Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon
To the fans who’ve been with the Dark-Hunters from the beginning—thank you for the support, the laughs, and for being so eager to read each new instal ment. For Monique, whose energy is boundless and who has done so much to bring this series, as wel as the Dark-Hunters and the manga, to life. For my friends, who keep me sane, and especial y Kim, who read every bit of it hot off the presses and ran the book through our teen cold readers to get their stamp of approval.
To my ever wonderful husband for making lots of dinners (okay, that should probably be lots of reservations LOL) while I worked diligently on this. And most of al to my sons, who inspire me every day; especial y Madaug, who helped me come up with the opening line—I am a social y awkward mandork—and who graciously al owed me to use his name as one of the characters. And to Ian, who wanted to stab a zombie with a pencil. I love al of you and am grateful every day that you’re a part of my life.
And last, but not least, Casey Woods, who won the contest to be a character in the book. We’l be seeing a lot more of you in book two :)
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
While I am and have always been a huge zombie fan, I want to acknowledge two special people whose brains I picked while writing the book.
To my zombie savant and horror movie cohort, Evyl Ed, who also agreed to play Bubba in several Bubbisodes. Thanks for the invaluable insight and keen comments.
And to my favorite exorcist, Mama Lisa, who fights the good fight every day and who understands demonology in a way few people do.
Thank you both.
PROLOGUE
Free wil .
Some have cal ed it the greatest gift bestowed on humanity.
It is our ability to control what happens to us and exactly how it happens. We are the masters of our fate and no one can foist their wil on us unless we al ow it.
Others say free wil is a crap myth. We have a preordained destiny and no matter what we do or how hard we fight it, life wil happen to us exactly as it’s meant to happen. We are only pawns to a higher power that our meager human brains can’t even begin to understand or comprehend.
My best bud, Acheron, once explained it to me like this.
Destiny is a freight train rol ing along on a set course that only the conductor knows. When we get to the railroad crossing in our car, we can choose to stop and wait for the train to pass us by, or try to pul out in front of it and beat that bad boy across.
That choice is our free wil .
If we choose to rush ahead, the car we’re in might stal on the tracks. We can then choose to try and start the car or wait for the train to plow into us. Or we can get out to run, and fight the destiny of the train slamming into us and kil ing us where we stand. If we choose to run, our foot could get caught in the tracks or we could slip and fal .
We could even say to ourselves, “there’s no way I’m dumb enough to fight the train” and hang back to safely wait. Then the next thing we know, a truck rams us from behind, throwing us straight into the train’s path.
If it is our destiny to be hit by the train, we wil be hit by the train. The only thing we can change is how the train turns us into hamburger.
I, personal y, don’t believe in this crap. I say I control my destiny and my life.
No, nothing controls me.
Ever.
I am what I have become because of the interference and secrets of one creature. Had things been done differently, my life would have been a whole other enchilada. I would not be where I am today and I would have had a life worth living instead of the nightmare my life has become.
But no, by keeping his deepest secrets, my best friend betrayed me and turned me into the darkness I have come to embrace. Our fates and destinies were mashed together by a freak event that happened when I was a kid, and I curse the day I ever cal ed Acheron Parthenopaeus my friend.
I am Nick Gautier.
And this is my life and how things should have been. …
CHAPTER 1
I am a social y awkward mandork.”
“Nicholas Ambrosius Gautier! You watch your language!” Nick sighed at his mother’s sharp tone as he stood in their tiny kitchen looking down at the bright orange Hawaiian shirt.