~Nico~
"So there is someone hunting down werewolves?" Damien asks in disbelief.
"Seems so," I say, stirring my drink.
Damien thinks for a moment. "Who did you hear this from?"
"One of my sources," I say nonchalantly.
"Mhm. Well, who- I mean what could possibly be hunting down a werewolf? I know that humans have tried in the past, but... So what could it be this time?"
"Hell if I know. I'm not sure I want to find out either. I mean, I am a werewolf after all. Maybe she'll make friends with a hundred-year-old gay vampire, though." I look pointedly at Damien who puts his hands up defensively.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Is she's strong enough to hunt your kind, I think I'll opt out of that meeting."
I glance at the watch on my wrists before grabbing my backpack. "I've got to go. I've got work at the coffee place tonight." I stand up from my seat.
"Aw, leaving already? You just got here. Why won't you just work here?" Damien follows me to the door like a puppy.
"I don't think I could stand dealing with you for that long. Plus, I'm underage. I can't serve drinks." I open the door, letting a cold blast into the shop.
"As if I care about age at this point. I'm over a hundred years old. Age is a fickle thing, honey. Plus, you're hot as hell." Damien slaps my ass playfully. "You're fit, you're tall, and you're handsome. Not to forget troubled. What's not to love?"
A growl builds up in my throat, but Damien just laughs it off. I swear, all this man can think about is guys.
~*~*~*~
The sun is setting just outside the window of the cafe. The stream of customers has slowed down as the day wore on. The job is mindless and mind-numbing. It's something to help me make money and keep my thoughts off of Alex and the throbbing brand on the back of my neck.
The bell above the door tinkles and I say the usual stupid phrase you're required to say when the customer walks in, but the words die in my throat. Kyle. And not just Kyle, Blake. It's as if the moon goddess knows all the worst case scenarios to put me in, and she's more than happy to throw me into them.
The two of them approach the counter, too busy conversing to notice me wanting to die behind the register. Kyle notices first.
"Hey, Nico, got another job?" Kyle swaggers up with profound confidence. Now that he's a sophomore in college, he thinks he's the shit.
"Yeah, clearly," I say shakily. My eyes avoid Blake as though he is the elephant in the room.
"Uh, can I get a coffee with cream and two sugars. Blake, what do you want?" Kyle asks oblivious to the super awkward tension between us.
"Uh, same as you, I guess." Blake shifts awkwardly as well.
"Got it, that'll be $12.50. Thank you." I drag my feet as I leave to make them their coffees.
Why are they here? Of all the people in this town. Of all the cafes in this town. Why here? I make the coffees as quickly as possible so they'll leave just as fast. But when I hand them their drinks, they take them to an open table and sit for an hour, catching up about college and football. The cafe being semi-full, I can hear every word they say with my super hearing.
Kyle comes back to the counter to order another drink, Blake in tow. "Well, I'll be heading out now. I've got a paper to write. See you at home, Nico. Bye Blake. It was nice catching up with you."
Blake waves weakly as Kyle leaves the shop, abandoning him to the tense atmosphere. We briefly make eye contact, but my eyes dart away.
A cold arm slithers around my shoulder. "What's wrong, Nico?" Nyx whispers in my ear, "Things a little strained between you two? Well, I would say I'm surprised, but that brand on your neck says otherwise..." Her laugh rings softly in my ear.
"Shut up," I mutter, shaking my head.
"What?" Blake asks, confused.
"Oh, not you!" I say hurriedly. "It was just..." The voices in my head, nothing major.
"It's, ah, been a while, huh?" Blake says, trying to break the ice.
"Since I last saw you, or since we last talked?" I say more sarcastically than I mean too.
"Both," Blake admits.
I nod my head. "So, you got into the community college, huh?"
"You heard that?"
"Hard not to."
"Yeah. What about you?"
"Pft. Yeah right. There are more important things than college right now. I'll go to college when..." I bite my tongue. I don't want a lecture from Blake at the moment.
Blake's eyes narrow, "When what?"
