Nikki spent the next few days in and out of consciousness, waking at various hours of the day to eat and drink. Whenever she came too, she opened her eyes to find Josh and Ezekius glued to her sides. As time passed, the pain lessoned and she began to regain strength. Almost two weeks after the battle in the forest, she dragged herself up and sat staring at her two companions.
"You have colour in your cheeks again." Josh beamed
"I feel much better. Think I might even get up today." She returned his grin briefly before averting her eyes. She didn't want to have the upcoming conversation but she also knew the longer she put it off the harder it would be to broach the subject with him.
"Josh, we need to talk."
His face dropped. "No. Not yet. Let's wait until you're completely healed."
It was obvious by his reaction that he knew what was coming and like her he wanted to avoid it but Nikki knew they had to face reality.
"No. This won't wait. You need to hear what I've got to say and then you and your friends--"
"Our friends. They're your friends too."
"No. Maybe. They used to be." She sighed heavily; he wasn't making this easy.
Nikki cocked her head trying to decipher the best approach. She needed to make Josh understand but she didn't know how to achieve this without angering or upsetting him. Absently she lifted her hand to her bare neck and stroked the flesh where the necklace, his necklace, had hung.
"Do you still feel me Josh? Without the necklace?"
A tiny smile reappeared as he nodded. "Yeah, it took a little time, after you took it off, but I can still feel you. I knew you were frightened and then really confused. Then you went completely calm so I knew you were sleeping. It's not as strong as it is when you're wearing it but yeah I can still feel ... " He frowned allowing his words to die.
Nikki waited, watching Josh's face carefully as he lost himself in his thoughts. He frowned and shook his head. As he mused silently Ezekius slid his fingertips over the blankets and brushed them against her bare arm. He wanted to take her back to David's. He'd been ordered to return with her as soon as possible so she could begin her training.
Training?
Josh broke through their mute conversation. "I couldn't feel you when you ... When your eyes go black it's like- like you don't exist anymore. I just feel cold, really, really cold. When you attacked the demons, when you started talking in that strange voice, I couldn't feel you at all."
She inhaled and glanced at the demon next to her.
Get ready Ezekius. We may need to leave quickly but wait for my signal.
She subtly moved her arm and laced her fingers through the demons, gripping him tightly with nerves
"Josh. What I'm going to tell you is the truth, the absolute truth. It's going to be hard for you to hear but ... You'll find out sooner or later and I'd prefer it came from me." Her hand trembled in Ezekius' as she tried to quell her apprehension.
Josh stared with narrowed, cautious eyes, his gaze resting on her hand clutching at her demon. "What is it?"
Her heart kicked up a gear. "Remember back in the hotel, after I'd jumped? Sam told us what he'd heard about Unus? The stories said Unus had suffered a loss, that one of the Prophets had been killed in the battles. Josh do you remember?"
Josh wrestled his eyes from their hands up to her face and nodded slowly. "Yeah?"
"They weren't just stories. Unus is made up of Four Prophets of Latébris and each has a unique ability, separately they're the Kings of that world, they rule in equal proportions but together their collective consciousness becomes Unus, a very powerful, pretty much unstoppable, being; A God." She spoke clearly and slowly hoping that Josh would keep up with her, she wanted to explain to him before anyone else joined them, it would become more dangerous with extra bodies around.
"So?"
"When the Four Prophets come together they can hear each other, feel each other. They become one another. They are connected to every demon in Latébris. When they unite ... They speak as a collective." She paused, praying that Josh would make the connection. His eyes darkened as he took a step away from her, his baffled stare becoming hostile.
"I like you Josh, I really do and I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you but we don't belong together." She swallowed and clung tighter to Ezekius.
"Josh, I am the lost Prophet they've been waiting for. I'm part of the group that makes up Unus. When I turn, when my eyes go black, I'm your enemy, you said so yourself. I'm not part of this world. I'm not a Power. That's why the demons of Mortemb came after me so hard, they know and they want to wipe me out before I could join the Proph--"
"What the hell have you been telling her?" Josh screamed as he lurched over Nikki to grab Ezekius but before he could connect the demon had taken Nikki and shifted to the barren land of Latébris.
Nikki kept her eyes open as she surveyed the desert like landscape, the orange, scorched dust stretched for miles over the jagged rocks and crevasses. The black sky was decorated with three flaming balls of fire, each of them periodically spitting out tongues of flames. But despite the three suns the desert was cold and Nikki shivered. She scanned the horizon for any sign of shelter but they were surrounded by nothing but sand.
"I can move through the worlds because I'm a demon. That's why it doesn't kill me isn't it?"
She didn't need an answer, but her companion confirmed her suspicions.
"So what about David? He's human."
Ezekius shook his head. Their hands connected and he showed her David drinking a glass of red wine. No, not wine... Blood.
"He drinks demon blood to enable him to move between our worlds."
Yes.
