Anew

66

The next morning Tristan and Gabriel led Nate to the area where the intruder had died. Tristan carried a long dagger—just in case.

He wasn’t about to get all slashed up again because some crumbling creature was handy with a butcher knife.

The forest was desolate and void of any real information, aside from the scraps of clothing left in a heap on the ground.

“What do you think he was?” Gabriel asked Nate.

“I’m not sure.” Nate squatted to examine the few remaining ashes, carefully collecting a small sample. He looked up at Tristan. “Did you check for fangs?”

Tristan blinked. “Check for fangs? No. I didn’t roll him over and stick my fingers in his mouth. He wasn’t a vampire, Nate.”

“Well, you never know.”

“Vampires don’t exist.”

“Neither do immortal beings.” Nate smiled.

Tristan rolled his eyes.

“So, he just…evaporated?”

“No, he disintegrated. Like he was made of ash.” Gabriel said.

Tristan shook his head. “That guy was not made of ash. I grappled with him the other night and he had no problem punching me and slicing me open. Definitely not made of ash.”

Nate thought for a moment. “Well, I guess he could have been like us…but more vulnerable. Maybe that’s what happens when an immortal person dies. Maybe we turn to ash. And maybe he was looking for others like him. It would certainly explain why he’d gone after Scarlet.”

“He wasn’t immortal,” Tristan said. “My arrow wouldn’t have been able to kill him—even if he was a weaker version of us. Trust me.”

Nate gave Tristan a sour look.

“Where do you think he got the Head Ghosts?” Gabriel asked.

Nate stood back up. “I have no idea, but it’s weird that he had more than one. Did you see anyone else with him last night? Any other…strangers?”

Both brothers shook their heads.

Gabriel exhaled. “Do you think there’s more than just one guy after Scarlet? Do you think she’s still in danger?”

Nate twitched his lips. “I don’t know. I’d like to think this was an isolated incident…but I don’t know. Maybe he met Scarlet in her last life and knew all about her. Maybe she told him.”

“She wouldn’t do that.”

Nate shrugged. “You never know. Scarlet has secrets, just like any of us.”

No one said anything for a moment.

“For now,” Nate said, “let’s just keep a close eye on her and watch for any other…ash people.”

Ash people?

Fantastic.