I meet his eyes straight on. "When I find Alex and bring him home. That's when I'll go to college. If he can't enjoy college life, then why should I? He's going to have to get a GED because of me. I can wait however long it takes."
"You think you can pull that off? Have you even looked in the mirror lately? You're covered in bruises and have hickeys all over your neck."
My hands slam down on the counter. "I will do Whatever. It. Takes."
Blake and I glare at each other for a long moment. "I don't know why you're trying so hard when you're responsible for his disappearance."
"Yeah, Nico," Nyx says, sitting on the counter, "why are you trying so hard? You know that Alex is in safe hands with me. I'll take great care of him."
"That's exactly the reason. I'm going to get him back."
Nyx laughs loudly. "Are you?"
"Yes!" I say louder than I intended.
Nyx crosses her legs and raises her eyebrows pointedly. "Then why isn't he home safe and sound by now?"
"Are you still seeing things?" Blake questions, clearly knowing the answer.
"Yes," Nyx says. "No," I say.
Blake starts talking, but Nyx starts singing, blocking out his voice. I take in a deep breath. She's just an illusion. She's not real. Focus on what's really here. But no matter how hard I try, I can't make her go away.
"Oh my darling, oh my darling!" Nyx sings.
"Can you stop talking at the same time?" I snap, finally.
Blake crosses his arms. "I thought so, you still are seeing things."
"Yeah, okay. I'm crazy. But so what? What does it matter to you?" I prompt. "It doesn't matter that I'm seeing and hearing shit. Why don't you leave me alone? I'll find Alex. I'll fix myself somehow. And I'll do it without your help. Just like I've always done."
"Fine, I'm leaving. I was just-"
"Don't you dare say you were worried. Because someone who is worried tries to be there. You were never there. I hope you stay safe out there, Blake."
Blake stomps out of the shop angrily. I watch his back as he disappears down the street. I lean against the counter, exhausted. Why am I like this? Why do I always push away people like that? Even Alex... But who does Blake think he is, trying to act as if he cares? As if he is here for me when he's the one who helped send me away?
A chill runs down my spine and I look up. Outside is pitch black now. You can't tell if someone is watching from the shadows or not. I glance at the clock to see that my shift is about to end, thankfully. I head to the back room to change out of uniform and go home. As I change into my clothes, something nags in the back of my mind. That feeling earlier, as though I was being watched.
My eyes widen. I forgot to warn Blake about the hunter. What if she was watching us? What if she followed Blake after he left? I run out of the store without another moment of hesitation. If my hunch is right, then Blake might be in danger. I just hope I'm wrong. Maybe it's just some more paranoid soup, but I can't shake this uneasy feeling.
I run down the salted sidewalks in the direction Blake went. He was heading toward the large parking lot a couple of blocks away. My breath steams in the air and my legs beg for mercy, but I push on until I reach the nearly empty lot. The lights that usually illuminate the space are shot.
"Blake!?" I call out, whipping my head around. Did I get it wrong? Was he heading somewhere else? Maybe he's already gone home. But then why is it so quiet?
I strain my ears to pick up on a strange sound. It sounds like a wheezing, rattling sound. I follow the noise to its source. I squint my eyes to see a figure lying on the ground. The scent of blood is strong. My heart drops from my chest as I run to their side.
"Blake? Blake?!" I repeat over and over. I grab my phone from my pocket and turn on the flashlight to get a better look.
Blake is ghost-white when the flashlight lights up his face. He's sweating profusely and barely conscious. I move the light over his body to find a terrible wound in his gut. Blood soaks his clothes red. My hands shake violently at the sight of blood.
"No, no, no," I mutter, pulling off his shirt with trembling fingers. I place my hands over the wound that is gushing blood. "Calm down, calm down." Tears freeze against my cheeks as I try to calm myself down enough to perform the spell.
"S-Sana!" I chant. Blue light transfers from my fingertips into Blake. The light is faint and weak, barely penetrating the wound. I concentrate my focus and the light grows a darker, stronger blue that seeps inside of him, stopping the bleeding and stitching him up. My body's energy transfers into the magic making me feel weak. Push through the pain, Nico, Blake is suffering worse than you are.
