That bloodsucker deserved his deadly demise.

A flicker of delight crossed Asher’s face as he examined the vampire corpse, but he masked it behind his own doubts and worries. Someone was killing off those bloodsuckers, but they struck an innocent child down as well. If the two cases did actually correlate, like Sebastian assumed. Unless that conniving vampire was stringing him along like a little marionette, feeding him his lies.

Asher didn’t recognize the vampire on the metal table, but he’d seen that godforsaken tattoo enough to know who it belonged to. The Devil’s Descendants. A fearsome vampire who’d ruled over Valorath for centuries created their coven, and he didn’t plan to adhere to any mortal laws. He didn’t believe in giving humans, wizards, and mages the rights they deserved. No, he only viewed them as food.

“Do you think the hunters who hired you are behind this?” Sebastian asked.

Asher’s reverie of the past shattered around him, fading back to reality. He stole another peek at the dead vampire and shrugged. “Don’t know. I doubt any of them would kill a child mage, then send me out to find her killer. Though it is a peculiar case.”

“You need to be wary of who you trust.”

What strange advice to be given by a vampire. Asher wasn’t sure how to respond, so he didn’t. It wasn’t like Sebastian cared what happened to him. If he died, it would be less of a hassle on him. Hell, he probably hoped he got himself killed while investigating.

Sebastian drew the white sheet back over the vampire’s face, then led them out of the morgue. Cold chills raked off Asher’s battered body. His initial theory of someone attempting to wage a war with the vampires came to mind. If the two cases truly were connected, that’s the only possibility he could come up with. Unless it was a personal vendetta against Sebastian.

Asher never should’ve gotten involved. That much he was certain of. He’d already been weary enough, but he should’ve known nothing good could result from making a deal with vampire hunters. Especially when they wanted him to kill the damn bloodsucker.

“I’ll bring more blankets to your room, okay?” Sebastian said once they stepped back in the elevator.

“I don’t need them.” Asher crossed his arms over his chest to fend off the cold.

Sebastian pinched the bridge of his nose. “Fine, but I’ll leave them anyway.”

The elevator door opened on their floor, and Sebastian wheeled him back to his room. Sebastian was pretending to be kind. It was an old ruse those bloodsuckers used on kids back home, and Asher had been gullible enough to fall for it once before. Never again.