Illusion: Chronicles of Nick (17 page)

All the times she’d held him as if he was the most valuable thing in the world to her.

“You really do love your mother,” Acheron breathed in disbelief.

“I told you that.”

Ash continued to stare at him as if he smelled like Mark in his “special” ghillie suit. “A Malachai capable of love…”

“Yeah, nobody’s perfect.”

Acheron laughed. “You’ve no idea.”

“Actually, I do.”

The Atlantean fell silent as he continued to pace. Awkward with the sudden intensity of Ash’s thinking, Nick debated the sanity of interrupting him. He really wanted to, but there was an air about Ash that said he needed a few minutes to get a handle on everything. And that was something Nick understood better than anyone. There was nothing about his life that was simple or easy, and especially normal. Many days, he had a hard time wrapping his own head around his reality.

Finally, Acheron spoke again. “Why did you save Simi after what I did to you?”

“It was the right thing to do.
She
never hurt me. Not her fault her granddad’s a jerk.”

“And my Aamon? You held him off you, but you never fought him.”

Nick shrugged. “He didn’t insult my mama. I had no real discord with him.” He glanced down at the wounds on his forearm. “A few bites ain’t nothing witch hazel won’t fix. Didn’t feel like kicking Lassie for his idiocy. Figured you probably do that enough for the both of us. No need to add to his misery. But, dude, really, you should buy him a toothbrush or Altoids, ’cause, man, his breath is nasty.”

“And
you’re
the Malachai.” His tone said that Ash couldn’t reconcile any kind of compassion with Nick’s DNA. Made sense. As a Malachai, he wasn’t supposed to have any whatsoever.

For anyone.

But that had never been him. Nick Gautier was a different kind of beast. Unique to himself.

Nick grinned at the confused Atlantean. “That’s what everything that has attacked me has told me. I assume they can’t
all
be lying.”

Hands on hips, Acheron let out a tired breath. “I’m going to be honest. My first inclination is to murder you where you stand.”

“Option B?”

Ash snorted at his sarcasm. “You helped my granddaughter. For that alone, I grant you a reprieve.”

“Gracias.”

“Da nada.”
Ash paused before he spoke again. “Actually, it is something. You are a threat to my family, therefore I only have one choice.”

The deadly tone of his voice sent a chill down Nick’s spine. “And that is?”

“I have to get rid of you immediately.” And by the severe tone of his voice, Nick knew Acheron didn’t mean he’d take him home.

Ash was most likely going to kill him.

CHAPTER 12

One second, they were in Ash’s study, and in the next, they were in the middle of a massive and impressive war zone. Beautiful winged soldiers battled Aamons in wolf form and hell-monkeys. Axes and fire blasts mixed with snarls, hisses, and curses.

But as soon as the winged soldiers saw Nick, they pulled back from the fighting to stare at him. Everything came to a sudden stop.

Yeah,
that
was disturbing. It felt the same as standing naked in the gym in the middle of a pep rally.

A tall winged soldier who was dressed in reddish-gold armor approached them slowly. His pale blond hair fell from under his helm to his shoulders. More than that, the soldier was pretty enough to make even the hottest swimsuit model turn green with envy. “So, Acheron, you’ve come to your senses.” He stopped abruptly, just like Kody had done when they’d tried to leave Karma’s house. Touching the invisible forcefield, he glared at Ash. “What is this?”

Ash answered his question with one of his own. “Why do you want this boy?”

“That is not
your
concern, Atlantean. Now hand him over or we’ll tear this house down.”

With a grim gleam in his eyes, Ash held his ground. “You’re willing to go to war over a human?”

A slow smile spread across the soldier’s face. “Are you?”

Nick held his breath as his life hung in the balance of this conversation. He had no idea why the winged soldiers wanted him, but he was pretty sure it wasn’t to send him home with puppies, roses, and rainbows.

The soldier glanced over his shoulder to the rest of his army and said something Nick couldn’t translate. All of a sudden, they threw their arms out in unison and sent a sonic blast toward Ash and Nick.

Nick expected it to rebound off the force field.

It didn’t.

Rather, it sent both him and Ash reeling. Nick slammed against a wall with enough force to knock the air from his lungs. His back burned as his vision dimmed. Now,
that
stung.

The leader stepped over Ash’s body and grabbed Nick by his arm and hauled him to his feet.

