The Trouble with Evie

Chapter 19

The printer whirred, spitting out the final piece of information that I'd managed to find. We had answers, but unfortunately, we had a lot more questions as well.

I don't know if they will ever be answered. Even if Niko were still alive, I don't know if he'd have the answers for me. I couldn't imagine sending away my partner and child. I knew that he'd done it for their safety, but I couldn't do it. I'd go with them.

Maybe Niko couldn't. Would he draw their attention no matter how far they ran? Was it better to send them off into the world while keeping the vampire's attention on him?

With a heavy sigh, I put the papers in order and stapled the documents together. This was my family in one little stack of papers. Life and death, in paper form.

In this, I saw what Drakkus had done to my family. I could have had a loving family life with my grandparents, uncle, and great-grandparents. I could have had my father in my life. But most of all, I could have had my mother.

Wiping away the tears, I wondered how much of her life was a lie. Maybe she wasn't living it on a street corner. Perhaps I was being hidden just like my great-grandmother was. There was so much that I've discovered since coming to Hades. How much more was there to find?

Collecting the papers, I stood from the desk.

My mood was on a roller coaster because of the information that I'd managed to collect. It dropped as soon as I saw the purple-eyed boy. The more I looked at him, the more I realized he did not look like a teenager. There was something about him that gave him an older appearance. His suit never changed, looking perfect. If only he stopped the whole, my race is coming to kill you thing.

"Before you say a word, I want to know things. Will you tell me if I ask you questions?"

The Nephilim was quiet for a moment, then nodded.

"Why are you here?"

"To deliver a warning. They are coming for you."

"Who are?"

"The Nephilim."

"Who specifically? You?"

"I am just a messenger. They sent me here to ensure that you knew that they were coming."

"Why? Because I'm related to a vampire?"

"Your underlying vampirism is not of their concern. They seek out the damned. They are coming for you, witch."

The boy began to fade.

"Wait!"

I stepped forward, and he stopped fading. Tilting his head, the purple eyes bored into me harshly.

"I cannot and will not bow down to the demands of the damned."