Annipe’s head is on my shoulder, well, on the sofa behind me but her snorts of breaths are soft against my cheek. Alfies head is being used as a book rest as the bulk of it covers my body. He isn’t really resting on me though, he’d be a whole lot heavier if he was, but he likes to be close and I like him there too. His body is curled around the three seater and Anni is sprawled over him like a scarf would be tied around your neck.

My ipad is beside me on Alfie, and so is a small bottle of cola; mine - not his. Mum appears first, curiously looking us over as if she had seen my frantic movements of hiding what I was doing. She’s almost like Logan; nosey. Curious. Worse than Logan, as much as he wants too, he leaves the iPad hacking alone. If she had a clue about that kind of thing, I’m sure she would be all over it the second I turn my back.

“How are you feeling today honey?” She passes a kiss on the top of my head, and pats Annipe as she leans back.

“I’m fine, seriously!” I groan.

“Looking rather, at home there.” Dad joins in, coming over with a beer in his hand. “Zane been taking it easy on you?”

No. “Yeah, he knows the rules.”

Rules I begged him to break. This morning I lasted two hours; I’m getting better. Tonight he said he might get me to up against one of the last years in a bit of sparring. I’m praying he doesn’t change his mind.

“Good. I know you’re feeling better, but too much too soon could set you back in your recovery.” He warns.

I roll my eyes.

“What are you reading?” Dad changes the subject and sits in the reading chair to my left. Annipe turns to look at him, her tongue flicking out curiously before she settles back against my side. Since Raya’s visit, she’s developed a bit of a hair fetish. Weird.

“If I told you, you wouldn’t believe me.”

“It looks old.”

“It is.”

Mum is fussing about in the kitchen and I can feel Dad watching me. Since I told them about AIlin’s visit, things have calmed down and I feel a tad guilty since I was really hoping Mum would have made more of those brownies. After a few minutes, I’ve read the same two sentences four times and turn to look at Dad.

“Dad, did you ever hear any stories about the whole Treaty thing from your parents or grandparents? I know we have access to Alistairs journals, but do you any rumours or anything that aren’t in there? Family secrets?”

“Sorry pumpkin, I never knew my grandparents and mine never said too much about it. Nothing that I really remember. Why? What are you thinking?” He asks, genuinely interested.

What can I tell him?

Everything?

I want to, but I’m scared if I do say too much there will be some kind of repercussions from it. Maybe once I know more I can and until then, I shrug. “Just interested. I’ve had a lot of time to sit and think, so may as well make the most of it you know?”

“Good idea.” He looks like he is about to say more when there is a knock on the door and he moves off to answer. Annipe is gone, instantly following him. “Zane, come in!”

Annipe harasses him the whole way down the corridor and into the living area, before Mum takes over and plays hostess by bombarding him with a million questions. Are you thirsty, hungry - want to stay for dinner?

“Thank you Mrs. Bunting, but I just need a sec with Elise.” He offers her a genuine smile and is so used to her fussing now it doesn’t seem to bother him at all. “Hey kid.”

“Sup old man.” That was my new name for him as payback for the ‘kid, kiddo’ endearment. It earned me another five rounds of his obstacle course, which told me enough.

For some reason as I look at him closer, I regret it. Something bad has happened - it’s all over his face and even as he glares at me his heart isn’t in it. Alfie must sense something off too and moves up to Zanes’ eye level; cautious and ever watchful over me.

Mum and Dad disappear and Zane runs a hand over his freshly shaven head. “I just got a call from one of the Treaty Keepers. Two Trackers in my old team have been, ah, they died.”

I’m up instantly. Zane’s team don’t die. He made them ready for anything, and his second in command, some chick I’ve never actually met, but he did speak highly of her - was practically Zane with boobs. They wouldn’t die under her watch, unless… “She was one of them?”

He nodded and I reached out to give him a hug. I’d always been one of the lucky ones to actually see a softer side to the fearsome Slayer, and one of the few to ever dare hug him like this. His shoulders heave, and after a few moments he sucks in a big breath and I let him go. His face his blank, and that was all the emotion he was ever going to show over the matter.

