Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

A voice rang in Ambrose's mind as he passed the bookstore. It was as if his demon was daring him to take a look at what was inside and Ambrose could never resist an easy dare. So he walked into the bookstore and saw nothing of interest to his demon until he reached the young adult section. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw them, 8 novels that should not have existed. He quickly grabbed the series and headed Kyrian's. With his powers he was able to send a 911 message to literally everyone in Nick's life that should know about this. Now the only problem was to tell Nick.

You would think Nick would be use to working at Kyrian's house by now, but how rick it was still got to him. He didn't understand how Kyrian could live here by himself. It was true that Kyrian wasn't here most of the time, he was busy with his Dark Hunter business.

Nick was just finishing up washing the cars, which he still felt unworthy doing. When Ambrose suddenly appeared at his desk.

"Ambrose?! What are you doing?! What if Rosa sees you?!" Nick couldn't help but flip out at the thought of anybody seeing his older self.

"Nick! Just listen to me and look at these," out of his coat Ambrose pulled out 5 books.

Nick scanned the cover, "The Chronicles of Nick."

His eyes widened. What?...

"Ambrose, what is this?!" Now Nick was worried. How was this possible.

"Listen Nick, after doing some digging around on the supernatural side, I found out that the writer is a demon. She somehow got into your head through your whole experience and from what I've heard she hasn't been seen since the release of the first book, so there's not much we can do about that right now. We have to read these. This is your life and your thoughts, even some of Kody, Caleb, and Adrian's point of view is in them. I think mine too, but Nick we have to figure this out because at this point I'm not sure what else we can do." Ambrose explained.

Nick couldn't believe this. His life in a book! By a demon. Why couldn't his life be simplier? None of this would have happened. Did he even want to listen to his life? His mistakes and regrets. He had to. They had to figure this out. "Ok. We have to read it."

"Good because in the living room I've already gathered some people," Ambrose replied casually.

Nick's eyes widened and his mouth opened, "Why?! Who?!"

"Oh just Caleb, Kyrian, Ash, Kody, Death and his minion, Bubba, Mark, Aunt Mennie, and your parents."

Nick glared at the mention of Adarian. "Why is Adarian here?" He was enraged, but luckily Death's training had been helping him control his demon.

"He needs to know, Nick. We can do this," Nick always forgot Ambrose hated Adrian as much as he did.

"Ok, let's get this over with." Nick walked out of his office and into Kyrian's living room. Everyone was sitting around looking confused as ever.

"Nicholas Ambrosius Gautier! You better tell me why I am here right now! I have a job to get to!" His mother, Cherise, yelled at Nick. She could never stop embarrassing him.

"Seriously kid, I have places to be," Ash stated, casually looking at his nails.

"Look guys, first this is Ambrose. A tutor at school," Caleb couldn't put his finger on it, but there was something familiar about Ambrose.

"Listen here punk, I want to get out of here and away from you," Adarian pointed a finger at him though he stole glances at Cherise.

"Just listen to me, Adarian!" Nick shouted, surprising everyone.

Adarian was angry, but decided to hear the kid out. Maybe even talk to Cherise.. What was he thinking?

Ambrose handed Nick the books, "These books were made about my life and all of you are in it. There may be surprises to some of you and when we get there, I'll explain."

He couldn't help but stare at his loving mother because he didn't want her interrupting.

"Ok," Ambrose and Nick found seats. Nick on the floor and Ambrose next to Caleb.

"I'll ready first," Nick lifted the one titled Infinity.

Infinity

Free will.

Some have called it the greatest gift bestowed on humanity. It is our ability to control what happens to us-

"Wow Nick, I didn't know you were so deep," Caleb smirked.

"Hey! He can be a sensitive guy," Kody defended him.

"Not helping much, Kody," Nick mumbled, his cheeks burning red.

"Anyways!" Ambrose shouted.

"Right," Nick focused on the book.

Control what happens to us and exactly how it happens. We are the masters of our fate and no one can foist their will on us unless we allow it.

Others say free will is a crap myth.

Nick's mom raised an eyebrow at his language.

"Sorry, Ma," Nick mumbled.

We have a preordained destiny and no matter what we do or how hard we fight it, life will happen to us exactly as it's meant to happen. We are only pawns to a higher power that our meager human brains can't even begin to understand or comprehend.

"Here we thought Nick was stupid! But he is a poet in disguise," Bubba and Mark laughed.

"You listen here Bubba! My Nicky is a smart boy and I will not have you bad mouth him," Cherise glared at them.

Bubba and Mark quickly composed themselves and mumbled their apologizes. Adarian couldn't help but give a small smile as his little Cher became aggressive.

My best bud, Acheron-

"Aw, Nick. If I had known you were revealing your undying love for me, I would have gotten you something," Ash said, sarcastically.

"Hey! I don't remember thinking this!" Nick said, very embarrassed.

My best bud, Acheron, once explained it to me like this. Destiny is a freight train rolling along on a set course that only conductors know. When we get to the railroad crossing in our car, we can choose to stop and wait for the train to pass us by, or try to pull out in front of it and beat that bad boy across.

That choice is our free will.

"Wow, I am extremely gifted at teaching smart-mouthed kids the deeper meaning of life," Ash, once again, interrupted

"Guys! Come on! This is barely the prologue! Stop interrupting," Nick said.

Everyone mumbled their 'fines' and let Nick continue.

If we choose to rush ahead, the car we're in might stall on the tracks. We can then choose to try and start the car or wait for the train to plow into us. Or we can get out to run, and fight the destiny of the train slamming into us and killing us where we stand. If we choose to run, our foot could get caught in the tracks or we could slip and fall.

We could even say to ourselves, "there's no way I'm dumb enough to fight the train" and hang back to safely wait. Then the next thing we know, a truck rams us from behind, throwing us straight into the train's path.

If it is our destiny to be hit by the train, we will be hit by the train. The only thing we can change is how the train turns us into hamburger.

The corner of Adarian's mouth twitched up as he thought of the dark mind his offspring was gifted with. He wondered what his demon whispered to him when it wanted to have a little fun.

I, personally, don't believe in this crap. I say  I  control my destiny and my life.

No, nothing controls me.

Ever.

I am what I have become because of the interference and secrets of one creature. Had things been done differently, my life would have been a whole other enchilada.

Soft chuckles were sounded around the room.

"Thank you everyone. I am very hilarious," Nick said, cheekily.

I would not be where I am today and I would have had a life worth living instead of the nightmare my life has been.

Nick and his mother were both confused. Nick thought his life was going pretty good at the moment and he loved it. His mother thought she was giving him the best life possible. It suddenly dawned on Nick that these were Ambrose's thought.

But no, by keeping his deepest secrets, my best friend betrayed me and turned me into the darkness I have come to embrace.

Caleb couldn't help, but think of himself. What if he would betray Nick in the future? The kid had actually become to grow on him.

Ash thought maybe it was him. If any has a deep, dark secret here it was him. He liked the kid, he would never. Or would he?

Our fates and destinies were mashed together by a freak event that happened when I was a kid, and I curse the day I ever called..

Nick stopped at the name. No. That was his friend. He wouldn't, couldn't.

I curse the day I ever called Acheron Parthenopaeus my friend.

Nick looked sadly at Ash. He couldn't believe his best friend was going to turn on him. Nick felt like he couldn't trust anymore.

Caleb gave a sigh of relief, when he thought about it he couldn't betray Nick.

Ash was actually hurt. That kid was by far the most annoying, but he cared at him. In his own special Ash way.

I am Nick Gautier.

And this is my life and how things should have been...

"That's it. Who wants to read now?" Nick said.

"I will," Ash, volunteered bravely. Cherise glared at him, as he grabbed the book from Nick.

Chapter Text

"I am a socially awkward man."

Everyone except Adarian burst into laughter. Hearing that from Ash's monotone voice made it even funnier than it would have been.

"Nicholas Ambrosius Gautier! You watch your language!"

Cherise clapped and smiled, "That's me everyone!"

Nick sighed at his mother's sharp tone as he stood in their tiny kitchen looking down at the bright orange Hawaiian shirt. The color and style were bad enough. The fact it was covered in l-a-r-g-e pink, gray, and white trout (or were they salmon?) was even worse.

"Seriously Nick, that's what you were focusing on?" Caleb laughed at him.

"Hey! I just wanted to be right! I mean, come on, it matters," Nick said, seriously.

"Mom, I can't wear this to school. It's..." -he paused to think real hard of a word that wouldn't get him grounded for life-"hideous. If anyone sees me in this, I'll be an outcast relegated to the loser corner of the cafeteria."

"Sounds about right," Kody and Caleb agreed, which hardly ever happened.

Cherise sighed at the times when she put Nick through some horrible things.

As always, she scoffed at his protest.

Again she sighed, she use to put Nicky through hell sometimes.

"Oh, shush. There's nothing wrong with that shirt. Wanda told me at the Goodwill store that it came in from one of those big mansions down in the Garden District. That shirt belonged to the son of a fine upstanding man and since that's what I'm raising you to be..."

"Nick, honey, I have something to tell you," She said softly.

"What's wrong, Ma?" she looked stressed and Nick couldn't help, but be worried.

"That shirt... It wasn't from the Garden District. I lied to maybe get you to like it better," she confessed after 3 years.

Everyone burst into laughter. That wasn't what everyone expected. "I think it's ok, Ma."

Nick ground his teeth. "I'd rather be a delinquent no one picks on."

Adarian's lips formed a ghost smile again, as he heard the evil or bad in his child. It gave him joy to think one day this kid will end the world.

She let out a deep sound of aggravation as she paused while flipping bacon. "No one's going to pick on you, Nicky. The school has a strict no-bullying policy."

"Ms. G," Caleb said, looking at Nick's mom, "I'm sorry, but the school really doesn't."

Yeah, right. That's wasn't worth the "contract" paper it was written on. Especially since the bullies were illiterate idiots who couldn't read it anyway.

Caleb let out a snort, "That is so true. Man, Nick you just know how things go."

"It's a gift, honey."

"Nick, I love you, but come on we're in public," Caleb smiled at him.

Everyone just stared at them and their romantic bro moment.

"Nick, honey, something you want to tell me," his mother said, gently.

Nick's cheeks were flaming as he shook his head. At least Nick didn't think so. He stole a glance at Ash and couldn't help but feel hurt by him. He wasn't sure if there was something he wanted to tell his mom.

Jeez. Why wouldn't she listen to him? It wasn't like he wasn't the one going into the lion's den everyday and having to traverse the brutality of high school landmines. Honestly, he was sick of it and there was nothing he could do.

"Nicky, I'm so sorry," his mother said, softly.

"Ma, it's ok. That was a long time ago."

He was a massive loser dork and no one at school ever let him forget that. Not the teachers, the principal, and especially not the other students.

Why can't I flash forward and bypass this whole high school nightmare?

Because his mom wouldn't let him.

"Damn right I won't let you boy," his mother smiled at him.

Only hoodlums dropped out of school and she didn't work as hard as she did to raise up another piece of worthless scum- it was harped-on litany permanently carved into his brain. It ranked right up there with:

"Be a good boy, Nicky. Graduate. Go to college. Get a good job. Marry a good girl. Have lots of grandbabies and never miss a holy day of obligation at church."

The words "Marry a good girl" rang in Ash's ears. Girls.. Nick liked girls. That was a statement. Ash knew that but, he always held onto the slight shred of hope Nick didn't know yet.

His mom had already road-mapped his entire future with no diversions or pit stops allowed.

"You really weren't kidding, Nick. Your mom is very strict," Kody mumbled.

"Why would I lie?" Nick snapped. He hadn't meant to, but she always made him angry at times.

Ash smiled, just a little, he enjoyed knowing they would never be again.

But at the end of the day, he loved his mom and appreciated everything she did for him.

"Aw baby. I love you too. And I'm so sorry for all the times I didn't listen," Cherise's eyes filled with tears, but Mennie was there to comfort her.

Seeing his Cherise cry was by far the worst thing Adarian could ever look it. He had to turn away before he showed some type of emotion and made everyone in that room think he was weak.

Except for this whole "Do what I say, Nicky. I'm not listening to you because I know better" thing she said all the time.

He wasn't stupid and he wasn't a troublemaker. She had no idea what he went through at school, and every time he tried to explain it, she refused to listen. It was so frustrating.

"Nicky-" Cherise began, but Adarian cut her off, "He knows Cherise. Just be quiet."

"Don't talk to my mother," Nick said, gritting his teeth and standing at his full height.

Everyone knew Nick was no match for Adarian and it made Ash worry that the kid would try something stupid. Luckily Nick simmered down and took a seat again.

Gah, can't I catch swine flu or something?

"Nick, that is just reckless even for you," Death said, though nobody else seemed to notice.

Nick suppressed a groan as he realized that he would just be sassed by Death all series long. Nobody else would understand the horrible bullying he would get.

Just for the next four years until he was able to graduate and move on to a life that didn't include constant humiliation? After all, the swine flu had killed millions of people in 1918 and several more during outbreaks in the seventies and eighties. Was it too much to ask that another mutant strain of it incapacitate him for a few years?

"Hmm, Nick, you might be on to something," Caleb said, thinking of the countless possibilities.

"Nick is a genius! You've been holding out on us, boy!" Mark said, seriously.

"Seriously, we could've been using you all these years," Bubba agreed him him.

"Guys, let's not get into this now. I mean there has been reasons I've been holding out on you. I didn't want to be sitting in the swamp all night, covered in duck pee," Nick sassed.

Maybe a good bout of parvo...

You're not a dog, Nick.

"That is arguable, Gautier," Death smiled.

True, no dog would be caught dead wearing this shirt. Whizzing on it would be another matter...

Sighing in useless angst, he looked down at the crap shirt he wanted desperately to burn.

"Nick, don't be so unappreciative," his mother scolded him.

Nick made a face at her, but didn't say anything back.

Okay, fine. He'd do what he always did whenever his mom made him look like a flaming moron.

He'd own it.

I don't want to own this. I look epically stupid.

Man up, Nick. You can take it, You've taken a lot worse.

Yeah, all right. Fine. Let them laugh. He couldn't stop that anyway. If it wasn't the shirt, they'd humiliate him over something else. His shoes. His haircut. And if all else failed, they'd insult his name. Nick the dick, or dickless Nicholas.

Cherise frowned at this. She always thought she was leaving Nick in best possible care.

"It's true, Ms. G. No matter what, he could wear my clothes and still get made fun of," Caleb said, looking at her with sad eyes.

Didn't matter what he said or did, those who mocked would mock anything. Some people were just wired wrong and they couldn't live unless they were making other people suffer.

His Aunt Menyara always said no one could make him feel inferior unless he allowed them to.

"Nick, how nice of you to introduce me with a quote," Aunt Mennie smiled at him.

"Anything for you Mennie," he smiled back.

Problem was, he allowed it a lot more than he wanted to.

His mom set a chipped blue plate on the side of the rusted-out stove. "Sit down, baby, and eat something. I was reading in a magazine that someone left at the club that kids score much higher on tests and do a lot better in school whenever they have breakfast." She smiled and held the package of bacon up for him to see. "And look. It's not expired this time."

He laughed at something that really wasn't funny.

"You don't think I'm funny?" His mother said, offended.

"You are! In your own special way."

She smiled at him, "Nice save."

One of the guys who came into his mom's club was a local grocer who would give them meat sometimes when it expired since all the guy did was throw it out anyway.

"As long as we eat it quick, it won't make us sick."

Another litany he hated.

Picking up the crispy bacon, he glanced around the tiny condo they called home.

"God damn, Nick, you have so many thoughts. You haven't even left yet," Ash complained.

"Well, I'm sorry for being so intellectual," Nick said, cheekily.

Ash loved his sass. It just made him genuinely happy and he loved how Nick could handle his own.

It was one of four that had been carved out of an old run-down house. Made up of three small room- his mom's bedroom, and the bathroom- it wasn't much, but it was theirs and his mom was proud of it, so he tried to be proud too.

Most days.

He winced as he looked at his corner where his mom had strung up dark blue blankets to make a room for him on his last birthday. His clothes were kept in an old laundry basket on the floor, set next to his mattress that was covered with Star Wars sheets he'd had since he was nine- another present his mom had picked up at a yard sale.

Caleb noted that that was quite unsanitary, but didn't say anything because he knew how things were for Nick during this time.

"One day, Mom, I'm going to buy us a really nice house." With really nice stuff in it.

She smiled, but her eyes said she didn't believe a word he spoke. "I know you will, baby. Now eat up and get to school. I don't want you dropping out like me." She paused as a hurt look flitted across her face. "You can see exactly what that gets you."

"It gets you a wonderful child," Cher said, softly. Stroking at what little hair she could reach on Nick's head, since he was pretty far away.

Guilt cut through him. He was the reason his mom had dropped out of school. As soon as her parents had learned she was pregnant, they'd offer her one choice.

Give up the baby or give up her nice home in Kenner, her education, and her family.

For reasons he still didn't understand, she'd chosen him.

Ash tried to imagine a world without Nick and it seemed dull. It wasn't a world Ash wanted to live in.

It was something Nick never let himself forget. But one day he was going to get all that back for her. She deserved it, and for her, he'd wear this god-awful shirt.

"Woah Nick. Are you sure? That seems a little extreme," Caleb said, sarcastically.

"What's done is done, my friend. The past is in the past and I no longer can change what has been done," Nick said, a serious look on his face which he couldn't hold for long.

Ash nudged Kyrian, "You've been awfully quiet."

"I've been trying to dissect the text unlike so many people in this room," Kyrian gave a tightlipped smile.

Even if it got him killed...

"See that right there is foreshadowing! Nick wore that shirt when he got shot. Everyone would have missed it if it weren't for me," Kyrian stated, proudly.

"Nobody cares," Ash smiled, as Nick laughed his head off for some particular reason.

And he'd smile through the pain of it until Stone and his crew kicked his teeth in.

"Aww Nick, you are too sweet," his mother and aunt gushed.

He blushed a crimson red, yet again.

Trying not to think about the butt-whipping to come, Nick ate his bacon in silence.

"Really? That's new," Death laughed.

Nick gritted his teeth.

Maybe Stone wouldn't be in school today. He could get malaria or the plague, or rabies or something.

"That's a bit much to be asking," Caleb said.

Yeah, may the smarmy freak get a pox on his private.

"Nick! That is very rude!" Cherise yelled at him, angrily.

"Trust me, Ms. G, that punk deserves it," Caleb defended Nick.

Ash was getting annoyed at how close those two were and how Caleb always needed to rescue Nick. Nick could handle himself.

That thought actually made him smile as he shoved the grainy powdered eggs into his mouth and swallowed them. He forced himself not to shiver at the taste. But it was all they could afford.

He glanced at the clock on the wall and jerked. "Gotta go. I'm going to be late."

She grabbed him for a bear hug.

Nick grimaced. "Stop sexually harassing me, Mom. I gotta go before I get another tardy."

She popped him-

Ash started dying of laughter before he finished the sentence.

Nick's eyes widen as he realized what was going to happen. He was on his feet in seconds and tackling Ash, "Don't read the sentence!"

They wrestled around, Ash having thrown the book to Caleb and Caleb shouting the next sentence.

She popped him on the butt cheek before she released him.

Everyone burst into laughter. The loud and obnoxious kind. Nick sat their hiding his face in his lap, as Ash clapped him on the back.

"Guys it's not funny!" His voice came out muffled.

"Nick, honey, it's fine. Your mother is showing you love," Aunt Mennie said, gently.

He groaned and threw himself face first on the carpet.

Ash found it adorable. He found himself smiling softly at Nick's childish ways.

"Well, that was fun," Ash said, grabbing the book for Caleb.

After containing themselves, everyone listened intently for Ash to begin again. Nick sat next to Ash's legs on the ground, which formed a secret smile on his face that only Kyrian took notice of.

"Sexually harassing you. Boy, you have no idea." She ruffled his hair as he bent over to pick up his backpack.

Nick put both arms through the straps and hit the door running. He launched himself from the dilapidated porch and sprinted down the street, past broken-down cars and garbage cans to where the streetcar stopped.

"Please don't be gone..."

Otherwise he'd be doomed to another "Nick? What are we going to do with you, you white-trash dirt?" lecture from Mr. Peters. The old man hated his guts, and the fact that Nick was a scholarship kid at his snotty overprivileged school seriously ticked Peters off. He'd like nothing better than to kick him out so that Nick wouldn't "corrupt" the kids from the good families.

"That was a load of shit on Peters' behalf," Kody said bravely.

"Ahem to that, sister," Nick said.

Nick's lips curled as he tried not to think about the way those decent people looked at him like he was nothing. More than half their dads were regulars at the club where his mom worked, yet they were called decent while he and his mom were considered trash.

"Good lord, Nick! You could be a preacher," Bubba said soulfully. (weird I know)

The hypocrisy of that didn't sit well with him. But it was what it was. He couldn't change anyone's mind but his own.

Nick put his head down and ran as he saw the streetcar stopped at his station.

Oh man...

Nick picked up speed and he broke out into a dead run. He hit the platform and leapt for the streetcar.

"You act like you're being chased," Adarian mumbled, the first thing he said after Nick's confrontation with him.

"I might as well as been," Nick snapped.

He'd caught it just in time.

Panting and sweating from the humid autumn New Orleans air, he shrugged his backpack off as he greeted the driver. "Morning, Mr. Clemmons."

The elderly African-American man smiled at him. He was one of Nick's favorite drivers.

"I miss that guy," Nick said softly.

"Morning, Mr. Gautier." He always mispronounced Nick's last name. He said it "Go-chay" instead of the correct "Go-shay." The difference being "Go-chay" traditionally had an "h" in it after the "t" and, as Nick's mom so often said, they were too poor for any more letters.

Soft chuckles sounded about the room and Cherise smiled as she filled everyone with joy.

Not to mention, one of his mom's relatives, Fernando Upton Gautier, had founded the small town in Mississippi that shared his name and both were pronounced "Go-shay." "Your mom made you late again?"

"I am learning so much about you, Nick," Caleb said, smiling.

"It'll be your turn for secret sharing later at our slumber party," Nick winked.

"You know it." Nick dug his money out of his pocket and quickly paid before taking a seat. Winded and sweating, he leaned back and let out a deep breath, grateful he'd made it in time.

Unfortunately, he was still sweating when he reached school. The beauty of living in a city where even in October it could hit ninety by eight A.M. Man, he was getting tired of this late heat wave they'd been suffering.

"Boy, you ain't the only one. I'm sick and tired of smelling Mark's dirty ass duck urine perfume everyday!" Bubba complained, earning a hurt look on Mark's face.

Suck it up, Nick. You're not late today. It's all good.

Yeah, let the mocking commence.

"Sounds fun," Ash smirked, he got an attempt of a dead leg from Nick.

He smoothed down his hair, wiped the sweat off his brow, and draped his backpack over his left shoulder.

Holding his head high in spite of the snickers and comments about his shirt and sweaty condition, he walked across the yard and through the doors like he owed it. It was the best he could do.

"Ew! Gross! He's dripping wet. Is he too poor to own a towel? Don't poor people bathe?"

"Looks like he went fishing in the Pontchartrain and came up with that hideous shirt instead of a real fish."

"That's 'cause he couldn't miss it. I'll bet it even glows in the dark."

"I bet there's a naked hobo somewhere wanting to know who stole his clothes while he was sleeping on a bench. Gah, how long has he owned those shoes,anyways? I think my dad wore a pair like that in the eighties."

Cherise was fuming after hearing these comments about her baby. She was about ready to hit anyone who even made a small joke about him. This mama bear wouldn't let anyone pick on her little cub.

Adarian could see the steam rolling off Cherise and he loved it. He loved that bad side of her, if he could love that is.

Nick turned a deaf ear to them and focused on the fact that they really were stupid. None of them would be here if their parents weren't loaded. He was the scholarship kid. They probably couldn't have even spelled their names right on the exam he aced to get in.

"Nick, that's not very nice," his mom said, half-heartedly.

He gave her a full blown grin, now she finally knew what he went through.

That was what mattered most. He'd much rather have brains than money.

"What if you were like me and had both?" Kyrian asked.

"My life would be complete!" Nick announced.

Though right now, a rocket launcher might be nice too. He just couldn't say it out loud without the facility calling the cops on his having "inappropriate" thoughts.

His bravado lasted until he reached his locker, where Stone and his crew were loitering.

Great, just great. Couldn't they pick on someone else to stalk?

"When I think about it, man, they do kinda stalk you," Caleb smiled.

Stone Blackmoor was the kind of creep that gave the jocks a bad name. They weren't all like that and he knew it. Nick had several friends who were on the football team- starters, no less, not seat warmers like Stone.

Still, when you thought of an arrogant jock-rock, Stone was aptly named. It was definitely a self-fulling moniker his parents had labeled him with. Guess his mom had known while he was in the womb that she was giving birth to a flaming moron.

Caleb let out a snort, "You'd have to feel it since he is that big of a flaming moron."

"Yeah, that's true," Kody added in.

Stone snorted as Nick stopped besides his group to open his locker. "Hey, Gautier. I saw you mom naked last night- shaking her butt in my dad's face so that he'd put in her G-string. He got a good feel of her too. Said she got a nice set of-"

Adarian and Cher both were fuming at those punk's words. He had no right to talk to Cherise like that. Damn him! Damn that bastard!

Before he could even think better of it, Nick swiped him upside the head with his backpack as hard as he could.

"You go, baby boy," Aunt Mennie cheered.

And then it was on like Donkey Kong.

"Fight!" someone shouted while Nick wrapped Stone in a headlock and pounded on him.

A crowd gathered round, chanting, "Fight, fight, fight."

Somehow Stone escaped his hold and hit him so hard in the sternum it took his breath from him.

"Was he that good looking?" Death smirked at him.

Nick glared at Ambrose for inviting him to make fun of Nick for who knows how long. It has only been about an hour and it was already killing him inside.

Dang, he was a lot stronger than he looked. He hit like a jackhammer.

Furious, Nick started for him, only to find one of the teacher suddenly between them.

Ms. Pantall.

"Gross," Caleb moaned.

The sight of her petite form calmed him instantly.

Eyebrows were raised at Nick, he just shouted, "Keep reading!"

He wasn't about to hit an innocent person, especially not a woman. She narrowed her eyes at him and pointed down the hall. "To the office, Gautier. Now!"

Cursing under his breath, Nick picked his backpack up from the tiled beige floor and glared at Stone, who at least had a busted lip.

"That's my baby!" Cher said proudly, though not to long ago she had forbidden fighting.

So much for not getting in trouble.

But what was he suppose to do? Let the weasle scum insult his mom?

"You better not have, Boy. I taught you better than that," Adarian growled, somewhat happy the kid had beat up the good for nothing bastard.

Disgusted, he entered the office and sat in the corner chair outside the principal's office. Why wasn't there an undo button for life?

"Then it would be too easy," Ash said, looking down at him. Nick gazed into his sunglass covered eyes and wondered what they really looked like.

"Excuse me?"

Nick looked up at the softest, sweetest voice he'd ever heard. His stomach hit the ground.

Dressed in all pink, she was gorgeous, with silky brown eyes and green eyes that practically glowed.

Oh. My. God.

Ash became annoyed. She wasn't that pretty anyways. The gods would have her for dinner. She was nothing compared the all the goddess. It annoyed him even more that Nick thought of her as so beautiful. Or maybe use to think of her like that.

Nick wanted to speak but all he could do was try not to drool on her.

She held her hand out to him. "I'm Nekoda Kennedy, but most people call me Kody. I'm new to the school and kind of nervous. They told me to wait here, then there was a fight and they haven't come back and... I'm sorry, I babble when I'm nervous."

Kody giggled and smiled at Nick, "I'm glad I made a good first impression.

Nick gave her a half ass smile, he felt like he couldn't trust her anymore.

"Nick. Nick Gautier." He cringed as he realized how stupid he sounded and how behind he was on her conversation.

She laughed like an angel. A beautiful, perfect...

I am so in love with you...

Get a grip, Nick. Get a grip....

Nick flushed red as his mom shot him a wink. He was embarrassed about how whipped he use to be, but now he was confused. He gave Ash a look, but quickly turned away when Kyrian caught him.

Kyrian had some serious meddling to do later.

"So, have you been going here long?" Kody asked.

Work, tongue. Work. He finally choked an answer out. "Three years."

"You like it?"

Nick's gaze went to Stone and his others heading into the office. "Not today, I don't."

"Oh, because any other day you would enjoy it." Caleb rolled his eyes.

"That day was exceptionally shitty." Nick replied.

She opened her mouth to speak, but Stone and crew surrounded her.

"Hey, baby. Stone flashed her a cheesy smile. "You new meat?"

Kody grimaced and sidestepped them. "Get away from me, you animals. You smell." She raked a repugnant stare over Stone's body and curled her lips. "Aren't you a little old for your mom to be picking out your clothes for you? Really? Shopping at Children's Place at your age? I'm sure there's some third-grader dying to know who bought the last navy I-sore shirt."

Nick bit back a laugh. Yeah, he really, really liked her.

Nick frowned at that statement. It was amazing how easily he let his feelings for someone take over his whole being. He had known her for a full 2 minutes and he already decided he really, really liked her. Yeah, that's why almost all of Nick's relationships went to shit.

She went to stand by Nick and put her back against the wall so that she could keep an eye on Stone. "Sorry we got interrupted." Nick tried to like her again, thinking of all the good memories. He couldn't thought, everything they did was just part of her little show and he could never forgive her for that.

Stone made a sound like he was about to vomit.

"Why are you talking to King Loser Dork? You want to talk about ugly? Look at what he's wearing."

Nick cringed as Kody examined the sleeve of his shirt.

"I like a man who takes fashion chances. It's the mark of someone who lives by his own code. A rebel." She cast a biting glare at Stone. "A real lone wolf is a lot sexier than a pack animal who follows orders and can't give an opinion unless someone else gives it to him."

Cherise raised an eyebrow at the girl's comments. She wondered where Kody learned to defend herself like that because Cherise really wished someone had taught her that back in the day.

"Oooo," Stone's friends said in unison as she got the better of him.

"Shut up!" Stone shoved them. "No one asked you for your opinions."

"Nekoda?" the secretary called. "We need to finish your schedule."

Kody gave Nick a last smile. "I'm in the ninth grade."

"Me too."

Her smile widened. "Hope we have some classes together. Nice meeting you, Nick." She made sure to step on Stone's foot as she walked past him.

"Damn, talk 'bout attitude," Mark said.

Nick just shrugged. He didn't feel like getting into all that. It hurt him knowing that so many people would end up hurting him.

Stone yelped and mumbled an insult for her under his breath. Then he and his three friends sat down in the chairs that were opposite Nick's.

Ms. Pantall walked past them to go talk to Mr. Peters.

They're going to cream me over this...

Caleb coughed back a laugh, which earned glares from the Gautier family. This had to be Nick's worst nightmare. His mother hearing what everyone had to say about them. It broke his heart.

As soon as she was gone, Stone tossed a wadded-up piece of paper at him. "Where did you get that shirt, Gautier?"

"Obviously, he wants one to impress Kody," Ash smirked.

Nick laughed, God he couldn't help but love the way Ash was so funny and sarcastic.

"Goodwill or did you find it in a Dumpster? Nah, I bet you rolled a hobo for it. I know you people can't afford even something that tacky."

Nick refused to rise to the bait this time. Besides, he could handle insults directed at him. It was ones against his mom that elevated him to fighting mad.

And this was why most private schools had uniforms. But Stone didn't want to wear one and since his father all but owned the school...

Nick got mocked for the clothes his mom thought were respectable. Why don't you ever listen to me, Mom? Just once...

"Maybe, I should just pull you out of that school, Nicky. Find a place where people will respect you," Cherise offered, she was making good enough money now and so was Nick.

"It's ok, Mom. How could I leave Caleb? What would he do without me?"

"He would throw a party and celebrate the departure of the biggest pain in the ass in the history of the world," Caleb smiled.

This gave Adarian some humor, so he merely half smiled. He didn't notice, but Cherise saw. It was one of the few times she had seen a genuine smile on that man's face.

"What? No smart comeback?"

Nick flipped him off... At the same exact moment Peters came out and saw him.

Lady luck is definitely on vacation today.

Everyone laughed at Nick's misfortune. This kid never got a break.

"Gautier," Peters growled. "Get in here now!"

With a heavy sigh, Nick got up and went inside the office he knew as well as his own home. Peters stayed outside, no doubt talking to Stone while he was forced to wait. He took the chair to the right and sat there, staring at pictures of Peters's wife and kids'.

They had a nice house with a yard, and in one photo his daughters played with a white puppy.

"Shame 'bout that man," Aunt Mennie said, quietly. Nick just shrugged.

Nick stared at them. What would it be like to live that way? He'd always wanted a dog, but since they could barely afford to feed themselves, a pooch was out of the question. Not to mention their landlord would die if they had one in their rented condo even though there wasn't much more damage a dog could do to the run-down shack.

Nick thought about that old house and kind of missed it, it had been his first home for as long as he could remember.

After a few minutes, Peters came in and went to his desk. Without a word he pick up the phone.

Nick panicked. "What are you doing?"

"You know the answer. Use your head, Nick," Ash said, tapping the side of Nick's head with his finger.

"It did say I panicked so I'm forgiven. I was just buying some time," Nick said, swatting away his hand.

Ash just laughed and continued reading.

"I'm calling your mother."

"Oooo," was sounded around the room from mostly everyone.

Terror ripped through him. "Please, Mr. Peters, don't do that. She had to work a double shift last night and tonight too. She's only going to get about four hours of sleep today and I don't want to worry her about nothing." Not to mention she'd beat his butt royally for this.

He dialed the number anyway.

"That man is so rude," Cherise said, hotly.

Adarian wasn't too happy either, he'd kill that man if he wasn't already dead.

Nick grounded his teeth as anger and fear whipped through his entire being.

"Miss Gautier?" Could there be anymore loathing in his tone? And did he always have to stress the fact his mom had never married? That always embarrassed her to death.

Adarian and Cherise looked at each other, but quickly looked away when they saw the other looking. There was a time when they had almost, but things changed.

"I wanted to let you know that Nick is being suspended from school for the rest of the week."

His stomach hit the floor. His mom was going to kill him when he got home. Why couldn't Peters just shoot him and put him out of his misery?

Peters glared mercilessly at him. "No, he was fighting again, and I'm sick of his thinking he can come here and attack decent people anytime he feels like it for no apparent reason. He has to learn to control his temper. Honestly, I'm tempted to call the police. In my opinion, he should be sent to public school where they can handle troubled kids like him. I've said it before and I'll say it again. He doesn't belong here. "

"I never liked that man," Cherise said sourly.

Adarian thought this was trouble for him. If that punk was stronger than him, who knows what would happen to him.

Nick died a little with every word. Kids like him...

He zoned out so that he wouldn't have to hear the rest of Peters's tirade about how worthless he was. He already knew the truth in his heart. The last thing he needed was someone else voicing it.

"Nick, come on. You aren't completely useless," Ash said.

"Yeah, you give me a run for my money in video games," Caleb piped.

Nick laughed, "Guys, that was so long ago. I'm over it."

After a few minutes, Peters hung up the phone.

Nick gave a sullen stare. "I didn't start it."

"Technically, yes. You took the first swing," Bubba said.

"Would you let someone bad mouth your mama?" Nick shot back.

"Hell nah! You shot my mama though. You lucky I didn't kill you."

Nick gave a cheeky smile and shut up.

Peters curled his lips. "That's not what the others said. Who am I suppose to believe, Gautier? A hoodlum like you or four honor students?"

"Did he forget I am an honor student?" Nick asked.

"Probably 'cos you are a 'hoodlum'" Caleb said, using air quotes.

He was suppose to believe the one telling the truth, which happened to be the hoodlum. "He insulted my mother."

"That's no excuse for violence."

"Yes it is! He has no idea what he was talking about!" Cherise said angrily.

Nick smiled, his mother finally knew what he went through for her and he wouldn't change a thing either.

That went down his spine like a shredder. The sanctimonious pig- Nick couldn't let that go unanswered.

"Surprise, surprise," Death said, sarcastically.

"Really? Well, you know, Mr. Peters, I saw your mom naked last night and for an old broad, she had really nice-"

Cherise gasped, while Caleb burst into laughter. "I can't believe you did that to Peters!"

Nick smiled, proudly. One of his better moments.

"How dare you!" he shouted, coming to his feet to grab Nick up by his shirt.

"He can't do that!" Cherise shouted. Everyone saw where Nick got his temper from, though a slight bit of it had something to do with Adarian.

"You fouled-mouthed little-"

"I thought you said your mom was no excuse for violence."

"Aw, shit. You got him there, boy," Bubba smiled.

Peters trembled as rage mottled his skin. His grip tightened and a vein throbbed in his temple.

"Sounds like the Hulk," Kody said, thoughtfully, making Nick laugh.

"My mother isn't a Bourbon Street stripper. She's a good God-fearing woman."

Adarian shot up screaming and threw the coffee table across the room, nearly hitting Nick had he not ducked.

Kyrian was pretty upset. He actually liked that coffee table and Adarian made a mess in his living room, which Rosa would have to clean up later on.

Adarain was done with this book and that man. He couldn't stand the thought of anyone bad-mouthing perfect Cherise. He realized he made a scene and composed himself quickly, "Go on! Keep reading!"

Nick got up to clear the debris a bit and gritted his teeth, soon the sun would go down and Adarian would go away for the night. Hopefully the sun would leave the sky sooner. Nick returned to his seat as soon as the remains of the coffee table were to the side so Rosa could easily pick it up whenever she had the time.

Cherise was surprised. Of course she was upset, but Adarian seemed to hate it even more than her. She remembered that there was a sweet side to Adarian, no matter how small it was. She was actually very disappointed in him and couldn't hide the expression. Adarian caught it and thought he should feel ashamed.

He shoved Nick away from him. "Get your things and get out."

"Gladly," Nick mumbled.

God-fearing, huh? Strange how Nick and his mom went to mass every Sunday and at least twice during the week and they only ever saw Peters or his mom there was on holidays.

"That man was full of shit," Adarian snapped, surprising everyone.

Yeah...

Hypocrite to the core. He despised people like Peters.

"I turned out good," Caleb smiled.

"Yes, you are one of the only rich people I like," Nick stated.

Nick scooped his backpack up from the floor and left. There was a security guard waiting outside the office to escort him to his locker.

Just like a criminal.

Might as well get used to it. Some things ran in blood. At least he's not handcuffing me.

Adarian smiled. He should be introduced soon and wondered in what horrible way.

Yet.

Hanging his head low, he tried not to look at anyone as the other students sniggered and whispered about him.

"I remember that day. At football practice, Stone told the team a bunch of crap," Caleb spat.

"That's what happens when you come from trash."

"I hope they  don't let him back in."

"Serves him right."

Cherise hated this book. Loathed it.

Nick grounded his teeth in anded as he  near his locker and reached for the combination.

Brynna Adams was pulling her books out, two doors down.

"Dude, she liked you," Caleb smirked.

"What?!" Nick screeched.

"Yeah, a while ago. She told me not to tell," Nick would have never thought.

Ash grew very annoyed. Did the whole female population like Nick?

Tall with dark brown hair, she was very pretty and one of the few people who hung with Stone and crew that Nick could  stand.

"She's a very good girl," Cherise winked at Nick.

She paused to look at them with a frown, that only deepened when she saw the guard with him. "What's up, Nick?"

"He got arrested for illegal possession of drugs," Death smiled.

Man, did Nick want to punch him.

"Got suspended." He paused before he swallowed his pride. Again. "Could I ask a favor?"

She didn't hesitate. "Sure."

"Could you get my assignments so that I don't fall  behind?"

"Absolutely. You want me to email them to you?"

And I stupidly thought I couldn't feel any worse.

"You should know by now, Nick," Ash smiled, while Nick scowled.

"Don't have a computer at home."

Her cheeks darkened.

"At least she had the decency to be embarrassed," Kody said.

Nick shrugged, he guessed.

"Sorry, um, where do you need me to take them?"

Nick was grateful she was decent- unlike the rest of the jerks she ran with.

"Seriously, I wonder what her problem is," Caleb stated.

"She was obviously likes bad boys," Cherise said, remembering when she was the same.

Adarian secretly smiled.

"I'll come by  your house after school and get it."

She wrote down her address while he pulled all of his books out. "I'll be home about four."

"Nick got a date," Aunt Mennie lovingly teased.

He flushed a Spartan red.

"Thanks, Brynna. I really appreciated it." He tucked the paper in his back pocket, then allowed the security guard to escort him off campus.

Nick sighed, everyone would hear his tiny mother get the best of him.

Just then his stomach grumbled, loudly. Everyone stared at him, "I might be hungry."

Kyrian laughed, "Rosa!"

"Yes, Mr. Hunter?" her accent floated from upstairs.

"Can we please have jambalaya?" Nick shouted.

Rosa's laugh filled the house, "Of course, Mr. Nick."

"God, I love you."

She walked down the stairs, smiling, "Te amo también, mijo."

"Anyways," Ambrose said, speaking for the first time since the beginning of the book.

"So quiet, Ambrose," Nick teased.

"Don't push your luck, kid," Ambrose smiled, he just didn't want people to ask questions.

Heartsick over having to face his mother, he made his way back home to their side of the ghetto and dreaded every step that took him closer to his door.

"I don't know why, but I imagine a sad, adorable puppy wondering the streets," Kody said, innocently.

Caleb laughed, "Nick would be one of those ugly puppies."

"Rude!" Nick yelped.

Inside their crappy house, his mother was waiting on him with a stern frown on her face.

Nick sighed, he knew what was coming.

Dressed in a threadbare pink robe, she looked about as tired and ticked off as he'd ever seen her.

"This is gonna get good," Caleb said, rubbing his hands together.

He dropped his backpack to the floor. "You should be asleep, Mom."

"Wrong, wrong, wrong," Bubba shook his head. "You let her start it. Never open your big mouth and say something smart when she is already pissed."

Her eyes cut him to the quick and made him feel even lower than Peters had.

"How could I sleep when my boy's been thrown out of school for fighting? You of all people know how hard it is for me to keep you there."

Caleb had a stupid grin on his face, he enjoyed this thoroughly.

"How much money it takes. What I have to do to pay for your books and lunches. Why would you be so stupid as to throw this chance away? What were you thinking?"

"Gawd, Ms. G. That was beautiful," Caleb laughed.

"I thought so too," She smiled.

Nick just looked ashamed, Ash patted his head like a dog.

Nick didn't say anything because the truth would kill her and he didn't want her to feel as bad as he did when there was nothing she could do about it.

"Nicky, you should've told me. It would have saved your sorry butt," Cherise said softly.

I'm the man of the family. It was his job to protect the her. It was all he knew.

Take care of your mom, boy, or you'll answer to me. You lip off to her and I'll cut your tongue. You make her cry and I'll kill you myself.

"I should be dead," Nick mumbled.

Adarian glared at him, if he killed the boy Cher would hate him forever.

His father was pretty worthless, but the one thing about him was that he made good on his threats.

Adarian smiled evilly. That boy better remember that for the rest of his life.

All of them. And sure he'd already killed twelve people, Nick figured he wouldn't think  twice about killing him.

Adarian was very pleased with this description. He loved it.

Especially since his father had no great love of him.

I couldn't even if I wanted to, Adarian thought.

So he kept his  anger locked in and refused to say anything to hurt her feelings.

Unfortunately, his mother gave him no reprieve. "Don't you get sullen on me, boy. I'm sick of that look on your face. Tell me why you attacked that kid. Now."

"Attack is such an ugly word. I like surprise fight better," Mark smiled.

Cherise glared at him.

Nick clenched his teeth tight.

"Answer me, Nick, or so help me-"

Ash broke out laughing again. "Ms. Gautier, you are on hilarious woman."

"help me, I'll spank you, even at your age."

Everyone laughed at Nick. He was treated like a child and god damn it was funny.

"Shut up," a red Nick said.

"My mom was the same, Nick," Ambrose winked at Nick. If only everyone knew...

He had to stop himself from rolling his eyes at her ludicrous  threat.

"Oooo, Nick. Tsk, tsk," Mark shook his head.

Even at fourteen, he was more than a head taller than his tiny mother, and he had a good forty pounds on her. "He made fun of me."

"Of course he did, Nicholas. He was jealous of you," Mennie stated.

"Because you're so good-looking," Ash said, hopefully, sarcastically.

Nick's heart fluttered as Ash said he was hot, sarcastically or not, it made him happy.

"And for that you'd  jeopardize your entire future? What were you think?

"He wasn't," Kyrian said. "You are the only thing Nick would really die for in this world and all others."

Cherise had tears in her eyes. And she for him.

"He laughed at you. So what? Believe me, that's not the worth thing that will ever happen to you. You have to grow up, Nicky, and sop acting like a  baby. Just because some one mocks you is no reason to fight. Now is it?

"Good lord, Cherise. You put that boy to shame," Aunt Mennie sassily said.

No. He swallowed attacks against him all the time. What he wouldn't suffer were attacks against his mom. And he shouldn't have to. "I'm sorry."

Cherise wanted to ask if all his fights were about her, but she was too scared. She embarrassed her baby and she hated that.

She held her up. "Don't even go there. You're not sorry. I can see it in your eyes. I am so disappointed in you. I thought I'd thought you better, but apparently you're just like your daddy-"

It surprisingly crushed Adarian to hear Cherise say that about him. Even though it was true.

"In spite of everything I do to keep you straight. Now go to your room until I calm down. You can stay there for the rest of the day."

"Is it bad that I enjoyed myself?" Caleb asked.

"Nah," Ambrose waved a hand at him.

Nick smiled, this inside joke between them would be funny for a while.

"I'm suppose to woe this afternoon. Ms. Liza needs me to help move her stock around in the storeroom."

"Nick, why can't you just shut up?" Kody asked.

"Ms. Liza needed my help and I don't think you have a right to tell me what to do!" He snapped.

Caleb had to fight to keep in a chuckle.

She growled.

"That's sexy," Mark blurted out.

"Dude!" Nick yelled. Cherise raised an eyebrow at him, smiling.

"I mean- it's just usually women are sexy when they do that. Not that you aren't sexy for an older woman. You aren't old. I'm just saying-" Mark rambled.

"Shut your damn mouth!" Adarian shouted.

Mark shrank against Bubba, scared out of his mind. He nearly wet himself.

"Don't talk to people that way. This is why no one can stand you!" Cherise yelled back.

She gave him a hard glare, as he sat there stunned. This was the second time she stood up to him. She was full of surprises and Adarian found it exciting. He wanted to be angry, but he couldn't find it within himself.

Ash, totally not affected by the awkwardness, kept reading.

"Fine. You can go,but then it's straight home. You hear me? I don't want you wasting time with any of those hoodlums you call friends."

"I'm not a hoodlum," Caleb said, innocently.

"Of course not, sweetie," Cherise gently.

"Yes, ma'am." Nick headed to his "room" and pulled the blankets closed. Sick and tired of it all, he sat down on the lumpy, old mattress and leaned his head back against the wall were he saw the pieces of ceiling that were discolored and peeling up. And then he heard it...

"What? Demons?" Caleb panicked.

"Maybe if you didn't interrupt," Kody snapped.

They glared at each other as Ash spoke.

The sound of his mother's tears coming through the wall of her bedroom. God, how he hated that sound.

Adarian didn't even feel like being angry. God, this book was terrible.

"I'm sorry, Mom," he whispered.

Cherise sighed. Nick crawled over to her, leaning his head against her leg. She smiled down at her baby.

Ash suddenly felt lonely, but that little family need each other. Ash could accept that.

Wishing he'd strangled Stone where the creep stood.

"That would've been fun," Ambrose mumbled.

One day... one day he was going to get out of this hellhole. Even if he had to kill someone to do it.

"That's a little dark," Kyrian said.

"I was angry," Nick shrugged.

It was nine o'clock when Nick left Liza's store. He'd already picked up his assignments from Brynna at her huge mansion of a house on his way into work.

"Why does this chapter feel so long?" Ash yawned.

"It's Nick. He has an attention span of a squirrel," Caleb stated.

"So not true!" Nick shouted the same time Rosa announced that the meal was done. "Food!" Nick sprinted toward the kitchen.

"I told you," Caleb smiled, following Nick to the kitchen.

Minutes later Caleb returned with a giant bowl and was moaning into it, "Dear lord, this is absolutely wonderful."

From the kitchen, you heard Rosa laughing, "Nick! You can't take the whole pot!" He returned with a bowl bigger than Caleb's. Those boys couldn't stop moaning about it.

"Get a room," Ambrose said, though he remembered just how delicious Rosa's cooking was.

"I will. I will show this jambalaya a good time," Caleb stated, dead serious.

"Rosa, we love you so much!" Nick shouted.

"I know!"

"Are you two done?" Kyrian asked. "I find this book quite interesting."

"I'll try, but I can't make any promises," Caleb pointed his spoon at them.

"Ash, go on," Kyrian motioned.

Then he'd put in five hours so that he could save money for his "college fund."

"College fund has quotation marks around it," Ash informed them.

'Course at the rate it was accumulating, he'd be fifty before he could go. But something was better than nothing.

"I like the way you think," Kyrian said.

Liza locked the door to her shop while he stood behind her to shield her from anyone who might be watching them.

"I miss Liza! I'm gonna try to see her more," Nick announced.

"Good night, Nicky. Thanks for your help."

"Night, Liza." He waited until she was safely in her car and on her way home before he headed down Royal Street toward the Square.

"Protective much?" Caleb said.

"It's in my nature. I mean I was raised by Cherise," Nick pointed at her with his spoon. He managed to drip jambalaya on the rug, smiling innocently at Kyrian. "Oops."

The closest streetcar stop was over behind Jackson Brewey. But as he neared the Square, he wanted to see his mom and apologize for getting suspended.

"Don't tell me you did it?" Bubba stared at Nick.

Nick chuckled nervously, "No.."

She told you to go straight home...

Yeah, but he'd made her cry and he hated whenever he did that. Besides, the condo was really lonely when he was there alone at night.

"Aww, were you scared?" Caleb teased.

"No! It said lonely. I was lonely!" Nick glared at him, he had been scared at the time, not that he would admit it.

And he'd already read Hammer's Slammers until he could quote it.

Maybe if he apologized, she'd let him hang out at the club for the night.

"Boy! You in trouble!" Bubba shouted.

"Yay!" Caleb gleefully yelled.

So instead of turning right, he made a left and headed for her club on Bourbon Street. The faint sounds of jazz and zydeco music coming out of stores and restaurants soothed him. Closing his eyes as he walked.

"You'll trip," Ambrose suddenly blurted out.

Ash laughed. He had to admit he'd been looking at Ambrose and he was handsome.

He inhaled the sweet smell of cinnamon and gumbo, as he passed the Cafe Pontalba.

"We should go there," Kody said, dreamily.

His stomach rumbled. Since he hadn't been at school, his lunch had consisted of more powered eggs and bacon, and he had yet to eat dinner... Which would be those nasty eggs again.

"Now we eat real eggs," Cherise stated proudly.

Not wanting to think about that, he walked down the narrow alley to the back door of the club and knocked.

John Chartier, one of the huge burly bouncers who watched out for the dancers, opened it with a fierce frown- until he saw Nick.

"Look, I brighten people's day," Nick smiled.

You brighten my day, Ash thought.

A wide smile spread over his face. "Hey, buddy. You here to see your mom?"

"Why else would he be there?" Kyrian questioned.

"To beat the crap out of Stone's dad," Caleb growled.

"I should've!" Nick was very disappointed in himself, though he probably would've gotten his mom fired.

"Yeah. Is she on stage yet?"

