Despite what he’d told Rolf, Khentcouldcontrol his fellow vampires, something normal reapers couldn’t do. A secret he’d have to take to his grave, because if the others found out, they’d likely put him there.
“Oh good, you’re here.” Mormo, Hecate’s assistant, appeared out of nowhere, as he typically did.
Though everyone continued to speculate, no one could tell exactly what he was. Depending on the day, Mormo’s ears could appear either rounded or pointed. A powerful creature neither young nor old, his red eyes saw what others couldn’t. Vain enough to keep his long, white hair soft and shiny, Mormo always put Khent in mind of a grand wizard or sorcerer. It didn’thelp that he’d gone through aLord of the Ringsperiod where he insisted everyone call him “Mormo the White.” Fortunately, he’d dropped that.
“Of course we’re here. Where else would we be?” Rolf asked him.
Mormo looked at Khent. “What did you find?”
Rolf hopped his butt up on the island and swung his legs while he sipped from the goblet. “I’d say a good time, but I have the feeling that’s not the answer you’re looking for.”
Khent answered, “We took out the six rogue upir. They weren’t from the Seattle Bloode clan either. But?—”
“Oh, tell him the good part.”
“I was about to.”
Rolf said excitedly, “They were dead, Mormo.”
“Dead?” Mormo frowned. “You didn’t leave any alive? We wanted to question them.”
“No. Dead-dead.”
“What?”
Khent scowled. “Would you shut up, Rolf?”
Rolf mimed zipping his lips.
Khent explained, “The upir we fought were already dead. Not zombies, exactly. But fully functioning vampires who looked and acted alive. We’re dealing with a very talented necromancer.”
“Not this again.” Mormo sighed. “I realize you want to hunt down the female that bested you in your last meeting.”
“She didn’t best me,” Khent snapped.
“Well, the one that got away, then.”
“This isn’t about her. The death magic on the upir shouldn’t have been there. Magician, youknowvampires cannot be raised from the dead.”
“Not without a fuck-ton of magic,” Rolf helpfully added. “So if Khent’s girlfriend is zapping our kind, we need to find her.”
“Not. My. Girlfriend,” Khent enunciated, annoyed with everyone lately. “You’re missing the point, Mormo. The upir did not stink of death. This is beyond a necromancer. This is dark magic. Demon magic.” As soon as he said it, he realized the truth.Yes, that’s what I tasted.“And the last person to use that magic worked with the necromancer. That’s why we need to find her.”
Khent turned to see Rolf giving him a thumbs up. Great, support from the goofy gallery.
“He’s not wrong.” Rolf finished his blood and tossed the goblet into the sink. Fortunately, it didn’t break. Then he did a handstand on the island, which couldn’t be good for his digestion. “We should gather to figure out this inexplicable mystery.”
Overstated, but that was Rolf. “I concur.” Khent tossed his frozen treat on the counter, no longer hungry. “I know you think I’m fixated on the necromancer. To a degree, I am. The human had the gall to engage in a fight with her betters.”
“He means us fangers,” Rolf explained to Mormo, who didn’t need the explanation. They’d been reminding the magician since they’d met him that though powerful, he was still considered a lesser being by those Of the Bloode—vampires, the greatest species on the planet.
Mormo pinched the bridge of his nose. “I know what he means, Rolf. I agree that someone controlling vampires is not what we need now. Not when we’re so close to finding the rest of the Bloode Stones. Only with them can we join all the vampires under Hecate’s rule and fight the Darkness That comes.”
Rolf groaned. “I don’t know if you realize this, Mormo. But you and Hecate mention this supposed Darkness daily. Like, we know you brought us together to fight this evil that’s planning to annihilate the world. But is destroying the world really the worstidea ever? Maybe not. Think about it. People aresoannoying. Would thinning them out be such a bad thing?”
Khent nodded. “He’s got a point.” Seeing Mormo’s alarm boosted his mood, so Khent picked up the blood pop and continued eating.
“Don’t you start,” Mormo growled. “It’s bad enough the rest of the clan is moon-eyed over new mates. We have small wars breaking out among magir all over the place. Hecate’s busy crossing from realm to realm putting out literal demon fires. The other gods are being lazy about it all and placing bets on when humanity will end. And never mind that if this realm goes down,allthe worlds will cease to be,” he emphasized. “I know your kind thrives on chaos, but keep it in your pants while we hunt down that last fucking stone.”
