They both sat on their living room couch, and Arthur finally spoke.

  "Before I say anything…I want to tell you I didn't want you to enter this world. Feeling a little lonely, but living a mostly normal life seemed to be better for you than the alternative."

  "I have like twenty thousand questions, Arthur. But first, I have to ask, how did you know who I was?"

  "That answer is—complicated. Listen, how about I tell you what I feel I should, then I'll answer your questions as best as possible?"

  "Okay," Mikey agreed, but he wasn't sure he could hold back from asking questions.

  "Now, this is going to all sound as crazy as can be. But I think you've seen crazy enough in your past and today, so you'll know what I'm saying is true."

  Mikey nodded, with no idea where this was going.

  "Well, I'll just come out right and say it then. Your dad was a vampire."

  "A vamp—"

  "I know, I know," Arthur held up a hand. "Just let me finish my thoughts before you ask any questions, okay?"

  "Sorry." Mikey dug his nails into the palms of his hands as a reminder to listen.

  "Most of the stuff you've seen in the movies is pure bologna," Arthur continued. "Vampires…well—I guess we are the only ones who call them vampires. They call themselves the Verdaat. Your dad was one of the first ones. I don't know how old, but at least a few thousand years, I'd wager."

  Mikey's eyes practically burst out of their sockets. A memory of his father drinking from a glass filled with a red liquid came to mind. When he'd asked about it, his mother said it was tomato juice.

  Mikey recalled the night his parents were attacked. They'd mentioned the Verdaat looking for him. His mom had called his grandfather "Magnus." Both of them said he was terrifying.

  "Does Magnus mean anything to you? And do you know why my parents were killed?"

  "Magnus…is the leader of the Verdaat and one of the most powerful beings in OS. There are rumors he is the first Verdaat. And I'm sorry. I don't know exactly why your parents were killed. But I know it had to do with you."

  "Why me?"

  "Because Mikey, you are half Verdaat and half human. A hybrid, the first one ever."

  "I—what does that even mean? What kind of freak am I?"

  "Not a freak, son," Arthur placed a hand on his shoulder. "You are something unheard of. I don't know exactly how, but you absorb the Source around you."

  "The Source?" Mikey recalled the girl from the bus—Sabrina, saying his Source felt weird, that it attacked her.

  "Source is…the energy of life. It's in all living things. There are a bunch of theories on where it came from. Chakra, chi, qi—whatever you wanna call it, the idea of it has been around for a long time."

  Realization hit Mikey. A memory of one of the mothers who fostered him flashed in his mind.

  "Get in there, you demon! I won't let you poison my family anymore!" She locked him in their basement after Joseph, her son with whom Mikey shared a room, became so sick he could barely walk.

  My entire life, I've been literally sucking the life out of everyone around me…

  It all made sense now. Emotions welled up inside. Mikey didn't know what to do with them. He didn't want this power; he didn't want any of it. Because of him, his parents were murdered by monsters. Whoever was behind it had wanted Mikey. The Wendigo had picked him up and tried to take him away, not kill him.

  "Are you okay, bud?"

  A drop on his arm made Mikey realize he was crying. "Yeah—I'm good. Just a lot of old memories popping up that I thought I'd forgotten. What's Os?" Mikey tried to focus on other questions.

  "Before I continue, promise me you'll let me know if you need a break."

  Mikey wiped his face and nodded.

  "Good," Arthur continued. "Your mom was a Jaecar, an elder, to be exact. They are humans that can, and are trained, to use Source to hunt and kill the monsters of Otherside, or OS, that prey on people."

  "My mom killed monsters?" Mikey's eyes went wide.

  "She sure did; was darn good at it too. The Jaecar can harness their inner Source, making their bodies faster and stronger than normal people. Utilizing that energy lets them do many amazing things. Some can heal the body. Some—Arthur pointed to himself—can shield others or themselves. And, as you have felt firsthand, some can project it out like a weapon."

  Mikey recalled the pain when Thomas hit him.

  "I thought it was magic."

