Page 87 of Alaska Lights

“I get that more than you think. Hi, I’m Lorcan. I’m a Void and work for Death. Think of him as the Grim Reaper, and Voids are his little reapers, helping him reap souls from across all universes.”

“Riiight,” I say in disbelief. “I’m going to sit down.”

“Watch how you look at my mate, Lorcan. I’ll pluck every bone from your body and feed them to the pigs.”

“Here I am, out of the kindness of my own heart, and that’s how you’d repay me?” He peers down at my sandwich. “Are you going to eat that?”

I push the plate to him. “Go for it.” What an odd guy. “I’m Helios.”

“I know who you are.” He stuffs the rest of the sandwich into his mouth, and I unfortunately see the food particles moving through his body, only to wind up on the ground. “Congratulations, by the way. So glad you guys accepted each other. Although, by the smell of it, you aren’t mated yet.”

“That’s not your business,” Alaska growls.

“It’s not, but I’m nosy.” He licks his boney fingers. “That was delicious. Anyway, I heard you say Ceroes changed you?”

“What of it?” Alaska’s grumpy nature is back. “And why are you here?”

“It makes sense. I can smell him in your blood now that I’m paying attention. You really don’t know who he is and why you have a hunting problem?”

“If I knew, would I be talking to you?”

“Alaska,” I scold him.

“It’s true.”

“Ceroes is one of the original vampires born. He isn’t just a born vampire. He is The Vampire. Originals can’t die. They can go into a forced sleep if they want and wait to return when they want. His blood changed you, but his blood also creates vampire hunters. Boom.” Lorcan’s hands curl against his head and fan out to create an explosion.

“He creates you, but in return, you need a natural predator. Vampire hunters have the smallest amount of vampire blood inside them, paired with dark magic that Ceroes has a never-ending supply of, so hunters have almost the same abilities as a vampire. The only difference is that they don’t drink blood. They crave spilling it. With every kill, they become stronger. Super speed, super strength, natural-born hunting skills.”

“Why are they coming after me? I haven’t bothered anyone or done anything.”

“Maybe Ceroes is targeting his descendants? After all, they do take orders from him.”

I stop Lorcan by holding my hand up. “Vampire hunters taking orders from a vampire? Seems like an oxymoron.”

“A vampire who can’t die.”

“That doesn’t make sense. He was the one who told me about the timeline of a vampire’s life.”

“Who do you think created that construct? Do you think vampires just existed? Everyone comes from somewhere. Hell, I used to be human, and you wouldn’t believe that.”

He’s right. I wouldn’t.

“If hunters are back, it means Ceroes has awakened from his self-induced sleep. Or another original is alive and well that I don’t know about. I can talk to my boss. The Four Horsemen might know because this could be under their jurisdiction.”

Information overload. I have to be in an alternate reality. None of this can be real.

“Watch your backs. I’ll talk to Death and get back to you if I find out anything new. I’d hurry up and complete the bond, if I were you. You’re stronger when the bond is complete. The stronger you are, there is a better chance you’ll win against a hunter.”

“It makes sense,” I mutter, remembering Alaska on that damn kitchen island with an arrow in his chest. “That arrow could have hit Glenn or Soren or even me, but it didn’t, Alaska. It hit you.”

“You were hit?” Lorcan invades Alaska’s personal space. “Was the arrow filled with silver?”

“Yes,” Alaska says slowly, confused at how Lorcan would know.

“You’re dealing with a traditionalist hunter, then. Someone who has been around for a while.”

“Yay me.” Alaska hangs his head.