"Nah, she's still got a few minutes." He stood back so that Nick could walk down the dark back hallway to the green room.

He paused at the door to the room where the dancer dressed and rested between performances, and knocked.

"Nick is gonna get verbally abused again," Caleb sang.

Tiffany answered. Absolutely stunning. She was tall and blonde... and barely dressed in a G-string and lacy top.

"Oh man, what I wouldn't give," Mark mumbled.

"Don't be stupid. That girl is outta your league!" Bubba smacked him in the back of the head.

Even though he'd been raised around women dressed like that and was used to it, his face flamed bright red as he kept his gaze on the floor. It was like seeing his sister naked.

"Well, I'd break guy code for her," Mark stated.

"Leave Tiff alone!" Nick whined.

Tiffany laughed, cupping his chin in her hand. "Cherise? It's your Nicky." She squeezed his chin affectionately. "You're so sweet the way you won't look at us. I knew it was you when you knocked. No one else is so nice. All I can say is your mama is raising you right."

"Mm, why didn't I meet her, Nick?" Mark asked.

"Cos' you're a perv," Nick snapped.

Nick mumbled a thank-you as he stepped past her and made his way to his mom's dressing station.

"I'm excited!" Caleb grinned.

He kept his gaze down until he was sure she was covered by her pink bathrobe.

But when he caught her furious glare in the chipped mirror where she was putting on her makeup, his stomach hit the floor. There was no forgiveness in that face tonight.

"I thought I told you to go straight home."

Cherise stroked Nick's hair, she was too harsh on him.

"I wanted to say I was sorry again."

She put down her mascara wand. "No you didn't. You wanted to try and make me tell you that you didn't have to stay on restriction. I won't have it, Nicholas Ambrosius Gautier. And your paltry apology doesn't change the fact that you new better. You have to learn to think before you act. That temper of yours is going to get you into serious trouble one day. Just like it did your father. Now go home and contemplate what you did and how wrong it was."

"You should've made him write standards," Caleb laughed.

"Don't you think you were hard on him?" Ash asked, closing the book.

"I don't appreciate you telling me how to raise my son," Cherise said.

"I'm just saying. It seems like you don't even hear him out."

"When you have kids please talk to me," Cherise snapped.

"Mom!" Nick yelled. "Stop. Both of you. This hardly matters anymore."

Silence filled the room and Adarian was seething. Normally he would kill him, but some dark aura rolled off of Ash like waves.

Ash and Cherise were ashamed. Their protectiveness of Nick clashed and upset him.

"But Mom-"

"Don't 'but Mom' me. Go!"

"Ms. G. I like love you so much," Caleb smiled at her.

Cherise tolled her eyes. Those kids had a tough love kind of relationship.

"Cherise!" her handler shouted, letting her know it was time to go on stage.

"Handler doesn't sound right," Kody said.

She stood up. "I mean it, Nick. Go home."

Nick turned around and left the club, feeling even  worse than he had when he'd left Liza's. Why wouldn't his mom believe in him?

"Cos' you're related to me, kid," Adarian wickedly grinned.

"Don't remind me," Nick mumbled.

Why couldn't she see that he wasn't trying to play her?

Whatever... He was tired of turning to convince the world, and especially his mom, that he  wasn't worthless.

"God, Nick. You're so depressing," Kyrian said.

"It was me against the world then. Nobody believed in me," Nick said, laying face down on the carpet.

"It's ok. I love you, Nick," Caleb said, laying on top of him.

"You're so fat! Get off!" Nick whined.

"Hurtful!" Caleb rolled off of him though.

On the street, he headed down Bourbon toward Canal, where he could pick up a closer streetcar. He hated when his mom treated him like a criminal. He was not his father. He would never be like that man.

"Oh, but you are," Death whispered.

Fine, I'll never protect your honor again. Let them insult and mock you. See if I care.

Nick sighed. God that was an awful day.

Ash was disgusted with what Nick thought. Man, did that kid have problems.

Why should he bother when doing the right thing made her so mad at him?

Cherise was near tears. She regretted everything she'd ever said to Nick. He didn't deserve that. Her poor baby.

Angry, hurt, and  disgusted, he heard someone call his name.

Nick gritted his teeth, Those tools.

Pausing, he saw Tyree, Alan, and Mike across the street, hanging outside a tourist bead and mask store. They waved him over.

Kyrian shook his head. This kid is about to break his mother's heart.

Nick crossed the street to tap his fist against theirs. "What's up?"

Tyree leaned his head back in silent salute to him. "Hanging. What you doing?"

"They sound like douches," Caleb casually stated.

"Heading home."

Tyree slapped at the collar of Nick's orange shirt, "Boy, what you got on? That shits hideous."

Nick slapped his hand away. "Clothes. What's that crap you to on and what truck did it fall off of?"

"I smell trouble," Bubba frowned.

Tyree snorted and preened. "That my Romeo threads. They make all the ladies call me tasty."

"Doubt it," Kody gagged.

Nick scoffed. "Tasty-crazy. Them ain't no Romeo duds. Those fashions by Geek Street."

They all laughed.

"Really? That sucked," Ash smiled.

"I was 14!" Nick stuck his tongue out.

Mike sobered. "Look, we got a thing tonight and we could use a fourth. You want in? It should be worth a couple hundred dollars to you."

Don't do it. Don't do it. Ash chanted, even though it was useless.

Nick's eye widened at the sum. That was a lot of money. Tyree, Mike, and Alan were hustlers.

"Nicholas Ambroious Gautier! How dare you associate yourself with criminals. At such a young age at that! Were you trying to ruin your life?" Cherise shouted, pacing the room.

"I'm sorry mom. I was just a kid then," Nick said, quietly.

"I hope you're not hanging around them anymore," She said hotly.

"No ma'am."

"Good!" she sat in her spot angrily. Mennie was there to calm her some.

Though his mom would have a stroke if she ever found out, he'd been known to help them a time or two when they'd scammed locals and tourists.

Cherise gasped, "I will-"

Ash cut her off, "Yeah, we get it. Can we just read please?"

Adarian had to check himself again. This was tougher than he thought.

"Pool, poker, or craps?"

Alan and Tyree exchanged an amused look. "This is more a job of watchdog. At least for you. We got the big boss from Storyville who's paying us to shakedown some deadbeats. It'll take a couple of minutes."

"Don't me you're that stupid," Bubba shouted.

Nick gave him a cheeky smile, to which Bubba's frown deepened.

Nick screwed his face up. "I don't know about that."

Tyree tsked. "C'mon, Nick. We don't have much time before we have to be there and we really need someone to watch the street. Five minutes and you'll make more money than working a month for that old lady."

Cherise was fuming. She was ready to grab Nick by the ear and drag him home. Where she could beat him peacefully.

Nick looked back toward his mom's club. Normally, he'd have told them to forget it, but right now...

"Aw hell nah," Mark gasped.

If everyone's going to call me a worthless delinquent, I might as well be one.

"Nick, I thought we taught you better," Aunt Mennie scowled.

"I'm sorry," Nick mumbled, though he knew it wouldn't do him any good.

'Cause living right sure wasn't paying off for him. "You sure it's five minutes?"

Tyree nodded. "Absolutely. In and out and we're done."

Everyone looked at Nick disapprovingly and it made him angry, "I know! I'm a piece of crap! You don't need to remind!"

Ash's heart broke. Even after all these years, Nick still felt worthless.

Then he could be home and his mom wouldn't be the wiser. For once, he enjoyed the thought of sticking it to her, even though she would never know about it. "All right. I'm in."

Cherise stood up suddenly. Tears flooded down her face as she calmly walked upstairs, slamming a door.

Nick felt like crap. When he got up to follow her, Mennie held him back. "I'll talk to her first. Keep reading."

Everyone felt awful for Nick. Disappointing the only person you love must be heart-breaking.

Nick laid on the floor, silently letting tears fall.

Ash continued to read, though he knew it would hurt.

"Good man."

Nick looked at Alan, who was nineteen. "Can you guys give me a ride home after?"

"For you, boy? Anything."

Even a gunshot wound, Caleb thought.

Nodding, Nick followed them over to a seedy part of North Rampart. Tyree put him on the street, blocking an alley.

"God, Nick," Bubba mumbled.

"You stay right here and watch for the Five-O. Let us know if you see anyone."

Nick inclined his head to them.

They vanished into the shadows, while he stood there, waiting.

Everyone was on edge, even Adarian.

After a few minutes, an old couple walked past him on the sidewalk.

Oh no, Kody thought. She had a soft spot for the elderly.

By their dress and manners, he could tell they were tourists just taking a late stroll off the beaten path.

"Hi there," the woman said to him, smiling.

"Hi." Nick returned the expression. But...

Caleb now hated buts more than anything.

But his smile died an instant later when Alan leapt out of the shadows to grab the woman while Tyree knocked the man into a wall.

Nick was stunned. "What are you doing?"

"Shut up!" Alan snarled, pulling out a gun. "All right, grandpa. Give us your money or the old ho gets it right between her eyes."

Ash was reading faster. He couldn't hold his excitement or worry, even though he knew what ended up happening.

Nick felt the color drain his face. The couldn't be happening. They were mugging two tourists?

And I'm helping...

Nick felt so ashamed having to relive that with everyone he cared about, minus four people. He was actually happy his mother wasn't here to hear about her fuck-up son.

For a full minute he  couldn't breathe as he watched the woman cry and the man beg them not to hurt her.

Before he even realized what he was doing, he grabbed Alan's hand that held the gun and knocked it away. "Run!" he shouted at the couple.

Nobody dared cheer because they knew Nick was proud of none of this.

They did.

Tyree started after them, but Nick tackled him to the ground.

Alan caught him by the collar of his shirt and jerked him-

"He did what?" Caleb shouted.

"Jerked him back," Ash smirked.

"Oh thank god," Caleb said, wiping his brow. He had hoped to make Nick laugh some, but it didn't work.

Jerked him back. "Man, what are you doing?"

Nick shoved him. "I can't let you mug someone. That wasn't the deal."

"You stupid..." Alan hit him in the face with the gun.

Everyone cringed. Nick must have been one tough kid. They were all proud that he overcame everything.

Pain exploded in Nick's skull as he tasted blood.

"You're going to pay for that, Gautier."

"Crap. This is my least favorite part," Nick mumbled. Ambrose didn't like it much either.

The three of them  descended on him so fast and furious that he couldn't even see to fight back. One minute he was standing and the next he was on the ground with his arms wrapped around his head to protect it from the gun Alan was beating him with.

Caleb's heart went out to his best friend. He should've been there for him.

They stomped and beat on him until he lost all feeling in his legs and one arm.

Ash felt like shit having to read this to Nick. It must really hurt him physically and mentally.

Alan stepped back and angled the gun on him. "Say your prayers, Gautier. You're about to become a  statistic."

"That's it for the chapter," Ash said.

"That asshole! Nick, man, you are a crazy kid," Mark exclaimed.

"I should've been there man. I'm here to protect you," Caleb said, patting Nick on the shoulder.

"I appreciate it. I just wish you guys didn't have to hear that. I'm so glad my mom didn't," Nick said, sadly.

"Nick, you turned out alright. We are all raising you better," Kyrian told him softly.

"It doesn't matter what you did back then because we stand by you no matter what," Ash looked at him right in the eyes, willing him to think better of himself.

Kyrian seriously needed to talk to Ash after this. Sparks were flying and they were ignoring them or missing them completely. Kyrian would fix it.

"It's 10:30. We should get to bed," Nick mumbled.

"Yeah," Ambrose said, stretching. He had to get Adarian back to prison, which was done pretty easily.

"See you tomorrow, Nick," Death smiled evilly before disappearing.

Nick groaned. He didn't know how much of him he could stand.

"Everyone is just staying here then?" Kyrian asked.

"No point in leaving." Caleb shrugged, kicking off his shoes.

"Dude, Kyrian has plenty of rooms just sleep in one of them, not the couch," Nick said to Caleb.

"I'm cool down here," Caleb wanted to make sure everyone was safe, a lot of dark aura was leaking out of the house right now.

Nick shrugged and showed Kody to one of the rooms upstairs. Kyrian thought it was the perfect time to talk to Archeon.

"Ash, let's talk in the kitchen," Kyrian tried to sound nonchalant.

"What?"

"You and Nick? Strange things are happening around there. Do you like him?"

Ash sighed. "I'm not sure. Lately I've just been noticing him. I'm definitely feeling something. Nick is Nick. Everything about him heightens my senses and I can't shake him."

Kyrian smiled, it was good to see him like this. "I think you should go for it. Nick is different. I've seen you two together and it just fits. I know over the past years he's changed. I haven't seen him look at a girl like he used to. Think about it."

Kyrian walked away leaving Ash to toss and turn about his feelings all night long.

Neither of them ever aware that Nick was leaning against the wall that connected the living room and the kitchen, grinning like a fool.

Chapter Text

Nick was absolutely exhausted. The conversation between Ash and Kyrian didn't help the fact that he tried making things better with his mom, all night long. He sat outside her door begging for her to hear him out. His eyelids became heavy as he tried shoveling another spoonful of cereal into his mouth.

"Hey kid," Ambrose said, startling Nick. Nick nodded finally getting that spoon to its destination.

"Adarian is gonna appear soon, so wanna talk for a while while everyone is still sleeping?" Ambrose knew Nick had something to say, it was written all over his face.

Nick sighed, "It's mom and Ash and Kody. I feel like I can't trust people. Mom, she'll probably hate me by the end of the series. I've done so many bad things. I don't think she can forgive for all of them."

"Listen, Nick. Whatever you did was my fault too. Our stories are a little different, but our actions are the same. Ash hadn't meant to do it. He thought he was doing the best for me. Things went wrong and I know that by saying that I'm probably confusing you because I'm always warning you about him. Kody was doing it for unselfish reasons. Plus you can't just ignore your what you were born to be," Ambrose said, putting a hand on Nick's shoulder.

"That's not what I meant about Ash," Nick mumbled.

"What?"

Nick told Ambrose about what he heard the night before and Ambrose was beyond surprise. Ash... he liked guys? Twisted!

"Wow," was all Ambrose could say.

"Yeah, I know. What do I do?"

"Depends."

"On?" Nick pressed.

"How you feel," Ambrose said.

"I'm confused. He'll betray me and I don't want that," Nick ran a hand through his hair.

"Maybe it'll change because of his feelings. Take a leap of faith. Live a little," Ambrose smirked.

"I've lived a lifetime," Nick laughed.

Everyone began filing into the kitchen, though Adarian stood in the corner, glaring at everyone. Cherise even came down, still not being able to look at Nick. His heart sank.

Ash came over and ruffled his hair, "It'll take some time, but she can't possibly not love her son."

Nick couldn't look at Ash the same. A hot blush creep up his face when he looked into Ash's eyes.

It threw off Ash. What could he have possibly done to earn this kind of reaction from Nick?

Ash ate breakfast more confused than ever. He still didn't know what to do about Nick. The reaction he got made it even worse. This was absolutely frustrating.

Cherise knew she couldn't stay mad at Nick forever. He knew what he did was wrong and he had bettered himself. It still broke her heart that he couldn't tell her. He was just a child, he was afraid. She looked over at Nick passed out with his head next to his cereal bowl. She smiled lovingly at him. That was her baby. She couldn't stay mad at him ever. Not at the age of four and not now. She only became angry at herself for not being a better mother.

Caleb walked up to a sleeping Nick and smacked him in the back of the head. Nick was startled and nearly fell out of his chair. "The fuck, man?!"

"We're gonna read. Drink coffee or something," Caleb handed Nick the rest of his. Nick took it, graciously, savoring the liquid's bitter taste.

They all sat in the same spots as yesterday, but Nick stole Kyrian's seat next to Ash. Kyrian smiled widely, taking resident on the armchair, where he had a good view of the two.

"Who wants to read?" Ambrose asked, picking up the book.

"I will. I come out in this chapter," Kyrian smiled, taking the book from Ambrose.

Nick grimaced. Great, more humiliation. Ash smiled reassuringly at Nick, to which Nick blushed again.

What the fuck... Ash thought.

"Alright let's start. Chapter 2.."

Chapter Text

Nick wanted to lash out so badly he could taste it.  I won't die like this. Not beaten in a gutter by people who're suppose to be my friends. Guys I've known and played with my whole life. I won't.

Cherise wanted to reach out for Nick and tell him she forgave him. She thought it would be better if she told him when they were alone.

Nick felt weak. Totally weak. Now everyone, even Adarian, knew just how horrible he was. Just how useless he is. He closed his eyes and tried to imagine a happy time. He smiled as he remembered a random day when Ash was teaching him how to drive. Such simple times (or as simple as they could get).

Yet here he lay.

Helpless. Weak.

Defeated.

Not only were his taste buds drenched with blood, he felt like he was suffocating on it.

"Bleh," Caleb looked sick.

His mind ached to fight until they were begging him for mercy- it wanted him to get up and make them eat their teeth, but his body refused.

"God, you are a fighter boy. I'm telling you, Mark, he's been holding out on us, " Bubba complained.

Nick rolled his eyes. He did not want to jump into that topic.

Nothing was listening to him. Heck, he couldn't even keep them from hitting him.

"Well, the odds weren't in your favor, " Kody said.

"Ah, the Hunger Games," Ash sighed.

Nick smiled at him. Ash did the sweetest, most adorable things, in his opinion. Maybe he was biased.

Unable to do anything at all, he glared his hatred at Alan and hoped that the look alone would haunt the rat for the rest of eternity.

"Doubt it," Adarian mumbled.

Alan laughed as he squeezed the trigger.

Cherise cringed even though Nick came back alright. Well.. he came back in one place.

Holding his breath, Nick waited for the sound that would end his life.

"I'd miss you, " Caleb pouted.

"I know you would," Nick winked, Caleb flipped him the middle finger.

Out of the darkness, a blur rushed in at the same instant Alan fired the gun. One moment Tyree, Alan, and Mike were laughing at his pain while they insulted him. In the next, they flying through the air and hitting the ground near him hard enough to break bones.

"Cool!" Caleb shouted.

Kyrian smiled proudly. Ah, the perks of being a dark-hunter.

Cherise was relieved. It was about time Kyrian saved her baby.

Nick froze as he tried to figure out where he'd been shot, but his body hurt so much that he couldn't tell.  Maybe it missed me.

Ash snorted. "You should know you don't have that good of luck."

Nick wanted to say something witty back, but it was too true. Ash smirked at his silence.

Laying on the street, and black clothes as someone attacked his ex friends.

Caleb looked around the room for blonde hair when his eyes landed on Kyrian. "Oh!"

Everyone's eyes snapped to Caleb. He blushed. "It was Kyrian."

Nick rolled his eyes. They all thought he was a dumb one.

Alan cried out and the gun landed on the ground beside him.

The blond man tsked. "Shame you're too young to kill. But in two years, I catch you doing this crap again, you won't live long enough to rethink it."

"I've always envied your restraint," Ash said.

"You show restraint all the time having to deal with Nick," Caleb said.

"Hey! I'm not that bad! Am I?" the room's silence was answer enough for Nick.

With one hand, he threw Alan into the street like a rag doll.

"Badass," Kody said.

"Kyrian is a badass. Thanks to me," Ash smiled.

In a swirl of black and the flash of silver, the man turned to face Nick. he didn't know why but the guy reminded him more of a rich, stockbroker-

Ash burst into laughter, "Told you. You have to take my kind of edgy look."

Nick couldn't imagine Kyrian with green hair.

Stockerbroker then someone able to take down street hardened gangbangers.

Caleb smirk. Gangbangers.

And he wasn't all that will be there. Maybe his twenties.

Maybe.

Kyrian was surprised Nick caught onto things so quickly.

Nick could barely draw his breath as the man came forward with the walk of a vicious predator.

"Ooo," Mark said.

He was dressed in all black.

"I don't care what he's wearing. Get to the good stuff Nick," Caleb complained.

"I'm wounded! I'll grasp anything that comes to mind," Nick exclaimed. He was starting to feel slightly better.

An expensive of a coat draped around a body that was lethal.

"Matrix," Bubba stated

Kyrian laughed, "It has always been my dream to be Neo."

But it was the flash of silver on a pair of black boots that caught his attention.

"They were extremely stylish," Ash said.

"Ha, ha," Nick glared, halfheartedly, at him.

One of them had a knife protruding from the toe. A knife that retracted as he came closer.

"That is awesome!" Mark smiled.

The man knelt down, his brow furrowed into a frown. "They made a mess of you, kid. Can you stand?"

"Of course he can't, " Cherise snapped.

Nick raised an eyebrow at her outburst. He didn't think his mom would be defending him anytime soon.

Nick slapped at his hand as the man reached out to touch him.

"You like touching boys, Kyrian?" Ash smirked.

"No. Not me anyways," Kyrian winked.

Ash glared at him. He was gonna get it later.

Nick blushed, hiding it behind his empty coffee cup.

He didn't need help from anyone. Especially not a stranger.

"Yeah, he only needs help from me," Caleb glared at Kody.

She knew Malphas would say something to her sooner or later.

He tried to push himself to his feet, then everything went black.

Adarian found all this boring. So what if his punk ass offspring got beat up? He had it coming.

Kyrian Hunter-

"That's me!" Kyrian exclaimed.

"Great. Now keep reading," Ash rolled his eyes.

Barely caught the skinny kid dressed in a foully orange Hawaiian shirt before he hit the street. That hideous thing had saved his life.

"At least that shirt was good for something," Nick stretched his arms out.

Ash stiffened when Nick left his arm on the back of his seat. Oh Gods. He was being punished for something.

So bright it practically glowed, it'd called out to him as he'd been walking by and had altered him of the fight.

"God, everyone is so boring," Kody yawned.

"Says the assassin," Nick blurted out.

Everyone was confused. Assassin?

Kody couldn't believe he did that. She knew Nick was hurting, but to say that to her face, in front of everyone, was crossing the line.

Caleb wanted to laugh, but knew that would set Kody off. Maybe she'd kill him. So Caleb settled for a smiled.

From what he'd seen, the kid was a tough little scrapper.

"Because I'm scrappy," Nick said, smugly.

Ash laughed.

"What?" Kyrian asked.

"It's a Friends reference," Ash explained.

Nick smiled. He didn't think anyone would get that joke, seeing as it was the most subtle reference he could make.

He'd give him that. And the boy could take a vicious beating without begging for mercy.

"Well, I am awesome," Nick smiled.

There weren't many adults who could have gone though what he had without crying.

That alone made him respect the kid.

Kyrian knew he'd never forget that day. The day he had found a diamond in the ruff.

He glared art the other punks, who were running as fast as they could.

"Weenies, " Caleb laughed.

"They probably ran to Weenie Hut Junior," Nick smirked, sending Caleb into a fit of laughter.

The ancient warrior and predator inside him wanted to hunt them down and kill them for what they'd done.

"Ancient? You aren't that old," Cherise said, innocently.

Kyrian gave her a tight lipped smile.

But the man in him knew this one, the one who'd put his life on the line to save the elderly couple wouldn't live if he did.

Cherise gasped. At least he did save that couple. He was a hero.

The cowards could unfortunately wait for another butt-whipping.

He titled the kid's face so that he could see his features.

"Saw something you liked?" Nick wiggled his eyesbrows, hoping to get a reaction out of Ash.

Ash hoped he wore a neutral expression because he was screaming on the inside.

Kyrian rolled his eyes, "As if."

The short brown hair was saturated worth blood, and a huge cut would most likely leave a scar right above his left eyebrow.

Ash brushed away the hair on Nick's forehead to see the scar, "It's nice."

Nick held his breath. Ash was so close to him. This was torture.

His nose was broken and by the looks of it, his jaw might be too. If not broken, they'd pounded it real good. Blood poured from his shoulder where he'd been shot.

"You must have looked fabulous," Mark smiled.

"Oh yeah. Channing Tatum was jealous," Nick rolled his eyes.

Kyrian carried him to his car so that he could get him to the hospital before he bled out and died.

"Brutally honest," Cherise cringed.

Kyrian paced the waiting room, where several dozen other people sat in various states of agitation and illness.

"Gross," Bubba scrunched up his nose.

It'd been almost two hours since he'd handed the teenager over to the staff and still no word about the kid he'd found.

"Inconsiderate, " Kody mumbled.

Was he even still alive?

"Way to have faith," Nick said, wide eyed.

Checking his watch, he growled. He really didn't have time to stay here, waiting...

"You didn't like me, did you?" Nick asked.

Kyrian rolled his eyes, "You know that's not true."

He had important duties to attend to and, with luck, more lives to save before dawn.

"You're like Batman," Mark stated.

"And I'm his sidekick, Robin," Ash smiled.

Nick definitely liked Robin more than Batman now.

"What are you doing here, General?"

Oh shit, Ash thought.

He froze at the deep, thickly accented voice.

One that Nick loved. Did he really just think that..

Kyrian honestly wanted to skip the next sentence, but one look at Ash, he knew he had to.

Since Acheron was an eleven-thousand-year old omnipotent immortal.

The mortals in the room were so confused. Was this a joke?

Caleb gasped. Oh shit.

Adarian hissed. He fucking knew it. He had felt it.

Ash stood up, "I know you're confused. Your questions will probably be answered later on, but yes I am immortal. It's something two people in this room knew about it."

Nick stood up beside him, reaching up to put a hand on Ash's shoulder. "I knew. It doesn't make him any less of a person. Or who he is."

"I agree," Kyrian chimed.

"Nick, honey, get away from them. They are crazy," Cherise warned.

"No, mom, it's the truth," Nick yelped.

"Nick, this is insane. We're going home," she went to grab him, but Nick grabbed onto Ash's hand.

"You still can't believe me! You can leave! I'm staying. Ash is my friend. He isn't crazy! It's true!" Nick yelled, squeezing Ash's hand. Electricity ran up Ash's arm. Nick's fingers were intertwined with his and nothing felt better.

Cherise was taken back. Nick was defending a lunatic. This was insane. She couldn't leave him here in the house of insane people. So she cleared her throat and returned to her seat.

Nick exhaled deeply. This book was going to be a battle with everyone.

Ash gave Nick's hand a comforting squeeze. He pulled him down to sit, keeping Nick's hand in his own. Nick didn't pull his hand away. It just felt right to hold onto Ash. It felt like Ash was the only one giving him comfort now.

Kyrian sat there, soaking in the awkwardness before continuing the book that was already tearing a family apart.

Acheron was the last person Kyrian had expected to find in a hospital. Not like the man could ever break a bone or get sick.

Well he must be very healthy, Cherise thought, who was still angry at Nick for believing the crap they feed him.

He turned around the slowly to find Acheron just inside the doorway. At 6 foot 8 with dark green hair and dressed in black Goth gear complete with a spiked leather motorcycle jacket, he was an impressive sight that made everyone who saw him swallow in fear.

"Yeah, but he's easy on the eyes," Nick winked and laughed.

I might actually die, Ash though. Nick had to be a tease.

But it wasn't just to type that gave people cause. It was the lethal aura of I'll-kick-your-butt-so-hard-your-ancestors'-ears-will-ring. Anyone who came near him could feel the earthly power that bled from the pores of this particular...

Being.

Adarian growled. He should have known. He should have felt it in his being. The kid was weakening him.

"What are you doing here?" Kyrian asked.

His eyes completely shielded by a pair of opaque Predator sunglasses even though it was almost midnight, Acheron on cut loose with a lopsided that antagonized him. "I asked you first."

That lopsided grin that Nick loved about him. It had a boyish charm to it.

If it'd been anyone other than Acheron making that smart-aleck comment, Kyrian would give him a higher dose of attitude.

"Ooo, attitude," Caleb smirked.

But attitude didn't work on Acheron. It just pissed him off, which was never a good thing.

"What? I've been going at this all wrong. I thought he loved attitude," Nick gasped.

"You're lucky I've learned a little bit about patience over the years," Ash said, squeezing Nick's hand.

"I found a kid getting a major ass-whipping on the street. I don't know who he is but I don't want to leave him here without an adult to watch over him. He was pretty badly mangled in the fight and not old enough to be left alone."

"Young adult," Nick grumbled.

Acheron tilted his head as if he was listening to voices only he could hear. Kyrian hated whenever he did that. It creeped him out to think what all whispered to the ancient being. Most of all, it creeped him out to think all the men knew about him that Kyrian had never told him...

Ash just shrugged at Kyrian. "Shit happens."

Kyrian sighed. Damn his powers.

"Name's Gautier. Nick Gautier. He's a fourteen-year-old student at St. Richard's High School on Chartres who lives in the Lower Ninth on Claiborne Ave."

Kyrian was impressed. "You know him?"

There was no hint of emotion from Acheron. "Never seen him before."

"Now he's never leaving your life," Caleb groaned.

Ash didn't really mind that much.

That cocky grin returned to irritate Kyrian. "I know lots of things, General."

Ash flashed Kyrian his famous grin. Kyrian growled and flipped Ash off. It only strengthened the grin.

Acheron held his hand up and an piece of paper appeared out of nowhere between his fingers. He held it put to him. "His mother's an exotic dancer named Cherise Gautier. You can reach her here. But be warned."

Caleb laughed. "I love how everyone fears, Ms. G."

She smiled softly at Caleb. He was a real good kid. She loved him like her he was her second son.

"She has a sharp tongue where her son's concerned and of she thinks you've hurt him or caused him to be hurt... she's going for blood."

Cherise nodded. That was a fair enough description. Mennie giggled next to her.

Kyrian took the paper from his hand. "I'd ask you about those Jedi mind tricks of yours, but I know you won't answer."

Nick thought a little. He honestly didn't even know Ash that well. Imagine if he did. These... Stirrings would be much stronger.

Acheron tucked his hands into the pockets of his scuffed jacket that had two chains wrapped around the shoulder of it. "No comment, but I will say this." He paused before he spoke again. "Nick isn't Jason. It's a different time and place, General. Don't let the past ruin your future."

Jason...

"Meaning, what, of great Yoda?"

Acheron didn't elaborate.

"He never does, Kyrian," Nick huffed. Nick wanted to cross his arms over his chest, but that meant letting go of Ash's hand.. He could live without crossing his arms.

"You take care of the kid. I'll take of your patrol tonight. I could use the target practice."

"Look, he already cares," Ambrose mumbled. Just because he gave Nick his blessing about Ash doesn't mean he was happy about it. Sooner or later Nick might understand.

"Thanks for understanding." After all, Acheron was his boss and could easily reamed him for not doing his duties.

Caleb and Nick giggled. "Kyrian has duties."

"Are you guys 5?" Kody raised an eyebrow.

"We might be," Nick winked at Caleb.

Acheron inclined his head before he made his way out the room and through the double doors that led to the parking lot. And with him went that powerful charge in the air.

"He was charging the Earth," Bubba laughed. Not even Mark got it.

Yeah, Acheron was one scary SOB.

"Super outrageous buddy!" Nick shouted.

Everyone laughed. The things that kid came up with were unbelievable.

Ash smiled lovingly at Nick. Cherise stared at Ash. She knew what was happening. She wanted to stop it.

But Kyrian wasn't exactly comforting himself. Acheron had trained him and he'd been a master pupil, especially when it came to killing things that shouldn't be living in the first place.

"But you are the same age," Cherise whispered. They must have been kids.. Must have been.

Glancing at the number in his hand, he pulled his phone out and called Nick's mom.

"Ooo, the feared Cherise," Mark smiled.

Nick groaned as he blinked open his...

Eye.

Caleb smiled. Man, he wished he saw Nick like that. Must have been hilarious.

Uh, gah, what happened? His head was throbbing and one eye had something over it that prevented him from opening it. Please don't tell me I've put out an eye. His mom would flip sideways. It was her biggest fear.

"Mine is getting eaten by alligators in the buayo," Bubba sighed, Mark nodded.

Don't play with that fill-in-the-blank, Nick. You could lose an eye.

Cherise smiled. She always wanted Nick to be the handsome man he was meant to be and losing an eye wouldn't help.

It was her favorite rant no matter what object he touched, and she'd kill him if he was now a cyclops.

"You'd have an edgy look," Kody batted her eyelashes at Nick.

He tried to hide the fact that he curled his lips up in disgust. He squeezed Ash's hand and his knuckles might have been white.

God, I'll never get a girlfriend now. Women don't date freaks.

"Freaky woman do," Caleb winked.

"Like Tabitha," Nick shuddered. She was a different kind of crazy.

"Careful, kid."

"Way to make an entrance. I would have gone for something more dramatic," Ash said, wiggling his fingers in the air.

Nick paused as he realized he was in a hospital room. He tried to sit up, but someone stopped him. His panic increased as he recognized the blond man from the fight. "Where am I?"

"Places," Adarian mumbled. He was incredible bored. This crap was nothing special.

"Hospital."

"Really? No kidding? And here I thought I was at McDonald's."

"Can't contain your sarcasm can you?" Ash looked at Nick.

"Did you just meet me?" Nick flashed him a dazzling smile.

Nick glared at the stupid answer. "I can't be here. We can't afford it."

The man ignored his rampant sarcasm, keeping his features completely impassive. "Don't worry about the price. It's on me."

"Mm," Bubba glared at Kyrian. That was creepy to the max.

Yeah, right. "We don't take charity." Nick winced as pain tore through his skull and he realized his arm was in a sling.

"You're really late. That's the first thing I would've noticed," Caleb rolled his eyes.

"You try getting shot," Nick glared at him.

Don't you dare break a bone, Nicky. I can't afford no doctor bill like that. Whatever you do, don't get hurt.

Nick felt ill over everything that'd happened. "My mom's going to kill me."

Caleb snickered. He never loved Ms. G more.

"I doubt it."

If the stranger only knew... "Yeah, well, I don't. I happen to have known the woman since the day I was born and she's going to beat me until I bleed."

"Yes, I would have," Cherise nodded.

Nick cringed as he realized if his mom knew what he did back then.

He looked up at the stranger who'd saved his life.

He was huge.

"Everyone in New Orleans is huge, Nick!" Bubba shouted, his accent coming out thicker.

Probably around six-four with short blond hair, he was dressed all in black. High-end black. Nice pants, Ferragamo boots and, unless Nick missed his guess, the button-down shirt was silk with leather cuffs and collar- not that fake stuff they sold at the Dollar Store where he and his mom bought clothes.

"He got this from one eye," Kyrian stated.

"I know my stuff," Nick smiled.

As for his coat, the leather was so soft, it didn't even make that crackling leather sound.

This guy was definitely loaded.

"That's why Nick likes you so much," Ash said.

"He only likes you for your cars," Kyrian shot back.

Nick squeezed Ash's hand, hopefully convincing him that wasn't the only reason he liked him. There were a lot more reasons.

"Why can't I move my arm?" Nick was starting to panic.

"You were shot."

"Where?"

"Your shoulder."

Cherise frowned. She never liked this part of Nick's younger years. It still made her scared out of her mind.

Before Nick could say another word, he heard his mother's distressed cry.

"This is where the fun happens," Caleb smiled.

From the side where his vision was blocked, she appeared and wrapped her arms around him.

"Oh my God, baby. Are you alright?" She bawled as she saw the bandage on his head and over his eye.

Now Adarian hated this for obvious reasons. He felt like Cherise would be upset a lot in this book. His patience was already wearing thin with the kid.

"What did they do to you? Why weren't you at home like I told you? Dammit, Nicky, why don't you ever listen to me? Just once in your life!"

Nick sighed. God, he absolutely hated this time. It's when he felt alone in the world, but now as he felt his hand being held by someone who actually cared about him, he didn't feel so alone.

"It wasn't his fault."

His mother released him instantly. She turned toward the stranger, who was still in the far corner of the room. "Who are you and why are you here?"

"The kraken has been unleashed," Caleb smiled.

"I love Fat Amy!" Nick laughed.

Ash smiled because he remembered the day Nick dragged him to see that movie because Kody had been busy. He had actually enjoyed himself.

He held his hand out to her. "Kyrian Hunter. I'm the one who called you."

Cherise remembered her appreciation that day. She still appreciated that he had come into their lives to help them for the better.

She shook his hand. There was a stark contrast between her tan secondhand frayed wool coat, cheap white vinyl boots, and the red sequined polyester skirt Nick knew belonged to one of her dancing outfits.

Cherise remembered how she hated that job. She always thought she could amount to more as a kid, but never had she imagined having a great kid.

His tiny mother was a beautiful woman, but the heavy, overdone stage makeup made her look a lot older than her twenty-eight years and he hated when she teased her blond hair out for the shows. It made her look cheap and his mom was anything but.

Nick smiled. He meant every single word. His mom was his world. No demon in the world could change that.

"Thank you for that, Mr. Hunter. Where did you find him again?"

Nick panicked. If Kyrian told her where he was when he'd been shot, she'd shoot him again for good measure.

Cherise gasped. That was a bit excessive.

"I'd like to see that," Caleb smiled.

"He was in the Quarter, trying to protect an old couple from being mugged. They got away and the scum who'd held them up was beating on him when I saw them and stopped it."

Tears glistened in her eyes. "You saved my baby?"

Kyrian nodded.

She sobbed even harder.

Adarian really wanted to disappear, but some magic, stronger than his, was keeping him here.

Nick felt like total crap. It was a good thing his dad wasn't here. He'd cut his throat for upsetting her like this.

Nick glanced over at Adarian expecting him to be seething, but his face held no emotion.

"Don't cry, Mom. I'm so sorry I got shot. I should have done what you said and gone home... I'm just so sorry"

Nick looked down. He wished he would have died then. It would have saved a lot of people a lot of trouble.

Ash wanted to do more than hold hands with Nick, but he thought he might be overstepping it.

She wiped her cheeks where her makeup was now streaked by the tears. "You didn't do nothing wrong, baby. You're a hero. A wonderful hero and I couldn't be prouder of you."

Cherise's mouth was sour. She wanted to take back those words, but he righted himself. He was a hero who lost himself.

Nick winced at the lie. He wasn't a hero. I'm a hoodlum... just like my scum-sucking father.

Nick winced. God, he might get beaten by the end of the book.

He met Kyrian's gaze and something in his eyes made him think that Kyrian might actually know the truth. If he did, he didn't bust him for it, which only made Nick feel all the worse.

Kyrian shrugged, "I didn't want you to die."

Nick laughed, "Aw you care."

His mother drew in a ragged breath. "The doctor told me you'd have to stay here for a few days, maybe a week or more. I don't know how we're going to afford-"

"Don't worry about it. I'm taking care of the bill."

"Creepy," Mark stated.

She narrowed her eyes at Kyrian. "I can't let you do that."

"You have a knack for unleashing the beast," Caleb smiled.

"It's alright. Least I can do for him. There aren't many kids his age who'd take a bullet to keep a stranger safe."

"Can I be anymore amazing!" Nick smiled.

"Ok, Chandler," Ash smirked.

Still, she looked doubtful.

"Of course. That's weird," Bubba said.

Kyrian offered her a kind, tight-lipped smile. "I have money, Mrs. Gautier." Wow, unlike Peters, he didn't sneer her name. He actually said it like he respected her.

"She was a dancer, raising a numskull like you. I have to have some respect for her," Kyrian smiled.

"Numskull? You mean street smart?" Nick said.

"No. There wasn't anything smart about what you did." Cherise snapped.

Nick looked down in shame. She wasn't going to let him live that down now.

"And no one to spend it on. Trust me. You're not taking a dime from me or my family that'll be missed."

She bit her lip. "That's mighty kind of you. Especially after everything you've already done getting him here and all."

"She's being nice. She means get the fuck out," Caleb said.

She took Nick's uninjured hand into hers and squeezed it. "I can't thank you enough for saving my baby, Mr. Hunter. Nicky's all I got in this world. I'd die if anything ever happened to him."

Nick sighed. She probably didn't mean that now that she knew he was just like Adarian.

Ash rubbed soothing circles into Nick's hand. Cherise was all Nick had and for her to turn her back on Nick was killing him.

Something dark flitted through Kyrian's eyes that reminded Nick of a ghost tormenting him. Some past pain that his mother's words conjured up.

Kyrian's eyes widened. "You're a smart kid."

"Observant," Nick shrugged. He still didn't know much of Kyrian's past.

Kyrian pulled out his wallet and opened it. "This is my number." He gave his mother a small business card. "If you need anything at all, don't hesitate to call me! Any time, day or night. I don't sleep much so don't worry about disturbing me."

Nick laughed. Wait until his mom found out about the crap Kyrian feed her.

She tried to give it back, but Kyrian wouldn't allow it.

"Look," he said firmly. "I know you don't know me or trust me at all. I don't blame you. But there are people in the world who can give without asking for anything back. I'm one of them."

"I'm having second thoughts about you," Bubba and Mark narrowed their eyes.

She shook her head. "And I know how much stuff like this costs. I can't take that kind of money from you or anyone else. Ever."

Kyrian's dark brown gaze went to Nick. "Then let him work it off."

"And the adventure begins," Caleb said.

Nick sputtered indignantly. "Excuse me?"

They ignored him.

Ash laughed. "Your opinion doesn't matter right now."

"My opinion always matters!" Nick squeaked.

"Don't be ridiculous," his mom said. "It'd take him forever to earn this kind of money back."

Uh, yeah... Last thing Nick wanted was to be indentured over a doctor bill.

"Oh, Nick. You owe me a lot and you're worried about a doctor bill," Caleb smirked.

"It's your duty," Nick stuck his tongue out.

Adarian jumped up. Malphas told his crap son what he was really doing being his friend; he was going to pay.

Nick and Caleb swallowed hard. Crap..

Kyrian returned his wallet to his pocket.

"That's important," Ambrose said.

"Hey! You're the same," Nick smirked.

Ambrose laughed. Everyone thought they were crazy.

"Then what do you want to do? Have the hospital turn him out into the street before he's fully healed? Wounds like that, he could get gangrene and lose a limb or die."

"Kyrian doesn't lack honesty," Nick grumbled.

Hopeless despair glistened in her blue eyes and the sight kicked Nick straight in the gut.

Just the thought of it kicked Adarian in the gut. God that kid deserved another beating.

"Mrs. Gautier..." A tic worked in Kyrian's jaw.

"You just love pointing out useless things," Caleb said. It was extremely frustrating.

"I know you can't tell it by looking at me, but I've had a hard life. I've lost everyone who was ever important to me and I know what it's like to be kicked hard when you're down. You've got a great kid there. He deserves a chance. Let him work for me, part time, afterschool for a year, and we'll call it even."

Ash sighed. It was true. He knew every detail of it, even though he wasn't suppose to and he wish he didn't.

She glanced at Nick, who wasn't so sold on this idea. "Doing what?"

"Washing my car. Running errands."

His mom scowled. "What kind of errands?"

"Yeah," Nick interjected, "I ain't no babysitter or dog walker."

Caleb laughed. "You need to learn to shut your mouth"

"It's out of my control," Nick shrugged.

Kyrian rolled his eyes. "I don't have kids or a dog." He returned his gaze to Nick's mom. "He'd pick up groceries. Some dry cleaning. He can work with my groundskeeper trimming hedges or help my housekeeper clean the outside windows. Nothing dangerous or illegal."

Nick smiled. He was pretty sure shopping for swords was illegal. Or handling sharp things.

That didn't sound too bad, but Nick already had a job that he liked most days. "What about Ms. Liza, Mom? Who'll help her in her store?"

Kyrian frowned at him. "Liza Dunnigan?"

"You know her?" Nick asked in surprise.

Another tight-lipped grin broke over his face. "Yeah. We go way back. And I think she'd understand if you worked for me for a while."

She sells him the swords and crap. New Orleans was an unavoidable demon and magic hot spot.

His mom's hand tightened on his. "I don't know... what do you think, Nicky?"

Nick looked at the sling on his arm. There really was no way they could afford this bill. If Kyrian would pay and his mom wouldn't have to suffer...

Cherise smiled softly. He only ever thought of her. She was such a horrible mother, giving her son mixed signals and making him feel lower than he really was.

"As long as he's not a pervert and Liza doesn't mind, I can work for him, I guess."

Kyrian laughed. "I'm not a pervert."

"You better not be 'cause I'll quit if you are."

"And he'd pay it anyways or else the police would have something to say about it," Nick stated.

Kyrian shook his head. "So it's settled?"

Indecision played in his mom's gaze before she nodded. "Thank you."

"This was when everything in life changed," Nick mumbled.

Ambrose nodded softly. A kid should never have to go through this.

"No problem. Now if you two don't mind, I have an appointment I need to keep."

Nick frowned.

"This late?" his mom asked suspiciously.

"You hear that, Mark?" Bubba nudged him.

"Mhmm," Mark narrowed his eyes.

Kyrian nodded. "I do a lot of international business that requires me to work late at night. Like I said, I don't sleep much." And with that, he was gone.

Nick tsked. So much lying.

Now that they were alone, his mom gave him her full attention. "What do you really think?"

"I think I'm really glad I'm not dead and you're not killing me over getting shot and being in the hospital, running up bills we can't afford."

I'm glad you're alive too, Ash thought.

Her lips trembled. "Baby, how could I be mad at you for something like this? I just wish I made enough money that you didn't have to work too. If you'd been at home-"

Nick wanted to bury his face in his hands, but Ash's hand was much more comforting than that.

"Don't, Mom, please." The guilt of it was killing him.

Nick was carrying a lot of guilt Cherise didn't know he could handle.

She lifted his hand to her lips and kissed his bruised knuckles. "All right, sweetie. You just rest. Don't you worry or think about nothing except getting better." She pulled one of her black hair bands from her pocket and slicked her hair back into a sedate ponytail.

"Guess that's all the action," Caleb sighed.

Nick smiled, knowing she did that for him so he wouldn't be embarrassed by her over-teased hair. Then she went to the sink to wash off her makeup and pull off the fake glitter eyelashes. She was so much prettier without all that goop on her face that he didn't understand why they made her wear it.

Nick blushed as Aunt Mennie sent him a loving smile and blew him a kiss. She was worse than mom.

Once she looked like his mom, again, she slid into the bed beside him and held him close.

"Aw," Kody sighed, wishing she had her family.

Normally, he'd be pushing her away 'cause it felt like she was stifling him. But tonight, while he ached and hurt, he was glad to have her hold him close.

"Aww!" Caleb smiled.

Nick flipped him the bird.

It'd always been just the two of them in this world. Team Fabulous. That's what she'd called them as far back as he could remember.

"This isn't Project Runway," Kody smiled at Cherise.

Cherise never really liked Kody and now that Nick didn't like her either, Cherise didn't have any reason to be nice.

Together they could make it through anything. She brushed his hair back from his temple and gave him a light kiss there.

"Nick's a softie," Caleb chanted.

Nick glared at him and charged him. Knocking him off his seat, Nick pinned Caleb to the ground. Usually Caleb was a challenge, but his demon was stronger than Caleb's.

"Take it back," Nick growled, twisting Caleb's arm.

Caleb groaned, but didn't give in. Hold your own, Malphas.

Nick twisted his arm further, almost making Caleb cry out.

"Fine!" Caleb shouted.

Nick smiled triumphantly. Casually walking back to his seat and cradling Ash's hand in his own.

Caleb scowled as he held onto his shoulder. Oh, Nick was gonna pay. The war had begun.

"You are my little man, Nickyboo. And I'm so grateful I have you. You're the only thing I've ever done right in my entire life and if anything ever happened to you, they'd have to dig two graves 'cause I couldn't live a single day without my baby beside me."

Kody held tears at bay. Nick had all the family he needed in that woman and she had no one. How was that fair?

Her words almost succeeded in making his eyes tear up, but he was too tough for that. Nothing could make him cry. Nothing. "I love you, Mom."

Caleb wanted to say something, but decided to stay on Nick's good side until his plan could go into effect.

"I love you too baby. Now go to sleep. You need to get better so I can beat your butt for getting hurt."

Caleb snickered. He really wish she would.

Smiling at her empty threat, Nick closed his eyes, but couldn't sleep. His mind kept replaying the look on Alan's face as he'd pulled the trigger. The creep had tried to kill him...

Nick growled. Never had he been so angry before. It was the first time he ever felt betrayed. He should have learned from it.

And if it was the last thing he did, he was going to get even. As his dad would say, Our blood don't run. Sometimes we want to. Sometimes we ought to. But we don't ever run from anyone or anything.

Adarian grunted. At least the kid could learn his lessons.

Next time he met up with Alan's "crew" they were going to feel the full wrath of Nick Gautier...

"Mr. Hunter?" Rosa said from the kitchen.

"Yes?"

"I made sandwiches for everyone. If anyone is hungry" she said sweetly.

Caleb booked it to the kitchen. Nick was about to follow him when his mother stopped him.

"Nicky? I wanted to talk to you," she said, timidly.

Nick nervously looked at Ash, who squeezed his hand reassuringly. Nick took a deep breath and nodded.

She lead him to her room and closed the door. Nick stood nervously in front of his mother. This is probably where she showed her disgust for him. This is probably where he loses his only family. Nick didn't know how much of her words he could take if she was going to insult him.

"Nicky... I just wanted to say I was sorry," Nick snapped his head up. She was apologizing. This day could probably turn around now.

"I know this must be hard for you. Me being the way I am probably doesn't help. I'm so sorry, baby. I'm trying to get better at this," her eyes were starting to water and Nick couldn't stand it. She'd be crying so much this past day and he hated that he was the cause of it.

"Ma, please. Don't," Nick somehow choked out, clearing his voice he tried again. "I'm not the easiest kid, I know that. I'm sorry I was such an idiot sometimes. I'm sorry for keeping things from you."

"No, baby. I'm sorry. I have to be more understanding. You're just a kid," she gently reached up to put a hand on his cheek.

Nick felt safe then. His mother had forgiven him. It was probably the greatest thing ever. He felt like nothing could bring him down at the moment. Stronger than ever now that he had his family. Most of them weren't blood, but it was all he needed.

"Can we get sandwiches now?" Nick asked gently.

Cherise smiled, lovingly. "Of course, Nicky."

She kissed him on the cheek softly before leading him back to the kitchen.

Adarian was relieved Cherise can back with no tears in her eyes. Only a smile graced her beautiful lips. Adarian was a goner. He felt it.

Ash smiled at Nick as he came to stand next to him. Nick stole the sandwich Ash had in his hand and ate it. It earned him a half-assed glare.

Caleb watched them with a smirk on his face. He could see it now. His revenge on Nick could be easier than he thought. Ash was his weakness.. Perfection.

Mennie smiled as Cherise and Nick walked into the room, happy. She couldn't stand to see them so upset. They were a perfect little family even if it didn't seem like it, but they had love and that was all a family ever needed. She didn't just want to see it break.

Cherise eyed Ambrose. She still didn't understand why he was here or why she had never met him. It was time for an interrogation. "So, Ambrose, what do you help Nick with?"

Ambrose was startled. He looked to Nick for help, but saw he was too distracted laughing at something Ash said. Ambrose rolled his eyes. Young love. Ambrose cleared his throat. "I'm more of a student teacher for his science class. I just observe and help whenever I can. I'm training to be a teacher."

Cherise narrowed her eyes. She wasn't sure if that was the truth or not.

Ambrose gulped. He knew that look. It was judgment time... Maybe he would pass.

"Well, Nick seems to trust you," he could breath again.

"I was in a similar situation as him growing up. I can relate to the struggles in his life," Ambrose shrugged it off.

"I hope to get to know you better," Cherise walked over to Mennie.

That was too close. Ambrose thought. Thank god he was an excellent liar.

Kyrian cleared his throat trying to get everyone's attention. "I believe it's time to get back to business."

Nick sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. Ash gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. Nick was so grateful for it too. They returned to their earlier spots, with Nick's hand cradled in Ash's again.

"Who wants to read the next chapter?"

"I will!" Kody's hand shot up.

Nick raised his eyebrows at her eagerness. Maybe something he didn't know was about happened here.