“I don’t know all the details, other than it wasn’t vampires. The others aren’t doing all that great either, four are in hospital recovering and another is on life support. I demanded a copy of their job to be sent through but it hasn’t come yet.”

My heart sunk then and I remembered one tiny detail I’d forgot. “Penny?”

“Is fine. Broken arm.” He answered flatly.

How strange to be worried about her, but she’d changed a lot this year too. After, everything, she had signed up for training from Zane and he’d accepted, more as a favour to me. She had been doing really well though, I was kind of proud. Sticking up for herself against her Dad and then going out to start actively being a Hunter - it was hard not to be. What would she be feeling right now?

“I’m sorry Zane, if you hadn’t been on babysitting duty you could have been there and-” Maybe he would have been the one to die. I’m not sorry anymore. “You have to go?”

“Just for a few days. I know I stepped down as their leader, but they’re still my team you know? I trained them all, and we’ve been through a lot since we started working together.”

Zane wasn’t one for groups or friends. He had Reece, and his half sister Jodie, then Chris. He worked alone, never got involved, kept everyone at a distance and after stopping Selene and the Lord Alpha, he was offered a position within the Council, more than just another Slayer with a scary reputation. He agreed, and as he adjusted to that life, we bonded. It wasn’t just Zane on his own anymore. He had friends; family. People that depended on him and I bet he’d never admit he felt like he’d let them all down now.

“I get it.” I tell him, realising my words were already coming true.

Zane was leaving.

Looking into the kitchen, were my parents going to have a reason to leave next?

“Be careful, especially until you know how and why this attack happened. Things aren’t as they appear.” I warn.

“Do you know something Elise?” Not Kid. Not Sunshine, not even Ellie. He’s suspicious now, and I feel Alfie against my back; a subtle sign of him offering me reassurance.

“No, and that’s the problem.”

Zane frowns, but says nothing more about it. “I’m leaving in an hour. Keep in touch, and I’ll hopefully be back in a couple of days. Don’t do anything stupid while I'm gone.”

I nod, not making any promises and hug him again.

Zanes gone. Logan’s gone, so is Jordan.

As soon as he goes, I call Raya.

“Went weeks without hearing from you and now I get a call, five hours after leaving you?” She teases.

“Yeah, yeah. Look, after what we talked about, just, be careful with this shifter.”

“It’s Elise, she wants us to be careful.” Raya mumbles to Keiran away from the phone, “Got it.”

“I’m serious Raya. Don’t get overconfident.” I warn.

She must hear something in my tone and I can practically imagine her nodding. “Sure thing Ellie, I promise we wont.”

“Thank you.” I get off the phone and Dad is looking at me in a way that makes me automatically feel like I’m in trouble. “What?”

“Anything you need to tell us?” He asks slowly.

Yes. “No.”

Again with the look. “Sure?”

“I can’t.”

“Why not Elise? Let us help you.” He almost begs.

“I’m scared if I let you, you’ll get hurt! Keeping you out of it, just seems like the easiest solution!”

“For you perhaps. Hasn’t enough happened for you to realise you don’t have to do this on your own?”

“No, it only makes me more scared that I will lose all of you!” I yell back.

Dad is suddenly there, nearly crushing me in his hug. “We did lose you, Sweetheart!”

His words hit me harder than any punch ever could and I don’t resist him now. I’m a sobbing mess against his shoulder as he pats my back while telling me how much I’m loved, how proud my parents really are of me and other things I can’t hear because I’m crying too much. Now that I’ve started, I can’t stop - it’s like after Logan and Jordan left all over again as I cried myself to sleep on Alfie.

Eventually we sit down, surrounded by my snakes and Mums brings me over some tissues and a pot of tea for all of us. I’m told to start at the beginning, but I’m not sure where that is right now.

“I’ve seen Cain, again. A few times actually.” I confess.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Mum asks softly.

“I was told not to.”

“The mermaids?” Dad already knows the answer.

“I know what the Treaty is, about the magic that created it.” You all knew stuff once too, but your memory of it all was removed. Of course, I don’t say that. “I know a lot about things I'm not supposed to.”

“Is that why you were asking about, family secrets, before?”

“Yeah.”

“What else?” He pushes.

“Cain is up to something. Good or bad, I’m not sure, but I think I know someone who might.”

