Page 57 of Infernal Secrets

“That won’t be a problem,” Ash said, sitting forward, sliding the container of hush puppies toward me. “Zeke can go with you whenever you need groceries.”

“And how does that help?” I grabbed a hush puppy when he tilted his head to encourage me to eat. “None of you has a job or money.” My face pinched as a thought occurred to me. “Actually… how did you get phones and new clothes?” They were all wearing different outfits from when they’d arrived. Similar style, but new.

“About that…”

I turned to Ash, taking a bite of the hush puppy. My heart skipped when he smiled, as if pleased with my compliance. With his long hair, braids, and trimmed beard, his charming smile softened his rugged features, warming them.

“Zeke’s different from the rest of us,” he said.

“How so?”

“He’s a Vithrelas.”

“He’s not a Shyrlivi?” I looked at Zeke. “Didn’t you say you were Shyrlivi?”

“I am, but the Vithrelas are a type of Shyrlivi.”

“Gifted,” Cyn said, leaning back on his hands, playing with a silver barbell between his teeth, confirming my suspicion about a tongue piercing.

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Zeke mumbled, averting his eyes.

“That’s just because Cornaith is a piece of shit.”

My gaze shifted to Ezra. They said Cornaith was his father, but he didn’t seem bothered by Cyn’s rude description of his father.

“Cornaith uses Zeke’s abilities to his advantage,” Ash said, drawing my attention away from Ezra’s icy gaze that ensnared me once again. “Vithrelas are rare, but special among our kind. They can manipulate people’s minds.”

“He’s psychic?”

“Something like that, but it goes beyond what humans believe are psychic abilities.” Ash paused as if choosing his words. “He can do a variety of things, but in this situation, he can use the power of suggestion to get the things we need without harming someone.”

“How does that work?”

Ezra glanced at Zeke before looking at me. “He can seize information in their minds and weave a vision from it, which distracts them from what is actually happening around them. Father often uses Zeke’s ability to get information or search places we otherwise wouldn’t have access to.”

Zeke shifted uncomfortably. “It’s not as straightforward as that.”

I looked at him.

“I can’t just go poking around in your brain and find out whatever I want. I can’t see all the thoughts in your head.”

He pressed his lips tight, a divot forming between his brows before they shot up.

“Oh! Think of it like this! When I want to connect, I think of the person, and it’s like I step into a hazy room full of smoke and blurred pictures. I can’t see any of it clearly. But I feel what I need and then, wham, I’ve got them in a snare and the vision they see unfolds. I don’t always get to see what it is, but sometimes I do if they are really open to me. I don’t like that.”

“Why not?”

The whole thing sounded confusing, but I’d already figured out that Zeke struggled to express his thoughts clearly.

“Vithrelas work with desire,” Ezra said. When my mouth dropped open, he added, as if knowing where my mind went, “Nearly every being desires something. It isn’t always sexual.”

Why does that word sound so wicked out of his mouth?

Zeke sighed. “When it is sexual, I don’t like seeing it. Other Vithrelas feed on it, but not me. I hate taking advantage of people, so I only use it if I absolutely have to—unless I’m playing jokes on these guys.” He looked at Cyn. “Except him. He doesn’t let me use it on him.”

“You really want to see my desires?” Cyn laughed at Zeke’s shocked expression. “Didn’t think so.”

“Considering the blood, I’m afraid to—mmph!”