The Lies Behind That Smile

Chapter Twenty-Three

When Nikki opened her eyes it was to an array of anxious faces. Two pairs of eyes stared intently at her and a cold hand rested on her forehead. She was slumped against Josh and he had his arm tightly around her.

"Are you okay?"

"What happened?"

"Was it them again?"

She felt Zeke push in to her mind as Sam and Josh hurled a barrage of questions at her. Without thinking, she reached out and took Sam's hand whilst offering her other to Josh. As soon as she had them she quietened their minds before showing them exactly what she'd dreamt.

"She was right, I couldn't sense you." Zeke hissed.

Nikki sighed. "But can I trust her?"

The van fell silent as everyone looked around, each asking the same question with their eyes.

"Do we have any reason not to?" Sam asked. "I mean, they have helped you so far. Perhaps it really was just a test to see if they could trust you? After all, and I mean no disrespect or offence, but you are, or rather were, a demon of Latébris, our enemy."

Josh shot out an arm and punched Sam's thigh, unimpressed with his choice of words.

"Again," Sam ground out through gritted teeth, "no offence!"

"I don't know." Nikki sighed, exhausted from her sleep. "I don't know who to trust anymore, I've been misled so easily before."

Her mind drifted back to David, the ex-Charge now follower of Unus, who had promised her the truth. A small part of her acknowledge that what he'd actually told her had been the truth but lying by omission still counted in her book.

"How can we be sure she's even a Dantisticia? As far as we know it could be a demon in disguise." Josh offered.

Sam shrugged, sitting down heavily and stretching his legs out in front of him. His hands rubbed his face and Nikki noticed how tired he looked.

"It's happening again. I'm being sucked back in." She stared unseeing in to the distance and wracked her brain for any way out of the new mess she'd become entangled in. "I thought I'd done my bit, why are they trying to use me all over again?"

"Because of your power--" Sam began.

"But it's not even that strong any more. There are far deadlier demons out there."

Once again the van became oppressive in the heavy silence that followed until an uncomfortable looking Ezekius sat himself by the doors and cleared his throat.

"You're not as weak as you think, not anymore.  Can you not feel it? It's back and this time I fear it's even stronger."

Simultaneously, Nikki's blood ran cold as a flash of searing heat passed through her veins. Automatically she held her hands out in front of her and there is was, the undeniable flame licking at her skin, only it was no longer a pale watery blue but rather a strong cobalt colour that shimmered hypnotically.

"But ..." Turning her hands over, Nikki closed her eyes and followed the warmth through her body. It was true, it seeped through her veins, coming alive as if it had only lain dormant for the last few years. "How is this possible?"

"Think back to your dream. When Materdúe touched you, you felt it then. If I had to guess I would surmise that her spark lit the dying embers of your gift and with the added fuel of Elizabeth's blood it has re-awoken your fire." Ezekius cast his face downwards and sighed heavily. "As for the question circling in your mind, I believe they have chosen you for many reasons. First they recognise your potential. Get this right and they really could end the war through you. Your power is growing and I believe that soon it will surpass any even they've seen before. And as a demon it's easier for you to blend in. It's far easier for you than say a Charge or a Guardian. Hidden within the confines of your cloak, most of our kind would hardly give you a second glance. But more importantly, you're a demon with humanity. And it's growing everyday. You're changing, it's subtle but I see it. You have the hopeful glint back in your eye. It's something very distinctive of the human race. Ending their life is easy but dowsing their hope is far more difficult that you'd imagine."