Page 52 of Cosmic Power

Void backed up. “Cut it out. This isn’t funny.”

A hungry growl slipped from Zvetari’s lips and Luther chuckled evilly. They were playing with him, toying with him, trying to freak him out. This was a game they had played for many years against an array of different people. Especially new members of Zvetari’s House.

When they got to the kitchen island Void was standing behind, Zvetari went left and Luther went right, boxing him in and making it impossible for him to go anywhere.

“Seriously. Cut it out,” Void demanded, eyes flicking between the two ancient vampires.

“Come on, Void. Just a little taste. I’ll even make it good for you. No pain, unless that’s what you’re into,” Luther said, gaining the shifter’s full attention as a look of horror flashed across his face.

Luther made sure Void kept his eyes on him while Zvetari crept up from behind, walking without making a single sound, light as a feather on his feet. It was almost as if he glided across the floor.

Zvetari leaned in, stopping an inch away from Void’s ear. “Boo.”

The shifter screeched and jumped in fright, a hand flying to his chest. Zvetari laughed outright, his body shaking as he walked casually back to the drink cart and picked up his glass of whiskey.

At Luther’s throaty chuckle, Void narrowed his eyes, realising he had been played. “Oh, you guys are assholes,” he breathed, relief in his voice.

Luther flicked his head to the side. “Unless you really do want to be dinner, get out of here. We’ve got private things to talk about.”

“You don’t gotta tell me twice. I’m gone. But first—” he opened the fridge and filled his hands with a bunch of food. Turning back around, he looked at the vampires in the room, a chicken drumstick clutched between his teeth. “Ash yew ere,” he mumbled, walking out.

“He’s a character,” Zvetari said, taking a sip of his drink.

Luther grunted and crossed his arms over his chest. “Alright, enough stalling. Tell me what I want to know.”

Zvetari placed his glass down with a clink. “Reading the minds of others is a taxing process, not only because of the amount of strength and power it requires, but also because I can’t pick and choose the information I want. If I delve into their mind, I get it all. Every single thing. All their memories from the moment they were first born, their thoughts, feelings and emotions…everything. It’s like a massive sensory overload for the brain. It’s painful. Jarring. Shocking. Especially if they’ve lived for hundreds of years. That’s a lot of information to take in. It’s the main reason why I’ve never read your mind, or Leilani’s. You’ve both lived for thousands of years. That much information would put me in a coma until I could process it all. Being in such a vulnerable position…one that would risk my life…” he shook his head. “It was out of the question.”

Studying his maker intently, Luther replied, “This ability, how is it you’re the only one to possess it? I’ve never heard of any other vampires who can read the minds of others.”

Zvetari sighed, taking another sip of his drink. “I’m different from you, Luther. To all vampires out there.”

“I figured that. My question is how? How is it that you’re different?”

A haunted look crossed Zvetari’s face as he stared off into space, his eyes filled with some dark-seeded emotion Luther couldn’t quite place. “I never wanted to tell you this. In fact, if it were up to me I wouldn’t. But with the Garnet Ring in the hands of that Alpha shifter, the circumstances have changed. You’re already hunting him. He took your Servant and you can deny it all you want, but I know she means a great deal to you. You’re one of the best trackers in the world. You have a single-minded focus that others would kill for. And I know you’ll use that to find your Servant while at the same time finding the Garnet Ring.”

Luther frowned. “What does the Garnet Ring have to do with this?”

A tense silence reigned over the room and Zvetari’s eyes burned crimson. “Everything, Luther. It has everything to do with it.”

That was vaguely ominous,Luther thought.

“Care to elaborate?”

Zvetari chugged the rest of his drink and then poured himself another, drinking that one just as fast. He did it twice more before finally slamming his glass down, his body riddled with tension.

“Many, many years ago—almost too many to count now—myself and four other supernatural beings came here by a Galactic Portal.”

Luther blinked. “A what?”

“You’ve seen a Transportation Portal. It’s like that, but instead of it transporting you from one place to another, this one transports you from one galaxy to another.”

Staring in bewilderment, Luther processed his words. “You’re trying to tell me you’re from another world? Another galaxy?”

“Yes.”

In all the time Luther had known Zvetari, he’d never lied. Sure, he omitted certain details, kept things to himself, had his own secrets. But when he decided to answer a question, he did it honestly. Which meant he had to be telling the truth.

Luther’s brows snapped down. “Are you—” he shook his head. “No. No, you can’t be.” And yet, as Luther stared at his maker, studying all the subtle differences he had compared to other vampires, Luther knew it had to be true. “You’re the Ancestral Vampire.”

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