“Trust me, Nick.”
Nick did as he said and the moment he had the image in his mind, the dagger shrank. Gasping, he opened his eyes to see it no longer than his index finger.
Ambrose handed him the sheath for it, which was a matching size. “You can carry it with you anywhere you go. To make it bigger, just imagine the size you want it. It can be a sword, a dagger, or a knife.”
Are you serious?
He nodded. “It’l even go through airport security. No creature or machine wil ever detect it.” How is that possible?
That familiar sadness returned to Ambrose’s face. “I’m going to show you things you never thought possible. Show you a world you never dreamed existed. And for that I’m sorry.
But it has to be done and better I show it to you than you learn it the way I had to.”
It was obvious from his words and demeanor that he was a summa cum laude graduate from the school of massive groin kicks. And as Nick watched him stare at his dozing mother, he couldn’t help wondering one thing.
How old are you?
Ambrose sighed before he answered. “I’ve lived hundreds of years.”
Nick gaped in awe. Ambrose didn’t look a day over twenty-four. Was it real y possible to live that long?
Then again, Ash had. And with that thought came another one that he was dying to know, even though in his gut he already had a good idea of what the answer was.
What about my dad? How old is he? ’Cause right now, Nick was going to bet he wasn’t the midthirties he appeared to be, either.
Ambrose took his mother’s hand into his and held it to his heart. “Much, much older than I am.”
He’d suspected it, but the truth hit him like a cheap gut shot.
He tried to imagine what it would be like to live through centuries. It had to be a lot of fun.
And extremely lonely.
Will I live that long?
“With luck, and I hope you live those years much happier than I have.”
Meaning?
“Meaning, I need you to focus. If you want to save Madaug, you need to listen to me or the mortents wil eat both of you Pop-Tarts for breakfast.”
I’m listening.
Ambrose cursed as the car slowed down. “We’re at Kyrian’s house. This’l have to wait.”
Nick started to ask what he meant, but the moment he looked out the window, he understood. There was a smal crowd of people gathered in front of the house. Male and female, half of them carried basebal bats and staves.
Interesting weapons that made him wonder what they carried that he couldn’t see.
Nick looked at Caleb. “Uh, is it just me or is that half our class?”
“Yeah, I’m thinking it’s a reunion or, since it is our classmates, a col ection of idiots. Let’s cal it a meese. Like geese, only with morons.”
Bubba pul ed into the driveway, where Tad was issuing orders to the others.
Nick got out first while Ambrose materialized beside him.
Tad had his back to them while he spoke to a group that included Kyle and Alex Peltier, Stone, Casey, but oddly enough no Brynna. “Since there are only four Dark-Hunters in the city tonight, they’re doing everything they can to combat the Daimons, who are taking advantage of the zombie situation to come out in force and feed and blame the deaths on them.”
Nick frowned at Caleb while Bubba went to the back to get his mom.
“What’s a Daimon?” Nick asked Ambrose.
“You real y want to know?”
“Enlighten me.”
A strange light flickered in Ambrose’s eyes. “Soulsucking vampires. While they drain humans of blood, they don’t feed on that. They only drink the blood to kil you and then once you’re dead and your soul leaves your body, they suck it into their bodies and live on its essence.”
Nick took a step back in disbelief. “You’re screwing with me.”
Ambrose shook his head. “No I’m not, and you wil one day be very intimate with several of them.”
“I don’t like your tone, Ambrose.” Most of al , he didn’t like what Ambrose was implying.
“You’l like it even less on the day you meet a Daimon named Stryker. But that’s another story. … ” Ambrose indicated Tad with a jerk of his chin. “He, on the other hand, is a good friend to have. Entertaining as al get out.” Nick scowled as he listened to Tad’s speech while Bubba carried his mom into the house.
“Since the Dark-Hunters are busy, Eric needs us. For those who haven’t heard, who are wondering why you were cal ed, his mother and brothers are missing. Taken, we think, by the bokor. Eric doesn’t know where they are.” His gaze went to Stone and the Peltiers. “We need you guys to help us track them and find them.”
Stone sneered at the Peltiers. “They can’t track for crap.” Alex started for him, but Kyle caught him and held him back.
“You don’t want to kil the wolf, A. They taste like dry chicken.” Stone stiffened in outrage. “Who you cal ing a chicken?”