  "Where do you think the term 'sorcerer' came from? They were the first people that could harness the Source thousands of years ago."

  "Wait, you're a Jaecar?"

  "Was. I—I'll tell you about that some other time." Arthur grimaced. There was a story there that pained Arthur greatly. Mikey knew that look.

  "And OS," Mikey tried to change the subject, "is it like a different world or something?"

  "Yes and no. It's kind of what we call anything that has to do with the supernatural. The creatures of Otherside have always been here. They were at the top of the food chain long ago until the first Sorcerers came. With our numbers increasing, those of OS were forced to change their tactics. They found ways to hide among us, undetected."

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  "How?"

  "Depends," Arthur shrugged. "Some live in remote places. Others can blend in with humans, like the vampires. I'm sure there are some we don't even know about. Many creatures of OS can use Source in ways we can't imagine."

  "And they are all like—monsters?" Mikey shivered as he imagined the Night Prowlers lurking about.

  "No, not all of them are bad. Goblins, faeries, yetis… and many others are generally okay. Some even work with us, like the gnomes."

  Mikey realized his jaw was touching the floor when Arthur started laughing.

  "You're joking…."

  "Nope, they exist. And so do the bad ones," Arthur's face took on the same pained look as before.

  "Are you okay?"

  "Yeah, sorry. Bad memories."

  "Been there," Mikey nodded in understanding.

  Arthur's demeanor seemed to change momentarily as he stared out the front window. Then he stood up, turning to Mikey. "All right, I think I need a break. I'm sure you have other questions. But my stomach is eating itself. How about you go upstairs and shower while I order a pizza." Arthur motioned to the dirt on Mikey's clothes. "It should be here by the time you get done. I'll answer the questions you have after."

  Mikey felt something odd about Arthur's behavior but shrugged it off.

  He is probably just tired and hungry.

  Besides, it would take a million years for Mikey to process everything he had just heard. Vampires, monster hunters, Source—a warm shower might clear his head.

  "Yeah," he started walking upstairs, "that's a good idea. I'll be back down soon."

  Arthur was right, Mikey thought, standing under the warm shower. This was just what he needed. After replaying the day's events, Mikey knew deep down what Arthur had said was true. The pieces fit together. Plus, he had literally been thrown into the air by magic.

  Mikey hopped out of the shower and started getting dressed when his ears pricked up from odd voices coming from downstairs. Quickly putting on clean clothes, he crept to the top of the stairs as quietly as possible. Arthur was still sitting on the couch, facing a woman he'd never seen before. Her back was turned, so Mikey couldn't quite make out her face.

  He noticed two other people nearby. One was a dark-haired man standing by the front door like he was guarding it. The other was a blonde woman near the sliding glass door to their backyard.

  "The boy will be coming with us. He is untrained and dangerous. Three of our acolytes almost died. You know it is only a matter of time before those bloodsuckers find out he's alive," the woman beside Arthur practically spat.

  "Listen, Cassandra—" Arthur started.

  "Do not use that familiar tone with me! I am an elder now, and you lost all right when you left Haven," she fumed.

  Arthur looked more hurt than Mikey had ever seen him.

  "That may have been too harsh." The woman softened slightly, "I do not know what it is like to have suffered a loss such as you've had. But there are many—me included—who feel abandoned by your decision."

  "I'm sorry, I never meant—"

  "Enough," the woman lifted her hand. "Let's not dwell on the past. I'm not without sympathy. Clearly, you care for the boy, but he will be safest at the Sect for now. His mother and I were very close, in a way."

  Another person who knew my mom.

  "I figured this would be the best route for the kid if the truth ever got out. But I didn't want this life for him. Neither did his parents, as you know," Arthur sighed.

  "We often do not get to choose the life we lead; it chooses us," the woman replied. "I understand why you kept him uninformed and from us, but it was not the right choice. What if another incident like today happened and you weren't there? What if Saps were killed because the boy could not control his vampiric urges?"

  "I—" Arthur started. He stopped, then nodded.

