Definitely not. Not that Acheron is not an attractive man, not that I've ever real y noticed whether or not he's attractive, but male is not my type."

Nick looked back and forth between them. On the surface, the two of them had nothing in common other than they were both bada.s.ses. "Then how do you two know each other?

'Cause aside from the money thing you seem real y normal and Ash ... real y not."

Acheron c.o.c.ked a brow. "Are you tel ing me that you have no oddbal friends?"

"Uh, not like you. Mine just do weird things like eat Jel -O through straws and get thrown out of Kroger for eating samples. They're nowhere near as weird as you." Acheron tsked. "I would disagree. I don't drown myself in Eau de Duck Urine or look for werewolves in the swamp, unlike some people you know."

"Yeah, okay, so Bubba and Mark walk off the beaten path into Planet I Don't Know. But they don't do that creepy mind wipe stuff or slam doors without touching them."

"How do you know the wind didn't catch it?" Acheron asked.

"Would that be the same wind that somehow blew you through the house to land in front of me?"

"Could be. Hurricane force. It is New Orleans, after al . It happens."

Nick gave Acheron a drol stare. "No offense, I ain't Dorothy and I didn't see no house land on a woman in striped socks.

But if you believe al that, I have a house on a hil in the bayou to sel you. By the way, how do you know about Bubba and Mark?"

Ash got real y quiet.

Kyrian's face was completely stoic.

"What?" Nick prompted.

Ash cleared his throat before he answered. "I get bored sometimes. Infinite power ... local lunatics. There's just times when you real y need to screw with someone's head and Mark is such an easy target. He wants to see, and a few wel -placed shadows go such a long way in making him happy, and me entertained."

"Dude, you're so wrong." But Nick could almost understand that. "And the zombies? You plant them too?"

"No. I'm as clueless about them as you are. In fact, I came over here to warn you"-he turned to Kyrian-"about them.

Believe it or not, I don't know how many are infected. But it seems to be mostly teenagers, and Nick's school's the nucleus for it. Ground zero as it were." Kyrian looked as confused as Nick felt. "How can you not know, with your powers?"

"As hard as it is to believe, even for me, there are things I can't decipher. This would be one of them. Someone else is shielding them-probably whatever ent.i.ty created them. And I don't know who that is, but the bokor seems to be targeting school officials and nerdy students."

Nick stiffened. "Why you look at me when you say the word 'nerdy'?"

Ash flipped up the tail of Nick's hideous blue Hawaiian shirt.

"Normal people don't dress like that."

Nick brushed his hand down the front of his shirt and gave a confident tilt of his head. "Hey now, I make this look good. And you're a fine one to talk. Why you wearing those sungla.s.ses inside when it's dark, Geek boy?"

Ash let fly a c.o.c.ky grin. " 'Cause no matter where I go, the sun is always shining on me."

Nick was completely unamused.

"Nick?"

He turned at Rosa's cal . "Yes, ma'am?"

"Didn't you tel me you hadn't eaten?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Then you come in here and have something before you waste away." She paused as she entered the doorway of the kitchen and saw Ash. "Acheron? When did you get here?" Ash indicated the door over his shoulder with his thumb. "I came in the front door a few minutes ago." Rosa's brow was creased with a stern frown. "Strange. I didn't hear the bel ."

Ash smiled. "You know me, Rosa. Silent like a ghost." A chil went down Nick's spine at what Rosa was saying and about her lack of memory where Ash was concerned. He should probably be running for the door, but there was something about Acheron he actual y liked. And while the guy looked like he could sweep the floor with Rambo, Nick sensed a kinship with him. Almost like they were long-lost brothers. It was so strange and yet ...

Stay away from him. Ash is evil to the bones. He will destroy you. Nick shook his head at the deep voice that echoed in his ears.

For a second, he felt like he was losing his mind.

"Are you coming, Nick?" Rosa asked.

"Yes, ma'am." His stock answer for most women since his mom real y didn't like the word "no." Dutiful y, he made his way to Rosa and to the food he was starving for.

Acheron watched while Nick made his way to the kitchen. He didn't know why, but his gut told him that Nick was somehow key to what was going on. It was like a presence was here.

One he couldn't see, hear, or touch.

He could only feel it like a hidden shadow. Malevolent and cold, it sent a shiver down his spine. It was pure hatred, but he couldn't tel who it was directed at.

Him.

Or Nick.

Kyrian lowered his tone so that neither Rosa nor Nick would hear him. "What aren't you saying?"

"Ever have one of those feelings you can't shake?"

"Every d.a.m.n night."

Ash gave a short laugh. "Stil planning to set Nick up as your Squire?"

"He's not old enough yet. But when he is, that's my plan.

Why? Is there something about him I should know?" Ash felt the tattoo on his biceps shift down toward his elbow. The burning sensation was Simi's way of letting him know she was getting restless and wanted to come off his body and take human form, or maybe she just had indigestion from eating the zombies so fast.

Rubbing his hand over his demon, he stopped her for the moment. "He seems like a good kid."