"Chapter 3..."

Chapter Text

Nick learned a new lesson in misery as he lay in bed, alone, in the hospital for days on end, bored out of his mind.

Misery had been so simple back then. It hadn't hurt as much as it does now, Ambrose thought.

His mom stayed with him as much as she could, as did Menyara, but they couldn't be here constantly. Kyrian would stop in and visit at night and some of the dancers from his mom's club in the daytime.

"Psh! And nobody cared about you back then, Gauiter?" Caleb said, sassily.

All Nick did was shrug. It was different somehow. He only looked at the negative back then. Now he knew how to see the good things in his life. It made him more than happy since things weren't exactly as great as they could be.

Still, he spent most of the time by himself.

Scariest part?

School was starting to look good.

Gasps sounded all around the room.

"Come on guys! I'm not that bad!" Nick whined.

"You're right. You're worse," Ash laughed with everyone, while Nick pouted like a child.

He shivered in revulsion of that awful thought.

"Hi... um, Nick, wasn't it?"

Crap, Nick thought. It was time to look like a complete idiot. He squeezed Ash's hand tighter. It didn't go unnoticed by Cherise and Kyrian.

He opened his eye to find Nekoda of all people in the doorway. With her hair pulled back into a thick ponytail and dress in a volunteer's uniform, she came deeper into the room.

Heat stung his cheeks as she looked at his ragged state of ick. Nick cleared his throat. "Yeah, it's me, but I like to think I looked better when we met. 'Cause right now, I'm pretty much hogging all the ugly."

"Only then? Or always?" Mark laughed.

"Look Mark, I know you're just jealous that I am good-looking and always smell nice, but please try to keep it to yourself. Thank you," Nick smirked at him.

"Damn you for being a sass master," Mark mumbled. Nick grinned in triumph.

She laughed. "No offense, but yeah, you did look a bit better. But I have to say you really rock the crazy headgear you have going right now. Not an easy thing to do to make  that  look good." She winked at him.

"Whore," Caleb staged coughed.

Nick had to stifle a laugh, while Kody glared at them both. They just didn't understand.

Cherise wanted to scold both of them, but thought maybe that one could slide...

He could only imagine how foul he appeared. His head was still wrapped up, his exposed eye bruised and swollen. One shoulder was in a sling to keep it still and the other arm attached to monitors and an IV. He had a faded-out hospital gown that was freckled with the oh-so-manly-looking flowers all over it. Gah, at this point, he'd rather be back in his orange Hawaiian shirt.

"Woah! Nick, that is crazy talk!" Caleb stated, but one look at Ms. Gautier and he wished he could take it back.

"Maybe you and I should go shopping one day, Caleb," Cherise said.

"YES!" Nick shouted, a bit too loud.

All he needed to look like a bigger goober was to drool on himself. Which he might do if she kept talking to him.

Ash looked over at Nick, who seemed disgusted with himself. What happened between those two?

She stopped next to his bed and glanced over all the monitors that beeped and hummed. "So what happened to you?"

"I got shot."

"You're so blunt! Like it doesn't bother you," Kody stated.

"Well, what can I say?" All Nick did was look at her. She felt something in his eyes, she knew she shouldn't bother him from now on.

Her brows arched high. "In the eye? Is that why it's covered?"

"Are you that stupid?! " Bubba practically yelled. "If he got shot in the eye there would be some brain damage and he wouldn't have been talking to you! Get yourself together, girl."

This time Nick couldn't hide the laughter. He didn't stop until his side was screaming in agony. He didn't care if he hurt her feelings either.

"No. I got hit with a board, a fist, a foot, and probably a few other things. There's a bunch of stitches above my eye. Doc says the bandage for that can come off tomorrow. I'm sure I'll look even better then." His voice was thick with sarcasm.

"That is my second language if you didn't know," Nick stated.

"Really? We were all under the impression that you didn't stoop to those low levels," Ash said, you could practically feel the sarcasm leaving his mouth.

You bother me," Nick pouted.

"Feeling is mutral."

More than one type of feeling, Kyrian thought.

"I was clipped in the shoulder."

"Oh," she said, calming down as she scowled at his sling. "Did it hurt?"

Bubba was so close to exploding again, but decided he'd wait till strike three to put her away. This girl needed some common sense.

He wanted to say no, duh, but his common sense caught his tongue before he insulted her.

"Wait! Hold the phone," Caleb pointed at Nick, "You have common sense?"

"Screw you!"

"You'd like to," Caleb smirked. "Wait I forgot you saved that for Ash."

Nick turned the brightest red imaginable, while Ash hoped he looked calm and collected.

The smirk stayed plastered on Caleb's face. This was only the beginning of his revenge.

Even though it still hurt, he straightened up into his tough posture. "Nah. I took it like a man."

Kyrian had to give the kid props because he did, but laughed anyways because now he knows that tough kid is just a goofball.

She shook her head at him and didn't comment on his bravado. "So why did you get shot? One of your witticisms go awry?"

Adarian would problem shot him if the kid opened his mouth one more time. Why couldn't he get out of here?

Nick wasn't sure how to answer that. He didn't want to take credit for something he hadn't really done- like saving people he'd helped put in harm's way. So he settled on a lesser truth. "Wrong place. Real wrong time."

"Did you see who shot you?"

"No," he lied.

Cherise gasped. Oh hell no..

He hadn't even told the police who it was even though they'd bugged him several times. Rule one on the street: Narcs don't live long. Besides, he intended to settle this score on his own and the last thing he wanted was for Alan and group to be protected by prison walls when he went for them.

This was going to be between "friends."

Adarian smirked at this. Maybe he did teach that worthless piece of crap a thing or tso. It was, of course, in his blood. Cherise, on the otherhand, was once again angry at her son's lack of common sense. "Nicholas! How dare you? You can't be doing that to anyone! You need to follow the justice system! You shouldn't be thinking like that."

Nick didn't have the energy to deal with that at the moment so he just stared at her. Nothing he could do about it now.

"Like they say in the movies and shows, it all happened so fast..."

She fretted over him. "Well, I'm sorry you got shot. It explains why I haven't seen you in school."

His ears perked up at that. She'd been looking for him?

Caleb snorted. Of course she had been looking for him.

Nick sighed seeing that look on Caleb's face. Bro, stop blaming yourself. It's my fault too. Nick told him telepathically.

It's hard, man. Knowing you could've saves your best friend, but failed.

Nick just sighed again. He couldn't stop making him feel guilty. Caleb would have to learn how to forgive himself.

Man, for that news, I'd take a bullet any day.  It was all he could do not to give her a goofy grin.

That's what love does to you, Kyrian thought. It makes you want to die a very painful death.

She leaned closer. "But I'm happy you lived and that you're okay."

"Yeah, me too. It would have really cramped my future plans had I died..." He flashed what he hoped was a charming smile at her then changed the topic.

Nick hated just about everything right now. The only thing he took comfort in was the feel of Ash's calloused hand in his. He was tempted to rest his head on Ash's broad shoulders, but chickened out. Not just yet.

"So you work here?"

"Volunteer. Twice a week," she corrected. "I'm told things like this look good on a college application."

Cherise thought that was very smart of the girl, but Kody had lost what little respect Cherise had for her when she broke her son's heart.

Wow, she was worried about that already? It made him feel like a slacker. "We're only in the ninth grade."

She shrugged. "Yeah, but every year from now until graduation matters and everything we do affects if and where we get in. So I'm trying to make a difference."

"Gah, you sound like my mom."

Cherise gave Nick a slight glare. "I do not sound like that."

Nick rolled his eyes. "Of course not and Aunt Mennie doesn't have an accent."

Mennie laughed.

"Sorry." She wrinkled her nose up in the most adorable way. He didn't know why, but it made his stomach tighten and heat flood his cheeks- if he kept that up, he'd be able to rent himself out as a lighthouse at night.

Ash rolled his eyes. This part wasn't exactly his favorite either. Nick and that girl weren't right. They didn't give off a good aura.

Ambrose was still confused by what Kody and Nick had. He should have felt something for Kody if Nick had been so head over heels for her like he claimed. Yet he felt nothing...

"So can I get you something to drink?" she asked. "Some ice? I have magazines and books on my cart if you want something to read."

"I'd kill for Nintendo."

"Wouldn't we all?" Mark said.

She laughed. "No Nintendo on the cart. Sorry."

"You got any manga?"

"Oh man, what I wouldn't give for a good manga.." Ash smiled.

Finally, Nick thought.

"Manga?" She scowled. "What's that?"

Crap. It was too much to hope she'd share some of his more unusual interests.

"You're crazy," Ash said to Kody. "Those are the best."

Kody blushed. Was she the only one who didn't like them?

"Japanese comic books. I'm addicted to them."

"No, sorry again. I do have some Batman and Spider-Man if you're interested?"

"Spider-Man is gay!" Caleb shouted.

"You're gay," Nick mumbled.

"Maybe you should hold your tongue on who you call gay," Caleb tsked.

Everyone grew amazingly quiet. You could practically hear the anger sizzling off of Nick. Caleb was definitely not getting away with that one and he knew that. Maybe his idea for revenge wasn't very smart.

Ambrose cleared his throat. "Um, well, continue."

Kody shifted in her seat awkwardly, but read on.

"That'd be great." They were a lot shorter than the manga, but at least it'd eat up a couple minutes while he read through them. "You got any science fiction or fantasy?"

"We have a couple of Dune books."

"Now that I could definitely go for."

"You were one nerdy kid, " Ash laughed.

"You're such a bully," Nick pouted. Why did he have to be teased endlessly?

She smiled. "I'll be right back."

Nick watched as she walked out of the room with a shake in her hips that ought to be illegal and in some states probably was. She really was beautiful, He didn't know what it was about her hair, but it really made him want to touch it. It looked so soft and smooth. It probably smelled good too.

Just like her skin.

Nick decided he had nothing to lose and hid his face in Ash's shoulder. This was the worst day of his life.

Kyrian smirked at Ash, who seemed to be having trouble breathing.

Kody tried to hide her blush behind the book, but failed miserably.

Caleb gagged.

For some reason, unknown to Adarian, his mind had drifted to Cherise.

What are you think? She's so far our of your league...

Girls like her didn't date loser dorks who mugged tourists. She was the kind who went on to date jocks and marry lawyers and surgeons and stuff.

He could just imagine the type of childhood she'd had with maids and tutors and birthday parties with presents wrapped in something other than hand-decorated grocery sacks. Her parents would probably flip out and die if they knew she was even talking to filth like him.

You don't know anything about my life, Kody thought.

And whose fault is that?

Kody was frightened when she realized Nick and Caleb had heard her thoughts.

Caleb glared at her, but Nick continued to bury his face into Archeron. Her heart felt like it broke just a little bit more.

"Here you go." She returned and handed him a stack of books and comic books.

Nick smiled. "Bless you."

"Any time." She stepped back from the bed. "Well, I better get going. I still have to make my rounds and visit other patients. I promised Mrs. O'Malley that I'd play rummy with her today."

"Ok, not to be weird, but who else thought of Thomas O'Malley the alley cat," Caleb stated.

Everyone stayed quiet.

"Just me? Ok. Cool. Um. Please move on," Caleb said awkwardly.

Wow, that was real sweet of her. "Okay. Thanks so much for stopping in and for the books."

She inclined her head to him. "Take care."

She didn't care about him.. Nick thought. He snuggled deeper into Ash's side.

Gods help Ash..

"You too."

Then she was gone.

"Why couldn't it have been forever?" Caleb sighed.

"Shut it, Malphas!" Kody snapped.

"You'll have to kill me first! Which doesn't seem like a problem for you!"

Kody sat back in stunded silence. She couldn't believe he had stooped that low. He doesn't know you. Keep it cool, Kody thought.

"Caleb." Nick said softly, finally looking up from Ash's shoulder.

Caleb could tell by the way Nick looked at him he shouldn't have said that. She just made him so angry. Caleb tried to simmer down then. Deep breaths.

Again another awkward silence filled the room. They would kill each other by the end of this book.

Kody tried looking calm, but everyone saw the storm in her eyes.

After making sure Caleb and Kody wouldn't kill each other, Nick placed his head back on Ash's shoulder. Ash didn't mind at all.

Nick sighed as depression set in. He hated that he was stuck here, but most of all he hated that he'd never be worthy of a girlfriend like Nekoda. He could bluster and pretend all he wanted to. It wouldn't change anything. She'd still go home to her nice house and he'd crawl back to the gutter where he'd been born.

Cherise frowned. It was hard to believe Nick hadn't loved their little home, but what she didn't know was that now Nick missed that place more than anything.

Trying not to dwell on things he couldn't change, he opened a book and started reading.

Nick sighed and shifted, then jerked awake as he felt like he was falling out of bed. He blinked open his eye to find himself still in the hospital, alone.

Caleb decided not to burst into song then. He needed to save his wonderful singing for a much bigger and better solo.

Gah, this sucked. Wishing he'd slept longer than two hours, he reached for his tray to get another book and froze. There was a small box that hadn't been there before.

He frowned, reaching for it, then opened it up. Inside was a pink Nintendo and a small note.

Ash's eyes widened. Did she actually care about him?

Sorry for the color. Pink's my thing. But I hope this'll keep you from going crazy so that you won't have to kill anyone. I figure I can do without it for a few days if it'll spare your sanity.

Get better soon,

Kody.

Kody swallowed hard. Secrets would definitely be coming out soon.

He stared at the note as a wave of emotion overwhelmed him. It was the nicest thing anyone had ever done for him. The box was filled with games from classic to strategy to shooters.

What an incredibly nice thing for her to do. It really touched him.

Cherise and Mennie resisted the urge to 'aw' at that. They weren't suppose to like her or anything she did.

Picking it up, he help the system in his hand. For some reason, it made him feel weirdly close to her. Systems were personal. They were an extension of yourself. From the color to the stickers... It all came from within and it was something that you kept close to you. Something you guarded and protected.

Caleb laughed. "Wow. That was a bunch of bull crap!"

Nick just glared at Caleb. He use to be so stupid.

"Being in love causes you to be weird at times. To over think things," Kyrian quietly said.

Somehow Adarian connected to him on some level. He stole a glance at Cherise, who was concentrating on her hands very hard.

And she'd loaned him hers.

Not many people would do that. Especially not someone as hot as Kody. The girl was crazy.

Maybe she likes you.

Nick snorted at that. Of course she doesn't. She doesn't give a damn about me.

That thought made his blood race like fire through his veins. Could it be possible?

She's dangerous to you. Avoid her.

Nick nodded to Ambrose then. He had been trying to help.. Maybe he should listen more.

He scowled at the deep, scary voice in his head. It sounded almost demonic. WTH?

"I am going crazy from boredom." Only lunatics would want to avoid a girl as nice and as pretty as Kody.

"I should have been insane," Nick mumbled. His hot breath brushed Ash's shoulders, giving him chills.

Kody looked ahead at the next paragraph and froze. Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no. She gulped, but continued on with the story. Nick would have figured out anyway, he already knew she was suppose to kill him she might as well twist the knife.

"Did he take it?"

Nick frowned. Oh hell no. His grip on Ash's hand almost hurt. Almost.

Nekoda tensed as she felt the air around her stirring. The power was palpable and it was one she was intimately familiar with. Sraosha. Her guide and mentor.

Nick felt Ash tense up. Oh great, he knew him. Fan-fucking-tactic.

Nekoda locked the door of the storeroom to keep anyone else in the hospital from innocently coming in and seeing Sraosha's form.

Cherise, Bubba, and Mark were the only ones who seemed confused, but Bubba sensed it was something greater than what his science could explain.

Tall and graceful, he was so beautiful that it was hard to look straight at him. His powers were so great that they manifested as an ever-moving aura that illuminated his skin with a bright yellow glow. His long blond hair flowed around his shoulders as he narrowed his gaze on her ... a gaze that had no eyes. Only a smoky black cavity that was as frightening as it was peculiar.

Acheron clenched his teeth. That guy was an asshole. What the fuck was going on? Even he couldn't see what was happening.

"I left it for him," she whispered. Nick had no idea that her Nintendo allowed her to keep an eye on him so long as he was around it.

"Are you fucking kidding me?! This is bullshit, Kody! I'm so done with you! Fucking liar! You never cared about me! You don't love me!" Nick shouted, each word becoming angrier and angrier. He felt himself losing control.

Adarian watched in amazement. He never thought he'd seen his offspring this way. He could practically see his demon.

Ash tightened his grip on Nick's hand, trying to pull Nick back from wherever he was.

Suddenly Nick felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked and saw Death in his true form. "Listen to my voice, kid." Nick tried, he really was.

Death continued. "We don't want to upset your mom, do we? A lot of things are going to make you lose control, I mean a lot. You can't lose your head. Think of your mom." Then Death disappeared.

Nick slowly felt his demon slip away. Ash's hand in his brought him back. The warmth and callous of his hand was a sort of comfort that Nick wanted to get use to.

Cherise had never see her son so mad. It was as if a monster was trying to crawl out of him.

Nick didn't look at Kody, he hid his face in Ash's shoulder again and Ash wasn't complainin. Caleb, on the other hand, was seething. Nobody would ever hurt his best friend again, no one..

Sraosha nodded. "What do you think of this one?"

He was younger than the other Malachais she'd fought. More innocent. Sweet even.

Don't let him seduce you.

Nick snorted. He was nowhere near seducing her. He never even wants to try again.

Kody looked at Nick sadly. She never meant to hurt him, but then again that was her job.

Adarian started to think. Kody... Nekoda. This can't possibly be her.. Or could it?

That was the last thing she could afford to have happen. "He seems ." She had to choose her word carefully. "Different."

"Do you think he's the one?"

"I don't know." Since the dawn of time, they'd hunted for the right Malachai. The one who could turn against the dark forces that had sired it and fight with them against the Source so that she could free her brothers.

Ash's eyes suddenly widened. Oh my gods... Nick was.. and his father.. Ash suddenly set up every wall he could think of. So much dark aura was leaving this house. He should have known when Nick quizzed him on things about the Malachai. He should have felt it from Nick's father. He slowly loosened his grip on Nick's hand, but Nick immediately gripped it tighter, as if he knew what Ash found out. Maybe he did.. Ash would have to talk to Kyrian later. Kyrian wasn't the least bit fazed. He cared so much for Nick nothing would change it.

Cherise stopped the reading suddenly. "What is all this crap? This doesn't make any sense!"

"Mom," Nick said softly, looking up from Ash's shoulder. "Everything is going to be explained soon. I don't think this book will throw everything in your face at once, but you have to trust me."

Ambrose stood. "Ms. Gautier, you really do need to trust your son. He's struggled with you believing in him for a long time. I would know." Nick smirked at that. "But he's your son, he wouldn't do anything to hurt you on purpose."

Cherise saw how sincere Ambrose was being and decided to believe him, something about that man was oddly familiar.

Ambrose sat and smiled. He'd never been able to tell his mom the truth and now as an adult he finally could. He was.. proud, a feeling that he had thought he lost.

But to date, they had lost every Malachai they'd tried to save. The darkness within each one was more than they could resist. And who could blame them?

All of their bloodline was born to cause pain. Born to wield the darkest powers imaginable.

Everyone scowled. That had to be horrible. This story or legend was pretty depressing, the mortals thought.

Just as Nekoda had been born to the light.

Nick was still a kid who had no idea who and what he was. But she knew exactly the kind of violence he'd been bred for.

And he terrified her.

Nick chuckled darkly. "You, the assassin and liar, are afraid of me? Good."

Kody swallowed hard. This was the Nick the world was meant to fear. This was the Nick that would destroy this world.

"Menyara swears we can save him."

Nick tensed. "Aunt Mennie.. How could you?" He whispered so softly, looking at his godmother with the saddest eyes she'd every seen on him.

"Nick, honey, I was just trying to protect you," She pleaded.

"Stop lying to me. Everyone just stop lying!" Nick stood suddenly and stomped up the steps. A door slammed upstairs and the room was quiet.

Mennie cried into her hands, she thought she had been doing the boy good. She felt Cherise's gentle touch. Cherise's best friend was always there for her and now it was her turn to comfort Menyara.

Ash stood to follow Nick, but Ambrose shook his head at Ash's actions. Instead, Ambrose rose and motioned for Kody to keep reading. "I'll bring him down soon. Don't worry." Ambrose promised.

Caleb spoke to Nick in his head. Bro?

Not now. Was the only response he got.

Kody choked down some tears and continued on.

Sraosha scoffed. "She's too close to this one. She's blind to what he really is."

Mennie scowled. She would never let her opinion interfere with her job, but Nicholas had been the sweetest boy she'd ever met.

Perhaps that was true, but Nekoda had no such attachment to him. "Have no fear. I'm not blind to him. His glamour doesn't charm me."

Caleb scoffed. "Yeah, his charm didn't work on you."

Kody glared at Caleb. He had no idea what she had to go through. He had no right to say that about her.

"Make sure you don't fall victim to it. Remember, that's only one of many powers he'll possess. Powers that will work on all mortals and immortals alike. As you've seen, evil is already beginning to tempt him and that will only worsen as he matures."

Shouting was heard upstairs. Broken sobs echoed throughout the house. No one dared speak as the seconds turned into minutes. After gods knows how long of silence, footsteps were heard coming down the stairs.

First Ambrose was seen, walking with his head up high and a storm in his eyes. Nick, however, didn't look as strong. His eyes were red and puffy. His knuckles were split from hitting something very hard. He'd fix Kyrian's wall later.

Nick didn't meet anyone's eyes. Not Kody, his mom, Caleb, or Ash. He merely sat in his seat again, not even attempting to grab Ash's hand. Acheron somehow knew what Nick needed and gently took his hand in his. They could talk about everything later, right now Nick was just this kid that needed him.

Nekoda swallowed as she saw in her mind the events that led up to his being shot. "He pulled back before hurting them."

"This time. But that single act of drifting toward violence against another has unleashed his Cimmerian Magus. The dark powers are uniting now to train him. Can't you feel it?"

Nick tuned out everything and focused on something that made his happy. Ash was still holding his hand even after he had figured out the worst part of Nick. What does that even mean?

Yes. It permeated everything here and it sent a feral chill down her spine. There were ten lessons that had to be taught to every Malachai. Every one of them would make him stronger.

More corrupt.

It would shape him into a tool of evil that would come for her and her people and wreak absolute misery on everyone who came into contact with him.

Acheron frowned. He was one of the people who helped do this, but who else partook in these events? Ash was frustrated that his powers weren't helping him at all. So much for being an ominous being.

The first lesson was necromancy. But not just communication with the dead. Reanimation and control.

No matter how hard Nekoda tried, she couldn't see Nick becoming like the others. Surely he wouldn't embrace such a cold power.

Not yet anyways, Adarian thought. He didn't understand why it's taking the kid so long to embrace. He embraced it as soon as he found out who he was and what he was capable of.

You made the mistake of that thought before. She winced as she remembered his father and how wrong she'd been then. Had she struck when she'd been told to, she would have saved countless lives.

Kody carefully looked up at Adarian and saw him looking at her. Shit...

So he it was her... They'd have to have a little chat later on, Adarian smiled evilly.

My dad too? Nick thought. More and more surprises.

It's the light inside of you that wants to believe in the goodness of other people. Even the Malachais. She'd shown the elder Malachai mercy and he'd spat in her face and embraced his own brand of evil.

Kody gritted her teeth. She only hoped Adarian didn't remember her of all the people he had screwed over.

No matter what, she wouldn't be so stupid again.

"Ha!" Caleb barked.

"Have no fear, Sraosha. I've learned from my mistake. This time, I won't fail. If we can't turn him, I will kill him."

Nick glared at the ground. Deep breaths, Nick thought.

Cherise was so confused. This was not Nick's life. It had to be a mistake, it just had to.

"You better remember that. Because this one is even stronger than his father and now he's being embraced and trained by the Dark-Hunters. If we don't turn him, he will be the one who finally destroys us all."

And she would be the one to blame for the death of humanity.

"The end.." Kody said.

Nobody made a grab for the book.

"I think," Ambrose suddenly spoke up, "that we all need a break from the book."

Everyone nodded and slowly parted ways.

Cherise turned to comfort Mennie, who was still hurt.

Kody went to her room in Kyrian's house. She needed to make sure Sraosha knew about all this. She had a few questions to ask him as well.

Kyrian looked at Ash and Nick, who were whispering quietly to each other. Then Nick and Ash walked to the backyard. Kyrian wondered what they were doing, but decided he would get some work done instead of spying on the lovers.

Caleb had thought about following Nick and Acheron, but thought better of it. If Nick wanted to tell Caleb what happened, he would. But it would kill Caleb not knowing.

Ambrose was left staring at Adrian. He hated him. So much. It was clawing at him from the inside.

Meanwhile, Nick and Ash were walking around outside. Nick had his hands tucked into his pockets and head hung low. Ash looked at him the whole time. For a while, they walked silently, but Ash couldn't contain it anymore.

"Nick, look,..."

Chapter Text

Kody sat in her room, summoning her master. She knew he had arrived when a heavy aura choked her. "Nekoda."

"Did you know about the books?" She bit her nails nervously.

"Who do you think told the demon about him?"

Kody stopped her nail biting. He had set this up. Of course he had. Not only would it test Nick and Adarian, but her as well. He wanted to make sure she was still loyal.

"I've learned many things about you, Nekoda." Then he was gone.

Kody threw herself on her bed and screamed. She didn't care if the others heard her and thought she was crazy. She didn't care about anything, but finishing these stupid books.

When she was finally calm enough, she returned to the living room. She felt Adarian's eyes on her. A dark gaze that she was all too familiar with. Don't let yourself get sucked in again. Don't do it.

She scanned the room to find Nick and Acheron entering the living from the backyard. Kody's heart clenched when she saw how tightly Nick was holding onto Ash's hand. Ncik also had a giant smile plastered on his face.

What the hell happened?

Acheron noted that everyone was staring at them, but he didn't care. He was, to put it simply, happy. Nobody could ruin that for him.

Bubba and Mark stopped whatever nerd argument they were having to stare. Cherise's jaw dropped. Mennie somehow stopped her crying. Kyrian smirked, he had called it. Caleb could only gawk. Adarian, however, grimaced, "Fags."

Before Nick or Acheron could say anything Ambrose jumped in, "Shut your damn mouth."

Ambrose could feel it, his control was slipping. If he were to unleash his powers, it would trigger Adarian and Nick to follow suit. Ambrose couldn't do that to Nick. The kid finally looked happy. Simmer down.

Another awkward silence filled the room and this time nobody could do anything about it without starting some fight.

Adarian glared at Ambrose. He had a feeling that Ambrose was the reason he couldn't get out of this hellhole. He wondered what Ambrose really was.

Nick nodded to Ambrose, thanking him for being able to understand what Nick was going through. Nick was certain Ambrose wasn't gay or even bi! And that made Nick more confused.

Caleb couldn't hold it back anymore, he had to ask Nick. Bro! What happened? Explain now!

Look, I'll explain later, but for now I'm happy. Caleb could live with that.. For now.

Nick knew he had to explain a lot of things to a lot of different people. He was not looking forward to that, but if Ash was holding his hand the whole time, Nick didn't see how he couldn't do it.

"I'll read," Caleb volunteered, before Ambrose had the chance to ask.

"Wait! Before you start," Rosa said, suddenly appearing from the kitchen. "Lunch will be ready in an hour."

"For real!?" Nick asked, happily. Ash chuckled at the boy's actions fondly.

"Yes, mijo," Rosa smiled and returned to the kitchen.

"So, Chapter 4 everyone," Caleb began.

"Welcome home, Nicky!"

Caleb said in an overly happy voice. He figured everyone needed a little pick-me-up. He didn't care if he was usually the moody and grumpy one, this book was seriously fucking people up.

Nick opened his eyes to find himself in their crappy living room with Aunt Menyara standing in front of him, holding an actual store-bought chocolate cake with the same happy words written on it that she'd just uttered. He was stunned by the small crowd around her who shouted her words at him.

"An actual one," Ash mumbled, running his thumb up and down Nick's hand.

Nick couldn't hide the smile from his face. Finally. These past couple days, reading this book, he hadn't felt good, but now he feels great. Who knew that 3 chapters could change your life forever.

Wow.

Petite like his mother, Menyara had smooth chocolate-brown skin that glowed in the flickering candlelight. Her sisterlocks were held back from her beautiful face by a wide yellow scarf she'd tied around her head that trailed down her back, just past her hair. The yellow was mirrored in her peasant blouse that was tucked into a bright orange skirt that fell all the way to her ankles.

Skinny silver bangles lined both of her arms and they jingled as she angled the cake for him to see her beautiful handwriting. "It's your favorite, cher. We're so glad you're home."

Mennie smiled sadly, she glanced at Nick only to find that he wasn't looking at her. His gaze was cast on the hand that was clutching his lovingly. All she wanted was for him to be happy, she never wanted him to be hurt.

Nick blushed as his gaze went from her to the rest of the dancers who worked with his mom who'd come over for his party. Even John and Greg, two of the bouncers from the club, were here.

They were clapping and smiling at him, making him extremely uncomfortable with the attention as they congratulated him on being a hero.

Kyrian wondered why he hadn't been invited to that little party. Then he realized he wasn't trusted like he is now. He was part of a family, he realized.

Funny, he felt more like a fraud.

Nick frowned, he couldn't wait to get past all this nonsense.

"Not to be rude or anything, but this is kinda boring because Mark and I weren't invited," Bubba said, crossing his arms.

Cherise rolled her eyes. "Bubba, you know exactly why you two weren't invited. You'd try and convince everyone of zombies and vampires. We all know that's not true."

Everyone in that room froze. It was hard to believe she was the only one who hadn't seen the supernatural world. Adarian wished he could show her his true form and see if it excited her like he had imagined so many times.

Menyara put the cake down on the counter for him. "C'mon, cher, and blow out the candles before they ruin your beautiful cake."

"Why were there candles?" Kody asked quietly. She wasn't going to talk this chapter, but curiosity got the best of her.

Nick blushed lightly. "Well.. I never really got a birthday cake back then so whenever we could we'd just celebrate that way."

Kody felt bad for asking after hearing that. Her heart hurt for him. Nick was... he was too easy to love.

He always loved the lilt of Menyara's Creole accent whenever she spoke. A voodoo priest-ess and midwife, Aunt Mennie, as he called her, was also his godmother and his mother's best friend.

She'd been the one who'd brought him into this world and who'd taken his mom in after her parents had tossed her out. When he'd been too young to go to the club with his mom, Mennie had been the one who kept him. For that alone, he'd do anything in the world for her.

Nick looked over at his Aunt Mennie and gave her a small smile, which she returned. She was family, she had been with Nick since forever. He knew she hadn't meant to hurt him anyway. He hated the fact that he had to explain so many things to everyone.

"Thanks, everyone," he muttered as he went to the cake and blew out the candles.

His mom stood behind him with her hand on his uninjured shoulder. "We're all so proud of you, baby."

"That's right." Greg, a huge bear of a man with long brown hair and pockmarked skin, stepped forward to hand him a box. "We took up a collection for you at the club. Hope you like it."

"I just don't understand, Nick. You meet the biggest people on the planet," Caleb said, eyeing Ash and Kyrian.

"I don't know. I'm pretty tall myself, but the world likes to prove just how small I really am," Nick smiled and shrugged. He felt it was the world's way of showing him to never be intimidated, but he wasn't about to tell Caleb that.

Their kindness touched him. It felt more like a birthday than a return home from the hospital.

"Explains the candles on the cake," Kyrian said, with a close mouth smile.

Ripping the box open, he found a Street Fighter video game and a T-shirt that said: nick gautier. superhero of the day.

Ash eyed Nick. "Do you still have that shirt?"

Nick blushed and glared at him. "And if I did?"

Ash smirked, this kid. "It's adorable."

Caleb and Kyrian gagged.

Kody stared at the odd.. couple?

Cherise and Mennie's mouths were hanging open.

Adarian crinkled his nose.

Mark and Bubba... didn't really seem to care. "What a line." Bubba stated and Mark agreed.

Nick didn't have the heart to tell them that he didn't have a gaming system here. Any more than he could tell them that he hadn't been a hero. He'd only been trying to make something right that he'd let go terribly wrong.

"You could've sold the game," Mark suggested.

"That's rude. It was a gift," Nick frowned at Mark.

"Thanks, everyone. I really appreciate it."

Tiffany stepped around Greg and pulled an envelope out of the box. "You forgot this."

Nick handed the box to his mom before he took the envelope, but since his left arm was still in a sling, he couldn't open it.

"The struggle is real," Nick stated, causing Caleb to crack a smile.

"Here, child." Menyara took it and opened it for him.

He gaped as he saw five twenty-dollar bills in her hand. "What's that for?"

Tiffany smiled. "Your college fund. We know it's not much, but it'll cover most of the days of work you missed while you were in the hospital."

He looked at his mom, who was smiling in gratitude. But he didn't feel grateful. He felt weird about it, especially knowing how hard all of them worked for it. "I can't take this."

"You can't seem to accept anything! Just take it and shut your mouth, Kid! It's not that complicated!" Adarian was done with this kid's kindness and thoughtfulness. It was unnatural for someone like him to be.. lovely.

Nick growled and was about to stand up, but Ash's hand tugged him down. One look at Ash's sunglass-covered eyes and he knew he shouldn't be fighting. He needed to stay calm or who knows what will happen..

Ambrose looked at Adarian with his demon in his eyes. Adarian knew when something was more powerful than him and that was exactly what Ambrose was. Ambrose was too powerful and Adarian needed to get away before he became any weaker.

John snorted. "Take it. Don't make me have to whip your butt and put you back in the hospital, snotwad."

"Classic. Snotwad, always a good one," Caleb gave a small smile.

"Just be grateful for it and don't ever spend it on drugs or cheap women 'cause I know what I'd have done with it at your age and we're all raising you to be better than that."

"Is being a security guard at a strip club a sort of statement for his renewed life? A sort of test to himself," everyone just stared at Kyrian as if he was crazy. "Well, excuse me for being the smart one around here."

Nick didn't know what to say. "Thanks, guys. I really appreciate it."

Then someone turned up the music to play Aerosmith's "Walk This Way and the party started even though it was hard to move in their small condo. Then again, the dancers were used to being up on the thin catwalk in the club so they did what they did best and made his face so red with their dance moves that he was sure it glowed neon.

"You do blush on awful lot, Nicky," Cherise said lovingly.

"What? No! I'm a man," Nick said strongly.

Caleb snorted and shook his head. "Stop lying."

Nick pouted and looked to Ash to defend him."Running to someone else to solve your problems isn't very manly," was all Ash said.

Nick took the money to his jar they kept under the kitchen sink and dropped the twenties inside while his mom and Menyara cut the cake and handed out slices to everyone.

"You okay, child?"

He nodded as Menyara handed him his cake and a plastic fork. "Just tired."

There was something in her gaze that made him wonder if she could read his mind. It was eerie.

"Your mom told me that you'll be working for a man named Kyrian Hunter. Is that so?"

Kyrian smiled proudly.

"Wait, how did you know Mennie?" Nick asked suddenly and that smile fell from Kyrian's face.

"Everyone around here like us knows each other, Nick," Nick knew what Kyrian meant by that. He was vague for the sake of Nick's mom.

"Yeah. I gotta pay him back for the hospital bills."

"Then I want you to watch yourself, Nicholas. This man, he's.." When she didn't finish the sentence, he finished for her.

"Evil?"

Kyrian scoffed. "Evil?"

"You're right, evil isn't the word. You're much too pleasant," Ash smiled, a mischievous glint that you could see through his glasses lit up his eyes.

She laughed and brushed her hand through his hair. "No, not evil. But working for him will change you, I think. Hopefully for the better. I just wanted to say that you should be very careful with what you learn from others and who you let into your life."

Ambrose grunted to that. He really should've listened more, maybe it was his demon side that prevented him from doing that.

Her emotionless tone gave him pause. Mennie knew things, lots of things, before they happened. Her clairvoyance was unrivaled. "Is that your wicked psychic powers talking again?"

"Maybe it's my wicked overprotective ways." She kissed him on the brow. "You be a good boy for me, Nicholas. Always."

"Yeah, good boy," Ash nudged Nick, who tried very hard not to blush because his manhood was on the line.

"Yeah, okay." He wasn't intending to be a bad one, since the last time he'd done that hadn't gone well for him. As it was, his shoulder was on fire and he had months of painful therapy ahead to get his arm to work right again.

Nick realized he never had to do that because of Ambrose, thank fucking god. That would've been the biggest pain in the ass ever.

Believe me, I'm done with this. Next time he saw Alan and group, they were the ones who were going to be limping. ' Cause I'm gonna put my foot so far up their butts they're going to burp shoe leather.

Cherise scrunched up her nose, "That can't be pleasant."

Nick laughed at his mom, she wasn't a fan of violence.

Adarian stared at Cherise, maybe a bit too openly.

Or in the case of Nick's cheap shoes, man-made material, whatever that was.

He frowned as she stepped away to join his mother and Tiffany. There was something cold in the air that made his neck tingle.

Nick stared at Ambrose who also looked confused. If it hadn't been Ambrose had it been the author of this book? Was the author of this book in here now? Trying to make a spin off of the characters actually reading the story? How ridiculous.

Dismissing it, he ate his cake then joined the others, who kept playing old seventies songs. Gah, could we please move the music forward to the correct decade? What is it with old people and their music? Well, at least it wasn't disco.

"Old people!" Cherise said, glaring at her son.

"I meant them, Ma! You're young, body and heart," Nick flashed her his charming smile.

Kody had to repeatedly remind herself that that smile didn't work on her, but she knew that wasn't true.

The party didn't last too long, since his mom was afraid of making him too tired. One by one they left until it was just him, his mom, and Mennie.

At his mom's urging, Nick headed to his bed while they cleaned up. He was on the verge of falling asleep when his mom disturbed him.

"You ready to go back to school tomorrow?"

"Never," Nick whispered creepily.

Ash raised his eyebrows at him. "Stop being weird."

Nick stared at him with a hurt expression on his face.

"That face doesn't work on anyone, Nick," Caleb jumped in.

"Yeah, stop trying to look cute," Mark added.

"I just came here to have a good time and now I'm honestly feeling attacked," Nick stated.

Hardly. He'd really like a few more decades before he had to go back and face the mutant idiots. ...

But he didn't tell her that. Man up, Nick, and take it. "I guess so."

"What is your obsession with being a man?" Kyrian asked.

"The man is suppose to take care of the household and that's what I did. I had to be the man of the house because I didn't have a father to do it," Nick said the last part through gritted teeth.

Adarian thought about killing the kid then and there, but he decided it was much more fun watching the kid suffer.

"Okay, but if you don't feel like it, let me know. You're still healing and I don't want you to do anything to stress yourself."

Yeah, but he was already so far behind he wasn't sure if there was a shovel big enough to dig his way out of his back work. Any more days and he'd have to repeat a year.

Kill me first.

"I bet Kody would like to," Caleb snorted out.

Kody stiffed. She would not play this game with him or anybody. Stay calm.

She brushed the hair back from his forehead before she tested his brow for a fever.

"A fever?" Ash asked.

"When someone is healing they usually overheat because their bodies are working so hard," Cherise explained in a motherly tone.

"Mr. Hunter said that he'd have a car waiting to pick you up after school and take you to his house. He promised me that it was just an introduction for you and that he wouldn't make you do anything too hard. You okay with that?"

He reverted to his standard answer. "I guess so."

"You only talk when you want to and when you want to it's non-stop," Caleb exaggerated.

"It's not non-stop," Nick glared at him. "You're on my shit list." Caleb smiled at that.

She rolled her eyes. "All right then. I'll let you get your rest. You let me know if you need anything. Oh, and I had to put those flowers your friends Bubba and Mark sent to you in the hospital out on the front porch. They didn't really fit in the house. Leave it to them to overdo it."

That was one way of saying it. Bubba had practically sent him a tree, with one little note.

"That's how we do it," Bubba smiled, fist-bumping Mark.

Hospitals wig me out unless I'm the one being tended. Sorry we're not there, kid. Get well soon. Remember next time ... Double tap. Bubba and Mark.

Nick watched as she left and then closed his "door." Rubbing his sore eye, he ignored her talking with Menyara until he heard his name mentioned.

"You think this mess will stunt his growth, Mennie?"

"His growth?" Kyrian pointed at Nick. "He's a pretty good sized kid."

"Well, thank you," Nick winked at Kyrian.

Ash scowled at this. This just wouldn't do.

Menyara laughed. "No, chere. Your boy's going to be a fine, tall man one day. I promise you."

"I don't know. My dad was awfully short. Barely five foot four. I know Nick's taller than that now, but I'm scared to death he's going to stop growing and be a munchkin like me."

"That's 'cause you're Cajuns, child. You're supposed to be short. Be weird if you weren't. But Adarian's a tall, handsome man and his boy's going to be just like him in looks. Trust me."

Adarian was actually surprised someone was saying something nice about him. Even if it was just his physical appearance.

Those words made Nick's blood run cold.

"I hate that expression," Caleb frowned.

"Why don't you stop being weird?" Nick rolled his eyes at Caleb, adjusting his hand on Ash's hand.

Adarian Malachai was his father and he was a monster. The mere mention of his name conjured up an image of a giant, hulking beast of a man in prison threads, covered in heavy tattoos. Nick had never seen the man when he hadn't been snarling at everyone around him and shoving people who got near him—including Nick's mom.

Adarian frowned at that. He never met to push around Cherise. It was just.. in his blood he supposed.

Angry, bitter, and rude, his father was a rare piece of work and he was glad his mother hadn't married him and given Nick his last name. Even though his Gautier grandparents didn't want anything to do with them, he still preferred having their name to Adarian's.

Malachai. Heck, he didn't even like the way it sounded. Bleh.

Every supernatural creature held back a laugh at that. What a terrible fate that kid had. Stuck forever with that name even if it wasn't really his.

Nick raised his voice to speak so that they'd hear him. "I'd rather be short, fat, and ugly than take after that man."

"You're getting there," Caleb laughed as Nick threw his shoe at him and missed, but stopped when Cherise's sandal hit him in the face. Then it was Nick's turn to burst into laughter.

His mother sighed. "That man is your father and you're supposed to be asleep, young man. Not listening in on our private conversation."

Nick scowled. He still hated the fact that she use to defend that man, saying he was his "father." He was no father of his and never would be.

What did she expect when all that separated them was a thin blue blanket? "And you're not supposed to be talking about me where I can hear it. You always told me that was rude."

They laughed.

"Silly child. We are superior than you because we're older," Nick mocked.

"Go to sleep, Nick."

Go to sleep, Nick, he mouthed, mocking an order that was easier said than done. Especially since his pain meds had worn off and his shoulder was throbbing like fire again. But he didn't want to take any more. That stuff made him too groggy and ill feeling. He'd rather hurt than be a zombie.

"Ahh foreshadowing," Mark sighed.

Besides, if he acted like a zombie, Bubba might mistake him for a hallucination and shoot him.

"You lucky I know what zombies are like now, boy," Bubba nodded.

Rule One: boy: shoot first then ask questions.

Rule Two: Double tap just for good measure. Better safe than sorry.

"I live and breath those rules now. Thanks guys," Caleb nodded his head.

"That's what we do," Mark laughed.

Nick smiled at Bubba's laws until he looked up at their stained ceiling and wondered just how miserable tomorrow would be at school.

Blinking back the agony, he pulled Nekoda's Nintendo out of his front pocket. He didn't know why, but just touching it made him feel better. Like he had someone in the world watching out for him.

"And she was fucking watching," Nick grumbled lightly.

Ash patted his hand in comfort.

Caleb continued to glare at Kody because she was the source of his best friend's hurt.

How stupid was that?

"Pretty," Caleb stated.

"Shit list!" Nick shouted.

He turned it on and kept the sound off. His mom had no idea he had this. She'd probably flip out if she did and he couldn't really play it with only one hand anyway. Still, he liked the thought of having it. It made him feel special. Like he was connected to someone not related to him.

Like a girl might actually like him as something more than just a friend.

Kody felt tears threatening to spill. She never meant to fall for Nick and now that she had, it was hard hearing his thoughts about her. He was so loving and kind, now he hated her.

Nick honestly couldn't believe how stupid he was. This went on for years too.

He wanted the courage to ask her to go and just have a beignet with him after school. But so far he hadn't been able to do much more than thank her for checking on him while he'd been in the hospital—which she'd done every time she had a shift. He'd looked forward to each and every one of those visits like a starving beggar getting his one meal a day.

"Fuck love," Nick stated, throwing his head against the back of the couch.

"Amen to that," Kyrian stated.

It was hard, man, to get up the courage to ask her something so personal. He didn't want to be rejected and he knew better than to reach for the stars—which was what she was. A bright, perfect star who made him laugh whenever she came near.

"God, this is sickeningly cute," Caleb scrunched his nose.

"I think it's just sick," Adarian stated, and was surprised when his offspring grunted in agreement.

And he was a loser.

"At least you're honest," Caleb laughed.

"Alright, that's it. We're throwing down," Nick stood up, cracking his fingers and neck.

Caleb rolled his eyes, not believing a word Nick said, but was pleasantly surprised when Nick whipped the book out of his hands and grabbed Caleb. Now, it was on like donkey kong.

It was a grappling war. Nick and Caleb almost submitting the other, but somehow they would get away. Everyone else stared in amusement, Mark and Bubba had bet against each other on who would win.

Finally, they both collapsed to the floor, all strength gone.

"I'll get you later," Nick waved his hand, crawling back to his seat next to Ash.

Caleb only nodded in agreement, grabbing the book and catching his breath, he continued.

Don't put yourself out there unless you want to get shot down. He'd been taken down enough by his classmates; he wasn't about to give Kody the chance to kick his teeth in.

"Too late," Nick sang.

Kody closed her eyes and focused on breathing.

At this point, he was lucky she'd even talked to him in the hospital. No doubt tomorrow she'd be just like all the other cool, rich kids and pretend he was invisible.

Please, Nick thought.

Rolling his eyes at his own stupidity for even considering the thought of asking her out, he shut down the Nintendo and put it back in his pocket. Tomorrow he'd have to face the demon principal and the cretins of his school. To do that, he needed rest.

And maybe a flamethrower or two.

Caleb laughed. "Me."

"How is that 'me'?" Cherise asked.

Nick and Caleb laughed at her, she just didn't understand young people lingo.

"When he says 'me' he means that's what he thinks too. He feels the same," Nick explained with a large smile.

"Oh.. why couldn't he just say that?" Cherise questioned.

"It's easier to say 'me'," Nick shrugged.

"You kids need to speak like proper people," Cherise scowled.

"Yeah, Caleb," Nick laughed and Caleb glared.

Nick was finishing up the leftover cake he'd eaten for breakfast when a knock at the door startled him. Since his mom and all of her friends except Menyara worked until dawn, he wasn't used to early morning visitors.

"Or visitors in general," Nick said.

"Besides the police, of course," Cherise added.

His mom went to open the door. In this neighborhood, he expected it to be cops wanting to know about something that'd happened while they slept.

What was there shocked him to the core of his being.

Caleb clenched just a tad, but chuckled to himself when he read the next sentence.

It was Brynna Addams-

"Oh my god! Run and hide! It's Brynna!" Mark said, sarcastically.

"Shut up! She's rich and we were poor. It was weird having her there," Nick defended himself.

"Of course it was," Ash said, rolling his eyes.

-dressed in a pretty blue dress and cream sweater. With her dark hair held back from her face by a thin lacy headband, she looked like an absolute angel. One that didn't belong in the run-down crap hole that was their house.

"See, Mark, if you don't interrupt your questions are answered!"

"See, Mark, if you don't interrupt your questions are answered," Mark mimicked Nick in a high pitched voice.

"Why is everyone trying to get on my shit list today?"

"Hi, Mrs. Gautier. I'm Brynna—the friend of Nick's from school who's been leaving his assignments at the hospital desk. Since it's his first day back and all, my brother and I wanted to give him a ride ... if that's okay with you?"

"All the ladies loved Nick," Ash mumbled.

"What can I say? It's something you're born with," Nick winked at Ash, who rolled his eyes.

What a cocky bastard.

His mother opened and closed her mouth as if she was as stunned by their offer as he was. Turning around, she met his startled gaze. "You know a Brynna?"

"I didn't even know Nick had friends at the time," Cherise said honestly.

"Mom!" Nick whined. Everyone laughed at his misery, like always.

"Well, Nicky, can you blame me? You seemed to hate everyone," Cherise shrugged.

"Oh god," Nick sighed.

Heat exploded across his face, partly because he was embarrassed by their shabby house when he was sure Brynna had never seen anything so run-down in her life and partly because his mother had a weird look on her face that he didn't quite understand while she stood barely dressed in an open doorway. "Um, yeah."

"Okay, first, the weird look on your face. What was that about? And why are you answering the door barely dressed?" Bubba questioned.

Cherise blushed lightly. "Well, I thought it was a policeman and I assumed he would respect a woman. And I thought Brynna had a crush on Nick, which I was right about. I thought Nick liked her back because he was so embarrassed.

Adarian hardly listened to her, he was too busy imagining her barely dressed.

"You want them to take you to school?"

"I guess so." His stock answer anytime he was unsure of something.

"That is your stock answer," Kyrian stated.

"I guess so," Nick shrugged.

"You just did it," Caleb said, wide eyed.

He picked his backpack up from the floor but before he could shrug it over his uninjured shoulder, Brynna took it from him.

"Let me carry it. You're still healing."

"Hell nah," Bubba said. "Don't tell me your punk ass let her carry your bag."

"Punk ass?" Nick questioned.

Nick tightened his grip as he pulled it back. "No, thanks. I'm not having a girl carry my stuff. Wouldn't be right." And it would make him look like a mega wimp.

"Mhm, that's right boy," Bubba squinted his eyes at Nick.

"Why do you guys enjoy bagging on me?" Nick said, sadly.

"It's too easy, little one," Ash said, patting his hand lightly.

"Little one? Excuse me? Not all of us can be 9 feet 7 inches," Nick rolled his eyes, pretending to flip his hair at Ash.

"You're probably the biggest diva I've ever met," Ash laughed.

He could tell Brynna wanted to argue, but with a nod, she stepped back and let go of his patched and shoddy secondhand bag.

His mom moved forward to turn down the collar of the oh so lovely blue Hawaiian shirt he wore—at least this one wasn't so foul it glowed in the dark. "You have a good day, baby."

Yeah ... She should have just burped him while she was at it. Anything to shoot down his manhood.

"It's a hobby," Cherise shrugged.

"Ok! This bagging on Nick fest must end now!" Nick shouted.

When everyone was quiet, he smiled in triumph. He did it. His smile faded when Mark "subtly" coughed "Baby."

Without a word, he gave her a quick hug since his dignity had already been shattered, then followed Brynna outside to where her brother waited for them in a new black Lexus SUV.

He let out a low whistle of appreciation. It was an obscenely nice ride. "You know, a car like that in this neighborhood —people gonna think you're both drug dealers."

Caleb smirked at that. Drug dealers amused him because they were so cocky and careless, yet they seemed so shocked when they got caught. Criminals these days just didn't have as much brains as they use to.

Brynna laughed as she opened the door to the front seat and stepped back. Nick ignored her invitation to sit up front and opened the back door.

"Talk about rude," Kyrian frowned.

"You guys interrupt before the explanation! I'm a good person!" Nick pouted.

"You don't want to be in the front seat?"

He climbed into the backseat and shut the door before he answered. "No offense, I don't know your brother and I don't want anyone thinking anything funny about us. I'm not even sure why you guys are here. How did you know where I live?"

"Two bros sitting in a parked car, five feet apart because they're not gay," Caleb sang.

