Eclipse of Vengeance

16.Vampire Lore

Tw: mention of child death.

Broken Bow, Oklahoma

The aroma of coffee permeated my nose. The bitter and smoky notes dominating every inch of the shop like a comforting blanket. Silas and I were the only two customers in the shop adding to my comfort. I've never liked to be around people. I appreciated my space and solitude.

I set my coffee cup back against the round plastic table, before peering up at Silas who sat across from me. "Have you heard anything about Adeline and Hudson?" I questioned, while slipping my hand into my backpack.

"My contact told me today he's following a lead," Silas answered, pouring a packet of sugar into his coffee.

"And who is he?" I pried, slowly pulling my computer from the bag. Unease crept through me-not knowing who this 'contact' of Silas' was.

"He's an old friend," Silas replied, stirring his cup of coffee with a spoon.

"Wait, you have friends?" I sarcastically teased, forcing a shocked expression.

"And how many friends do you have exactly?" He cockily cross-examined before bringing the cup to his lips that were curled upwards.

I glared at him, before my expression returned back to a serious one. "No but seriously, you trust him? If Tara finds out..." I didn't even want to imagine what would happen if she found out-thoughts like that were reserved for my nightly nightmares.

"He was my father's closest friend. He was practically part of our family," he reassured, his face conveying the same softness his words held.

"Someone else survived the attack?"

"Physically survived, yes, but mentally not so much after losing his mate..." He abruptly stopped talking, as if he had said too much. Likely saying more about his friend's story than he should have.

"Mate?" I blurted out, furrowing my eyebrows. "Like a soulmate?"

"Yeah something like that." He anxiously replied, tensing in his seat.

"Vampires have mates?" I interrogated, wanting to learn more of the supernatural world that Tara has neglected to teach me. I knew of werewolves and imprints from Cain, but had never heard of vampires having mates.

He inhaled sharply before speaking, "Yes, but do not tell a single soul of that. It is a heavily guarded vampiric secret." His eyes burned through me, commanding my discretion.

"Why is it a secret?" I narrowed my eyes on him.

"Because while having a mate makes you stronger, they are also your biggest weakness. Other beings, especially hunters would quickly take advantage of that if they knew... After Perseus lost his mate it was as if a part of his soul was ripped from him, to this day he's never recovered," he informed while drumming his fingers against his coffee cup.

"I won't tell anyone, like you pointed out I don't have any friends," I attempted to reassure him. "So is a mate like pre-chosen for you by like... the universe or do you pick them?" I probed further, interested in this new found knowledge.

"Pre-chosen as you put it. You have no say in who your mate will be," he clarified.

"Do you have one?"

"No," he curtly answered, cuing me to stop asking about the whole newly discovered mate information.

I opened the laptop, trying to create a barrier between Silas and I and the awkward tension that just engulfed the atmosphere around us. I understand why he's nervous about me, a hunter knowing that little nugget of vampire lore-but I'd never tell anyone. Especially not another hunter.