A flash of anger overtook her when she thought of Ethan Campbell. “Edwin, please don’t tell me you had anything to do with that boy’s murder.”

  The old man shook his head. His white hair, which had been dark when she last saw him, was cut short. His green eyes looked a bit faded and tired, as if he were just going through the motions of life. He offered her his hand, palm up. It bore the same S-shaped birthmark as

  her

  own

  .

  “Aria, I am no admirer of Cedric

  Astaroth

  ,

  but

  —

  ”

  “He’s a damn vampire!”

  “But…we have a

  common

  goal

  .”

  “What possible goal could we ever have in common with them? They only exist because we didn’t do

  our

  jobs

  .”

  When some witches and wizards died, not having received the sin eating ritual, they rose again and returned as vampires—the walking damned. The wizarding community traditionally lived in fear of carrying the potential of becoming a vampire, and so they sought the services of sin eaters. Non-wizards who mingled with and married wizards also picked up the practice of calling up sin eaters, though they weren’t as prevalent. However, in today’s world, when both sin eaters and vampires were extremely hard to come by, many wizards simply moved on and forgot

  about

  them

  .

  Edwin clenched his jaw. “Look around you, we did our jobs, and the world hated us for it and cast us out for it! They are destroying themselves, and I am simply letting them

  do

  it

  .”

  “With the help of vampires.”

  He shook his head. “You were there. You saw what they did during that war, with their concentration camps and genocides. They kill their own without remorse. Cedric, Belagio, and any other vampire that comes along and punishes them are simply instruments of justice. Some may even say, Divine Justice.”

  She couldn’t believe the bullshit he was spewing. “And what about that boy? Ethan? Was murdering him and leaving him to rot part of

  your

  plan

  ?”

  “That was unexpected. I would’ve never allowed that boy to be harmed had I been present. Belagio is responsible for that, and I will hold him accountable for it. Rest assured, I performed the Final Rite for the boy, and sped him on his way toward the Light.”

  “As if that’s supposed to make me feel better. Or his parents. You can go to hell. Whatever those vampires do, it’s on your head too. Don’t try and pretend your hands are clean.”

  Suddenly, Edwin’s composure wasn’t as cool and collected. She knew she’d hit a nerve. He shifted toward her, but still kept a certain distance. “Aria, you haven’t aged. I remember when you were brought to me in 1922...you were only two years old then. You still perform the ritual to keep your youth and stay alive, but why can’t you admit that you’re tired of it? Isn’t that why you’re trying to find your mother, so you can receive The Undoing? Aren’t you exhausted, carrying these people’s sins and burdens, only to have so-called Watchers call you an abomination and treat you like a criminal?”

  She had asked herself the same question, and more than once. But then, she always found a way to keep going. And she had her moments of being fed up with humanity, but she would never appoint herself as judge. Looking at Edwin, she saw what she could become if she remained distant and bitter. Would The Undoing even help her if she despised the very people she wanted to

  assimilate

  with

  ?

  She now realized that what drove her was more than survival and putting a roof over her head. Sin eating was her calling, and her connection to humanity gave her meaning. If she could allow Margot and the Volgens family in, then it meant she didn’t lose faith in humanity. She could never see herself in Edwin’s place.

  She gestured toward the door. “Yet, it looks like you’re working with the Watchers. They brought

  me

  here

  .”

  “They’re under the impression Cedric Astaroth, or Warren Bright, as he is known elsewhere, is just another billionaire sympathetic to their cause. Like the Perkins fellow. They are his unwitting tools, and Cedric

  is

  mine

  .”

  “To

  what

  end

  ?”

  Who was this angry, sad man in front of her? With his sparse white hair, weary eyes, and empty soul? This wasn’t the Edwin who raised her, who taught her about compassion and believing in the good humanity had to offer.

  Edwin offered his birthmarked palm again. “After you went your own way in the 1940’s, something happened

  to

  me

  .”

  She then understood why he wanted her to touch his hand. He wanted to share a vivid memory with her. A vision.

  “What happened to you?” The back of her throat ached and her hand trembled, but part of her needed to understand what broke him. She finally placed her hand, palm down, onto his. She immediately felt a rush of energy pass from him to her. The tiny room, Edwin’s thin frame, all of it faded from her sight as she was drawn into the vision he wanted to

  show

  her

  .

  The last thing she heard from Edwin was, “I fell

  in

  love

  .”

  * * *

  The scene unfolded before Aria. She saw a younger Edwin, driving at dusk in a black 1961 Lincoln Continental. She remembered him sending her a letter earlier that year with a picture of him standing in front of it and showing it off. What then caught Aria’s attention was the woman sitting in the passenger seat, playfully poking at Edwin and trying to get him to laugh.

  “You’re going to tell me where you’re taking me, Edwin Kovar.”

  “Nadine, I told you it’s a surprise. I can’t surprise you if you know what it is.” He wore a satisfied grin. He looked hopeful, green eyes bright and happy. That was the Edwin that Aria remembered.