“Oracle?” Dad pointed to the books on the table. I nodded. “I don’t think they exist anymore honey, at least not in this world.”

“You’re wrong, they, well I know there is one and I know she was there when the Treaty was formed. For centuries she has been Cain’s right hand lady.” I don’t think I’ve said too much.

“Really? Makes sense, from what we know of Cain, he is - otherworldly. Oracles were once used as vessels for the gods to communicate to their worshippers.” He muses, thinking it over. “It makes sense for him to leave one here to do his bidding.”

I’d read as much in the books, and despite him returning the missing pages, I couldn’t pinpoint anything in particular that could reveal Portia to me; her strengths or weaknesses. More importantly, how involved she had been with Cain’s business.

It could be the start of another pity party, but why me?

“How can we go back in time? Do you think the witches or fae can do it?” I ask instead.

“You don’t mess with that kind of magic Elise!” Mum scolds instantly. “What ever you are thinking, don’t!”

I want to go back again.

I need to go back and see more.

All the answers I need are there for the taking, would I have gotten them if Raya hadn’t woken me?

“Where would you back to?” Dad ignores the look he gets from Mum.

“The time the Treaty was created.” I tell him.

“Your Mum’s right, we don’t want to get involved with magic like that. Stick to researching your oracle and our family history.” He decides before going to lock himself up in the study.

His word seems final and the subject is dropped; for now.

) O (

The clock on the bedside table tells me it’s nearly midnight, eleven twenty-two to be exact and the figure by the door is swallowed by the shadows as he closes is behind him.

“Dad?” I ask cautiously.

“Ssh!” He mumbles, flicking on a torch.

No wonder he blended in so well, he’s dressed in head to toe black, complete with a beanie on. What the hell is he doing?

“Come on, get dressed.” Dad orders.

He turns back to the door and gives me a chance to get changed. Once I’m done, we sneak straight outside where Alfie is already waiting.

“Anni is keeping your Mum company, I told her I couldn’t sleep so was going to go work out up at the Academy and left them together.” He pats Alfie’s neck, and holds out his hand. “Come on love.”

“What are we-”

I don’t get to ask as suddenly Alfie has taken us to, a swamp? Stale water makes me want to gag and as Dad shines the torch around, a million sets of eyes light up from the darkness of the water. Alligators.

“Dad?”

“Tell me, everything.” He demands.

“Or what, I’m going to be fed to the gators?” I point out.

“No Elise,” he sighs, “We’re protected here.”

“I doubt it.”

“Such a cautious child.” A husky mans voice sounds from behind us.

Alfie’s tail is around my waist instantly as he moves to defend. I’m glad he’s here, but what the hell is Dad up to?

“Your, friend, can not come here. Your father speaks truth.” I wait for the smokers cough to follow, but it doesn’t come and just from hearing how rough it is, i find myself giving a little cough to try and clear my throat.

“What?” I can’t see him, but my senses are running in overtime as I peer into the darkness. Somehow Dad doesn’t shine the light in our companions direction, which starts annoy me more than being woken up and dragged out in the middle of the night.  “How can you be so sure?”

Cain, seems to be everywhere; all the time. I’m not believing we’re safe to talk here - wherever here may actually be.

Alfie tightens his hold, hissing into the dark as he gathers Dad and me up to be protected by his body. Something splashes in the water behind us and Dads torch instantly goes there. The head on the surface is bigger than any alligator I’ve ever seen, and thanks to years of watching the Discovery Channel, the wide snout is enough to clue me in that it’s a crocodile. As the body floats to the top of the inky pit of water, my heart sinks as fear I didn’t know I had towards those creatures appears. That thing is massive and if Alfie heads any closer to the waters edge, I doubt want to see what damage it could do to him before he could stop it.

Or us.

There was a thud, one after the other like heavy footsteps with a cracking of bones; reminds me of my old neighbour when I lived in my own place. Every time she walked her knees cracked in time to her steps, though they were never as heavy trodden as this. Staring into the dark, I saw faint movement, something was coming nearer and Alfie didn’t like it.

The mystery person speaks again, the only word I understand out of it all was apep and rather than keep retreating, Alfie now moves forward, taking me and Dad with him.