"Oh, yes because I see two men sitting in a car together and automatically assume they're together," Ash said, sarcastically.

"We've ridden in the same car before, haven't we?" Nick whispered to Acheron, causing him to tense they slightest.

Everyone stared at the odd couple wondering what words had been exchanged. Kody tried to ignore how adorable they were, but she failed and it made her heart hurt.

Brynna buckled herself in, next to her brother. "Kyrian told us. He's the one who had me drop your homework off while you were in the hospital so you wouldn't fall too far behind."

He froze. "Do what?"

"Stalker much?" Nick looked at Kyrian.

"Just wanted to make sure you weren't a complete mess," Kyrian smiled.

"I'm not a mess! Shut up!" Nick said, frustrated. Someone would die today.

"Kyrian Hunter?" she said. "Your new boss? He's an old family friend of ours and you'll see us around at his place from time to time. He asked if we could take you to school and watch out for you, so here we are. This is my brother Tad, by the way. Tad, say hi to Nick."

"Hi." Tad pulled away from the curb.

"Friendly," Caleb grumbled.

"Do you not like Tad?" Nick asked, curiously.

"Let's just say we don't agree on certain things," Caleb eyed Nick carefully, who took the hint to back off of the subject.

Nick finished buckling his seat belt as he glanced back and forth between Brynna, who was turned around in her seat to look at him, and her brother, who ignored them while he navigated morning traffic. Dang, Tad favored her a great deal. He was just taller and hairier.

"Hairier! Ha! Good one," Mark laughed.

"You have a horrible sense of humor," Bubba frowned, eyeing Mark carefully.

Mark pouted at this.

Brynna's eyes sparkled with warmth but for all that, she wasn't anywhere near as spectacular to him as Kody was. Brynna was pretty. Kody was sizzling.

Caleb gagged, which made Kody frown. She couldn't handle this abuse.

"You're really going to like working for Kyrian. He's a great guy."

"If you say so."

"Surprised you didn't say 'I guess so.' Shrug," Ash mimicked Nick perfectly, which made everyone laugh.

"I'm not like that," Nick frowned.

"Shh. Yes you are," Caleb said.

She smiled. "So how's your shoulder feeling? You excited to be going back to school? Is your physical therapy really hard? Did you get all the assignments done that I left for you?  The math was really hard, but if you need a tutor, we can arrange one for you until you catch up."

Nick felt assaulted by her barrage of rapidly fired questions and comments. She didn't even give him a chance to respond until the very end. "You always this chatty in the morning?"

Tad burst out laughing.

"Ew, Tad," Caleb scrunched his nose.

"You probably have a crush on him," Nick stared.

"What?!" Caleb asked, a slight blush on his face.

"Aw! I can hook you guys up," Nick winked.

"I'll kill you," Caleb growled.

Brynna slapped her brother on the arm, her face red. "Stop that."

Tad grinned. "Nice to know I'm not the only one your perky morning attitude annoys. I told you it was too much for a man to bear."

"Ha! Man!" Mark laughed, this time everyone laughed along.

Nick could've strangled Mark, but decided a sneak attack was more fun.

Nick felt his own cheeks heat again. He hadn't meant to offend her. "I'm not annoyed by you, Brynna." He actually liked her a lot. "I'm just not used to people like you talking to me with this much interest. It's kind of creeping me out. Feel like I've stepped into an alternate reality or something. You keep this up and I'm going to start looking for Raccoon City vans or something."

"Nerd!" Mark said.

Nick gave him a 'wtf' face. "I played it with you."

Mark stopped laughing and thought about it for a minute, sending Bubba into a fit of laughter.

Brynna frowned. "Raccoon what?"

Tad snorted. "It's from the game Resident Evil, doof." He looked at Nick through the rearview mirror. "You have to forgive her, Nick. She doesn't play much. Just gabs on the phone with all her vacuous, self-absorbed friends."

She slid an offended glare to her brother.

"Tsk tsk," Cherise said, looking at Mennie, who nodded her head in agreement.

"What?" Nick asked.

"You can't seem to talk to girls can you, Nicholas?" Cherise said.

"No, that's why I talk to boys," As soon as the words left his mouth he regretted it. Damn it.

Ash stiffened up with laughter. This whole 'coming out' thing would be easier than he thought.

Nick mentally kicked himself. Why did I say that to her? I'm such an idiot. Here he sat in the nicest car he'd ever seen, riding to school with one of the prettiest girls in his class—one who was really decent—and he'd offended her.

I'm never going to have a girlfriend. I'm too stupid for one.

"That's why you have me," Ash whispered in Nick's ear, who widened his eyes at the sensation of Ash's breath brushing his skin.

And if that wasn't bad enough, Tad pulled up to a nice house and honked.

Three seconds later, the front door opened and Casey Woods came running out in her full black and gold cheerleader outfit that hugged every curve on her body... and for a fourteen-year-old girl, she had a lot of curves—unlike the rest of their female classmates. Her long wavy dark hair was pulled back from her face with a black and gold bow.

Ambrose smiled at the memory of Casey as a girlfriend. She was fun, nice, and of course hot. It was a time when he was actually happy in life. He cherished those memories the most.

A bright smile curled her lips as she ran to them.

Oh, crap...

"Yes! Humiliation!" Caleb laughed. These books really were the best.

She was Brynna's best friend and, up until he'd met Kody, the one girl at school he'd sell his soul to have as his girlfriend. Unfortunately, Casey didn't know he even existed.

Nick sighed. He would have to deal with her when he went back to school tomorrow. She had been obsessing over him ever since he broke up with Kody and it was kind of annoying. If she wasn't so hot, he probably would have turned her down already. Now, as he squeezed Ash's hand, he knew he had to end her obsessing soon.

Something brought brutally home as she opened the door to the car and paused with a frown on her beautiful face.

Brynna didn't miss a beat. "Morning, Case. You know Nick?

Casey turned her head to look at him from the corner of her eyes as if trying to remember him. "Should I?"

Everyone laughed at Nick, who pouted. "She definitely knows me now," Nick sighed.

"What?" Ash said.

"Didn't you know? She's Nick's little fangirl," Kody hissed.

"No.. He never brought it up," Ash said carefully eyeing Nick.

Nick gulped. Shit.

Yeah, why should you know me? We only have four classes together... and he sat directly in front of her in two of them.

I might as well be invisible.

"Midas whale," Nick laughed.

Nick caught the sight of Tad rolling his eyes in the rear view mirror. "We're going to be late, Case. Get in or step back into your yard and close the door."

Tad's hostile tone caught him off guard. What magic pill did Tad take to be immune to her looks?

"The same one I take, but only real men can have one," Caleb smirked.

Nick flipped him off because he couldn't think of anything witty to say back.

Glaring at him, Casey shrugged her Prada backpack off and tossed it into the SUV before she climbed in and sat next to Nick.

Why didn't I sit up front with Tad? Why, Lord, why?

"That's what I said," Kyrian stated.

"Yes, you're very smart," Ash's voice dripped with sarcasm.

Casey scowled at Brynna. "So is he like a new student or something? Does he speak English?"

Caleb burst out laughing at that. "Does he speak English! You were invisible before me."

"No! Everyone knew who I was. I was the delinquent. The bad boy," Nick pretended to flip up the collar of his shirt.

"Ha!" Ash barked out. "The only thing bad about you was your fashion choice."

Brynna slid a puzzled stare to Nick. "Nick's been going to school with us for the last three years."

"Oh ... well, I'm in all advanced classes."

"Case is the best," Caleb smirked.

"Why don't you date her then?" Nick snapped.

"Not my type," Caleb only had one type, but she wasn't with him anymore.

Nick bit back a snort at her snotty comment. What am I? Special ed?

Then again, at the moment, he felt like this was the short bus to hell and that he had a reserved seat on it.

Brynna opened her mouth to say something else, but Nick held his hand up to stop her from correcting Casey's mistaken conclusions about him before Casey made him feel any more worthless. "So, Tad, how 'bout them Saints?"

Bubba snorted. "The Saints have really gone down hill."

"Sh! Don't jinx it!" Nick shouted, covering his ears.

Tad laughed at his switch in topic. "You know, Gautier, you might actually grow on me."

"Yeah, that's me. Kudzu Gautier."

"You did not say that," Caleb snorted.

"Oh, but I did," Nick said.

"You're not cool," Mark shook his head.

Casey didn't get it, but Brynna did. Obviously the tenacious vine must have invaded Brynna's yard and taken it over. "What's kudzu?" Casey asked.

Tad ignored her.

"You should try that, Nick," Ash said suddenly, causing Nick to cringe.

"What the-"

Nick looked out the window to see a boatload of police cars at the school as they slowed down. There were two ambulances and even a fire truck. "What's going on?"

"He just got there too, you know?" Caleb pointed out.

"Stop defending your boyfriend," Nick said.

"Unlike you! I'm not gay!" Caleb spat out.

Nick stared at Caleb. He did not just do that.

"Too many fags in the room," Adarian mumbled.

"Shut your fucking mouth for once in your life!" Nick snapped.

They were all having a good time, but of course that had to end.

"Nick, Adarian. Stop. We're family," Cherise said firmly.

The two men grumbled, but backed down.

Ambrose saw this going south very, very soon.

Tad shook his head. "Not sure ..."

Casey's face lit up. "Does this mean no school? Oh thank God, I didn't finish my social studies homework."

"This bitch," Mark whispered. Women.

The police wouldn't let them park in the school lot. Instead, they waved them down the street and away from the crowd. Tad went over to Royal and parked outside of Fifi Ma-honey's. "I've got to know what's going on."

Typical, Caleb thought.

Nick concurred. Leaving his backpack in the SUV, he walked over to the school with Tad and the girls.

Many of the students were milling around in groups while reporters asked a few of them questions. Brynna and Casey broke off to join their friends.

Nick followed Tad-

"Cos' he has no friends," Ash smiled.

"I had friends!" Nick stated.

-as he headed over to Ms. Pantall, who was standing with three other teachers.

"Hey, Ms. P," Tad called, "what's going on?"

She let out a slow breath before she answered. "You won't believe this ... Brian Murrey tried to eat Scott Morgan."

"That's what happened!" Cherise said shocked.

"Nick didn't tell you?" Kyrian said, looking at Nick.

Nick shrugged. "It never came up."

Nick's eyes widened at the unexpected explanation. Had he heard that right?

Tad gaped. "What?"

She nodded as she gestured toward the school's entrance. "They were in the cafeteria before the bell, acting completely normal, when all of a sudden Brian attacked him for no reason. He started chewing on his arm and tearing at his skin like a rabid dog with a steak. I've never seen anything like it in my life. It was so gross."

"Oh my word!" Cherise said, grabbing her chest.

"Cher, calm down. The boy is okay, it was a long time ago," Mennie said comfortingly.

Tad passed a wide-eyed stare to Nick. "Is Scott all right?"

In perfect timing to the question, Scott came out of the school on a stretcher with two EMTs watching over him.

Nick drifted away from them so that he could listen in on a few other conversations, including that of a female reporter who was talking on her cell phone. There had to be more to this story than what Pantall was saying to Tad.

"I'm telling you, Bob, something's going on. What with the attacks last night and now this ... How many cities have six cannibal attacks in twelve hours?"

"Cannibals!" Cherise gasped.

"Ma," Nick said. "Everything is cool now. No more cannibals." Just a bunch of Were people.

Well, it was the Big Easy where they had a slack attitude over most things. But even the stoutest New Orleanian usually drew the line at eating human flesh.

Most days, anyway.

"We should move," Caleb scrunched up his nose.

"What about Mardi Gras?" Nick asked quietly.

"Well.." Caleb smiled.

Then again, Halloween was just around the corner. If not for the cops, he might think it a prank.

"They're questioning the kid now. He seems out of it. Like his brains are rattled or something. But you should have seen the vic's arm. He tore it down to the bone and his classmates said he ate all the flesh like he was starving for it. You think it could be something voodoo related?"

"Of course," Cherise exhaled. People and all this mystical crap.

Yeah, anytime something freaky happened, blame the Goth or the voudoun communities—'cause normal people could never be insane. Maybe he should remind the reporter that the infamous serial killer and cannibal Jeffrey Dahmer hadn't been a voodoo worshiper either and Brian, until this, had been a normal jock like the rest of the team. A little dumber than most, but he was a poster child for normality.

Caleb snorted. "A little dumber than most."

"Well, it wasn't a lie," Kody added.

"Brian was a little slow," Nick agreed.

Until he tried to eat Scott...

Nick moved away from her, closer to the ambulance where they were loading Scott. There was a white bandage over his arm that was red as more blood seeped through it.

Scott was sobbing. "All I did was reach for his milk. He could have just said no. He didn't have to eat my arm... God, I'll never be able to throw a ball again. I'm gonna lose my scholarship, I know it. We'll never make the state championship now. Terry can't throw for squat.  Man, the season's over. Why? Why did he do this?"

"Scott still makes me sad," Caleb stated.

"You still talk to Scott?" Nick questioned.

"He use to come to football practice once and a while, but he stopped because he got a job at LSU as a quarterback coach. He's doing pretty good, but he could've gone to the NFL," Caleb explained.

"Man," Kody and Nick breathed.

That seemed to be the question...

"Hey, kid! Get back behind the barricade."

Nick nodded to the officer before he obeyed.

"Hey, Nick!" Frank McDaniel ran up to him. "Hear what happened? Brian ate Scott. How cool is that? Man, I wish I'd seen it. That's what I get for being late to school. I miss all the good stuff that happens."

"God, I hate Frank," Caleb said.

"Frank was alright. He was my friend," Nick empathized the word 'friend' and stared at his mom, who only chuckled.

Jason laughed in agreement. "I just hope whatever got into him isn't catching. I don't want no one coming up and trying to gnaw on my flesh or me going after someone else. Sheez. My mom's a vegan. She grounded me for six months last summer when I ate a cheeseburger at McDonald's. Can you imagine how long she'd ground me for eating a person?"

"You had loser friends," Ash laughed.

"Well, I was a loser." Nick said. "I was sick of the system. I didn't want to hear it. It wasn't a secret that I was just a reject."

"Why does that sound so familiar?" Caleb mumbled.

Nick hoped Caleb didn't know about Nick's secret obsession with that 'Reject' song by that stupid band 500 Years of Winter. Those Australians that sang the underwear song.

"Oh! Oh! Nicholas! That's 5 Seconds of Summer!" Caleb laughed.

"How would you know?" Nick squinted his eyes at him.

"All the girls talk about them," Caleb shrugged.

"Oh yeah... Well... IT STARTED ON WEEKEND IN MAY," Nick suddenly shouted.

Caleb really hadn't meant to, but the song was so damn catchy. "I WAS LOOKING FOR ATTENTION NEEDED INTERVENTION!"

"HA!" Nick pointed at Caleb.

"Can we stop this madness?" Kyrian said.

"Please," Ash added.

"Oh! Nick, you listen to this all the time," Cherise smiled.

"Sh, mother," Nick said calmly.

Frank cast a hungry look over to the group where Brynna and Casey were standing. "Oh man, if it is catching, I hope Casey Woods gets it and comes for me. If you gotta die, no better way to go than to get eaten by the head cheerleader."

Jason high-fived him. "Yeah, all right. Sign me up for that too. I definitely want to be her chew toy."

"Men," Cherise rolled her eyes.

Adarian knew he was that kind of person, but you could hardly blame him with women like Cherise in the world.

Nick ignored his friends as he caught sight of his lab partner Madaug St. James, who seemed to be muttering to himself as he stood off to the side of the ambulance. An almost stereotypical nerd, Madaug had a black gamer T-shirt on underneath his blue button-down that had been left open. His dishwater blond hair was cropped short and he had large blue eyes that were always covered with thin-rimmed glasses.

"Where has that nerd been?" Caleb said.

"I don't know some nerd convention outta town," Nick shrugged.

Even though Nick knew the name was pronounced "Man-dug," he, like most of the people in his class, usually pronounced it "Mad Dog." But that always irritated Madaug and right now he looked agitated enough.

"Hey, dude. You all right?"

Madaug froze at his question. "Uh, yeah. It's terrible, isn't it?"

"Especially gruesome."

Madaug nodded. "I can't believe it. I just can't believe it."

"This bitch," Mark said.

"Seriously, can't believe the nerve on kids these days," Bubba shook his head.

Chersie and Mennie shot them a confused look.

Neither could Nick. "Well, I guess the bright side is you don't have to worry about Scott or Brian picking on you today in gym class, right?" Last time Nick had been in school, Brian had worn Madaug's gym shorts and then forced Madaug into them after he'd sweated all over them.

Gross and nasty.

Madaug didn't respond to his question as he continued to fret.

"Nerds, nowadays," Kody sighed, casting a secret glance at Bubba and Mark.

Out of the crowd, one loud voice suddenly drowned the others out. "I'm telling you people, it's a zombie attack. Z to the O to the M to the B to the I, E. Zombie. Open your eyes, people, before it's too late and he eats someone else. Any of you could be next on the Zombie Apocalypse Menu. Heed my words and stock up on ammo! I got a new shipment coming in today!"

"Oh, no," Cherise shook her head, placing her hand on her forehead.

"I wonder who that could be," Nick said sarcastically, as Bubba beamed.

Nick knew that voice. He just wasn't used to hearing it this early in the day.

Big Bubba Burdette, the owner of the Triple B store.  Wow, and Bubba hadn't burst into flames by getting up this early in the morning. Who knew? He'd have sworn the man was half vampire.

"You know nothing," Bubba said mysteriously.

Standing well over six feet tall, Bubba was an interesting mix of redneck and Goth. Case in point, he had on a Dawn of  the Dead T-shirt with a red flannel shirt pulled on over it. His baggy jeans were complemented by a nice pair of black Doc Martens that were decorated with red skulls. With short black hair and a goatee, Bubba was terrifying to behold. But the minute he opened his mouth and that thick Southern drawl came out, he looked less like a threat and more like a giant fluffy panda bear.

"Excuse me!" Bubba said.

"Oh, no you didn't," Mark said.

"It's just a description!" Nick said, shrugging.

At least so long as you didn't interrupt his watching Oprah in the afternoon. Bubba said anyone dumb enough to do that deserved to have his entrails spilled.

And that thick drawl made most people underestimate a man whose IQ was off the charts.

"See, look. Compliments," Nick said. "Bask in them."

In fact, Bubba had graduated at the top of his class from MIT with degrees in both computer science and robotics. Now, he owned the Triple B—a gun and computer store where you could hire Bubba to hack anything in the world, legal or otherwise, and if that didn't work, he'd shoot it for you just to put it out of your misery.

The reporters left Bubba as they tried to interview more students.

"Now, the story is good," Bubba stated.

"But, I'm not in it yet," Mark said.

"Who cares! It's my time to shine," Bubba said dramatically.

Bubba spat a bit of his chewing tobacco onto the pavement. "That's right, troglodytes,-"

"Troglodytes?" Kody asked,quietly.

"A hermit," Bubba shrugged.

"It's his favorite word to confuse people with," Mark said.

"-ignore the only one who knows what's going on. The only one who knows how to save your putrid, insignificant lives. Go back to your media-induced comas where you believe all the crap spieled by greedy politicians who control you with ill-conceived lies and consumer-driven distractions."

"That's deep man," Caleb said.

"I know how the world turns. Take notes kids," Bubba said, cracking his knuckles.

"Aren't those consumer-driven distractions what keep you in business, Bubba?" Nick asked as he approached him.

"Must you open your mouth all the time," Adarian growled.

"I guess it runs in the family," Nick glared at him.

Bubba narrowed his dark brown eyes on Nick with disgust. "Don't sass me, Nick. I'm not a morning person and I might take my ill mood out on you."

"Please do," Caleb said.

"Yeah, I know. So what are you doing up at this hour, anyway?"

"Haven't slept. Got a call from Fingerman at oh dawn thirty telling me there were zombies on the loose and that he needed reinforcement. So I grabbed my gun and we went hunting in the bayou." Normal people might find this conversation odd, but then all conversations with Bubba were odd, and zombie hunting was just another service he offered at his store.

"Mark get eaten?"

"Were you praying for it?" Mark said offended.

"I mean I could live without the duck pee stench," Nick said, honestly.

"Nah, the little wuss fell asleep on the way back to the store. He's cuddled up in the front seat like an infant girl, sucking his thumb and holding his jacket tucked under him like a pillow.  Don't know what I'm going to do with him."

"Love him forever," Mark said.

Bubba shot him a disgusted look.

Nick opened his mouth to make another comment when he realized that conversations had stopped. The hair on the back of his neck stood up. Turning his head, he saw Brian being led out of the school in handcuffs.

Except for the blood marring his Letterman's jacket, he looked normal. Completely. Totally.

"Ew, Brian," Caleb said.

"Or Brain," Kyrian shrugged.

"Oh my god... Mind blown!" Nick stated, eyes wide with wonder. Ash chuckled at his childishness.

Normal. Yeah, his skin was a little pale and his eyes sunken like he hadn't slept well. But other than that...

No one could tell he'd tried to eat his best friend.

"You said that there was blood on his Letterman jacket, so I think that would give it away," Kyrian shrugged.

"You are way too into this," Ash shook his head.

Brian slowed as he neared the captain of the team. Their gazes locked in such a way that it seemed like they were communicating without speaking.

The cops shoved him forward.

Brian kept his gaze on the captain until he was forced into the police car.

"Who was the captain anyway?" Caleb asked.

"Why are you looking at me? I wasn't on the team." Nick stated.

Nick looked at Bubba. "Is it just me or was that weird?"

Bubba gave him a droll stare. "Is there any part of this day that hasn't been weird, boy?"

"Boy, not man," Mark stated.

"Shut up, you're barely a man," Bubba stated.

Nick laughed at the hurt look on Mark's face.

Good point.

"So what do you think caused this?" Nick asked.

Bubba scratched his head. "That I'm trying to figure out. Normal zombie attacks—"

"'Normal,'" Caleb said, using quotes.

That made Nick wonder what would qualify as an abnormal attack.

"You and me have always been like this," Caleb said, pointing between himself and Nick with both hands rapidly.

"—are done by dead people brought back from their graves. They're under the control of their masters and attack humans to get a taste of blood. But this ... the kid wasn't dead yet.  Makes no sense to me."

"Maybe someone spiked his Wheaties?"

"Wheaties are gross," Kody scrunched up her nose.

"I prefer Honey Bunches of Oats," Caleb shrugged.

"Lucky charms," Nick said.

"Me too," Ambrose smiled. Nick laughed.

Bubba shook his head. "Well, there is some chemicals what can give a human zombie-like symptoms. But none of them make a person eat another one. Maybe it's some bio-terrorism test being run by the government. Don't be drinking no tap water or seafood until I do some testing."

Nick grinned. "I don't normally drink my seafood, Bubba, but—"

"Ha, oh I get it," Caleb smiled.

"Good job!" Nick said sarcastically.

"Don't get smart with me, Gautier. I still got loaded weapons from last night."

Nick opened his mouth to speak, but a hysterical scream silenced him.

"Finally! He didn't speak!" Mark said.

"Oh my God! The coach just ate Mr. Peters! Someone help! Help!"

The police went running into the school as the secretary came dashing out, screaming in terror and tearing at her hair.

Nick froze as those words about Peters seeped into his brain. On the one hand he was horrified the man had been eaten. On the other...

He was strangely happy. The sanctimonious pig kind of deserved it.

"Woohoo!" Caleb and Nick cheered.

Nick, that's so wrong. He heard his mom's voice in his head. Yeah, maybe it was, but he still couldn't help thinking it was some kind of divine payback.

"Amen to that," Cherise said.

The police forced the crowd back as the media rushed the school, trying to get photos and footage.

Suddenly, the vice principal was outside with a bullhorn. "School is canceled for the day.  Students go home. We'll be calling later in the day with information. Please ... disperse and leave. Any student found on campus will be suspended. Now go home and don't come back here today."

"Lucky you," Kyrian shook his head.

"Suuure," Nick said.

"And hopefully tomorrow too," one of the students shouted.

Bubba spat more tobacco out. "It's good to be you today, huh?"

"Yeah, as long as I don't get eaten by my football team... Can I come hang in your store and do some research on this?"

"Research, sure," Kody said.

Bubba nodded. "Sure, but you've got to open it for me and watch it while I catch some Z's."

That sounded fair to Nick. "Let me get my backpack and I'll head straight over." He left Bubba to find Tad, who was standing in a large group of seniors.

Intent on their discussion, none of them saw him.

"Oh no," Caleb said.

Nick nodded his head to continue. His mom would have to find out sooner or later. Might as well be now.

"I'm telling you, we need to notify the council and the Dark-Hunters. This has Daimon written all over it."

"Daimon?" Cherise questioned quietly.

"It's a type of demon, Ms. Guaiter," Kyrian explained.

Cherise shook her head. She was stuck in a house full of loonies because of her son.

"Not in daylight, it don't. Daimons can't attack until the sun goes down and you know that.  They'd be toast if they stepped one foot outside right now."

"But there were more attacks last night and this is spreading. My money still says it's Daimon related. They're doing something. Mark my words."

One of the seniors rolled his eyes. "A Daimon can't convert a human. That's the first lesson we're all taught."

"Then what do you think it is? It has to be related to them.  There's nothing else it could be."

Tad narrowed his eyes on his friend Alex Peltier, who'd been silent the whole time. "Can a Were-Hunter bite turn humans into were-beasts?"

Cherise listened closely. It was actually pretty interesting what they were saying, though she didn't believe in that voodoo nonsense.

"What's a Were-Hunter?" Nick asked before he could stop himself.

"Nick, Nick," Bubba shook his head.

They faced him and clammed up immediately.

Russell Jordan, who'd been doing the most talking, curled his lip as if Nick disgusted him.  "What are you doing here, Trailer Park?"

"Trailer Park," Cherise said with a scowl, but Nick waved it off.

Tad cleared his throat. "He's working for Kyrian now. Be nice, Russ, or Kyrian won't be happy." He faced Nick. "What can I do for you?"

"See I do you good, kid," Kyrian smiled.

"I wanted to get my backpack out of your truck."

"I'll be right back," Tad said to his friends before he led Nick away from them.

Nick scowled as he followed after Tad. "So what's a Were-Hunter?"

"It's a ... a gamer's term. Somebody who hunts animals."

"Smooth," Caleb rolled his eyes.

That didn't make any sense and it was a term he'd never heard before. "If it's just a game, why did you ask if they could turn a human?"

Tad didn't answer. Instead, he led Nick to his SUV, pulled out his backpack, and then left him there to watch while Tad went back to his friends.

Thanks for all the non-answers. Tad was going to make a great parent one day.

"That's rude," Cherise said.

"When do you ever tell me the truth the first time I ask?" Nick said, looking at her dead in the eyes.

She didn't answer him and his point was proven.

But in the meantime, "Something weird is going on here."

Something half the people in his school seemed to know about. And if it was the last thing he did, he was going to find out what this secret was.

Even if it killed him.

"You have a death wish," Kyrian said.

Nick shrugged. "I guess so."

Most of all, he was going to find out some way to protect himself, 'cause he had no intention of losing what little brain matter he had.

"True that," Caleb laughed, Nick glared at him.

New Orleans was definitely getting weird and Nick wasn't about to be added to anyone's menu.

Except maybe Nekoda, who was strangely missing from the crowd...

"Bleh," Nick and Caleb shuddered.

And Ash nodded in agreement.

Had something grabbed her last night and added her to its menu?

"I wish.." Nick sighed.

"Well, the end. Lunch?" Caleb said, hurrying to the kitchen to see what Rosa whipped up.

Nick took a deep breath before getting up with Ash. Now was the time they told everyone. Nick wasn't sure how he going to do it, but all you really needed was 5 seconds of bravery, right? At least that's what Tris from Divergent said.

Ash looked at Nick, "Don't worry. I'm here too."

Nick smiled softly at him, "I know."

Ash embraced Nick, who buried his face in Ash's shoulder.

The couple unaware of that Kody was watching with tears streaming down her face. This just put the final nail in the coffin for Kody. Nick didn't want her anymore and he probably never would. She could come to terms with it, but that didn't mean it would stop hurting.

Chapter Text

Rosa had made spaghetti and meatballs. It was easy because there was so many of them, but somehow she had manged to make it the best meal known to man. She had made the meatballs from scratch and they were little bites of heaven. She seasoned it just right and the sauce was phenomenal. Rosa also made garlic bread to go with the dish. It took most of Nick's willpower to stop himself from grabbing Rosa and taking her home with him.

Caleb agreed. It was one of the best meals he'd had in a long time. He usually cooked for himself which never turned out great, even the school lunch was better than his cooking.

Cherise had struck up a conversation with Rosa, begging her to teach her how to cook like this.

Mennie nodded along, she was more concerned with Nick at the moment. She couldn't help but stare at her godson as he ate with that giant of man with odd hair. The way they looked at each other reminded her of Lady and the Tramp, except they weren't sharing a bowl of spaghetti. It was adorable how odd the couple really was. Nick was still childish and loud, Acheron was serious and quiet.

Nick was nervous, beyond nervous. He couldn't stop his leg from bouncing up and down. Ash tried his best to calm the younger boy down, but it didn't help. He didn't understand how Nick must feel. He had to admit something so personal to his friends and family, Acheron didn't have family to admit anything to.

Caleb watched Nick worriedly from across the table. He knew Nick had to get something off his chest and Caleb had an idea what it was, but it still killed him. Caleb resumed half-listening to whatever Bubba and Mark were talking about, casting worried glances at Nick.

Kody sat as far away from everyone as she could. These books were bringing the worst out in her and she hated that. Sadly, the further she was from Nick, the closer she was to Adarian. She had thought he had forgotten about her, but she was wrong. He smiled wickedly at her when she came within 5 feet of him. Cherise had been kind enough to offer her the seat next to her. Sadly, it was close to Nick.

Nick had finished eating and, as much as he had been stressing, the meal was still extremely enjoyable. Nick glanced at Acheron who was moving a meatball around his plate, scowling at it. "What did the meatball do to you?"

"I'm upset. I want this meatball, but I'm so full," Ash frowned, causing Nick to laugh.

"Split it?"

Ash thought about it for a moment. "Sure." He gave Nick the smaller half and shoved the meaty goodness into his mouth, trying to savor the taste. Now he was beyond stuffed.

"I think I'm going to talk to Mennie first, before we.. you know," Nick said shyly.

"That's fine. I think she really needs to talk to you too," Ash said casting a glance at Menyara, who didn't hide the fact that she was staring.

Nick nodded, wiping his hands on his pants. He gave Ash a small smile before getting up. Ash hoped everything would go okay or else he didn't know if Nick was going to be up for coming out.

Mennie watched anxiously as Nick made his way to her, staring at his shoes.

"Aunt Mennie, do you want to maybe.. talk?" Nick asked nervously, twiddling his fingers.

Mennie rested her hand on his arm and smiled softly, "Of course, Nicholas."

Everyone watched as the two walked out of the room.

Kyrian used this to smoothly slide into the seat that Nick had vacated. "So, was I right or was I right?"

Ash rolled his eyes before turning to him, "General, when are you ever wrong?"

This caused Kyrian to almost smile with teeth.

Nick and Mennie sat on the couch in the living room nervously. Nick wasn't sure if Mennie would even explain how she got caught up in the Malachai business.

"Nicholas," Mennie sighed, grabbing his hand gently. "I never meant for these things to happen. I got involved with the wrong kind of people. I thought your mother could fix your father, but I was wrong..."

Nick tensed in his seat. Mennie was the reason her parents ever came to be. That was an unsettling feeling. "You... You got my parents together?" Nick whispered.

Mennie nodded sadly. "I thought Adarian could change. He really did love your mother, you know? He did and I saw him trying, but he knew it was in his nature. He just gave up. I'm not sure if he does love her anymore."

"Of course he doesn't. He's a monster," Nick spat at her.

"Nicholas," she started softly, "you aren't a monster. He started off a normal boy, but just like you, he found out what he really was. Just because he let the evil consume him, doesn't mean he didn't fight it."

Nick stared at her wide eyed. He never attempted to imagine how his father had gone through it. Nick thought he was just born and raised to be evil. "I'm sorry, Aunt Mennie."

She gave him a small smile. "You had every right to be angry, Cher. I tried my best with you. I just don't want you to- to-" Aunt Mennie broke off, feeling a wave of emotion take over her.

"I'm trying to be," Nick stated.

Mennie laughed lightly. "I know, chere. I know."

Ash watched Nick walk in with Mennie carefully. He smiled when Nick shot him two thumbs up, as he grabbed another plate of food. "You're still eating?"

Nick scoffed. "Yeah."

Ash rolled his eyes and patted Nick's hand. "Well after you eat, dearest, we have business to attend to."

Nick's face heated at the fact Ash called him "dearest", but he knew Ash was right. Everyone was dying to know why Nick and Acheron had been acting weird. Though everyone could assume, they wanted to hear it from them.

Soon after Nick finished his plate of spaghetti, everyone migrated back to the living room. Nick and Ash were left in the kitchen alone. Ash watched Nick wash his plate and put it away. He rose and stood at the island, waiting for Nick to join him. "I'm not sure how we should go about doing this," Acheron admitted.

"And you think I do?" Nick stated.

"You have gay friends, don't you? How did they.. do it?" Ash asked awkwardly.

"Well... they just came out and said it. They just looked at me and said 'Nick, I'm gay. Have a good day.' That was it," Nick explained thoughtfully.

"So we just go out there and blurt it out?" Ash thought that was easier said than done.

"I mean, we aren't official together you know..." Nick stated slowly.

Ash nodded to this, quietly thinking of their walk outside.

"Look, Nick, we need to talk," Acheron said over the lump in his throat.

Nick nodded sadly, refusing to look at Ash in the eyes. "You know my darkest secret now."

"And... I don't care," Nick's head had snapped up at that. Honestly, he thought Ash would be disgusted with him and never want to talk to him again.

"Really?"

Acheron smiled. "Of course, sooner or later you'll learn my darkest secret and well.. we'll be even."

Nick laughed at that. "I was afraid you'd hate me."

"I could never hate you," something in Acheron's tone made Nick look at him in the eyes. Nick still couldn't see the swirls in his unique colored eyes, but he knew they were swimming with something Nick never would've thought Ash would look at him with.

Ash watched as Nick's face became vulnerable and hesitated. Right now was the perfect moment to tell him. Just do it.

"I hope you know that I already know what you want to say," Nick said smugly.

"Excuse me?"

"I know you have stirrings for me," Nick smiled.

Acheron was taken back. If Nick knew this would be a lot easier for him to do. "So you know that I haven't been able to get your annoying ass out of my head. That I spent these last couple nights haunted by your blue eyes in my dreams. You know that even if you ended the world right now I couldn't careless because you make me feel like nothing bad could happen. If you know this then I'm glad because it made my job easier."

Nick stared up at Ash, a blush covering most of his neck and face. He didn't expect Ash to be such a sap, but there he was confessing his feeling for Nick like it did it everyday. There he was making Nick absolutely sure that he felt the same way. "Wow, you haven't made me feel illiterate in a while."

Ash laughed at Nick's awkwardness. "Yeah, well, don't expect it to stop anytime soon."

They walked in silence for a few moments before Nick quietly admitted, "You know I feel the same way right?"

"I know," Ash slowly slipped his hand in Nick's feeling nothing but happiness at the feeling. He also felt Nick beaming up at him and squeezing his hand harder than really necessary.

"Ash?" Nick's voice brought him back.

"Yeah?"

"You blanked out. I just finished saying I think we should sing a 'come out' song. Some Adam Lambert or whatever," Nick flashed him a crooked grin.

"Hell no," Ash rolled his eyes.

"Let's just do it. Ok? Just go out there and make fools of ourselves and wing it," Nick said.

"Well, you're already a fool so it wouldn't hurt," Ash sighed, walking toward the door.

"Finally," Mark said as he saw Nick and Ash exit the kitchen.

"Look, I- we wanna say something before we start," Nick started, feeling around for Ash's hand.

Ash clutched it tightly in his slightly larger hand. "It's pretty important."

"You're gay for each other," Bubba yawned.

"You guys want to be together," Mark added, looking at his nails.

Nick and Ash stared at the two in shock. They knew they weren't exactly hiding it, but they didn't know they were that obvious. "Um.. well yeah."

"Called it!" Kyrian stated proudly.

"I mean, you guys were practically sending heart eye emojis to each other throughout the whole story," Caleb shrugged.

"Well, we aren't together together yet," Nick said awkwardly.

"We thought we should finish at least one of the books first before we jumped into anything," Ash said firmly.

"Well, it's about time you two got it off your chests," Ambrose nodded to them, Nick beaming at his older self.

Kody and Adarian were the only ones not congratulating the oddly cute couple. Kody refused to accept Acheron because he stole Nick from her, even though she messed up their relationship. Adarian didn't care for either of the two. It didn't affect his life.

"I'm glad you're happy, Nicky," Cherise said softly to her son.

"Thank you guys for making this easy," Nick said, feeling happier than ever.

"Well, we want to get on with the story," Ambrose stated.

"Right! I'll read!" Mark volunteered. "I should come out in this chapter.. Maybe."

Nick laughed, leading Ash to their seats. Nick still held onto Ash's hand tightly, he would probably never let it go now.

"Chapter 5.."

Chapter Text

Nick let out a frustrated breath as he tried typing another search. This one-armed crap was for the birds—except they wouldn't be able to fly any better than he could type. And they'd probably crash into a wall and get a concussion ... which would probably hurt a lot.

Growling at his shifting ADD thoughts, he tried to focus on what he was doing.

Finding info on zombie attacks.

Cherise scowled at her son's childish way. How could he believe that junk? Hadn't she made her feelings for it clear? It was obviously everyone else in his life putting these thoughts in his head. Bubba was a grown man and look at him! He paraded around the bayou with another grown man looking for impossible things. And Ash! She finds him insane, but he makes her son happy..

I am insane.  Since there were no adults around anywhere, he should be searching hot babe sites, not this.

"HA!" Caleb barked out.

Nick blushed at that horrible thought.

"Tsk, tsk," Ash smiled, stroking his thumb on Nick's hand softly.

He hissed as he spelled out "chemacil zmobies."

"I'm not even sure how to pronounce that," Mark said after making random noises in attempt to pronounce it.

Gah, how did people manage with one hand? He kept making typos all over the place and reaching across the keyboard was really starting to tick him off.

"Everything seems to tick you off," Caleb said observantly.

"You tick me off," Nick stuck his tongue out at Caleb.

Worse, his pain meds had vaporized in his system and since his school had a strict no-drug policy, including Tylenol or Advil, he hadn't brought more for fear of being strip-searched in Peters's office for it. And if the pain wasn't bad enough, he couldn't find anything online about diseases that would make someone crave human flesh. Well, not unless they were werewolves. Flesh-eating demons. Demonic parasites ...

Yeah, right. As if such a thing were possible off a movie screen...

Nick and Ambrose flinched at those words. Times were so much more simple back then. They didn't have all this crap to worry about. The world wasn't going to end and Nick wouldn't be so awkward.

He was dying to ask Bubba some questions about his theories, but the man had been explicit: "Wake me up, boy, and I will shoot you dead where you stand."

Cherise gave Bubba a look that he caught and, if he was being honest, it reminded him of his own mother. That thought scared him.

Now with most folks, that might be considered an idle threat. But when the person making the threat slept on more weapons than a terrorist training camp and had the temperament of a psycho killer, it was wise to believe he would actually do it and laugh while he gutted you.

"I am thoroughly enjoying this description," Bubba said, rubbing his hands together and laughing.

As Bubba so often said: "I got a shotgun and a backhoe and no one looks under a septic tank for a dead body." Which made Nick wonder how many of Bubba's enemies had faces on milk cartons.

But that was another story...

"Can we hear these stories?" Kody asked quietly. The subject peaked her interest enough for her to speak.

"My lawyers say I shouldn't," Bubba said, examining his nails.

Again, Cherise gave him a strange look and this time Mennie joined her.

The bell over the door sounded. Sighing in aggravation, Nick left the computer to wander back to the counter to wait on whoever was there.

He stopped dead in his tracks, bug-eyed.

Holy...

"Demon!" Caleb shouted.

Nick gave Caleb a hard glare. "Why that's ridiculous, Caleb."

Caleb unclenched and gave everyone a sheepish smile. "I don't know. I think I dosed off for a little and was dreaming."

Kyrian shook his head. It was no use for Nick to lie, the truth would come out later.

Every male hormone in his body fired as he saw what had to be the sexiest chick in New Orleans. A couple of years older than him, she was amazing. The good news was she totally distracted him from his pain.

"I do not approve of this," Ash said, shaking his head at Nick.

Nick gave him a shy smile and laid his head on Ash's shoulder.

Decked out in tight black leather pants and a red halter top, she wore a studded black leather collar and bracelets. And a long, studded black leather belt that was wrapped around her narrow waist four times. A huge rhinestone-covered silver cross fell from the belt, banging against her thigh as she walked with a seductive gait he was sure had given a few old men heart attacks from hormonal overload. Her hair was cut short into a black bob. By the opaque color of it, he figured she'd dyed it that way. Her eyes were ringed by thick black eyeliner, giving them a decidedly catlike appearance. Like her eyes, her lips were also jet-black.

Normally Goth women didn't do it for him, but this one ...

"Wait... Hot goth.. Oh god!" Caleb laughed.

"Shut up! Before she opens her mouth, you have no idea!" Nick defended himself.

"You liked the crazy girl!" Kody said in amazement.

"If you're referring to yourself, then yes I used to," Nick said, emphasizing "used".

Ash bit back a laugh. That was one of the best things Nick had ever said. Nick was born to say that.

Caleb let out a chuckle, "That was fucking savage."

Nick only shrugged. He didn't care enough to look at Kody's forlorn expression.

Yeah. She was h-o-t. Best of all, if he made out with her and got that lipstick on his collar his mom would think it was grease.

Cherise raised her eyebrows at Nick and smiled. "Oh really? Ash, I'm sure you aren't a mechanic so, Nicholas, I will not fall for that."

Ash had never laughed harder. Not only was it funny to hear Cherise say that, but Nick was the brightest shade of red. "No, Ms. Gautier, I am not. Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on him." Ash then turned to Nick and winked at him.

Nick pouted at his mom and his... Acheron. "This was like 4 years ago!"

Something that would definitely keep him from being grounded.

Shame on you, Nick. You're cheating on Kody.

Caleb choked on the water he was drinking. "You are a sap, Gauiter."

"There's nothing wrong with that, cher," Mennie defended.

"At least some of us aren't heartless," Nick said, squeezing Ash's hand. This book was definitely going to bug him more than he thought. He was so in love with Kody in all of them and now his heart had been broken. He also had Acheron to worry about. Nick didn't want him to think he still had feeling for Kody. She was nothing to him anymore.

Kody had blushed a deep red and turned to look away. She caught Adarian's gaze and immediately looked away. She didn't want anything to do with him. He had fooled her once and she would not be fooled again.

Well, not really, since they weren't an item. It couldn't be cheating. Technically. Yet it did kind of feel that way.

How flipping weird.  I'm whipped and I'm not even claimed yet. Dang, that sucked.

"I hate this book," Nick grumbled and Ash gently patted Nick's head.

She sauntered up to the counter, leaned over it almost spilling her breasts onto the glass top, and looked toward the back room where he'd been. "Where's Bubba?"

"That sounds so poetic. 'Spilling her breasts onto the glass top.' It's like you're talking about a waterfall," Mark rambled.

"You're weird," Bubba stated.

"Sleeping. Can I help you?" He tried his best to keep his eyes on her face and not on what he really, really wanted to look at.

"Oh Nicholas," Cherise sighed.

"Oh Ma," Nick said, mimicking her.

"Don't sass me boy," Cherise warned, pointing a finger at Nick.

Nick gave her a cheeky face and blew her a kiss.

That might get him seriously bitch-slapped and since she was wearing spiked rings ...

It could really hurt.

"Oh, it would hurt," Kyrian said, rubbing him jaw thoughtfully.

"We'll take your word for it, General," Ash laughed, obviously knowing what had happened for Kyrian to know this information.

She popped the gum she was chewing as she gave him an amused once-over. "What about Mark?"

"Also asleep."

She straightened up. "You new help?"

"Just filling in for the morning. They had a late night."

"That sounds.. wrong," Mark said, scrunching up his nose.

"Why would you say that?! Now, everyone is going to think we did something!" Bubba said, throwing a punch at Mark. Mark squealed and dropped the book when Bubba's fist came in contact with his arm.

Nick raised his eyebrows at the pair, "Did you do something?"

"Boy, if you don't shut your mouth I will clean your clock," Bubba stated, staring Nick down.

"Why is everyone threatening me?" Nick pouted, looking up at Ash.

"You're being weird. Just hush," Ash said, this caused Nick's pout to grow.

"I'll bet." She shrugged her backpack off, set it on the floor by her feet, and opened it.

Nick stood up on his tiptoes-

"That's manly," Caleb rolled his eyes.

"We'll throw down again," Nick said, letting go of Acheron's hand to crack his knuckles.

Caleb rolled his eyes again, but didn't say a word. He felt a little too full to fight at the moment.

-so that he could get a better view of her shapely butt as she rooted through her pack. Dang, she was fine...

Ash let out a whooping laugh at that. "You were a perverted kid, man."

Nick blushed and smack Acheron on the arm.

I could so go for an older woman. ... Think of Kody. Think of Kody...

Nick growled. He hated any mention of her.

Think of your mom.. Death's voice rang in Nick's voice. It caused Nick to simmer down and wonder where the spirit was.

After a few seconds, she stood up with what appeared to be steel stakes in her hand. "I need Bubba to sharpen these, and tell him that I need a new batch of shurikens. ASAP. Or sooner."

Nick's eyes widened as he realized there was blood on one of the stakes. "Should I ask?"

"You have.. interesting friends," Cherise said, with wide eyes.

Nick let out a nervous laugh.

"Not if you want to live to eat lunch. Name's Tabitha Devereaux, and you are?" Cool, another great Cajun like him.

"Nick Gautier."

"Nice meeting you, Nick. Tell Bubba I'll be back at dusk to get those and they better be sharp. I don't want no vampire surviving my attacks to come at me again. Understand?"

Man ... Why were all the sexy women absolutely insane?

"That is the story of my life," Mark sighed sadly.

"Well, at least Tabitha didn't burn all my things," Nick laughed at Mark.

"Yes, ma'am."

She picked up the backpack and slung it over one shoulder before cocking her hip in a deadly pose that drained all the blood from his brain. "Where do you go to school?"

"St. Richard's."

"The school where the coach ate the principal? That's so cool. Wish we'd have something like that at St. Mary's. Unfortunately, I'm the scariest thing there." She winked at him. "Have a good day, kid."

"She most definitely is. I'm not sure how Madaug's brother can stand her," Caleb said, shaking his head.

"Don't say that. She could hear you," Nick whispered.

Hoping there wasn't drool coming out of his mouth, he watched as she went outside to where a black Nighthawk motorcycle waited. Slinging one long leg over it, she started the engine, then put her helmet on.

Ah man ...

"That reminds me of Johnny Bravo!" Nick exclaimed, failing at his impression of Johnny Bravo.

"Johnny Who-vo?" Caleb asked, human cartoons weren't his favorite.

"Johnny Bravo! Super buff. White. Giant blonde quiff. Always failed at picking up girls.." Nick trailed off as he saw Caleb's confused expression. Nick turned to Ash, "You know what I'm talking about, right?"

Acheron nodded. "Of course. It's a pretty great show. They only show it late at night or early in the morning."

"Sounds stupid," Caleb said.

"You're stupid," Nick pouted. "That's quality TV."

Nick didn't breathe again until she was gone. Whew... that had been the most awesome experience of his life.

You know Bubba, I need to pay you to work here.

"I'll consider it. You're there half the time anyway! Might as well make some money off of your annoying presence," Bubba said.

Nick pouted at Bubba's words. "I'm a delight."

'Cause if women like that came by often, even if they were total head cases, he definitely wanted a job. Forget Liza and her store that was usually frequented by little girls and their moms. He wanted to work in Hot Woman Val-halla until he died of testosterone poisoning.

Ash barked out a laugh, which made him cover his mouth quickly.

That left Nick blushing, but laughing at Acheron's actions.

"Naughty," Cherise tsked at her son.

Letting out a low whistle of appreciation, he pulled the stakes off the counter and wondered who or what had bled on them. With Bubba's friends, there was no telling.

He put them in one of the plastic bins Bubba used for intake items and left a note with her name and the instructions she'd given him.

As he started back to the computer, the door jingled again. Reversing course to return to the counter, he tried not to be frustrated with the interruption.

It was Madaug from school.

"Mad dog!" Caleb whooped out.

"Stop being weird," Nick rolled his eyes.

"You're one to talk."

"Wanna fight, Malphas?"

"Bring it, Gauiter," Caleb said, standing up and stretching his arms.

While Caleb was busy stretching, like a pansy, Nick tackled him to the ground and attempted to put Caleb in an arm bar. Caleb linked his hands on top of Nick's knee and pushed on his knee. Then he bridged his body up to mount Nick, trying to get him into a rear naked choke. The two boys continued like that for minutes until Ash became bored and grabbed them both by their collars, officially ending the grappling match.

"I'll get you later," Nick said, grabbing Ash's hand and sat back down with him.

Caleb scoffed, turning to Kyrian. "This guy."

Kyrian chuckled at the two boys actions. They were so young and carefree.

"Hey, bud, what's up?"

Madaug also leaned over the counter to look into the back room—it just wasn't as cool as when Tabitha had done it.

"'Cool,'" Caleb said, putting it in quotes.

Which was probably a good thing from Nick's way of thinking.

"Oh god, this is gold," Caleb said, laughing loudly.

"Caleb, I'll have to fight you soon," Ash said, Nick knew Ash was only kidding, but Caleb didn't know.

"Is Bubba around?"

"Nah, he's sleeping upstairs. Can I help you with something?"

"No, I guess not."

Nick noticed the fact that Madaug was really distracted and fidgeting. Like something heavy was on his mind. "You wigged out about what happened at school?"

"He should be," Kody mumbled under her breath.

"Oh, he was," Nick commented, smiling a bit. Kody pretended that smile was for her.

"Wha—no ... not exactly. Well, maybe. Kind of. Look, I really need to get a hold of Bubba when he gets up. It's really important."

Nick gently scratched at his injured arm. "Yeah, okay. Want to leave your number and I'll have him call you?"

Madaug reached for the pad and pen by the register. He quickly scribbled his number on it, then handed it to Nick. "Please don't forget. It's really important."

"That boy," Mark said, shaking his head.

"Kids these days. They think they can control other teens and act like there isn't going to be trouble," Bubba added.

Cherise gave the pair an odd look, hoping Mennie would share that look with her, however Mennie only shrugged.

"You got it."

Madaug hesitated before he let go of the paper and stepped back. He cast one last wistful stare to the back room, then left.

Okay, the boy was even more insane than Tabitha had been.

"If only," Caleb sighed.

"She needs help. Any kind of help," Nick agreed.

Too many sniffs of the form-aldehyde jar in their biology class. His brain must be pickled. Either that or Stone and crew had bashed him against the lockers one time too many and given him a massive head injury.

Whatever...

"Never say whatever. That's how people die. Don't you watch movies?" Mark stated.

"How was I suppose to know it was a horror scene?" Nick said, waving his free arm around.

Nick tucked the note into his pocket and started back for the computer.

He'd barely reached it when the door chime rang again. "Son of a ..."

"God-fearing woman, who he loves so dearly," Nick said, smiling sweetly at his mother.

"What else would it be?" Cherise said, smiling back just as sweetly.