  And she could see why he was content. Nadine was gorgeous—dark brown eyes, knockout shape, and smooth dark brown skin. Her voice was warm and velvety, and the way she laughed and spoke indicated her good nature and infectious personality.

  Nadine slid closer to him, planting a kiss behind his ear. “Are we going to California? I’ve always wanted to see Hollywood.”

  “New Mexico.” His eyes still scanned

  the

  road

  .

  She raised her eyebrows. “Really? Why there?”

  He had a playful smile. “Oh, so you don’t like that? I guess I’ll just turn this car around, drop you

  back

  off

  …”

  “Don’t you dare!” she squealed with a laugh when he made a move to make a U-turn. “New Mexico is fine! I just wanted to know what’s there

  for

  us

  .”

  Edwin’s smile faded. He noticed another car behind them in the rearview mirror. “Check the glove compartment.”

  Nadine scooted over and opened it. She reached in and gasped. It was a ring box. “Ed…you didn’t.”

  “Open it.” He pressed down on the gas pedal and

  sped

  up

  .

  “Oh, honey. I told you that the ceremony we had with your people was enough for me. Who cares what a piece of

  paper

  says

  ?”

  He shook his head. “I care. You’re my wife, and we’re going to New Mexico to get it recognized. It’s legal there.”

  She opened the box and looked ready to cry. “It’s beautiful.” She slipped the diamond

  ring

  on

  .

  “I don’t care about your skin color, Nadine, and you don’t care that I’m a sin eater. We’ll make a great couple.”

  She snorted a laugh, all the while wiping the tears falling from her eyes. “Are you really old? Older than my parents?”

  “I hope that’s not a deal breaker.”

  “Too late, buddy. I’m already here, and you can’t get rid

  of

  me

  .”

  “I’m almost a hundred, give

  or

  take

  .”

  She let out a sharp cry. Not in response to what he said, but because the car from behind rammed into them, sending the Lincoln spinning out of control. Edwin gritted his teeth and gripped the steering wheel, struggling to regain control. The car finally ran off the road and crashed into a ditch. Edwin’s level of fear was so palpable, that even Aria, as a spectator of this memory, could

  feel

  it

  .

  Edwin had a bloodied face from his head slamming into the steering wheel. He lifted his head slowly, hissing at the pain. He came to his senses when he heard Nadine moan in pain. She had hit the windshield headfirst, and though she didn’t break it, a large crack marred the front.

  The occupants of the other car, a pickup truck, came to a quick halt at the side of the road, leaving the headlights on. Three men wearing white hoods and the emblem of the Ku Klux Klan emblazoned on their chests jumped out and approached. The tallest one of the group carried a revolver, and the one behind him brandished a shotgun. They hooted and howled at the sight of Edwin, who opened his car door and stumbled toward them weaponless.

  “Now what do we have here?” The hooded leader tilted his head and spotted Nadine inside. She wore a panicked expression at seeing the klansmen and tried to call out to Edwin, but only coughed up blood. The leader approached the Lincoln.

  The klansman with the shotgun spoke. “We thought we saw you together a few miles back. Decided we’d say hello.”

  Edwin turned on his heel and tried to grab the leader as he headed toward Nadine and the car, but the third one rushed forward and punched Edwin before he could get a word out or defend himself. The force of the blow sent him to the ground. He barely saved himself from landing face-first into the dirt by bracing himself with his forearms. He grunted and clenched his teeth as the pain from both the attack and the car injury racked

  his

  body

  .

  “Edwin!”

  A gunshot rang out, cutting Nadine’s blood curdling scream short.

  “No!” Despite his sore limbs and throbbing head, he jumped to his feet. “Cowards!”

  The one with the shotgun chuckled and approached, shoving the barrel into Edwin’s face. “And what is your skinny, pale ass going to do

  about

  it

  ?”

  Edwin made a sweeping motion with his left arm and knocked the shotgun aside, a move the klansman didn’t expect. The klansman tried to re-train the gun on him but fumbled with it. Instead of running or trying to fight for control of the weapon, Edwin grabbed the man by the scruff of his neck. His right hand, which carried his sin eater birthmark, glowed an eerie deep yellow, and he crashed his fist into the man’s hooded face,

  stunning

  him

  .

  The third klansman yelled out and rushed forward, but Edwin held up his glowing hand and a blazing light hit him. The man screeched and fell to his knees.

  “You want to say hello?” Edwin asked through clenched teeth, “Say hello to sixty years of all your shit I had to carry!”

  The klansman on his knees howled and tore off his hood. Large boils covered his face, and he began clawing out his own eyes. The leader with the revolver took cover behind the Lincoln, right next to the passenger side with Nadine’s body, and fired a shot at Edwin. He threw the stunned klansmen in his grasp forward, using him as a shield. The bullet pierced the klansman’s shoulder and he yelped. Edwin rushed forward, still positioning himself behind the man and using him as a shield. The leader shot three more times, hitting his companion instead of Edwin.

