I search his face for humor again. I’ve read enough vampire books to be familiar with the legend, including the original Dracula. But it’s hard to swallow what he’s telling me. I wouldn’t believe him at all if I hadn’t seen Alyona’s beauty morph into monster. Those teeth, like cat fangs, only a hell of a lot bigger. I remember my response too. A primal revulsion. An instinctive recognition of something deadly.

Vampires. Real-life vampires. Well, shit. I really am in the Twilight Zone.

Flanagan watches my reaction with interest, almost as though he’s verifying my ignorance.

“And Blood Servants?” I ask.

“Channeler bloodlines who willingly serve the Anlu’kyr in exchange for Anlu’kyr blood. It makes humans faster and stronger, heals any illness, and can triple a lifespan.”

That explains the freaky strength of those men in the alley.

“What do these vampires want with me?”

“To use you. Anlu’kyr bodies create Flame from light. Especially sunlight. If they generate too much, they combust. They use Channelers to absorb the energy so they can walk safely in daylight. This is why you are valuable to them. They want to enslave you, use your ability, your blood.”

A cold shiver runs the length of my spine. I was nearly captured by bloodsuckers. The thought leaves me nauseated. If it wasn’t for the Guardians, I could have ended up as Alyona’s personal blood bag. Holy crapping graveyards.

Flanagan shifts closer. His touch ignites the tingles again, all along my arm and thigh where our bodies meet. I’m still pissed at him, but I know he’s doing it to Ground me, so I don’t move away. I ignore the instant arousal. Again. The turned-on sensation must be caused by the Flame energy passing between us or something.

“I know you are unsure of our protection,” he says quietly. “You think you may be safer without us, but if Alyona’s collection team successfully Hazes you, you will do anything they want.”

“Hazes me? Does that make you mindless or something?”

“A Haze is a deep sexual trance, caused by an overwhelming amount of Flame. New Channelers are prone to this state anyway, but the Anlu’kyr use it as a way of keeping their slaves docile and compliant. Like chainless bondage. You wouldn’t be mindless, but you would crave constant stimulation and do anything the Anlu’kyr told you to for the promise of sexual release.”

Chainless bondage? I shudder. A slavery of the mind as well as the body. That sounds out-there terrifying. I’m beginning to get a stark picture of how much shit I’m in.

“Fuck.”

Flanagan nods. “Yes. And I’m sorry. I know this is a lot to take in.”

A lot to take in? A bomb has gone off in my head. My thoughts are like bumper cars, chasing around in my mind and crashing into each other.

Flanagan goes quiet, letting me stew for a moment. Laasya has moved from her spot on the ground to circle the van, hands deep in her cardigan pockets. Mason has returned from walking a perimeter. He leans against the vehicle’s door with his back to us, pretending he’s not listening to our conversation.