“What are you?” Nick breathed.

“Death.”

Nick snorted at the arrogant tone. “No offense, I’ve met the man and he’s a lot more badass than you … prettier, too.”

Laughing, the soldier grabbed him by the throat and choked him.

“Ameretat!” Acheron snarled as he rose slowly to his feet. “Let him go!”

The soldier blasted Ash away while he increased the pressure on Nick’s neck.

Unable to breathe, Nick did his best to break Ameretat’s hold, but there was nothing he could do. His face turned hot. His ears rang fiercely.

Just as he started to black out, Ameretat went flying. An instant later, Acheron tossed Nick over his shoulder and teleported them out.

Coughing and wheezing, Nick tried to focus his gaze as he found himself back in Acheron’s study. Ash set him down on his feet then stepped away. He gave a shaky laugh as he met Acheron’s gaze. “Admit it, Ash. I’m too fluffy and adorable to kill.” He batted his eyelashes.

For a second, he was sure Ash would take over where Ameretat had left off and choke the rest of the life out of him. Finally, Ash rolled his eyes and scoffed derisively. “When we get you back to your mother, you better hug her close and thank her.”

“Not that I don’t always do that, but for what in specific?”

“The fact that I can’t break her heart by doing what I’m sure would be the best thing for everyone. Handing you over to them.”

Nick drew a ragged breath through his sore throat. “We both thank you for your restraint.”

Ash ignored the comment. “I’ve never tried to send someone into an alternate universe before. Never mind send them in and pull someone else out. But—”

“Wait,” Nick dodged Acheron’s hand.

“What?”

“My girlfriend’s here, too.”

Ash gaped in disbelief. “How do you mean?”

“When Thorn attacked me, somehow I pulled her here. Kind of like saving Simi. No idea how it happened. It just did.”

Cursing under his breath, Ash glared at Nick. “Where is she?”

“She was at the convent where your hell-monkeys found me. Pretty sure she’s not there now. But that’s just a guess.”

The expression on Ash’s face said that he was about to follow through with his threat and return Nick to his enemies. “Is she human?”

“Kind of.”

Ash cursed again. “I know I don’t want to ask this, but the compulsion’s more than I can bear. What’s
kind of
human?”

Debating the sanity of answering, Nick decided that he owed some kind of explanation to Acheron for not allowing him to die at Ameretat’s hand. But he had a bad feeling Ash wasn’t going to like it. “She’s a ghost.”

Acheron scowled at him. “A ghost?”

He nodded. “Weird, right? But true nonetheless.”

“Can’t I send you back and then you call her?”

“I’d rather you not … just in case I can’t. No offense, but the whole girlfriend designation means I’m kind of attached to her and would be very put out if she didn’t make it back and I did.”

“What kind of idiot dates a ghost?” The expression on Ash’s face said that he was about to send Nick back anyway. Until his phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and checked the ID. After hesitating a few more seconds, he made a sound of supreme irritation before he finally answered it. “Savitar … it’s been a while.”

Grateful for the reprieve, Nick said a quiet prayer of thanks for Savitar’s timing.

And that new look Ash cast in his direction told him that he was the prime subject of their conversation. A conversation that was worsening whatever intestinal woe had besieged Acheron.

Nick cupped his hands around his mouth. “Tell Sav I said hi.”

Acheron narrowed his eyes in warning. “Yeah, I’ll bring him to you.” He turned off the phone and grabbed Nick’s arm. Before Nick could blink, they were back in the Burdette mansion. His mom and Bubba were sitting on the couch not far from Savitar while Kody stood in one corner, chewing her thumbnail. A tall blond man Nick assumed to be Mark was next to her.

The moment Kody saw him, she dropped her hand and gave him a smile that set fire to every male hormone in his body. “Oh thank the gods!” She ran to him and hugged him close. “We’ve been worried sick.”

Nick closed his eyes and inhaled the sweet scent of her hair. Yeah, okay, he’d take a beating and then some for this. There really were no words for what he felt anytime Kody was with him.

“Girlfriend?” Acheron asked sarcastically.

Nick grinned. “You don’t think I’d let just anyone molest me like this, do you?”

