Page 88 of Bite The Terror That Feeds

“We all have a past, Cobra. I’m sure you do too.”

“Not really. My feelings have never been more complicated than lust.”

“Then consider yourself lucky.” She finished the rest of her meal, wiping her plate clean.

I wanted to know more. Wanted to press until I heard her entire life story. But I knew if I pushed, she would just push back. “I would love to know more about Evanguard, anything you’re willing to share with me.”

“You’re asking as an enemy to my people—so I will share nothing.”

“The Ethereal have been an enigmatic race my entire lifetime. It would be nice to know anything about them. Knowing they’re a vegetarian race is fascinating.”

“Because we don’t kill and eat things like you do?” she asked sharply.

“I guess it helps me understand why you hate us so much.”

She grabbed the bottle sitting on the table and refilled her glass. Then she took a big sip, downing it like water rather than the expensive wine it was. “Evanguard is a place of grand beauty. Our trees are some of the tallest I’ve ever seen. A forest of tranquility. Fires are illegal in our forest, and the fireflies light our ways down the forest paths. All we crave is peace. My home is in the branches of one of our oldest trees, a tree house we’ve built from naturally fallen pine. We treasure the world we’ve been given by the gods, and even though we live forever, we treasure today like there is no tomorrow.”

I listened to every word, imagined a world so different from mine.

“We’ve been granted immortality to be protectors of this world. To make sure everything is as it should be.”

“And that’s why you despise us…because we’ve challenged your worldview.”

“No. We hate you because you’ve committed a sin against nature.”

My attraction evaporated, and now she was just my enemy. “Why are you granted immortal life, while others are not?”

“Because that’s what the gods have decided.”

“Have you met these gods?”

“No. But my—my king has.”

“And only him?” I asked.

“They only speak to the King of Evanguard.”

“That’s convenient.”

A flash of anger moved across her eyes. “Your judgment doesn’t provoke me.”

“Why do you believe in something you can’t see for yourself?”

“I’ve lived for centuries. That’s proof enough.”

I didn’t believe the fairy tale, and I was disappointed a woman so smart and fierce did believe. “We need to fuel our immortality, so I imagine you need to do the same, even if you’re unaware of it.”

“I would know if I were drinking the blood of innocents every day.”

“Perhaps it’s something else.”

She took another drink of her wine. “This conversation has concluded.”

I’d pushed this discussion as hard as I could. It was time to back off. “Down to the good stuff, then?”

“I think that’s all we should do for the remainder of this arrangement.”

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