When the spell finishes, I feel drained and ready to collapse, but relieved. He should be alright now. I've just got to get him somewhere safe. All that's left of the wound is a faint scar. I grab Blake under his arms and drag him to his truck, pulling the keys out of his pocket. With the last of my strength, I push him into the passenger seat and buckle him in. I collapse into the driver's seat. As the air settles around us, I feel the adrenaline seeping out of my system. I burst into tears, sobbing hysterically while I grab onto the steering wheel with white knuckles. My teeth won't stop chattering from the shock as I turn the key in the ignition. I'll bring him to Damien's bar. We'll take shelter there. Maybe Damien will know what to do with him.
That was so close. Too close. If I hadn't gotten that strange feeling, Blake would be dead. I feel bile rising in my throat at the thought.
"You did well, Nico." Noct praises.
"I-I hope so." I swallow down a sob. I put on the blinker to take a left.
"You saved Blake. Now calm down. Everything will be just fine." I let Noct's voice soothe me as I arrive at Damien's place. I park the truck in the back, out of sight.
With uneven breathing, I stumble out of the truck and run to the bar, banging on the back door until someone finally opens it. It's one of the fellow bar hands, Mateo.
"Hey, Nikki- My god, what happened to you?" He looks me up and down with concern. I follow his gaze to see that I'm covered in blood.
"M-My f-f-f-friend," I point toward the parking lot. I can't stop stuttering from the shock. My brain is fried and I can barely keep my head straight.
"OK, calm down. Bring me to your friend," Mateo rolls up his sleeve and follows behind me closely as I run to the truck and open the door for him.
Mateo picks up Blake with ease and we return to the back room of the bar where he lays Blake on the couch. He covers him in blankets, commenting on how cold his skin is.
"Does he need a blood transfusion?" Mateo inquires, heading to a cooler.
I nod my head wordlessly, wrapping my arms around myself. Nyx stands over Blake, looking down at him with a bored expression. My breathing slowly levels out, but I can't calm down. I jump when another worker walks in to ask for Mateo, stopping to take in the scene. He quickly runs out to get Damien. After Blake is hooked up to a blood bag, Mateo leaves to resume his job.
"Damien will be in in a sec, Nikki." Mateo pats my back before returning to the front.
Blake's face is paper-white. He looks like Kat right now. I guess Kat was right about the hunter. I think it's even more shocking to see someone I know being hunted than just hearing that someone else is dead.
"Nikki," Damien's voice breaks my thoughts. "What the hell happened? Who is that?"
All I can do is give him a helpless look. If I try and talk right now, I'm either going to break down or stutter violently. Damien's arms wrap around me, encircling me with warmth. I close my eyes and let the feeling of safety wash over me. I lay my head in the crook of his neck and cry softly. Who am I going to lose next? Alex may be alive, but he's gone. Blake almost died. I just need to catch a break.
Damien holds me at arm's length when I finally manage to calm down enough to speak. "It was the hunter. I got this strange feeling, so I followed him. If I hadn't-"
"Shh, Shh. I understand," Damien pats my hair soothingly. "You need to sleep. You're still in shock. I'll wake you up if your friend wakes up." He lays me down on his bed and covers me with blankets.
"Thank you, Damien. I wouldn't know what to do if you weren't here..." I close my eyes.
He plants a soft kiss on my forehead. "Anytime, kid. Call if you need anything."
The music from the club is audible for a minute as he leaves before the room is silent once again.
~*~*~*~
When I wake up, there's an arm wrapped around my waist. A blanket is suffocating me and there's a comforting warmth. Damien is fast asleep behind me. I look over at Blake who is staring at me. Our eyes connect for a long second before realization sets in. I sit up immediately and jump out of the bed.
"You're awake!" I exclaim in hushed tones.
Blake looks around in confusion. "Yeah... Where are we? What happened?"