“Alfie?” I whisper, nudging him with my elbow to get his attention.

“Elise ss-ssafe.” He tells me. “Old blood ssafe too!”

“Do you keep him as a pet, Hunter? A trophy?” There is some distaste now when our ‘friend’ talks. “In a land of old, his kind were feared, guardians of the gods and treated as such. You reduce him to such shame!”

“You know nothing! Alfie is mine, not as a pet, but a companion! Don’t you dare accuse-” I shut up, my rage vanishes and now I move back against Dad and Alfie.

The moon seems to have been turned on, sending a strange silver light around us and reveals he whom we could not see. I wish we were still talking to shadows, and I feel for the gun I had strapped to my side. Is he demon, beast - I don’t know, but right now I’d rather take my chances and swim the hell out of here.

‘What Hunter, accuse you of?” He taunts, flexing his hands before rolling his neck - more sounds of cracking bones follows and my gut twists.

“My Elissse!” Alfie huffs, clicking on to what is happening. He rises higher, matching the seven foot height of the monster and hisses; happy to show off his fangs that look like silver daggers in the moonlight.

A set of crocodile jaws snap shut with a popping sound, as beady red eyes glare at Alfie. The leathery crocodile skin that covers it’s face covers his neck, arms and chest, I presume the rest of him too only I can’t see that because of the sheet like robe that’s tied around his waist. Heavy looking gold plates hang around his neck, while his wrists have matching gold bands on either side.

A crocodile man.

Great.

“She your master, yes?” He growls to Alfie, before muttering something in what I am guessing is now a language relating back to Alfie’s origins in Ancient Egypt.

“Kind. Elisse Alfie’s Master, friend. Mine. I keep ssafe.”

We let the duo battle it out verbally and glancing at Dad, he looks just as confused as I am. What the hell is he thinking bringing us here?

“The Apopythe speaks highly of you Hunter. I will forgive your enslavement of the creature.”

“Um, thanks?” I glance at Alfie, who is still glaring at the crocodile man. “So, um Dad, why are we here?”

“I was speaking to Huntington about you, and she suggested we seek out-”

“Wait, Huntington sent us here?” Shit.

“She did.” He tells me, confused.

“Then we are so not safe to talk or probably even be here!” Had the distraction of Alfie been buying us time? “Home, Alfie!”

“No. I see enough to know why you come here.” Crocoman speaks up. “I can help.”

“I doubt it. Alfie-”

“You doubt the wrong things.” He hissed. “Are you not at least curious of what or who I am? That seems out of, character for you Hunter!”

“How do you know what is out of character for me?” I snap defensively.

He smiles, or at least his jaws open slightly to give off that impression. “Better.”

“Fine, I’ll bite. What, and who are you?”

Dad coughs nervously behind me as I don’t hide my attitude now.

“Ssobek.” Alfie answers.

“Sobek?” I repeat. “Okay, what are you then and why are we safe to talk here?”

“I’m sure you can tell from my appearance, I am not quite, normal?” That was a very politically correct way of putting it and I nodded in agreement deciding not to try and piss him off. “I am this way because of him. He will not dare to come near me again, and my magic repels his spies!”

Huntington sent us here.

Why?

“I already know why you come here, I know the secrets, his secrets that you keep!” He tells me almost as if he is gloating.

“Well I don’t. Elise, I think it’s time you start talking.”

“Dad, Huntington sent us here, which means he knows where we are and if go back knowing everything, it doesn’t exactly solve the problem. You’ll still be at risk!” She was setting us up.

“You’re not playing the game Hunter. Don’t break the rules!” Sobek taunted.

“Rules?”

“He sent you to me, and here you are. Alive. Unharmed. Silent. It will pay to heed your daughters warning Hunter. He will know if you know. The cursed carry the burden alone.”

“Cursed?” Dad and I asked at the same time.

Why do I feel like I'm forgetting something?

Sobek laughed, throwing his snout to the sky. “You want to see don’t you. That’s why you came to me!”

“See what?”

“The past.” Dad answers, “I asked Huntington if there was a way we could see the past without the same kind of risks dealing with dark fae and witches come with. She said we’d get answers here, if I really had to go. I never mentioned you Ellie, but she did tell me to bring Alfie.”