“Now I get it,” Ash mumbled as he and Savitar locked gazes. Something dark passed between them that said they had a bad history with each other. But what Nick didn’t miss was the way Kody reacted as she realized Acheron was with him. It was subtle. Just a tensing of her body. A flash of pained recognition in her eyes. Most people wouldn’t have caught it at all, but Nick was attuned to every nuance of her.

She knew Acheron. Well.

Gently, Nick tilted her chin until she met his gaze. “What is it?” he whispered.

Refusing to answer, she shook her head. “Nothing.”

Yet he knew better. It was another secret she refused to share. Had she dated Acheron or something?

Gah, he hoped not. That would mess up his head even worse than Bubba dating his mama. Never mind the fact that the two of them were married in this realm.

It was sick all the way around.

“Well,” Ash said to Nick. “Now that you’re reunited, let’s get rid of you both.”

Savitar snorted. “Won’t work.”

Acheron glared at Savitar. “What do you mean?”

Savitar jerked his chin toward Nick. “He’s been split. You can’t send him home and bring the other kid back.”

“How do
you
know?”

“How do you
not
know?” Savitar challenged Ash.

Rolling his eyes, Acheron scoffed. “When was the last time you were right about anything?”

“That’s a cold, low blow.”

When Ash started for Savitar, Kody broke them apart.

The scowl returned to Ash’s face as he stared down at her. “Do I know you?”

Kody swallowed hard before she shook her head. “Please don’t fight.”

“Are you sure we don’t know each other?”

Nick held his breath, waiting for her to answer Ash’s question.

Clearing her throat, Kody glanced at Nick. “We’ve never met.”

His lip curled, Savitar moved to stand by a wall. He crossed his arms over his chest before he sneered at Acheron. “A double transmutation through dimensions … Not even
you
can do that.”

Ash gestured toward Nick. “If it’s been done, it can be undone.”

“And we’re not talking about turning iron into gold, oh great alchemist Acheron,” Savitar countered. “We’re transmuting two living creatures across dimensions simultaneously. I’ve never even heard of this being done. Have you?”

Acheron didn’t answer.

“Well?” Savitar prompted.

“Yes.” Ash gestured at Nick and Kody. “How else did he get here?”

Savitar let out an extremely rude noise that was followed by an even ruder gesture.

“Would Arelim have that power?”

Every eye in the room turned to Nick with an intensity so disturbing, he felt a sudden need to make sure his deodorant was still working.

Kody frowned at him. “How do you know that term?”

That intense look made him squirm even more. “Um … we ran into them earlier.”

“What?” she gasped. Her face went white.

“They attacked my home and stabbed my granddaughter.”

Kody gasped at Acheron’s news and she paled even more. “Mia was hurt? Is she all right?”

Acheron slid a scowl toward Savitar that questioned Kody’s sanity. “Who’s Mia?”

“Your granddaughter.”

“I thought you didn’t know Ash?” Nick asked, interrupting them.

Kody stepped away from him.

“My granddaughter is Simi.”

Kody pressed her hands to her face. “Sorry. I keep forgetting that everything’s so different here.” She glanced back at Acheron. “Is she all right?”

Ash jerked his chin at Nick. “He saved her … healed her somehow.”

Nick held his hands up as Kody turned to him for an explanation. “Don’t ask. Don’t know. Still have no known powers here. But there is something that I learned even more interesting than my would-not-be powers. Ash has a living Charonte.”

Now it was Acheron’s turn to squirm under their scrutiny.

Incredulous, Savitar pushed himself away from the wall. “I thought they were all dead.”

A tic started in Ash’s jaw before he spoke. “I still have Xirena.”

Savitar’s expression darkened. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I never intended for anyone to know she survived. I swore to protect her and I will. She and my grandchildren are in a location where no one can reach them. Not even you.” Ash turned back toward Nick and Kody. “But one Charonte is nothing against an entire Arelim battalion.”

“Who led them?” Kody asked.

“Ameretat.”

Pressing the back of her hand to her lips, Kody moved away from them. Now
there
was an expression Nick was more than familiar with.

“You know him,” Nick said as a statement and not a question.

To his complete shock, she nodded. Wow, she
could
actually answer a question without hedging. That was a miracle. “Or rather, I know the one in
our
time. He’s brutal, but under the command of others. Ours wouldn’t have attacked on his own. But this one…” She met Acheron’s gaze. “What did he want?”