you,” she interrupts.
“I’m not planning on it, but you also need to step back.”
“While Richard risks his life?”
“I admit what he’s doing is dangerous, but he’s not going to battle Sin. It’ll be a covert operation. Destroy the V-Processing center, stop Sin’s ability to mass produce the Chosen, and return here.”
“Sin hates you. He’s not going to leave Denver alone.”
“No,” Victor agrees. “He won’t leave Denver alone.”
“Now that we’ve dealt with the Day Walkers,” I say, “we need to start preparing for Sin.”
Victor nods. “I’d hoped we’d have a few days, but until we can figure out exactly where Sin is, we have to be ready.”
“I can do that,” Faith declares.
My eyes widen. “Do what?”
“Prepare Denver.”
Victor gives her a kind smile. “Faith, you’ve never been in a real battle, like we had during the war. You’re not experienced—”
“I know how to throw a hell of a party. How is this any different?”
He shakes his head. “It’s different.”
I know she needs a distraction from her worries over Richard. “Not really,” I say. “I think she can do it. It’s scavenging, getting everything organized. I think she’d be great at it.”
“Then it’s settled,” she says. “I’ll work with Anita, get a list of what’s needed and get things organized here. When Sin arrives, I’ll throw a surprise party for him.”
I can tell that Victor is going to object again. I squeeze his hand, communicate with my touch that he needs to let her do this.
He nods. “All right, then. You’ll represent us here in Denver. I’ll talk to Clive and Jeff—”
“I can handle that.” She turns her attention to me. “Thanks for believing in me, Dawn.”
“Anytime.”
“Don’t expect me at the manor. I’m going to stay in the city.” She strolls away.
“What am I not understanding?” Victor asks.
“She’s worried about Richard. She needs to do something, to have a distraction.” I glance around. “Until Sin arrives, she should be safe here.”
“Everyone should be safe.”
As the party progresses, Victor and I find our place on a couch. I watch the groups move like a single organism. Without the masks, it’s impossible to tell who is a Night Watchman and who is a vampire. Fangs aren’t being lowered. The most beautiful sound, though, is their laughter. Despite what happened tonight, despite the years of hostility, despite the war and the bloodlust and VampHu, they can laugh together.
The room slows down and I marvel at what I’m seeing: humans and vampires having fun together. With every handshake I see potential for change. I remember standing atop the Agency in Los Angeles, looking down at all the Day Walkers that surrounded us on the streets below. I remember Sin saying we were looking at the New World Order. And I compare that fear and grandiose design to what’s in here. One is created through blood, the other through laughter. I know which one I want.
“What are you looking at?” Victor asks.
“The future.”
Chapter 23
The next evening Clive gives a speech from a makeshift platform just outside the Agency building. A crowd of citizens has gathered. Rumors have been spreading all day about the great betrayer Roland Hursch. TV cameras are locked on Clive. Reporters are anxious for details. I wanted desperately to be there, but everyone convinced me that it was too dangerous, there was simply no telling how the crowd would react. So instead, Victor and I are watching it from my apartment.
Sitting on the couch with him, I’m suddenly glad I didn’t go. I want to support Clive in whatever happens next, but I also can’t deny the simple pleasure of being here, with Victor by my side.
On the screen I see Rachel sitting in one of the chairs lined up in a row behind Clive. She’ll be taking over the delegate position once again now that Hursch has been ousted, so she needs to show her loyalty. Beside her is Jeff, doubling as both date and bodyguard.
“You should have gone,” I say to Victor.
“I want the Lessers to be shown without Old Family beside them. I want everyone to see that they are loyal and tame, they can control their bloodlust without an iron fist ruling over them.”
“Roland Hursch’s crimes are unforgivable,” Clive begins. “He hid the Day Walkers in his home, sheltering them from discovery when they returned there from attacking our own. He toyed with our lives, using his fellow humans as pawns in a game that none of us were aware he was playing. He sold his soul to the devil, and he signed his name in the blood of those taken from us.”