Cherise's sweet smile made Adarian sick, a good kind of sick that he shouldn't feel.

What now? He growled low in his throat before he headed back to the counter to see who needed Bubba this time. No wonder Bubba was so cranky. If this was a taste of Bubba's typical day, it explained much about the surly redneck.

"Cranky?" Bubba scoffed while Mark nodded his head in agreement.

"Yes, preach it, brother," Mark said, holding his hand up to the sky.

Nick paused as he saw three members from his football team walking around the store like they were looking for something. He didn't know their names, but he recognized their faces. Second-stringers like Stone, they were even more aggressive against "nerdy" kids. The kind of pricks Nick spent all of his time avoiding and the kind who slammed poor Madaug into lockers, then laughed about it.

"I swear, second stringers piss me off. One day I'm really going to let Caleb teach them a lesson," Nick said, shaking his head.

"As if," Caleb crossed his arms, even though he wouldn't mind taking out those pricks. For Madaug, and of course, Nick.

But the weird thing was they were sniffing the air like dogs chasing prey. It was especially creepy.

"That parvo theme is really making its way around," Mark said.

"I wish it was parvo," Nick frowned.

"Can I help you guys?" Nick asked.

The tallest, a guy with brown hair and a smile that ought to be used to sell toothpaste, stepped forward. His jacket had the name Biff on it.

"Hey, McFly!" Nick shouted, imitating Biff from Back to the Future.

"That's a classic," Ambrose smiled a bit.

"Oh, I forgot you were here," Nick shrugged, giving his older self a lopsided grin.

Nick bit his tongue to keep from baiting him over that name. His parents must have really hated him.  I'm here to serve Bubba, not get my butt kicked by oafs.

Biff stepped closer. "Nerd boy? Where he?"

"Mark, are you reading it wrong or does the boy really talk like that?" Cherise said with furrowed eyebrows.

"That's how it's printed, Ms. Gautier," Mark shrugged.

Okay... sad that they couldn't even form a complete sentence. See what happens when you abuse steroids?

"Nicholas! What if the boy was mentally ill?" Cherise scowled.

"Oh, he was definitely sick in the head," Nick mumbled under his breath.

Dudes should have read the warning label. First the penis shrinks, then the sentence structure deteriorates. Next thing you know, you're climbing to the top of the Empire State Building, swatting at planes with your over-sized fists.

Granted you'd be there with a seriously attractive blonde, so even being a monster freak had some perks...

"Is that how you convinced yourself being unattractive was okay?" Caleb said with the straightest face.

Nick had to admit that that was a good one, so he decided he'd give Caleb props for that and merely flipped off the older boy.

But that was neither here nor there.

"It's about time you address your weird after thoughts," Kyrian said.

"My weird after thoughts are hilarious!" Nick defended.

"No one is laughing," Bubba gave him a blank stare.

"You looking for Bubba or Mark?" Nick asked. Nerd definitely applied to either-or since they were the kings of computers, B-movies, video games, and science.

"Well, excuse you! Some of us are hip, fun people," Mark said, pretending to flip his hair at Nick.

"I don't see them around," Nick stated, looking around the room.

"Nerd boy!" He grabbed Nick by the shirt and hauled him over the counter to stand in front of him.

Cursing as pain shot through his injured arm, Nick slugged him hard across the face, but he didn't seem to even feel it.

"Or you're weak," Caleb shrugged.

"I only had one arm!" Nick screeched.

"Let me down, you animal. So help me ..."

"Put that thing back where it came from or so help me," Ash mumbled under his breath.

"Did you just make a Monsters Inc. reference?" Nick whispered to Ash, grinning.

"Shut up, it's a great movie," Ash said scowling.

The jock buried his nose against Nick's neck and inhaled.

Nick screwed his face up in distaste. "What are you? A pervert? Get your sick hands off me." He kicked him hard in the groin.

"Oh, but if Ash does it it's okay?" Caleb asked.

"Okay, Malphas, we're fighting," Ash said standing. He was obviously much taller than Caleb. Ash was only trying to scare the boy and his plan worked much better than he thought because Caleb began babbling excuses as to why he couldn't fight Ash. Nick wasn't trying to hide his laugh and that's what Acheron wanted, a happy Nick. "I'm only kidding."

Caleb gave a visible sigh of relief. "Dick move, man."

"Just don't mess with my boyfriend," Ash said, sitting down next to Nick, who was in shock. Boyfriend? He said boyfriend. We're boyfriends!

Biff doubled over. "He smells like nerd boy. Get him!" They moved forward, licking their lips. Oh crap! They were zombies, too.

"That's it? Just an 'Oh crap.' That's your reaction to zombies?" Mark said, frowning at the book in his hands.

"What was I suppose to do? Scream bloody murder?" Nick asked.

"I just thought you would have a better reaction. Something worth reading," Mark said, dramatically flapping the book in his hands.

Nick jumped the counter and ran for the back room where Bubba kept an ax... just in case.

"Nick, these are young boys!" Cherise protested.

"Mom, you have to be open-minded," Nick mumbled, clutching Acheron's hand almost desperately.

"I am being open-minded, Nicholas! I'm letting you hold that young man's hand, who is much older than you are," Cherise snapped at Nick. The flash of hurt that crossed Nick's face almost made Cherise want to take back her words.

"Ms. Guatier!" Ash started, feeling that rising anger in his chest.

"Don't," Ambrose interrupted. Something about his tone made Ash think Ambrose knew more about Cherise than he did, which was probably true. It was almost as if Ambrose had lived this before.

Nick had his head on Ash's shoulder with his eyes closed. He wasn't sure how to explain this to his mom because she was a firm believer that none of what Nick's life was was real. Nick thought the book could change her mind, but it didn't seem like it would happen.

Bubba had never said what that case was, but this seemed like a really good time to grab it. Not to mention it was the only weapon in the store that Nick could use with one hand.

He angled it at the first jock to reach him—this one named Jimmy according to his jacket. "Dude ... back off 'cause I will chop you. Hard."

Caleb felt a smile slip onto his face as his mind wandered to a dirty place, which turned into a giggle.

Nick's head snapped up, a wicked smile plastered his face. "Dude, you just giggled."

"Shut your mouth!" Caleb said, his cheeks barely turning a faint pink.

Nick laughed at Caleb, actually slapping his knee. "That was manly."

Jimmy hesitated.

Feeling cocky about holding him off so easily, Nick strutted. "Yeah. That's right. You don't want no piece of me. I'm bad ah—"

His bravado ended when they attacked en masse. Crappola...

"Oh, that's manly," Caleb said in a mocking tone.

"Hey, I was fighting. You're sitting there like a little princess," Nick said, nodding toward Caleb's crossed legs.

"Hey, I'm crossing my legs too," Kyrain added, pointing at Nick.

Hefting the ax, he swung at the first jock to reach him. The ax landed in a case, shattering it. Glass fragments flew all over them as Nick pulled it free for another strike, but before he could angle it at them, Biff bit him in his good arm.

He cried out in agony, then head-butted the jock.

"Where did you learn to fight?" Cherise asked, narrowing her eyes at Nick.

Nick gave out a nervous chuckle, "Um, school."

Cherise let a small growl leave her lips, a small growl that caught Adarian's attention. Something he wished didn't happen.

He used the top of the ax to shove Biff back into his friends. Then he turned in one graceful arc and cocked his arm for another ax swing.

"What in tarnation is going on here?" Bubba snatched the ax from Nick's hand.

"Nobody says tarnation, ever," Caleb mumbled, never in his thousands of years of life had he ever heard someone say tarnation in real life.

He angled it at Nick like he was about to use it on him. "Boy, have you lost your ever-loving mind? Tearing up my store. Smashing my things ... You're lucky I'm not beating you with the ax handle."

"He's lucky I'm not doing that either," Cherise said, crossing her arms across her chest and leaning back against the couch cushions.

Nick gestured to the jocks. "Bubba, they're zombies!" He held his arm up for Bubba to see the blood. "And they're trying to eat me!"

"Still not a good enough reaction," Mark said, shaking his head.

"Shut your pie hole, Fingerman," Bubba said suddenly.

Bubba cursed. "Well, why didn't you say so?" Biff sank his teeth into Bubba's hand—something that was the equivalent of stepping into a den of rattlesnakes. Bubba punched the jock so hard, Nick swore he could feel it.

Biff stumbled back as the other two opened their mouths to hiss at them.

"Nick, this novel is ridiculous! It's fake! It has to be!" Cherise stood up suddenly.

"It's not fake, Cherise," Adarian grumbled.

"Just like you didn't kill those men," Cherise snapped, putting a hand on her hip. Adarian would be lying if he said he didn't like it.

"They weren't men, Ma," Nick stated in a strong voice.

Adarian and Cherise both snapped their head at Nick. How could Nick possibly defend his father? Even Caleb was surprised.

"Listen, we need to move on from this. Ms. Gautier if you could just listen to the rest of the book," Ambrose stepped in once again. Ambrose knew there was going to be a lot of conflict in reading this. He thought it would be his job to settle everything.

Cherise shot Ambrose an all too familiar glare and returned to her seat next to Mennie, who comforted Cherise as soon as she sat down.

"Do you think it will get better?" Nick whispered to Ash.

"I can't see into the future, something won't let me, but I'm hoping it will," Acheron whispered back, giving Nick's hand a little squeeze.

"Freakin' zombies!" Bubba returned the ax to Nick's hand, then grabbed a shotgun off the wall. He pumped a bullet into the chamber and took aim for the head of the jock closest to him.

"Oh my goodness! I missed this because I was sleeping! Damn!" Mark said, frustrated.

"Sleep is for the weak," Caleb said seriously.

The jock's eyes widened as he realized Bubba was about to blow him into his next lifetime. Shrieking, all of them turned and ran out of the store with an inhuman speed and a freaked-out gait.

It was like something out of Resident Evil mixed with zombie chimpanzees.

Bubba ran toward the door to get a better shot at them.

"Would your lawyers like that?" Kody asked, her eyes wide.

Bubba stared at her. "They don't need to know everything I do."

Before he could think better of it, Nick grabbed the shotgun right as Bubba fired.

Cherise gasped. Nick should not be messing around with someone who has a gun. He had just been shot for Christ's sake.

The barrel swung wide and instead of hitting the jocks, the shot blasted a huge hole right through the eyes of the picture of Bubba's mama that hung on the wall near the register.

Nick stared at the hole in absolute terror.  Ah God. I'm so dead . Bubba really loved his mama.

"Mama's boy," Mark coughed, chuckling to himself before yelping when Bubba had knocked the book out of his hands.

"Next time, I whack you in the face," Bubba pointed at Mark.

And he'd shot her right between the eyes...

The look of Satan's wrath on Bubba's face nauseated him. "Bubba ... I'm so sorry."

"Oh, I like that description a lot," Kyrian mumbled.

Acheron rolled his eyes. "We're aware of your love for literature, general."

"You do want me to order a lot of books," Nick said.

He stalked Nick like a hunting lion out for dinner. "Not half as sorry as you're gonna be. Make me shoot my mama. Boy, what are you thinking? What the hell's wrong with you?"

Nick had to stop retreating as he backed into the wall and had nowhere else to go. He held his hand up to stop Bubba from slaughtering him. "I couldn't let you kill them."

"Why ever not?"

Caleb laughed at that.

"Is that even a question?" Cherise said, her voice rising a few octaves.

Bubba shrugged. "Double tap first. Then ask questions."

Adarian found himself liking that man's philosophy.

"For one thing it's illegal... hello? You think the police are going to buy it was a zombie attack? I don't think so. And for another they're my classmates. Crappy classmates, but still. I have enough trouble coping at school. I'm pretty sure killing three members of the football team when we're coming up for a championship would ruin my rep forever."

"Those are your arguments," Caleb gave Nick a drool stare.

"Hey, 14 year old mind set," Nick said, raising his free hand in surrender.

Bubba snorted. "So what? In case you didn't notice, boy, your classmates are zombified. Had I not come down here when I did, they'd be ripping out your entrails and chowing down. So you ought to be thanking me, not shooting my mama in the head."

"He didn't actually shoot her in the head," Cherise said slowly, as if trying to convince herself Nick didn't kill anyone.

"Nah, just my favorite picture of her," Bubba said, throwing a dirty look at Nick.

Nick swallowed his panic as he realized Bubba wasn't choking him. Yet... "I know. But... they weren't dead. How can they be zombies if they're not dead first? Ain't that the first step?"

"Oh, logic," Kyrian said.

Bubba hesitated. "Well, that does pose a dilemma to us technically... But only in the traditional sense of the word."

"How do you mean?"

Bubba scratched the whiskers on his cheek. "We're assuming their bokor raised—"

"You know a lot about zombies for a human," Ash said, turning his curious eyes on Bubba.

"You need to know things to survive," Bubba shrugged off the fact that Ash called him human even though Ash was human as well.

"Their what?" Nick hated whenever Bubba used one of his freaked-out words.

"Damn, boy, don't that school of yours teach you anything useful? Bokor. The person who creates and controls a zombie. What rock you been living under not to know that?"

Cherise couldn't believe Bubba was questioning Nick on what they taught him in school. He was taught essential things that would help him have a better future. Not running a gun shop and parading around the bayou like a mad man.

Some people would probably call that rock "reality," but Nick valued his life enough to keep that sarcasm inside.

"Woah! Nick has restraint!" Caleb gasped, causing Kyrian to chuckle.

"You've already been warned by my boyfriend," Nick said, glaring at Caleb.

The word 'boyfriend' caused Acheron's heart to flutter. Of course he had been the one to say it first, but hearing Nick say it felt real. It made it seem like it was actually happening. They said they would try and take their relationship slow, but honestly who gave a crap.

It was hard ... but after shooting Bubba's mama, he needed every advantage.

Bubba rolled his eyes before he continued his explanation. "Most times bokors use corpses, but they don't have to. There's been lots of studies of chemical-induced zombies who weren't dead first."

Although Cherise thought Bubba belonged in an insane asylum, what he was saying was actually interesting or maybe it was the way he explained it to Nick that caught her attention. He talked to Nick in a normal way, as if they were discussing the weather. It seemed almost.. normal.

Maybe that was true. But Nick wasn't buying it. "Yeah, but what if this is like Resident Evil and it's the Mother Virus coming to take all of us out? What then? Huh?"

"Kids today and their movies and games," Kyrian shook his head. "Back when I was a kid we use to go outside and explore."

"And that was a very, very, very long time ago," Nick snickered.

"Hey, don't make fun of old people," Acheron said, shoving Nick.

"Yes, dear," Nick laughed, patting at Ash's hand.

Nick stared at his bite mark as reality sank in and his panic overtook him. The virus always started with a bite ... Zombie Zero. The first mark who started the apocalypse. And he was the one.

"Aw, boo. Typical chosen one story," Caleb rolled his eyes.

"Shut it, Malphas. You're just jealous because I am the chosen one," Nick stated, puffing out his chest. "And you're my sidekick."

"I work alone," Caleb glared at Nick.

"Shit, you sound like Mr. Incredible," Nick laughed.

"Man, first I'm shot, now I'm going to be a friggin' zombie. At this rate, I'll never live to have my first date or a driver's license. Ah, gah! I've come too far to die a pedestrian virgin."

Caleb burst out laughing, while Cherise and Mennie had scowls on their faces. "You think you're dying and that's what's on your mind!"

Nick gave off a nervous laughter and felt Ash tense next to him. Maybe he thought Nick was just a horn dog because it came to his attention that he did mention a lot of sexual things. However, Acheron surprised Nick when he leaned close to Nick and whispered, "We wouldn't want that now would we?"

"Bubba, you can't let me die ... I only have seventeen more months and three days to my sixteenth birthday!"

Bubba cuffed him on the back of his head. "Man up, boy, and stop with that Hollywood crap. Zombie ain't contagious."

"I have been lied to for so long," Kody said, touching her heart.

The action caused Nick to let out a small chuckle, it made Kody feel good that he still found her funny.

"You live in N'awlins, Nick, and I've been fighting them for decades. The only way to become a zombie is to be made one by your bokor." Bubba paused as if another idea occurred to him. "Now demon bites ... that's a different story. But them weren't demons in here. They were zombies. Plain and simple. So stop freaking out before  I  shoot you."

"Very interesting. Remind me to go to one of your self-defense classes," Kyrian said, pointing at Bubba.

"Just so you know it's a $20 admission fee," Bubba stated.

"No it's-" Nick started.

"Shut your damn mouth, boy," Bubba said through his teeth.

Nick took deep breaths to calm his racing heart. "Are you sure I can't catch it?" He couldn't even believe he was asking that. This had to be the most bizarre conversation of his entire life, which, given the usual weirdness of Menyara, was saying a lot.

"Aw, Nicholas, you are too kind," Mennie laughed.

"I know. I'm like the perfect package," Nick beamed, causing Acheron to let out a fond chuckle, Caleb to gag, and Kody to feel a small ache in her heart.

"I'm positive. Believe me, I know my zombies."

Nick scoffed. Is it just me or is that like saying I know my elves and fairies? If it wasn't for the fact Bubba might kill him, he'd say that out loud.

"Your attitude is unbelievable," Mark laughed.

"I still think we ought to disinfect the bites. Just in case it's some military-designed bioweapon."

"No more TV for you," Cherise scolded lightly.

"Disinfect what? What did I miss?"

Nick turned to see Mark entering the store. Yawning and scratching, he joined them from the door that led to Bubba's upstairs apartment where he'd been asleep on Bubba's couch.

Nick sighed in agitation. "See what you miss by sleeping late? Me and Bubba got bitten by zombies."

"I'd still rather sleep," Caleb admitted.

Mark pointed at Caleb. "See my man gets me."

"That's my man," Nick scowled. "Wait, shit. That's not what I meant."

Ash cracked a smile at Nick's awkwardness and Caleb pulled a disgusted face.

"Ew, Nick, you have cooties," Caleb gagged.

"I say they're contagious. This morning only one of the kids in my school had it. Now, I just got attacked by three more. It's spreading and it's going to infect us all. We need to do something before it takes out all the good-looking women and leaves us with only each other."

"Man, Nick, you use to be so straight," Caleb laughed.

"I don't even like boys, just Ash," Nick admitted.

"Ash-sexual," Caleb added.

"Call out the National Guard or the CBC or something."

Bubba scowled at him. "The CBC? Is that one of those new anime people?"

"Such a nerd," Ash said, fondly patting Nick's hand.

Nick scoffed and rolled his eyes, but never denied it.

Nick rolled his eyes. "No. It's that place where they talk about diseases and quarantine people when they're contagious."

"Bubba, Nick means the CDC in Atlanta."

Bubba made a sound of disgust that originated in the back of his throat.

Mark, who was barely a head taller than Nick, was still dressed in his zombie-hunting gillie suit. Fluffs of Spanish moss jutted out from all the places where he'd tucked it in his clothes so that he'd blend in with the bayou. His face was streaked with camouflage paint and he wore yellow-colored contact lenses that had a rim of red around them. Zombie eyes. Also for camouflage.

Cherise narrowed her eyes. Nick didn't seem fazed by Mark's odd choices of fashion. She didn't control as much of Nick's life as she thought. She couldn't save him from the superstitious world of New Orleans.

But that wasn't the worst of it. As he stopped next to Nick, there was an odor so foul it took his breath.

Nick covered his nose to keep from being sick over it. "What is that smell?" It was like three-day-old cat vomit mixed with rotten asparagus.

Mark scowled at him as if he was crazy for even asking. "Duck urine. It keeps the zombies from thinking I'm human."

Nick snorted. "Yeah, well it keeps me from thinking you're sane."

Caleb clapped his hands together, then pointed at Nick. "Nice one. Excellent timing."

"I have my moments," Nick nodded.

"Give it up, Mark. The boy don't know nothing about surviving. He actually kept me from shooting zombies who were in the store trying to eat him."

Mark cuffed Nick on the back of his head. "Are you out of your mind, kid?"

Cherise couldn't believe Mark and Bubba. They were so backwards and so unorthodox. They saw the world so much more different than her. Come to think of it, everyone in Nick's life saw things weird and different. It actually made Nick a better person to see the world through so many people's point of view.

Adarian hated to admit it, but he liked how those two guys lived their lives. It was simple and effective.

"Ow!" Nick rubbed the back of his head where they kept slapping him. If they didn't stop, he was going to get brain damage.

"I mean.." Caleb started.

"Suck it, Malphas," Nick stuck his tongue out.

Caleb had a wicked smile on his face from all the dirty thoughts running through his mind, but he didn't feel like fighting Nick or Acheron at the moment.

"And no. I was keeping Bubba from committing a felony. No offense, but 'he's a zombie, Your Honor, don't electrocute me' isn't a viable excuse. Believe me, I know. My dad's doing three life sentences 'cause he killed, and I quote, 'a crap load of demons who were trying to kill me and if I hadn't killed them, Your Honor, they'd have taken over the city and enslaved all you petty, pathetic humans.' The court's not real understanding of that excuse. They wouldn't even let my dad plead insanity because of it. So trust me, 'zombies needed killing' isn't a legit defense."

Kyrian sat in silence letting Nick's rant soak in. That was a huge burden for a kid to carry on his shoulders. Knowing you're destined to be evil. Knowing it's already affected your father. It was something he probably couldn't live with.

Mark shook his head in supreme annoyance. "Well, it ought to be."

Adarian snorted in agreement.

Mark was just happy Adarian wasn't trying to kill him.

"Hey, Bubba? You in here or are you dead?"

Nick cringed as he heard the newcomers.

Bubba handed the gun to Mark and whispered to the two of them. "It's Officer Davis. Don't say anything."

Clearing his throat, he ambled toward the counter up front as if nothing had happened.

Cherise gasped and crossed her arms over her chest, giving Bubba and Mark a disapproving glance.

Nick hid the gun behind a curtain, amazed by how well Bubba could act. He slid his gaze to Mark, who was finally peeling off his camo suit. Seven years older than Nick, he had shaggy, light brown hair and bright green eyes. His features leaned toward pretty, except for his squared jawline.

Mark sputtered. "Pretty?! How about rugged, handsome, strong?"

"More pretty," Cherise and Mennie agreed.

Mark turned his wide eyes to Bubba. "Don't look at me. You're plain ugly."

Nick laughed at that.

He also had three days' growth of beard on his face, which made him look a lot older. But it was his build that Nick envied. No matter how much he worked out, he just couldn't get the kind of muscle definition that Mark had without even trying. It was so unfair.

"Well that's better than pretty," Mark grumbled and Nick rolled his eyes.

"Can I see your bite wound?" Mark asked.

"Could you bathe first?" Mark glared at him. Sighing, Nick held his arm out so that Mark could inspect it.

Caleb gave a small smile. "That was also a good one. Quick and to the point."

He let out a low whistle as he touched the vicious bite, which was still throbbing. "Yeah, we might want to disinfect this."

Nick cringed. "It's going to turn me into a zombie, isn't it?"

"I don't know about that, but the human mouth is the germiest part of the body. You might get parvo or rabies or something."

Nick scowled at that unexpected response. "Isn't parvo a dog disease?"

"Too much parvo," Caleb groaned.

"You seem to be obsessed with it," Kyrian observed.

"It's because he is a dog," Nick heard Death say in his head. He had started to wonder where that spirit had gone, more than likely collecting souls.

"Yeah, but who knows what's happening in your school, kid. Could be loup-garous on the loose and that, my friend, is definitely contagious."

Nick jerked his arm back. "I'm not going to turn into a werewolf, Mark."

"Go ahead and mock, but I'm telling you, I've seen them down in the bayou. Many a night. A whole pack of them that shifted into humans. Walking in daylight, they could be right next to you and you wouldn't know it."

Nick bit back a laugh. If only Mark knew that Nick was very close with that pack. He actually considered them family. Mark would have a heart attack.

It took all of Nick's self-control not to belittle him for that load of horse manure. He wasn't sure what was more pathetic, the fact that Mark was comfortable enough with him to talk about it or that his friend actually believed it. Deciding on the latter, he let Mark lead him to the bathroom, where Bubba kept alcohol and peroxide.

"Well your pretty friend is fucking offended," Mark said, glaring at Nick.

As Mark cleaned and wrapped the bite, Nick ground his teeth against the pain of the stinging alcohol. "Man, I look like a total goob with both arms wrapped."

"Nah, man, they're war wounds. Chicks dig scars. Means you're a manly man able to protect them."

"See! Man!" Nick said, patting his chest.

"Of course," Ash said mockingly.

Nick lifted one disbelieving eyebrow. "Then why don't you and Bubba have girlfriends?"

"I don't want the drama of it. After the last one burnt up all my clothes with my Jack Daniel's Black Label collection and tried to decapitate me with my CDs, I decided I'd take a hiatus for a bit. As for Bubba ... I better not talk about that. Let's just say I don't think he wants to go through that again."

Nick wanted more clarification. "Go through what?"

That peaked Kody's interest. Besides Cherise, Nick, and Caleb Kody didn't know much about the people in Nick's life. It was like a soap opera from her.

"That ain't none of your business," Bubba said as he joined them. He narrowed his gaze on Mark. "You should learn to be quiet sometimes."

"Yeah, well, I always say that marriage is fine for others, but remember that it only leads to one thing."

Nick grinned. "Lots of naked party time?"

"Nah, kid. Alimony." Mark stepped back to put away the alcohol.

"Nick the horn dog," Acheron laughed, squeezing Nick's cheek.

Wow. They were both rays of sunshine that broke through the darkest cloud ... In hell.

"I like that," Kyrian mumbled, sinking into his seat a little.

Nick turned to Bubba. "So what did the police say?"

"That if any more of my neighbors report a gunshot over here, they'd yank my business license and throw me under the jail for it. Nosy biddy bodies."

Nick scowled. "Isn't that busybodies?"

Bubba gave him a droll stare. "Have you seen Ms. Thomas next door? That's the ugliest witch on the planet. I swear she's a Gorgon."

"Aren't those the aliens from Zathura?" Caleb asked.

"What the fuck man. Those are Zorgons. Get your life together," Nick sighed.

"Excuse me for actually having a life and not just watching TV," Caleb said, holding his hands up in defense.

"I am your life," Nick mumbled, loud enough for Caleb to hear and agree silently.

"A what?" Nick asked with a frown.

Bubba snorted at him. "Get your head out of comic books and read some Greek mythology. Gorgons ... women who were so ugly just looking at one could turn a man into stone."

Ash already knew that. They were women that the children would see in the streets and run scared to their parents. Acheron had always found them fascinating and when one walked by all he would do is bow his head in respect and slight fear that he would turn to stone. In return they would sometimes leave treats at Acheron's feet.

"Ahh ... in my high school that'd be my English teacher, Ms. Richard. She's such a snotty jerk, I swear she thinks the school's named after her."

Caleb and Kody hummed in agreement. Hopefully she retired soon.

Bubba didn't say anything as he started picking up glass from the shattered counter. "So why were the zombies here, anyway?"

"They said they were after..." Nick's voice faded off as he put everything together. Madaug freaking out. Nerd boy...

Holy dog snot.

"Now that is a good curse word," Cherise laughed.

He looked up at Bubba. "Madaug St. James. You know him?"

"Geeky little kid who reminds me a lot of Mark?"

"Hey!" Mark said indignantly.

"A less muscular Mark," Caleb said absent mindlessly.

"Well thank you," Mark said, flexing his arms.

Bubba ignored him. "What about it?"

"He said it was imperative that he talk to you. He'd just left when the jocks came in, looking for him."

Mark shot a glance to Bubba. "You think he has something to do with this?"

Nick dug the number out of his pocket. "I don't know. But I'm beginning to think that's a real good start." And the more he thought about it, the more sure he was.

"Ah nerds," Caleb sighed.

Madaug had to be behind this. Nothing else made sense. And if he was and Nick turned into a zombie because of him, brains were going to be spilled.

"Good one, Nick. Ha Ha," Caleb said sarcastically.

Nick turned to Ash and pointed at Caleb. "Fight him now please."

Ash just chuckled at Nick.

Lots of them and Madaug was the first person on his list. (Not that he had a list because that would get him thrown out of school and probably jailed—but should said hypothetical list exist, not saying that it did currently, or would in the future, Madaug was definitely target number one.)

"Nick's ADD is very enjoyable," Kyrian stated, chuckling a bit.

"It's more of a ramble," Caleb added.

"I find it endearing," Ash smiled, causing Nick to slightly blush.

"He has done it ever since he was a little boy and spoke about everything he passed by," Cherise smiled.

"Oh, remember when he-" Nick cut off Mennie. "Please don't. No. No stories of little Nick," Nick groaned.

"Well it's only about 8. Think we can squeeze in one last chapter," Ambrose asked.

"Why the hell not?" Nick grinned and Adarian groaned.

"I can read," Bubba volunteered.

"Chapter 6..."

Chapter Text

Nick actually regretted letting Bubba read another chapter because suddenly he had grown very tired. He stifled a yawn as Bubba started the chapter, leaning his head on Ash's shoulder and letting his eyes rest.

Ash didn't protest to this action, he could live with a sleepy Nick on him.

They tried for several hours to reach Madaug but he wouldn't answer the number he'd left. Flippin 'figures ...

Caleb gave a short chuckle. If he was being quite honestly with himself, he liked the way Nick cursed. He substituted the bad words with funny phrases and as a hot head, Caleb didn't do that much.

Nick watched as Mark hung up the phone again before he spoke. "I'm telling you, Fingerman, he was eaten by the jocks. They could smell him from the few minutes he was here and they were hell-bent to get him. I think they ran him down and had a banquet."

Cherise gasped at what Nick said. "We must think positively, Nicholas." However, when she looked over at Nick, he seemed to be sleeping soundly on Acheron's shoulder. It looked like Acheron was trying to control his breathing so he didn't stir Nick when his shoulders moved to breathe. As insane as she thought the man was, he tried very hard to take care of Nick and that's all she every wanted for Nick.

Kody watched with sad eyes as Nick slept with a small smile of his lips, as if he knew Acheron was close. She should be use to feeling brokenhearted, but it felt like a whole new wound opened seeing Nick happy with someone else.

Mark smirked. "Zombies have dulled senses, Nick. They're not bloodhounds or werewolves. You don't move, and they'll walk right past you, never seeing you. Believe me, on the scale of scary monsters, they rank way down the 'crap in my pants 'cause they're after me' list. I'll take a zombie over a vampire or werewolf any day."

"What about the duck urine then?" Nick reminded him.

"Is that all we talk about anymore? Fingerman! I want that duck urine out of my house when we get there," Bubba said, staring Mark down.

Mark quickly protested. "How am I suppose to blend in with the monsters of the night, huh? They've left us alone for years because the scent has thrown them off. Don't get crazy on me."

Before Bubba could argue his side, Cherise stepped in, "I think the duck pee debate can be discussed another time. Don't you think boys?" She said, looking between Mark and Bubba carefully as they grumbled their "yes."

"I was sweating in a swamp and the wind carried my scent. That's different. Their senses are dulled, not nonexistent."

Nick started to argue the point, but really... wasn't whether or not a zombie could smell you the most ludicrous thing on the planet to fight about? Werewolves weren't real and he still wasn't completely sold on the whole zombie thing either.

Cherise gave a slight nod of her head, approving what young Nick had said. Current Nick, however, was a different story when it came to these so called urban legends.

Something was up with the jocks, no doubt, but he didn't believe in the supernatural. He never had. It was bunk made up by moms to scare kids, and Hollywood to make a profit. The true monsters in this world, the people like his dad, were real and human through and through. Which was what made them so dangerous.

You didn't see them coming until it was too late.

Cherise and Adarian were both pleased with what Nick had to say and they unknowingly turned towards each other to share that pleased look with one another. Adarian quickly looked away, when it came to Cherise he was truly unpredictable.

Bubba, who'd been ignoring them, stood up from his stool to tower over both of them. He pointed to the clock over the door. "It's four o'clock, guys. I'm going up to watch Oprah. Unless the shop catches fire or we're under massive zombie invasion, I don't exist for the next hour."

"Priorities," Caleb said, smacking his fist into the palm of his hand.

"If there was sarcasm in your voice, I will shoot you boy," Bubba said, pointing at Caleb.

Caleb rolled his eyes. If Bubba tried to fight Caleb no doubt would Caleb be able to take a mortal like Bubba. Even though Bubba had a lot of knowledge about the supernatural, he'd never seen someone, or rather something, like Caleb.

He took a step, then paused. "On second thought, don't even bother me if it's zombies—I'll deal with them later. Today's a special episode on how to make peace with people who piss you off. And I definitely need to find my Zen."

"I think Adarian should've tuned in for that," Ambrose said under his breath. He knew for a fact that Adarian had heard him, yet the all powerful Malachai stayed silent and surprisingly calm. Adarian knew he couldn't take on Ambrose by himself, especially with his offspring making him weaker.

Mark snorted. "Your Zen's shooting stuff, Bubba. Embrace your inner violence."

"Fine, then. My inner violence says I'll cut your throat if you bother me until Oprah ends, so sod off."

Nick laughed until the time sank in. "Ah, man, I gotta run."

"Oh now he thinks of it," Cherise rolls her eyes, giving Mennie a look.

Mennie chuckled. "Oh, Cher, you give that boy no room for excuses." Mennie stared fondly at the soundly sleeping Nick. The energy the couple gave off was addicting to her, it was so warm and inviting.

Mark furrowed his brow. "For what?"

"My new boss was supposed to pick me up after school." Which was thirty-five minutes ago and he'd forgotten all about it. "Ah, geez ... hope I'm not fired my first day."

Bubba hesitated. "Want me to write you an excuse?"

"Aw Bubba, you have a soul," Caleb teased.

"Boy, you're lucky I don't have my shot gun with me," Bubba paused, glaring at Caleb over the book.

Nick shook his head. "Nah. I better run. See you guys later. Let me know when you find Madaug." Grabbing his backpack from the floor, he hit the door at full speed.

Luckily he was used to running for streetcars, and his school was only five blocks away. Something he made in record time.

"Future Olympian," Kyrian chuckled to himself.

There was still police tape cordoning off the front yard of the school and a couple of officers there to enforce it. They watched him closely as if expecting him to start biting on them or something.

Ignoring them, Nick slowed as he studied the cars that were lined up on the opposite side of the street. Only one had someone in it, and it wasn't Kyrian. I am so fired... Crap.

My mom will kill me.

Cherise smiled as she was the first thought on Nick's mind when he was sure he was fired. She felt like an evil queen in all honesty.

More than that, he'd probably have to pay the hospital bill—which at last check had already added up to more than his first two years of college tuition combined —out of his own pocket.

Why couldn't Alan have shot him in the head and ended it all?

Cherise winced at that thought. Nicky was all she had and to think all he wanted was to disappear from the world completely was a gut wrenching feeling.

Acheron looked down at the innocent boy who was sleeping on his shoulder, wondering how someone so sweet could want to end his life so badly. Nick was always joking and if he was ever sad he did a damn good job of hiding it from everyone. Most of the time that wasn't a good thing.

I was cursed from birth . Couldn't he ever catch a break with anything? Disgusted, he hung his head and started back toward Bubba's store.

"Nick Gautier?"

"Demons," Caleb said under his breath. Even though he had been secretly watching Nick during this time in his life, it still made him nervous. All these unknown people and places.

He turned at the unfamiliar voice to find the man he'd seen sitting in the black BMW, now stepping out of it. He was probably mid to late thirties. With dark blond hair and extremely clean cut (in other words he stank of serious money), he reminded Nick of someone, but he couldn't quite place it. "I don't know you."

"Stranger danger!" Mark yelled, causing Nick to jerk awake.

"Mark, what the hell?" Nick whined, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"Now you've done it," Ash said grumpily, upset that someone had disturbed little Nick's sleep.

The man smiled. "No, you don't. My son, Kyi Poitiers"—gah, he said that name like a true snotty blue blood: "Pwa-tee-aa"—"is one of your classmates. Kyrian asked me to pick you up after school and take you to his house. So here I am."

"Why couldn't you pick Nick up?" Cherise pressed, not liking the idea of a random man picking up Nick.

"Bussiness, Ms. Gautier. It calls unexpectedly," Kyrian shrugged.

Nick let out a quiet tsk as Kyrian lied right through his sharp teeth.

Yeah, right... "How do I know any of that's true?" Other than the fact that he did look like Kyi, which was why he'd seemed familiar. That still didn't make him safe or friendly.

"You don't trust me?" Mr. Poitiers asked.

"I don't trust nobody. My mama ain't raised no fools. I don't get in cars with people I don't know. Ever. You could be a pervert or psycho or something. No offense."

"That's right," Cherise nodded at Nick, smiling at his sleepy pout.

Acheron brushed his hand against Nick's cheek that had marks from the wrinkles in Ash's shirt. Nick nuzzled his face into Ash's hand with a small smile on his face. In that moment, Ash should have been considerate to everyone else in the room, but he didn't have room to care when Nick was making him feel so happy.

Mr. Poitiers laughed. "None taken. Tell you what..." He pulled out his wallet. "I'm going to give you fifty dollars for a taxi and write down Kyrian's address. I'll see you at his house."

Nick hesitated. The offer did nothing to alleviate his suspicions. "How do I know you're sending me to his house and not someone else's? For all I know that's the address where you take all your victims."

"Zero trust in humanity," Adarian mumbled under his breath. It was what he lived by, you never trusted anyone, not even family.

"God, I hope my son's as streetwise as you are." He pulled out a cell phone and dialed a number. After a few seconds, he spoke. "Hey, Kyrian. Sorry to bother you. I'm here with the kid, but he won't get in the car with me. He's even more suspicious than you told me he'd be." He held the phone out to Nick.

"Act like you know me," Nick mumbled tiredly, shifting in his seat.

Kyrian chuckled. "You are like a sleepy toddler."

"Acts like a toddler too," Caleb rolled his eyes.

"I'm too tired to deal you with people," Nick sighed, placing his head on Acheron's lap and dangling his feet over the arm of the couch. Nick threw an arm over his eyes, but quickly removed it when he realized he could look at Acheron from an unflattering angle. Nick was disappointed to see that Ash looked as handsome as ever.

Nick narrowed his eyes on the man as he placed the phone to his ear. "Yeah?"

"Hi, Nick. Phil won't hurt you. Get in the car and you'll be over here in a few minutes."

Uh-huh. Nick still wasn't sold. The voice was familiar, but... "How do I know you're Mr. Hunter?"

"Because I'm the only person, besides you, who knows you were helping your friends mug those tourists when you changed your mind and saved them."

"Brutal blow, General," Acheron chuckled, adjusting his sunglasses, giving Nick just a glimpse of his blue swirling eyes.

Nick's stomach hit the ground at those words. He hadn't breathed a word of that to a single soul. Not even his priests. That was a secret that was supposed to be between him and God and no one else. "How did you know that?"

"I was there longer than you suspected and I saw everything. Now get in the car."

Cherise glared at Kyrian. "You have a very twisted mind, Mr. Hunter."

"That's just the tip of the iceberg," Kyrian mumbled under his breath.

Nick hung up the phone and handed it back to Mr. Poitiers. "Okay, I believe you." He held the money out to him too.

Phil refused to take it. "Keep it."

Nick shook his head. "I really can't take this."

"Yes, you can. Just consider it a reward for being a smart kid."

"When Nick isn't gloating about being smart, it's weird," Mark said, glancing at Nick whose eyes were half closed.

"Leave him, it's the only time he is quiet." Caleb shushed Mark.

Nick, in turn, raised up his hand and flipped Caleb off. Acheron laughed and pushed away the hair from Nick's forehead to once again look at the scar Alan and his crew had caused.

Unused to people not being angry at him, Nick was still reluctant to accept the money. "You're not mad at me?"

"For protecting yourself? Not at all. I tell Kyi all the time to behave just like you did. It does me proud to see a kid with a brain. Now get in."

Nick hesitated. How weird for someone like Phil to not look down on him. It felt really weird.

"Life is hard, isn't it?" Kody mumbled.

"Could be worse," Nick whispered. "I could be dead."

He got into the car and buckled himself in.

Phil pulled away from the curb then turned his radio down so that he could talk. "I should have brought Kyi with me to ease your mind."

"It wouldn't have eased it. My mom says pervs use other kids to lure vies too." Not to mention Kyi didn't exactly travel in Nick's circle of friends. He was a stuck-up snot who annoyed him almost as much as Stone did.

"Woah, Stone is pretty high up there," Caleb joked, hoping to wake Nick up because he was growing bored.

That being said, his father seemed to be decent enough in spite of his perfect speech. Made him wonder where Kyi got it from.

"Peer pressure," Nick said suddenly.

"What?" Ash asked.

"Peer pressure. Kyi bullied me because of peer pressure. Don't you see? His family didn't raise him to be so judgmental, it's those fuckers at school who tell him he'll get worse if he sticks up for people like me," Nick said, gritting his teeth.

Dude, calm down. Caleb said to Nick in his mind, but once again Nick was having a hard time.

Nick closed his eyes to see Death on the back of his eyelids. "Remember Nick, your mom doesn't deserve this. Acheron doesn't deserve this."

"Why aren't you here?" Nick asked Death.

"All in good time, my friend. Now open your eyes." Nick obeyed and Death disappeared.

They didn't say anything else as Phil navigated traffic. It didn't take them long to reach Kyrian's house that was down in the Garden District. This was the coveted highbrow area where antebellum mansions went on row after row like hulking beasts from a bygone era of gentility and manners that most people nowadays lacked.

Cherise sighed at the thought of those beautiful houses. They were so aesthetically pleasing to the eyes and soul.

Nick and his mom would sometimes come walking down this way... mostly 'cause his mom's favorite author lived here and she wanted to catch a glimpse of her whenever she could.

"Fangirl alert," Bubba mumbled to Mark, which caused him to chuckle softly.

"Just to break the forth wall, all the people reading this are more than likely a fangirl and/or fanboy," Ambrose said, suddenly sitting up straighter.

"What are you even talking about?" Caleb questioned, rubbing his temple to try and make sense of what Ambrose said.

Ambrose shook his head roughly. "Nothing, just tired." Or hungry.

His jaw went slack as they pulled up to a gate that opened into what had to be the biggest house he'd ever seen. It was a huge Grecian-style home with Doric columns supporting what seemed to be a never-ending porch. Top and bottom.

"You sure know a lot about houses," Acheron said softly to Nick.

Nick shrugged his shoulder. "I think the author makes me seem a little bit smarter than I actually am."

Phil pulled around the circular drive until he got to the front steps. "We're here." But he didn't turn off the engine.

Nick frowned. "Are you staying?"

"My orders were to deliver you to the door. Mission accomplished."

"Deliver him. What is he a package from Amazon?" Bubba questioned.

"Well, he was definitely not what I thought I had ordered," Kyrian shrugged with a small smile playing at his lips.

"Screw you," Nick whispered tiredly.

Weird, but okay...

Nick had no idea why he was so intimidated, but something about the house seemed eerie and forbidding.

"Too smart for your own good," Kyrian shook his head.

"Yeah well," Nick stated, turning so his nose was practically nuzzling Acheron's stomach. Gods help him.

It wasn't like he hadn't known Kyrian had money, but knowing something and seeing such obvious proof were two different things.

What in the world would it be like to have this kind of wealth?

For that matter, he couldn't even imagine not having to count pennies to eat at McDonald's.

"When you're broke," Caleb thought in his head. He had just recently gotten himself addicted to, what the mortals called, memes. He could spend hours laughing at those.

Gathering his courage, he got out of the car, grabbed his backpack, and headed up the stairs to the front door. Made of mahogany and etched glass that reminded him of cut crystal goblets, it looked like something out of a movie. He lifted his hand to ring the bell, but the door opened to show him a tiny Hispanic woman who eyed him like a warden greeting a new inmate. Dressed in a coral shirt and jeans, she had her dark hair pulled back into a tight bun.

"Rosa!" Nick shouted excitedly, expecting her to scurry into the living.

"She went home hours ago, Nick," Kyrian laughed quietly.

"But it was her time to shine," Nick mumbled, causing Acheron to chuckle.

Cherise watched them so closely. Of course Nick had known Acheron for several years now, but seeing her son so close with someone was unbelievable. Sure his best friend was Caleb, but he didn't seem to like human affection at all. And yes, Nick dated Kody, but the way he acted with Ash just seemed different. They were best friends, yet they held that certain gleam in their eyes.

"Nick?" It sounded more like "Neek," which was a much prettier version than the normal drawl he was used to.

Caleb burst into laughter. "God, Bubba. Your accent made that 1000% better."

Bubba scowled as Mark joined Caleb in laughter. If Nick wasn't half asleep, Bubba was sure he would have joined them.

"Yes, ma'am."

She stepped back to let him enter. "Mr. Kyrian is waiting for you upstairs in his office." She reached for his backpack.

Nick shied away from her.

"You no trust me?" Her tone was offended.

"Bubba, you have to get into character. Pretend to be a small Hispanic woman," Mark smiled.

"How about I pretend I don't want to shot your damn face in," Bubba glared at Mark.

"No disrespect meant to you, ma'am, but I don't even know your name."

Her face went completely stoic. "I am Rosa and I keep Mr. Kyrian's house for him. Now would you like me to put your bag away while you're here?"

"Now you've offended her," Ash smiled.

"Trust issues, not to mention, they say they can smell your intentions," Nick mumbled out, leaving Ash more confused than ever.

He felt foolish for not letting her have it. It just wasn't in him to let anyone take anything from him without a fight no matter how worthless it was. It was the same reason he hadn't wanted Brynna touching it earlier. "I guess." He shrugged it off.

She umphed as he surrendered the full weight of it. "Goodness, you're much stronger than you appear. How you carry this without being hunchback?"

Nick shrugged. "It's what I have to have for school."

"I don't even have anything in my backpack," Caleb shrugged.

"I do," Kody answered.

"And who asked?" Caleb spat back.

"Sh!" Nick said. "Sleepy."

She gestured at the mahogany staircase that curved up to the second floor. "Third door on the right. No need to knock. He will hear you coming."

Yeah, okay, that was creepy too.

"He knows all," Ash whispered in Nick's ear.

It sent a shiver down Nick's spine and it wasn't Acheron's attempt to be creepy either.

Nick headed up, taking his time to scan every inch of the impeccable palace. The banister had what he was pretty sure were gold medallions in the center of the black iron railing and the polished floors were some kind of something really expensive—like marble or tile or... whatever. Part of him wanted to run back to the street.

I so don't belong here.

He felt like a fraud or unworthy. Until he realized what really made him so uncomfortable. There was no daylight...

"No one usually notices it," Kyrian said.

"Well, my boy here is observant," Caleb shrugged.

"Your boy?" Acheron raised an eyebrow.

"No homo," Caleb laughed.

Every window in the house was covered with shutters and heavy drapes. Every single one. Not so much as a tendril of sunlight came in. How weird was that? His mother was always yelling at him for burning electricity in the daytime.

Stop shaming the daylight, boy. Turn out the lights. Have you any idea how much money you're wasting?

"You've raised such a good boy," Mennie smiled, squeezing Cherise's hand softly.

"He really is, isn't he?" Cherise smiled at Nick's sleeping mound.

Pushing it out of his mind, he reached the door Rosa had mentioned and opened it.

Kyrian satin front of a computer with a headset covering one ear. "Talon, I hear what you're saying. I'm just not listening to it. Look, the kid's here. I'll talk to you later." He hung up the phone and pulled the headset off before placing it on his desk.

"Sass," Mark hissed like a snake.

"I apologize for his behavior. He gets weirder than usual when he is tired," Bubba said shoving Mark.

"Talon?" Nick asked.

Kyrian smiled without showing his teeth—another peculiar habit Nick had noticed about him even back when he'd come to the hospital.

"Nick, stop being so damn observant. It'll get you killed one day," Kyrian said.

Nick didn't even bother saying anything, he simply pretended to be sleeping, but Ash knew he was awake.

"A friend I'm sure you'll eventually meet." He inclined his head toward Nick's sling. "How are you feeling?"

"Talon is chill," Nick sighed out.

"Stop dreaming of other men, Nicholas," Acheron joked.

"But guys are so attractive," Nick smiled softly.

"Cranky. Pain meds wore off and it hurts like a mother."

Kyrian ignored his curt tone and semi-profanity. "Heard you had some problems at your school today."

"I didn't have no problems at school 'cause they wouldn't let me on campus. Makes it a great day if you ask me."

"Logic," Caleb snapped his fingers.

Kyrian rolled his eyes, but didn't comment on Nick's irritable tone. "Have you called your mom?"

"No. Why?"

"Don't you think she might have heard about the attacks at school and been worried?"

"I don't see how."

"Oh Nicholas," Menyara sighed softly.

"Nick ... She's your mother. She's going to be worried. Honestly, you have no idea how much your parents love you until something happens to you—then it's too late." There was a note in Kyrian's voice that Nick couldn't quite define. Something like buried pain from a bitter memory that still bothered him...

Kyrian could not believe how observant Nick was. Nick had nearly figured out all his quirks after only meeting him a few times. It scared Kyrian in a way, but he felt like Nick was almost ready to know what happened to Kyrian. Almost.

But that didn't matter. Nick wasn't being stupid or disrespectful. "I know she'd be worried if she knew about it but I know she hasn't heard anything. We don't have TV or anything. Heck, we don't even have a phone. You have to call Menyara and she takes messages to us."

The shock on Kyrian's face set his temper on fire.

"Here we go with the pride bullshit," Adarian yawned out.

"That pride bullshit was something you embedded in my mind when I was 4," Nick mumbled out.

Adarian just closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. That kid was going to be the end of him, literally.

"We don't need your pity," Nick growled. "We get along just fine without it and them other things too. You don't need electronic crap to live. You know, people lived for thousands of years without it. There's a big difference between stuff you want and stuff you need."

"Mic drop," Caleb mumbled. Maybe he spent too much time looking at memes.

Kyrian held his hands up in surrender. "Settle down, Nick. I don't feel sorry for you. I didn't have any of that when I was a kid either and believe me, I know how people used to live."

Nick looked around the expensive furnishings that belied those words. It was hard to imagine Kyrian having ever done without anything. "You've come a long way, huh?"

"So judgmental," Ash laughed, stroking Nick's chocolate hair.

"Stop bothering me, I'm sleeping," Nick swatted Acheron's hand away.

"In some ways ..."

"And in others?"

Kyrian shrugged. "Let me put it to you this way... money doesn't solve your problems. It just brings new ones to your door."

"Meaning what?"

"That one song! Oh my god, how does it go?" Mark shouted.

"I don't know what, they want from me. It's like the more money we come across, the more problems we see," Caleb said, in a terribly high pitched voice.

"Watch it, Malphas, you'll hurt the neighborhood dogs' ears," Nick groaned out.

"Not in the mood for your sass, Gautier," Caleb shot back.

"Meaning I hope you never know the betrayals I've had. My father once told me that no friend would ever be loyal to me because of what I had and who I was."

Nick's dad had told him basically the same thing. Trust no one at his back, 'cause all people did was betray. And that they usually laughed while they did it. But he didn't want to be so jaded. "Was he right?"

"If you hate me so much, why do you remember my advice?" Adarian questioned.

This had Nick sitting up in his seat, staring at Adarian in the eyes. "Just because I hate you, doesn't mean I don't understand your point of view. Just because I hate you, doesn't mean your outlook on the world is wrong."

Cherise looked between the two men, searching for any form of angry or hatred, but she found none. They simply stared at each other blankly.

Nick was the first to look away, sighing when he realized he wouldn't be able to sleep anymore. He sunk into the back of the cushions, rubbing his forehead. Acheron decided this time, Nick needed to sort out what he felt on his own.