  When Edwin was close enough to the car, he reached deep down within him and brought forth the sheer power and weight of decades of sin eating—every murder, lie, act of theft or destruction, he channeled through his magical aura and unleashed it onto the man he was using as a shield. The man shrieked. His head burst into flame and he fell to the ground.

  The leader trembled as he backed away, though he used the other side of the car to keep distance between himself and Edwin. “What the hell

  are

  you

  ?”

  Edwin peered at Nadine through the now-shattered driver’s side window. He roared, “What the hell

  are

  you

  ?”

  The man stumbled backward and fired his last shot from the revolver. He missed. Edwin sprinted toward him and kicked the gun out of his hand. He punched the klansman as hard as he could, then ripped his hood off. It was a middle aged man, with brown hair and even muddier eyes. Edwin didn’t know who he was, nor did he care. All he knew was that the man had taken the one person he had loved above all else away

  from

  him

  .

  Edwin’s birthmark glowed again, this time a

  fiery

  red

  .

  The klansman’s face went pale. “You’re not going to blow me up,

  are

  you

  ?”

  An unearthly howl filled the quiet

  night

  air

  .

  Still breathing heavily and running on adrenaline, Edwin straightened his back and stood tall. He stepped away from the klansman, and it made the coward whimper. Neither the man nor Edwin could see the hellhounds; the man wasn’t a disembodied spirit, and Edwin wasn’t conducting a proper sin eating ritual. Aria, still viewing this entire memory, was both frightened and amazed. Edwin had never taught her how to summon the Hounds of Hell or redirect the flow of sins and cast them onto people as punishment.

  Hungry growls from the invisible hounds grew louder. The klansman cried out and tried to rise to his feet, but he suddenly collapsed and began screeching. His limbs flailed in every direction as the invisible predators tore him limb from limb. Edwin didn’t flinch at the spray of blood, crunching of bone, and dismemberment that took place

  before

  him

  .

  When the klansman was nothing more than a pile of leftovers, Edwin raised his marked hand, and uttered a command: “Leave!”

  There must’ve been almost eight hellhounds by the sound of their snarls and barks. They seemed to protest, and a few even broke from the pack as their growls grew dangerously close to where Edwin stood, but he never wavered. He shouted for them to leave once more, and he let the glowing red S-mark fade back to normal. The hounds must’ve acquiesced, because their barks faded, and finally the night fell back into an uneasy silence.

  Edwin trembled and sobbed. He lurched toward the car and opened the passenger side door. Nadine fell into his arms, her eyes wide open and devoid of that spark he had been drawn to. He wept, grabbing a duffle bag from the back seat of the car and zipping it open. He pulled out a cup, a bottle of wine, and bread. Before beginning his sin eating ritual, he promised in a low voice that he would one day

  join

  her

  .

  * * *

  Edwin pulled Aria out of the memory so quickly that her view of the tiny room spun and she thought she was going to be ill. She pulled her hand away from Edwin’s grasp. Her chest rose and fell, her breathing ragged. Tears brimmed her eyes as she finally managed to find her voice.

  “I…didn’t know. God, I’m sorry, Edwin. I’m so sorry that happened

  to

  you

  .”

  His eyes watered, though he didn’t let a single tear fall. “Tell me again, why I should eat away their sins? Or take on their burden, or clear the path for them? I worked and worked for years without asking for a thing, even after that horrid world war. And I find one bit of happiness, someone who made it all bearable, and they took her away. I don’t care if they beg and cry penance, crawling on their knees through shards of glass. They deserve to be destroyed by Astaroth and Belagio, and the Hounds of Hell, and whatever other punishment comes

  their

  way

  .”

  “But,

  there

  —

  ”

  “There are good people in the world? Not all people are despicable like those men? Was that what you were going to say?” He rose to his feet, eyeing her with contempt.

  “This isn’t you, Edwin. I

  know

  you

  .”

  “Come with me, Aria. I’ve found other sin eaters who are willing to start over with us. We will rightly decide the course of mankind, and we will distribute justice. We can start saving those who deserve to be saved.”

  “Who exactly deserves it? And who are we to decide?”

  He raised a finger, as if reprimanding her. “You know I will never harm a child. They are innocent, and they’re the only ones I’ve done the ritual for since…that night.”

  “No,” she said. “I know what you want to do. You want a war. You expect the vampires to wipe out people and somehow control themselves and let their kids live so you can mold them anyway

  you

  like

  ?”

  “Humanity is too tainted. But if we start afresh with young people who have not been corrupted by hatred,

  greed

  ,

  and

  —

  ”

  “You don’t even see that you’ve become the very thing

  you

  hate

  .”

  His breath caught in his throat, and he stared at her a few seconds. “You’re a fool, Aria. And naive.”