"Okay," she bit her lip and winced, "no backing out now. Take me back to Sam's, but stand behind me and keep close." She sighed and looked at Ezekius. "I know what I need to do. Once we're done we can go back to David's."
He nodded before bowing.
"Is your voice really so bad?"
She was surprised when the demon smiled, his thin white lips pulling together tightly but he declined to answer, instead her vision trembled like the air in a jet-stream, until she found herself back in the bedroom. She was in the opposite corner, farthest from the door with her back pressed against her demon. Josh was in the open door way.
"Josh."
He turned, his face livid.
She threw up a hand in front of her. "Stop! If you hurt him, you hurt me. Now please ... Sit down and listen, for me. I have to say this before I go."
She could tell she had his attention as his eyes whipped from the demon behind her to hers. His confusion was plain to see.
"I'm telling you this because of what we've shared, because you've protected me and cared for me and because there's something between us that has to end now. I've joined with the Prophets so I know what I've said is the truth. You've seen it with your own eyes, first at the car and then with the Hounds. There's no point fighting this, it's my destiny and the more I fight it the more confused and dangerous I become."
"No. You're no more a demon than I am and you sure as hell aren't evil." He took a step towards her.
"Has it ever occurred to you that what you've been told isn't strictly true?"
He gaped at her in disbelief. "Are you insane?"
She smiled sympathetically. "I did think that for a while but no. Josh, you said it yourself, I'm not evil. And I am Unus, or at least part of Unus, so doesn't it stand to reason that--"
"This is bullshit! Nikki can't you see that they're playing you?"
"Oh Josh." Her strength to wavered. "I know what I am now and there's no denying it. How can I make you see that?"
"What have they told you? What the--"
"Fine. See it for yourself." Nikki strode forwards with Ezekius hot on her heels.
"Show him. Show him everything, all my thoughts, everything I've done, the whole lot, including my father. Show him please, make him understand." She moved to the side to allow Ezekius access to Josh whilst maintaining direct contact herself. She wanted to see what Josh saw.
"Take his hand, Josh, see it all for yourself."
"You've got to be kidding me. Whatever it's done to you--"
"Stop being so difficult and do it." Nikki snapped.
"No!"
She ground her teeth. "Fine, then get someone up here that will. What about Sam?"
Josh frowned. "What makes you think any of them will do it? You forget we've been doing this a lot longer than you, we know--"
"What? You know what Josh? You know nothing. You got it all wrong with me, why can't you just trust me and tr--"
"It's not you I don't trust." He glared for a moment before running his hands through his hair and sighing. "Nikki why don't you understand?"
She looked down and shook her head. "I do, but I know you're wrong." She raised her eyes and met his poignant stare. "I'm sorry but I can't stay with you. We belong in opposing worlds now."
"How can we? Nikki you're still human, you should be here with me." Josh argued.
"No. I'm as human as I am demon--"
"Then you belong with me just as much as you do them." Josh was becoming frantic as he sensed he was losing her.
She snorted. "And how am I supposed to do that? Besides which I'm not a Power so technically I have no bond with you." As she spoke, the words cut deep but she fought to hide her pain.
"That's not true. I feel you Nikki, we are connected. Don't lie to yourself, you feel it too. We have a bond and it doesn't matter how much you deny it, it exists and you feel it."
He reached towards her but she turned her face. Her resolve was melting under his heated eyes and she couldn't afford to be sidetracked.
"That may well be but it's not as strong as my union with the Prophets. I'm sorry Josh but--"
"Are you?" he interrupted vehemently. "You keep saying it but I don't see any remorse."
She stepped back, stung by his harsh words. "How can you think that? After all--"
"All what?" he raged. "All the hassle? The worry? The pain? You know what, maybe you're right, maybe you are a demon 'cos anyone with a heart sure as hell wouldn't put me through all this."
She closed her eyes and forced back the tears. He was only reacting to the difficult truth, she understood he was lashing out, but it was impossible not to feel the malice as he snarled at her.
Mikey, Sam and Will appeared in the doorway, out of breath and with their cheeks flushed.
"What's going on?" Sam asked full of suspicion.
"Ask her, she's the one with all the answers." Josh spat viciously.
Nikki backed in to the corner and sighed. "I never asked for any of this Josh. You came to me remember? If you had done your research better then maybe all of this could have been avoided, but you didn't and here we are." She looked at Sam. "I'm sorry Sam--"
"Oh here we go again," Josh rolled his eyes and shook his head, "if you're so damn sorry then do something about it. Words are cheap Nikki."
"Yeah. You're right Josh." Nikki conceded, leaning back against Ezekius' chest and taking his hands in hers. "I hope we don't run in to each other again, I really do, I hope that this is goodbye but if it isn't and the worst should happen, I won't harm you, any of you. I'll do everything I can to protect you--"
"Just go already." Josh said, his voice hollow.
Nikki nodded, biting back the hot liquid as it tried to spill over her lashes. With one final heart-breaking glance at Josh she squeezed Ezekius' hand and they shifted in to the world she would now call home.