"But?"

But there's something about him not quite ...

Right.

If only he could put his finger on it. Not wanting to worry Kyrian when there was no reason to, he shrugged. "I have nothing to add. Other than don't let the zombies eat you while nothing to add. Other than don't let the zombies eat you while you're on patrol tonight. Be a d.a.m.n waste of a good Dark-Hunter."

Kyrian flexed his foot so that one of the knives shot out from the toe of his boot. "I think I can take them." Ash wasn't so sure about that. Kyrian always had a hard time harming anyone under the age of consent. Not that he was cold-blooded himself.

Simi was another matter. She'd eaten the zombies in the kitchen before he'd had a chance to corral her. It was why he'd blinded Nick and Rosa. His little demon had a mind of her own and when she smel ed nonhuman delicacies, which she claimed weren't on her banned food list, there was no stopping her.

Soon he'd have to let her loose again or she was going to crawl al over his body until she had him doing St. Vitus'

dance. "The sun's setting. You want me to take Nick home for you?"

Kyrian nodded. "Thanks. While you do that, I'l rendezvous with Talon in the Quarter and see if we can get a handle on this zombie outbreak."

"Good luck."

"Back at you." Kyrian headed for the door that led to his garage.

Ash waited until he was sure Kyrian was gone before he went to the kitchen. He paused to watch Nick joking with Rosa. There was something extremely charismatic about Nick. Like an aura that warmed people and made them want to listen to him.

Some would cal it glamour-a power certain creatures were born with while others learned it later in life. It was more than charm. More than a good personality.

Ash had a similar ability, only it pul ed people toward him for an entirely different reason. One that kept him on guard against people constantly lest they lose control of themselves.

Funny thing was, Nick seemed immune to that too. And for that, Ash was extremely grateful. Very few people didn't react to the curse his aunt had given him at birth. In fact he could count on one hand the number of people over the centuries who'd been immune.

There's something not right about this kid.

You're being paranoid.

Was he?

You were human once too with no knowledge of your true birth or destiny. Another curse given to him by his family. Until his twenty-first birthday, he'd had no idea that he was a G.o.d.

No idea that his real mother had been the Atlantean G.o.ddess of destruction.

And when his powers had been unleashed, it'd almost destroyed the entire world and had driven mankind back into the Stone Age.

What if that innocent kid eating the gumbo Ash had repaired was a creature like him?

You are being stupid.

Or was he? When Ash had been human not even other G.o.ds had been able to detect his real nature. Artemis herself had stood right beside him and proclaimed him human.

He narrowed his gaze on the boy. The zombies had been here for Nick and Nick alone. He was sure of it. There was no other reason for them to have attacked.

The only question was why. ...

CHAPTER 8.

Nick froze in front of Ash's shiny black car. ... No, not car.

Friggin' Porsche 911 Turbo! Talk about epic. His heart actual y started pumping like a freight train at the prospect of riding in it.

"How can this be your car?"

Ash shot him a "duh" stare. "Wel , I wrote a real y big check that didn't bounce to the dealer and then the most amazing thing happened. ... The salesman gave me the keys and let me take it home. It was like magic."

Nick gave him a peeved glare. "Only I'm al owed to be that sarcastic."

"Trust me, Nick. I've got many more years of practice at it than you have. Now hop in."

"Hop in? Dude, are you out of your ever-loving mind? I can't touch this. I might leave a fingerprint or something."

"Oh the horror. Guess I'l have to trade the piece of junk in and get a new one if that happens. By the way, don't breathe on the upholstery or I may have to gut you." Ash slid into the car without missing a beat.

Even though Ash had been kidding, Nick hesitated. He'd only seen cars like this in posters and online. The price tag for it was more money than his mom made in ...

Fifteen years.

At least.

People lived in houses that cost less. He lived in a house that was probably cheaper than the tires on this thing. Dang, what would it be like to own something so fine?

"Nick, get in. I don't have al night." Biting his lip, Nick pul ed his shirttail up so that he wouldn't tarnish the pristine black paint with a paw print. Ash had already put his backpack in the floorboard. Man, this was such a cool car. Careful not to leave a shoe mark on the tan interior, he got in and shut the door. "Are you a drug dealer?"

"No." Ash let out a short laugh. "I'm a wrangler."

"A what?"

Ash started the engine with the key on the left side of the steering wheel. How weird was that? "I manage people."

"What kind of people?"

"People like you. Hard-headed. Stubborn. Irritating and smart-mouthed." He shifted into high gear and kicked it.

Nick grabbed the door handle and held on for his life as Ash pul ed into traffic at supersonic speed.

"Relax, kid. I'm not about to dent this car." Nick wasn't so sure about that. "You like to drive fast, don't you? How many tickets have you gotten, anyway?" Ash didn't answer. Probably for the best since Nick didn't want to end up as a hood ornament on someone else's vehicle. Last thing he needed to do was distract Ash while he was driving at warp speed.

Or attempting to anyway.

Nick cringed as Ash weaved between two huge semis.