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you, Terrill. I never even thought about becoming human again. I was simply trying to learn to be a more human vampire.”
    “It wasn’t what I set out to do,” Terrill said. “It just happened.”
    “No. It wasn’t by mistake.” Michael sounded strong, confident, and inspiring, like the Alpha vampire he had been of old. “You set out to live a moral life, and the moral life came to you. I always thought religion was a bunch of hoo-ha, but maybe there is something to it.”
    “Not religion,” Terrill said, “but what religion teaches.”
    Michael stared at him as if to say, I don’t understand. Then he shrugged. “I wanted to tell you, I really like your Rules of Vampire.”
    Terrill blushed. “I just codified what you and I always talked about.”
    “Nevertheless, very clever.”
    Terrill settled into one of the other chairs and they sat companionably for a while. Michael picked up one of Jamie’s dresses off the floor of the hideaway and sniffed it.
    “I met Jamie, you know. I liked her,” he said. “Even as a vampire, she’s got some of her soul left. I’m beginning to believe that the stronger the soul a human has, the more likely that as a vampire, they will behave decently. Maybe that’s been our problem all along: we’re Turning the dregs of humanity, and thus they become the dregs of vampire society.”
    Again they sat in companionable silence. How strange , Terrill thought. It’s just like old times, even though it’s been hundreds of years since we last saw each other.
    But things had changed, and they couldn’t afford to simply sit around. Terrill cleared his throat. “They’ll be expecting me back,” he said, but what he really wanted to say was, Why are you here, Michael? After all this time, why are you here?
    “So the Council of Vampires has finally approached you,” Michael said, and the tone of his voice made it clear he was at last getting down to business.
    “Finally?” Terrill echoed.
    “It was inevitable. I’ve been waiting for it. If only you hadn’t been so damn good at hiding yourself, it would’ve happened a long time ago. Even I lost you for a time. If it wasn’t for Horsham, you might still be in hiding.”
    “You want me to join the Council?” Terrill asked.
    “Yes,” Michael said, “but not for the reasons they think. They’ve taken your Rules of Vampire and perverted them. What you and I never realized is that to those without a soul, without a smidgen of conscience, the Rules are only legalisms, excuses to manipulate others. Vampires have always avoided giving such powers to other vampires––but the Council has grown so strong that they’re slowly taking over.”
    “Would that be such a bad thing?” Terrill asked. “If they enforce the Rules, how can that be a bad thing?”
    “Rule Five,” Michael intoned. “Never kill for the thrill. Feed only when necessary to eat.”
    Terrill nodded.
    Michael raised his eyebrows as if to say , See the problem ? “What does that mean, exactly? It’s a judgment call––and if you have no judgment, then anyone can be guilty of breaking Rule Five, and anyone can be innocent of breaking it, too.”
    “True,” Terrill conceded.
    “Or take Rule Four: Never create a pattern. Kill at random,” Michael continued. “Again, what does that mean? What is a pattern? What is random?” He waved his hand in the air. “Any of the Rules can be interpreted in any way the enforcer wants. You and I understand what these Rules mean, because you and I care what they mean––we want them to work. They come from inside us; they’re not enforced from the outside. Without that inner guidance––what humans call ethics––the Rules don’t mean anything. Worse, they can be perverted to evil ends.” Michael laughed ruefully. “And we vampires don’t need any excuses for that.”
    Michael stood up and waited for Terrill to stand as well. “You’re the only one who can stop them,” he said gravely.
    “What can I