In which Emily hears how vampires have been taking chief executive positions at most large corporations, making it impossible for humans to compete fairly for corporate leadership roles.

In which Emily learns about how vampires have secretly been manipulating human society for centuries, and how even moderately old vampires have been disenfranchised by the open alliance of vampires and humans.

In which Emily gets to know a real vampire, Justin, for the first time, learning what life is like for the new generation of young vampires, turned after vampire and human cultures had been integrated.

In which Emily attends Nicholas' meeting, hoping to spend more time with him, and ends up meeting Terrence, someone whose life has been ravaged by his addiction to vampire blood, and she learns the dangers of using vampire blood as a quick-fix for every human injury.

In which Emily, Nicholas, and Ken are brutally attacked by a vampire.

In which Emily's day of casual shopping is interrupted by her first glimpse of Nicholas, and her eyes are opened to the invisible layers of oppression and slavery built up around her, while her heart is opened wide, to let Nicholas in.