The Last Hunter: Collected Edition (Antarktos Saga #1-5)

“You would spare them?” I ask, not believing it for a second. “You would spare the human race?”


“The human race? No,” he says. “But what little remains of your army will be spared. Your comrades. Your friends. And I dare say—” He glances at the four women standing to my sides. “—your loved ones.”

“You’ll make them hunters?” I ask.

“Naturally.”

“And use them to hunt and kill humans around the world.”

He shrugs. “A likely scenario. But they will live until the natural end of their days.”

Given the fact that we’ve managed to save or kill the vast majority of Nephil’s hunters, I think his offer is genuine. Until the global human genocide is complete, the Nephilim will need hunters to go where they can’t.

I look to Kainda and Em, finding uncompromising glares. I find the same from Kat and Mira.

The choice is obvious, but not.

You must trust me, I think to them all.

I see Kainda glance toward me, fighting not to show a reaction. But Nephil notices her.

“Ahh, dear daughter,” Nephil says.

“I am not your daughter.” Kainda’s voice is actually more intimidating than Nephil’s.

“He loved you, you know,” Nephil says. “Your father.”

Kainda tenses.

“He hid it well. From everyone. Even you. Sometimes himself.” Nephil lowers himself closer to the ground, making himself an easy target. “Have you ever wondered what your life—”

“Enough!” I say. He knows that eventually, Kainda will attack, and if she does, I will be drawn in with her. But it’s not necessary. I’m going to go willingly.

I step forward. When Kainda walks with me, I turn to her and say, “You must stay. Let me do this.”

“Solomon,” she says, her voice uncommonly fearful. Her fear is understandable. Not only am I her husband, she is also keenly aware of what my sacrifice means. She will live, but as a hunter, broken again in servitude to the Nephilim. She would rather die.

“Trust me,” I say, and then, “I love you.”

“Forever,” she says.

“Forever.” She lets go of my hand and I walk five paces closer to Nephil. “Let them live and you can take me.”

He stares at me, no doubt believing I would fight to the last man.

“You would sacrifice yourself for this lot?” Nephil says, sounding doubtful.

“Are you trying to change my mind?” I ask, “because I could be on the other side of the continent in less than an hour and we can do this all over again in a few months.”

He slides closer to me, within striking distance for sure. He stares into my eyes for a moment, perhaps looking for betrayal. Instead, he finds something unexpected.

Mercy. Forgiveness. Love.

He settles to the ground and the darkness coils inside his body. We’re just two men now, standing face-to-face. He speaks quietly so that only I can hear him. “There was a time when I respected your kind. You’re capable of things my brethren will never understand. And you, Ull, are the best of them. You remind me of a man, Ziusudra. He led a human tribe, like yours, the last of his kind. The world was nearly ours. The human race was no longer human. And then, a flood. Ziusudra’s tribe survived. Your kind was spared.”

Nephil turns his head toward the sky. “But the skies are clear and not even your power is enough to drown us all.”

“But together,” I say.

Nephil smiles, revealing Ninnis’s remaining rotted teeth. “Together, we will remake the world.”

I sigh and say, “Just get it over wi—”

The blackness explodes from Ninnis’s body and pierces mine like a thousand bee stings. My body arches back and is lifted off the ground.

“The body!” Nephil shouts. “Bring it to me.”

My mind reels. My consciousness twists through my brain, experiencing one sense and then another. For a moment, I can hear, but not see. Then I can smell, but not feel. I am losing my body.

I feel something in my mouth, soft and squishy, like old pudding. Then I suddenly taste it and know exactly what it is. Nephil’s body. After consuming this small remnant of Nephil’s physical being, he will be able to bond with me permanently. I thought the body would be lost after I vomited it up the first time, but they have managed to save it all this time.

When both my sense of taste and touch fade, it’s a mercy, but when a surge of energy thunders through my body, I know that I’ve swallowed the flesh of Nephil once more.

Wait, I think to Luca, desperately hoping the message will be received and sent to everyone else.

The darkness snakes through me, filling my body with waves of nausea. My mind is assaulted as Nephil’s consciousness spreads into the deepest recesses of my mind. It’s time, I think. He’s gone far enough. Now! I shout out with my mind, but the thought echoes back. Darkness surrounds me.

I waited too long. Nephil has taken my body!





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