The Recruit

Chapter 1 Albert Manlii Plan B didn’t often come into play, and Albert Manlii loathed the necessity for it. His people were meticulous in their research, so they could rule out humans that were likely to reject their proposal. But once they’d played their hand and extended the offer, either the potential recruit accepted it, or…Plan B. It was too dangerous to let a human walk away with that kind of knowledge. Period. Just as it was impossible to know with one hundred percent certainty how a human would react to the offer, they had no assurance that the human wouldn’t talk afterward, and that those they spoke to wouldn’t think that maybe there was something to that crazy talk of vampires. “I just can’t,” the woman said a second time. The firm set of her jaw confirmed her resolution on the matter. Albert sighed and signaled with a scratch behind his left ear. “I understand. I appreciate your calm consideration, and I’m sorry you won’t be joining us.” He turned and strode away. He was a good twenty-five yards from her when the dull thud of her body hitting the floor reached him. He didn’t look back.