"We're at my friend's bar. I found you in the parking lot, you were dying." My voice cracks on the last word.
"Why aren't I dead? I could've sworn that was a mortal blow." Blake shakes his head.
"I used magic to heal you." I look at Blake as though he is made of glass. It's hard to believe that he might not have been here right now. "How are you feeling? What happened? Do you remember?"
"I feel like crap. My gut is throbbing and my head is pounding. It feels like I have a massive hangover. I don't really remember what happened. I was going to my truck one minute, the light bulbs popped in the street lights and I was in darkness, then a hand was inside of my guts, and I was down for the count." Blake grasps his head with a frown.
"Is that all?" I ask, kind of disappointed. I wish we had more information to go on.
His eyebrows scrunch together in thought. "Um, silver eyes. I remember that. They were glowing in the dark."
I sit back on my heels with a heavy sigh. So a hunter is after us. I put my head in my hands, taking a deep breath. What are we going to do? If that thing could sneak up on a Beta, then how are we supposed to stop it? Maybe we could travel in packs. It seems she's been singling out people who are alone. I raise my head, feeling calmer.
"Well, something has been hunting werewolves recently. You just got the first-hand experience. Something has to be done about her, or else more wolves are going to die in vain." I stand up and walk over to the sink to wash the dried blood off my hands.
"How did you find this out?" Blake asks, suspicious.
I dry my hands with a small towel. "This is a supernatural bar, Blake. Things like dead werewolves are big news and word travels fast," I lie. If I told him that a ghost told me, I doubt that he would believe me. But it's not necessarily wrong. I'm just the source of the word, is all.
"Thank you for saving me, Nico, even though I've been such an ass," Blake hangs his head down low.
"You're welcome. Even if you're an ass, I'll always try to save you. I can't just let my friends die." I set down the towel and take a seat next to Blake.
Blake opens his mouth but then closes it. "I-I'm sorry for helping in your exile, Nico."
"I don't forgive you. But I can understand why. Nyx's words are like the snake in the garden. They sound good and they're hard to ignore." I avoid his eyes, ashamed that I fell for them so easily. I wonder if this is how Eve felt when she was forced to leave the Garden.
"So... Did you actually betray us?" Blake's voice is almost a whisper as he asks the question. A part of me is offended that he still doesn't believe me, but Nyx executed her plan to the T, making me look guilty.
"Does it matter what I say at this point?" I laugh weakly. "I've already lost everything."
"I know that it's a little late, but I just need to know-"
"I won't tell you," I say suddenly, "it's up for you to decide. Do I seem like a person who would betray my Pack? You don't have to tell me your answer-- it doesn't matter at this point."
Blake frowns at my reply, clearly frustrated. Blake may be strong but he likes to follow orders. For once in his life, he has to make his own decisions.
"Well, I have to go. I have a morning shift at the grocery store, so I'll take my leave now." I get up from the couch and move to the closet to change clothes.
"So who is the guy in the bed?" Blake inquires awkwardly.
I take my blood-stained shirt off and toss it aside while grabbing a new one. I slip it on over my head, breathing in Damien's scent as I do so. "His name is Damien, he's a vampire."
"How do you guys know each other?" Blake stands up from the couch, stretching his stiff muscles.
I zip up my hoodie. "We met after I was marked," I say simply. I'd rather not tell him some sob story about how I was wandering around in the cold, half out of my mind.
"Are you two...?" Blake trails off, avoiding my eyes.
"Dating? No. He's just my informant." I grab my discarded backpack and toss it over my shoulder.
Blake hobbles over to the bathroom. "You guys seem kind of close."
I shrug, brushing my hair with my fingers. "He's helped me out a lot."
We shuffle around the room preparing for the day ahead. I let Blake use the bathroom first while I wait to brush my teeth and use the toilet. When he comes out, he looks a bit better. He washed the blood off his hands and fixed up his hair. His face still seems pale, though. When I'm done getting ready, we leave the back room at the same time.
