“Maybe. But this felt different from an alien chaos.” He frowned in thought. “The need he seeks to fulfill is connected to that. And whatever that is knows nothing of love. That I could tell.”
“Did you touch it?” Val leaned forward, studying him. “Maybe that’s the black stuff that lingered on you and Rolf when you got back.”
“Black stuff?” Why did no one tell Hecate anything important? Why must she always have to drag it out of them?
Val nodded. “Mormo saw it. It was an almost invisible film, but it had a black overlay. An oppressive energy that clung to them both. Mormo got rid of it with magic. I think if he hadn’t, Khent and Rolf would be very sick right now.”
“Vampires don’t catch diseases.” Khent considered Val. “You know this.”
“This wasn’t an ordinary disease. I’m sorry. I can’t explain it, but I’m not wrong. That stuff would have killed you. Or at least, killed the Khent we all know.”
“Like a gradual possession, perhaps?”
“That feels right.”
“Then we’re talking about demons. Something from the Hell realm.” Khent glanced at Hecate. “Can you see what the chatter is there?”
“I’ll talk to some people.” Hecate’s mind whirred. A crisis occurred every few minutes around here, witches and ghosts getting up to trouble, worlds colliding, too many beings rejecting death in favor of a life they’d lost and wanted back.
As much as she loved her space, where worlds came together, the separation of the realms mattered. Letting Hell into the Mundane world would wipe out humanity. The Fae and Celestial planes would fight for dominance neither would truly win. A battle of arrogance at its finest.
Morpheus chimed in. “You know who might be able to get you answers? How about your Bloode Witch’s friend, the half-demon?”
Khent nodded. “Cho. His father, Anton, a full demon, is a big player at MEC. He works with Macy’s father. Hecate, order her to comply.”
She huffed. “I’llaskher, Khent. I don’t order members of the Night Bloode around.”
He shook his head. “And that’s just one of your many problems.”
“Khent.” Val looked scandalized. To Hecate, she said, “He knows you’re his boss. He just doesn’t want to admit it.”
“Boss?” Khent scoffed. “My patriarch is Varu. And I don’t listen to him all that much either.”
Val tugged tried to tug her hand away from his, but Khent wouldn’t release her.
Morpheus noticed and met Hecate’s amused gaze. “Well, I need to get back,” he said. “Oh, and before I forget, Nergal doesn’t just want to enter the human realm; he wants to rule it.”
“Thisinformation you were holding back?” Hecate snapped.
He ignored her, adding, “He’s also planning to take Val as his pet. He had intended to take over Vladimir’s body once the necromancer got Nergal firmly planted in the Mundane world. But now that he’s seen you, Khent, he’s planning to kill you and ride your body for eternity. Ah, yeah. That’s all of it.”
Morpheus stood, drained the rest of his glass, then nodded. “Cheerio. And please let everyone know I’mnota traitor. Rolf has already tried to kill me twice since I’ve been back. I really don’t have time to dodge the rest of the Night Bloode as well.” He looked down his nose at Khent and grinned. “Kinky reaper, hanging out inside a necromancer.”
Hecate wasn’t sure if Morpheus referred to Vladimir or Val, since everyone knew he’d shared intimacies with Valentine.Hell, it was all the others could talk about. The least likely of them all had found a mate ina human.
Smartly, Morpheus vanished before Khent could tear his head off.
“Khent, relax. Honestly.” Val sighed.
Hecate had a million things to do. “I have some plans to make. I need you two to stay here for a bit, where Nergal and Vladimir can’t touch you. Khent, though you don’t follow my orders unless you feel like it, I’d advise you tofeel likeprotecting Valentine. She can’t meet Vladimir yet. She’s not ready.”
He nodded. “In this, you’re correct. But I had already decided to protect her.”
“What?” Val blinked. “Why?”
Khent studied her.
Hecate, not in too much of a rush to miss this bombshell, prodded him. “Because…?”