  "Furthermore, Sabrina informed me that the boy seemed to relish using his powers. He cannot be allowed to roam free until they are under control," she stated.

  Arthur continued nodding, then looked up. "Saps?" He raised an eyebrow.

  Mikey was glad Arthur asked because he wanted to know what that meant, too.

  "Some of our youths have begun using the term for humans without the use of Source. It has…started to catch on. I believe it's short for sapiens."

  Cassandra jerked her head towards the stairs, and Mikey instinctively ducked down.

  "Undoubtedly, you have heard our conversation. Pack what belongings you need into a single bag and come down to say your goodbyes," the woman ordered. "I have spent enough time here as it is."

  Mikey froze as if someone caught him with a hand in the cookie jar after being told, 'Not before dinner.'

  This day just keeps getting weirder and weirder.

  Now, a strange woman who knew his mother showed up to offer him a chance to control his powers.

  I didn't even think that was possible.

  But if it was, he could be around other people without fear. He could have a normal life—well as a normal life that a hybrid vampire could have. Besides, he thought, the Jaecar were his mother's people. They hunted monsters like the Night Prowlers and helped humanity. Mikey decided the opportunity was too big to pass up. And from Cassandra's tone, he didn't really have a choice.

  "Well?" the woman called up after Mikey hadn't responded.

  "Yes…elder." It seemed like the right thing to say.

  "Ah, at least the boy learns quickly," she smiled. "That will most certainly help you in the trials to come."

  Mikey turned to do as instructed, and then a thought occurred to him.

  "When you say, 'say goodbye,'…do you mean I won't see Arthur again?"

  She turned completely towards the stairs, her expression deadpan.

  "That will be entirely up to you."

  Okay…no pressure.

  He did his best to squash the rising anxiety and focused on the task. Sifting through his dresser, he packed a week's worth of clothes and then went to his art supplies to figure out what to bring. Mikey headed towards his small closet and grabbed a black gym bag he sometimes used when Arthur took him camping. When that was finished, Mikey remembered to nab essential toiletry items before returning downstairs.

  At the bottom of the steps, Mikey got a good look at the woman for the first time. She was almost as tall as he was at around five foot eight. Her black hair was pinned up in a tight bun with what appeared to be two Chinese hair sticks poking out. When Mikey got closer, he realized they weren't sticks. They were tiny swords.

  Are those real?

  The reflection of a gold pin on her chest caught his eye. He'd never seen the symbol before.

  She nodded at Mikey and motioned to Arthur. "Say your goodbyes. Make it brief. You will see Arthur again if the training doesn't kill you." She signaled the other two Jaecar and left.

  Before Mikey could speak, Arthur grabbed him in a hug.

  "Look, son, I'm sorry for all of this, but there is nothing we can do about it now. Once you learn to control your gifts, you are not obligated to anyone but yourself."

  "What do you mean?"

  "They will want you to become one of them…but this is not a game. You know the reality of OS firsthand. You, your team, even your family could—" Arthur struggled to finish the sentence.

  "I understand."

  "No, you don't," he straightened. "The Jaecar hunt MONSTERS! A whole lot of them eat people. What they do is more important than anything on this Earth, but that doesn't mean you have to. They'll pressure you to join once you control your Source absorption. I'm not telling you not to; I'm telling you to decide for yourself. Now, you should go before we get all emotional," he sniffled. "Cassandra is not someone who should be kept waiting."

  Arthur patted him on the back and opened the front door. A black SUV was waiting on the curb outside, engine running.

  The reality of the situation seemed to hit Mikey at that moment. He would be leaving his home. The only one he'd ever had since he was five. And if he didn't control his—specialness, he wouldn't be coming back.

  Swallowing the knot forming in his throat, Mikey tried to think of what to say. Arthur meant more to him than anyone. He was family.

  All Mikey could think of was to give him another big hug. "I'll see you soon," he promised.

  "Of course you will."

  Determined, Mikey got into the SUV. He took one last look at his home as the vehicle began its journey to the Sect. He was truly about to enter Otherside.

  The Source of Death!

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