Free Vampires Don't Sparkle: Deathless Book 3 by Chris Fox

fear his servants exuded.  
    His steps slowed as he approached the black throne at the base of the central obelisk, which pulsed with its own inner light. He’d not yet allowed the Ark to surface, so power was drawn exclusively from the Well, deep within the earth. Unlike the other great Arks, his had an endless supply of power, keeping it well-fueled during the long ages when the other Ark Lords slumbered. That had allowed him to grow in both power and knowledge, and when he confronted his enemies they’d find he’d greatly eclipsed their limited abilities.
    Particularly in light of the powers bestowed upon him by his new masters. That term galled him, chafing like a collar. It was difficult acknowledging another as master, but the fact that these beings had created the Arks made swallowing such a bitter pill easier. They had immense strength, and if he wished to one day rule this world he would need to learn everything they had to teach.
    “What troubles you, my husband?” Nephthys hissed from the shadows.  
    He glanced in her direction, noting the glittering red eyes in the darkness. Even she was wary of approaching him, though she stood higher than all others. “The Nexus should have fallen by now, crushed by the ocean.”
    “It has not?” Nephthys said, stepping into the faint light exuded by the central obelisk. Her features were hidden behind a truly horrifying helm, one he himself had designed. It closely mirrored his own, and he longed for the day when his irritating brother quailed at the sight of them. Osiris would recognize the power in the corrupted metal, and know despair.
    “It has not,” he snapped, turning from her to face the central obelisk. Her penchant for stating the obvious wore on him. “Someone or something must have forged another conduit, which I find most troubling.”
    “Osiris?” she asked, voice quavering at the name—rightly so. His brother’s name often sent Set into a rage, and who could blame him? He’d suffered countless injustices at the hands of his brother.
    “Possibly,” Set replied, sitting upon the black throne at the base of the obelisk. “Yet I do not think so. A conduit would require an Ark, and I robbed my brother of his. Either he has found an ally, or there is a new player on the board. Either way my spies will soon know the truth of it.”
    Set waved a hand, dismissing his wife. She crept back into the shadows, which writhed with the forms of many other servants. All were careful not to approach the light. The room was silent, save for the crunching and slurping that came from the corpse of the demon he’d slain.

Chapter 13- Intruder

    “Can you show me a map of the Nexus?” Blair asked, wolfish ears twitching as he sought some sound of the intruder Ka had mentioned.
    “Of course, Ka-Dun,” Ka answered, gesturing with a translucent four-fingered hand. A second hologram sprung to life, hovering in the air not far from the construct. It showed a top-down view of the Nexus, which was much, much larger than Blair would have assumed.
    The few corridors he’d explored were just the topmost section. They radiated out from the room where he stood, seven spokes connecting to light bridges that linked the entire Ark network. Below that level were a number of thin passages that connected to outlying structures.
    Most of those outlying structures were pyramids, and there were perhaps a dozen of various sizes. If he used this room for scale, at least a few were the size of the great Arks, large enough to contain an entire city. The Nexus could house a million people. Maybe more. Just what the hell had the Builders been like?
    A red dot appeared near one of the light bridges. It was advancing up the hallway, coming for this room. Blair sank into a combat crouch, prowling to the edge of the room. He lurked near the door, trying to remain as silent as possible. The red dot was coming closer, but wouldn’t reach him for another minute or more.
    “Ka, when the