Of course she did, but at least the bitch had enough of a conscious so Dad wouldn’t have been left dealing with Sobek alone.

“Only I can see it Dad, I’m sorry, but it’s already risky enough having you here.” I tell him.

“I understand. I don’t like it, but I understand.”

“Can you show me, please?” I ask Sobek.

He glances at Alfie and the pair nod at each other. “This way.”

With a wave of his arm, the nothingness reveals a cave with a tall narrow opening crocman slips into. We follow and inside isn’t what I was expecting. It’s a tomb, like bottom of a pyramid kind of tomb with sandy walls and hieroglyphics etched over all the hard surfaces. Alfie is in guard dog mode, alert, tense and manages to keep to my side without actually feeling like he is hovering.

“Love what you’ve done with- woah!” I stop and Dad nearly pushes me over as he didn’t expect my sudden halt. Crocman is no more and in his place is a truly a god. “Ah, what’s with the, you know?”

“Curse.” He snaps.

“Is there anyone he hasn’t done something to?” I think back to Merrow, and I guess in some ways Dracula and the Lord Alpha too. All had been under Cains influence at some point and look where it got them.  What would happen to me?

Sorbek laughs at that, his voice still husky, but less flemmy and more - sexy. Then again, maybe he is laughing at me as the most stunning pair golden eyes that just seem to absorb the soft light of the flame torches around, look me over from head to toe. He seems to know a lot about me so far, he isn’t a mind reader is he because that means-

He laughs again.

Shit.

In some ways, mostly height and build, he reminds me of Paytah. His skin is darker than the werewolfs and his hair is too; midnight black and it falls nearly to his waist. I guess guys can look good with long hair. Focus Elise!

“I am a god,” Sorbek starts, and I’m pretty sure he flexed on purpose just then. “I do what I want, when I want, with who I want. I wanted too much and he cursed me for it.”

“One way of teaching you a lesson I guess. Were you trapped down here? I know a Siren who was stuck in a cave for three hundred or so years.” Alfie nudges me and I take a seat on him, as Dad stays standing near us.

“Trapped, perhaps. This is my refuge. I set myself to slumber for centuries only to find myself woken months ago. I’ve been catching up on what I’ve missed out on, ya know?.” His slight accent disappears as he sounds more like a seventeen year old american by the end, I half expect him to slip out a totes. “This world is different. I like it.”

“Modern plumbing, it’s a miracle for sure.” I agree, motioning to the torches on the wall. “Electricity. Definitely a winner.”

He only snorts in amusement before moving over to a slab that I stupidly thought was a table until he pushed the top over to reveal a coffin. Well, it is a tomb and he had to sleep somewhere. “You want to go into the past, Hunter. I will take you there.”

“I was thinking more vision, dream or something - what do you mean take me there?”

“Exactly that.” He grinned, pulling out an something that looked like it belonged as part of a fortune tellers costume set. “What was that movie, ah, are you to go back, back to the past?”

“I’m pretty it’s back to the fut-” I start, hesitantly standing as his palm covers the globe. There is series of popping sounds, kind of like when you eat too much popping candy and in the blink of an eye, Dad, Alfie and the tomb are gone, replaced with the stone walls of a church instead.

“You wanted to see the past Hunter, here we are!” Sobek grins, waving a hand down below us.

He isn’t a crocodile, but instead dressed like an English gentleman. The only way I’m positive it is him is because he still has those golden eyes and looking down, I get to skip on the peasant clothing. Apparently I’m now a lady.

“We’re not in Kansas anymore are we Toto?”

“You reference me to a dog?” He snaps, unimpressed and guides me towards the stairs down.

“What, you’re the only one to make movie references Crocman?”

He snorts again, unimpressed before working it out with a small chuckle. “The tornado, yes?”

“Yeah.” Shaking my head, he extends his elbow and seeing another couple ahead of us walking that way, I link my arm in his. “Why are we in a church?”

“Why not?” He answers with a shrug. “Your clothes are nicer this time.”

“Thank you.”

Sobek offers a smile, that for once isn’t terrifying and we head out into the daylight and literally walk right into Cain. Well this couldn’t have gone any worse, not even if we tried.

Just. Great.