"Absolutely not. There was one friend I had who was loyal. But when he died, it left me with others who more than proved my father a wise man. I know it's hard to listen at your age. The gods know I never did, but—"

"I am not one of those friends," Acheron said, slightly offended.

"But you'd kill me if you had to right?" Kyrian questioned.

"Only if necessary," Acheron shrugged. "That's what real friends do."

"The gods?"

Kyrian chuckled, again without showing his teeth. "You'll have to forgive me. I'm a little eccentric sometimes."

"Eccentric," Nick chuckled softly.

"Is that why all the windows are closed?"

Kyrian arched a brow. "You're observant. Impressive. Most people don't catch that."

"Yeah, well, few things escape me. I tend to watch silently from the shadows. You learn a lot more that way."

"I honestly forgot you ever said that," Kyrian stated.

"Never forget again," Nick said evilly.

"I'll keep that in mind then." Kyrian stepped from around his desk and handed him the phone. "Go ahead and send a message to your mom. In the event she's heard about your school, I don't want her to worry."

Nick screwed his face up. "Boy, with that kind of uber-consideration, your parents must really love you." Mr. Goody Two-shoes.

"He is a man. You just called him a boy?" Bubba questioned.

"Major disrespect," Mark tsked.

"Oh shut it, Fingerman," Nick scowled.

Kyrian hesitated before he responded. "My parents died a long time ago. And you know the sad thing? I still miss them everyday. I spent my entire youth fighting with my dad over every little thing and damned if I wouldn't sell my soul to see him one more time and tell him I was sorry for the last words I said to him. Words I can never take back that should have never been said. So call your mom. No matter what kind of relationship you have with your parents, I swear to you, you'll miss them when they're gone."

Adarian stared at his hands. He doubted that punk would miss him. Not that he wanted Nick to miss him, he'd prefer it if he didn't.

Nick wasn't so sure about that. He barely knew his dad. His mom was another subject though—he would never intentionally hurt her. Dialing Aunt Mennie's number, he put the phone to his ear.

"Hello?" Mennie's Creole accent was thicker than normal.

"Hey, Aunt Men, it's Nick. Can you—"

"Cut off, not a good sign," Bubba shook his head.

"Bug off," Nick said.

"Talk to me like that again, I'll cut your tongue off," Bubba stated, pointing at Nick.

Acheron choked back a laugh as Nick scoffed.

"Boy? Where you been? Your poor mama done sick with worry over you. She's sitting right here, right now, all tore up and crying. She ain't slept or had a minute's peace since this morning when she heard about your school. Shame on you for worrying her like this. We went to the school and everything looking for you and couldn't find a trace of you anywhere. No one would tell her anything and there you sit all nice and fine. Shame on you, boy! Shame on you."

"Sounds like she's talking to a dog who dropped a log on the couch," Caleb chuckled.

"I'll fight you," Nick scowled.

"I'm too tired to fight you," Caleb yawned.

"Tomorrow, high noon. Be there or be square," Nick said.

"Clint Eastwood would be ashamed," Mark said, crossing his arms over his chest.

Nick felt like the lowest form of dog spittle as his mom took the phone. It wasn't like Menyara to fuss at him for anything. She usually left it to his mom to do. That more than anything told him how worried his mom was.

"Baby Boo?" Those words wrung his gut. It was his childhood nickname that she seldom used anymore. "You all right?"

"Aw, Baby Boo," Caleb cooed.

"Don't call me that ever," Nick said, through gritted teeth.

"What about me, Baby Boo?' Acheron said.

Nick's cheeks were covered in a blush and he tried so hard to get out a sentence. "I-I j-just-"

"Disgusting," Caleb gagged.

"I'm glad this is catching on," Cherise smiled brightly.

"Yeah, Mom. I'm good. I'm really sorry I didn't call. I—I just didn't think you'd hear about it."

"It's okay, Boo. I'm just glad you're all right. It's so good to hear your voice. The police wouldn't tell me nothing about the victims. They said they hadn't notified the families so I was waiting for them to come to my door and ..." She broke off into sobs.

Nick cringed until he was sick. "I didn't mean to scare you, Mom."

Adarian scoffed quietly.

"It's okay. It's all good. You're safe and that's all that matters to me. Where are you?"

He looked at Kyrian, who was giving him an "I told you so" glare. "I'm at Mr. Hunter's now. I was at Bubba's store, helping him out this morning since they canceled school. He said he'd pay me double time for it."

"What?" Bubba questioned.

"Hey, if I said it, it must be true," Nick smirked.

"But you're safe?"

"Yeah, I'm safe."

"Oh, thank God."

Kyrian took the phone from his hand.

"Wow, snatched," Caleb said.

"That's it, I'm deleting your meme page," Nick said seriously.

"Delete that and you're deleting my life," Caleb spat.

"That just makes me want to do it sooner," Nick stated.

"Mrs. Gautier? It's Kyrian. I wanted to let you know that I'll feed Nick and have him home about seven if that's all right with you?" He paused to listen to her. "Yes, ma'am. I'll take good care of him and won't let anything happen to him. Promise." He hung up the phone.

Nick suddenly turned to Acheron with a pout on his face and held out his hand. "My hand is cold."

Acheron chuckled at Nick's lame excuse to hold his hand, but complied anyway. "We wouldn't want your hand being cold, now would we, Baby Boo?"

Nick blushed weakly, telling Ash to stop.

Nick scowled at him. "Why do you call her 'ma'am' when she's younger than you?"

"It's a sign of respect."

That he didn't understand, but he was grateful for it. "Not many people have shown my mom the respect she deserves. I really appreciate it that you do."

Ambrose nodded his head. It was always nice to have Kyrian around. He treated his mom how she deserved to be treated. Besides people who actually knew her personally, she didn't get that respect.

Kyrian put the phone in his pocket. "I learned a long time ago not to judge people by what they look like, sound like, or by the clothes they wear. Just because a house is nice and shiny out front doesn't mean it's not rotting on the inside. Your mom's a good woman with a good heart and I'm glad you're mature enough to appreciate that about her."

Cherise smiled kindly at Kyrian. "Thank you so much, Mr. Hunter."

"You don't have to call me that. Kyrian is fine," Kyrian gave her a small smile.

Adarian watched this exchange with a scowl on his face. He would have killed him if his aura didn't spew Dark Hunter.

Nick found a whole new respect for him. "You know? I think I can work for you."

Kyrian gave him a tight-lipped smile. "Glad to hear it. Now shall I show you around?"

He liked the formal way Kyrian spoke sometimes. He went back and forth from typical slang to some old-world expressions that were tinged with an accent Nick couldn't place. "You shall indeed."

"You do that a lot actually," Ash stated.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever," Kyrian waved a hand.

Kyrian rubbed his eyes at Nick's bad English accent. "Your duties here will be light. Nothing too strenuous, and if anything aggravates your arm until it heals, don't do it. Last thing you need is to set your therapy back."

Nick followed him to the staircase. "Why are you doing this, anyway? You know what I was into that night and yet you'd let me in here around all your stuff? Aren't you afraid I'll steal something?"

"Wow, Nick, now you really can't steal something," Bubba said.

"Why would I?" Nick questioned.

"Hey, you said it," Bubba shrugged.

Kyrian turned around on the stairs to give him a harsh glare. "There's nothing you can steal from me that I can't replace. Things mean very little to me." He took a step closer to Nick. "As for why I'm helping you ... I believe in you, Nick. You remind me of a kid I knew once. Hardheaded to the point no one could stand him. He wouldn't listen and had a massive chip on his shoulder because he wanted to show the world how tough he was—that he didn't need anyone hand-holding him through life, or doing anything for him. Everything had to be learned by his own hand ... the hard way."

Ash smirked. Of course Kyrian was using himself as the good example. Sometimes Kyrian thought of himself as a saint and, most of the time, it was annoying.

"What happened to him?"

"He rebelliously joined the army against his father's wishes and met a man who changed his life. For whatever reason, that man had patience. And where others would have justifiably killed the arrogant snot nose for his attitude, his commanding officer saw potential in him. He changed that kid's life and I'd like to pay that debt forward with you."

It took Nick a second to realize what exactly he was saying. "You're the kid?"

Kyrian inclined his head.

"Where did you get to be so smart?" Cherise questioned playfully.

"Beats me," Nick shrugged.

"And this dude who changed your life?"

He looked down at the ring on his hand that rested on the shiny banister. "A man named Julian."

Kyrian twisted the ring on his finger. Nick's attention to detail was startling. Nick could have already figured out Kyrian's life story without Kyrian even knowing. The only other person he knew who could do that was Acheron. Weren't they the pair?

Nick shivered at such a god-awful moniker. "Isn't Julian a girl's name?"

"I don't think I've ever met a girl named Julian," Kody said suddenly.

For the most part, Nick forgot she was even there. He was sure she had said something earlier in the chapter, but right now he couldn't think of it.

"You're the one with the boy's name," Caleb pointed out.

One corner of Kyrian's mouth twisted into a sardonic smile. "Trust me, Nick. He was the toughest SOB you've ever met on a battlefield. No one ever defeated him in a fight. He made Jackie Chan and Chuck Norris look like poseurs."

"Wow, you know a lot of super outrageous buddies," Nick laughed.

"Please stop being cute," Ash smiled.

"Cute is not the word I would have used," Caleb grimaced.

"That's why no one asked you," Nick said in a sing-songy voice.

"Is that how you learned to fight like you did when you saved me?"

"Yes."

Nick had to give him credit. Kyrian could definitely handle himself. It was something he'd love to have. "Could you teach me some of that?"

"When your arm's better. For now, I promised your mom I wouldn't tax your strength."

"Have you taught him to fight?" Cherise asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Not really," Kyrian shrugged, half lying. He had shown Nick a thing or two, but he was nowhere near expert. Or so Kyrian thought.

Nick growled. "Yeah, but—"

"No buts. Today is only an introduction. I want you to get the lay of the land. Rosa is your direct supervisor. Whatever she says goes. Since I usually work at night, she'll be the one you deal with most when you're here." He turned around and descended the stairs again.

"Deal with you," Caleb laughed.

"You deal with me too, stupid," Nick growled.

Nick skipped down behind him. "So how many people work for you?"

"Just Rosa and George the groundskeeper... And now you."

"What about Mr. Poitiers?"

"He's a friend. I have many who do favors for me from time to time."

Nick could respect that. "Must be good to be king."

"Oh, I just can't wait to be king," Nick sang under his breath.

"Is everything a song to you?" Acheron asked fondly.

"It makes things more fun."

A flicker of sadness flashed across Kyrian's face before he hid it. "Why don't I show you to your office first?"

"You've really got me figured out, don't you?" Kyrian asked.

"Not really. It's just things you pick up from people watching because you don't have friends," Nick shrugged.

That announcement stunned Nick. "I have an office?"

"Yes." Kyrian led him to a room off the kitchen that was bigger than Nick's entire condo. Shelves of books lined the walls. And there were two desks and computers in it, along with nice black leather office chairs. It was an impressive layout. "Rosa has the bigger desk. Yours is there."

"I'm getting bored," Mark yawned.

"My life is supposed to be entertaining, Mark," Nick said dramatically.

"We've got a diva over here," Mark said.

Nick walked over to it with his jaw slack as he ran his hand across the top of it. Made of rich cherry wood, it was pristine and beautiful. But it was the large monitor on the desk that really made him smile. "I have my own computer?"

"Yes, and you can do homework on it if you need to. It's hooked online so ..."

Nick's eyes widened even more. "It's online and everything?

"You're so adorable," Acheron laughed, squeezing Nick's cheek, adding red to his already blushing face.

"Okay, where's Ash and what did you do with him?" Kyrian questioned.

"You've never really known a happy Acheron," Acheron shrugged.

Nick's heart fluttered. Acheron basically admitted to everyone that he made Ash happy. Now they've already done a lot today, but that meant everything to Nick.

"Yes. There'll be times when I'll need you to get information or order things online for me."

"Really?"

"Really."

Nick didn't know what to say. This was more than he'd ever imagined. When Kyrian had offered the job, he'd figured it was walking the dog, cleaning toilets, or something equally as crappy.

"I see that pun you snuck in there," Caleb pointed at Nick.

"My sense of humor is finally appreciated by Caleb," Nick laughed.

Not in his wildest dreams had he thought he'd have his own desk or computer. In fact, Rosa had already put his backpack there. It made him feel like an adult with a real desk job.

Most of all, it made him feel respectable. Lifting his head high, he met Kyrian's gaze. "So how much money will I be making?"

"Oh dang, you got your swagger on, boy," Bubba joked.

"Does being tired make us all weird?" Mark questioned.

Everyone nodded, it was almost as if they couldn't control themselves, it was like someone else was writing their emotions.

"Since you're only part time, we'll start you out at a thousand a week."

Nick about choked on the amount. A thousand what? Lira? Yen? Rubles? "Excuse me?"

"Rubies," Cherise snorted.

"Your boy thinks he is so funny," Mennie chuckled.

"That's before taxes, of course. And we do have work performance bonuses so you can increase that if you need more. I believe in rewarding hard work and—"

Nick held his hand up to stop him right there. "Go back to make sure I heard what you said. A thousand a week?"

"Yes."

"A thousand American dollars a week?"

"Yes."

"Not Monopoly money or anything?"

"Monopoly money," Caleb snorted.

"I was 14. I was going to make a thousand dollars a week, I had to make sure," Nick explained.

"When I was balling I was young," Mark sang.

"Wow, ghetto," Nick stated.

Kyrian gave him an irritated glare. "No, Nick. Real, hard cash, and you'll have your own credit card too."

Nick couldn't believe it. He was still aghast over the amount, never mind the other stuff. "And I don't have to do nothing illegal or perverted?"

"You just have to watch your tone, especially to Rosa."

Nick saluted Kyrian. "That's probably the only rule I follow."

Kyrian rolled his eyes. "Nice to know."

Well, dang. That made him wonder one thing... "How much you paying her if she's full time?"

Kyrian laughed. "A lot more than I'm paying you, but it's not enough to put up with your smart mouth. So if you want to keep this job, you'll have to show her respect."

"Don't worry. I don't mouth off to women." But that rule didn't apply to men or really to anyone who tried to push him around.

"Talk about sexist," Caleb said, glaring at Nick.

"You're irritating me," Nick said simply.

However, Nick did have one major concern. "Urn, how much will you be deducting out of that for the hospital bills?"

"You keep your grades up, your attitude in check, and show up for work on time for six months and we'll forget about it."

If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. And though he was young, he hadn't been born yesterday. "I don't know about that. My mama says we don't take charity from people. We pay our own way."

"That's right, boo," Cherise said proudly.

Nick blushed. "Ma, you're embarrassing me in front of my boyfriend."

"You embarrass yourself enough," Acheron said, patting Nick's hand.

"Nick ..." Kyrian's voice was strained. "Look around. I'm not going to miss it. You were headed the wrong way down the street, when, for whatever reason, you made a right turn. No one made you do it. You did it by yourself. My goal is to keep you on the right path. And I know that desperate people do desperate things, so this job will help eliminate some of that temptation. You're a good kid and you deserve a break, which I'm sure life hasn't given you much of."

It was true. Life had pretty much battered him and his mom from the moment he'd been born.

Still does, Nick said to Caleb.

Amen to that, brother.

"Yeah, but that's a lot of money to be paying a kid for doing basically nothing."

"You won't be doing nothing. You'll be part of a vital support staff I rely on to do my job. Not to mention, you keep your grades up and that's nothing compared to what you can make working for me when you're grown."

Still, Nick was skeptical. "And I don't have to strip naked?"

"Not for him anyway," Acheron whispered in Nick's ear.

Everyone watched as Nick turned red and let out a small giggle.

"Couples," Mark rolled his eyes.

"Oh God, no. Please keep your clothes on. Neither Rosa nor I need to go blind."

Caleb, Mark, and Bubba burst out laughing.

"Nice one," Mark fist bumped Kyrian, as Mark was the closest to him.

"There's a pool in back though, that you're free to use whenever you like. However, I would encourage you to always have trunks on when you swim. Last thing I need is for my neighbors to start complaining or George to quit."

"That's quiet the chain of events," Bubba laughed.

"Nick gets naked. Two people go blind, the neighbors complain, and someone quits," Caleb smiled.

Nick pouted. "I promise these clothes don't do me any justice."

Kyrian moved over to a small box on Nick's desk and picked it up to hand it to him. "By the way, this is for you."

"What is it?"

"Cell phone so that I can contact you when I need you."

Nick couldn't believe it. "No friggin' way."

"Friggin' is so underrated," Nick sighed.

"Part of the perks of the job. But don't abuse your minutes or texts. I get a ten-thousand-dollar bill in one month and I will choke you for it."

"What friends was he suppose to text?" Caleb asked, receiving the bird from Nick.

Kyrian turned it on and handed it to him. "It's already hooked up and the number for it is on the card. Make sure your mom has it too. I programmed my number into the auto dial under two. Just press and hold it."

Nick was overwhelmed by the generosity. He didn't know what to say. "This is just so cool. Thanks."

"How 14 year old's express their thanks. 'This is so cool'," Bubba mimicked.

Nick scoffed. "It's too late to be mean to me."

"You're welcome." Kyrian's phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and checked the ID before he answered it.

"No, I've been up for a while. Why?" He frowned as he listened.

Nick played with his own phone. Man, this thing was really awesome.

"What do you mean there were more attacks?" That got Nick's attention. Was Kyrian talking about the zombie stuff?

"Yeah. I'll head out as soon as I can and I'll keep my eyes peeled for, and I cringe as I say this, things out of the ordinary for us." He listened a few more minutes before he hung up the phone.

"Is something wrong?" Nick asked.

"Why are you always asking dumb questions?" Mark asked.

"Why are you always criticizing my life?"

"Another dumb question," Mark shook his head.

Kyrian didn't exactly respond to the question. "Is there someone at your school with an ax to grind against football players?"

Had the man never gone to high school?

Acheron and Kyrian chuckled at Nick's thought. Neither had needed to go to modern high school.

"Depends on the football player. Why?"

"There's been two more attacks." Nick was stunned.

"All of them were against football players. How many guys are on the team, anyway?"

Nick had to stop and think. "I'm not exactly sure since I don't play anymore. Probably around fifty total, counting JV and V."

"JV and V?"

He was surprised Kyrian didn't know what he was talking about. "Junior varsity and varsity."

Again Kyrian chuckled. He still wasn't sure if Nick knew his real age. Maybe Nick did and Kyrian just forgot he shared that information with him.

"Ah ... Why don't you play anymore?"

Nick shrugged, as that brought up a memory he didn't like thinking about. He'd been really good at the game, but that hadn't saved him. "Got thrown off the first week I made the team for fighting when Stone mocked my shoes. In case you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly a people person."

"That's one way to put it," Caleb shrugged.

Kyrian laughed. "I noticed. Look, I need to make a few more calls. Wander around the downstairs here and get acquainted with it. Don't get too tired. If you need anything to eat or drink, it's in the kitchen. Make yourself at home."

Nick waited until Kyrian left before he tried to call Madaug again on his new phone.

Still no answer.

"Gets new phone immediately tries to call nerd," Caleb said.

"One, it was for an emergency. Two, I swear to god I will delete your meme page," Nick threatened.

"Anything but my meme page."

Sighing, he had a bad feeling about this. If what Kyrian had said was right, they were down about a quarter of the team.  There won't be any state finals for us this year.

Stupid concern given everything going on, but it was the first thing that popped into his mind.

"At least, you said it," Bubba said.

What he couldn't figure out was what had started it. Yeah, the jocks picked on certain people and now that they were becoming zombified, it would only get worse. Now they'd pick on everyone.

How could they stop this?

"They?" Cherise questioned.

"I meant they as in like, Kyrian and Bubba and Mark," Nick said uneasily. Everyone knew that wasn't true.

Aggravated with the lack of details, he made his way back to the kitchen, where Rosa was making something that smelled unbelievably good.

Licking his lips, he went to investigate the pot while Rosa chopped shrimp and onions on the cutting board. "What are you making?"

"Gumbo."

Everyone moaned in delight at the thought of Rosa making gumbo. That would probably be tomorrow's lunch.

Nick's brows shot up at a dish that he'd eaten most of his life, but this didn't look anything like his mom's. "Huh ... so this is what rich man's gumbo looks like."

"How do you mean?"

"It ain't got leftovers in it and you're putting real meat into it and not bacon bits or roadkill."

Rosa laughed. "I'm sure you've never eaten roadkill."

He wouldn't bet on it. His mom might have denied it, but some of the meat she brought home ... he was sure it'd been scraped off the street. Maybe even plucked out of the tread on tires.

Cherise scoffed. "How dare you think so lowly of me."

"You aren't denying it," Nick smiled.

Rosa handed him a spoon. "Feel free to sample it."

"Really? Thanks." He dipped the spoon in and stepped away for it to cool before he took a bite. Man, it tasted even better than it smelled. His stomach growled so loud, it sounded like a monster was about to pop out.

Demon pun, Caleb said to Nick.

Stop with your puns.

Rosa turned to stare at him."Sorry. I didn't have lunch." Bubba hadn't given him permission to take money out of the till for it, and since school lunches came with his tuition, he didn't have money to buy lunch somewhere else.

"You didn't let him have lunch?" Cherise turned to Bubba.

"I was sleeping," Bubba stated.

Rosa's jaw went slack. "Why didn't you say something about being hungry?" She pulled him over to the island where two tall stools were set. "You have a seat and I'll make you a sandwich."

"I can wait for dinner. I'm used to it."

"No one goes hungry in this house, m'ijo. You just sit there while I make it."

"Oh hispanic women just don't let you go hungry," Mark said dreamily.

"Stop that," Nick scowled.

This was seriously creeping him out. No one was ever this nice to him. Had he fallen into the Twilight Zone or something?  I'm going to die.

It had to be an omen of doom.  Yeah, I'm going to turn into a flesh-rotting, flesh-eating, no-dating-'cause-l-stink demon .

But that was a real demon pun!

Fine, I'll give you that one. Nick rolled his eyes at Caleb.

His body parts, especially the really important one,-

Mark barked out a laugh. "This boy said the really important one!"

Bubba shook his head. "Always with his head in the gutter."

Cherise was shocked. Her little Nicky was a horndog.

"I'm glad it didn't," Acheron gave Nick a smirk while squeezing his hand.

-were going to fall off like in that movie he'd seen...

And all because he'd helped an old couple escape his friends.  Stop being stupid.  But it wasn't stupid. It was a fact. Something was wrong with the world. It'd skittered sideways and nothing was like it should be. He was doomed. No if, ands, or buts about it. He was going to die.

"Drama queen," Mark said, turning to Bubba and seeing a frown on his face.

"I don't think he was being a drama queen..."

And no sooner had that thought finished than he heard something scratching around the back door. There was a low growl and the rattle of a pretty large creature. Vicious and guttural, the sound reminded him of a dog cornering a cat. It must be a Rottweiler or something.

He frowned at Rosa, who'd frozen to stare at the door too. "What kind of dog does Kyrian have?"

She shook her head. "No dog."

Cherise's eyes widened. No dog...

"Then what—" His words ended as the back door flew open and two members of his team rushed in to tackle him.

"What the fuck kind of cliffhanger is this?" Mark shouted.

"I want to read the next chapter, but I'm so tired," Bubba answered, rubbing his eyes.

Mennie and Cherise were already heading up the stairs for bed, "Night everyone."

"We seriously need to go to bed, it's late," Nick stood up, stretching. Acheron stood up after Nick, walking over to Kyrian.

Nick, however, headed over to Ambrose. "You gonna take him back?"

"Of course," Ambrose nodded to Nick, sending a quick glance to Adarian who looked half-asleep.

Kody had slipped off into the night. She needed to clear her mind and get away from all those people. Especially Nick and his stupid boyfriend.

"Nick will know I send Simi to watch over him sometimes," Acheron said to Kyrian lowly.

"He'll love you even more for it," Kyrian shrugged.

"The L word you're looking for is like. He'll like me even more," Acheron said.

Kyrian rolled his eyes. "I'm heading to bed."

Mark and Bubba sat discussing what could happened in the next chapter. Nick chuckled as he walked past them, their theories were ridiculous. "Bed?" Nick asked Acheron.

"Of course, princess," Acheron said, grabbing Nick's hand and leading him up the stairs.

"Princess?" Nick asked, glaring at Ash.

"Shut up or we won't sleep in the same bed tonight." Nick pouted, but kept his mouth shut.

Meanwhile, Ambrose lead Adarian outside, ready to teleport him back to his cell at the jail for the night.

"I'll figure out what you are," Adarian said, staring at Ambrose.

"I hope you do," Ambrose said before sending Adarian off.

Chapter Text

Nick woke up to sunlight streaming in through the small cracks between the blackout curtains in one of many guestrooms Kyrian had. He felt a giant warmth pressed against him and his eyebrows furrowed, the grogginess making him forget that it was, in fact, Acheron who was producing the extra heat. Nick smiled for a brief second before he realized that today was Monday and he was probably late for school.

Nick jumped up from the bed, alarming Ash when Nick tossed the blankets at him. Acheron grumbled and rubbed his eyes before looking at Nick scramble about, looking for his left shoe. "What are you doing?"

Nick seemed frantic, checking under the bed and even crawling under it. "Caleb, Kody, and I have school! It's Monday! We're late!"

"Nick," Ash said calmly, smirking to himself as he picked his sunglasses, from where they rested on the nightstand while he slept, and put them on.

"Ash! I don't have time! I need to get to school!" Nick practically yelled, jumping onto the bed to pull his shoe on, after finding it under Acheron's side of the bed.

"Nick, it's summer vacation," Acheron chuckled, laying back onto the bed comfortably.

Nick deflated, feeling absolutely ridiculous that he ran around looking for his left shoe for no reason. Nick threw himself back onto the bed, laying on his side so he could look at Ash properly. "I feel stupid."

"You looked stupid too," Ash smirked, turning to Nick and seeing him pout. "In a cute way."

"Obviously, I'm cute," Nick rolled his eyes.

"No you aren't!" Nick jumped, hearing Caleb's voice shout from outside the door.

"God damn it, Caleb! Why are you lurking outside my door?" Nick said, stomping over to the door and seeing a smirking Caleb leaning against the door frame.

"Rosa came early and made everyone breakfast. You kids seem to be the last ones in bed, even Adarian is here with that tutor guy, Ambrose," Caleb explained, seeming a tad bit bored.

"We'll be down in a sec," Nick said, trying to slam the door in Caleb's face, but of course, his reflexes were too quick.

"Just so you know, your mom said if you aren't down in the next 10 minutes she would come up here and drag you down herself because she didn't want any funny business going on," Caleb said pointing at Acheron, who only scoffed.

"Bye, Caleb!" Nick said, happily slamming the door in Caleb's face. Nick then returned to the bed, throwing himself face down on the pillows. "I don't wanna see people today."

"Isn't life just hard?" Acheron said sarcastically, heaving himself up from the bed. "Get up before your mom bursts through the door."

Nick groaned, but peeled his face off of the pillow and followed Ash out the door and down the steps.

As Caleb had said everyone seemed to be crowded in the kitchen, eating a simple breakfast of eggs and bacon. Adarian simply sulked in the corner, pretending he didn't favor this breakfast more than what they served at the prison. Kody moved her eggs back and forth on her plate, exhausted because she had walked around town the whole night. Mennie and Cherise were exchanging pleasantries with Rosa, complimenting her and her ability to make anything taste wonderful. Kyrian sat with a cup of coffee and the morning's newspaper, deciding which new incident seemed supernaturally related. Caleb was having a nice conversation with Ambrose. No wonder Nick seemed to like him so much, Ambrose was basically another Nick. Ambrose remembered how much he missed Caleb, even if he was moody half of the time. Bubba and Mark, of course, stuck to themselves and discussed theories on the story.

Nick and Ash served themselves and sat near Caleb and Ambrose. Caleb smiled when he saw the couple sit down. "Well, well, the lovebirds have decided to grace us with their presences."

"It's only nine in the morning dude," Nick scowled, taking a sip of his orange juice.

"Hi, boo!" Nick's mom said, coming over to ruffle Nick's hair and plant a kiss on his cheek.

"Aw, ma! This is why they think I'm not a man," Nick frowned, rubbing his cheek rigorously.

"Oh hush up, boy," Cherise smiled. She greeted Acheron before she returned to her conversation with Rosa and Mennie.

The kitchen buzzed with pleasant conversations before Ambrose interrupted everyone. "I think we should continue where we left off, right?"

Everyone agreed before heading the the living room and settling him their spots. Nick hung back to grab himself a cup of coffee and was surprised to see Kody still sitting in the kitchen. "What are you doing?"

Kody sighed and stared at her hands. "I wanted to talk to you."

Nick scowled. "Why? I think I've learned enough." Nick attempted to walk to the living room, but she blocked his path.

"Listen to me please," she pleaded.

"I've already heard you. You're going to kill me! That's your job, that's your purpose in my life! So please just stay out of my way before I get very angry. And you wouldn't like me when I'm angry," Nick stalked off, ignoring the Hulk quote he pulled on Kody.

When Nick sat next to Ash with a scowl on his face Ash had to ask, "What happened?"

"She wanted me to listen to what she had to say when I've learned enough. I don't need that anymore. Not when I have-" Nick cut himself off suddenly, staring intently at his coffee.

Acheron smirked. "Now that you have me?"

"Whatever floats your boat," Nick blushed, patting Acheron's thigh.

In the kitchen, Kody was on her knees and crying into her hands. What had she done? Why couldn't her life go right? She loved Nick. Just like you loved Adarian. A voice in the back of her head said.

"I think I will read," Ambrose volunteered, turning to the right page. "Chapter 7..."

Chapter Text

For a second Nick regretted leaving Kody in the kitchen by herself, but when he felt Acheron's arm slide over his shoulders, he couldn't find it in himself to care.

In the move he hadn't used since he was a running back, Nick went to the left, turned sharp, and sidestepped them, leaving them to slam into the wall. He grabbed Rosa and pushed her toward safety as he looked around for a weapon.

"Breaking ankles!" Caleb announced, clapping his hands.

"What did I say about the memes?" Nick warned.

Caleb glared at the younger boy. Memes were one of the only good things humankind had to offer and Nick couldn't suck the joy out of them.

Rosa grab the cleaver in her right hand before he could. His jaw went slack as she took the carving knife into her left and held the two of them like a pro and she faced their intruders.

Nick was aghast. "Rosa?"

Cherise raised an eyebrow. "Well, at least she can keep my boy safe."

Kyrian chuckled softly.

"Stand back, Nick I wasn't always a housekeeper and any hijo de puta dumb enough to come in here to attack us deserves to die on the floor, butchered like a pig."

"That woman is feisty! I like feisty," Mark mumbled, smirking.

"You disgust me," Bubba rolled his eyes.

The zombies charged.

Rosa cut the first one with a slash to his arm. He didn't so much as grunt. Instead, he shoved her back and went for Nick, who grabbed one of the pans from the stove.

He slung the piping hot food into the football player's face.

"Where did you learn to do this?" Cherise questioned, raising her eyebrow at Nick.

"It's adrenaline, Mom. I was fighting for my life," Nick exagerrated.

This time, the jock zombie screamed and stumbled back. Nick whacked him with the pan. Then turned to help Rosa battle the other one. He barely reach them before the ones he'd bashed grabbed him from behind. Zombie number one locked a hold on him that was like steel.

Nick let out a snarl as his injured shoulder was jostled. "No you din't!" Head-butting the zombie, he broke free.

"Really been holding out on us," Bubba shook his head. "You fight better than wussy over here."

Mark scoffed taking total offense, but not denying it.

Two seconds later, something so bright it blinded him ripped through the kitchen.

Nick shielded his eyes as he heard the zombie screaming in agony. When he lowered his hand and could finally see again, he staggered back in shock.

The zombies were gone and in their place was what had to be the tallest man he'd ever seen.

"Have you ever stopped to think you were just short?" Caleb questioned.

"I was average! Considering my mother is a midget."

"Hey!" Cherise frowned.

"The cutest midget," Nick smiled cheekily.

His mouth fell open in stone-cold shock.

"Are you all right, Rosa?" the man asked in flawless Spanish.

"Si, Acheron. Gracias."

"Ah, my grand entrance," Acheron smirked.

"That's my man guys," Nick stated proudly, earning gags from Caleb.

The door behind Acheron slam shut without anyone or anything touching it. Acheron move toward him with the deadliest gait of a ferocious predator. With long black hair streaked with green, he wore a pair of opaque sunglasses that kept Nick from seeing his eyes. Dressed all in black with a glow in the dark vampire skull on his T-shirt, he had a black backpack slung over one shoulder. A backpack that had an anarchy symbol painted on it.

Adarian narrowed his eyes. The anarchy symbol couldn't be a coincidence, he'd have to pay close attention to this one.

"Nice meeting you, Nick."

He tensed at Acheron's strange lilting accent. He'd never heard anything like that in his life. "How do you know my name?"

"I know lots of things."

Yeah… and that thought seriously creeped him out. Was the dude a stalker?

"I knew you were always obsessed with me," Nick smiled and patted Acheron's thigh.

Nick looked around the room. There was no trace left of their attackers. "What happened to the jocks?"

"My demon ate them." Acheron said that with such a deadpan tone that Nick could almost believe him.

"Riiiight." Nick nodded his head and an act of brazen sarcasm. "And I suppose the Big Bad Wolf will be coming in right behind you to finish up? Or is it the Gingerbread Man I need to fear?"

"This man just made several people disappear and you're cracking jokes with him?" Cherise questioned, looking at Mennie with disbelief written all over her face.

Nick chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "He was cute?"

Acheron gave him a lopsided grin. "Kyrian was right, you are a smart-" He glanced at Rosa before he amended what he started to say. "Aleck." He pulled his cell phone out, which looked freakishly tiny in his huge hand, and called someone.

Nick found at Rosa, who'd gone over to the sink to wash the blood from her cleaver and knife like nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Why was he suddenly hearing The Addams Family song playing in his head?

What kind of bizarre crackhouse lunacy was this?

Everyone paused as Kody entered the room. Her eyes red and swollen, tear tracks covering her cheeks, and a reddened nose from rubbing the snot away. She held her head high though, taking a seat and staring at her hands.

Ambrose cleared his throat, feeling bad for the girl that had never been apart of his life.

"Am I the only one weirded out by what just went down? You two are acting too… too… normal about it at all. I mean this… is definitely not your typical day."

Acheron snorted. "Depends on the neighborhood…" He paused to talk into the phone. "Hey, Kyrian, You might want to finish that shower and get down here. Your home was just invaded by zombies while Rosa and your boy got them off. Just FYI."

This is too casual. Cherise thought. Someone should be freaking out or panicking, not acting like this happened all the time.

Well, that explain why Kyrian hadn't heard the commotion and come down to investigate it.

Hanging up the phone, Acheron walked over to Rosa and whispered in Spanish. Nick wasn't sure how he understood, since he personally didn't speak Spanish, but he did. "Forget everything that happened. The food spilled on the floor by accident and nothing out of the ordinary took place. No attack. Just another day…"

Mennie cringed when Cherise's nails dug into her wrist. Mennie could only imagine how her human mind was taking this. It must be hard to understand the supernatural when you already have a mindset of it being just stories.

He looked at Nick, who took a step back and severe trepidation of what the stranger was going to do to him. When Acheron lifted his hand, Nick bolted for the front door.

Get out of here. Now!  That was a crazy demonic sounding voice in his head, but he didn't question it. He ran like mad.

"Finally a normal response!" Cherise sighed.

Rounding the staircase, he skidded to a halt as Acheron appeared directly in front of him out of thin air. Only this time, Nick didn't see Acheron in the body of a young man.

He was…

Someone with fangs, mottled blue skin, black lips, and horns. This image was there in a flash and then gone. Like a freak out hallucination.

Everyone stared at Acheron and Nick protectively put a hand on his thigh.

"What are you with?" Mark whispered.

"I'm with Ash, Mark," Nick snapped. "And Ash is a great guy. He cares about me and he has protected me countless times. Yeah, he had a flaw, but he has never done me wrong."

Not yet. Ambrose thought bitterly.

Cherise couldn't believe her ears. Nick was defending some creature and Nick knew what he was. Nick knew he was a monster, but there he was defending it. "How could you?"

"Excuse me?" Nick said, trying to stop himself from going off.

"How can you be with this-this thing?!" Cherise stood up, fighting off Mennie's hand.

"I think you could ask yourself the same thing," Nick shot back. "My father, well, he's been keeping some secrets."

Cherise's eyes landed on Adarian and he stared back into them. He let her catch a glimpse of his true eyes and she gasped, covering her mouth.

"What are you people?" She whispered in horror.

"Ms. Gautier-" Ambrose started, but was cut off when Cherise stormed out the front door.

Everyone sat in shock. Mark and Bubba sat awkwardly with thousands of questions swirling in their heads. Kody confused at Cherise's reaction, shouldn't she be more understanding? Adarian sighed, but continued to slouch in his chair. Acheron was comforting a teary-eyed Nick. Nick couldn't believe his mother had criticized his choice in men when she clearly had her own problems in that department. Kyrian fought the need to run after the small woman, this wasn't his battle to fight. Mennie didn't want to go after her best friend because the way she acted was unforgivable, she should support her son even if he was dating an eleven thousand year old god. Ambrose frowned because he felt like this was Acheron's fault because it was his choice to look like that.

"Do I?" Ambrose asked, lifting the book.

Nick nodded, wiping his cheeks quickly. He laid his head on Acheron's shoulder and closed his eyes. You can get through this. Nick heard Caleb say and Nick thanked God for his friend.

What had been in that gumbo?

It's supernatural.

I don't believe in that.

Nick snorted more air out of his nose than usual. What a wake up call.

Yet how could he deny what he was seeing? This wasn't normal. This wasn't chemical-induced, bioweaponed zombies…. There was no logical way of Acheron to have gotten in front of him and just appeared like that. Just like the door slamming shut when he entered the kitchen, or the flash of light.

It was impossible.

Utterly impossible.

No longer sure what he could believe, Nick swallowed. "What are you?"

"You shouldn't be hard on your mom," Acheron spoke lowly. "I mean look at you, you thought I was a thing too."

"But I didn't know you then, my mom knows you. She knows how much you mean to me," Nick whispered, threading his fingers into Acheron's larger ones.

Acheron scowled. "Completely perplexed. You remember everything that happened." it was a statement of a fact and not a question… as if Acheron was inside his head.

"Yeah. Duh. Not like you're going to forget the killer zombie stalkers and psyched-out kitchen staff. What kind of freak show is this?"

"I'm sorry, but your first interaction is just so bizarre," Mark stated. "You were already aware of what he really looked like, but you're cracking jokes with him. I don't understand."

"What was I supposed to do? I obviously couldn't get out," Nick said in an exasperated tone.

"But, jokes?" Bubba pressed.

"I use humor as a self-defense mechanism! Are you happy?" Nick huffed out.

Acheron gave an evil laugh. "You have no idea, Nick. But my question is: Why are the zombies after  you ?"

"Oh heck no, bud. The question is: Why you got horns on your head and black lips?"

Acheron's smile faded. "What?"

"Stunned him," Caleb smirked.

"I saw you a minute ago when you freak-flashed here. You had horns and blue skin. What are you?"

Acheron returned that question with one of his own. "What funky vegetables you been eating? Meth is death and inhalants can kill you, kid. You should stay away from them before they destroy your last three brain cells."

"Yeah, right. "I'm stone cold and you… you're not human. I know you're not human."

Acheron stroked Nick's brown hair. He was so unbelievably lucky that Nick hadn't reacted the way Cherise did. What would he do without this kid?

The irritating grin returned to Acheron's face. "Very few people are."

"Ha, ha. I saw you, man. What you did to the zombies when you arrived and with Rosa… I know you're not human. Are you going to kill me because I know?"

"How romantic," Kody huffed.

"I already told you I didn't want to deal with your bullshit, Nekoda! I already warned you about making me angry! Do not test me again," Nick growled, clenching his fist and squeezing the life out of Ash's hand.

Again, awkwardness filled the room again. This book was taking a toll on Nick, they were barely halfway through.

"Do we need a break?" Ambrose asked.

"No. We're fine," Nick answered for everyone.

Ambrose rolled his eyes, but continued reading anyway. Nick would talk about it when he wanted to, that's how they were.

Acheron paused as he considered his options. Nick Gautier was a lot more than he seemed. At fourteen, Nick's mind should have easily been wiped by his powers, like Rosa's had been. Not that Acheron like to use those powers on anyone. As a rule, he seldom did, but there were times when circumstances demanded it.

Killer zombies exploding in a kitchen happened to be one of them.

"You exploded them?" Nick asked.

Ash chuckled softly, he was glad Nick was still acting the same around him. It was comforting to know that Nick still wanted to make Ash happy.

And it wasn't until someone was older that they developed the ability to block that particular talent of his. And even then only the stoutest of wills could stand against his powers.

Come to think of it, no mortal human being had ever stood against his powers. Only gods and a handful of demons could fight or circumvent him against his will.

More than that, somehow, some way, Nick had glimpsed his true god form.

How?

"Is Nick a..?" Bubba trailed off.

"Guess we'll have to keep reading and find out," Nick stated, shrugging his shoulders.

Kill him and be done with it.

That was probably the most logical thing to do. But Kyrian, for whatever misguided reasons,-

"Misguided? Babe, I'm offended," Nick laughed.

Kyrian lifted his eyebrows at Nick's pet name. This relationship was getting too cute.

-had his heart set on saving the kid. Closing his eyes, Acheron used his powers to see into the future- to what would happen if he killed Nick.

Nothing was there.

Just a vacuous space of nothingness.

"No future," Caleb coughed, earning a giggle from Nick just like he'd hoped.

Crap…

Two weeks ago, when Nick had been injured, he'd seen the kid's entire life from start to finish as clear as a summer sky. Now he couldn't even glimpse what Nick had bulging in his front pocket.

"Aye!" Mark said, finger-gunning at Ash.

"Already checking me out," Nick tsked.

This is so not good.

Because that meant only one thing- this kid was going to significantly impact his life somehow and the Fates had blinded Acheron to him to prevent him from interfering with Nick's choices.

"Aw it was fate!" Nick gushed, squeezing Ash's cheeks.

Ash swatted his hand away, but smiled fondly at the boy. Ash couldn't remember the last time he smiled so much.

I hate it when this happens.  It was why he tried to never let anyone near him. Why he had no real friends other than his demon companion.

"I am greatly offended," Kyrian said, placing a hand over his heart.

"Save the act, General," Ash rolled his eyes.

This little bugger in front of him was destined to alter his future. No wonder he couldn't use his powers against him.

Sighing, Acheron opened his eyes. There was no need to fight destiny. He'd learn centuries ago just how useless it was to try.

"This is similar to what Nick was talking about in the prologue," Bubba said, rubbing his chin.

"Honestly, this relationship was suppose to happen," Caleb stated.

Everyone sat and thought. The book made it seem like what Nick and Ash were was out of their hands. They were suppose to be in each other's lives.

Kody pouted and felt her eyes sting with more tears. Was her life destined to be miserable? Maybe.

Might as well embrace the inevitable and introduce myself.  Because any time someone had tried to alter his future, it only made things worse. Much worse.

"I'm Acheron Parthenopaeus."

Nick snorted. "Dang, and I thought my name sucked. Your parents must have really hated your guts."

If only he knew….

"Woah, hold the phone!" Nick sat up right. "Are we getting insight to Ash's life?"

Ambrose flipped through a few more pages. "Yeah, actually."

"It's time for everyone to shut up!" Nick announced, pointing at Mark.

Ash sighed. There was really no need to hide anything about himself anymore. He definitely didn't want to hide anything from Nick.

"Call me Ash. It's easier and takes a lot less time."

Nick held his good hand out to him. "Nick Gautier. Now what are you again?"

"He's the best friend you'll ever make or your last enemy."

Nick looked up to see Kyrian coming down the stairs. "Oh, I get it," he said sarcastically. "'Cause he'll kill me if I take him off. Ha, ha, ha."

Kyrian rolled his eyes.

Acheron let out a long-suffering breath. "I'm not saying a word, General. I told you the kid was going to be more trouble than he's worth. So far, I'm right."

"Don't act like you didn't love me," Nick pointed at Ash with a shit eating grin.

"You were adorably annoying," Ash said.

Nick took a step closer to Acheron and said in a low tone, "Does Kyrain know about… you know? Your particular weirdness?"

"That's one way to put it," Bubba said.

"How were you so bent on protecting him already?" Caleb said. "You just met him."

"I.. I don't know," Nick said, furrowing his eyebrows. "He hadn't killed me so I didn't feel the need to do anything bad to him."

"He does indeed. Rosa, not so much. So let's keep that on the down low around her."

"Gotcha."

Kyrian paused beside Acheron. "I take it Nick saw something unusual?"

"Not too unusual," Nick said. "if you live in a friggin' video game."

Acheron shook his head. "He handled it well for the most part."

"A little too well honestly," Mark said.

"I'm just better," Nick said.

Nick scoffed. "Ash is omitting the part where I freaked out and ran like a girl. Did you know your housekeeper can handle knife like a street fighter and has no qualms about hacking people with it?"

"Well that was a random switch in topic," Acheron said to Kyrian.

"Nick has so much ADD. It's ridiculous," Caleb sighed.

Kyrian laughed. "Yes, Nick. I know all about her knife-wielding talents. It's why I hired her. And if I were you, I'd keep that in mind should you ever feel the need to lip off to her. She doesn't take it well."

"Don't worry. That desire… effectively quelled." Nick put his hand in his pocket as he digested everything that had happened over the last few minutes. "So you have a psychotic housekeeper with some serious ninja knife skills and Acheron would be what to you?"

"Asking the important question," Caleb wiggled his eyebrows.

There was a sudden awkwardness between them comma so thick it permeated the air around them. "Ahhh," Nick said as he understood why they weren't in explaining it. As the old saying went, opposites attract. "You two are special friends."

"Don't be jealous, Nick," Mark tsked.

"I didn't like men back then," Nick protested, crossing his arms in a childish way.

Kyrian frowned. "How do you mean?"

"Oh, so innocent," Nick laughed.

Acheron passed a peeved look to Kyrian. "He thinks we're a couple."

Kyrian took a step away from Acheron. "No, no. No. Definitely not. Not that Acheron is not an attractive man, not that I've ever really noticed whether or not he's attractive, but male is not my type."

"Male is Nick's type," Kyrian said.

"I can dig both," Nick shrugged.

"But he won't," Ash added.

Nick looked back and forth between them. On the surface, the two of them had nothing in common other than they were both badasses. "Then how do you two know each other? 'Cause aside from the money thing you seem really normal and Ash… really not."

Acheron cocked a brow. "Are you telling me that you have no oddball friends?"

"He is the oddball friend," Caleb stated.

"Hey, buzz off," Nick growled.

"Uh, not like you. Mine just do weird things like eat Jell-O through straws and get thrown out of Kroger for eating samples. They're nowhere near as weird as you."

Acheron tsked. "I would disagree. I don't drown myself in Eau de Duck Urine or look for werewolves in the swamp, unlike some people you know."

"How do you know..?" Mark trailed off.

"As stated earlier, I know lots of things," Acheron smirked.

"Yeah, okay, so Bubba and Mark walk off the beaten path into Planet I Don't Know. But they don't do that creepy mind wipe stuff or slam doors without touching them."

"How do you know the wind didn't catch it?" Acheron asked.

"Would that be the same wind that somehow blew you through the house to land in front of me?"

"Could be. Hurricane force. It is New Orleans, after all. It happens."

"Scientifically, that is amazingly wrong," Bubba stated.

"Scientifically, no one asked," Mark said.

Nick gave Acheron a droll stare. "No offense, I ain't Dorothy and I didn't see no house land on a woman in striped socks. But if you believe all that, I have a house on a hill in the bayou to sell you. By the way, how do you know about Bubba and Mark?"

Ash got really quiet.

Kyrian's face was completely stoic.

"What?" Nick prompted.

"What did you do to me?" Mark asked with wide eyes.

"I can offer an explanation," Ambrose said, flapping the book.

Ash cleared his throat before he answered. "I get bored sometimes. Infinite power… local lunatics. There's just times when you really need to screw with someone's head and Mark is such an easy target. He wants to see, and a few well-placed shadows go such a long way in making him happy, and me entertained."

"Wait, those things are real?" Mark asked.

Ash shrugged. "Of course, you just don't have the sight. I give it to you briefly as a gift."

"Bubba, we were right!" Mark jumped up in celebration. "We ain't crazy!"

"You look crazy dancing like that," Bubba laughed.

Mark sat with a huge smile on his face, finally he knew he wasn't insane.

"Dude, you're so wrong." But Nick could almost understand that. "And the zombies? You plant them too?"

"No. I'm as clueless about them as you are. In fact, I came over here to warn you-" he turned to Kyrian- "about them. Believe it or not, I don't know how many are infected. But it seems to be mostly teenagers, and Nick's school's the nucleus for it. Ground zero as it were."

Kyrian looked as confused as Nick felt. "How can you not know, with your powers?"

"Yeah, why don't you solve world hunger while you are at it?" Caleb joked.

"As hard as it is to believe, even for me, there are things I can't decipher. This would be one of them. Someone else is shielding them- probably whatever entity created them. And I don't know who that is, but the bokor seems to be targeting school officials and nerdy students."

Nick stiffened. "Why you look at me when you say the word 'nerdy'?"

"I thought it was obvious, Nicholas," Caleb shook his head.

"Malphas, shut your mouth." Ash said. "My boy is precious."

Nick smiled widely, playing with Acheron's fingers.

Ash flipped up the tail of Nick's hideous blue Hawaiian shirt. "Normal people don't dress like that."

Nick brushed his hand down the front of his shirt and gave a confident tilt of his head. "Hey now, I make this look good. And you're fine one to talk. Why you wearing those sunglasses inside when it's dark, Geek boy?"

"Yeah, what is with the glasses?" Bubba pressed.

Acheron subconsciously adjusted his glasses on his face. "Nothing you mortals should see."

"Has Nick seen it?" Mark asked.

Ash hesitated. "Not on purpose."

Mark and Bubba grumbled out favoritism, but continued to listen to Ambrose.

Ash let fly a cocky grin. "'Cause no matter where I go, the sun is always shining on me."

Nick was completely unamused.

"As am I," Bubba seconded.

"Nick?"

He turned at Rosa's call. "Yes, ma'am?"

"Didn't you tell me you hadn't eaten?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Then you come in here and have something before you waste away." She paused as she entered the doorway of the kitchen and saw Ash. "Acheron? When did you get here?"

Ash indicated the door over his shoulder with his thumb. "I came in the front door a few minutes ago."

Rosa's brow was creased with a stern frown. "Strange. I didn't hear the bell."

Ash smiled. "You know me, Rosa. Silent like a ghost."

Adarian frowned. He didn't like Acheron. His power matched or, more likely, exceeded his. How could Nick stand to be around him? Was it because his powers weren't fully developed or was it because they actually cared for each other? Whatever reason, it made Adarian feel uneasy.

A chill went down Nick's spine at what Rosa was saying about about her lack of memory where Ash was concerned. He should probably be running for the door, but there was something about Acheron he actually liked. And while the guy looked like he could sweep the floor with Rambo, Nick sensed a kinship with him. Almost like they were long-lost brothers. It was so strange yet…

"Brothers," Caleb wheezed out before laughing. "That's some kinky stuff."

"I will destroy you," Nick said, standing up.

"Boy, sit your ass down! I'm invested," Bubba said.

Nick pouted, but sat next to Ash again. "I will fight him later."

Stay away from him. Ash is evil to the bones. He will destroy you.  Nick shook his head at the deep voice that echoed in his ears.