The outside air is biting cold and the morning sunlight is a bland white. Our breath comes out in little clouds. Blake shivers under his layers, but like usual, the cold doesn't affect me much. I walk Blake to his truck.
"Well, you better get back to the pack and warn them about the hunter before there are any more casualties." I shove my hands into my pockets, hunching my shoulders.
"Ah, yeah. You're right. Thanks again, by the way. If it wasn't for you..." Blake trails off again. I can see that he's obviously shaken by last night's events. He shakes his head, clearing his thoughts. "Anyway, do you want a ride? I can drop you off before I go back."
I bite the inside of my cheek. I don't really want to ride in that truck again, feeling myself shiver at the memory, but Blake and I are in the middle of making up. But I can't trust him anymore. Maybe someday, but not today. He went against me when I needed him the most. I can't put myself through any more pain willingly.
"No, it's fine. It's not that far. Plus, it's in the opposite direction." I give him a wane smile.
Blake deflates a little but catches himself. "I got it. Well, I'll be seeing you around then."
I nod my head and step away from the truck. He pulls out of the parking lot and disappears down the plowed roads to a place I can no longer return to. With a lump in my throat, I turn on my heels and walk back to the bar. I've lied again. I don't really have a morning job, but he doesn't need to know that. I should also quit that job at the cafe. Maybe I should also ask Damien to move in... No, I should rent my own place.
I gasp, realizing I'm doing it again; always taking measures to distance myself from the people I know. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to go through with it. I can feel Noct shuffling around in my mind, he wants to say something, but he probably knows we'll just fight again.
"Gosh, Nico, you're a little cold to your ol' friend," Nyx comments.
"And who's fault is that?" I mumble, opening the bar door.
Nyx shakes her head sadly. "You can't just blame all of your problems on other people, you know."
I grit my teeth. "I know..." It's sad when your delusions are starting to speak the truth as well.
In the back room, Damien is wide awake and drinking a cup of coffee while reading from his tablet. I sigh and plop down on the couch next to him, propping my feet up on the coffee table.
"I knew you were awake," I say, yawning.
He shrugs innocently. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"So, did you find out anything more about Nyx?" I inquire, ignoring his act.
Damien lowers his tablet slightly. "My men discovered some of her troops in the woods. We haven't engaged yet, so they might lead us to her without realizing they're being tailed."
"Got it, tell me where I can find your people. I'll join them as soon as I can." I take my feet off the coffee table, ready to leave as quickly as possible.
"Whoa, hold on there. I need my payment first."Damien's eyes glow a faint red as he glances at my neck.
That familiar numb feeling begins to rise up again, it coats my skin in protective armor. My mind becomes empty as my emotions hide behind their wall. An abnormal calm settles over me. It's like I'm watching in the third person as I take off my hoodie and shirt.
Damien moves to the bed and gestures for me to follow. He finishes undressing me with trained fingers. I got dressed for nothing. His hands travel up and down my sides sensually, raising goosebumps in their wake. He brings my lips to his and we french kiss as he reaches lower and lower.
This is for Alex's sake. We can bear with it. This is nothing compared to half of the things you've been through. Don't think. Just imagine him as Alex instead.
I close my eyes as fingers penetrate me. Embarrassing sounds escape my mouth as he thrusts inside of me. It's not Damien. It's Alex. But no matter how much I try and convince myself-- when I open my eyes-- it's a near-stranger inside of me, not my mate. Tears trickle down the side of my face.
Thankfully, Damien bites into my neck, stopping my negative flow of thoughts; saving my mind. Everything goes white as he finishes inside. By then, I'm already unconscious and unaware of how filthy I really am.
A/N: So, there it is. A new chapter. I wanted Blake back, but I also don't think that Nico should forgive him (Not like he can). The song is how Nico feels toward the end of the chapter. He hates himself, clearly. The things he does are slowly breaking him apart.
To him, his only chance at happiness is if Alex is by his side. He can't see anything else that could make him happy. It's very toxic for his health because he's willing to do anything.
Comment, rate. Tell me what you think, I love reading comments. I'll see you all in the next chapter.