The Black-Hearted Ninja (The Dark Triangle #1)

Jay's Turn

Jay's P.O.V.
We're in a nervous huddle in the living room. By 'we' I mean everyone except Cole (obviously) and Lloyd (who Kai told to go eat candy, in a failed effort to keep him from getting scared.) Zane has his arm protectively around Pixal, who doesn't seem to mind. Skylor stands behind the couch, her hands clutching the gray upholstery. Kai paces back and forth, smoke coming from the tips of his hair. Nya holds an ice pack to her cheek with one hand and I hold the other. Bandages cover the long scratches on her arms. She sits pale and distant, focusing on her feet.
"What are we going to do about Cole?" Kai says, agitated. Ever since Nya got her bandages, he hasn't looked at her. I think he's afraid he'll snap. "We can't just let him have free access to massacre all of us in our sleep!" "We don't even have any proof Cole did this. He just lays there when anyone else enters the room except apparently Nya." Skylor points out, silencing Kai. I hear a faint voice at my right. "It was him." We all stare at Nya, who doesn't look up from her feet. "C-Cole, he looked normal for a moment, it seemed like he was gonna kiss me and then he- well, he did this." Her eyes flicker up and a single tear trickles down her cheek. For once, I'm rendered speechless. How could Cole do that to Nya? And did I mention nobody kisses my girl?
"Nya, why didn't you tell us earlier?" Kai yells. Getting angry is Kai's coping method when he's scared, like how I make a lame joke and then hyperventilate, or Cole-
Change the subject in your brain, Jay.
"I tried. I guess I just couldn't deal with it. He just- wasn't Cole." Nya says in reply. I feel her hand trembling. Whatever Cole did really upset her. I suddenly get very cold, like someone-or something- is watching us.
Get yourself together, Jay. Be strong.
"The most logical thing to do would be a watch on Cole, to make sure he doesn't try anything else." Zane speaks up. "Zane is correct. Until we compute what has happened to Cole, a watch would be best." Pixal chimes in. "Who volunteers?" Skylor asks, looking up. There is a moment of terrified silence in the room. Then I feel my mouth move. "I do." I say. Nya sits bolt upright. "Anyone but Jay." She pleads. "Please, I have a bad feeling about this." "Why not, Nya? Do you think I'm weak? I'm doing this for you and you can't stop me!" I tell her, gazing straight into her hazel eyes. She doesn't look away. "Okay, Jay will watch." Skylor says. "I'm going to call Sensei and see what he thinks about this." But I barely hear her. All I can focus on is the look of dread in Nya's eyes.
No P.O.V.
In his room, Cole looked up. A smile crossed his pale lips, and his reddish eyes narrowed. "It's Jay's turn." He rasped. "And I can't wait to shut him up."
Jay's P.O.V.
That night I go into Cole's room. During our late dinner, Nya only picked at her food and gave me mournful glances. There's something she's not telling me, I'm so tired of being treated like a glass bird. Nya might not believe it, but I can take care of myself. I hope.
Cole is in the exact same position as always. Warily, I sit in his desk chair. On the desk is a piece of abandoned cake. In icing on the top, it says Love, Cole.
I look away.
"Okay, I'm watching you. Whatever is wrong with you, Cole, we're going to find out and until then you're not going to do anything." I glare at him but feel my voice shaking. "You hear me?" Cole doesn't move. So I settle in and do the only thing I know how, talk. About anything, really.
I don't see that his fingers have snapped apart until it's too late.
Nya's P.O.V.
I wake up in the morning with a horrible feeling coursing through my veins. I know something is wrong. Sliding out of bed, I rush down the stairs to Cole's room and open the door. Sprawled on the floor is Jay. Blood soaks the front of his shirt.
Cole is sitting up.
I look between them, then run to Jay. "Wake up! Wake up!" I cry. Then my head while to Cole. "You did this! You hurt Jay! He might be dead!"
I can feel my breaths coming faster. "What did you do to him?" Then I get my answer. There is a small slit at Jay's throat. "JAY!" His eyelashes flutter. "Don't die!" He opens his mouth, trying to talk, but he can only squeak. I brush his hair back. "You'll be okay." I say, more to comfort myself than him. Then I look at Cole again. "You monster." I say, voice an octave lower.
He winks at me.
Winks at me.
And blows a kiss.
No P.O.V.
Kai awoke to the sound of his sister's sobs. Without wasting time, he leapt out of bed and sprinted toward the sound. He entered Cole's room to see Jay on the floor, trying to talk, with blood on his collar, and Nya looking with horror at Cole, who seemed exactly the same. Tears streamed silently out of her eyes. Wordlessly, Kai stepped into the room, wondering what to do. Something on the desk caught his eye.
Papers were strewn across the floor to make space for a grisly note. Carved into the desktop were the words, I finally shut him up. Next to the note was a plate with a piece of untouched cake on it. The icing on the cake read,
Love, Cole