For a second, he felt like he was losing his mind.

Nick frowned at Ambrose who just kept reading. Nick needed to talk to him because soon Ash was going to become a huge part of his life. Ambrose needed to be okay with that or who knows what would happen.

"Are you coming, Nick?" Rosa asked.

"Yes, ma'am." His stock answer for most women since his mom really didn't like the word "no." Dutifully, he made his way to Rosa and to the food he was starving for.

Mennie smiled sadly. She truly wished Cherise would understand that her boy was in the best hands possible. She could see it, how happy they could be. But Nick would always want Cherise to understand.

Acheron watched while Nick made his way to the kitchen. He didn't know why, but his gut told him that Nick was somehow key to what was going on. It was like a presence was here. One he couldn't see, hear, or touch.

Ambrose tensed slightly, having to clear his throat. No Acheron hadn't known he was there. Ambrose was extremely careful of that.

He could only feel it like a hidden shadow. Malevolent and cold, it sent a shiver down his spine. It was pure hatred, but he couldn't tell who it was directed at.

Him.

Or Nick.

You. Ambrose thought, feeling his true self aching to be unleashed.

Kyrian lowered his tone so that neither Rosa nor Nick would hear him. "What aren't you saying?"

"Ever have one of those feelings you can't shake?"

"Every damn night."

Ash gave a short laugh. "Still planning to set Nick up as your Squire?"

"He's not old enough yet. But when he is, that's my plan. Why? Is there something about him I should know?"

"You had it all planned out since the day you met me?" Nick questioned.

"You have to think ahead," Was all Kyrian said.

"Now, this might seem like a stupid question, but what is a squire?" Mark asked.

"I'm sure it will explain later," Nick waved a hand.

"This book is confusing for us regular folk," Bubba huffed.

Ash felt the tattoo on his biceps shift down toward his elbow. The burning sensation was Simi's-

"Simi?" Nick turned to Ash quickly.

"What?" Caleb sat up.

Ash shifted in her seat. He had been dreading this. "She's my demon."

"So you send Simi to watch over me?" Nick asked quietly.

"Well, yeah," Acheron said, uncharacteristically rubbing the back of his neck.

Nick tackled Ash into a hug and squeezed him far too tight. It was nice to know someone thought it would be a good idea to watch after him. Yes, Caleb did it, but it was his job. Ash did it because he wanted to.

"Is she here?" Caleb asked.

"Currently no," Acheron said, gasping for a breath. "I let her out last night, she'll be back soon."

-way of letting him know she was getting restless and wanted to come off his body and take human form, or maybe she just had indigestion from eating the zombies so fast.

Nick smiled. "Sounds like Simi."

"So let me get this straight," Bubba started. "Ash has a peel off tattoo that becomes a demon and this demon is friends with Nick and watches over him."

Nick nodded his head. "Yeah, she's the sweetest."

"Oh lord," Bubba said.

Rubbing his hand over his demon, he stopped her for the moment. "He seems like a good kid."

"But?"

But there's something about him not quite…

Right.

"Oh, you're one to talk," Nick said, narrowing his eyes at Acheron.

If only he could put his finger on it. Not wanting to worry Kyrian when there was no reason to, he shrugged. "I have nothing to add. Other than don't let the zombies eat you while you're on patrol tonight. Be a damn waste of a good Dark-Hunter."

"Now what in the hell is a Dark-Hunter?" Bubba nearly yelled.

"A Dark-Hunter is a warrior. They are chosen, mainly, because they have died due to a brutal betrayal. We protect humans after being sworn to the Artemis," Kyrian explained.

"Brutal betrayal? That seems kinda harsh," Mark said.

Ash and Kyrian shrugged. "It happens."

Kyrian flexed his foot so that one of the knives shot out from the toe of his boot. "I think I can take them."

"We need those," Mark whispered to Bubba.

Ash wasn't so sure about that. Kyrian always had a hard time harming anyone under the age of consent. Not what he was cold-blooded himself.

"I'm sorry I value the youth," Kyrian huffed.

"Sometimes the youth is too out of control, Exhibit A," Ash said, gesturing to Nick.

Simi was another matter. She's eaten the zombies in the kitchen before he'd had a chance to corral her.

"Surprised she didn't complain about barbeque sauce," Nick and Caleb laughed.

It was why he'd blinded Nick and Rosa. His little demon had a mind of her own and when she smelled nonhuman delicacies, which she claimed weren't on her banned food list, there was no stopping her.

Soon he'd have to let her loose again or she was going to crawl all over his body until she had him doing St. Vitus' dance.

"That'd be fun," Nick sniggered.

"The sun's setting. You want me to take Nick home for you?"

Kyrian nodded. "Thanks. While you do that, I'll rendezvous with Talon in the Quarter and see if we can get a handle on this zombie outbreak."

"Good luck."

"Back at you." Kyrian headed for the door that led to his garage.

"I'm still confused," Bubba said.

"Can't you be confused and quiet like my aunt Mennie," Nick sighed, causing Mennie to laugh.

"Don't worry about me, I'll get my answers from my friends on the other side," Mennie waved her hand.

Ash waited until he was sure Kyrian was gone before he went to the kitchen. He paused to watch Nick joking with Rosa. There was something extremely charismatic about Nick. Like an aura that warmed people and made them want to listen to him.

"Aw, babe, you flatter me," Nick said, lightly shoving Ash's shoulder.

"Why are you being cute all of a sudden?" Ash smiled.

"He's covering his internal hurt," Caleb said.

Nick froze. "Hey, let me be fake happy for two seconds."

Some would call it glamour- a power certain creatures were born with while others learned it later in life. It was more than charm. More than a good personality.

How do they think I got Cherise? Adarian thought to himself. It definitely wasn't his sense of humor. Maybe it was his devilishly good looks.

Ash had a similar ability, only it pulled people toward him for an entirely different reason. One that kept him on guard against people constantly lest they lose control of themselves.

Funny thing was, Nick seemed immune to that too.

"Am I immune to all your powers?" Nick asked.

"Most of them," Acheron nodded.

"Which ones aren't I immune to?"

"The one that makes you fall in love with me," Ash grinned cockily.

Nick barked out a laugh. "You just went down a few pegs on the love bar."

And for that, Ash was extremely grateful. Very few people didn't react to the curse his aunt had given him at birth. In fact he could count of one hand the number of people over the centuries who'd been immune.

"My poor baby is cursed," Nick pouted, softly rubbing Acheron's hand.

"Cursed, eh?" Kyrian asked to which Acheron only shrugged his shoulders.

There's something not right about this kid.

You're being paranoid.

Was he?

You were human once too with no knowledge of your true birth or destiny.  Another curse given to him by his family.

"We were so meant to be," Nick stated.

Kody gagged as did Caleb. It was probably the only thing they could agree on at the moment. Besides the fact that they both hated Adarian.

Until his twenty-first birthday, he'd had no idea that he was a god. No idea that his real mother had been the Atlantean goddess of destruction.

"Wait, your mother is Apollymi?" Bubba asked with wide eyes.

"Of course you would know that," Nick rolled his eyes.

"She sunk the city of Atlantis, boy! She is a pretty big deal," Bubba announced.

Acheron nodded. "Technically yes. She didn't raise me though."

Bubba nodded his head, eager for more information and this twisted up story.

And when his powers had been unleashed, it'd almost destroyed the entire world and had driven mankind back into the Stone Age.

What if that innocent kid eating the gumbo Ash had repaired was a creature like him?

You  are  being stupid.

"You should listen to yourself more," Nick whispered with a grin on his face.

Caleb snorted. Man if only Ash had known back then.

Or was he? When Ash had been human not even other gods had been able to detect his real nature. Artemis herself stood right beside him and proclaimed him human.

"Artemis seems to be a pretty big deal," Bubba pointed out.

"She is for some reason," Acheron shrugged his shoulders.

Oh Artemis, Ambrose sighed longingly.

He narrowed his gaze on the boy. The zombies had been there for Nick and Nick alone. He was sure of it. There was no other reason for them to have attacked.

The only question was why….

"Because I had nerd boy smell of me," Nick said.

Ambrose put the book on the coffee table and turned to Nick. "I think we need a break."

Nick sighed, but followed Ambrose outside, warning Caleb not to mentally listen in on the conversation.

Acheron watched with a heavy heart as his boy walked out with the weight of the world on his shoulders. If he could, he'd take all of Nick's burdens so he could be the funny, carefree boy everyone thought he was.

Kyrian stood up and made some phone calls, explaining to the other hunters that he and Ash would be MIA for as long as the books took.

Mennie stood up as well, hoping she could reach Cherise on one of Kyrian's house phones. Cherise needed to be here for her son, they were all they had.

The phone rang a few times before someone spoke up. "I don't want to go back, Menyara."

"You listen to me and you listen to me good, Cher. You will come back."

Chapter Text

Nick followed Ambrose around the block, feeling the unforgiving heat of New Orleans. He looked at all the nice homes and he didn't feel that sense of longing anymore. He'd say he was content with his life at the moment. He and his mom lived in a real house, he had Caleb as his best friend, he had people who cared about him, and now he had Ash.

"I'm guessing this walk was for you," Nick stated, kicking a stray rock.

"Why's that?" Ambrose asked, his voice as neutral as ever.

Nick rolled his eyes. "Please, as if you weren't mentally killing Ash a million times."

Ambrose chuckled darkly. "What about you? Mom walking out like that?"

Nick sighed at his older self. "You and I both know she would have never made it through this. Especially now that I'm dating the guy who's destined to betray me."

Ambrose grunted. "I get that this you is different, but my feelings for him-"

"I get that. It must be weird for you to see yourself like that with him."

"Speaking of being with him like that, have you even kissed him?" Ambrose teased.

Nick's cheeks heated up quickly and he let out a nervous chuckle. "It's complicated. He is older than me and there's a lot we don't know about each other and-"

"And you're chicken," Ambrose laughed.

Nick shoved him, but didn't say anything else because in all honesty, he wasn't sure why they hadn't kissed already. They were unofficial boyfriends. Neither of them have asked, but they have labelled themselves as such. Why was this the most difficult thing he had ever done?

When Ambrose and Nick returned to the house, they were shocked to find Cherise in the corner arguing with Mennie. Nick didn't announce his presence to her, but walked over to Ash with a confused face. "Why is she here?"

"Menyara made a call and next thing you know Cherise pops in. She hasn't said a word to any of us. Immediately started arguing with your aunt." Ash explained, adjusting his glasses.

"You know what they're saying right?" Nick raised an eyebrow. Acheron was an almighty being, who happened to know what was going to happen in most time lines and he was keeping secrets from his boyfriend.

"Don't give me that look. It's not something I should be involved with anyway."

Nick huffed before stalking over to Caleb and dramatically laying himself across Caleb's lap.

"Dude," Caleb sighed. "When did you drink sad bitch juice?"

"What's with all the meme and pop culture references lately? As a thousand year old being, I want old timey memes from Ancient Greece about Zeus being a slut," Nick stated.

"They didn't have good ones," Caleb huffed, squirming under Nick.

Kody watched them. They had been her only companions these past few years. Though if it were really up to Caleb she would have been gone a long time ago. Even when they argued or were hostile to each other, it was still interaction she hadn't had in so long. She had really screwed up.

Mennie was across the room, ready to pull her hair out of her head because of the ignorance of Cherise. "He is your son!"

"And he made his decisions!" Cherise sobbed out.

Menyara sighed. "I never thought of you as a selfish mother, but these past few days have really shown a light on you."

Cherise gasped. She truly could not believe that her oldest and best friend in the whole world would say this to her. Mennie was more family than her family was and she just called her a selfish mother.

"He's just trying to make his way through life and he has been beaten down far too many times. Nick is a good boy and he deserves more respect from you. Whatever he hides or whatever he does, he keeps you in mind. And what do you do? You make him feel guilty for who he loves, you can him suffer through your mood swings, and you make him think you don't love him. Do you love him, Cher?"

"He's my baby," was all Cherise could say.

"Then don't let him walk through this world alone," Mennie put a hand on Cherise's shoulder before turning away to sit. This really was a testament to everyone's patience and love for each other. None of them seemed to be in a good headspace, but they had to push through. Somehow they had to make it.

Kyrian gracefully sat himself next to Acheron. He followed his gaze and wasn't surprised to see him sunglasses watching Nick, who was annoying Caleb. Nick and Acheron were a strange pair, in a way they were almost complete opposites. Nick, who had suffered too much in life for only being alive about 17 years, was so charismatic and warm. Acheron, having gone through even more struggles in over eleven thousand years, was stoic and distant. They both held that sarcasm and dry humor not many people could stand. Somehow they had found their way to each other, as friends and now as partners.

"How am I supposed to take care of a kid who attracts every worst case scenario possible?" Acheron asked.

"I think you're just supposed to be there for him," Kyrian answered, he couldn't remember the last time he had to take care of someone so diligently and now for Acheron to have to do it after not caring for someone in thousands of years… Kyrian couldn't imagine.

Acheron nodded and chuckled when Caleb finally threw Nick off his lap and Nick dramatically whined with his face in the carpet. "He really is something else."

"Can we read more? I'm getting real confused and I just want answers," Mark called out, picking up the book that everyone seemed to think was cursed.

Nick sighed before hauling himself up off the carpet. "Alright, I guess. Who's reading?"

Cherise walked into the living room, timidly. "I'll do it."

Nick's eyes widened in shock, but took his seat, kindly returned to him by Kyrian, next to Ash.

"Okay, this is Chapter 8…"

Chapter Text

Nick froze in front of Ash's shiny black car... No, not car. Friggin' Porsche 911 Turbo! Talk about epic. His heart actually started pumping like a freight train at the prospect of riding in it.

"Damn keep it in your pants, boy," Bubba shook his head.

"I will nut about as many cars as I want," Nick stated, turning his nose up.

"How can this be your car?"

Ash shot him a "duh" stare. "Well, I wrote a really big check that didn't bounce to the dealer and then the most amazing thing happened... The salesman gave me the keys and let me take it home. It was like magic."

"Okay real question, who do you think is the most sarcastic between Nick and Ash?" Caleb asked to everyone.

Kyrian cleared his throat. "As annoying as both can be, I personally believe it's Acheron. Of course, I've known Acheron for years."

"I think Acheron has a more matured sarcasm while Nick's is very…" Bubba paused looking for the right word, "juvenile."

"Excuse me, my sense of humor is sophisticated and just as mature as anyone else's."

Nick gave him a peeved glare. "Only I'm allowed to be that sarcastic."

"Aha! Even you think he matches, if not exceeds, your level of sarcasm," Mark laughed.

"Hate you," Nick stuck his tongue out.

"Trust me, Nick. I've got many more years of practice at it than you have. Now hop in."

"Hop in? Dude, are you out of your ever-loving mind? I can't touch this. I might leave a fingerprint or something."

"I think this is the most considerate Nick has ever been," Caleb stated, causing Nick to scoff.

"Oh the horror. Guess I'll have to trade the piece of junk in and get a new one if that happens. By the way, don't breathe on the upholstery or I may have to gut you." Ash slid into the car without missing a beat.

"See, flawless sarcasm. He sounds so smooth," Bubba said.

"I thought we were over this! I'm the funny, sarcastic, charming one in this pair."

Even though Ash had been kidding, Nick hesitated. He'd only seen cars like this in posters and online. The price tag for it was more money than his mom made in ...

Fifteen years.

At least.

"How much did you pay for it? Was it in cash? If not, how long did it take to pay it off?" Mark questioned.

Acheron adjusted his glasses before answering, "Back when it was new, I think it was almost $200,000. I paid cash. When you've lived as long as I have, you save up some money." Ash smirked as he saw Nick's mouth gap open like a fish.

Cherise furrowed her eyebrows. He's not immortal. He's not immortal. He's not immortal.

You saw Adarian's eyes.

People lived in houses that cost less. He lived in a house that was probably cheaper than the tires on this thing. Dang, what would it be like to own something so fine?

Bubba whistled. "Seems like you got yourself a sugar daddy."

Caleb snorted so loud, Nick was surprised his nose didn't come off his face.

"Bubba!" Nick whined. He felt his cheeks heat up, especially when he knew Ash was laughing at him.

Kody rolled her eyes.

"Nick, get in. I don't have all night."

Biting his lip, Nick pulled his shirttail up so that he wouldn't tarnish the pristine black paint with a paw print. Ash had already put his backpack in the floorboard. Man, this was such a cool car. Careful not to leave a shoe mark on the tan interior, he got in and shut the door. "Are you a drug dealer?"

"Dude, you can't just ask people if they're a drug dealer," Caleb stated.

"Hey, who else owns that kind of car when they look like they're 19 years old."

"No." Ash let out a short laugh. "I'm a wrangler."

"Like the jeans?" Mark asked, tilting his head.

"Or the car?" Nick said slowly.

"Yeah, I guess that's a manlier one to remember."

"A what?"

Ash started the engine with the key on the left side of the steering wheel. How weird was that? "I manage people."

"What kind of people?"

"People like you. Hard-headed. Stubborn. Irritating and smart-mouthed." He shifted into high gear and kicked it.

"Wow. He just met you and he roasted you real good," Caleb snorted.

"That was not a roast. I was stating facts," Ash corrected while Nick scoffed.

Nick grabbed the door handle and held on for his life as Ash pulled into traffic at supersonic speed.

"Relax, kid. I'm not about to dent this car."

Nick wasn't so sure about that. "You like to drive fast, don't you? How many tickets have you gotten, anyway?"

Cherise furrowed her eyebrows. Great, he convinced her son that he was an immortal god and he drove recklessly. When would the surprises end.

Ash didn't answer. Probably for the best since Nick didn't want to end up as a hood ornament on someone else's vehicle. Last thing he needed to do was distract Ash while he was driving at warp speed.

Or attempting to anyway.

"Now what exactly is warp speed? Like putting in terms that a regular person would understand," Caleb asked, prematurely turning to Bubba and Mark.

Bubba hesitated at first, his eyebrows came closer together in concentration. "There isn't really a measurement of warp speed. There is no miles per hour or anything. Warp speed is just the speed a spacecraft travels to travel faster than light."

Caleb nodded his head. "Okay, but how fast does light travel?"

"Does it matter?" Adarian growled and Caleb immediately shrunk in submission and he hated it.

Nick and Ambrose growled back and suddenly Archeron felt a surge a power pass through the house. Things would only get worse from here.

Nick cringed as Ash weaved between two huge semis. "Gah, do your parents know how you drive? And where did you get your license anyway? The Blue Light Special at Kmart?"

Ash laughed. "Who says I have a license?" Nick let out a cry of alarm.

Cherise gripped the book even tighter. She didn't want to lash out, she didn't want to ruin Nick anymore than she already had. She knew Acheron was no good, she couldn't figure out why, but she knew.

"Relax, Nick. Remember, I have evil Jedi powers. Nothing's going to touch us." He downshifted and they shot forward like a bullet.

"So all powerful immortals watch Star Wars?" Mark raised an eyebrow.

"What else am I supposed to do?"

"I think I'd rather take my chances with the zombies. Stoooop…" He swore the car actually left the ground to avoid being slammed by a car pulling out.

Yeah ... evil Jedi powers indeed.

He looked over at Ash, who was driving through the dark night with his sunglasses still in place. "How did you get those powers anyway?"

Adarian leaned forward, hoping to get a grip on what his son got him into. Because if Adarian knew anything, it was that Acheron would betray Nick one way or another.

"They were a gift on my twenty-first birthday."

"You're that old?" Nick would have sworn he wasn't any older than eighteen or nineteen.

Ash laughed again. "Somewhat older than that."

"Eleven thousand years old, yes?" Bubba asked.

"And some change, but yeah." Acheron adjusted his glasses, which Nick was starting to see as a nervous habit. If Ash got nervous that was.

"So what did you do for the gift? Sell your soul or something?"

The humor fled his face. "Something like that."

This was getting good. Nick would kill to have the kind of powers Ash did.

Ambrose let out a sigh. God, being a kid was so much easier. He wasn't tied to Artemis or Ash. He was living his life without having to worry about who was after him and what he would do next. What was he going to do when Simi came back?

"Who'd you sell it to? The devil?" Now, with anyone else, that would be a stupid question, but since Nick had seen what Ash could do, he knew Ash had gotten them from somewhere, not the local Walmart.

Ash paused before he answered Nick's question. He didn't like talking or even thinking about his past for a multitude of reasons. But his ownership wasn't something that was that big a secret, since most of the people he knew had sold their souls to the only person who could control him.

"Woah, ownership? I thought you just worked for her?" Bubba stated.

"Aren't you always owned by your employer?" Ash stated with a half-hearted smirk. This was the last thing he wanted to do or talk about.

"Why are you owned?" Mark pressed.

"Shr brings us back from the dead," Kyrian interrupted. "Because life is a gift that she gives to us, we owe her. It's that simple."

"I'm owned by a goddess, Nick."

"Which one?"

"Artemis. Ever heard of her?"

Nick scratched his ear. "Greek goddess of the moon, right?

"Ugh, Nick. Didn't you read Percy Jackson?" Caleb asked.

"I'm surprised you read Percy Jackson." Nick said.

"Hey, I've got a lot of free time on my hands."

"The moon's associated with her, but Selene is actually the goddess of the moon. Artemis is the goddess of the hunt."

"And what does she hunt?"

"Most days, me," Ash said under his breath.

Nick and Ambrose tensed at that statement. There was no way Artemis would do anything to Acheron because no matter how much Ambrose hated him, Artemis knew about their predicament. She knew Ambrose wanted to be the one to finish him when the time came.

Nick hadn't heard that the first time. So odd considering he was so observant.

It had been a long time since Menyara had heard about an old god. For the most part, they stayed in hiding, hoping that people would believe again. Artemis was one of the most active of the old gods and Mennie believed she was one of the most dangerous.

Clearing his throat, he spoke louder. "She's basically retired now. Most of the ancient gods are only powerful when they're worshiped by followers."

"Most?"

"This has always been my theory!" Bubba exclaimed. "For years I've told Fingerman that if the old gods were still alive, they wouldn't be nearly as powerful as they use to be because they need people to worship them. Demigods or other forms of gods just survived because they didn't need that power source, they got it from somewhere else."

"You're quite the odd human being," was all Ash said.

Yeah, some, like Acheron, didn't need followers to charge their powers. They were the really dangerous ones because their powers never waned. And unfortunately, Artemis could and did tap into his powers when it suited her to. But lucky for the world, she really didn't care about using them except against Acheron himself.

"Wait, how does she do that?" Nick asked, furrowing his eyebrows. He didn't know Artemis, but if she likes to bully his boyfriend he's not sure how he feels about her.

Ash just looked at Nick and shook his head. That was something he and everyone in this room didn't need to know. That was between him and her.

When he didn't clarify, Nick asked another question. "Are you one of the ones who's weak?"

"I never said I was a god." But somehow Nick seemed to sense what he was. Another thing that made him different from everyone else.

"I know you, beech," Nick smiled, hoping to make Ash feel better.

Acheron just smiled and squeezed Nick's hand.

Nick fell quiet as he digested Ash's comments. Ash didn't say it, but there was something about him that was so powerful he could almost feel it in the marrow of his bones. If he wasn't an ancient god, he was something ...

Equal to it.

Adarian gritted his teeth. All he was getting was information he knew or wasn't useful to him. Where was he from? How did he get his powers? What were their limits? How do I get rid of him?

"Well, you know, you haven't told me what you are, Ash."

"Just think of me as a powerful immortal and you'll be fine." Nick cocked his brow as he zoned in on one word in particular.

"Immortal?"

"So we only know as much as Nick does?" Bubba asked.

"Well, the book has been in Nick's point of view so far," Ambrose stated.

"But Ash is talking and we get his thoughts too?" Mark said.

"Third person omniscient," Kody mumbled.

Bubba and Mark hummed in response.

"Yeah."

"So how old are you? Really?" He must be totally ancient. "Two, three hundred years?"

Ash gave a testy smirk. "Over eleven thousand."

"Now what exactly is a testy smirk?" Caleb asked.

"You know when someone is annoyed at you but you're charming and they hate that about you?" Nick asked.

"No because I'm always charming and never annoying," Caleb bragged.

"That is not correct."

Nick's mouth fell open in disbelief. It wasn't possible. He could  not  be  that  old. "Bullshit!"

"Watch your language, kid."

At least he had some decency, Cherise thought.

"Okay, bullcrap. There's no way. We didn't even have people back then. You're yanking my chain."

Ash shook his head. "I assure you, we did. I was even on a first-name basis with some of them."

Mark snorted at the comment. "Okay, Acheron is definitely the more sarcastic one."

"I can't believe this. I'm supposed to be the funny one around here," Nick whined, looking at Ash.

Ash shrugged. "Guess you'll have to have a new thing."

Nick huffed at his boyfriend and crossed his arms.

Nick remained still as that sank in and he tried to imagine the world Ash must have come from. What would people have been like back then?

Was Ash just full of total garbage?

"You're really not kidding, are you?" Nick asked.

"Dead serious."

"You saw his powers. How are you going to doubt them now?" Bubba asked, exasperated.

"Oh my god! 'Nick you didn't react like you should have. Nick how can you trust him? Nick, Nick, Nick!' I'm not gonna be perfect!" Nick yelled.

Bubba narrowed his eyes. "Watch you take that tone with me again, boy."

Nick stuck his tongue out, but averted his eyes from Bubba. He did not want to get smacked around today.

Still, he couldn't believe it. Could people really be immortal? He'd seen the movies and read the books, but...

"How? Are you a vampire or something? What made you immortal?"

"Really good DNA."

"Boo! We want the truth," Mark said.

"Yeah!" Nick seconded, throwing his fist into the air.

Yeah, Adarian added in his own mind.

Ash simply shook his head. This was very uncomfortable. He didn't know this much of his life was going to be announced to these people. Nick was one thing, but these strangers? It was going to be a long day.

Nick rolled his eyes. Ash's glib answers were starting to irritate him. He wanted an answer and he wanted one now.

"God, younger me really didn't know anything," Nick mumbled.

"Ahem, brother," Kyrian said.

"Oh, come on. I have to know about the who-do voodoo that you do. Most of all, I want to know how I can become immortal ... well, not at my age 'cause that would suck. But in a few years when I'm filled out and in my prime." He grinned at Ash. "Make me immortal."

Be careful what you wish for, Ambrose thought. There was so much this kid didn't know, even now. God, maybe reading these was a mistake.

Ash wasn't charmed. "Look, Nick, I don't like talking about my powers and not a lot of people know what I can do. I'm trusting you with a secret and I expect you to keep it. If you can't..." He tilted his head down as if he was looking at him over the rim of his sunglasses. "Well, I'm sure your mom's going to miss you."

Cherise gasped and glared over the book at Ash. He simply adjusted his glasses and put his arm around Nick as if he was asserting his dominance. This was not going to end well for him.

"Not half as much as I'd miss me if you killed me."

"I mean, he's got a point," Caleb stated. But I'll always know the pain of losing someone.

He blinked like a girl and leaned against Ash's shoulder. "Please don't hurt me, Ash. Please. I don't want to die while I'm still a virgin. At least let me get laid before you kill me—which according to my mom I can't do until I'm married and I can't do that until I finish college. So you have to wait a good ten years before you snuff me. Deal?"

"Jesus Christ, don't you know how to keep it in your pants?" Bubba exclaimed.

"Hey! Being fourteen and lonely and an outcast was hard. No pun intended!" Nick said, causing Bubba and Mark to gag.

Ash shoved him back onto his side of the car. "You're really not right, are you?"

"Yeah, I know. It was all the paint chips I ate as a kid. They were good, but chromosomally damaging."

"You didn't eat paint chips. It must have been all that hose water you drank," Mennie stated, fondly.

"Ah yes, some-" Nick kissed his fingers, "fresh New Orleans tap water."

Ash let out an audible sigh as he forced himself not to laugh at Nick's antics. He was really beginning to like the kid a lot more than he should. There was just something about him that was infectious. "Ten years, huh?"

"Yeah, you can kill me when I'm twenty-four, provided I'm not still a virgin, but not a day before that."

"All right. It's a deal... provided you keep your trap shut."

"Trap nailed shut, sir."

"But at twenty-four..." Ash let his voice trail off.

"I'm all yours, babe."

Oh god, oh god, oh god, Ambrose thought. He felt like the room was closing in on him. He couldn't be here anymore. Why did he think he could do this? Stay calm. Don't do this to, Nick. Just let it go.

The energy shifted, something was wrong and Acheron had no idea what it could be. Both Nick and his father were Malachi and that was a danger within itself, but there was something else here and he couldn't find it. Why were the fates doing this to him?

"That was the first time I called you babe," Nick cooed, obviously trying to annoy Ash.

"Please," was all Ash said.

Ash shook his head. "I don't intimidate you at all, do I?"

"Well, when you chased me through Kyrian's house, I did wet my pants a bit. Guess I'm not housebroken after all. My mom will be so disappointed after all she went through to potty train me. But once you let me live ... your big mistake ... now I know you think I'm too cute and fluffy to kill."

Ash chuckled and looked at the boy next to him. Yeah, too cute and fluffy to kill.

Liar. Liar. Liar. Liar.

It was really hard to be agitated at someone with that kind of humor. And in all honesty, it was nice to be around someone who wasn't trying to prove himself, wet himself, or posture. It'd been a long time since someone who knew he wasn't human had treated him like one.

"You are cute and fluffy, but never forget, kid, that I'm a carnivore from a time and place where we had to kill and skin our food in order to eat it."

"Psh, you don't scare me," Mark said bravely.

"You haven't really seen me," Acheron smiled wickedly.

Nick's eyes widened as he tried to imagine Ash dressed like a Goth caveman in a studded black loincloth chasing down saber-tooth tigers and killing them with a spear... Did they have saber-tooth tigers eleven thousand years ago?

"Yes they did actually. They went extinct around the time people came to be. They lived about 2 million years before human arrived," Caleb answered, looking smug.

"Why do you know that?" Kody asked with a look of disbelief.

"I told you, I've got a lot of time on my hands."

Did people have loincloths or did they hunt naked?

Dang, his teachers were right. Some of that trivial crap could come in handy.

But that wasn't the point of this conversation. Nor the point of what Ash was telling him. "You just like to scare people, don't you?"

"As much as you like to annoy them and for the same exact reason."

It kept people from getting too close. Nick did it so that others wouldn't mock him or so that when they did, it didn't hurt as much.

"Woah, he really picked you apart," Kody whispered. It had taken her months of research before even meeting Nick. Acheron had done it within meeting him. His powers were far greater than fourteen year old Nick could even comprehend.

What was Ash trying to protect himself from? It was definitely something to think about.

Everyone and everything, Acheron thought. Joke was on him though, this idiot kid wormed his way into his heart.

Ash pulled up to the curb in front of Nick's house, which looked all the more dilapidated after he'd been in Kyrian's neighborhood.

To Ash's credit, he didn't react to the ramshackle house in anyway.

"How was I supposed to react? I lived in a mud hut," Ash smirked, though that wasn't really true. He was born and treated like someone of royal blood.

"Dude your car was nice. I don't know. Maybe you scrunch your nose a little," Nick shrugged.

"I don't have emotions."

Nick leaned his head on Ash's shoulder. "Not true."

Nick gave a low whistle as he saw a couple of people on the street stop and stare at the car. "Man, my neighbors must be freaking out. First I get picked up by a Lexus and now I'm being dropped off in a Porsche. It's a wonder they're not calling New Orleans' finest to report suspicious activity."

Ash scoffed as he turned the car off. "I think the LEOs have more important things to worry about tonight than the cars coming to your house."

Nick frowned at the word he didn't understand. "LEOs?"

"Law enforcement officers."

"Ah ... cool anagram."

"Acronym," Ash corrected.

Mark burst into laughter. "Sometimes your dyslexia really cracks me up."

"What I find hilarious is that Acheron didn't even skip a beat. He just corrected you and moved on," Caleb snorted.

"Meant to be," Nick sang, causing Ambrose to twitch.

But this time when he spoke his accent was extremely thick with the first part of the word coming from deep and low in his throat—like a growl. It was a really cool sound.

"Wait... Say that word again."

"Acronym." And poof, Ash now sounded like anyone else on the street.

"That's so awesome that you can toss out your accent. How do you do that?"

"Awesome? Please, Nick, we all know you mean sexy," Caleb waggled his eyebrows.

God, I've missed that guy, Ambrose smiled softly. At least something was making him feel better.

Nick scoffed. "Maybe not at the time. I was a straight boy then."

"Lots of practice. Now if you don't mind, I need to dump you out so I can get down to my business."

"Which is?"

"Wrangling people ... which right now is you. Get out, Nick."

"Damn, who said romance is dead?" Mark asked.

"We weren't into each other yet!" Nick exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air.

Nick opened the door and rolled out of the car. Ash grabbed his backpack and followed him up the short, crumbling walkway that was overgrown with grass and littered with pebbles.

"Oh Bryana can't carry your backpack, but Acheron is allowed to?" Caleb asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What can I say? I like it when a man takes care of me," Nick winked.

"Oh god, I regret," Caleb said, rubbing his forehead.

Not to mention a few cockroaches that scattered out of his way. Some of them ran up under the plant Bubba had sent to him.

Trying not to think about the roaches, Nick barely made it into the door of his house before his mom threw it open and grabbed him into a tight hug. "Arm! Arm! Arm!" he said quickly as she hurt him.

I would never, Cherise thought.

But you already have.

She released him immediately. "I'm so sorry, Boo. I was just so scared and then to see you ... I could beat your butt blue, boy. Don't you ever worry me like that again. You hear me!"

"Pretty sure you continued to worry her," Caleb stated.

Adarian rolled his eyes. Of course the boy couldn't even follow the one rule that he gave him. Why did he even bother having children?

Nick rubbed his hand over his injured arm, which was still stinging from her hug. "You know, I hear they have medication for those kind of vicious mood swings, Ma. Maybe you should consider taking some?"

"You really don't know how to save your sorry ass," Bubba shook his head. "If I spoke to my mama like that, you bet I'd been bruised for days."

"Once again, I'm charming. You, however, are not," Nick sassed.

Cherise shook her head, willing herself not to say anything until she could have a proper conversation with Nick.

She scoffed at him. "Don't you dare get lippy with me after what you've put me through today. You're lucky you're not grounded over this stunt. If you'd been any place other than work, you would be." She turned back toward the door to close it and froze as she saw Acheron on the porch. Her face went white as she took in the size of him.

"Yup, nothing like a beast to scare you shitless," Nick laughed.

Ash shoved his head, but apologized by ruffling his hair.

"It's okay, Mom. He's a friend of Mr. Hunter's who brought me home."

Acheron held up Nick's backpack for her to see. "I was just carrying this in for him, Mrs. Gautier. Sorry I startled you."

His mom smiled as she caught herself gawking. "It's okay. I just..."

Ash smiled. "Yeah, I know. It's a hazard of the height and clothes. I tend to freak out a lot of people."

"So humble," Caleb smiled. "I love your switch between being an almighty being and acting like you're just a really tall goth."

Acheron smirked at Caleb. For what it was worth, Caleb tried really hard to hide what he was, in fact, Acheron almost missed it. "You're one to talk, Malphas."

Caleb felt a shiver run through his spine at the sound of his name coming from a being so wicked as Ash. God, the amount of raw power in this house was starting to suffocate him.

Not to mention that lethal aura that sizzled in the air around him. But Nick was beginning to get used to that.

"You've known him for an hour. At the most!" Bubba exclaimed.

"I'm sure you've sensed the subtle sexual tension," Nick said playfully.

"That is 100% illegal," Ash shook his head. "You were just a goofy, little kid. Correction, you're still a goofy, little kid."

"Why are you so rude to me? I do nothing but adore you and this is what I get," Nick stated dramatically.

"Do you work for Mr. Hunter too?" his mom asked.

Ash set his backpack down by the door. "No, ma'am. We're just old friends."

She smiled. "You don't look old enough to have old friends."

Nick snorted at her making the same assumption he had. "Trust me, Mom, he's a lot older than he looks."

"You trying to out him already?" Mark asked.

"When an obvious inside joke comes along, I gotta do it to them," Nick said.

"Oh, I'm not allowed to reference memes, but you are?" Caleb said, offended.

"At least I'm not annoying with it."

"The only time you're not annoying."

Nick squinted his eyes at Caleb's comment. "Why are you the way that you are?"

"Well, thank you for bringing my baby home. I appreciate it."

"No problem." Acheron turned toward Nick. "Keep your nose clean, kid. I'll see you around."

"Thanks, Ash."

He inclined his head before he left.

"Well I guess that's all the information we're getting," Kyrian sighed.

"Sorry to disappoint you, General. I'm always careful, even in my own thoughts," Ash replied. He tried to sound snarky, but Nick knew better. This was bothering him much more than he wanted to let everyone know. God, why did he have to be so stubborn?

His mom locked the door and moved Nick's backpack away from the threshold so that they wouldn't trip over it. "He's a bit peculiar, isn't he?"

"You don't know the half of it."

Cherise couldn't believe how long he kept this a secret. He believed Acheron without a doubt and he even let himself fall in love. And according to this book that seemed to be written by witchcraft, Acheron would betray her baby. What was he doing? Did she really trust him to make these kinds of decisions?

"So how did your first day with Mr. Hunter go?"

"It was all right." Aside from the zombies, Rosa's lunacy, and Acheron, but no need to completely terrify her. Only one of them needed to freak out at a time.

"Good. Now I better get ready for work." She headed for her room.

Nick pulled her to a stop. "I don't think so."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I want you to quit tonight."

Bubba nearly spat out the water he was drinking. "Oh my god."

"The balls on this guy!" Caleb laughed.

"Oh no no no," Mark mumbled, shaking his head.

"What?" Nick shrugged.

"You never tell a lady, let alone your mother, what to do," Kyrian said, also shaking his head.

Mennie laughed behind her hand. She remembered Cherise telling her about this conversation. The boy was just so sweet and thoughtful, yet so incredibly dense.

Sighing, she twisted her arm out of his hold. "Stop with the nonsense, Nick. You know I can't quit. We need the money."

"No, Ma, really. Mr. Hunter's going to pay me four thousand a month to work for him."

Her jaw went slack as her eyes narrowed in anger. "Doing what?"

Caleb whistled. "Man she really didn't like you."

Cherise shook her head. "I had never met someone so genuinely kind before."

Kyrian gave her a small smile, effectively ignoring Adarian looking at him.

"Running errands, like he said."

"Oh no, no, no. I'm not having any of that. No one pays that kind of money for running legal errands. I want you to quit first thing tomorrow."

"No, Mom. It's all legal. I promise."

"Define legal," Nick murmured.

Cherise narrowed her eyes, but again said nothing. There would be a time and place for these things.

Still she refused to believe him. "Not for that kind of money it's not. What kind of fool do you take me for? I wasn't born yesterday. I—"

"Mom, listen. Please. He really is loaded like you've never seen before. Ash told me that Kyrian thinks I'm underpaid. The guy has no concept of how much money he's paying me. Really."

"So you thought I was some kind of chump?" Kyrian laughed.

"You had to be some kind of chump to pay me, a hoodlum, so much," Nick smiled, cheekily.

"No one is that loaded, Nick, that they'd just throw forty-eight thousand dollars a year at a kid for running errands. Think about it."

A day ago, he'd have been right there with her. But after today... for some reason he believed in Kyrian and his intentions. "Yeah, he is. Trust me. I saw the house and you ain't never seen nothing like it. So you can quit dancing. I'll be making enough working part time that you won't have to do anything but stay home." Just like they'd always dreamed of.

Caleb sat and tried to remember Nick this young. They had been through so much over the years that he forgot this Nick. The Nick whose only goal in life was to make his mom proud. The Nick who didn't have to worry about the bullshit they worry about now. Caleb couldn't believe he felt like Nick's babysitter at the time. That Nick, while annoying and too sarcastic for his own good, was humble and sweet and caring. God, life had really fucked them up.

His mom hesitated. "I don't know."

"Please, Mom. Trust me."

Her features softened as she cupped his cheek in her hand. "Tell you what. You work for him for a couple of weeks and after you get your first paycheck then we'll see, okay?"

Nick curled his lip as he realized her tactic. She was shutting him down and not really listening to a word he said. "Why don't you believe me?"

Kody looked at the carpet. There was something so complex about having a family, something she had forgotten about. Because you love your family with all your heart, but they put you down sometimes and don't believe in you. Family was something she longed for, but did she even really remember what it was?

"I think you misunderstood him."

"I didn't."

She brushed his hair back from his face. "We'll see, Nick. We'll see."

God, he hated that tone she used. It was so condescending and what she was actually saying is that he didn't know what he was talking about. He wasn't stupid.

Whatever. He was too disgusted to keep arguing when it was obviously futile.

Adarian curled his lips and looked at his son. The kid didn't seem to understand how good he had it. His mother fed and clothed his sorry ass all his life while Adarian was tortured and broken for centuries.

She went to go dress. "I left you some eggs and cheese on the stove in case you're hungry."

Nick cringed at her words. He should have thought to bring her some of Rosa's gumbo. She wouldn't have forgotten about him.

Next time …

Acheron squeezed Nick's shoulders and smiled. He was so hard on himself. Ash hoped he knew better than to think those things by now.

"I'm full if you want some more. Kyrian's housekeeper fed me about an hour ago."

"Was it good?" she called from her room.

"Yeah."

She poked her head out of the door. "Better than my cooking?"

He started to say yes, which was the truth, but self- preservation kicked in. He'd made the mistake of saying Menyara made better biscuits once and his mom hadn't taken it well. "No. No one's gumbo can touch yours."

"At least you know something about women," Mark huffed.

"Yeah and what do you know, Mark? You know how to get a girl to burn all your clothes," Nick jabbed back, causing Bubba to cackle.

She winked at him before she closed the door.

Nick let out a relieved breath that he'd sailed past that landmine without getting his butt kicked over it. It wasn't often he passed those tests. I'm getting better at dealing with women.

Today his mom. Tomorrow an actual girlfriend...

"You know everytime it mentions me wanting a girlfriend and you know, I have a boyfriend now, it reminds me of that one song by the Killers," Nick stated, looking at Ash.

"And how does that go?" Ash smirked.

"Somebody told me that you had a boyfriend that looked like a girlfriend and I had her February of last year," Nick sang, bobbing his head.

Caleb laughed. "I can't believe I didn't think of that. I'm losing it."

Like Kody.

Maybe I should call her? Since he hadn't seen her at school, he still had her Nintendo in his pocket.

You know you don't have her number.

"You didn't have a phone until today," Mark shouted.

Nick glared at him, but refused to say anything back. Nick had just burned Mark real good. Just like his girlfriend burned his clothes.

Oh yeah. That was a problem. One he'd fix first thing tomorrow when he went to school. And this time, he wouldn't wuss out. He'd actually ask her to go have beignets with him.

"We should probably go on a date, huh?" Ash stated.

"Only if you ask me nicely," Nick shook his head, causing Acheron to chuckle. The boy was just too charming.

Nick headed to the counter and picked up his worn-out copy of Hammer's Slammers, then headed to his room to read. He was just skipping ahead to where he left off last night when his mom pushed back the blanket.

"I'm heading out. You need anything before I go?"

"I'm good."

"Okay. Mennie said she'd come by later and check on you. I'll be home a little after dawn."

"Ha, ha. You're 14 and you still need a babysitter," Mark laughed.

"He's 18 and he still has a babysitter," Caleb chimed in.

Nick pouted, but didn't deny it. He was only ever alone when he went to sleep.

Nick set his book down as he thought about her taking the streetcars to and from work while more zombies could be out on the street. His mom would barely be a snack for them. "Would you mind if I went in to work with you tonight?"

"You need to rest."

"Yeah, but with all this weird sh—" He caught himself before he said something she'd ground him over."—stuff going on, I'd feel better if you weren't by yourself."

Mennie smiled softly at Nick. He was so different from the other Malachais. He was always so sweet and he survived with this sweetness so much longer than the others had. She knew he would be different and she prayed she was right.

A slow smile spread across her beautiful face. "You going to be my protector?"

"That's my job, isn't it?"

It was times like these when Adarian thought he really got through to the kid. Even though Nick obviously hated him, Nick always remembered his words and took them to heart. It was strange and Adarian wondered what their relationship would have been like in another world.

"All right. Grab a jacket and I'll tell Mennie."

Nick did as she ordered. She didn't often let him go to the club on school nights, but he'd meant what he said. He didn't like his mom out by herself. New Orleans could be dangerous on its best nights and since she was all he had ...

He'd guard her with every breath in his body.

Cherise had to pause for a deep breath at those words. Nick was such a good kid and he had always been a good kid. She knew she wasn't the perfect mother, but somehow she had raised a perfect boy. Well, maybe not perfect, but nearly there. Maybe Mennie was right. Maybe she was selfish.

Nick stared at his hands. He couldn't believe how out of hand everything had gotten within the last few days. His life was spiraling, not that he had ever been perfect, but these books were going to do something. Whatever it was, Nick wasn't ready for it. He needed his mom. He needed Caleb. He needed Ash. If these books cost him any of those things, he wasn't really sure what he would do.

By the time he had his jacket on over his bad arm and had reached the porch, Mennie was outside with her.

"Why don't you borrow my car, chere?"

His mom hesitated. "You know I don't like being responsible for other people's property. Besides, it's hard and expensive to park it in the Quarter. Bourbon Street's already blocked off."

"Yeah parking here is shit," Bubba sniffed. "That's why I don't leave my house."

"You don't leave your house because you have no friends," Mark sassed.

"Then park it on Royal. Please, Cherise. I'd feel better if you two weren't roaming the streets in the wee hours of the night by yourselves. Think of poor Nicky."

His mom looked at him before she nodded.

"Poor Nicky with his injured arm," Acheron teased.

"I was shot," Nick stuck his tongue out.

Menyara handed her the keys, then kissed Nick on the cheek. "You watch over your mom."

"Always."

God damn feelings, Adarian thought. Since when had those come back?

His mom smiled at her. "I'll leave the keys on the counter so that you can get them in the morning."

"Sounds good."

His mom turned and led him down the steps to where Menyara's dark blue Taurus waited next to their beat-up red Yugo that needed repairs they couldn't afford at present.

"Yugos always remind me of Russia for some reason?" Caleb stated, looking confused.

Nick burst into laughter. "Dude, what the fuck?"

Cherise opened her mouth as if to say something, but quickly closed it. Nick wasn't a baby anymore.

Nick got in first. It was weird to be in Mennie's car without her. Normally they only rode in it whenever there was a hurricane coming and they needed to evacuate when their own car was broken down.

Or Nick needed stitches.

"How many times had you needed stitches?" Acheron asked.

Nick whistled. "I don't know maybe like 6? Or 10?" Nick trailed off, starting to count on his fingers.

"You know what, never mind."

Not wanting to think about that, he buckled himself in while his mom started the car.

She ruffled his hair. "You know, since I have the car, you could stay home."

"Nope. You still have to walk from Royal to Bourbon."

She shook her head. "My fierce little bulldog."

"You're so precious," Caleb cooed.

"Stop being gross," Nick cringed.

"I'm bigger than you."

"I'm meaner."

She always said that, but it wasn't true. His mom was the kindest person he'd ever met. It was one of the reasons why he was so protective of her. In many ways, she was still a doe-eyed innocent who only saw the good in people.

At least Adarian and the kid had something in common. Cherise had always been the sweetest soul he had ever seen. Even when he was so far gone, when he stopped feeling love, Cherise had brought some of it back. I really am losing my mind.

Impossible to believe, but she even defended his dad and there really was nothing good to be said about that man. He was like the devil himself.

Well, back to square one.

Closing his eyes, he listened to the zydeco playing low on the car radio. That and Elvis were his mom's favorite kinds of music. Zydeco, she said, because it spoke to her Cajun roots. Elvis because it reminded her of being a little girl and playing with her cousins and sister. Apparently they used to get together and try to out-Elvis each other. And that thought made him grimace as the Mojo Nixon song "Elvis Is Everywhere" started echoing in his head—it'd take him days to get that to stop torturing him.

And it didn't make sense that they impersonated Elvis since they were all girls, but far from him to interject sanity into anything, especially after the day he'd had.

"Hey, those are some real controversial thoughts," Ambrose warned.

Nick nodded. "I know. It's hard getting all those sexist ideals out of your head when that's what society always had you believing and I know I'm going to keep thinking them for a while."

Everyone sat for a moment, stunned that Nick was learning and growing so smoothly. Sure, they were all guilty of giving into societal mindsets and reverting back into old time thoughts that didn't belong anymore, but seeing someone admit to it so easily was refreshing.

They reached Royal Street and parked two blocks from her club. Nick got out and scanned the street where tourists were walking, some stopping to browse in the windows of the antique and jewelry stores that lined the street. They were only a few blocks away from Liza's store. She should be closing up right about now and getting her receipts together for her deposit.

He walked his mom to her club, then hesitated at the back door as she knocked for admittance. "Do you mind if I go check on Ms. Liza?"

"You really can get away with anything," Bubba shook his head.

"Charming," Nick smiled.

She gave him a suspicious scowl. "Is that really what you're doing?"

"I promise. I don't like her dropping cash at the bank alone."

His mom kissed him on the cheek. "I don't know how I raised such a great son. Go on, but don't be gone long."

That was still true to Cherise. She raised that boy and he was good. How did she do that when she was so flawed?

"I won't." He nodded to John as he let his mom in, then reversed his tracks back to Royal Street and over to the doll store.

Just as he thought, Liza was at the counter batching her credit card machine. She looked up and smiled at him as he knocked on the window.

"Why is that scene from the first Thor movie coming to my head? The part when Lady Sith and the Warriors Three find him at the diner or something and they knock on the window and wave?" Caleb described.

"Pop culture really is your shit, isn't it?" Nick sighed, he would never been free of constant meme references.

Caleb shrugged, "The 21st century is truly fascinating."

Crossing the shop, she came to the door to let him in. "Well, isn't this a surprise. What are you doing here, sweetie?"

"I came to work with my mom and just wanted to see if you needed me to walk with you to the bank."

She locked the door behind him. "How thoughtful of you and yes, I'd love to have company. I'm just about done. You want a cola or something while I finish?"

"A cola? Dear god, you says that anymore," Mark gasped.

"Pretty sure that's copyright issues," Caleb stated.

"No way. I've referenced a video game. If anything, that should be copyright issues," Nick argued.

"Why can't we accept the fact that cola is just a soda flavor?" Kyrian raised an eyebrow.

"You got any cookies?"

"Always."

Nick skipped around her to go to the back room where she usually kept her fresh-baked cookies. Oh yeah, now this is what he was talking about...

"Cookies sound so good right now," Nick moaned.

"Too bad Rosa isn't going to make any," Caleb mocked.

"You're evil, Malphas," Acheron laughed.

He didn't know what she put in them, but they melted in his mouth and left him aching to eat his weight in them.

"By the way," he called out as he grabbed a handful. "Thanks for sending some to the hospital. They made my day."

"You're quite welcome, Mr. Gautier. Have you been to Kyrian's yet?"

"Was there earlier." He came out of the room to stand with her behind the counter. "Met a friend of his named Ash Parthen-something I can't pronounce."

She went completely still.

"I do have that effect on people," Ash said.

"Scaring them? Yeah we're aware," Nick stated.

"You stopped being scared within the hour," Bubba argued.

"Still peed my pants."

Nick wondered what that meant. "You know him too?"

"I do." She tucked her bills into the blue envelope she used to hold the deposit money.

"Any idea how to say his last name?"

"With great respect." She winked at him. "It's Pahr-thin-oh-pay-us. Ack-uh-ron Pahr-thin-oh-pay-us."

