The Council — Jennifer Hulshof-Boone

Ashton Gament was born into slavery but those bonds were broken the night her sire made her into a vampire. But even vampires have laws to follow and she along with all vampires are ruled by a secretive group known as the Council. They are never allowed to reveal what they are to humans. They are not allowed to turn a human into a vampire unless the Council grants permission first, even as a mate. They are not allowed to kill humans unless absolutely necessary, even if feeding so as not to diminish the food supply. And finally, the most sacred law, and one that is never ever subject to vote otherwise, they are not allowed to turn a human under the age of nineteen into a vampire so they can fully physically develop as a human first. Any of these laws are broken and the offender is hunted down and eliminated. Ashton is approached by the Red Cloaks, a secretive pack of werewolves working on behalf of the Coven, a powerful band of witches. The Coven have discovered a powerful Seer in the form of a young teenage girl and they need Ashton to rescue her from a common enemy. In order to interfere in these human affairs, Ashton must first approach the Council for permission. They surprisingly grant it but she soon discovers they have hidden agendas of their own, and not everything about the almighty Council is as it seems . . .