Albert Manlii listened from the stairwell. He stood a level down from the apartment that two senior members of the vampire faction’s security team had been monitoring. By “senior,” he meant older in vampire years—which didn’t correlate with apparent years for any but the most recently turned. Point being, their hearing was far more acute than that of junior vamps, let alone humans.

Not only could vampires who counted their age in millennia or multiple centuries rather than years hear noises from much farther away, but the sounds were sharper…clearer. And vamps could zero in on the particular conversations they wanted to focus on. Walls as unsubstantial as those in typical apartment buildings such as this were no deterrent.

Over the course of years, the improvement in all their senses was progressive and steady, allowing them to get used to controlling and bearing the enhancements gradually. That which would drive insane anyone who suddenly found themselves bombarded with noises and conversations from all directions, was just a Tuesday for senior vampires.

“What’s your impression, boss?” Ivan’s utterance, from two levels up, was barely breathed, but at approximately two thousand years old, Albert heard it.

Carmen, standing next to Albert, lifted a brow as she awaited his verdict.

“Have they mentioned their theory to anyone else?” Albert whispered.