“I’m not going to hurt a kid.”
They looked as baffled as he felt. Were they crazy?
An evil laugh rippled in the air around him. “Stand down, my children. He’s not our Malachai yet. Our embryo is stil thinking he’s human. But he’l learn. Now bring him to me.” Ian started crying.
Nick refused to go without him. “I’m not leaving him alone.
He’s scared.”
The female scowled. “What do you care?”
“I care a lot.” Nick held his hand out for Ian, who took it and held it tight.
“Let him bring the smal creature,” the blob said. “There’s no harm in it.”
“Very wel .” The woman stepped back. “If you’l fol ow me.” Nick obeyed and the blob fel in behind them as the woman led the way down a dank hal way that reminded him of an old factory. “Where are we?”
“That’s not important.” She opened a door and stood back to let him and Ian enter first. Nick hesitated. Glancing around, he made sure there was no immediate threat before he moved forward.
Inside was a large room that definitely belonged to a warehouse. The rusted green wal s had seen better years.
There was dust, cobwebs, and broken glass everywhere.
But that wasn’t what was important.
It was Madaug, his mom, Eric, Tabitha, and Stone, who were al being held in a cage.
“Mama!” Ian ran to his mother to hug her through the bars.
Nick knew better than to be so relieved, as he saw the three demons who seemed to be in charge. He recognized the woman from the al ey and the two men who had been with her.
Now in human form, they were dressed al in leather. The men in black and the woman in bright bloodred.
Her blond hair was slicked back from her face as she approached him slowly like a predator. “You are ever a surprise.”
He didn’t know what that meant, but he was pretty sure it wasn’t a good thing. “What’s going on here?” She gestured to the wal on his right, where a huge monitor was set up and a game was on pause. “Do you know the power of that game?”
“I know the power of al games. They’re mesmerizing.” His mom cal ed them time-sucks because once you started playing, human concept of time slowed down. What seemed like five minutes of play equaled an hour in real time. Even Menyara had cal ed them a tool of evil.
In this case, she might be right.
Nick saw the dazed look on Tabitha, Madaug, and Eric’s faces. “What have you done to them?”
“They’re the ones who played.” She held a control er out for him. “Don’t you want to join them in a match and beat their high score?”
The blob put his hand on Nick’s shoulder and pushed him toward the woman. Suddenly, he felt trapped. Stifled.
It was a sensation he’d always hated. And one that ignited his temper.
She took the game off pause. “Look at it, Nicholas.” Nick tried to turn away, but the blob grabbed him and forced him to face it. He slammed his eyes shut. The blob grabbed him from behind and forced his lids open until he had no choice but to watch.
His breathing ragged, Nick struggled as hard as he could, but it was futile.
Before he even realized what he was doing, he was watching the central character—a blond man dressed in a long flowing coat—executing the army of zombies in an old cemetery as the game’s mission scrol ed across the screen.
The impulse to play radiated through him until he had no choice except to obey.
In a world where ancient evil has been unleashed, there is only one hope for mankind.
You.
Your mission is to fight the zombies, humans who’ve been turned into mindless killers, through the cemetery to the ancient catacombs where an elixir was hidden long ago by a fair princess. Collect your items of protection and weapons along the way until you are virtually indestructible.
Your wits and your prowess are the only things that can’t be taken away. But be warned. Even those closest to you can be turned and they will turn against you while you fight. The only way to power up is to eat the hearts of your enemies and to lay waste to as many as you can. Your experience points will dramatically increase the power of your blows.
Good luck, warrior.
May the ancient gods be with you.
The lights of the game flashed, entrancing him. Nick struggled to stay alert to everything around him, but he couldn’t focus on anything except the main character. It was like the two of them were one. Like he was Necodemus the Necromancer fighting through the ever-growing army of zombies.
Every kil gave him a heart or weapon to col ect. Every kil brought him closer to the catacomb. …
You are ours, a voice whispered in his ear.
Nick felt himself slipping into a fog. Completely unaware of everything around him, he played the game. It was like he stood on a precipice that al owed him to see straight into infinity. Time slowed and bent, the universe whispered secrets to him.
And with every kil he felt more powerful.