“Human.”
“Necromancer,” Khent added. “Mine. Back off, Onvyr.”
Onvyr, an obvious dark elf, grinned. His lavender eyes were pretty, his entire face handsome, his body strong. This was no mage but a warrior fae. He should have been carrying a bow or sword. Perhaps a staff.
Before Grizz had whisked her away from the bazaar yesterday, she’d seen dark elves with the hell-threader. They had looked much like this guy.
“Hi, human necromancer. I’m Onvyr.” He held out a hand, ignoring Khent.
“I’m Valentine Darkmore.” Val finally pulled free from Khent, but only because he let her. She glared at him over her shoulder before taking Onvyr’s hand. “Hi.”
The large fae smiled, and she caught sight of small fangs. She’d seen a lot of creatures at the bazaar and through her travels. The fae typically kept to themselves. This one looked so far from human, he fascinated her.
She’d never piloted a dead dark elf before. To her shock, a burst of power shot from her hand and caressed his energy.
He froze for a moment.
Val yanked her hand away, buzzing with a foreign vigor she knew to be Onvyr’s life essence. She’d never pulled like that. Sure, she tasted life essence, but only when she meantto takethe life of someone. Like she had with Aisha a few days ago.
“I’m so sorry.” Val didn’t know what had come over her. She prized control, having lived with it her entire life. To lose it now, and in front of Khent, was beyond embarrassing.
Onvyr smiled. “No problem. It was just a little tingly.” He looked her up and down and nodded. “Frey-Frey told me to watch out for you.”
“What?”
Khent frowned. “Who?”
“One of my friends.” Onvyr turned. “Nice meeting you, Valentine Darkmore. I have to go kill something.”
“Wait. What?” Khent started to follow him then stopped, turned around, and ushered Val into a large room filled with exam tables and shelves along the walls filled with all kinds of materials.
But it was the bodies of a few vampires on the tables near her that felt like home.
“Oh. These are fresh.”
He watched her approach, his eyes narrowed. “You still sense them?”
“Yes. You don’t?”
He shook his head. “Vampires don’t have souls.”
She scoffed. “Yes, they do.” She looked at him. “You do.”
“You can feel that?” Khent looked intrigued.
“Not exactly. I just meant it’s common knowledge that everything alive has a soul.”
“Ah, but my kind are not alive. Not in the traditional sense.”
“That’s incorrect. You’re alive. You just function differently.”
“Oh?” Khent crossed his arms over his chest and studied her.
She felt like a student having to prove her thesis to her professor. Despite knowing Khent might be much older than her, Val knew more about death than anyone she’d ever met…with the exception of Vladimir. And she’d only met him that one time, back when he’d tried to kill her family. So technically, not a real meeting.
“I know what death is. I can’t reach everything I encounter, simply because some things aren’t alive. Zombies, mummies, wendigos, the odd ghoul.”
“Yes, yes. I know all that. Vampires don’t fall into those categories, yet they aren’t able to be resurrected.” He frowned. “Not usually.”
