ignorant of the threat leaves them victims," Victoria said. "How many lives might be saved if people only knew what was out there?"
"Now there's one less." The Englishman set his hands on the table, one atop the other. "You wanted answers. There they are. That's all we can give you."
"Wait." She straightened. "That's it? That's all you're going to tell me?"
He nodded and checked his watch. "We need to leave."
"But I have more questions."
"I'm sure you do." He licked his lips. "So, you can go back home with the answers you have and do whatever you like with them." He leaned closer, his brown eyes peering into hers. "Or…you can come with us and I'll teach you to be a hunter."
"What?" the curly-haired girl and Victoria blurted in unison.
Luc stared at him, brows creased in some dire, unspoken question.
"You've lost your job. And no police force is willing to hire you. You've dropped off social media. Your bank accounts are nearly depleted. There might be something in private security, but—"
"Stop." Victoria clenched her teeth at the feeling of being violated. They'd gone through her accounts, her life, and the wreck they'd become. "Are you…offering me a job?"
"I am, yeah. You've experienced something terrible and nothing is going to change things back to how they were before. You've seen what's going on so I'm offering you a chance to look further, to do something about it." He shook his head with a little smile. "You tracked us down. There's a lot we can learn from you and there's a lot I can teach you."
Victoria studied his face. He seemed sincere.
"Of course if you don't wish to, that's all right. We can—"
"No," she blurted. "I'm interested."
"Good."
"Just one thing, though. I don't know your name."
He smiled and offered his hand. "Allan Havlock, protector of Ibenus. And I'm happy to accept you as my student."
Chapter Seven
Gerhard watched out the rain-streaked window as the train glided alongside the platform into Brussels-South station. Running a hand along his bristled cheek, he regretted that he hadn't shaved before leaving. In the excitement and rush to pack after speaking with Alex, he'd forgotten about it. Only after boarding did he realize that he'd also forgotten his phone charger. No matter. Both were easy to correct. Though the untidiness irked him, if Alex could forgive a 2 a.m. call, then surely he could forgive a little stubble.
Passengers erupted from their seats as the train stopped, instantly flooding the aisle. Gerhard remained seated, waiting for them to pass as he scanned the platform for Alex or his Russian assistant, or bodyguard, or whatever he was. The five-hour ride from Stuttgart had afforded him ample time to ponder Alex's intentions. What exactly was Gerhard to do for Umatri? What services was he expected to provide over the next few days? Surely the old man required some compensation for such an artifact. Whatever it was, Gerhard would complete his payment and in a week's time return home, the keris his. He'd told his supervisor he had a family emergency, naming an aunt he hadn't spoken with in the three years since his mother's death, and he hadn't been sacked. His job secure, his savings again safe, Gerhard looked forward to when this strange adventure would be but memory. With a hopeful smile, he slid from his seat and made his way to the exit.
The noise of shuffling bodies and a thousand conversations in Belgium-accented French and German accosted him as he stepped off the train. Rain pelted the metal ceiling above. Gerhard looked around, and spotted Taras, dressed in a tight, gray T-shirt tucked into jeans, headed toward him, a paper coffee cup clutched in one hand. Bright tattoos of monsters sleeved one arm down to the forearm. Their snarling faces and bloodstained fangs stirred a shiver, reminding Gerhard of his dreams.
"Good to see you," the Russian said, offering a thick hand.
Gerhard shook it, returning the man's firm grip. "Good morning. Is Alex
"Now there's one less." The Englishman set his hands on the table, one atop the other. "You wanted answers. There they are. That's all we can give you."
"Wait." She straightened. "That's it? That's all you're going to tell me?"
He nodded and checked his watch. "We need to leave."
"But I have more questions."
"I'm sure you do." He licked his lips. "So, you can go back home with the answers you have and do whatever you like with them." He leaned closer, his brown eyes peering into hers. "Or…you can come with us and I'll teach you to be a hunter."
"What?" the curly-haired girl and Victoria blurted in unison.
Luc stared at him, brows creased in some dire, unspoken question.
"You've lost your job. And no police force is willing to hire you. You've dropped off social media. Your bank accounts are nearly depleted. There might be something in private security, but—"
"Stop." Victoria clenched her teeth at the feeling of being violated. They'd gone through her accounts, her life, and the wreck they'd become. "Are you…offering me a job?"
"I am, yeah. You've experienced something terrible and nothing is going to change things back to how they were before. You've seen what's going on so I'm offering you a chance to look further, to do something about it." He shook his head with a little smile. "You tracked us down. There's a lot we can learn from you and there's a lot I can teach you."
Victoria studied his face. He seemed sincere.
"Of course if you don't wish to, that's all right. We can—"
"No," she blurted. "I'm interested."
"Good."
"Just one thing, though. I don't know your name."
He smiled and offered his hand. "Allan Havlock, protector of Ibenus. And I'm happy to accept you as my student."
Chapter Seven
Gerhard watched out the rain-streaked window as the train glided alongside the platform into Brussels-South station. Running a hand along his bristled cheek, he regretted that he hadn't shaved before leaving. In the excitement and rush to pack after speaking with Alex, he'd forgotten about it. Only after boarding did he realize that he'd also forgotten his phone charger. No matter. Both were easy to correct. Though the untidiness irked him, if Alex could forgive a 2 a.m. call, then surely he could forgive a little stubble.
Passengers erupted from their seats as the train stopped, instantly flooding the aisle. Gerhard remained seated, waiting for them to pass as he scanned the platform for Alex or his Russian assistant, or bodyguard, or whatever he was. The five-hour ride from Stuttgart had afforded him ample time to ponder Alex's intentions. What exactly was Gerhard to do for Umatri? What services was he expected to provide over the next few days? Surely the old man required some compensation for such an artifact. Whatever it was, Gerhard would complete his payment and in a week's time return home, the keris his. He'd told his supervisor he had a family emergency, naming an aunt he hadn't spoken with in the three years since his mother's death, and he hadn't been sacked. His job secure, his savings again safe, Gerhard looked forward to when this strange adventure would be but memory. With a hopeful smile, he slid from his seat and made his way to the exit.
The noise of shuffling bodies and a thousand conversations in Belgium-accented French and German accosted him as he stepped off the train. Rain pelted the metal ceiling above. Gerhard looked around, and spotted Taras, dressed in a tight, gray T-shirt tucked into jeans, headed toward him, a paper coffee cup clutched in one hand. Bright tattoos of monsters sleeved one arm down to the forearm. Their snarling faces and bloodstained fangs stirred a shiver, reminding Gerhard of his dreams.
"Good to see you," the Russian said, offering a thick hand.
Gerhard shook it, returning the man's firm grip. "Good morning. Is Alex
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