Page 25

“No.” Silas tilted his head, examining Ethan like a specimen under glass. “What you are seeing here is our human construct, created so we can move about in public. Our true forms are pure shadow, and as such we don’t age.”

Ethan typed notes rapidly. “Question two: Do you require sleep?”

“We rest.” Cillian’s shadows pooled wider around his feet. “But not like humans. We enter a state of reduced consciousness for recovery.”

“How often?”

“Every forty-eight to seventy-two hours, typically.” Rook’s thumb traced small circles against Ethan’s spine through his shirt. “Unless we’ve fed recently. Consuming corruption provides energy.”

“Which leads to question three: How often do you need to feed?” Ethan scrolled down his list. “And what happens if you don’t?”

“That depends on the guardian.” Silas leaned back in his chair. “I require feeding every week. Thorn every five days. Rook and Cillian are closer to ten days between necessary feedings, but as with a human and their food consumption, we can eat at other times.”

“If we don’t feed, we do become unstable.” Thorn’s voice dropped lower. “The hunger grows, and eventually, we lose coherence and start consuming indiscriminately.”

“Has that happened?”

“Not in this city.” Thorn’s shadows moved in waves around his boots. “We monitor each other. If someone’s approaching instability, we prioritize their hunt.”

Ethan wondered how that might fit with nature documentaries about pack or herd behaviors, even as his fingers were flying across the phone’s keyboard, taking notes. “Question four: Can you be detected by technology? I was thinking of things like cameras, thermal imaging, or motion sensors?”

“Standard technology doesn’t register us unless we allow it.” Rook shifted closer. “We can choose to appear on cameras if we want to be recorded. Otherwise, we’re blind spots in surveillance systems.”

“That’s why Vane identified Julian through traffic cameras.” Cillian’s hand found Julian’s shoulder. “Julian appeared on the footage, but I didn’t.”

“I can see where that could be useful.” Ethan’s mind was already noting where that could be a help in investigations. “Question five: Are there other supernatural entities besides Guardians?”

The room went quiet. Ethan looked up from his phone, noting how everyone’s attention sharpened.

“Yes.” Julian adjusted his glasses. “But most aren’t relevant to your immediate situation. Fae exist but avoid cities. Vampires are territorial and stay in their own regions. Shifters live in pack structures outside urban areas.”

“And we only hunt the things that prey on humans, which are usually other humans.” Rook’s shadows curled possessively around Ethan’s ankle. “That’s our function - keeping the balance.”

“Question six: What exactly is a beacon?” Ethan met Rook’s gaze. “You said it’s rare, but you didn’t explain the biological mechanism.”

“Because we don’t fully understand it.” Silas stood, approaching with clinical interest. “May I?”

“May you what?”

“Examine your bioelectric signature.” Silas gestured toward the shadows reaching for Ethan. “It won’t hurt. I’m simply observing what Rook’s essence does in your presence.”

Ethan thought about it for a moment and then nodded. He was already fairly sure what Rook’s shadows might do, but he watched as Silas extended his hand, his own shadows unfurling. They were paler than Rook’s, almost silver-gray. They drifted toward Ethan, circling his forearm without touching. Rook’s shadows immediately wrapped around Ethan’s wrist, creating a barrier.

“Fascinating.” Silas withdrew his shadows. “Rook’s essence recognized mine as a potential threat and moved to intercept. The bond’s already protective.”

“But what causes it?” Ethan pulled his arm back, studying the way Rook’s shadows clung to his skin like living jewelry.

“Your soul burns brighter than other humans.” Julian stood, moving closer. “Guardians perceive it as light in their darkness. Like me, you’re an anchor - someone whose existence provides stability to beings made of hunger and shadow.”

“So it’s a compatibility mechanism.” Ethan’s fingers traced the shadow wrapped around his wrist. It felt warmer than it had the night before. “Guardian essence recognizes specific human bioelectric patterns and forms attachment.”

“That’s one way to describe it.” Cillian’s entirely black eyes watched Ethan carefully. “Julian calls it ‘fated mates.’ We recognize our perfect match on a fundamental level.”

“Question seven: Can the bond be severed?”

Rook’s entire body went rigid against Ethan’s back. “Why would you want to…”

“I’m gathering information about all possible outcomes.” Ethan kept his tone level. “That includes understanding if this is reversible or permanent.”