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With that inspace “Do you yield to rowled at him
“That’s not an answer” Nick traded hands and increased the pressure on Thorn’s throat again “Do I really have to kill you on the front lawn of Bubba’s house? Is that truly what you want? Because, no offense, killing you is not the way to get ht And I’d le with her than step over your dead body and tick her off Pretty sure you’d rather I not kill you, too Or ao hoot lowed red in the darkness “I will follow no one ever again And that includes you”
“Good ’Cause I’ suht on ainstbattle most days And while I’d like to defeat that, I don’t want to end the world or you or anything other than this ridonkulous standoff… However, I will kill you if I have to, to stop this, but I hope it don’t come to that Honestly, all I expect is for you to crawl back to your hole and stay there like a nice demon lord Because the next time I confront you, boy, I won’t show house with both the women in my life Got it?”
Kody started for Nick, but Caleb caught her aroing on? If they didn’t do so fast, it would be over for all of the”
A slow smile broke across Caleb’s handsome face “Yes, he is”
How could he be so nonchalant? So happy? Did he want Nick to becoave in to his dark powers, Caleb would suffer as much, if not more, than she would Especially now that Nick knew his real nalanced to Nick, as about to finish Thorn off, then back to Caleb “We have to stop it! If he becomes the Malachai—”
“Kody,” Caleb said in an even tone, breaking her words off “Can you not understand what they’re saying?”
She shook her head “It’s demonkyn I only know a handful of words”
“Yeah, well, I know a few more”
All of a sudden, Nick stood and backed away frolower of fury at him, Thorn slowly pushed hiain
Instead, he saluted hiathered his demon minions and Tabitha and her sisters, and left
Completely confused, she stared at Nick as he went to check on Savitar and Acheron, ere still lying as lumps on the lawn By the relieved expression on his face while he felt for a pulse, she knew they were okay
And while that thrilled her, it didn’t take away her shock at Nick’s actions She gaped at Caleb “He’s in control of himself?”
Caleb nodded “Completely Somehow he pushed the darkness out and resisted it”
How? It was unheard of No one turned down Noir And they definitely didn’t do it like this
As Nick headed toward her, he gave her that devilish grin that never failed to speed up her heartbeat But as fast as that s his chest, Nick fell to his knees on the lawn Then he collapsed
Petrified, she ran to hi his back, Nick screamed out He shook all over She met Caleb’s and Simi’s wide-eyed stares as they joined her by his side
“What is this?”
They shook their heads in unison
Kody knelt and placed her hand to Nick’s cheek “Sweetie? Can you hear ain “It burns like fire”
“What?”
He pulled his shirt down so that he could blow across his chest And as he did so, an ancient symbol formed over his left pectoral It was a circle that held Noir’s emblem on top and Azura’s on the botto on his te hard, she aze He paled instantly “What is this, Caleb?”
“He’sevasive and she wanted to beat him for it “Elaborate”
Caleb shook his head slowly “You really don’t want rie “Why ruin all our days?”
“Caleb!” she snapped sirabbed the front of Caleb’s shirt “What is happening to me?”
“Your parents want their baby home, son And this—” Caleb touched hisat the term, Nick dreaded the answer in the worst sort of way “What’s a Tactical Trunk Monkey?”
Caleb rimace “In a couple of years, you’ll know exactly what Ibeacon fro to take over Not a good tih honestly, he couldn’t think of anything better than to panic right now For that matter, his sanity hadn’t proven all that beneficial, either
Maybe freaking out would help?
Nick ground his teeth against the agony that continued to pierce hiet rid of it?”
“The Siht take sos, too Should we try?”
Nick rees at him “The Si”
“And I don’t like being burned by fla demon breath, either, Si right” He tightened his hold on Caleb’s shirt “What do I do?”
“Run”
Nick scoffed Caleb , it was that his life never had a simple answer to his probleet up and sprint across the lawn “Won’t they find me if I run?”
Caleb didn’t hesitate with his response “Yeah”
“Then what’s the good in running?”
“You’ll feel like you at least tried?”
He gaped at his friend, hating Caleb’s sarcas”