"Still can't really say it," Nick admitted. "My dyslexia really likes to kick in with your name."

"It's nice to know you still can't say my name after 4 years."

"I can say it! It just takes some time," Nick argued.

"A true old married couple," Caleb laughed.

"Yeah, that's a mouthful. I don't think I even want to know how to spell it. Can you imagine having to learn that in kindergarten? And I thought Gautier was hard. I was almost ten before I stopped putting an 's-h' in it."

She laughed.

It was weird for Ambrose. He could remember all these moments in his life. He could remember standing in Ms. Liza's store and eating her cookies. He could remember walking down Royal Street and enjoying New Orleans. He remembered being happy and then shit hit the fan. How had this happened? Why did he think reading this was a good idea?

Nick had just finished the last of his cookies when she reached for her jacket. Shrugging it on, she went to set the alarm while he waited by the door. As soon as it was beeping, she led him out and locked it tight.

Liza wrapped her arms around his good one. "You know, I miss these walks with you. Any chance I can steal you back from Kyrian?"

"You'll have to talk to him about it. Since he paid for the hospital, he kind of owns me."

"I'm sure he pays better too."

"A little bit. But he doesn't bake me chocolate chip cookies."

"I'm no baker, or chef," Kyrian admitted.

"When was the last time you cooked?" Nick asked.

Kyrian sat for a minute. "Can't even remember."

"Must be nice," Cherise mumbled to herself.

Laughing, she stopped at the ATM and made her drop. Nick escorted her back to her car and waved to her as she got in and left him on the street in front of her store. He was just about to head back to the club when he heard a strange sound coming out of the alley that cut between her store and the one next to it. It sounded like a dog...

"Werewolves," Mark stated matter of factually.

Cherise gave him a drool stare before continuing.

No, it was the same sound he'd heard outside of Kyrian's house earlier. The sound of zombies hunting him.

A chill wind blew against his skin and he could swear the sky darkened.

"What a drama queen," Caleb chuckled, trying to hide the fact that he was actually nervous. Nick was never truly safe.

All the lights on the street failed as several car alarms went off.

"What the ..."

Something came out of the alley so fast he couldn't even identify it as it rammed into him and knocked him back.

"You really do have shit luck," Bubba sighed.

"You're telling me. I get attacked when my arm is in a sling," Nick rolled his eyes.

Caleb stood up and stretched. "God, is it lunchtime yet?"

Kyrian shook his head, also standing up. "It's only one. Rosa won't have lunch for another hour. We have time for one more chapter."

Ambrose looked at Nick, trying to figure out what he was feeling. Ambrose's feelings didn't matter, only Nick's did.

"I guess," Nick shrugged.

"I suppose it is my turn to read," Mennie stated, taking the book from Cherise.

Lunch would be a good time to talk to Nick, Cherise thought.

"Okay, chapter 9…"

Chapter Text

"Wait!" Caleb exclaimed, startling everyone in the room. "This is the part where I come out!"

Nick rolled his eyes, but amused Caleb anyway, "Everyone, that's my man."

It struck him hard in the chest and knocked him down. Rolling with it, he came to his feet, ready to fight, even though his shoulder was throbbing again. Dang, would it never stop hurting?

His stomach knotted as he recognized Stone. At first he thought Stone was a zombie, but as he looked at him, he realized he was…

Cherise closed her eyes. It was getting harder and harder not to believe in the supernatural. The zombies, Acheron, Adarian, everything was getting too messed up. How could she live with the fact that the world she knew wasn't real?

As normal as Stone could be. Which really wasn't saying much.

"What are you doing?" Nick had to force himself to stop there and not let fly the particularly nasty insult that was stinging his tongue. But he wouldn't give Stone the satisfaction of letting him know how rattled he'd made him.

"When you fight zombies and discover an immortal demigod, I think you're entitled to get scared," Mark stated.

Nick puffed out his chest, "Yeah, a man takes fear with stride."

"You literally didn't want Stone to see you scared," Caleb rolled his eyes.

"I just hyped you up and this is the thanks I get?" Nick gasped.

Stone laughed, shoving Nick back. "Did I scare you, little girl?"

All right, gloves off. "You're such an epic dork."

"Woah stop yourself Nick. Can't believe you took your gloves off!" Mark teased.

"I was 14! That's pretty witty for a 14 year old, I think." Nick said.

Ash ruffled his hair. "You tried your best."

Stone grabbed him in a grip so fierce it didn't seem human. "I'm going to make you eat those words, Gautier. Along with your teeth."

Nick tried to break free. Stone increased the pressure on his neck until his vision dulled and his ears buzzed. What kind of Vulcan, kung fu death grip was he using?

"Vulcan as in Spock from Star Trek or Vulcan as in the god of fire?" Bubba asked.

"There's a god of fire called Vulcan?" Nick raised an eyebrow.

Bubba shook his head. "Yes, it's from Roman mythology. I know this world seems to revolve around Greek mythology, but the Romans had gods too."

"Sorry, Rick Roirdan didn't come out with Roman mythology until I lost interest in his books," Nick said.

Caleb gasped. "You got tired of Percy Jackson? We can't be friends."

"Are we really going to have this argument?" Kyrian stepped in.

Nick was like a puppy someone had grabbed by the scruff of his neck. His body had just gone limp and he couldn't do anything other than dangle in Stone's grip.

It was highly embarrassing and it seriously pissed him off.

"Let him go, Stone. Now."

"It's me," Caleb stated excitedly.

Kody seemed to forget who Caleb Malphas was. He was so human when he was with Nick; he was dorky, sweet, considerate, and, dare she say it, happy. Nick reminded him that humanity wasn't all bad. She forgot that he was a demon that emitted so much power and could destroy this city if he really wanted to. A werewolf was nothing to him.

Stone's grip tightened as Caleb Malphas stepped out of the shadows. The quarterback and star of their high school football team, Caleb had all the power and popularity Stone craved.

And luckily none of Stone's stupidity or cruelty.

"Aw you think so highly of me," Caleb laughed.

Stone shoved Nick away. "I was just having fun with him."

Caleb's dark hair was brushed back from his face, showing just how perfect his features really were as he eyed Stone with malice.

"I knew you had a crush on me. It's okay, I'm glad you got over it," Caleb stated.

Nick rolled his eyes. "Please if I had a crush on you, we would be dating."

Acheron rolled his eyes at that, but didn't comment. Nick didn't have a crush on Caleb and they weren't and had never dated. It didn't seem like a big issue.

"Really? Well, why don't you run along before I decide to have some fun with  you ?"

Stone's gaze narrowed. "We're not at school, Malphas. I'm not the same person out here that I am there."

Caleb invaded his personal space. He stood so close that their noses were almost touching.

Nick whistled. "Damn that's kinda hot."

Caleb sputtered and Ash thumped Nick on the head.

"This is getting out of hand," Bubba shook his head.

Adarian felt like this was out of hand from the moment they were summoned into this room.

"Neither am I, Blakemoor. Trust me, the animal in you is no match for the demon in me. Now move along before I give you a taste of what I can do to you without the football pads to dull my blows."

Curling his lip, Stone blinked and stepped back. He raked a sneer over Nick that promised him another round whenever Caleb wasn't here to interfere. "You're not worth getting my knuckles busted anyway."

"I can't believe how obvious this was. Gawd, I was in so much denial," Nick shook his head.

"It's hard to believe in something when you were raised to think it didn't exist," Kyrian said, glancing at Cherise.

She didn't bother to answer back.

With one last sullen glare, he put his hands in his pockets and crossed the street.

Nick glared at the punk. "You better be glad my arm's in a sling. Otherwise you'd be missing some teeth ... buttmunch."

"Is that the best insult you can deal?"

Nick turned his fury toward Caleb. "You want a taste of it?"

"It's nice to see nothing has changed," Mark laughed.

"You know us, creatures of habit," Nick smiled at Caleb.

Caleb laughed. "I like your spirit, Gautier. It's a shame you're not still on my team."

Nick scowled as he sensed Caleb meant something other than football. "What are you doing here?"

The kid was too perceptive for Adarian's taste, but maybe that was his own fault. Nick had already mentioned countless lessons Adarian instilled in him at a young age, maybe he's been soft for longer than he's comfortable admitting.

"I was on my way to the Triple B. It's almost time for Mark and Bubba's class on Zombie Defense and Execution. It's the most entertaining thing since that time Stone set himself on fire in chem class."

Nick laughed at the memory. Stone had been trying to show off for Casey when he knocked over a beaker full of something highly flammable that had exploded and ignited his sleeve. Unfortunately, Ms. Wilkins had been fast with the fire extinguisher and all Stone had lost were his eyebrows and some dignity.

"I miss Stone when he didn't have eyebrows. It humbled him in a great way," Nick sighed.

"Sorry your bullies eyebrows had to grow back," Ash deadpanned.

Half the class had been rooting for a Freddie Kruegering of Stone, but luck hadn't been on their side and he'd survived to continue being a waking nightmare for all of them.

"You want to come along?" Caleb asked him.

As much fun as it sounded, he hesitated. "I'm supposed to head back to my mom's job." 'Cause she would absolutely kill him if he didn't.

"Glad to see you had common sense at some point in time," Bubba scowled.

"You can't be mad when I helped you get rid of the zombie," Nick huffed.

"And miss Bubba's Zombie Roadkill Recipes? C'mon, Nick, you know you have to see this. It's must-view entertainment on an infinite scale of epic awesomeness." Caleb pulled out his phone and handed it to him. "Give her a shout and ask her if you can go."

Nick wasn't so sure about this. Caleb hadn't exactly been overly friendly to him these last few years. In fact, he'd basically ignored him.

Caleb grimaced. It's sad to think he spent years ignoring someone who would end up being his closest friend in eons. It's even more sad that he did it under the orders of Adarian because as much as Caleb hated to admit it, he owed Adarian for giving him Nick. And isn't that some twisted shit?

So why would he care if he went or not? Unless this was a trick moment like when the cool guy asked Carrie White to the prom just so they could drench her in blood and laugh at her.

Yeah, I'd look stupid in a prom dress. Worse, he didn't have the psychic powers to attack them back.

They're lucky I didn't have my Carrie powers back then, Nick thought. He's sure he would've used his powers for evil if given the chance. Too bad he had so many people who cared about him put him on the right path.

Nick turned to Ash and smiled a little at the thought that he would always have someone at his side urging him to do the right thing.

Caleb frowned at him. "What are you waiting for?"

Lightning to strike him, 'cause let's face it, that was much more likely to happen than the most popular guy at school inviting him to watch an infamous Bubbisode.

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

A sly grin curled Caleb's lips. "My enemy's enemy is my friend."

Adarian scowled. Malphas really did have the nerve to think of him as an enemy instead of his master. If Adarian wasn't so outmatched he would end Malphas like he should have done centuries ago.

"Who's your enemy?"

Caleb shrugged. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you… and I know what you're thinking. How can a guy as popular as me have any enemies or problems, right?"

"I don't remember this feeling so high school drama like," Caleb frowned.

"We were in high school," Nick drawled. "Of course it's gonna sound like a high school drama."

"I'm just saying! There had to have been some creative liberties taken."

Yeah, basically. "I haven't noticed you being slammed into anyone's locker lately."

"That's because you're not around me all the time. Trust me. Life's not easy for anyone. Everyone has scars they're afraid to show and we all get slammed head first into a proverbial locker from time to time by someone bigger and badder."

Cherise thought hard about Caleb for a minute. She knew he had issues with his own parents as they were always busy with work and left their son behind. He didn't seem to have many friends besides Nick despite his popularity. While he came from a place of wealth, he was lonely. She had never thought too much about it until now and her heart went out to the boy who was so kind to her son.

Riiight. He was more than sure that Caleb's idea of a bad day was no match for his. "What? Your parents ground you for driving your mom's new car or did you forget to tell the maid to pick up your room?"

Caleb didn't respond to his sarcasm. "You going to call your mom or not? No real sweat off my nose, one way or another. I'm just trying to be neighborly."

Mark narrowed his eyes at Caleb. Sure he was a good kid and a good friend to Nick, but something felt off about the start of their friendship. Something wasn't right.

I swear if I get drenched in pig's blood, I'm going after you with an ax.  Taking the phone from Caleb's hand, Nick punched in the number at the club.

Tiffany answered on the sixth ring.

"Hey Tiff, it's Nick. Is my mom nearby?"

"Sure, sug, hang on."

"Sug?" Acheron frowned.

"Sugar," Nick explained.

"It just sounds wrong like you're a slug."

Caleb laughed while Nick looked deeply offended.

"A very nice slug though."

While Nick waited on his mom to get to the phone, Caleb went to stare into one of the store windows. He still wasn't sure why Caleb was willing to do this. Even though he knew Caleb, they'd never hung out before. Caleb had transferred into school not long after Nick had and though they'd had many classes together, Caleb hadn't really spoken to him in school except on rare occasions. Such as to tell him to move his punk butt out of the way so Caleb could get to his locker.

"Well maybe if your punk butt wasn't in the way, I would've been nicer," Caleb rolled his eyes.

"Boys, let's not start this," Ambrose sighed. As much as he missed Caleb, he forgot about how much bickering they used to do. How could anyone stand them?

An extreme loner in spite of being popular and playing on the football team, Caleb ignored most people. No one knew much about him. He never talked about his home life or parents. If anyone ever asked a question about it, he changed topics. But it was obvious from his clothes and bearing that his parents had more cash than most, and the rumors around school said his dad was one of the richest guys in town.

Caleb sighed. Sometimes the rumors were better than the actual truth. He has spent eons gathering his own wealth, but he also gathered loneliness. Having to pretend to be a teenager when his mind was an adult was hard enough. Having to deal with everyone asking about family he didn't have and speculating on a perfect life that wasn't real was just cruel.

Of course rumors also claimed Caleb was an ex-con who'd learned to play football in juvie. One rumor even claimed he'd killed his dad and then sold his liver on the black market.

"What?" Kody asked stunned, forgetting her sadness for only a second.

"Oh yeah, for a solid year no one would come close to me thinking I would gut them for their organs. High school's wild," Caleb whistled.

Given what Caleb had said a minute ago, Nick figured it must be bleak at his house. Why else would a guy with his kind of looks, money, and popularity be wandering the streets on his way to see two lunatics give lessons on fighting off nonexistent creatures?

Then again… after all that'd happened today, zombies weren't so fictional after all.

Bubba shook his head. "Everyone thinks you're crazy until you're right and then they all want to be in your good graces. We deserve better."

"I think it's just the delivery of the information you give," Kyrian smiles softly.

"Nick? Are you all right?" his mom asked as she came to the phone.

"I'm fine. I'm just a couple of blocks away. I dropped off Liza and met a friend from school on the street—"

"Hi, Ms. Gautier," Caleb called into the phone.

Nick ignored him.

"Look how easy it is to ignore. You used to do it all the time, you should try that out again, " Ash teased.

"He's far more irritating now. I can't just ignore him when he has that stupid smug face," Nick glared at Caleb.

"It's Caleb Malphas. He wanted to know if I could go with him to Bubba's store and attend one of Bubba's classes."

"Oh Lord, what's he teaching tonight?"

"Zombie survival."

His mom let out a tired sigh. "Is he going to have dynamite there again?"

"Again?" Kyrian asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It was an educational course. We were just teaching," Bubba rolled his eyes. "Not sure why the police always have to be in my business."

"Damage to public property is my guess," Nick said.

"I doubt it. The ATF was pretty strict after the last incident. Anytime the authorities step in, Bubba usually lays low for a while."

"And how long is it going to last?" she asked.

He looked at Caleb. "How long is it?"

Caleb flashed a mischievous grin.

Kody looked at Caleb for what felt like the first time and was stunned to see how handsome he was. He had a boyish charm much like Nick, but there was an edge to him that sent him over to rugged instead of cute. He was strong from his training as a warrior and from football. He was the ideal man, or demon she supposed. If they weren't fighting on opposite sides, she was sure he would be a man she would seek to be in his company.

"It's supposed to be an hour, but usually Bubba or Mark has a serious injury about thirty minutes in and we have to break for a hospital run. Sometimes they come back if they can get in and out of the emergency room fast enough or the burns aren't too bad. Most times it ends early. I'd tell her an hour though 'cause we need to factor in the time it takes to stop laughing so hard we can walk again."

Cherise felt her eye twitch. She really let her son run around with all these crazy people. She knew she wanted to ask her son's forgiveness, but at what cost? Letting him continue to believe these insanities until no one took him seriously?

The sad thing was, Caleb wasn't joking. "About an hour, Ma.

"And you won't be alone?"

"No, ma'am. Caleb's with me and he's a good-sized guy."

"You bet I am," Caleb smirked.

Adarian finally turned his glare on Caleb. If Acheron's powers didn't outmatch his, he'd be dust by now.

Caleb chose to ignore the elder Malachi's intimidation technique because as long as Nick and Acheron were around Adarian stood no chance at even touching him.

"How old is he?"

Nick clenched his teeth in frustration. Why did he have to play this game with her all the time when it was only a matter of a simple yes or no? Dang, his mom should have been a lawyer. "How old are you?"

Caleb paused as if he had to think about it. "Fifteen."

"God, kids start looking older and older every year," Bubba sighed.

"Good genes," Caleb reasoned while Nick snickered.

"Fifteen," Nick repeated into the phone.

"What do his parents do for a living?"

This time his temper snapped and he spoke before he could stop himself. "What does that matter?"

"It matters to me and if you want to go, I want an answer."

Acheron frowned once again at Cherise's parenting methods. Of course she had every right to worry about her child, but the intense questions and strict nature didn't sit right with him. Maybe he just didn't understand 21st century parenting or what having a parent is even like.

Nick rolled his eyes at the response that grated on his last nerve. "What do your parents do?"

There was a strange look on Caleb's face. When he spoke, his tone was completely stoic. "My dad's a broker and my mom is his eternal unwilling concubine who sold her soul to him to buy the equivalent of a Ferrari."

"If you're gonna make up your own backstory, why such a shitty one?" Nick asked.

"Perfection isn't always believable," Caleb shrugged.

"Are you guys gonna tell us what that means?" Mark asked with raised eyebrows.

"It'll be explained in the book," Nick answered and Mark repeated, exasperated.

Nick let out a long breath. Caleb definitely had a way with words. "His dad's a stockbroker."

"His mom?"

"She's a housewife."

His mother hesitated before she continued grilling him. "Is he a good boy?"

"No, Mom, he's Satan incarnate. In fact, once it's over, we're going to get liquored up and tattooed, then find some cheap hoes and have a good time with his trust fund."

"We were too young then, but that's for sure what we do now," Caleb laughed.

"Sorry dude, change of plans. I'm a taken man now," Nick whispered.

Ash only rolled his eyes and sent an annoyed look at Kyrian, who could see the underlying fondness in the smile he wore.

Caleb laughed.

His mom, however, did not share that sense of humor. "Don't you take that tone with me, Nick Gautier. I'll ground you till you're old and gray. Now answer my question."

Would she never appreciate his sarcasm?

No, Cherise thought. She was his mother. She wasn't meant to laugh at his sarcasm; she was meant to keep him from harm. Cherise really wasn't sure how she was going to fix this while keeping both of them happy.

Realizing he had to play nice, Nick took the attitude out of his voice. "Yes, he's a good boy. Never been in trouble at school and he's on the honor roll. Captain of the football team. All-around psycho serial killer who hides bodies in the fridge whenever his parents go out of town."

Well... he'd tried to remove all sarcasm. Thing was, for him, it was an impossible task.

Ash sighed. "It just doesn't end with you, huh?"

"Hey, I can't help that I'm too funny for my own good," Nick turned his nose up.

"Alright," Ash chuckled before he affectionately ruffled Nick's hair.

Caleb laughed again, then leaned in to speak so that Nick's mom could hear him. "I also eat babies for breakfast and torture small animals for fun. My therapist says that I'm making real progress though."

His mother responded with a sharp note. "Don't you boys get smart with me."

Nick grinned at Caleb. "Sorry, Mom. We couldn't resist."

Caleb smiled to himself as he thought back on their times together. Yeah, shitty stuff had happened and they became friends under shittier circumstances, but times like those make him feel like a regular person. And wasn't that just the strangest thing?

She spoke to her boss, then came back to Nick. "All right. You can go, but I want you here in an hour."

"Yes, ma'am. I'll be there."

"I love you, baby."

Ambrose looked at his hands as they turned into fists. He missed this so much. He missed the sound of his mother telling him that she loved him. He missed her constant nagging and helicopter parenting. He missed her slightly below average cooking and her laugh as she and Mennie talked in the kitchen. He really wished he had cherished it while he could.

Instead, he turned a slight glare to Acheron who Nick was leaning against heavily. They weren't necessarily cuddling, simply keeping contact, Ambrose wanted to smite him where he sat.

Nick felt his face turn bright red as he turned away from Caleb. "I love you too," he said in a low tone. Then he hung up the phone and returned it to Caleb. "I don't want to hear no crap from you about that."

Caleb held his hands up. "Don't worry. Wish I had a mom I could love. Mine's a psycho hose beast who begrudges me every breath I take. Besides, you didn't make kissing noises at her. So what's to mock?"

This time. And it was only because Caleb was here that he didn't.

"You mean to tell me, you would have done them unprovoked?" Mark laughed.

"Dude, your mom didn't even do them first! Why? Unless… you wanted to?" Caleb raised an eyebrow.

Nick turned a bright red. "Shut up! What does it matter now?"

Mark and Caleb continued to laugh while Nick shrunk further into Acheron.

"Don't worry, I think it's endearing," Ash teased.

"You shut up too!" Nick shoved at Ash's shoulder, barely causing him to move in his seat.

Caleb put the phone in his pocket and led the way toward Bubba's store.

As they walked, Nick's thoughts went back to Stone and the oddity of their meeting. "What do you think Stone was doing behind Liza's store?" It wasn't like him to be out alone. His brand of cowardice usually needed an audience to perform for.

Caleb jerked his chin in the direction of the full moon. "He was probably prowling around with his buds and found some Dumpsters with trash in them to sniff."

"You went to school with a werewolf?" Mark exclaimed and Bubba's eyes widened.

"I go to school with a lot of different people," Nick said vaguely, shifting in his seat.

"I guess we got a lot to learn," Bubba smirked, leaning back into the sofa.

"Huh?"

"It's a full moon, Nick. I'm sure the animal in Stone took over. He was probably trying to teleport somewhere and because of his young age, screwed up the jump. I think he landed behind the doll store 'cause Liza was summoning the gods earlier tonight and her powers called out to him or something. They might have even interfered with him."

Nick snorted at his worthless answer.

Cherise missed the Nick that didn't casually talk about werewolves like he thought they were real. Or the one who dated men older who claimed to be an immortal being.

"Ah, gah, you're not going to start with all that werewolf crap too, are you?"

"You don't believe in them?"

"I only believe in zombies and only because I've seen them today. The rest… total caca."

"Caca?" Ash deadpanned.

Nick burst into laughter at the monotone of his voice.

"I don't know why you bother," Kyrian shook his head.

Caleb shook his head. "You live in New Orleans and you're Catholic, not to mention friends with Bubba and Mark, yet you don't believe in demons, werewolves, or vampires?"

"The only vampires I've ever seen are the Goths trying to get a glimpse of Anne Rice's house, who drink strawberry sodas and tell each other it's blood."

"You're such a skeptic."

And Nick took a lot of pride in that too. He didn't like the idea of anyone putting anything over on him. Better to be jaded than a victim. "I take it you're not."

"Well I'm glad that worked out for you," Caleb laughed.

Cherise rolled her eyes and turned to Mennie for support, instead she found her with eye's cast down and a frown on her face.

Menyara knew Nick couldn't be shielded from this world forever, but for him to be exposed at such a young age broke her heart.

"I believe in it all."

"Why?"

"C'mon, Nick, haven't you ever been walking down the street and just felt the hand of evil brush down your spine? You know that tingle. That sense that something isn't right, but you don't know what it is. That's a demon by your side, boy. He's sizing you up to toy with."

Nick didn't believe a word of what he was trying to sell. "You're just trying to mess with my head."

"I'm trying to prepare you for the real world."

While Nick knew that Caleb was sent by his father to look after him, it was still shocking how much Caleb tried to warn him about. Nick was a thorn in Caleb's side, but Caleb did a lot more for Nick than he should have. Indentured servitude be damned, Caleb was the reason Nick was alive today.

"The real world is getting a good job, paying your bills, and keeping your nose clean." Staying off death row.

Caleb gave him an arch stare. "Wow. You've totally bought into that namby-pamby status quo."

"It's not status quo. It's the truth."

Sometimes Nick wished he was still that brainwashed and he knows Ambrose feels the same way. But they both knew this was the only way they could get through life. At the end of the day, Nick wouldn't have half the blessings he had now if his life was normal.

"Whatever you say." Caleb stepped up on the curb as they reached the Triple B. He moved ahead and opened the door to let Nick enter first.

"Store's closed. There's no classes to—" Mark's voice broke off as he came out of the back room and saw them. "Oh. It's you guys. Come on in."

Nick scowled at the strange welcome. "What's going on?"

Mark didn't answer as he walked past them and went to the door they'd just entered through, locked it, then turned the closed sign around. "You won't believe this." He motioned for them to follow him into the back room.

Oh goody. He couldn't wait. Whenever Mark uttered those words, it was always a doozie.

"Someone's gotta be the bearer of bad news and Bubba ain't got the stomach for it," Mark shrugged.

Bubba scoffed, but didn't deny it.

But the minute he entered the back, Nick pulled up short. Bubba and Madaug were sitting in front of the computer—oh, that little wanker. How could Madaug be here after not picking up the phone all day?

Nick wanted to choke him.

"If I had two arms I might have," Nick grumbled.

"No doubt you little bulldog," Ash smirked.

Caleb gagged while Ambrose glared at the carpet.

A break couldn't come soon enough.

Madaug's glasses were slightly askew on his nose as he tugged at his short hair while reading through the code on the screen.

"How did he get here?" Nick asked Mark.

Mark gave him a droll stare. "Walked."

"Sometimes you people irritate me," Nick said, turning his nose up.

"Sometimes we gotta give you a taste of your own medicine," Mark answered, mimicking Nick.

Nick scoffed at him. "Seriously. After all we've done to locate him today, when did he pop back in?"

"Couple of hours ago." Mark stood opposite of Nick and Caleb.

Oblivious to them, Madaug pointed to a line of code. "See, Bubba. That's what I was talking about. This algorithm was designed to subliminally repress their anterior cingulate cortex while this one stimulated the orbital frontal cortex and amygdala, thereby raising their serotonin levels."

Nick scowled at Caleb, who, thankfully, looked as confused as he felt.

"Just two bros who have the emptiest heads," Nick cackled.

"I happen to be smarter than you," Caleb scoffed.

"Please don't start this or I will finish it," Kyrian said, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Bubba and Mark, however, seemed to be fluent in the geek speak that left him baffled. "Yeah." Bubba scratched at the stubble on his chin. "But I don't see how that gave you control of the hypothalamus."

"It doesn't really. Only the somatic nervous system should be affected with a small byproduct of elevated stress in the hypothalamus that should have inhibited his aggressive behavior. What I can't figure out is how I lost control. What did I miss, Bubba?"

Cherise scrunched up her nose, not even understanding how Menyara was reading this at all. She was glad to know that only Bubba and Mark seemed to understand, maybe Kyrian.

Nick cleared his throat. "I can tell you what I'm missing. A clue. What are you people talking about?"

Mark cut a sideways look to Nick. "Zombie Hunter."

Nick had to bite his tongue to not respond with no, duh. "And that would be different from all the other discussions you guys have had how?"

"Is that really all they used to talk about?" Ash asked quietly.

Nick pondered for a second before answering, "I mean most of the time. Bubba didn't like talking about himself and Mark was just… Mark."

Mark let out an aggravated breath. "Not killing zombies, Nick, playing them."

Madaug turned toward Nick to answer. "I invented a video game called Zombie Hunter. That's what we're working on."

Nick smiled. "Oh, that's cool. Can I play?"

"No!" Mark, Bubba, and Madaug shouted all at once.

"You asked to play after hearing all they had to say about the algorithm of the game?" Kyrian asked, incredulously.

"Didn't you hear? I had no idea what they were talking about. All I knew was zombie video game," Nick rolled his eyes.

Bubba took a swig of his soda. "Trust us, Nick. This is one game you don't want any part of."

"Why?"

Madaug pinned a gimlet stare on him. "Because anyone who plays it gets turned into a zombie."

Oh yeah right... Nick didn't believe that for one instant. "Bullcrap."

Cherise smiled slightly. Yeah, she definitely missed Nick when he was a skeptic.

"Nah, man, it's true." Bubba indicated Madaug with the can in his hand. "Your little friend here is quite brilliant."

Yeah, brilliant at getting shoved into lockers…

Nick couldn't understand how Madaug could be bright enough to figure out how to program a game, but not fly under the radar of the people who wanted to abuse him.

Caleb snorted. "Cut the kid some slack. Those meatheads targeted people; there was no running."

Nick nodded his head. "I guess that's what they did to me too. I was just better at holding my own than he was."

Ash ruffled Nick's hair just to see him squawk and get his mind off his dark past of being bullied.

Madaug pushed his glasses up on his nose. "I learned that a specific sequence of light and sound can actually alter brain waves and override them. See, the brain is like a computer and if you can bypass certain programming, you can hack in and change someone's core hard drive."

Nick had to give him credit, it sounded impressive. "How did you learn this stuff?"

"Truly, it is amazing what people can learn. These are things they didn't even teach in school. Imagine if school was actually useful," Bubba ranted.

Nick rolled his eyes. Here goes the anti-school speech again. "Not all of us can own a gun shop in the deep south, Bubba."

"And that's a smart business move!"

"My mom's a neurosurgeon at Tulane and my dad's a research criminal neurologist. They have really boring conversations at the dinner table and force me to listen to them while I eat my mom's really bad cooking. My dad's doing a study right now on ways to inhibit violent behavior, which is what gave me the idea for the game. I took his notes, did some independent research, and then had Bubba teach me the core programming to build levels for the game that would alter their brain pattern."

Caleb hit Nick in his good shoulder. "See what you can learn when you listen to your parents?"

Cherise missed when Caleb was actually a good influence on Nick too.

"I think all of our issues could be solved if we didn't have mommy/daddy issues," Caleb snickered.

Kody solemnly nodded her head, yeah that could fix all her problems.

Nick scoffed. "That ain't what my parents talk about." But if anyone ever wanted to learn how to pole dance or gut a human being, Nick was the one to talk to.

That, however, was another topic and not helpful tonight at all… then again, the gutting might come in handy if more zombies came for him.

Ash whistled. "Maybe we can talk about pole dancing later."

Nick squawked at Ash again. "Completely inappropriate behavior. We're reading a children's book."

Ash just laughed.

"So who has the game?" Nick asked Madaug.

"I gave a copy to Brian 'cause he was always messing with me. I wanted to see if I could reprogram him to stress out whenever he felt the urge to come at me. Instead of getting pleasure, bullying would increase his fear, and make him pull back. That was the plan."

Bubba took another drink. "He was Madaug's guinea pig."

Madaug looked sick over that comment. "Yeah, and now I can't find the game. I don't know who has it, but apparently other people have been playing it which is why we have zombies cropping up all over the place."

"This is what happened at your school," Cherise asked, carefully selecting her words, trying to control her temper.

"It was all just a misunderstanding," Nick said nervously, rubbing the back of his head. "I got roped in by pure accident."

"You got roped in because of your so called friends," Cherise said through gritted teeth.

"Cherise," Minnie warned. "We're not going to do this again."

Cherise took a deep breath before letting Mennie pick the book back up just so she could stew in her emotions by herself.

Adarian had truly forgotten why he picked Cherise in the first place, as sweet as she looked, she was feisty. He liked feisty.

Bubba snorted. "Yeah, two and three at a time, 'cause God forbid kids should do what we did back in the old days and play in a room by ourselves. What kind of geeks are they raising nowadays? Geeks with friends who play video games together. Whoever heard of such? It's the end of days, I'm telling you all."

Nick was confused by his outburst. "But, Bubba? Aren't you and Mark friends?"

"Ah, hell no. Mark's not my friend, he's my minion."

"That's still true," Bubba nodded.

Mark scoffed, taking full offense. "That's not what you said last night."

The silence sat in the room for far too long before Mark realized what he had just insinuated. "Wait! No! Please!"

Nick erupted in laughter, throwing himself on the ground.

"Bubba got drunk last night and-"

"Mark please this doesn't make it look better," Caleb laughed, joining Nick rolling on the ground.

Bubba was a deep shade of red. "Now look at what you did, Fingerman."

"I just meant last night you said we were best friends!" Mark was desperate now, trying to save his reputation.

"I bet y'all are more than friends," Nick giggled, finally picking himself up and wiping the tears from his face.

Mark stiffened. "I prefer sidekick. I tried once for the title of Padawan, but Bubba wigged out saying that mentors are always killed off in books and movies and he'd be damned if he was going to die once he taught me everything I needed to know about killing zombies."

"Then why let you be his sidekick? Isn't that the same thing? " Nick asked.

"If we wanna get nerdy, Obi Wan wasn't killed off until way later in life so I think you're allowed to be the mentor," Ash added, pushing his glasses up.

"I will be resuming my title of Padawan then," Mark stated, puffing out his chest.

Mark laughed. "Uh, no. In the movies, the sidekicks are the ones who die."

Nick wasn't about to touch that screwed-up logic.

Bubba ignored him as he continued speaking. "And because Madaug had it programmed to repel Brian from him, we think the programming is backwards and it's making them seek him out instead. So we need to rework the code to switch them back to normal."

That sounded good, but Nick only had one problem with this theory. "So why are they coming after me?"

Bubba and Madaug gaped at him. "What?"

"Leave it to Nick to keep out vital pieces of information," Kyrian smiled.

"I wasn't important until this very second," Nick defended.

"I don't know, saying you've been attacked by zombies feels important," Bubba added.

"Two of them, a few hours ago, tracked me down at work," Nick explained. "They almost had me too."

Bubba shook his head in denial. "That's not possible. The programming only works around Madaug and his DNA."

Nick held up his good arm to show them the bandage where he'd been bitten. Again. "Possible or not, they tried to turn me into a Nick McNugget."

"Now when does that meal drop? Amirite?" Caleb joked, raising his hand for a high five with Ash.

"You two really are kindred souls," Ash shook his head, leaving Caleb hanging.

Bubba grabbed his arm, pulled the bandage back, and studied his two wounds. "Well, isn't that interesting."

Nick was aghast at his nonchalance. It might have been funny had it been happening to Stone and not him. But right now, he didn't exactly have a sense of humor about being a zombie chew toy. "I ain't your science experiment, Bubba. I don't want to be interesting and I definitely don't want to be a nubby treat for the zombies."

Bubba looked at Madaug. "Why would they try to eat Nick?"

Madaug shrugged. "I don't know why they're trying to eat anyone. Period. The program was to calm them down and make them passive. Not aggressive."

"Epic fail, dude," Nick said.

"God, this really does age the story," Caleb groaned.

"You've been quoting outdated memes for days!" Nick shouted.

"They're timeless classics!"

Madaug looked back at his code before he responded to Nick's outburst. "From what I've observed today, when the programming kicks in they attack whoever they're around. But I haven't seen them tracking anyone except me and I still haven't figured out why they're stalking me and not quivering in fear."

Caleb crossed his arms over his chest. "You turned them into zombies, Madaug. They're after your brains."

Nick laughed. "I'd say it's because they're all mindless jocks, but that might offend you."

"Yeah, and then I'd have to break your other arm."

Adarian shook his head. When had he lost control of Malphas? Was his offspring really that powerful? Could he really turn Adarian's own servants against him? He needed to change the plan quickly.

Bubba set his drink down. "Don't make me have to separate the two of you. I'm out of patience with kids today." He indicated the smashed cabinets from earlier. "I still wanna know who to sue to get my store fixed."

"I'm a turnip." Nick pointed to Madaug. "Sue the rich kid who started it."

Kody was really struggling. She knew she didn't deserve to be able to laugh and joke with Nick, but it was hard. Nick at 14 years old was too sweet and funny for his own good. She wanted to go back, she wanted to choose a different path. She wanted to be important in Nick's life again.

Before Madaug could defend himself, there was a sharp thud against the door, followed by the sounds of someone moaning while trying to get in.

Mark leaned his head against the wall as if he were in agony. "Please let that be Tabitha playing a prank."

Bubba hefted his ax from its peg on the wall. "Guard the geek," he said to Mark. "I'm going to check it out."

Mark moaned even louder. "Please don't let it be another cop. I'm outta bail money." He looked at Nick. "Wait a minute. ... I could sell you on eBay and make a killing."

"Ah yes, back when we could human traffic on eBay," Mark sighed.

"You're lucky you've avoided jail for so long," Nick stated.

Nick pointed to his busted arm. "Not in my current condition. You'd have to sell Caleb or Madaug. I'm sure there's someone willing to buy two perfectly good white boys." He leaned forward to look past Mark, who had thankfully bathed the scent of duck urine off him, to see who was at the door.

With the ax cocked on his shoulder, Bubba unlocked it and a group of Goths spilled into the store. They were so excited that they were talking over each other to the point Nick couldn't understand any of them.

"I'm glad you can still pull off the goth aesthetic," Nick said to Ash.

"It's the only aesthetic I know," Ash shrugged, unconsciously running a hand down his vest full of iron on patches.

Nick was very endeared.

The last one in let loose a whistle so piercing, it echoed. As she turned toward him, Nick recognized Tabitha decked out in pants so tight he was sure they were illegal in some states.

Probably this one.

She looked up at Bubba. "We need supplies, B. Lots and lots of supplies."

Bubba scowled. "Why? What's going on?"

"Who let loose the zombies?" one of the guys asked.

"Yeah, and they don't move slow," another inserted. "They're like super zombie mutants on speed."

"Miss our people. The people who believed," Mark shook his head.

"They're in the shop everyday because no one wants to deal with them but us," Bubba stated.

"What? I can't miss people?"

The tallest of the guys pointed to his swollen and red eye.

"They look like a rival football team that I swear we played a couple of weeks back. Which is how I got the black eye. I was trying to keep Tabitha from committing murder."

Madaug moved past Nick, his mouth hanging open. "Eric? Is that you?"

The one holding his eye turned with a stern frown. His black hair was teased to stand out all over his head like Rob Smith from the Cure. He wore even more makeup than Tabitha, which included black lipstick, guyliner, and black blush. Even his fingernails were painted black. A color that swathed him from head to toe. "What's my kid brother doing here?"

"How do you feel about guyliner?" Nick asked Ash, wiggling his eyebrows.

"It'd take a lot to butter me up."

"That's not a no."

"Mazel tov, Eric!" Bubba slapped him on the back so hard he staggered. "Your brother is the one who gave us the zombies."

Eric's face was a mask of disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me. Madaug?" Eric turned on his brother then. "What the he—you doing? Mom and Dad are going to ground you for life."

"I know," Madaug said wistfully. "I'm trying to undo it. But..." He shook his head as if he'd had a thought and was banishing it.

"Never mind. You're worthless. You haven't passed a science test since fourth grade."

"The duality of siblings is fascinating," Caleb chuckled.

"The world didn't give me a sibling because they knew we'd be too powerful," Nick laughed.

Well.. Adarian smirked.

Eric shoved him.

Madaug pushed back. "Don't start with me, you cross-dressing freak. I can't believe I share a common gene with you. I swear Mom and Dad found you at a rest stop."

Nick cringed at the insult. He really couldn't believe how much time had changed and how much his mindset had changed. He could blame it on how or where he was raised, but this mindset was really damaging for kids like them to have.

"They found you in a toilet drain, jerk weed."

Tabitha separated them. "Quit, you two. Save your energy for killing what's important. The undead."

Bubba rested the top of the ax against the floor. "Hang on a minute, and I can't believe I'm about to say this ... but since what we're dealing with is innocent kids Madaug messed with and a handful of really stupid adults who should have had a life other than playing video games, and you should consider that's coming from a gaming addict, we can't kill them." He passed a stern look to Tabitha. "These ain't the undead, Tabby. They're living, breathing morons and we have to save them."

"And that's the plot of every great movie," Caleb clapped.

"Team save morons because who else will!" Nick exclaimed.

Tabitha sighed in disgust. "I'd rather stake them all and let God sort them out."

"And I'd rather not go to jail for the rest of my life," Eric said sternly. "No offense, but I know what they do to good-looking guys in prison and I'm way too cute to be resisted."

Mark snorted. "Pah-lease. Your worse problem what with that black lipstick and long hair is that they'll mistake you for a woman. I highly doubt they'd lock you up with the men dressed in that getup. More like you'd go in with the prostitutes. Hey... you know, lockup might not be so bad for you."

Cherise choked after having to read that. "You all need to go to church more often."

Mark mumbled an apology, but no one doubted they needed help from the big guy upstairs if he still offered help around these parts that is.

"ADD applicants," Bubba snapped, "can I have your attention for a minute. We need to get out there and find these people before they eat anyone else. Bring them here so we can try to undo what Madaug did."

Eric pursed his lips. "Where we going to put them? The tub?"

Bubba glowered at Eric before he went to the wall, pulled down a gun, and showed a hidden…

Cell—

"Is that even a legal addition?" Kyrian asked. More out of curiosity for his own purposes than actual concern.

"What are you, the fuzz?" Bubba sniffed.

Kyrian shook his head with a tight lipped smile.

one that was completely padded and with steel reinforcements and restraints hanging from the ceiling. Nick had never seen anything like that in his life.

Tabitha laughed. "Oh my God, Bubba has a sex dungeon!"

Bubba narrowed his glare on her. "You're too young to know about such things."

"Are you kidding? My aunt owns Pandora's Box on Bourbon Street. From the looks of those restraints, I think you went shopping there."

Nick snickered and Bubba shot him a glare. "Can we be grown ups here?"

"Is that what you've been doing?" Caleb sassed, also receiving a glare.

Bubba made a sound of deep aggravation as he glanced at Eric. "Can you muzzle her?"

"How do you think I got the black eye? And for your information, she don't hit like a girl. She might be from an all-estrogen family, but some dude trained her well."

Mark arched one brow. "Looks like bad eyeliner to me. You sure you got hit by a girl?"

"Everyone in the room has ADHD and God, is it hard to survive in that room," Nick shook his head.

Ash ruffled Nick's head once again, not surprised at all by the loud smack of Nick's hand shooing him away.

Bubba whistled. "And we've lost focus again, people. I swear it's like herding cats. For the next five minutes I want all of you to banish the sarcasm and focus. I know I'm asking for a miracle, but this is life and death. Okay?"

"Aight," they said in unison.

Bubba nodded at all of them. "We have got to protect the city. I want all of you out there patrolling for zombies. When you find them—"

"Stake them!" Tabitha pulled out one of her steel spikes to illustrate her words.

Bubba snatched it from her. "No. Get them to chase you back here, where Mark and I will be waiting to tranq them. Is everyone clear? No murder. No bloodshed."

Cherise was filled with so much rage. She trusted these people with her son, her baby. She trusted them, just to find out that they had been putting him in danger for years. They had been filling his head with nonsense and turning him against her.

How would she survive this? What could she do to save him from all of this?

Tabitha rolled her eyes. "What a waste of a good night."

Madaug was aghast as he looked at his older brother. "Do Mom and Dad know you're dating a homicidal lunatic?"

"No, and if you tell them, I'll superglue your fingertips to your keyboard."

A tic started in Madaug's jaw as his cheeks turned bright red. "Mom said if you ever do that again, she's going to shave your head while you sleep."

Maybe Nick didn't want a sibling because if anyone pulled that crap on him, someone would have to die for their sins.

"Children!" Bubba shouted. "There are dangerous creatures out there. Let's go get them."

Madaug took a step for the door.

Bubba pulled him to a stop and forced him back toward the storeroom. "Not you. We need you to stay here and keep working on a cure."

Caleb looked at Nick. "You ready for this?"

Nick checked his watch. "Only for the next forty-five minutes. After that I get grounded."

At least he has some sense, Cherise thought. Still very unhappy with how this story was turning out.

"C'mon, Cinderella. Let's get started before you turn into a pumpkin." Caleb led him out of the store and down the street, toward their high school, which made sense since it was where all of this started.

And my worst fear this morning was being late…

"God, that feels like a lifetime ago now," Caleb stated.

"This was an eternally long day," Kyrian agreed.

Who knew he'd end up having to be afraid of having his brains ripped out and devoured?

Wonder if I should start carrying a chainsaw to school? That wasn't listed on their anti-weapons list…

As they walked, his thoughts went to Madaug and his family. "Don't you think it's odd that Madaug's brother doesn't go to school with us?"

Caleb put his hands in his back pockets. "Probably too dumb to get in."

"Now that's just rude," Cherise mumbled.

Caleb shrugged. "The world isn't kind to people who are stupid."

"You think?"

"Genetics doesn't always rule intellect. Believe me. I come from a long line of really stupid people. Scares me that I swim in their gene pool. Yet here I am, a hell of a lot smarter than they are."

Nick didn't even want to think about his gene pool for fear of the infection it might contain.

And oh how infected it truly is, Ambrose thought solemnly.

He lived in constant terror that one day a switch would turn on in his head and make him the monster his father was.

Yikes, Nick thought, speaking to Caleb in his mind.

Yikes indeed.

Every time he tried to talk to his mom about it, she told him he was ridiculous. And yet he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something inside him dying to get out. Something sinister, cold, and unfeeling.

Ash shook his head. He was raised with the knowledge of what he could become. Nick was thrown into this world as a child. He was amazing for being the good person he is now.

"You have any sibs?" he asked Caleb, trying to distract himself from that line of thought.

"Not full-blooded. I really don't count the others. What about you?"

"No."

Caleb nodded. "So what does your dad do, Nick?"

Adarian shook his head. Malphas had been so useful before.

Caleb clenched his hands into fists, watching Adarian out of the corner of his eye. He'd make that bastard pay one day.

"I don't talk about my dad." To anyone. Bubba and Mark were the only two who knew his dad was a felon. To the rest of the world, he never said anything. "He's not part of our lives and I want to keep it that way."

"I understand. Don't have much to do with mine either."

"Why not?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you. But that's okay. That which doesn't kill us just requires a few centuries of therapy."

And even then you'll still be messed up, Kody thought.

"Yeah, and usually a lot of Tylenol."

Caleb laughed. "Hey, I tell you what, if we spread out, we can cover more ground. Want to meet back up at the cathedral?"

"Sure."

"All right. I'll see you there."

"Can't believe you guys split up. That's how people die," Mark shook his head.

Nick rolled his eyes. "Luckily we made it out somewhat alive."

Nick headed down the side street that would connect him to Bourbon, which was thronging with people who could be the next victims.  Like you could tell the difference between a zombie and a drunk tourist?

That would be challenging. But if he were a zombie looking for business, that's where he'd head. And as he'd noted, they would blend in seamlessly there.

"Mr. Hunter," Rose announced herself, breaking them from the world.

"Yes, Rosa?" Kyrian stood, approaching her and stretching his legs from sitting for too long.

"You have a call and lunch will be served soon," Rosa left as quickly as she came.

Kyrian sighed. "You can all continue, I have some business to deal with."

Nick looked at Ash as Kyrian walked away, but Ash only shrugged. The General was a busy man. If it was something important, Kyrian wouldn't hesitate to inform him.

As he walked down the street, he noticed that the buzzing in the street lamps was getting louder. He slowed as he came even to the Lalaurie mansion—the most haunted and evilest place in all of New Orleans. If there was such a thing as a hell-mouth, this place stood on it. Ever since he was a kid, it'd given him the creeps. Tonight more so than normal.

A sudden wind whipped down the street, stirring his hair and raising a chill on his neck as a huge raven flew over his head to land on the upper wrought-iron balcony where it seemed to stare down at him.

I know I sound crazy, but I swear that bird is watching me.

"Alright, spoiler alert," Caleb started, standing up. "I want this information to come out on my own terms and plus, who doesn't want more of an uproar?" Nick is honestly surprised Caleb is fessing up to this so soon.

But it is better to get ahead before everything comes crashing down on you.

"The bird watching Nick is me," Caleb stated easily. "I am a demon. I am older than humanity itself. I was enslaved to follow Nick and lead him to his demise, but I have betrayed my master, after 1000 years of enslavement."

The room was silent. The air was stale.

"I know it's hard to understand, but I thought everyone should know." Caleb sat carefully, surprised by the lack of response.

Caleb wouldn't reveal Adarian just yet. He wanted everyone to know what he did to him. To understand that for 1000 years Caleb was tortured at the hands of that thing.

Adarian didn't flinch. Whatever Malphas was planning wouldn't work, he should know that.

Cherise had nothing to say. There was nothing more she could do. Her son was truly lost.

It cocked its head.  Yeah, that's eerie as all get out . Just like the building itself.

In that house, dozens of people had been brutally tortured and murdered in ways his mom wouldn't even talk about. Every family who'd owned it since the Lalaurie's had reported seeing and hearing the ghosts of those who'd lost their lives to Delphine Lalaurie's psychotic cruelty. Something that had been so atrocious her own cook had set fire to the kitchen, trying to kill herself to escape the madwoman.

"So are ghosts real, since everyone seems to be a demon?" Bubba asked.

"Of course not," Ash stated easily.

Even the seasoned firemen who were used to dealing with death and gore had vomited when they'd uncovered the mutilated victims Delphine had left behind.

Help me…

Nick turned around, trying to see who had spoken. It sounded like a child's voice.

I'm so scared. Why can't I see? Is anyone there?

"I'm here," Nick called. "Where are you?"

"So scared and you called out to the voice. That's some white people shit." Mark scoffed.

"We're all white, Mark." Nick stated.

Disembodied laughter rang out. The light above him shattered.

Cursing, Nick jumped back as glass rained down on him.

He saw the shadow of a little girl by the side of the house. "Help me find my mommy. Please." She walked through a door that was ajar, into the small alcove that led to the interior garden.

"Aw hell nah. I'm punting that kid into the next state," Bubba shook his head.

Caleb laughed. "No remorse huh?"

"Wait!" Nick closed the distance between them, wanting to help her. He reached out to pull her to a stop. His hand passed right through her body.

What the?

All of a sudden, she turned around and his gut shrank. Her face was scarred, her large eyes were nothing more than an eerie shadow.

Baring a set of fangs, she attacked.

"Well damn, what a great place for lunch," Mark stated, groaning as he stood.

"This has already been a day," Bubba said, rubbing at his temples. "I'mma need some bourbon with lunch."

"Pour one for me, Bubba," Cherise sighed.

Nick whipped his head at his mother. She hardly ever drank, in fact, Nick couldn't remember the last time that she had.

Ash rubbed Nick's back at his reaction. What were they going to do to save this family?

"I think we made it all the way around if you want to read again, Nick," Ambrose stated.

Nick had honestly forgotten that Ambrose was still around. He had grown more quiet as the story went on and as he had grown closer with Ash. "Yeah I can do that."

"Okay then! Lunch!" Caleb jumped up, heading to the kitchen to be served first.

Ash and Nick stayed behind while everyone migrated toward the kitchen. Nick sighed before laying his head on Ash's shoulder.

"Was reading this book really the best idea?" Nick asked softly.

Ash sighed. "I don't know, but we're too far in now. I'm sure everything will work itself out though."

Nick nodded and closed his eyes, trying to remember the last time he felt this helpless, but simultaneously so happy.

"Come on," Ash stood after a minute, putting a hand out for Nick. "Lunch."

Nick nodded, taking Ash's hand and taking a second to himself to think about how much he likes that feeling