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"Fantastic When the shoes coot it" Nick paused to watch as Kyrian pulled the curtain back to look outside at the dark yard--sohly unusual for him Not to mention, he was surrounded by an air of , boss?"

Kyrian hesitated before he answered "Not sure I have a … I don’t know Bad feeling, I guess"

His words caused Nick to have one, too "About , there’s a badthat should be left alone" He ht?"

Yeah okay, Kyrian’s strange behavior was starting to freak hih him "Did they find another kidsure you and your mom are safe Get your stuff, and I’ll take you now"

He wouldn’t argue that Nothing better than heading ho it over his shoulder "Did Rosa leave already?"

"About an hour ago Did you get dinner?"

"Oh yeah Never had turkey tetrazzini before It was really good"

"You want to take soenerosity never failed to surprise hi I didn’t stake his "Can I?"

"Absolutely"

Nick headed to the kitchen with Kyrian right behind hi his eht struck hie? Don’t people get suspicious over the fact that you don’t age?"

"Ironically, it’s easier now than in the past People today don’t want to believe in the paranormal Back when, you had a serious problehed "I know you don’t hly entertaining"

Kyrian smiled before he continued his explanation "That’s why Dark-Hunters have human Squires" Which hat Nick would becoh to be sworn into the council They were humans who made it their life’s task to protect their immortal bosses and the world that uys coht hours, it cuts down on people being curious Our property is also listed under the Squire’s naet it So no one knows you exist"

"Exactly Rule number one Be a part of the world, but not in it"

Nick frowned "Rule number one?"

"When we’re created and Acheron coiven a Dark-Hunter handbook It has a list of rules we have to abide by, and that’s the first one Acheron teaches us"

Dark-Hunters with a handbook Who knew? But then it made sense that they’d have a code of conduct to abide by

Which made Nick wonder about Kyrian’s past and his experiences "Has the world changed all that ed "The toys are infinitely better But people haven’t changed at all Sa-ups Different clothes Different century"

Heit was anything but There was no telling all the changes and h The discovery of electricity, flying, television … toilet paper

"It "

"Soe while Nick fastened the lid on his mom’s dish

"Did you ever have a wife and kids?" Nick asked

Kyrian hesitated as if the question bothered him "Had the wife Wanted the kids"

Part of Nick told hie reaction "You rily "No offense, I don’t want to talk about her"

That told Nick much about Kyrian and his relationship with his wife It made him wonder if she was the one who’d betrayed him and made him become a Dark-Hunter Man, that had to suck to have your wife betray you, bad enough you’d trade your own soul for vengeance "Sorry I won’t ain"

Kyrian’s features softened "Be careful whoive your heart to, Nick Make sure when you hand yours off, you get hers in return"

"Yeah, but how do you know?" Obviously Kyrian had been tricked How could Nick avoid it when someone as shed "That’s the trick People deceive and they lie The more you have, the more they schely place, and apparently many people think it’s easier and better to take from others than it is to earn it themselves"

Nick frowned at the bitterness in Kyrian’s voice "Then why do you fight to protect us?"

Kyrian gave an odd half smile "Because every time I think that it’s not worth it--that the people in it deserve the misery of their lives--I come across someone who makes me rethink that"

"Like who?"

He ruffled Nick’s hair as they left the kitchen and went to Kyrian’s Laround histo lay down his life to protect two strangers froh he needed theto debase herself to feed her son Another who faced down a drug cartel in order to protect her family and her small town That kind of love reminds me of the human I once was People like you, your moht about that as a war kinder to him, especially not someone so respectable and decent Kyrian was the type of man he wanted to be

"What were you when you were hueneral"

"Really?" For some reason, that surprised him

Kyrian inclined his head as he pulled out of the driveway and headed toward Nick’s condo

"Did you win any big battles?"

"Oh yeah I was the scourge of Roustus held the our hualed as Greek heroes, and our stories were told for centuries after we’d died"

That was truly impressive "Did you die in battle?"